Chapter 4 – Sadaharu
Tezuka's racket is lowered by 3.2 mm. There is a chance of 98.7 per cent he is going to use the Drop Shot. Yes, here it comes exactly as I predicted. I adjust my glasses and look at the groaning Momoshiro. It is such a useless reaction. But from a person like Momoshiro I can't really expect anything else.
I put my sight on my notebook again and go on taking notes. This day doesn't bring any new things, but the fact that their abilities haven't improved means something interesting. They are able to show the same standard. Or they are simply unable to get better.
But the possibility of the last one is only 13.4 per cent. The tennis club of Seishun is too strong this year not to expect some improvement from the regulars.
Something begins shaking in my pocket.
It's my mobile phone.
Hm.
My father – 76.5 per cent
My mother – 13.5 per cent
Let's see.
I open the phone – taking a look at the name makes me raise my eyebrows. The button which receives the call is rusty in a circle with a diameter of 7.4 mm, I speed the corrosion by pushing it again.
"Renji," I say, my voice reaches him in 0.03 seconds if the airwaves haven't changed since my last measurement.
"Sadaharu," he answers in a while.
"It surprises me being called by you," I admit.
"It surprises me that you are surprised."
"Hm. It surprises me that you are surprised because you surprised me."
A 3.2 second long silent comes between the two of us.
"Sadaharu."
"Renji."
"You know that if we continue our discussion like this I will have the chance to get down to facts only 4 minutes later than I would like to, don't you?"
"No, Renji. The possibility you are going to cut it off was 90 per cent. I was totally sure you wouldn't let things go the way they were."
A sigh can be heard from him.
"It's been a while, Sadaharu."
"It has, Renji."
This time we don't say a single word for 8.6 seconds.
I make some calculations and I am already ready with solving the quadratic equation which Renji prepared for me with his call.
"Renji."
"Sadaharu."
"I have a feeling you called me because of Arai, am I right?"
"A feeling, Sadaharu? You've become so sentimental."
"It is only a phrase, Renji. Get to business or else your 4 minutes will grow to 6 minutes 53 seconds," I say although he must have done the same calculations as well.
"Sadaharu."
"Renji."
"Who is this girl?"
I smile and turn to the court. Kikumaru is just tripping up at the same time and falls. The phone cracks in my hand watching his movements and I scold myself in my thoughts that I couldn't see the starting phase of the affair. If I had turned this way only 0.8 seconds earlier…
"Sadaharu."
"Excuse me, Renji, I have to take notes."
I hold the phone with my left shoulder and begin to take notes with my right hand and even sketch a little drawing about Kikumaru lying on the floor; I even draw how far his racket fell and how the floor drinks his blood.
Hm, blood?
Oops.
Hm.
I should run there for a moment and take an assay. His blood would be a great base to compose my newest juices.
"Sadaharu, if you go on like this I will make you pay the 40 of my phone bill."
I take my notebook under my arm when Fuji helps Kikumaru with getting up from the floor and they bring him to the surgery with Oishi. I accept that this one isn't the day when I get everyone's blood either.
"Renji, what do you want to know about the girl?"
"How old is she? What is her blood type? What is her favourite food? What does her father do, how many siblings does she have? Does she play any sports?"
"I would have told you these even without asking. Anything else?"
"Who was her first love? Who did she get her first kiss from, when and where? What is her ideal like?"
My eyebrows are raised involuntary.
I adjust my glasses.
"Renji."
"Sadaharu."
"It seems to be more than an average data gathering about the new pupil."
"Yes, it is more than that, Sadaharu."
"Tell me the details."
"I can't."
"Niou Masaharu?"
"And the other larks."
"Your team is really interesting, Renji."
"Same goes for yours, Sadaharu."
"I am looking forward to the day we can finally play."
"You had better become a regular till then, Sadaharu. And now, tell me about the girl."