Chapter 10: Fight, Seigaku!
It's fortunate that the finals also occurred on the weekend, Sakuno thought. Otherwise she'd still have to go to school.
It was so exciting to be at the Nationals, and even more to be at the finals. Sakuno wanted to see her big brothers and Ryoma before the match started and wish them good luck. Ryuzaki Sumire, conceding to her wish, told her to help Oishi deliver two boxes of mineral water to the locker room. Oishi did not participate in the finals, having given up his place for Tezuka, but he hung around and helped whenever he could. Tomoka tagged along, of course, and Yuuta helped Sakuno carry her box.
When they arrived, delighted grins broke out from every regular's face except for Tezuka and Ryoma. They didn't jump and shout, because everyone was pretty tense before the most important match, but Fuji's smile lighted up his whole face when he saw Yuuta, and Ryoma turned away briefly when he saw Sakuno, not allowing anyone to see his expression.
Ryuzaki Sumire appeared shortly after. The coach's presence immediately drew everyone's attention.
"Well everyone, I'm proud that you overcame obstacles and made it to the finals!" She looked around at them, beaming with pride. "So keep up the good work, go out there and do your best!"
"Let's put out our hands!" Eiji cried.
So everyone piled up their hands. Sakuno at first stood aside, she was too small to get a space and besides she wasn't a regular, but Kawamura, who was just given a racket, swooped her up on his shoulders. Consequently, Sakuno could put her hand on the very top of the pile of hands. She blushed, but was nevertheless pleased to be included.
"BURNING! NO. 1 FOR SEIGAKU!"
"On the count to three," Oishi said. "One, two, three--"
"YEAH!" Everyone shouted.
After Kawamura set Sakuno on the ground, Sumire made all the non-regulars leave the room.
"Wasn't that exciting?" Tomoka said, bouncing in an Eiji-like manner. "I'm simply thrilled to be here!"
"Hai!" Sakuno smiled. She didn't even bother to tell Tomoka to calm down.
They sat down with other family members of the regulars. Sakuno sat between Tomoka and Yumiko, the elder sister in Fuji's family. Yuuta sat on the other side with Mizuki and Yanagisawa, both were warned not to flirt with the girls, whether it may be the little one or older one.
"Sakuno-chan, is it?" Yumiko said, smiling down at the little girl. "Syusuke often talks about you. He said you were a pleasure to teach."
"Oh!" Sakuno flushed. "Fuji-senpai is too kind. I make so many mistakes, I feel such a burden to him."
"You're nothing of a burden." Yumiko said kindly. "Syusuke said you once beat a boy with two years of tennis experience. He praised you so much that I wondered if you became his girlfriend!"
She only meant it as a joke, but Sakuno turned crimson and quickly denied, frantically waving her hands. Yumiko, after all, was Fuji's elder sister, and had her share of a tendency to tease people.
The finals began, and the stadium was a cacophony of whistles, cheers, and screaming. Sakuno put her hands to her ears, she might go deaf with all the noise.
The first doubles pair was Kaidoh and Inui.
When Kaidoh scored a spectacular Boomerang Snake, the Seigaku supporters were on their feet, stamping and shouting.
"Way to go, Kaidoh-senpai!" Tomoka called, and Kaidoh's family hissed with pleasure.
Inui also did his best. His glasses flashed as he analyzed his opponents, and he delivered an excellent Waterfall serve that rivaled Ootori's Scud Serve.
"That's about 214 kilometers per hour." Inui's dad noted. "Congratulations, son. You've surpassed your data."
The second doubles pair was Eiji and Fuji.
Eiji's family all came, along with relatives and cousins, who made an impressive cheerleading team.
"Fight, Ochibi!" Eiji's father roared. "Make Daddy and Mummy proud!" A lot of people sweatdropped, while Eiji blushed and muttered that his father shouldn't shout so loudly.
"Our baby is in the Nationals." Eiji's mother said, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. "And for a second time!"
"Eiji! If you lose then I'll use up all your favourite toothpaste!" Eiji's sister called.
With such a huge entourage behind him (and a toothpaste threat), Eiji outdid himself. His acrobatics made the audience gasp, earning wave after wave of applause.
