Disclaimer: I do not own Tennis no Ohjisama and Card Captor Sakura, especially each anime's characters
Disclaimer: I do not own Tennis no Ohjisama and Card Captor Sakura, especially each anime's characters. Iwase Kumiko-san, Maeda Hideki-san and the Reverie Café are my own creations. Any similarities with real people and/or places are unintentional and coincidental.
Author's Note: This story is not a crossover fanfiction regardless of Daidouji Tomoyo's and Hiiragizawa Eriol's occasional appearances.
Enjoy reading.
The Sadist of Seigaku
Chapter 10: Suspicion
He is in love.
Well, that may not be actually accurate, so let's scratch that. But definitely…
He is falling in love. Fast. Mad. Deep.
Oishi Syuichirou sighs for the first time that day. No, he is not the one in love – or falling in love for a particular someone. If he were, he may not just be sighing his heart out. It's just that, among the Seigaku regulars, Fuji Syuusuke is one of the last people he has thought of falling in love. It's not that he is implying anything in particular. It's just that, Fuji is so into tennis right now – much like Tezuka and Echizen – that the thought of the prodigy spending time with someone else is so farfetched.
Then again, who has ever correctly guessed the prodigy's next move?
Not even data guy Inui Sadaharu can.
Oishi combs back his hair with his hand. It is good that Eiji is not sitting beside him right at this moment. Curious Eiji would have blasted a thousand questions at him, which is something he does not need right now.
He leans back on the bench and grabs his tennis racket.
What has brought him to such a conclusion – that the Seigaku prodigy is falling in love?
Shoulders slumped, Oishi lays his racket limply on his lap and closes his eyes in memory of that morning's events.
A few hours ago…
"Yeah!"
Eiji pumps his fist as he gets another score. It is seven in the morning and the Sunday's sun is shining brightly. The Golden Pair arranged to have a practice match – just the two of them – at the nearby park's tennis court.
"You're so into the game, Eiji," Oishi breathes as he prepares to serve. "I can't wait for Wednesday's game," he finishes as he hits the ball for a slice serve.
"Of course!" Eiji shouts loud and clear as he returns the serve, aiming for a return ace. While he did not succeed, he smirks, giving his best friend a warning he is not through with him. "Tezuka, Ochibi and the others will be showing off their skills. We don't want to lag behind, do we?"
Oishi chuckles at the light-hearted comment as he makes an underhand lob, catching Eiji off-guard.
"Nya, Oishi!!" Eiji runs to the baseline, hoping to return the moon volley. Unfortunately for him, he did not, and so he turns to his friend, flailing his arms in mock annoyance. "Mou, I did not expect you to - "
Kikumaru's words are cut short when the two Seigaku regulars hear a girl's giggle – and a familiar one at that. The red-head turns around, somehow eyeing his partner who is also glued at his spot. Both are waiting to discover who the person is.
From the flight of stairs behind the court where they play, two figures came to view, much to their utter surprise:
Fuji Syuusuke is talking amiably with Ryuzaki Sakuno.
Well, there's nothing so suspicious about that, right?
Right…
…but to someone with a very good imagination, there is something more unfolding in such a scene. And for Oishi Syuichiro…let's just say his good head is getting the best of him.
Both Fuji and Sakuno are wearing gym clothes. Fuji has his tennis gym bag with him. It's an innocent picture all together, but it is the first time Oishi has seen the prodigy jogging with someone other than the Seigaku regulars – and that someone happens to be a fine, young lady.
But before Oishi's train of ideas get into a mile-long distance, Fuji disrupts their – his and Eiji's – dumbstruck look.
"It's a very bright morning. You two are so into the game," the prodigy casually says.
Kikumaru blinks a few times before something registers in his red head. "Mou, Fuji, you surprised us, nya," he comments as he pouts at his friend. Upon seeing Fuji's companion, however, the face of the other half of the Golden Pair brightens considerably.
"Ne, Ryuzaki-chan! What are you doing here?"
Ryuzaki blinks at her senpai who has just bounced his way towards them. She returns his smile and warm greeting
"Ano, Fuji-senpai invited me to jog with him this morning."
