Mika and Ryoma walked around the train station, looking for the way to the tennis matches. Mika glanced over to her right and saw the girl, dressed in a pink sweater and a blue skirt with long braids that was on the train (but Mika and Ryoma didn't know that) standing there. "Ne Ryo, lets ask her where the tennis matches are being held." He nodded with a small smile, looking down at Mika. They made their way over to the girl. "Hey, do you know where the Kakeukozawa tennis courts are?" Ryoma inquired, staring at her with his cat-like eyes. Sakuno looked up at the duo and gasped. "Huh!? Oh it's you guys! Wow what a coincidence, I'm going to the tennis courts too to meet my Grandma!" She exclaimed. "Are you two in the tournament? I don't know much about tennis but I love it!" Both Ryoma and Mika sweat dropped. "There where?" he asked again, stepping back a little closer to Mika because girl had moved forward while she was babbling. Mika automatically grabbed the back of Ryoma's jacket. "Oh! I'm sorry! Um, go out the south exit and then go straight ahead." She pointed the way. "Thanks a lot." Ryoma nodded to her. "See ya." They walked away from her, going towards the south entrance. Sakuno watched the pair walk away. She stared at the bag the boy was carrying. Stitched on it was the name Ryoma E. "Ryoma... His name is Ryoma. I wonder what the girls name is?"
A while later Sakuno's Grandmother, Ryuzaki Sumire came to pick her up. "Grandma you're late! You're half and hour late! What the heck took you so long to get here?" Sakuno exclaimed. "Yeah I know I'm running a little late but lets go!" Her grandmother replied, smiling at Sakuno. Ryuzaki turned towards the north exit and started walking. "Thats the north exit!" Sakuno pointed out. "I know that. To get to the tennis courts you walk out the north exit and go straight ahead." Ryuzaki reminded her. "Come on lets go! We'll be late!" Ryuzaki began walking again out the north exit. Sakuno gasped "The north exit? Oh no I can't believe I gave them the wrong directions!"
Sakuno frantically looked for the Ryoma boy and the mysterious girl he was with. Ryuzaki watched her confused. "What are you so upset about? Are you looking for someone you know?" "Grandma, if a player is late for a match... what happens?" Sakuno asked worriedly. "It means he defaults." Ryuzaki answered plainly. "D-defaults?" questioned Sakuno, who stopped looking for the boy and girl and looked behind her at her grandmother. "Yep, thats it, he's out." Ryuzaki answered cheerfully. Sakuno was really upset now. "Uh oh I'm in trouble now, uh I got to go!" With that, she ran off. Her grandmother watched her run away. "I wonder what thats all about?" She pondered. "Be sure to stay close Sakuno!" she yelled as an afterthought at her granddaughters retreating form.
Mika was lying down in the grass, reading a book about tennis. Ryoma's head was rested on her stomach, his hat pulled over his eyes and his tennis bag resting by their side. Sakuno ran up to them slightly panting. "Uh, excuse me?" Mika and Ryoma looked up at the same time to see a the girl from the train station standing in front of them. "Did you make it to your match?" she asked, more to Ryoma because he was the one with the tennis bag. "I was late, I defaulted." Ryoma replied, looking back down. He subconsciously started to play with the bottom hem of Mika's black hoodie. "I'm so sorry!" Sakuno bowed, looking like she was going to cry. "It's fine." Mika said, trying to comfort Sakuno. She still looked dejected. "Was is all my fault?" she asked, looking down at her feet. Ryoma sat up, "You bet. It was your double fault." Mika looked at Ryoma and nudged him, telling him to apologize. Before he could, seeing as Mika would be mad if he didn't, Sakuno clasped her hands together, looking happy again. "I know you wanna get a soda?"
