Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi. I'm just borrowing for a little while.
Rating: PG
Summary: Inui Sakuno Inui acquires some very interesting data.
All of the stories in Random Insanity have no real connection to one another.
"Excuse me, Inui-sempai…?" Inui turned to look at the owner of the quiet voice, a first-year student who also happened to be his coach's granddaughter. He wondered briefly what she could want with him, especially after practice. From what he had observed Sakuno was very shy, rarely approaching the upperclassmen unless she was on an errand from Ryuuzaki-sensei.
"Yes?" his response was polite, in a tone that was designed not to frighten the timid girl away. She looked up at him and blushed.
"I know you're very busy, but I was wondering if…umm… I could try some of your… Penal-tea…" her voice trailed off as she made her little speech, but ever polite she made sure to bow as did it.
Well, that was a rather odd request. The only person he knew that willingly drank his concoctions was Fuji. That was only because, Inui suspected, the other boy enjoyed the discomfort of the other members of the team as they watched him drink it with ease. In any case, his curiosity was piqued.
"I don't mind, really, but do you mind if I ask why?" If it was possible, she blushed even harder.
"I just started tennis so I'm not very good still… Kachiro-kun, Katsuo-kun and Horio-kun were talking about it and I thought, 'Maybe it would help me, too,' and… I think the memory would be enough so…"
"Hmm…" Inui absently noted that piece of information for later.
"I didn't mean to offend you…" she hastened to apologize. Inui allowed himself a faint smile.
"I'm not offended. It's just the boy's team ran so many laps today that I used all of the Penal-tea up," he explained with a considering expression.
"Oh…" Sakuno's shoulders slumped and she let out a little sigh. Inui recognized the effort it had taken to approach him at all, and remembered the as-yet untested brew stored in the locker room. He wondered if the little first-year would be up to playing guinea pig for him.
"I do have a bottle of Inui-jiru Hyper Super Remix Version 3.7, though…" She visibly swallowed.
Apparently she had only been mentally prepared for one of his so-called "weaker" concoctions, but she gamely took a discreet deep breath and nodded. "Can I have some of that, then…please?"
This was turning out to be a wonderful opportunity for data collection.
"You sure?" She nodded again. "Come with me, then. It's in the club room." He turned and headed back towards the clubroom, the girl in a fast trot attempting to keep up with his much longer strides.
They arrived at the building a few minutes later. Inui left her outside next to the wall and went to retrieve the necessary articles, as well as to spare her the smell and sight of a boy's locker room. A few of the regulars had hung around for a little bit and were surprised to see Inui.
"Forget something, Inui-sempai?" Momoshiro took a break from glaring at Kaidoh and teasing Ryoma long enough to ask.
"Something like that." Inui grabbed some paper cups and a familiar-looking bottle off of his shelf.
"Where are you going with those?" Momoshiro was naturally nosy, not hiding his interest in what Inui was doing. Kaidoh and Ryoma were trying to look casual, but he could tell they were interested as well.
"Outside," Inui answered vaguely, knowing how to push their buttons. He exited the room fully aware of his entourage. Either Fuji's sadistic tendencies had begun to rub off on them or they were just naturally curious, but he wasn't going to make a big issue of it.
"Oh. It's Ryuuzaki." Ryoma recognized the girl with the long braids immediately. She looked up when she heard her name and blushed again.
"R-ryoma-kun…"
"What are you doing here?" Momoshiro was confused, but he was slowly putting things together.
"Ryuuzaki-san, sorry to make you wait," Inui smiled as he handed her a cup, now full of a murky purple-ish liquid. "Inui-jiru Hyper Super Remix, Ver.3.7, as promised."
"Thank you ver—"
"Sempai! What are you trying to do, kill her?" Momoshiro cried, as Kaidoh yelled at the same time, "That's the coach's granddaughter!"
"Are you insane?" It wasn't clear who Ryoma directed his comment too, Inui for giving a girl Inui-jiru, or Sakuno for accepting the cup with thanks.
In the background the girl took a few tentative sniffs of the liquid. It didn't smell that bad… she had certainly smelled worse things in her life. The entire point of this was to make her stronger, right? That decided, she simply brought the cup to her lips tipped her head back and drank, draining the cup.
"She actually drank it…" Momoshiro stared at the girl who had her head bent so they could only see her hair. "Hey, Ryuuzaki, are you okay?" Kaidoh and Ryoma could only stare at her. No one drank Inui's drinks willingly.
"How was it?" Inui waited patiently for any reactions from the girl. She looked up at him and… blushed?
"Inui-sempai…" she motioned for him to come down closer to her level. He obliged. "Are you sure you should use this as punishment…? It tastes kind of like blueberries to me…"
He felt his eyebrows visit his hairline.
Sakuno looked around him, acutely aware of the trio watching them. "Should I pretend I didn't like it? I mean… it's Inui-jiru, but…" she stopped mid-explanation, wringing her hands in obvious confusion as to how to save his reputation and not be impolite.
He smiled. This was excellent data.
"It's a little late for that, don't you think?"
"Oh. Yes, I guess so…" she contemplated the cup in her hands a few moments. "May I have seconds? Inui-jiru is very healthy, right?" she smiled at him shyly.
Of all of the possible responses, this was the one he least expected. He was aware of similar reactions in the trio of underclassman. Inui nodded and refilled her glass. She drained it again, though she still looked somewhat embarrassed.
"Thank you, Ryuuzaki-san."
"For what?" she looked genuinely confused. He shook his head.
"Don't worry about it."
"Oh… okay… thank you very much for today, Inui-sempai," she still looked a bit confused though she made sure to bow politely.
"Oh, and Ryuuzaki-san…" she stopped just as she was turning away.
"Yes?"
"What's your first name, again?" she smiled again, and Inui was suddenly struck by how sweet she looked. He vaguely wondered how much more interesting information he could get if he became friendly with her.
"Sakuno. Ryuuzaki Sakuno."
"I see. Thank you." She shook her head and bowed again, before turning away.
"It's nothing. Thank you again for everything today, Inui-sempai."
"Bye." He waved to her before turning to face the demanding hands of Momoshiro, Kaidoh, and Ryoma. They had, apparently, decided that if a girl like Ryuuzaki could handle his concoction than so could they. It was a matter of pride.
"Do you three want some?" Inui shook the bottle suggestively and was met with three identical steely glares and nods. A few minutes later they were owners of a glass of Super Hyper Remix juice. On some unspoken count they drank it simultaneously… and then spat it out violently yelling about it tasting like rotting fish.
Inui noted their reactions in his notebook before turning the page scrawling a little notation in the margin.
Inui-jiru Hyper Super Remix, Ver.3.7 (Codename: Princess Remix)