"Ah…" Kikumaru unconsciously nods at her answer; oddly amazed.
"Ano, it's part of my training," she innocently adds.
Oishi, who is approaching the group, stops dead in his track. "Training?"
The two regulars looked at Fuji for his assent.
A brilliant smile graces the prodigy's face. "Hai."
"Oh…"
"Saa…are you done with your game, Eiji?"
"Ah…er…" the red-head looks at his doubles partner, before smirking like a wild cat. "Nya, Oishi, I'm not done with you yet," he warns sarcastically.
Oishi blinks at his partner, surprised at his tone. Is he making fun of me? He inwardly sighs. That's something to expect with Eiji. Accepting that his best friend has plans of thrashing his face even at a practice match, he returns to his position before throwing a ball to Kikumaru.
"Go start Eiji. You're taking too long."
While the Golden Pair resume their match, Fuji and Sakuno sit at the bench near the court where the other two are playing. Their jogging session started at around six in the morning, with the two meeting at the Reverie Café.
While Fuji fusses over his gym bag, Sakuno lets out a child-like yawn.
She quickly covers her whole face when she notices that her senpai has caught her.
Fuji chuckles at the sight. "I think you woke up way too early for our training today, Sakuno-chan."
Sakuno blushes at his comment, bites her lower lip before covering the lower part of her face as she lets out another yawn. "Uh, hai," she shyly answers. "I did not want to be late for today's training," she finishes with a small smile.
Fuji smiles wanly at his kohai. He has this idea that she purposefully woke up earlier than necessary so come the time she gets lost, she would still meet with him on time. That's just an idea, but he rarely misses a guess with Sakuno.
Reaching to his kohai, he brushes a stray lock of her auburn hair and tucks it behind her ears. "Next time, I will fetch you from your house," he quietly says, his hands lingering on her silken tresses longer than needed.
Sakuno turns to him, surprised, but which surprised her – Fuji's actions or his words – she does not know. Her innocent head has refused to function in the meantime, somehow discouraging her to think of anything malicious against her senpai.
Well, that is how she interpreted it.
"Ano, I don't want to bother senpai…" she trails, hoping her senior has heard her. His senpai's look, however, stopped her from continuing.
Fuji's deep blue eyes seem to be boring holes into her. She blushes unconsciously under his steady gaze. She can feel her cheeks getting warmer every second.
She inwardly shakes her head, trying to clear her thoughts. "Something bothering you, Sakuno-chan?"
Sakuno shakes her head. "I guess I can't do anything with your decision, Fuji-senpai," she good-naturedly comments, somehow giving up on the idea of reasoning with him.
"You can't," he affirms, with a knowing smirk plastered on his face. He lightly brushes his thumb on Sakuno's jawline. "You-"
Fuji's train of thoughts is suddenly disturbed upon hearing a tennis ball hit the trunk of a tree.
"Nya, Oishi," Kikumaru whines at his doubles partner. "Just where are you looking anyway?" He finishes as he pouts at the vice captain who seems to be off somewhere except the tennis court. Huffing, the red-head approaches his friend and taps Oishi's head with his tennis racket. "Oishi?"
His actions did return Oishi to where his attention should be. "Sorry, Eiji," he apologetically says as he scratches his head. "Something just caught my eye."
"Eh?" Kikumaru leans to get a good look of Oishi's eyes. "Are your eyes okay now?"
Oishi blinks at him. He meant it in a figurative way, but sensing that his friend has not caught on, he tried not to press the issue further. "Uh, hai," he stiffly says.
"Is something wrong, Oishi?" Fuji asks as he walks to where his teammates are.
"Uh, nothing," Oishi replies.
Fuji cocks at his friend's tone. There's a hint of nervousness in his voice.
"Something stung his eyes, nya," Kikumaru answers for his friend. "But he seems fine now."
"Ah, that's good," Fuji smiles in relief. "By the way, Sakuno-chan and I have to go. I'll see you two tomorrow," he says as he turns his back on them and returns to their kohai. The doubles partners bid goodbye as they watch Fuji and Sakuno pack up.
