A/N:
I know. I know. Took me too long to update. It's just that I got a little tied up with my other on-going fic, The Complex (you guys can check it out as well XD).
But here it is anyways, and I hope you guys will like this chapter. I'll try to update again after Christmas (fingers crossed).
See you all then! XD
Disclaimer: I do not own PoT.
Chapter 7: And The Plot Thickens
Shizue slumps her face forward in her desk, groaning at the same time.
"Buchou is a sadistic captain sent from hell in a neat little package!"
Haruko nodded her head sympathetically at Shizue, wiping her brow with her wrist. They have just finished their morning training. And it was intense.
They have no time to take a shower as their first period is only three minutes away, and their captain held the two for another minute because of Shizue's innate laziness in practice.
They made it to their classroom in the nick of time.
And then they remembered that their first period instructor was supposed to be out for the rest of the week because of a seminar, or something like that.
No wonder their captain looked amused when the two dashed out of the clubroom in a haste.
"Stupid sadistic captains and their little games." Shizue continued muttering.
She was thankful that their classroom is almost bare, with only a couple of their classmates present to see that stunt that she pulled earlier.
Really, dashing through the door and screaming 'I'm here!' in a really loud voice is not something to be proud of.
Sighing once again, she let her eyes roam around the room. Catching the sight of two familiar faces, Shizue's brows furrowed, trying to remember the names of the two new students.
'Was it Tezuna..? And..Inu-?Shit. I can't really remember. Oh well! We have the whole year to get to know each other!'
"By the way," she heard Haruko say behind her, "Did you finish that Math homework we had for today?"
Shizue blinked. "Eh? We have a homework?"
The other girl frowned. It's not like Shizue to forget something, or anything, for that matter. The brunette has always been a sharp-girl, razor-sharp actually, especially her memory.
"You're not serious, are you?" Haruko asked in a semi-panicky voice. Her eyes widened when Shizue just stared blankly at her. "You didn't...forget, right?!"
The other girl just stared. And stared. And stared.
When she finally realizes that, indeed, she forgot, Shizue opened her lips, and her eyes widened when they caught sight of the time. "Oh shit."
The sound of tennis balls being smashed to the ground is heard all over the court, as the regular players of both the female and male tennis clubs meet up in front of the clubroom.
Tezuka stood beside Inui and Oishi, while Aika Kojima and her vice-captain, the timid and soft-spoken Haruko Murakami stopped in front of them and bowed.
"Thank you for the time, Tezuka-san."
Tezuka nodded at the girl, eyes taking notice of her violet eyes and glorious red hair for the first time.
"Shall we have the practice matches then?" she continued.
"Hn." He turned to Inui, who stepped forward and started delegating training partners and their respective courts.
"I would like to play with your number one player, Kojima-san." The tall male said, his glasses glinting under the afternoon sun. "I would like to gather data about her."
The captain merely blinked at him. "Then you will have to wait until I finish playing against your captain, Inui-san."
Inui blinked. He was 99.99% percent that Shizue Fuji is their number one player! How could his data be wrong?!
Even Tezuka was startled, but covered the widening of his eyes with a cough. "Hn. We'll play at this court, Kojima-san. Please follow me."
The rest of the team followed their captains' lead, and dispersed themselves around the available courts.
"Geez. Why do we have to play with these humans?" Momo complained in a whisper. "Can they even play tennis properly?"
"Of course they can, idiot!" Kaidoh hissed, "They will not be called tennis players if they can't!"
The other male just scoffed. "I bet none of these girls can handle my Super Special Dunk!"
"Fsshhh." Kaidoh agreed more or so.
Oishi, on the other hand, offered a smile and a nod at his supposed opponent. Both the vice-captains will be facing each other on the courts.
"Let's have a good game, Murakami-san."
The girl bowed, shimmering rose-gold hair falling across her shoulders. "Hai, Oishi-san." She then smiled.
Ryoma on the other hand, was paired up with a loud-mouthed of a girl.
"KYAAAHHH!" Tomoka squealed, eyes in heart-shapes and tears falling out of them, "I will be playing with RYOMA-SAMAAAAA!"
The Prince almost hurled his racket at the girl. Why was he paired up with this squealing piece of human flesh?!
Sakuno giggled nervously at the dark aura that is engulfing their classmate. "T-Tomo-chan..."
The red-haired girl ignored the two of them as she drifted off to fantasy-land.
