Chapter 7: It's Time For The Ranking Tournaments!
There was an ominous feeling cloaking the school today. It was so intense that even Ryoma felt it! And that in itself was a rarity. Ryoma felt this foreboding feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knew something bad was going to happen today, but the question was: What?
He blinked and continued into the entrance of the school, careful to avoid the tennis courts. About ten minutes later, the bell rang, signaling the start of class. Ryoma went through his day fairly normal…in the beginning at least.
It all went ballistic sometime during lunch.
Bento in hand, Ryoma was about to start running away from the fan girls that were eying him a lot today. His legs were tense and ready to go but before he could bolt the door opened.
The class froze.
Standing at the butt of the door was two tennis Regulars, Momo and Kikumaru. Ryoma stopped dead, staring at them like he was hallucinating. They had never, ever sought him out during the school day! So what was going on? T
hey looked determined about something, too. Once again, that ominous feeling filled up Ryoma, squeezing his lungs. He sighed.
Why did he have to be Karma's favorite punching bag?
The class erupted into whispers. They all knew of the tennis Regulars of course. Who in this school wouldn't have? They were the next big thing in this place as popular as they were! They had their own fan clubs with at least a hundred members each!
It was a wonder that they weren't on TV yet! So when two of them are standing at the door to a first year classroom, seemingly looking for something, it was big. Almost every freshman in that room hoped they were the ones the Regulars were searching for.
While the freshman desperately tried to get the two upperclassmens' attention, Ryoma did everything in his power to hide from them. He staked out in the darkest corner of the room, even taking the initiative to hide behind the rabid group of fan girls. They didn't notice him, thankfully.
They were too busy cooing at the room's latest visitors.
Momo and Kikumaru greeted the freshmen, but they sounded distracted. Everyone noticed. As Kikumaru's eyes scanned the room, Ryoma crouched down lower, hoping they would leave. Momo looked on the opposite side of the room as the class held their breath.
Finally when they realized they couldn't find Ryoma on their own, they decided to ask the class. But the class was fed up with waiting. Before Momo even got a single word out, the class crowded around them, bombarding them with eager questions. Ryoma's eyes gleamed.
As quick as lightning he jumped up and dashed over the desks heading for the exit. But sadly the two tennis Regulars never stopped searching.
"OCHIBI! There you are!" Kikumaru shouted joyfully, bouncing happily on the balls of his feet.
Ryoma's shoulders sagged defeated. He turned around, ready to face the onslaught of his class and the Hug Crusher. A shocked hush descended upon the class.
Ochibi? Who was Kikumaru talking about?
They were too busy thinking to even notice that Kikumaru wasn't paying them the slightest attention. He weaved through the crowd, trying to get out. Momo followed his path, grinning at Ryoma.
"Oi, Echizen, hiding from us now? That's not nice…..no it's not."
Ryoma glared at him. The class, now realizing who Kikumaru meant, gaped at the newest addition to their class. They couldn't believe it. In just over a week, the new kid managed to make friends with the tennis Regulars.
They had hardly talked to them and they were for here for much longer! It amazed them to no end. The fan girls giggled, realizing just how high their little Ryoma was on the social ladder.
Ryoma ignored their attempt at small talk and tried to walk out of the classroom. But a hand snaked around his arm. He looked back, glowering up at his assailant. Momo grinned at him, pulling him to the door. Kikumaru followed, happily jumping after them like an excited puppy.
Ryoma tried to protest, but he knew this routine all too well. So did Momo. Almost laughing at Ryoma's pathetic escape attempts, Momo dragged him through the hallway, past classrooms until they ended up in the tennis clubhouse.
"What do you want this time?" Ryoma growled.
Momo flashed him a grin as he dragged him into the clubhouse.
"What? We can't hang out with you when we want? I thought we were friends, Echizen!" Momo remarked.
Ryoma glowered at him. Not what he meant. As he was effortlessly tossed into the clubroom, he noticed the demeanor of the other tennis Regulars was a lot more serious than usual. Even Fuji was solemn; his baby blues' were wide open.
Kikumaru, bounced in behind him, but he seemed more distracted than usual. Ryoma blinked.
Just what was going on?
Genuinely curious, he edged closer to the table, staring cautiously at them. They examined him in turn. But finally Ryoma got tired of waiting. Why did they decide to waste his time? He wanted to know! But before he could utter a word, Momo burst into a speech.
"Hey Echizen, we need your help. You're willing right?"
Ryoma shook his head, bored again. He didn't feel like helping anyone today.
But Momo, completely disregarding his answer, continued, "Ok! Glad you're willing. Though it's kind of embarrassing, so don't tell anyone."
Momo grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. Ryoma just stared. What? Inui stepped forward and answered Ryoma's unasked question.