Oishi particularly eyes the two as he observed Fuji place a hand on Sakuno's back as he assists her in descending the stairs.
Back to the present time…
Oishi opens his eyes just in time to spare himself from Kikumaru's mischievous plan of sprinkling water on his face. He raises an eyebrow at his friend's disappointed look.
"I was just about to wake you up," the red-head admits as sits down and wipes his hands with his towel. "I thought you were sound asleep."
"No," Oishi says as he sits straight." I was just thinking, that's all."
"Hmm? You've been spacing out since this morning," Kikumaru quietly points out. "Are you worried about the games?"
Oishi shakes his head. He does not know if he is just overreacting to all the things he has seen. He does not want to be like Inui or some detective suspecting something malicious over his teammates' every move, specifically the prodigy's. It is unhealthy and very bad at the same time. He stops thinking for a while, and in a few seconds, an imaginary light bulb flashes on his head.
He is worried over Fuji fussing over Ryuzaki-chan because he knows that the youngest member of their team has something to say about it. He leans back on the bench again, missing Kikumaru's worried look. Trouble may brew anytime, but he cannot help lead the team trying to control things. He has to trust them.
"Hmm…I noticed that Fujiko-chan is getting friendly with Ryuzaki-chan, nya," Kikumaru suddenly blurts out.
So, it isn't just me who noticed.
"Yeah, so it seems."
"Ochibi will definitely get jealous," Kikumaru blankly says as he folds his arms over his chest and nods his head in mock seriousness.
Oishi chuckles. "You think so? Echizen seems to be getting a bit conscious whenever Ryuzaki-chan is around. But we still don't know what goes in his head."
Kikumaru leans on the bench, grinning to himself. Oishi does not know he is buying his very good joke for the day. "But I think someone else is also jealous. That may explain why he has been spacing out many times this day," he finishes, a sly tone evident in his voice.
Oishi turns to his friend. He can literally see red oblongs on Kikumaru's cheeks.
"Nya, Oishi," Kikumaru barely murmurs his words, making a face at his friend. "Do you like Ryuzaki-chan, too?"
Oishi nearly chokes at the question, but Kikumaru presses on as he takes note of the humongous red spot on his friend's cheeks.
"W-wha-t?" Oishi stammers, trying to process an answer to the red-head's claim. Of course, the auburn-haired granddaughter of his coach is beautiful – he can't deny that. But she's too young…his inner self comments.
Now, that is something he must say – if only he had the guts to do so.
And besides, he just got so observant with how Fuji attends to Ryuzaki out of pure intrigue. There's nothing malicious with that.
Unfortunately for him, his friend did not get it, because right now, Eiji's eyes have been reduced to slits.
"Hmmm…it's a good thing I brought my mobile phone with me," he says as Oishi blinks, again, in curiosity.
"Eh? What for?"
Kikumaru flashes a sly grin as he flips open his phone and dials a number. Seconds later, someone on the other line answers his call. "Nya, Inui!"
Oishi freezes immediately. He does not like one bit of what is about to happen.
"I just discovered something. Oishi has a crush on-"
Minutes later, the peaceful ambience of the tennis courts is shattered when a young man let out a cry of utter horror.
The beautiful sound of the school bell is heard throughout the hallways and in the classrooms. Nearly all students sighed in relief – another day is through.
As expected, almost all students in Echizen's class stand up to fix their things or rush outside of their room. The prince, however, is left sitting on his chair, his eyes fixed hard at something on the board. He squints hard before looking at his notebook lying on his desk. While some kids can enjoy the rest of the day themselves, he has to undergo club practice. Not that he minds it tough. He loves tennis. It's just that he's not particularly in the mood today. After all, they just had a game yesterday versus some random school that managed to get into the Prefectural rounds.
Too bad for them. They got to face Seigaku.
Echizen's train of thoughts is disturbed upon seeing someone else's notebook being offered to him.
"Here are my notes for yesterday, Ryoma-sama," a girl classmate says as she presents her study notes armed with a blush and a charming smile.
Echizen looks up at her with a blank face.
"Err…thanks…but I have a copy now," he replies, unaware of the disappointed look that graced his classmate's face.
