Smell
Tezuka has never appreciated the smell of food, of rain, of a winter day before he met Ryoma. To him the food was meant only to nurture and to give you energy while training during practice. Rain was the most ordered and useful weather phenomenon that ever existed, a winter day was like any other day, but much colder.
Days passed by without having any particular meaning, he would wake up at 6 am, at 7: 30 since is winter. He would skip strain himself during practice on the courts, at home he would do his homework and learning, at times helping his mother.
There were no special moments in his life, other than winning together with his team. His world swirled around tennis. His thoughts were filled with ideas of how to enhance better performances. He knew only one language, and he believed he needed no other. He could motivate his lack of interest for other things by pointing out how important it was to focus on the task before you and leave the rest behind.
It took every courage and determination Ryoma was capable of to move the mountain, to change the course of the river, to make a smile bloom on that stif face and it was worth the challenge.
It happened one day after practice.
They were the only ones that remained in the wasted club room. Tezuka was placing his equipment neatly folded in his locker and is almost ready. Ryoma would not change from her tennis clothes, she is patiently waiting for her boucho to finish dressing. Her patience is running thick, but she knows she wouldn't have to wait any longer. In no time Tezuka was staring at her questioningly.
"Are you going home? Ryoma inquired.
"Aa" Tezuka replied equally confused by what made his kohai ask this pequliar question.
"Ne boucho, can I accompany you?" Ryoma egerly uttered.
"What?" Tezuka was in for a lot of mystery today.
"I think you heard me " Ryoma smirked playfully.
One could say when he is teased and laughed at, and that was exactly what Echizen was doing to him.
"Echizen" Tezuka said edgily.
"You can relax, I said if it was all right to accompany you."
"Oh…" Tezuka could only mutter.
"So, can I ?" Ryoma watched for any significant change in the expressionless traces of Tezuka.
The older teen nodded slowly , while ushering the freshman out to lock the club room.
They walked several miles without any breaking the was trying to be inventive,she listened to her impulses and she acted on the spur of the moment.
"Boucho, did you bring your umbrella with you?" Ryoma almost sang.
Tezuka threw a puzzled glance towards Ryoma. Was she trying to make a conversation? He saw her for the first time in that day, her skirt was not too long, her greenish hair was shining beautifully in the sun and her eyes held a shade of yet there was not a single cloud on the sky.
"I don't think I 'll need one." Tezuka said finally.
Ryoma chuckled a little.
"My mother always told me that a certain combination of steps could bring the rain, if one truly believed in the ritual." Ryoma said wistfully.
Tezuka almost forgot that Ryoma was only twelve years old and still believed in those myths, she could not be convinced otherwise. So he remained silent out of consideration for her.
However, Ryoma was not one to give up that easily on something she believed with all her being.
So out of the blue she took both Tezuka's hands and dragged him in the middle of the street and started dancing gracefully, pulling a hesitant and startled Tezuka along with her.
"Ryoma stop!" Tezuka tried to disentangle himself from her grip. He felt utterly embarrassed and was twice more angrier at himself , because he enjoyed dancing quite much.
The first moment of distress passed and they realized that they actually felt comfortable in each othe's presence. Tezuka was taken aback by the fact that he could move in synchrony with this young girl, he knew everything about her tennis, every serve and volley or one footed split step, yet what amazed him was that he knew close to nothing about the person, about her passions, or how she was outside the courts.
"Eeeh, I didn't know you could dance so well, Tezuka-boucho." Ryoma said teasingly slightly blushing.
"I could say the same thing ." Tezuka admitted as well, a slight flush showing already.
In that moment the rain started. Just as Ryoma said.
They looked at each other and started to laugh. This was a novelty for Tezuka, he would hardly smile and now he felt like showing himself more.
They threw care to the wind and continued dancing for a while longer. They succeeded on bringing forth the rain so there was no need to continue any longer. Still they could not stop. It was as if their footsteps created a special music heard only by them.
"Boucho" Ryoma whispered.
"Aa" Tezuka answered with an equal whisper.
"Can you sense the smell of the rain?" Ryoma asked softly, not slowing down the pace.
The only smell Tezuka felt was the intoxicating grape scent coming from Ryoma, which was quite distracting.
"No, I don't" Tezuaka was a little sad for being such a disappointment.
"It smells of happiness, of freedom, of hope , fulfillment and…love" the young girl uttered the last word almost in a low voice, yet Tezuaka heard her too well, for he stopped right in the middle of the dance and looked straight into her eyes.
She looked away because her eyes would definitely betray her.
Tezuka never thought of his feelings being returned. He secretly fell for his kohai from the first time he saw her. During that faithful match with Arai, he studied her from his window and at first he admired her for her tennis, and after reawakening her ability at Haruno's University court , he could most likely appreciate her beauty, lithe body, her graceful moves during each tennis match.
But he never would have dream of her feeling the same way. And now there in the middle of the rain he was happy to make her his and share her with no one.
He embrace her tight, holding her, protecting her, being her support. And knew he never asked for more.
Ryoma stiffed when she felt Tezuka embrace her, but soon after she realized what that embrace really meant she leaned her head on his chest. Yes, she was sure, his heart was beating a little faster, in union with hers.