"Screw this." Ryoma muttered angrily, walking out of the courts towards the still-standing Inui at the sidelines.
"I want a new partner." The Prince stated plainly when he reached his team mate, and supposedly manager of the tennis club.
Woken from his stupor, Inui nodded at Ryoma, and then pointed towards a stretching Sakuno. "You can play with her."
"Eh?" Ryoma smirked.
Walking towards the said girl, he noted that her tennis outfit hugs her body tightly, showing off all those little curves that she has.
He found it hard to take his eyes away from her.
He reached her side, and waited until she took notice of his presence.
She continued stretching, muttering to herself numbers. 23, 24, 25...
Ryoma stared at her with a little hint of amusement. And still waited, shifting on his feet every two seconds.
She still didn't notice him.
He tried clearing his throat, but still...
"OI!" he called out, poking her shoulder with the tip of his racket.
"EEEEPPP!"
Sakuno was minding her own little warm-up when she felt that tap on her shoulder, along with a gruff 'OI!'
Surprised, she couldn't help the tiny squeal that escaped her lips, and the widening of her eyes when she saw the person standing in front of her. How long has he been there?!
"E-Echizen-kun!" she stuttered, face flaming in embarrassment. "D-Do-you n-need something?!" she asks meekly.
A little annoyed at her behavior, and by the way she calls him, Ryoma turned on his heel and started walking towards an empty court, talking behind his shoulder. "We're supposed to be partners. Come and play with me.
Chocolate eyes blinked at the retreating back of her new classmate. "EH?!"
Sharp lemon-brown eyes watched as Shizue gracefully moves through her court. The look in those shockingly-familiar sapphire eyes is something that is so reminiscent of someone Tezuka couldn't help but not blink.
"DORYAAAAAAA!"
"AHHHH!What the hell is that?!"
"Take cover!"
"Fuji-chan! Don't return that ball! It's too heavy!"
Shizue almost scoffed. Are you all shitting me? Me? Shizue Fuji? Not return a ball just because it's heavy? Puh-lease!
Five pairs of shocked eyes watch as the lithe girl return Kawamura's Hadoukyou with equal force, if not slightly stronger.
The ball landed on the left side of the opposite side of the court.
"Did she just-"
"Return Taka-san's-"
"Hadoukyou?!"
Kaidoh, Momo and Oishi chorused in amazed voices, eyes nearly bulging. Inui's pen is frozen, while Tezuka is blinking.
No...that wasn't human should be able to return a shot like Hadoukyou..and not lose an arm!
But this human did...a girl..with skinny arms and cheeky grin. Just who are you, Shizue Fuji?!
A chuckle was heard behind them, and Tezuka turned around to see the female captain standing there, eyes glinting in amusement as she eyes her team mate who is gleefully cheering on as she continues playing.
Tezuka was reminded by their game as well. He won, but he must admit that Aika Kojima is an extremely good player.
"Was that too surprising for you, minna?" her gentle voice regarded them, and Momo and Kaidoh almost squirmed at the intensity of her eyes.
"Ah..etou.." Oishi stuttered while scratching his head.
She smiled. "Don't worry, you weren't the ones who were surprised by Shizue's tennis."
"Hn." Clearing his throat, Tezuka nodded at the girl, "How...good is she?"
Dark-violet eyes stilled on him, their depths speak of secrets, and Tezuka couldn't help the shiver that run down his spine when she smiled. It looks different from the ones she usually has. It looks dangerous.
"Good enough to be called The Tensai, Tezuka-san."
She then left the five gaping males behind.
Shizue smirked as the game came to a close. "HAH! I beat yah!Whooohooo!" she then proceeded to do her own version of a victory dance.
The crowd cheered her on.
While Taka-san lays down on the ground, panting and sweating like there is no tomorrow. She-pant-is-pant-a-monster! The power player has never been this tired. The last time he felt close to this was when he played with his friend, Fuji Shusuke.
Just who is she?! How come she can play at this level?! And those tennis moves-how come she can do those?!
The sun has set on the horizon, and Sakuno is making her way home alone. Tomoka-chan couldn't join her, since the other girl has to meet her mother in the town center.
She sighed, her mind going back to the tennis match that she had with the freshman, and her classmate, Echizen Ryoma.
She couldn't even win a point.
Her classmate is really good...far too good. And he is so strong...Those power serves, the twist, the placement, the angles...
The only people she has played with that were as good as Ryoma Echizen were her captain and Fuji-sempai. He is that good.