"Oh, well…that's good for you," she says. "Good luck on your next game, Ryoma-sama," she adds as she waves and follows her friends.
Echizen sighs in relief at that. He is a bit worried that the girl will not stop on just offering him her notes.
Oh well. He can still hear some giggles from the girls around him.
He lazily turns to his left after packing his things into his bag. There at the corner is Ryuzaki Sakuno, still flipping the pages of her notebook. He smiles secretively as he zips his bag close. Echizen Ryoma has his ways of getting his notes, and that includes ordering Horio to borrow Ryuzaki's notes for him.
He is about to stand up when he immediately takes note of the auburn-head rushing outside. He leans on his seat first, before deciding to stand up.
Another practice day…he says to himself.
Meanwhile, Sakuno rushes out for her training with Iwase-san that day. She has yet to learn dough kneading the right way, and she can't keep her excitement from showing. As she opens the door, she is surprised to see a sea of girls flocking a tall figure of a guy.
Taking a closer look, she gasps to see who is being mobbed right at the moment: Fuji-senpai!
It is no surprise to her that the prodigy is popular with the girls. Trips to other schools prove so. Well, the girls are not mobbing him literally. They are all just so intent in speaking with their light-haired senpai that he is left confused on who he should be speaking with. Sakuno nearly chuckles at the sight.
Fuji, on the other hand, catches the one he has been waiting for standing by the door, trying to control her giggles. He would have smiled if only he weren't being flocked. He meets Sakuno's eyes and he gives her his most sincere smile. The girls around him almost turned to mush and he immediately takes that chance to get away from them.
Sliding past the girls, he makes a beeline for Sakuno.
"Are you alright, senpai?" Sakuno asks, concerned.
If someone else has asked him that question, he would have thought he is being teased. Then again, he is talking about Sakuno, and while he caught her amused at his predicament, she is mostly worried about him.
He fingers a stray lock of her hair. "Yes," he answers in a low and deep voice. "Let's go," he adds as he places a hand at her back, leading the way.
Sakuno blinks at him as they walk away from the crowd. The girls Fuji escaped from are now giving envious glares at her, but none dared to say anything lest they find their handsome senpai angry at them.
"Eh? Fuji-senpai has been waiting for me?"
Fuji smiles handsomely before giving a small nod. Sakuno blinks again, child-like delight evident in her eyes. "I hope I didn't bother you," she quietly says.
She receives a shake of the head from her companion.
"I don't mind it."
Sakuno takes a good look of his senpai before turning her attention straight ahead. She smiles as they walked through the hallway.
Echizen, in the meantime, watches the scene with cold and hard eyes. He unconsciously tightens his hold on the strap of his bag. Before he can think of anything ill against his senior, he is disturbed by the squeals of eager fangirls who have happened to lay their eyes on the handsome but emotionless Prince of Seigaku.
Even amidst the chaos that is about to engulf him, Echizen, for the first time, admitted to himself that he is jealous.
A loud bang from a tennis ball hitting the ground is heard across the whole courts.
"Eh?"
Kawamura Takashi has been watching the other Seigaku regulars play against the non-regular members of their club. He has been patiently waiting for his turn. Turning to where he has heard the gasp, he himself becomes surprised as he finds himself face to face with Dan Taichi of Yamabuki.
He blinks before remembering that the eager first year of their rival school has asked permission from Ryuzaki-sensei to watch their club's practice games. It may appear as a spying tactic of some sort, using an innocent-looking young man to observe the Seigaku regulars' every move. Then again, there's no harm with being watched.
Besides, they cannot be boxed in some gathered data.
"That's the fifth player Echizen-kun has thrashed," Kawamura hears Dan murmur.
Kawamura turns to look back at the Prince of Tennis. Echizen is still wearing his famous bored look, but his gait says otherwise. The senior can feel the intense emotion called anger welling from his kohai. He cannot point out the source, though. Turning to his left, he steals a glance of their captain who happens to be observing Echizen as well.
Meanwhile, Echizen prepares to serve again, unfazed at the cowering look his opponent is giving him. He threw the ball as high as he can while gripping his racket for a sharp and heavy serve.