But Eiji was not the only one in the spotlight. In the middle of the game, his stamina ran out and Fuji had to cover for most of the attacks until Eiji recovered. Fuji, standing on the court with the wind blowing his hair, had never looked so formidable an opponent. With his sister, brother, and mother all in attendance, he played exceptionally well. He even developed a Fifth Counter from his pure genius reflexes, and Inui quickly jotted it down in his notebook.
"As expected from Aniki," Yuuta said. "But I will eventually beat you some day!"
"Very good, Fuji." Tachibana said. "If you go on like this, it will be hard to beat you."
Next up was Momoshiro. From intense training, he had become the strong player that Tezuka once said he would be. His opponent was tough, but Momo gradually shone through, smashing the ball so powerfully that it was a wonder that the ball was not rendered to pieces.
"That's my son." Momo's dad was saying to everyone near him. "Did you hear that? That's my son, Momoshiro Takeshi!"
"Good going, Momoshiro-kun!" Ann called. Momo blushed slightly, while Kamio glared.
Tezuka came next. As captain, he probably should have been in singles one, but since he was already beaten by Ryoma, he was no longer the strongest player in Seigaku. Cheers echoed through the stadium, and unknowing people who were passing by thought that some pop star must have graced the place.
The only people who remained silent when Tezuka walked onto the courts were his parents. Nobody knew what Tezuka's parents were thinking, though it was likely to be: "Don't let your guard down, Mitsu-chan."
"Play well, Tezuka." Atobe said, smirking. "If you don't, Ore-sama will be ashamed for you."
Tezuka didn't make a single mistake. His reputation, although slightly marred by his loss to Atobe, fully proved that he was one of the best middle-school players in Japan. As he performed the Tezuka zone, drawing the ball back to him with every strike, the crowds were chanting, "Tezuka! Tezuka!" until his opponent broke the Tezuka zone.
A foreigner with blond hair and blue eyes was sitting near Atobe. He was gasping non-stop during the Tezuka zone, jabbering in English: "Oh my god! How does he do it? Why does the ball keep returning to him?"
"What is he saying?" Sakuno said, and Tomoka shrugged.
Atobe had received excellent English education, sinc he had an army of native English tutors, and could go abroad whenever he wanted. He explained to the foreigner, ending with "Be awed at our player's prowess."
But the best was saved for the last. When Ryoma made his appearance, cameras flashed as reporters tried to get a good picture of the youngest Japanese player who made it to the U. S. Open. Motoko's Prince Ryoma fan club was also there, fully arrayed in colourful cheerleader costumes, waving pompoms and screaming his name.
"Who do you think will win, Inoue-senpai?" Shiba said, all the while snapping photos like crazy.
"It's hard to say." Inoue said. We all know how good Ryoma is, but his opponent from the rivalry school is supposed to be a prodigy among prodigies, left-handed, an all -rounder, can do special moves like Drive X, Y, Z, etc.
By now, Ryoma was used to the mad reaction from crowds from his U.S. experience. He calmly scanned the crowd, looking for his family and friends. He briefly nodded at his parents and his cousin. Nanjiro did not call out anything crazy because Rinko was also there.
"Ganbatte, Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno called, but her voice was lost in the commotion. Nor did Ryoma acknowledge her presence--no tilt of head, no blink of eye. She was disappointed, but when Ryoma took out a tennis ball from his pocket, she saw some black markings on it. Did Ryoma use the ball she drew "Nationals No. 1" on it?
The match began, and all eyes were on the tennis court. Even Jirou, who was dragged to the stadium with his eyes half-closed, was now fully awake and watching the game with great excitement. This was the crucial match, the one that would decide who is the National champion.
Ryoma delivered a Double Twist serve that he developed in the U.S. Open, creating a sensation from the start.
"Sugoi, Ryoma-kun!" echoed the Seigaku freshmen.
"Another excellent move, Echizen Ryoma." Rokkaku's freshman captain, Kentarou Aoi, thought. "I can't wait to play another match with you!"
"Why can Echizen do a double-twist on his serve?" Itsuki asked. "Why? Why?"
"His opponent does a double-take from seeing the double-twist serve." Amane said, earning a kick from Kurobane.
"Wow, Ryoma-kun has improved so much desu!" Dan said.
"He sure is lucky today." Sengoku said.