"Yesterday Tachibana of Fudomine called for Tezuka." He paused, studying Ryoma.
Ryoma's eyes widened but not for the reason Inui thought. He didn't expect that to happen. Dear Kamisama, he can't even go to a foreign school without being advertised! Did they know what happened? Did Fudomine's Captain tell them? Ryoma hoped not.
He really couldn't afford that kind of attention. Even if it'd been months, the Prince was still getting a lot of attention. Maybe even more than usual. The drama's riled up all sorts of people. Now is the worst time to be discovered.
Inui continued, "He said a freshman from Seigaku came to their school, asking for a match."
At this, the Regulars looked troubled. Ryoma pretended to be clueless, which really wasn't that hard for him.
"Apparently the freshman challenged Ibu Shinji and won six games to two." He paused again.
The Regulars were split between being troubled and excited.
Kikumaru leapt up and finished, "So now we need to find this Super Rookie and make him join! And you're going to help us!"
He smiled brilliantly, as if his idea was the best in the world.
"No." Ryoma stated.
Kikumaru visibly deflated.
"Why not?" He pouted.
Ryoma looked at him.
"I don't want to." He replied, bluntly.
The Regulars rolled their eyes. Typical Ryoma.
Kikumaru frowned.
"Please? Please? Please? Please! Please! Plea-"
"Kikumaru! Quiet down." Tezuka said, surprising everyone.
They'd forgotten he was even there. Kikumaru's mouth snapped shut, obeying his buchou. Ryoma eyed the captain. The call was sent to him, so did he know? Did Tachibana tell him? If so then why didn't he tell the others?
Unless he wanted to give Ryoma a choice…..
That sounded like a pretty good reason. He knew that once the tennis Regulars found out he could play, they'd never stop pestering him.
"Echizen."
Tezuka's deep voice broke through his thoughts. Ryoma looked at the captain, waiting for him to continue.
"My teammates have made their request unclear. Whether or not you accept is your choice."
He gave Ryoma a meaningful look and in that moment Ryoma knew. Tezuka knew it was him. There was no point in believing it otherwise. He did receive the original call which meant Tachibana probably described his appearance.
Ryoma wasn't exactly the average Joe; he'd probably be spotted and recognized by anyone who knew him, including Tezuka. He didn't know Tezuka as well as the others; the older boy was quiet and observant, a little more like Ryoma.
Ryoma nodded, looking him in the eye, trying to convey that he knew what the message really meant.
Ryoma really didn't feel like helping but if he could lead their search away from him, then it might be worth it. Don't get him wrong; if there was a way to play tennis without drawing attention to himself, he'd take it.
But he was in hiding now with too much to risk. In the background, Kikumaru was pleading for him to help them over and over again. It was getting on his nerves. He glowered at Kikumaru.
Then he realized something….If he said yes, Kikumaru might be quieter. He smirked.
"Che, I guess."
Turns out that Kikumaru didn't quiet down at all, much to Ryoma's chagrin. In fact, if anything, he got louder and so did Ryoma's classmates. They begged him for information on how he became 'friends' with the tennis Regulars.
But he ignored them all.
For once, he was glad there was a teacher in the room. The rest of his day went by with pestering and more pestering. He was practically a bomb waiting to go off by the end of the day. He was that irritated! But he kept on an emotionless mask.
The tennis Regulars continued to drag him to practice every day and he continued to take the night shift at Burger Blast every night. The details of how the Regulars wanted his help were simple. All he had to do was watch out for 'suspicious tennis activity' in his classes.
The Regulars were taking care of the rest. So really, he wasn't doing anything. It was two days later when they first asked him about it. He immediately said he'd seen nothing and gone on with his day. The tennis Regulars were getting more and more frustrated.
It was getting recognizable in their moods. Momo and Kaidoh fought more often and Kikumaru wasn't as happy. He wasn't exactly depressed either though. Fuji was…..Fuji. Nothing really changed except the fact that Ryoma saw his piercing blue gaze more often.
The rest of them weren't letting their emotions affect them. Tezuka was watching him more and Ryoma was now certain he knew.
The Regulars were getting irritable. The Ranking Tournament was this weekend. They had a deadline. They were fidgety and even more annoying now. Ryoma almost didn't want to be near them.
Not that he ever did in the first place but still…..it was stupid.
So it was a good thing they got over it. Good for them, bad for Ryoma. They came over to his restaurant on the night of his shift. Delightful, eh? Not for the Prince of Tennis. They seemed to take pleasure in annoying the hell out of him.
So they took up a large booth and ate more than a horde of elephants. Ryoma wondered if Momo had taken over their bodies. Even Tezuka and Fuji ate more than usual. But at the end, their irritation was gone. That was the only good thing about having to wait on the buffoons.