His opponent gulped.
"Stop!"
Everyone watching blinked as Tezuka Kunimitsu intervenes. Echizen lets the ball drop to the floor as he gives his buchou an emotionless stare.
"Time's up for Echizen," he starts, giving a knowing glance at the first year.
He raises a brow upon spying the relieved look of Echizen's opponent.
"Echizen, one hundred laps around the court," he orders. "Cool down afterwards."
Dan gawked at the command. Running a hundred laps is far from a joke. To his amazement, however, Echizen idly nods at his captain, drops his racket and prepares to run.
Tezuka, then, picks up the tennis ball, gripping it hard. He does not like that his teammates are taking out their aggression on their games. Tennis is a sport, not a madman's bullfight. Yes, his ideals are high and out of place for some, but he has to impose that to his young teammate early on. Then again, he has felt that something is wrong with the first year so he used the excuse of the elapsed time to intervene.
Positioning himself inches from the baseline, Tezuka calls out to Echizen's former opponent.
"I'll be playing against you," he nonchalantly informs the player.
The non-regular player almost fainted at the announcement.
While the non-regular members wait in agony on who will face the captain next, Echizen speeds up as he runs around the whole court. He has not even counted the laps he has been through. He may well wait for Tezuka-buchou to tell him to stop.
He squares his jaw as he notices Fuji Syuusuke also thrashing a non-regular member with the deceiving smile plastered on his face. He immediately turns away to stop ill thoughts from plaguing his head.
Why should he be acting like a normal teenager jealous over someone gawking over his crush?
Crush?
Yeah, a crush.
Echizen stops abruptly at the unconscious admission. His breath is heavy from the grueling exercise.
"It seems you are already through with the one hundred laps."
Echizen looks up a little to meet the gaze of Inui Sadaharu.
"Ah, I guess," he says.
The first year practically blinks in surprise as the data guy's glasses gleam in the sunlight. "Those are your first words for this afternoon," Inui drawls as he walks past the rather disturbed Echizen.
Seeing the retreating figure yards away, Echizen sighs as he casually jogs back inside the courts, the thought of his senpai spying on him forgotten.
"Ja, Inui-senpai."
The famed data guy nods in recognition to his kohai who just bid him goodbye. It is relatively dark by now and most of the Seigaku regulars have sauntered off. He, on the other hand, has taken his sweet time to revisit and revise his notes after taking a shower. He is about to pack said notebook when he hears the distinctive ring of his mobile phone from his duffle bag.
"Hello? Inui here."
The greeting is returned from the other line. Inui sits on a nearby bench inside the clubroom as he listens to Oishi Syuichirou.
"So you did notice, too," he mysteriously comments, getting a vibe of where the vice captain's thoughts are headed.
"No, but I'll have to check on that," he continues. "Ok. Ja."
Inui heaves a sigh as he stashes his phone back to his bag. The topic of their conversation? Of course, none other than the prince himself. His most recent behavior on court has been a hot item among the regulars and an unspoken concern for both Tezuka and Oishi. It's not every day that they get to deal with a growing young man in their team.
And it is a pleasant surprise – for him, that is – that Echizen seems to be open about it.
Or maybe, he is not just aware that he is showing it.
Then again, that's not just the issue. There is also that part about Fuji Syuusuke getting close with Ryuzaki Sakuno.
At that thought, Inui leans on the wall. If anything, there's nothing really wrong with the prodigy getting cozy with their pretty auburn-haired kohai. Fuji is just being himself – friendly as always. Besides, Ryuzaki Sakuno has always been a part of the Seigaku tennis club with all the support she is giving them, whether she is doing it because her grandmother is their coach or that she is a loyal student of Seishun Gakuen.
All of a sudden, a thought strikes Inui like lightning. He has just remembered Fuji telling him something just days after the year has started:
Echizen is having heart problems. He needs all the help he can get.
So that's it. Why have I forgotten that? Inui reprimands himself. He, then, smiles, as an afterthought hits him.
Fuji's plan seems to be working well.
Fuji softly hums a happy tune as he goes up the stairs to the school's rooftop. He opens the door upon reaching the top, only to be utterly surprised.
