Author's Note: Hello There. Another short story. I don't own Prince Of Tennis. Enjoy, please!
Title Story: I am right here.
Chapter One: Not Alone.
"Nothing is better than some cold drinks on such a hot day."
Takumi Miko was cheerfully walking from the vending machine back to the tennis wall.
To her surprise she didn't saw her tennis racket on the bench were she left it, but in a young man's hand. He had also taken one of her balls and was hitting on the same spot over.
'Damn, you can't even let your tennis racket alone, these days.' She thought.
Suddenly she narrowed her eyes. 'Those shots.. that arm..'
She smiled. 'Interesting fellow.'
"You shouldn't just take people possessions, you know?"
Tezuka turned around and saw a girl around his age, grinning.
She had 2 soda cans in her hand, at her expression he could see, that she was kidding.
"I'm sorry." He only said and handed her the racket back.
Miko chuckled. "It's alright." She put the drinks in her bag and took her racket back.
Not minding Tezuka, she started to hit the same spot over and over again.
'Last shot.' She thought.
She gave the bal a hard swing and the ball banged against the wall and the floor, on the floor it was left spinning around on his place.
"Phew.." Miko sighed. "That's enough for today."
"You have some skills there." A voice said.
Miko turned around finding that the young man was still standing there, observing her.
"Thanks." She smiled. "Would you like to sit?"
The young man only nodded.
Miko put her racket and ball on the bench and made place for Tezuka.
She handed him a soda can and opened one for herself.
"I'm Takumi Miko. Nice to meet you." She stook out her hand.
The young man took it and nodded. "Tezuka Kunimitsu."
Miko drank a bit and said: "Hmm.. you are that National-level guy."
"So, what if I am?" Tezuka said calmly.
"Nothing." Miko answered. "Only that your shots seem a bit off."
Tezuka looked at her.
"Looks like you are injured or have Yips." She stated.
Tezuka narrowed his eyes. "Yips, a condition where you can't move your body."
"Due your muscles becoming atrophied from tremendous stress caused by tension." Miko ended his explanation.
Tezuka nodded.
Suddenly they heard: "Hey, get lost. This place is Shishigaku Middle School's."
Miko and Tezuka turned around.
The whole group standing before them, gasped.
"T-Tezuka Kunimitsu." The guy with the cap stuttered. "Why are you in Kyushu?"
Another guy stuttered: "P-Please go ahead and use the court, if you don't mind such a court."
The guy with the cap again nervously smiled. "Y-Yeah, we still have to go jogging."
"Wait." The guy on the right said. "I have read about you. You were recently in Germany for rehabilitation."
"Your team is even going to the Nationals, without you!"
"So, what?" Tezuka calmly said.
"So, it's true. Well, I'll help you with your rehabilitation." The guy with the cap cockily said.
"No, thanks." Tezuka said and wanted to leave.
"Wait!"
Tezuka turned around.
"We'll take her as hostage." The guy with the cap said, while holding Miko in his grasp.
The racket was close by her neck.
Tezuka wanted to comply, but was stopped.
"Hehe, Tezuka-kun. What will a girl do if she can't defend herself these days?" Miko said calmly.
She took the racket out of the guy's hand and threw it away. "N-Nani?"
With both hands she grabbed the arm behind her and flipped him over her back.
"Aah!" Her hostage taker groaned from pain.
The other guys wanted to advance on Miko.
Miko fast took her bags, racket and tennis ball.
She ran to Tezuka and grasped his wrist, pulling him with her. "Tezuka-kun, come!"
"Oi, we will remember this!" The guy yelled after them.
Tezuka only saw Miko grinning.
"Phew.." Miko panted a little. "We escaped."
She turned around to see Tezuka calmly looking back.
"Sorry, but I just had to save you, Tezuka-kun." She chuckled.
Tezuka raised an eyebrow at that. "Save me?"
"Hehe." Miko grinned and took his wrist again.
"Come, I know a park here." She said.
Miko said down on the cool grass and pulled Tezuka down too.
She stretched her long, sleeveless, low-cut black shirt and her low, mid-long jogging pants.
"So, back to our conversation." Miko started. "Like they said, you aren't injured anymore."
Tezuka said nothing.
Miko put her racket back in its cover and the ball back in her bag.
She looked back to him. "Look, Tezuka. I found you interesting."
Tezuka raised another eyebrow at her statement.
"I know, I'm weird. But let's say I'm interested." She chuckled.
Tezuka nodded.
Miko sighed.
"You seem like the person who first wants to get things, before handing them out." Miko said.
"So, why don't I tell you about my experience with Yips?" Miko smiled at him.
Tezuka was a little bit surprised.