No wonder she couldn't get even a point.
But maybe those beautiful eyes have something to do with that as well.
Sakuno blushed at the thought. It isn't her fault that Ryoma Echizen has the most beautiful pair of eyes she has ever seen!
Huffing, and telling her self to stop daydreaming, Sakuno rounded the corner to her street.
And almost fell to the ground when an elderly almost bumped into her.
If it wasn't for the arm that grabbed her in that last few seconds, her face must have fallen flat and kissed the concrete ground.
"Hn. You're clumsy."
"Eh?!"
Ryoma almost chuckled at the scandalized look on the girl's face. She looked so damn adorable all flushed and indignant like that.
"Here." He steadied her on her own two feet, and watches as she dusted off her skirt-that was way too short in his opinion. The school should change the female's uniform. Especially the skirt.
Sakuno, on the other hand, refuses to meet her savior's eyes. What is he doing here?! Is he living in this street?!
"Hn. You should at least thank me, you know."
Her cheeks became an even more adorable shade of red tomato. "A-arigatou, Echizen-kun!" she bowed her head twice, her twin pigtails flying out like a banner.
"Hn."
Biting her lips, Sakuno raised her face to finally look at him. Her eyes seek his, and she almost fainted when he looked at her. It was way too intense.
"Anou..." she fidgeted, and then lowered her eyes to the ground. Her grandmother always told her to show gratefulness to those who has helped her. And Sakuno has always abide that. "Would you like something in return, Echizen-kun." Her cheeks flamed as she rushes in, afraid that he might get the wrong idea. "For saving me, I mean! Anou..."
"Hn. I want a bentou."
And then he started to slowly walk away, and Sakuno was surprised to see him walking the same way as she will. She run up to catch up to him, but his face is turned forward, so she couldn't see the smirk that is gracing his face.
Tucking a strand that escaped from her braid, Sakuno asked in a quiet voice."Do you have any...uh...favorite foods, Echizen-kun?"
"Nothing. Just put anything you wanted to." He replied, tilting his face down to look at her.
And she was caught.
Those golden feline-eyes are on her once again, and Sakuno, this time, couldn't tear her own away. It was as if there is a force that is preventing her from doing so. And she found herself staring at those deep, deep pools of molten gold, and everything is spiraling, twisting, turning...there were faces, unfamiliar faces...and she can hear voices, shouting, whispering...
"...kuno."
"...Sakuno..."
"Sakuno!"
And her body jerked upwards, the force causing her hair to fly all around her. Eyes wide, she turned to her side to find her grandmother peering at her with a worried frown on her face. What has just happened...?!
One moment she was walking..and then...she was saved by Echizen-kun from falling down..and then he asked for a bentou..and then...
Sakuno blinked. And then...what? What happened after that?!
"What is going on with you child?" she heard her grandmother ask, "You were supposed to cook dinner, but here you are napping. And you left the windows open again!" she continued on ranting, "How many times have I told you to close your windows if you're going to sleep?!"
But...Sakuno frowned, staring at the curtain, and past that, I closed it before I left, and I don't remember coming home and going to my room!
"That was a close call. You should be more careful."
Ryoma hissed, eyes blazing as he stares at the confused girl from the window. "I know that! And I didn't even do anything! She just suddenly fainted!"
Inui sighed. This strange occurrence is giving him headaches. He never expected this when he agreed to come to the human world. The Queen did say that this is just a simple mission.
Inui is starting to doubt the words of the Queen.
"I want to know just what the hell is going on with Sakuno, Inui-sempai."
Inui vowed that he will.
"I think it's time for me to check on things in our kingdom. With you and Tezuka's permission, of course."
"Hn. You have mine." Jaws clenched, Ryoma turned his back at the girl, "I just want to know about all of this. As soon as possible."
Inui sighed as he stares at the empty spot that the Prince has left.
"Normally I would say 'yes', but..." his eyes returned to where he was looking earlier, worry evident in them, "I've been feeling a little unsettled all this time."
Shizue Fuji...the human girl who has an uncanny resemblance to Fuji Shusuke. Both are called Tensai in their own worlds, but the similarities end there.
Sakuno Ryuzaki...a human girl with the same appearance and name as the Prince's betrothed. This being a coincidence is too much...Inui couldn't help but feel like there is something that he can not quite put his finger on is going on.
Hmmm. He might need to ask some others on this.
Tch...Just who might Inui ask?
Hmm..find out next chapter!
hehe.
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