"Hmph." Akatsu was thinking, "Don't disappoint me, Echizen. Show me how you play tennis."
But Ryoma's opponent was not chosen for singles one for nothing. Although Ryoma generally seemed to be the one attacking, his opponent did not lose his head and persevered.
They reached a tiebreak.
"That stupid son." Nanjiro muttered. "If it were me, I would have ended the match like that" He snapped his fingers.
"But Ryoma isn't you." Rinko reminded him. "He's developed his own style now."
Meanwhile, Inui and his friend Renji were having a little match on their own--intellectually, not physically. After observing both players for a long time, they have collected enough data to have a data debate.
"There's a 82 percent chance he will move to the right." Inui said.
Pok.
"94 percent chance he will return with a fast slice." Renji said.
Pok.
"The sound is too low. The ball will drop." Inui said.
Pok.
"The ball is too high. It will be out." Renji said.
Pok. Pok. Pok.
"29-30!" The referee called.
"Is there going to be an end to this match?" Shinji rambled. "I thought it would have ended ten minutes ago, but no, they are still playing. Echizen seems to have improved a lot, he must have learned a lot in America. That still seems to be the same brand of grip tape he won from he, he must really like it. And I wonder what is wrong with his ball, it has black markings over it, I didn't know Echizen is still so childish to scribble on his balls, or maybe it's a habit he picked up in the States..."
"Shinji!" Tachibana said. "Focus on the game."
"37-38!"
"Both of them are such great masterpieces!" Jyousei Shonan's coach, Hanamura-sensei, couldn't help exclaiming. "If only I can draft them into my team..."
"When it comes to this point, strength or skill no longer matters." Sanada thought. "The one with more determination wins."
"Don't lose your will power, Ryoma." Ryuzaki Sumire thought, arms crossed.
Sakuno and Tomoka were holding hands and praying hard.
Finally--
"Game and match to Seigaku's Echizen, 7-6!"
The stadium erupted.
When Ryoma's victory clinched Seigaku's championship, everything seemed to become a blur of events to Sakuno. The audience went wild and cameras started clicking, the freshman trio and Tomoka all burst into tears, Oishi leaped down from the stands and joined the other regulars, who raced to the courts and hoisted Ryoma onto their shoulders...
When Tezuka received the glittering, golden cup of victory and raised it into the air, everyone felt that moment was worth living for.
This was going to be an epoch in every Seigaku regular's life.
Sakuno wondered how she was ever going to go back to normal life.
She still went running with Kaidoh in the morning. Even though they won the Nationals, Kaidoh wasn't giving up his training. Having tasted the glory, he wanted to relive it next year.
"Did you go out to celebrate with your family, Kaidoh-senpai?"
"No. But my mother made my favourite dishes."
They came to the river where cats and dogs and people tend to fall in. Today it was remarkably peaceful, and the rays of early morning sunshine caused a glitter on the waters.
"Isn't it nice and peaceful?" Sakuno said. "Oh! Is that something in the water?"
Kaidoh blanched. But on a second look, they found it was only an old shoe floating on the river.
"They really should put up a sign on the bank, saying 'Caution: Don't Fall Into the River.'" Sakuno said, giggling. She remembered Kairi, and sincerely hoped he was doing well, and maybe even find some nice girl who could return his feelings.
As they walked to school together, a girl's voice called out, "Kaidoh-senpai! Kaidoh-senpai!"
Surprised, Kaidoh and Sakuno turned around. A freshman girl rushed up to Kaidoh and held out a notepad and a pen.
"Please, can I get your autograph?"
"Au--autograph?"
Several other girls came running up as well. "Kaidoh! Kaidoh-senpai! Kaidoh-kun!"
Sakuno watched in amazement as the girls swarmed around Kaidoh, begging for his autograph, admiring his bandanna, and cooing over his well-trained body.
Kaidoh finally managed to shake off the girls. He was still in shock of what had happened. Were these girls crazy? Had they drunk Inui juice or something?
"Do not be shocked, Kaidoh." Inui said, suddenly appearing beside them. "It's a long time since Seigaku won the Nationals."
"Inui-senpai!" Sakuno said. "Why does Nationals have to do with this?"