Sitting casually on the rooftop is the stoic captain of the Seigaku tennis club, Tezuka Kunimitsu.
"I did not know you'll be here," Fuji teasingly comments.
Tezuka turns upon hearing his friend's voice, nodding to him in greeting. "I have time to spare for lunchbreak."
"Mind if I join you?"
Tezuka shakes his head.
The prodigy plops beside the captain, who raises an elegant brow at the bento Fuji has been carrying.
Fuji normally buys the lunch he will be eating, but it seems his sister prepared something for him today.
"This is from Sakuno-chan," Fuji starts as he opens the box and eyes the neatly arranged rows of delicious-looking sushi, onigiri and vegetable tempura.
Tezuka blinks, not in surprise at the sudden statement, but because of the information given. Turning to the vast expanse of blue sky in front of them, he gives Fuji his time to eat the meal prepared for him.
"You seem to be getting close with Ryuzaki," Tezuka suddenly comments.
Fuji, who is about to pop a sushi into his mouth, stops midway. He knowingly smiles before proceeding to eat it.
"She's my friend now," he replies. He turns to Tezuka. "You seem to be concerned about it," he continues. "Well, I do think you have a reason since your family is quite close with Sakuno-chan's."
"It's about Echizen."
Fuji blinks. He is about to ask what the first year has to do with him being friends with Sakuno, but he decides not to since he knows the answer to that. A pang of guilt strikes him and he almost losses his appetite.
Tezuka notices it but he keeps quiet.
Eyes covered by his bangs, Fuji remembers planning to befriend the auburn-head girl to make Echizen jealous. So my initial plan seems to be working quite well, he sarcastically tells himself.
Things are different now, however.
Sakuno is important to him – so much that he has to restrain himself from being too obvious about it.
Echizen matters as his kohai and comrade, but his attraction to the girl is none of his concern anymore.
Then again, that's not the issue.
What if Sakuno finds out about his initial plan?
Will she listen to his explanation?
Fuji clutches the chopsticks as tight as he can.
Will she forgive him?
"Fuji," Tezuka calls on to his friend who has gone silent for quite a while.
"I'm fine Tezuka," Fuji nonchalantly says as he continues eating.
To his dismay, however, even Sakuno's home-made cooking is doing nothing to pacify his restlessness.
"Welcome to Reverie Café."
Iwase Kumiko smiles to herself as she hears one of her staff greet a customer.
"Ohayou, Iwase-san," someone greets her from behind.
She turns around, surprised to see the handsome face of Fuji Syuusuke, her protégé's 'friend'.
"How are you today, Fuji-kun?"
"I'm doing well," Fuji replies as he follows Iwase's gesture to sit at a table near the counter. "How about you, Iwase-san?"
"Very well. We've been busy the past few days, although that is something I wouldn't mind at all," she answers, chuckling.
Fuji grins at the honest answer, pausing for a while as if he were thinking on how to phrase his thoughts next.
Iwase knowingly smiles.
She knows the expression in Fuji's eyes even at a distance of a thousand miles.
Well, that isn't quite plausible at all, but you know what she means.
"Sakuno-chan will be out in five minutes or so," she neutrally informs him, trying her best not to sound as if she were teasing the young man.
With the many times she has seen the so-called prodigy of Seigaku, Iwase has somehow known that Fuji is sharper than he lets people know. He may immediately sense what she is up to by just taking note of the tone of her voice.
Fuji blinks a few times before letting out a boyish smile. "You actually know the reason why I'm here," he states matter-of-factly.
Iwase lets out a chuckle again. She has read him correctly. "What's your order, Fuji-kun?"
"Just some tea, please," he politely says.
Iwase instantly calls for her staff nearby to serve Fuji a cup of freshly brewed green tea. She excuses herself afterwards.
Exactly five minutes thereafter, Sakuno emerges from the door with the label "Authorized Personnel Only". Her eyes immediately land on her awaiting senpai, somehow used to seeing him waiting for her at the café.
Fuji, upon seeing his kohai, sets his cup of tea on the saucer and stands to meet her.
