I sometimes wondered why I ended up where I stood… I was standing next to the school's tennis court waiting for my brother to finish practice. My red long hair, which was always pulled up in a side ponytail, shined in the afternoon light. "Eimi!" Eiji, my brother, called out to me and excitedly waved at me. "Just wait a bit longer! We'll be done soon!" He smiled at me. I would always wait for my brother after my club activities were over. The Sewing Club and the photography club were the only clubs that interested me so far, it was easy and it consumed my free time. It was also the only thing I could do with the state I was in.
Eiji, the light acrobatic player, jumped around and returned every shot as it came at him. Eiji was doing everything I wanted to do, but I couldn't do any of that. He was so good that he was one of the Regulars of the school's tennis team. It seemed like it wasn't that long ago that I was once called a Tennis Princess…
"Hey," A deep voice called out. At first, it seemed as if it was a voice calling toward the team, but it called again. Such a familiar voice. "Hey…"
I woke up from my daze filled with mindless rambling. The voice was actually calling toward me. The person calling me was the tennis captain, Tezuka Kunimitsu. "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention…" I haven't spoken to him in so long, I felt like I was always nervous seeing him or being around him.
When I was just a child I remember walking just outside of a random modern-Japanese styled house as I saw a tennis ball almost hit me. I ducked down thinking that I was going to get hit, but the next thing I knew; there was a tennis racket in front of my face.
"Are you okay?" A boy with glasses held the racket that saved me from a tennis ball that was bound to hit me. "I'm sorry, it's my fault."
"Kunimitsu!"
"That's my grandpa. I'm sorry, one minute, Grandpa." He looked back toward the place that the voice called him. "My name is Tezuka Kunimitsu. Do you live around here?"
I nodded. "I'm Kikumaru Eimi…" For some reason, at that point tennis was the only thing I loved.
The person in front of me today was the same person I met long ago, but I still felt the same as the day I first met him. It was a shame for me to be this nervous person; I was in the same class as him. Although, he has changed a lot since I met him. He has become the serious, but necessary captain of the tennis team. "Since you are here every day, you might as well join."
"Uh… I can't." I put my hands behind my back and felt my wrist.
"Not even as a manager?" He seemed persistent now, for reasons completely unknown. We weren't friends exactly… I wouldn't really know what to call our relationship actually… I saw him often because of Eiji. He would catch me staring from time to time, but I don't remember any other time we would interact.
"Did Eiji put you up to this…? I'm sorry if he is bothering you." I looked at the ground and apologized. "Unlike me, he doesn't stay out of people's business.
"Your twin bothers me, but he didn't bother me about you being a manager. It's an official offer from me. What do you say?"
I was getting annoyed at this persistence. I wanted to, in fact, I wanted to join the girl's tennis team, but I can't. I held my wrist tighter. It seemed to hurt the more and more I thought about it.
"EIMI!" Eiji called out to me and attacked me with a giant energetic hug. "What are you guys talking about?" He was always curious, energetic and kind, especially around me. It was like I was his delicate flower. It contrasted with my sour nonchalant mood that was almost permanent drawn on my face.
"We were talking about her being a manager, she doesn't seem interested though." Tezuka said.
"Eimi! Come on, do it!" Eiji whined. "Please! I bet this will make you feel better! You'll get out of the house, move around, and you will get to hang out with me!" He jumped and squeaked of excitement. "Eimi, come on!"
"Huh?" Tezuka seemed almost alarmed. "Are you okay?" He seemed concerned, but it was hard to tell from his emotionless face right now.
"No." I quickly said. "'Eiji, don't say things around others. Especially on things that don't concern them please." Although I was the youngest, I was always argued as the mature one. I couldn't say mature was the right word to describe me… it was just easier to call me more mature with someone like my brother.
"I'm sorry, Eimi. But please, think of it! I'd really like it!"
I sighed. "I'll think about it…"
Tezuka simply nodded and headed back to dismiss the other members. He already reverted to his Captain-Serious-self. We haven't really talked since we were in elementary. It felt weird being around him and talking to him like we were strangers. I just wanted to lie down and not think of anything that happened today.
"Eimi, I am going to go clean up, wait for me by the gate." Eiji said. He was really happy for some reason. "We'll talk about the… you know… later." He tried to refrain from giggling after putting emphasis on "you know."
"Eiji… please…" I could feel heat coming on my face that could possibly be a lighter shade of Eiji's and my hair. Eiji liked talking to me about anything and everything though, he knew everything. And if he didn't know everything he would annoy me until he did. "Fine, later though."
Eiji smiled. "Eimi, cheer up please. Remember, I love you!"
I smiled slightly. "I love you too, Eiji."
"I'll try to hurry, see you in a bit." He ran off toward the locker room as I walked toward the school gate.
"Kikumaru." It was Tezuka again. I didn't answer at first because I didn't know if he was talking to me or my brother. He called again. I turned around to see him. He was still in his tennis uniform.
"As captain of the tennis team, I would like to say that I would really want someone like you to be the manager for the team." He slightly bowed. I was really confused at his actions right now.
"I said I will think about it…" His persistence will be the end of me…
"I won't take 'no' for an answer…" He really did seem determined. "Kikumaru, I really want you to get back into tennis, like you were before."
"I gave up tennis… but If you won't leave me alone, I will be the manager. Eiji seems to really want me to do it anyway…" I was about to turn away to head to the school gate, but I was stopped by a hand taking hold of my wrist.
"Kikumaru…" Tezuka said. "Is everything okay?"
"I'm not sick…" I officially declared.
"That's not what I meant. We... haven't talked in a while." His deep voice just seemed to chip me away.
"Tezuka… please. Don't you think you've bothered me enough today? Take it one at a time…" Then I realized that I almost sounded angry. "I'm sorry… I really am."
"Let's catch up one day." Tezuka seemed to let his guard down a little. "I'll text you or call you later." Before I could say anything he turned away. "Be careful on your way home."
As I was getting used to being alone with my thoughts and Eiji… Someone tried to interrupt my chosen path of life. I really didn't know what to do with myself, so I just did what was planned and headed toward the gate.
