First, everything starts cracking.
Echizen left the clubhouse and walked towards the court after Inui and Kaidoh.
"Wish we can do something for that guy."
Oishi turned to Momoshiru, the only person left besides him in the clubhouse still.
"Echizen?"
Momoshiru nodded.
"I don't think he even wanted us to know."
"Yeah, but it's still obvious and I still wish there was something that anyone can do."
"You guys hang out. Isn't there anything specific that he likes doing to keep his mind busy?"
"Eh… he likes playing on street doubles, but he doesn't tell us that."
"No, no. I meant other than tennis."
"Not really. He enjoys eating."
"No, that's a bad thing to encourage."
Momoshiru shrugged. "Come on, before Tezuka-buchou decides to give us laps." Momoshiru put the racquet over his shoulder while he walked. "We're in high school now and he still gives us laps!"
Oishi smiled and followed Momoshiru to the courts. "For fitness, Momo."
"Meh, fitness, fitness. I'm fit!" Momoshiru said, flexing his hand dramatically.
"Momoshiru! What are you doing?"
"Kya!" Momoshiru ran into the courts. "Sorry, buchou!"
Oishi jogged into the courts after him.
Momoshiru approached Oishi during a water break. "Look." He nodded towards court1, where Echizen was rallying with Tezuka, thought rallying wouldn't be very accurate. Echizen was hitting. His grunts and follow-through matched those during his serious matches, yet less powerful while he was returning the ball to Tezuka in a straight line. Not even aiming to the corners, though Tezuka was.
Soon, Tezuka stopped the rally. "Take a break."
"I don't need a break."
"Drink water and rest your body for a few minutes."
Tezuka was already walking off the court, so Echizen went to his bench and threw the racquet onto the bag before sitting and pulling out his towel. He put it over his head then brought in the corner to wipe his face before leaning and resting his elbows on his knees and watching everyone else. He reached into his bag and pulled out an energy drink.
He drank a little then downed some water to push any possibility of acidity further down before leaning back on the fence and exhaling, looking up at the sky while drinking water sometimes.
"Ready, Echizen?"
Echizen tossed the bottles back into his bag, picked up his racquet and stood. He wiped his face one last time before tossing his towel onto his bag and walking onto the court. He bounced the balls on his court up into his hand and pocketed one of them after choosing the one he wanted to rally with first. He bounced it before starting a new rally.
"Cross," Tezuka said before returning the ball to the far left. They hit crosscourt, which gave Echizen a deep range and fine width for hitting, which he used very thoroughly. Tezuka stopped the rally. "Echizen, what are you doing?"
Echizen stopped and looked at him. "What am I doing, buchou?"
"Why are you using your right? Are you injured?"
"No." Echizen held the racquet with his left. "You are," he muttered under his breath.
"We have a tournament starting tomorrow, don't be careless."
I'm not the one being careless.
"Inside-out," Tezuka later announced, changing directions slowly until their positions were on an inside-out and backhand rally.
Echizen hit three consecutive balls out that Tezuka returned anyway and the fourth hit the net. "DAMN IT."
"Concentrate, Echizen."
Echizen started the rally but the ball hit the net again. "Fuck," he hissed.
"Tezuka, I'm going for a drink," Fuji said, running past after motioning for Echizen to wait. Tezuka nodded. Echizen wiped his face with his sleeve before he started the rally as soon as Fuji passed the center line.
"Wait for him to leave, Echizen."
The rally continued.
Echizen stopped the ball and held it. "The ball lost pressure." He lobbed it to Tezuka, who caught it and tested it then nodded and put it in his bag before returning.
"Go."
Echizen resumed the rally.
"Last rally, Echizen. Then, we play 3 games."
A few hits later, the ball went into the net. "Crap - playing like a damn beginner!" Echizen called out, hitting the ball at the fence behind him, making it shake.
"Echizen!" Tezuka called, absorbing his anger. "Serve."
Echizen retrieved the ball and picked up the ones at the net, pushing the ones on the other side towards Tezuka before returning to the baseline while mocking the service motion to warm up his shoulder to the new motion.
They took turns warming up their serves at each other.
"Your serve?"
Echizen nodded and took his place at the center mark. With a grunt, Echizen's serve exploded towards the T mark at the service line and flew at the fence behind Tezuka before he can breathe.
Tezuka turned.
The ball was stuck in the fence right where Fuji stood, frozen mid-walk. The ball popped out the fence and landed next to his shoe, leaving a molded gape in the fence.
Tezuka ran to the fence.
"Syuusuke."
Fuji picked up the ball then looked at Tezuka through the fence. His eyes were open and a cloud was hovering in each.
"Are you ok?"
Fuji nodded. "So much power…" he said, showing Tezuka the broken ball.
They turned to the sound of a ball bouncing.
Echizen stood at the center mark once more, bouncing the ball and waiting for Tezuka to take his place.
"Hoi, hoi," Eiji was finally able to whisper.
It wasn't the broken ball in Fuji's hand that made Tezuka's eyes narrow. It wasn't the fence. Nor was it the competitive posture. It was the foreign glint in Echizen's eyes.
"Mada, mada da ne."