Three grape ponta's fell down the chute of the vending machine. Ryoma grabbed them, handing one to Sakuno and one to Mika. "Here" "Thanks Ryo." Mika thanked Ryoma, kissing his cheek. He gave a quick smile, to fast for Sakuno to see but just enough for Mika to see. "I'm sorry, I didn't have any change." Sakuno said looking sad again. "I just wanted to say thanks for helping me out with those guys on the train. Those bullies were really giving me a hard time." All three of them sat down, Mika in the middle, Ryoma on her right and Sakuno on her left. "What do you mean?" Mika and Ryoma asked, Mika tilting her head to the side inquisitively, her beautiful piercing green eyes and Ryoma's cat-like golden ones staring at her. She fidgeted with her ponta in hand. "If you hadn't said anything, one of them was going to hit me with his racket! At least I thought so." She concluded. "You were on the train? Where were you sitting?" Ryoma asked, perfectly seriously. Mika sweat dropped, shaking her head at Ryoma's bad observation skills. "Ryo, at least don't make it so obvious you didn't know..." she said, lightly shoving Ryoma with her shoulder playfully. "I was right across from you..." Sakuno surprised at Ryoma. "It was nothing really," Ryoma stated, leaning back on the bench. Mika leaned her head on his shoulder again, closing her eyes. "I just wanted those clowns to shut up. They were giving Mi a headache." He stated matera factly before drinking more of his ponta. A can shot right past Mika's head, right where it would have been if she hadn't of leaned it on Ryoma's shoulder. All three middle schoolers turned around to see the three high schoolers who were on the train walking up behind them. "To bad we're bothering you, chump." The leader yelled at Ryoma. "Its that kid again huh." Stated the black haired one of the followers. "All talk, looks like he's already headed home loser!" yelled the other brown haired one. The leader poked his racked at Ryoma, lifting up his beloved hat. "I'm the top seed in boys 16 kid, and don't you forget it, though I dare you to tell me to be quiet again you twerp, and I'll fix ya." Ryoma just stared at him, most likely intimidating him. "What you lookin at huh?" The high schooler asked, getting flustered. "This brats gotta play a boat load of tennis to get a tenth as good as I am. I'll make you sorry creep!" He raised his racket and brought it down towards the trio. Sakuno screamed and covered her face with her hands while ducking down. Ryoma just kept staring while Mika glared at the high schoolers. The red headed leader stopped the racket right before it hit Ryoma's face. Sakuno sighed in relief that it didn't hit Ryoma or Mika. The red head growled at the boy middle schooler. "Come on dude lets go!" exclaimed the brown haired high schooler. They started walking away from the middle school trio. "Hey, still remember that grip I taught you?" Ryoma asked, picking up the can they threw at them. "What!?" yelled the red head angrily. "Ryoma." Mika warned, her eyes narrowing slightly. Ryoma threw the can away in the trash. Then turned around to face the high schoolers. "Hey if you do, I'd be happy to teach you some more." He stated cockily, tugging the edge of his hat. Mika face palmed and looked up at Ryoma with an irk mark on her forehead.
All six people stood on the tennis court. Sasabe you've got a match to play later, are you sure you want to do this?" one of the red heads friend asked him. "Destroying the kid will be the perfect warm up to beating my next opponent" He grinned, bouncing the tennis ball with his hand. Mika who was sitting on the bench in the tennis courts with Ryoma and Sakuno, growled under her breath, still glaring at the stupid cocky redhead. Ryoma, who was tying his tennis shoes, placed a hand on Mika's knee, squeezing lightly, reassuring her it will be fine. "Ryoma I think you should think twice about this!" Sakuno said worriedly. "I may as well play, it's dumb to go home without warming up my serve." He stood up and took of his jacket. "Hey Mi, hold this." He told Mika before bending down and kissing her temple. She nodded and took the jacket from his arms. He walked onto the court. "Best of one set match, Sasabi to serve." One of the high schoolers yelled out. "We don't need any line judges well call it our selves, ok?" "Fine with me." Ryoma said, unfazed by the request. "All right kid, don't worry, I'll give you a little handicap, I'll serve to you under handed." Sasabi said sarcastically. Sakuno's grandmother came and stood next to Sakuno and Mika. "So this is where you've run away to." "Grandma you're here!" Sakuno said relieved. "This is gonna get interesting." Ryuzaki, her arms crossed and her eyes trained on the game. "Don't just stand there! You've got to do something!" Sakuno exclaimed heatedly "Grandma these high school bullies are going to kill my friend Ryoma, he's just a little kid! Right Mika?" She asked me turning her head to look at me. "Ryo is fine." I reassured her. "She's right. you saw that return serve, this match is gonna be good." The match continued on, everyone except Ryuzaki and Mika amazed at how Ryoma could return Sasabi's best serve. "He's good!" Sakuno was amazed. "Oh don't underestimate him." Ryuzaki warned Sakuno. "He's just getting warmed up." Mika finished for her, softly smiling. "Grandma you know that boy? I just met him and Mika here on the train." "What you mean I didn't tell you? That boy is the Prince of Tennis."