Miko grinned again. "Do you really think I would recognize Yips like it's nothing? Hehe, you overestimated me, Tezuka-kun…"
Miko pulled the ribbon out of her ponytail and started brushing her dark brown locks.
"Well, it's been 2 years ago, since my last formal match." Miko started while looking at the other people in the park.
Tezuka listened.
"You see, my style was really aggressive, but I always controlled myself to not hurt anybody. But at the semi-finals of the Nationals, I felt the big pressure. I was put in Singles One."
Miko swallowed. "I started to play and play. I started to play more aggressive and more aggressive. It was like the desire to win took over me. And I hurt my opponent so badly that she had to forfeit after I won 1 game."
She referred her look to the ground and stopped brushing her hair.
"I was back to my senses when she forfeited and saw she couldn't even crawl anymore. The blood she had and the scattered look on her face. The image I can never forget anymore."
Miko pulled her knees to her chest. "That image was dominating my play. The next formal matches I lost, the guilt and stress were overflowing on me and Yips stopped me. Even though my team won, I stopped being a Regular. Practice matches or simply holding a racket was merely impossible for me. Every time I tried to hold a racket or a tennis ball, I dropped it or my hand began shaking. At that point, I stopped tennis. The fear of hurting someone again started to conflict with everything I had, maybe it was because of disbelieve or distrust in myself. But I had to stop tennis. And so I quit."
Tezuka furrowed his eyebrows and wanted to say something.
But Miko started again. "But."
Tezuka repeated her word. "But?"
"I didn't see coming that I would miss my beloved tennis."
Miko smiled at him. "So, a half year after that accident I tried slowly to hold a tennis racket. Slowly I climbed up by myself, just like a fell down by myself. From holding a racket to throwing a ball and hit it. It went to serving and in a year I could do all my special moves again."
Tezuka saw her looking down again. "But you never did go back to the matches."
Miko nodded confirming what he said.
"I knew that I could go back to play the tennis I used to. But I declined myself at that. I just can't and I don't know if I ever can. Because right now, I can play my beloved tennis again without hurting someone. That's enough."
"Would you like to play one day again?" Tezuka asked.
Miko smiled sadly and laid down and rolled on her side facing Tezuka.
"To be honest, I don't know. Maybe, it's running away. But I don't want to hurt anyone again. Because of my aggressive play, the other team was hurt. Because of my Yips my teammates, friends and family were troubled. I don't ever want to see someone hurt because of me."
Miko slowly shifted closer to Tezuka, who was just laying down on the grass.
"You know, Tezuka-kun. I battled the way alone. Till now, you did too. But I want to help you Tezuka-kun." She smiled brightly.
Tezuka looked in her kind eyes.
"You're not alone, Tezuka. Your team may be waiting for you, but I'm right here. You might not want my help, but please consider it. I know your pain, the insecure feelings, I might not experience like you did. But somehow you seem to like help from others, but you yourself just don't admit it." She chuckled.
Tezuka's eyes widened and he looked away from her, hiding his embarrassment in his eyes.
Miko laid her hand on his left shoulder and felt him flinch.
"Tezuka-kun, you are quite stubborn." She grinned.
"Well, let's g-" Miko tried to stand up but tripped over Tezuka's bag, which was lying between them. "Kya!"
Now, this was quite awkward.
Miko opened her eyes to see she was on top of Tezuka, she felt his arms around her waist, holding on to her.
"Hehe, sorry about that Tezuka. I'm quite clumsy sometimes." Miko smiled nervously.
Tezuka saw her up close, her head was hanging above his and her dark green eyes were almost enchanting. The dark brown locks were touching his face and her body touched his tightly.
"Ano, Tezuka-kun?"
Suddenly Tezuka felt his body moving on his own and he moved his head upwards, stealing a kiss innocently.
Miko widened her eyes and looked at Tezuka, who was quite surprised by himself.
Miko began to giggle at his expression. Tezuka looked at her again, expressionless as always.
"Tezuka-kun. Before you let me go. I have a question."
Tezuka's eyes alerted in realization, and wanted to move his arms, but Miko interrupted him.
"Tezuka-kun.." She moved her head closer to his and stopped when their noses were touching. "Are you maybe starting to fall in love with me?" She asked while staring in his eyes.
Tezuka didn't answer, but didn't look away.
Miko chuckled. 'He is easier to read than he thinks.'
"I see, your eyes are answering me with a Yes."
At that Tezuka removed his arms, a bit confused by himself.
They sat again and Tezuka looked away.
"Thank you, Tezuka-kun." Miko said.
No answer.
She chuckled before standing up. "Now, why don't we go where you actually needed to go?"
Tezuka stood up also, his composure back. "Follow me, Takumi-san."
Miko smiled and walked next to him.
"Oh and Tezuka-kun?"
"Hn."
"Call me Miko."