Chapter 9: Doubles 1 and Doubles 2 Games
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"Fuji-kun! Where have you been? I have been worried sick!"
"Sorry Jirou-kun, I was caught up with some things."
Fuji sat down at the bleachers with Jirou and waited for the match to start. Mukahi and Oshitari were playing doubles 2. They had lost to Shishido and Ohtori a few days before, and were quite cross about it. Oh well, they said that they were going to win anyways while Shishido and Ohtori lose to the Golden Pair. All of Hyoutei were pretty much ready. But not all of Seigaku. They were missing one of their regulars, and that was Oishi. After 5 minutes of waiting, the match was to start.
"Doubles 2 Seishun Gakuen Momoshiro- Kikumaru pair, Hyoutei Gakuen Oshitari-Mukahi pair."
"Kikumaru and Momoshiro?" Mukahi said, "Why isn't Kikumaru in doubles 1 with his 'golden' partner?"
"I don't know Gakuto, but it doesn't matter, they aren't going to defeat us with a makeshift pair." Oshitari said as he put his hand on Mukahi's shoulder, "let's go."
"M'kay."
Fuji watched as the four players gathered at the net of the tennis courts to shake hands and decide who serves. He remembered this game. Oishi had gotten and injury on his wrist, from what, he didn't know and Momoshiro had to replace him... wait, Oishi, that pregnant lady, injury... so that's what happened! Oishi hurt his wrist because of that woman falling. Fuji just happened to be there. He looked to his own wrist, it was red. It could be seen clearly with the creamy white skin he had. Fuji folded his arms to hide it. He looked around to see if anyone noticed. Everyone had their eyes on the courts, Jirou was nowhere in sight. Wonder where he went?
And the game started.
If this game were to be the exact game he seen, but didn't really, Fuji remembered that Momoshiro and Eiji had some problems in the beginning, with Eiji used to Oishi backing him up while he is up at the net and Momo not really knowing what to do, in addition to Hyoutei's chanting, it made everything worse, but fixed them, managed to pull off the Australian Formation, a play only to be used with experienced doubles players and won. That's precisely what happened. They had their difficulties, fixed them, the Australian Formation, and the winning. It was the same; movements and all. Hyoutei's chanting had stopped.
He almost yelled out, "Good job Eiji!" But that would have been awkward because Eiji doesn't know him. Instead he glanced to Oshitari and Mukahi; coach Sakaki was talking to them about their lose. His gaze shifted over to Tezuka, who was currently staring at particularly nothing. Apparently, Tezuka caught him looking and Fuji quickly turned away. The next game was coming up.
"Doubles 1- Seishun Gakuen, Inui-Kaidoh pair, Hyoutei Gakuen, Shishido-Ohtori pair." Shishido and Ohtori stepped onto the courts. Silence was heard, until, "Hey! Where's your spirit? COME ON!" Shishido shouted.
"Hyou..."
"..tei.."
"Hyoutei... Hyoutei.. Hyoutei! Hyoutei! Hyoutei!" And the cheering went on.
Fuji studied Shishido. He had already been kicked off regular position and certainly didn't want to go through that again, so was pretty fired up with this match. Fuji didn't bother watching this game. It was most likely not going to change at all. The game was long too, with seemingly forever on-going rallies. He went for the stairs to go up to the park area saying he need to get a drink. Before he left Atobé told him to go find Jirou.
He walked by a tree, with a body lying on the ground beside. So that's where Jirou went, sleeping. "Jirou-kun." He bent down to shake him awake. "Jirou-kun."
"Huh?.. gh..5 more minutes." Jirou replied groggily and pushed Fuji's hand away.
"Your games going to begin soon."
That immediately got the blond up, "REALLY?"
"Yes, really, but first, let's go get a drink."
"Okay!" He said excitedly, just the words of, "you are playing tennis" gets him jumping all about. They reached the vending machine and he recognized the short-capped boy standing in front of the appliance, picking up the beverage he had just selected. "Echizen... Ryoma." Fuji said, not really knowing what to call him.
Echizen faced him, "Anata daré?"
Fuji knew he'd say that. He is Echizen Ryoma- Japan's most arrogant brat of all time. What did he expect? A real greeting? "I'm-"
"He's Fuji Syusuke!" Jirou answered for him proudly.
A moment of silence was followed. Maybe Echizen was really trying to remember where he heard the name Fuji Syusuke.
"Don't know him." was the blunt reply. Maybe not.
"He's Hyoutei's number one tensai! Oshitari is the second but besides that, how can you not know him?!" he pouted in a scolding tone, arms folded across his chest. His lips curved down to a frown. Even with a frown he still looked cute Fuji noted. Echizen seemed slightly surprised by the sudden outburst, but then briskly turned his feet and sauntered off. "Hey! Wait, I'm not done talking to you!"
Evidently, Echizen was done talking to him, but Jirou got ready to chase after him anyways.
"Wait Jirou-kun, remember, your game?"
"Aww... but I wasn't finished talking to him!"
"It's okay."
"No it's not, I don't like it when there's someone who doesn't know you! You deserve to be known by everyone! So does Atobé-kun, but you're my best friend!" He had a goofy grin on and it really got Fuji in better spirits. He chuckled.
"What's so funny?"
"No, nothing, let's go back."
"But you didn't get your drink yet..."
"Singles 3 Seishun Gakuen Fuji Yuuta, Hyoutei Gakuen Akutagawa Jirou." The overhead speaker voiced.
"Well, time for you to go."
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Reposted: April 29, 2007