"Ryoma Echizen, 12 years old. He breezed through the United States juniors with incredible ease. He won four times in a row. The kids the real deal." Ryuzaki stated. "Four times in a row?!" Sakuno exclaimed, amazed at how good Ryoma was at tennis. "He's the son of my best student. The family's been away for a long time. They only got back a while ago. Ryoma is still unknown here but when I heard he was going to enter this tournament I told him if he really had talent he should enter the boys 14, but get this, Ryoma said if he was going to play, he wanted to play in the 16 year old division. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, a real competitor, just like his dad." Ryuzaki sounded proud. "The only person I've heard of that is the same age as him and he couldn't beat was the Phoenix of Tennis. I heard when the Phoenix plays, it looks like theres a pair of fiery wings coming from his back and theres fire surrounding him. He makes the game look like a beautiful dance, yet no one knows who he is or his true identity. He's a mystery to everyone." Mika tensed, her back going ridged. "Why are they talking about him?!" She thought, slightly afraid. Mika tugged the edge of her cap downward, shadowing her face a bit more. She relaxed again when Ryuzaki and Sakuno stopped talking and refocused on the match. Ryoma was beating Sasami by slicing the lob and dropping it at the line. "Stupid brat!" Sasabi yelled, throwing his racket at Ryoma's face. Ryoma fell to the ground, holding his face. Sakuno and Ryuzaki gasped. Mika winced but didn't make a move to help him. "Oops, sorry. The racket just slipped out of my hand." Sasabi said, sarcastically. Sakuno ran forward to help Ryoma. "Don't step on court during a match." Ryoma said, roughly pushing Sakuno away. "B-but." Sakuno stuttered. "You still having problems with your grip? Mada mada dane." I smirked at his saying. Sakuno walked back over to Mika and Ryuzaki. "He'll be fine." I said, smiling. She still looked worried but smiled back. Ryoma served the ball just so it hit Sasabi's face. He kept on aiming and hitting the high schoolers face. "Set and match to Ryoma Echizen." The high schoolers said in amazement. "He did it, Ryoma actually won!" Sakuno shouted happily. "No way! I let that punk kid win! Give me one more set and I'll win!" Sasabi yelled at his friends. "Don't be a sore loser man! Just admit it the kid won the game fare and square!" "That's ok, I don't mind playing again." Ryoma said, shocking the high schoolers. He switched his racket into his left hand. "Give it up already. Don't you get it, no matter how many times you play him you're not going to beat Ryoma Echizen." Ryuzaki shouted at Sasabi. "Why shouldn't I?" asked Sasabi defiantly. "Because... He's left handed." Mika told him, looking straight into his eyes. Ryoma threw the ball up into the air and served it way harder than before. Sasabi fell over on the ground before scrambling up "I quit! I quit!" he yelled before running off the court. Mika huffed in annoyance as she walked towards Ryoma. "I told you not to get hurt!" she said angrily. "Sorry Mi." Ryoma said, tugging the bridge of his cap again. Mika hugged Ryoma tightly, she was worried when he got hit with the racket. Ryoma hugged her back, quietly laughing at her. Mika stepped back and took of the cap and wiped the blood off his forehead. "Come on lets go home Ryo." She told him, tugging on his shirt. "...Yeah lets go home." Ryoma agreed, staring fondly down at the black haired girl.
"Bye Sakuno!" Mika yelled at the brown haired girl, waving. Sakuno waved back a long with Ryuzaki. "I wonder who this Mika is?" questioned Ryuzaki. "I don't know but I really like her." Sakuno stated, smiling at the black haired girl.
