"the dream team"
Summary: Set in Shiraishi's first year, as he prepares to take part in the match that will determine Shitenhouji's buchou and fukubuchou next year, Shiraishi dreams about the team he want to lead as the buchou, Later on he then think about why he wants to be a buchou so much.
Author's Note: I just want to point out that university have started and unlike summer school, I will be much busy.
In 'Sacrifice' I made it that Shitenhouji choose their buchou by having an end of the year match, whereby all the second years who want to be the buchou will participate and the two with the most amount of wins will then be the candidates for the buchou/fukubuchou. They will then have one last match that decides who gets to be what. As I mentioned in "Sacrifice", Shiraishi was allowed to participate in this due to his buchou and fukubuchou at his first year, even though Watanabe told them that this would not be a good idea. This is my take on why Shiraishi became the buchou when he was only in his second year.
Once again, keep in mind that Shiraishi and Ashita only went out in their second year, so until they went out they addresses each other as 'Shiraishi-kun' 'Tanako-chan'. Koharu and Yuuji are also very close friends with Shiraishi and sort of friends with Ashita, while he and Kenya had a rivalry- more from Kenya's side.
Completed: February 21-25, 2008.
The two boys exchanged a glance before they nodded and grabbed their other companion, pulling him to the nearby bench.
"Trust me, five minutes is not going to make that much a difference." Koharu said. "Beside, Yuuji and I are exhausted."
"Your practice won't be effective if your practicing partners collapses" Yuuji murmured out an agreement.
"Alright, alright, I yield!" Shiraishi laughed out. "By the way, I am very grateful that you two are helping me practice this early."
"What about letting us join the team when you become the buchou then?" Yuuji joked out.
"I don't think you two need to give any bribes in order to make into the team next year." Shiraishi said sincerely. "Nakakurai-buchou told me that you are one of the best doubles pair he has ever seen due to how well you two work together, along with the additional surprises."
"We got a new tactic, by the way." Koharu said before he and Yuuji yelled out the other's name and embraced together warmly.
"That is a strategy." Yuuji explained qucikly. "We'll deliberately make our opponents underestimate us by hiding out abilities like this."
"But this is really weird." Shiraishi pointed out. "The guy who lives down stairs always greet his girl friend that way."
"It is a strategy." His two friends repeated once more.
"The scary thing is that I can see you two playing this way." Shiraishi said with a smile. "If I become the buchou then I want you two to be in the team with me. You guys will be doubles 2 and start the competition by shocking everyone with your joking tennis, and then someone will play doubles 1, showing what a variety of people we have. Gin will then astonish everyone because he will be the top one power player in Japan while singles 2 will be Oshitari Kenya.
"He is a really good player." Shiraishi quickly explained due to his two friends' expression of surprise, as they both knew that the other did not like Shiraishi much. "I think he can be the fastest player one day but…"
"He relies on his speed too much, right?" Koharu supplied.
"I would tell him that but he doesn't seem to want to talk to me at all and I doubt he would listen to my advice anyway. Nor do I want to talk with someone who is like that." The young boy gave a slight shrug before he continued with his dreams. "And I'll play singles 1."
"Of course!"
"Well, that is the most prestigious position and most buchou plays singles 1. Although Nakakurai-buchou didn't and Sensei often changes the order."
"Anyway, we had our break. It is time to continue practicing."
"You are going to be a slave driver if you become the buchou." Koharu said while Yuuji let out an agreement in the form of a sigh.
They continued to practice until Ashita arrived, since she was good enough friends with both Koharu and Yuuji the four of them could chat amiable enough without being awkward.
"So when is this competition?" Ashita asked.
"It starts tomorrow." Koharu informed her. "Are you coming?"
"If the karate club finishes early enough then I will. I want to lend this to you, Shiraishi-kun!" saying so she took out what appeared to be a little coin purse with a four leaf clover sewed on it. "My neechan gave me this when I was very little and she said it brings good luck."
"Thank you…"
"You can put it in your tennis bag or your pocket, I won't mind because niichan told me that guys don't carry that sort of stuff." Ashita said understandingly.
"I'll put it in my pocket during my matches." Shiraishi promised, since he felt rather awkward he quickly changed the subject. "So, how does the karate club choose their buchou and fukubuchou, Tanako-chan?"