"The prestige of the championships is greatly beneficial to a man's attractiveness." Inui said, as though reciting a fact. "The matches are braodcast live, and since many students watched our games to victory on television, they have developed a certain worshipping for us."
Just as he finished his speech, a girl came up to him. Before she opened her mouth, Inui whipped out a stack of signed photos and gave her one. The girl, amazed but pleased, thanked him and hurried off.
"Inui-senpai!" Sakuno and Kaidoh said.
"I knew that there was a 97 percent chance of this happening." Inui said, adjusting his glasses. "So I prepared everything necessary beforehand."
"You knew that this would happen?" Sakuno said.
"Yes." Inui pulled out his data book. "Our popularity has gone up 112 percent since last year. So far, eleven girls have talked to me, and seven girls for Kaidoh, unless you met more before I saw you?"
Kaidoh sweatdropped. "I didn't count." he muttered.
"I estimate more to come." Inui said. "And there's a 101 percent that the others are currently being star-struck as well."
True to Inui's calculations, as they approached Seigaku, they saw several crowds, each larger than the next. All crowds consisted of screaming fan girls, crying "Oishi! Please sign my book bag!" "Fuji-kun! Can I take a photo with you?" "Tezuka-buchou! I love you so much! You were so cool in Nationals!"
But the biggest fan group belonged to Ryoma. Of course, no one could see Ryoma as he was surrounded by numerous girls, but from the screams of "Ryoma-sama!" "Ryoma-kun!" "Ryoma!", one could easily guess who the victim is. Sakuno saw Motoko fighting among the crowds, and her heart sank, remembering their bet.
Because of such chaos reigning the grounds, the school authorities had to take action. The principal announced that any person who molests the regulars would be immediately suspended. Reluctantly, the crowds dispersed.
"Anyway, there's a 83 percent chance that the hyper reaction will die down in two weeks." Inui said. "Headlines are never permanent."
For the first few days, the regulars played hide-and-seek with their fan girls. Some of them dreaded the girls like cats avoid rain. Tezuka and Ryoma used to walk around with looks that can kill, effectively keeping the fans at bay. Some enjoyed the attention. Momo and Eiji followed Inui's example and kept a stack of signed photos ready in case of need. Others used the fans to their own benefit. Inui made loads of notes, filling one notebook after another. Once when Fuji was walking with Kaidoh, he suddenly pointed to a corridor and said, "Look, Kaidoh." and hid in a corner. Poor Kaidoh, who took a look at the said corridor, was almost squashed flat by screaming fan girls.
But the hype gradually died down with time, and besides, important exams were coming up. And after exams, there would be a school festival to prepare for. Little by little, the regulars no longer lived in fear of being mobbed in their own school.
Sakuno had her own problems. Keeping the bet in mind, she worked so hard that Inui altered the training program, lest she should burn out.
The day before the girls' club tryout, Sakuno was training with Oishi. In the middle of the training, rain started falling heavily on the courts.
"Seems that we can't practice anymore, Sakuno-chan." Oishi said, looking anxiously at the sky. "I'm supposed to meet Tezuka for coffee; would you like to come with me?"
"No, but thank you very much."
"Are you all right? Your face is kind of pale." Oishi said, peering at her. "Maybe I'll tell Tezuka that I'm walking you home..."
"No, I'm fine!" Sakuno said, waving her hands. "Just a little stressed about tomorrow. I don't want you to keep buchou waiting."
"Well then, don't stress yourself. Your tennis is so much better now, I'm sure you'll do fine tomorrow." Oishi said, smiling. "Go home and have a good rest. Have you brought an umbrella? Good. And watch out for puddles!"
Sakuno waved goodbye to Oishi and set off home. The rain, pattering noisily against her umbrella, made her feel rather depressed. In 24 hours, she would know whether she is made a regular, and whether she could talk to Ryoma anymore.
Suddenly, she saw a kitten crouched under a rose bush. The poor kitty was soaked in rain, and it was shivering.
"You poor thing!" Sakuno exclaimed. She stooped down and gathered the kitten in her arms. She noticed that one of its paws was bleeding from a thorn. The kitten looked up at her and meowed.
Sakuno's heart went out to the kitten. She had to take it home and treat its wound properly. Just then, a strong gust of wind blew by, and because Sakuno was holding the kitten carefully, her umbrella flew off.