"Thank you for waiting, Fuji-senpai," Sakuno greets as she bows.
Fuji affectionately pats her auburn head. "Let's go."
"Are you going home now, Sakuno-chan?"
"Uh, hai," Sakuno turns to meet the expectant eyes of her teacher who has just glanced at the darkening skies. Seeing the worry in Iwase's eyes, Sakuno placates her right away. "Ano, please don't worry Iwase-san. Fuji-senpai will walk me home," she says.
"Fuji-senpai?" Iwase blurts out in surprise.
Sakuno blinks at the lady chef, quite surprised at the tone of her voice. Iwase-san didn't just forget about who Fuji-senpai is, right?
Iwase inwardly sighs at the way she just reacted. "Of course," she says, more to herself than to Fuji and Sakuno. "Please take care of Sakuno-chan, Fuji-kun," she tells the prodigy as she turns to him.
Fuji acknowledges her with a bow.
After bidding her student goodbye, Iwase pulls out a chair from a nearby table and sits on it. She quietly watches Fuji and Sakuno as they got out of the café.
His gentle caresses and watchful eyes on her student are enough telltale signs. Well, Sakuno does not seem to mind them at all, too. With these clues, she thought that they were dating already. Besides, she is not the only one who can attest to that. Some of her younger staff sigh more often than necessary whenever they see the two together.
It all seems like some steadily-developing romance story she seldom hears, when suddenly, she hears Sakuno calling him 'senpai'.
Well that is enough for her to know how innocent – or naïve – her student is to notice what is plain to see.
Iwase sighs again as she stands up. The evening shift is about to start and the older patrons will start to flock the café soon.
Meanwhile, Fuji and Sakuno walk quietly as they tread the way to Sakuno's house.
It is a pleasant night. Fuji has not seen much people walking around, but he feels more at peace with such an atmosphere. In the meantime, Sakuno is taking her sweet time thinking about Iwase-san's reaction at the café. Her teacher looked surprised initially, and then her expression changed from something akin to a deer caught in the headlights to something as if a light bulb has just lit on her head.
She bites her lower lip, deep in thought.
She does not know Fuji is chuckling at the scene she is making.
"You're so cute, Sakuno-chan," he comments.
Sakuno looks up to her senpai, blushing a thousand shades of red thereafter. "Ano, I was just thinking, senpai."
"I hope they're happy thoughts."
She cocks her head to her right, unable to give a definite answer. Her thoughts aren't exactly happy, but they're not bad at all.
Fuji smiles at the pregnant pause. He looks ahead of him, quite aware that in a while, they will arrive at the Ryuzaki residence.
Sometimes, he just wants things to be as simple as they are now.
His thoughts, then, divert to his conversation with Tezuka. For his best friend to start a conversation with him regarding that topic simply surprised him. It seems that people are now beginning to notice he is spending much time with his auburn-head kohai. He does not have a problem with that, really. He could care less after all. The thing he worries about is the rumor mill some can create, and that is something he does not want.
Besides, he is aware of the swarm of fan girls he has in school.
The last thing he wants is for them to bully Sakuno.
Then again, it seems that even at their proximity, no one has dared touch Sakuno in an abusive manner because of being around the prodigy so much.
I guess having Sumire-chan as your grandmother has its perks after all, he says to himself while chuckling quietly.
He abruptly stops as he feels Sakuno's hand tugging his jacket sleeve.
"Ne senpai, we're here already," she informs him.
Fuji smiles as he finds himself face to face with the gated house of his kohai. "Saa…I'll see you tomorrow, Sakuno-chan," he says simply as he presses the doorbell.
A few minutes later, the coach of Seigaku's tennis club emerges from the front door, relief evident in her eyes.
"Ah, Sa-chan," Ryuzaki-sensei says as she opens the gate. "Welcome home."
"Hai," Sakuno greets as she bows to her grandmother before stepping in.
"Thank you for accompanying her home, Fuji-kun," Ryuzaki-sensei says.
Fuji just smiles to her, bidding goodbye by bowing to the elder Ryuzaki and giving a small wave to the younger.