"Well, our coach is a history teacher so he likes to make us choose and he says it is like an assembly of Ancient Athenians, which I don't really understand. But the candidates are the ones with the two highest ranks, which I just miss out on."
"Do you want to be the buchou or Fukubuchou?" Yuuji asked.
"I don't know, what I really want right now is to get my next belt, and I might be able to soon. But being the buchou or fukubuchou seems too problematic! My buchou this year even make sure that I study, I am not sure if I have that patience."
"I think that is something you just do once you assume the role." Koharyu pointed out and all three of them then turned to look at Shiraishi.
"I can't really imagine him ordering one of our senpai to do their homework." Koharu finally said.
"Because you don't order your elders around." Yuuji said with a smile. "My brother will kill me if I try to do that."
"Are you three telling me that I shouldn't take part?" Shiriashi asked softly.
"No, you should because Nakakurai-buchou and the fukubuchou want you to. If they want to let you participate in your first year then it must be because they think you can be a really good buchou next year." Yuuji said eagerly.
"And I think Shiraishi-kun will be a really good buchou." Ashita added with a very sincere smile.
Shiraishi's final game was with a second year spenai that did not make into the team this year: a dark horse, and the price was being the buchou next year, with the loser being only the fukubuchou.
The very long and intense game finally reached an end when the score become six all, it would be determined by tie break. Since both boys has done very well against all of their other opponents no one saved from their coach knew who would be the winner.
"Almost finished." Shiraishi's opponent muttered out. "Almost."
Shiraishi was panting much harder and his hand was actually shaking more then a bit. His senpai had a huge advantage right now due to his much stronger stamina.
"Just hold on a bit longer." He whispered to himself as he prepared for his opponent's serve. "I can do this. I can manage."
He suddenly didn't' understand why he was fighting so hard in this match, why he was pushing himself to his limits. He was already making a name for himself by having got this far. To be a fukubuchou in his second year would be an amazing achievement because Shitenhoujouji's buchou and fukubuchou were always third years.
But there were many other schools that let their second years be fukubuchou. I, it was still a very distinguish position, true, but it would not be that prestigious.
"I want to be the buhou due to my own pride." He admitted.
His main motivation was not because he believed that he would be a really good buchou compared to everyone else although he would certainly try to do a good job for the sake of his current senpai and future team members.
It was because being the buchou now would mean that he was a really good player, one of the best in his school. He loved tennis and therefore desired to excel in it, and this was a way for him to do so.
It he was the bukubhcou next year then people from other school would probably have a slight comment on this, but they would not be that impressed…which they would be if he was the buchou.
"I want this." He said, now very determined. "I am not going to give up."
If he had an opportunity of making a name for himself in the tennis world then he would grab it.
"Game, set and match. Won by Shiriahsi seven games to six." Watanabe declared out and for Shiraishis' sake, he hid his frown.
This result was the choice of his students and he did not want to interfere that much.
"Congratulations Shiraishi. It seems that I'll have to be the fukubuchou." His opponent said sincerely as they went to shake each other's hand. "Hey, are you really alright?"
"Senpai…your stamina…is really admirable." Shiraishi finally managed to say. "Pleae…help me to…improve mine…next year."
"As long as you help me to improve my serve. I must admit, losing one game due to double faults was not a good feeling."
The current buchou and fukubuchou began to talk to their successors and they naturally wished them well.
"Maybe you will be the one to let us win the nations." Nakakurai said half jokingly.
"I promise that I will try.' Shiraishi swore in full seriousness.
Author's Note: I am not saying that Shiraishi is a bad buchou in this story, only that I think he is not like Tezuka. I don't think he was like Tezuka by dreaming about being the buchou and taking his team to the nationals before he became one, well…I think it will be a different kind. I think Tezuka always knew that he could be a really good buchou, whereas I really think Shiraishi dreamt of being buchou just because it is a glorious position. But I think, as the story suggest, once he realize what he have to do he accepts the responsibility completely, even though he was initially not aware of it.
Initially I wanted to show Shiraishi and Zaizen talking to each other, sort of showing that the dream he had in his first year is not exactly the same as the present, just the ideas that your dreams don't just turn out exactly the way you want.
According to 40.5 Yuuji has an elder brother.