"Oh no!" Sakuno gasped. Horrified, she started off after her umbrella, but it was too late. The wind had brought it against a lamp post, effectively ruining it.
Sakuno felt really bad. Here she was, standing in the rain, with a wounded kitty in her arms. She had to get home quickly.
"Ryuzaki?"
Ryoma appeared, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his umbrella. He couldn't have picked a better time, Sakuno thought wryly. She must look like a mess now; rain drops were slipping off her face, and her arms were smudged with dirt from the bush.
"Ryo--Ryoma-kun! How come you're here?"
"Cleaning duties." They always had cleaning duties after school, and today happened to be Ryoma's turn.
The kitten gave another pitiful meow.
"Is that your cat?"
Sakuno shook her head. "I just found it under a bush. I must go home quickly; the poor kitten is wounded."
"Have you treated a cat's wound before?" Ryoma said.
"No. Why?"
"Perhaps we'd better go to my house. I know how to treat wounds; Karupin sometimes gets into scrapes."
"Karupin?"
"My cat."
He moved closer and held his umbrella over her. Sakuno turned bright red.
"Go-gomen!" she blurted, without thinking.
"What for?" Ryoma raised his eyebrows.
"For--for helping the poor kitten. And sharing your umbrella--you don't have to. The rain isn't very heavy."
"I don't mind."
And he started to walk. Sakuno fell in pace with him, hermind tingling with excitement. She was thrilled and nervous to be walking with him, and under the same umbrella! It was so romantic, so unreal, that she wondered if she was dreaming.
It was a pity that his house was close by. It seemed only a few minutes, when he turned at a large Japanese-style house and said, "Here."
"You live here?" Sakuno said, staring. Wasn't Ryoma brought up in America? She never thought he'd live in a traditional kind of building.
"Un."
They entered the house.
"Tadaima." Ryoma called, in a bored voice.
To his annoyance, the first one to appear was his father.
"So you're back--oh my! Isn't this the little girl you went on a date with?" Nanjirou grinned widely. "Aren't you the old hag's granddaughter?"
Ryoma glared at him. Sakuno bowed, feeling very nervous. Ryoma's father was nice, but he seemed so different from Ryoma.
She was led to a neat and spacious sitting room, where she had to sit on a cushion. Ryoma told her to wait for a moment, while he went to fetch the first-aid kit.
The door slid open, and a young woman entered, carrying a tray of tea and steamed cakes.
"Hi, I'm Meino Nanako, Ryoma's cousin." she said, smiling. "Please make yourself at home."
"Thank you! I'm Ryuzaki Sakuno."
Sakuno thought that Ryoma's cousin was very pretty, with her bright eyes and silky black hair. Clearly, good looks ran in the family. Even Nanjiro was good-looking, even though his hair was tousled and he looked as though he hadn't shaved for days.
Nanako chatted with Sakuno for a while. Sakuno liked the young woman very much, and wished she could be like her. If Ryoma was used to having a beautiful older cousin around, he must have high standards for women. No wonder he never noticed girls.
Ryoma presently appeared, carrying the first-aid kit. Karupin trailed behind him, meowing.
"I have to clean the kitchen and prepare dinner, so I'll leave you here." Nanako rose and went to the door. "If you need anything, just tell me."
"Hai. Thank you very much!" Sakuno said.
As Ryoma gently lifted the wounded kitten onto his lap, Sakuno said, "Your cousin is a very nice person."
"Un."
"Is that Karupin?"
"Yes."
Sakuno felt rather snubbed. It was just like Ryoma to be so reticent. So she picked up Karupin and deposited him on her lap, admiring his sleek fur and funny face. She stroked behind his ears and under his chin, and Karupin seemed to like it very much. He meowed loudly.
"Karupin likes you." Ryoma said. He didn't need to look up, he could tell from Karupin's meowing.
"Does he? Oh, I like him too. He's a really nice cat." Sakuno smiled, pleased that the Himulayan cat had taken a fancy to her.
Ryoma glanced at her. She made a pretty picture, sitting there with his kitten on her lap, and her cinnamon-brown eyes had a soft and tender glow. And her fingers were running through Karupin's fur, like she was combing it. His heart gave another quick beat, the same as the time she smiled at him in the sunset. He suddenly wondered what it was like to hold her hand, to thread his fingers through hers...