The next morning was Saturday, the day of the Ranking Tournaments. That was their deadline. Maybe they realized that they didn't need a super rookie on the team. If only Ryoma knew…..
Momo and Kikumaru grinned goofily. Their little Ochibi was about to get the shock of his life.
"This'll get Ochibi to like tennis, nyah!" Kikumaru said, elated.
His smile couldn't get any wider. Momo nodded, excited. Echizen said he didn't like tennis but maybe if he played it, he'd change his mind. It was kind of like their version of a prank. After all, they'd get to laugh when the Revealing Time came.
Fuji had pitched in, thankfully. If they hadn't gotten Fuji to agree, the whole plot would have gone down the drain. Momo and Kikumaru knew they wouldn't be able to persuade Tezuka so they resorted to Fuji. Oishi wouldn't agree with what they were doing, so they couldn't go to him.
But anything Fuji sets his mind to, he usually gets. This operation will definitely be a success. Momo and Kikumaru had to stifle their laughter just thinking about it.
Ryoma opened his eyes and welcomed another day. It was Saturday, the day of the Ranking Tournaments. Ryoma kinda wanted to go to watch the skill of the Regulars. He hadn't really paid attention last time, being too surly to care.
And besides, he'd pretty much forgotten everything that the Regulars had up their sleeves. He frowned, remembering that day. It was not his best moment. He groggily got out of bed and sleepwalked downstairs. Maybe he'd go later.
Breakfast was waiting for him on the table. He eagerly ate up the Japanese special, realizing Nanako was nowhere in sight. He shrugged. Maybe she was doing extra classes.
He slowly trudged back upstairs. He yanked open his dresser and pulled out some clothes. He put on his tennis garb: a red t shirt and black shorts. He grabbed his white Fila cap and forced it onto his hair.
He cleaned up some more and then headed downstairs. After a moment of hesitation, he dashed back upstairs and grabbed his rackets. Running back down, he darted outside, tennis bag slung over his shoulder. He took out his spare red racket.
His favorite was currently resting in the trash can. He'd have to get a new one soon. He pulled out a green fizzy tennis ball from his pocket and threw it high in the air. His racket in his left hand, he engaged in an exquisite dance. The ball hit against the brick wall like a long lost melody.
It was literally music to Ryoma's ears. It carried him back and forth across the wall.
Ryoma released himself to the game. The door inside him opened and happiness pumped through his veins. He felt invigorated and free. Ah, this was the life. His movements began to get faster and sharper.
The ball thudded against the wall more frequently. His skin was beginning to glow faintly. He could do this all day. But sadly five minutes would have to do. He heard a rustling noise. He froze. But then his instincts kicked into action.
He dashed to his bag, laying innocently against the brick wall and shoved his racket inside. He hurriedly zipped it up, the zipper getting stuck a couple of times. Then he scurried to the big fat tree in the middle of the lawn.
Just in time, too.
Momo and Kikumaru appeared out from behind the fence, clad in their signature Seigaku tennis jackets. They wore long blue pants, even on the hot day. They grinned mischievously at him. Ryoma almost gulped. Something suspicious was going on.
They didn't figure out it was him, did they? Nah. Ryoma shook the thought off. Tezuka wouldn't tell them.
"Hi~Ochibi!" Kikumaru waved, running up to him.
Momo greeted him, following closely behind. But suddenly Kikumaru tripped and fell to the ground. Momo, too close for his own good, tripped over Kikumaru and landed right on top of him. They groaned and hastily picked themselves up.
As they were standing up, their gazes wandered over to the tennis bag sitting against the wall. Their eyes switched from him to the bag. His eyes widened.
Crap, he should have hidden it.
Their trip completely forgotten, Momo asked, "Hey, Echizen, is that your tennis bag?"
Thinking up a lie quickly, Ryoma calmly responded, "No, it's Nanako's."
They looked a little depressed at that, but the sadness didn't hold them down for long.
"That's the hot black haired chick right?" Momo asked, a grin spilling out over his face.
Kikumaru snorted with laughter. Ryoma remained impassive, thinking his sempai was a pervert. Ryoma just shrugged in response.
"Sempai-taichi, what are you doing here?"
He was actually curious. He would have just come on his own. Did they really think him that untrustworthy? But no…They exchanged knowing glances, a sly glint in their eyes.
"Say, Echizen, your cousin will let you use her rackets right?" Momo asked, evading the question.
Confused, Ryoma questioned, "Why? It's not like I'm playing in the tournament."
Once again, the coy glances were exchanged.
"Actually, Ochibi, you are! Isn't that great?" Kikumaru yipped, joyously.
Stunned, Ryoma blinked and blinked again.
"Huh?"