The two Ryuzakis watch the athletic figure of the prodigy disappear as he gets farther from the house. Then, Ryuzaki-sensei turns to her granddaughter.
"Dinner is served, Sakuno-chan. We'll eat in a few minutes," the coach informs her.
"Hai!" Sakuno energetically says as she runs to the house to see if she can do any more preparations for dinner.
The elderly coach stays for a while at the doorstep though with several things going through her head.
She looks at the spot where Fuji stood just a few minutes ago.
She better watch for him.
Oishi scratches his head after a long pause. He has just entered the clubroom only to find it empty of its members.
"I guess the games are getting into me," he tells himself after heaving a long sigh.
"I don't think you're the only one."
Oishi felt as if his heart plunged down from his chest to the pit of his stomach upon hearing a voice from behind. He whirls around only to meet Inui Sadaharu sporting a serious look.
"Oh, it's you, Inui," he says in relief. "Try not to scare me that way."
Inui smiles grimly at him as he heads straight at the bench nearby. "You're always worrying about the team, Oishi." Inui comments as he places his duffle bag in his locker. "Hyotei may be our next opponent but I think the team is prepared enough for this match. Besides, we do not want the vice captain of our team to face his opponents with graying hair," Inui taunts.
Oishi heaves another sigh. He better stop worrying over his teammates or else they may tease him for fussing over them like a mother hen.
"By the way, why did you call me?"
Inui raises a brow at the straightforward question before smiling mysteriously. "I just remembered something."
Cocking his head to the right, Oishi leans on the wall near the still open door as he prepares to listen to the data guy.
"Inui, do you think Echizen needs help with his heart problem?"
Oishi's brows furrow as Inui retells the exact words Fuji told him at the start of the school year.
"You see, it is quite obvious to some of us the changes that have occurred at the start of the year: Ryuzaki-chan's evolution and Echizen's disgruntled countenance to say the least. I was trying to analyze the whole situation and how Fuji fits into the picture," Inui says as his hand adjusts his glasses.
"And I think I have a very probable theory," he finishes.
"A theory? What theory?"
Inui surprisingly sighs as his shoulders slump in thought. "I think Fuji's intention with the whole ordeal is to befriend Ryuzaki-chan so Echizen would get jealous to a point where he would admit his feelings for her."
Before Oishi can react to what Inui has just said, they both hear a thudding sound just outside the clubroom. The vice captain is the first one to rush out being the nearest to the door.
If Inui's interruption a while ago sent his heart crashing to his stomach, right now, he feels as if his heart has just plunged a thousand feet down to his ankles.
The normally cool Inui is now biting his lips upon reaching the door, aware of the horrific scene he has just caused.
Dark eyes starting to be clouded with tears, Ryuzaki Sakuno stares at the two of them with a pleading look, as if asking them to tell her that what she has heard is a lie.
The basket of tennis balls she borrowed a while ago is left scattered on the ground.
"Ah…ano…." Oishi stutters as he reaches for the young girl. Nothing is registering in his head right now except for his kohai's helpless look.
Sakuno instinctively pulls away from Oishi, disturbed by their silence. Even her Inui-senpai looks grim regardless of how he wants to fix the situation.
With the world spinning around her, Sakuno makes a mad dash away from her senpai-tachi, unaware of the things – or people – around her.
In her blind haste, she bumps into someone. Normally, she would have apologized to the person, but not right now.
She just wants a break from them all.
She wants to know the truth.
Unfortunately, none can tell.
Meanwhile, Fuji is taking a leisurely walk to the clubroom. Practice will start in a few minutes and he has heard from the other members that Oishi and Inui are still at the clubroom. Knowing how focused their captain is with the next match, he decides that it is his job to call his two teammates before Tezuka makes them run a hundred laps.
To his astonishment, he finds Sakuno coming from the direction of the clubhouse. He is about to call her when he notices how upset she looks.
And boy, is she running hard.
Thinking of getting a chance to ask her why she is upset, he is further surprised when she just bumps into him, and then runs away.
Blue eyes wide with surprise, he did not even have the thought of turning to where she has gone as something dawns on him.
His worst fear has just materialized.