No! A voice rang his head. Why did such a ridiculous thought enter his head? Was he becoming like his perverted father?
Never. Ryoma quickly averted his eyes and focused on the kitten in his arms. It must be the incense. Nanako always liked to keep a stick of incense burning in the room, to give some fragrance. It must be the scent that makes him light-headed.
"Done."
The kitten's paw was neatly bandaged. Sakuno looked relieved.
"You bandaged very well, Ryoma-kun! I'm sure the little kitten feels better now."
"Betzuni. I had experience with Karupin before."
"Did Karupin often get hurt?"
"Sometimes. He can be a naughty kitty if he wants to."
"I wonder what's it like to have a cat." Sakuno tweaked Karupin's ear. "We once kept a dog, but it died when I was seven."
"Maybe you can keep her." Ryoma indicated the wounded kitty.
"Her?"
"Yes, it's a she, I can tell. And from the look of her, she's a stray kitten. So if your grandmother agrees, you can keep her."
"That would be nice! I'd love to."
There was a knock on the door, and Nanjiro peeped in. "Having fun, you young ones?"
"What do you want, oyaji?"
"Nanako sent me to ask your little girlfriend to stay for dinner."
Sakuno blushed. "I--I'm not--"
Baka oyaji, Ryoma thought. Scowling, he said, "I don't know. It's up to her grandma."
"Oh, I've rang up the old--Ryuzaki, I mean. She said it's fine, and I'll drive her home later."
"You phoned Obaa-chan?" Sakuno said, surprised.
Nanjiro grinned. "I knew your grandmother a long time ago. She was my tennis coach as well."
Sakuno's eyes widened. Her respect for her grandmother increased.
Dinner was quite nice. Ryoma's mother, Rinko, was there, and she was just as friendly as Nanako. She was a lovely person; Sakuno liked her instantly.
"So you are trying out to be a regular?" Rinko said. "How long have you played tennis, Sakuno-chan?"
Sakuno flushed, and admitted she had only played for several months.
"Ryoma should give you a hand some time." Rinko said, smiling. "Your grandmother has done so much for Nanjiro and Ryoma; we have to repay her in some way."
"If that isn't enough, I'm willing to give some lessons." Nanjiro said, grinning. "Ryoma may be good, but he's still far from my level!"
"The senpai-tachi are all helping her already." Ryoma said, with a glare.
"Would you like some more soup, Sakuno-chan?" Nanako said, seeing Sakuno was rather uncomfortable.
After dinner, Nanjiro prepared to drive her home. Rinko, Nanako, and Ryoma stood on the threshold to see her off.
"Please come again, Sakuno-chan." Nanako said, waving goodbye.
"Yes, please do." Rinko said. "It's rare that Ryoma brings any friends to visit. And all the best with the tryout!"
"Hai. Thank you very much for the dinner. It was very good."
Ryoma said nothing. He never thought that bandaging the wounded kitten would result in Sakuno's staying for dinner. It was annoying, really, his parents and cousin making such a fuss of Sakuno.
Later on when he went to bed, Karupin jumped in his bed, meowing. Something pink and soft tumbled onto the bed.
It was a dainty handkerchief with laced edges. On the corner, in neat stitches, was Sakuno's name.
Ryoma picked up the handkerchief, frowning. There was a faint scent radiating from it. It was as though Sakuno was in his room.
He lay down on the bed, still holding the handkerchief. Images of Sakuno ran through his head: Sakuno standing in the rain with droplets glistening in her hair, Sakuno petting Karupin as though he was her most important treasure, Sakuno eating dinner with dainty, graceful spoonfuls...
A meowing noise interrupted his thoughts. Ryoma opened his eyes; Karupin was staring at him.
"Karupin, you idiot."
A/N: I really don't want to do this--but I've decided to take a break, probably about two or three weeks. Recently I've been so busy that I caught a cold and had a fever this afternoon. Sadly, there are a couple of things I must attend to first, and juggling these tasks with writing has been too much for me. Don't worry, I will finish this story, I have planned out what's happening later, up to an epilogue. So sorry, but if I keep on like this my cold will be worse! Hope this longer chapter will compensate for the temporary hiatus.