Chatper Thirty Seven: Punishment

As the Regulars readied themselves on their courts, Kyoko tried to decide which match she would watch.

Nonchalantly she walked to the court Ryoma and Takashi were playing on, and sat on the bench just outside the court.

Ryoma walked over to the bench inside the court where his tennis bag lay, which happened to be by the bench Kyoko sat on, as he spoke to her, "You're watching me, huh?"

Kyoko fought back a blush. "I'm just…making my rounds," she replied.

Ryoma smirked as he took out his water bottle and set it on the bench. "Sure, sure…"

Takashi was on the other side of the court, stretching.

"Ready, Echizen?" he asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Ryoma replied.

Racquet in hand, he flashed Kyoko a smile before taking his spot on the court. Kyoko looked over and saw Takashi bend down and pick up his own racquet.

"Rahhh! Can you feel the heat?!" he exclaimed. "Let's go, baby!"

"Whenever you're ready, Kawamura-Sempai," Ryoma replied with a smirk.

Kyoko gripped the notebook in her hands a little tighter, worrying about how Ryoma would fare against Takashi's power. After re-checking his smirk and his worry-free expression, her grip loosened; if he wasn't worried, she shouldn't be either.

"Sounds like Taka is excited," Oishi said quietly to himself. "I should be, too…"

He looked over at the court next to him and saw Eiji fully concentrating on Tezuka who was preparing to serve. He smiled, proud of Eiji for taking the match so seriously, and nodded as he decided to try just as hard.

Across his own court Kaidoh was glaring at Oishi in concentration.

"Let's try our best…" Oishi said with a smile.

Kaidoh replied with a hiss, and bounced a tennis ball in front of him, preparing for his serve.

Just as he threw it up, a small breeze blew past them, causing his bandana to move along with it as it was tied around his head.

Then he smashed it down with his racquet into the service box.

"Lovely breeze," Fuji said with a smile.

Momo flinched as Fuji's original good natured smile turned into a malicious one, his bright blue eyes locked onto him with concentration.

Clenching the tennis ball in his hands, Momo walked back to the service line and tried to keep it together.

"I can do this…I can do this…" Momo said quietly.

He paused to look around; he didn't see Sachi anywhere, which made him smile a little. She wouldn't be there to distract him with negative feelings or comments. Just as he held the ball slightly higher, he froze. Maybe she is here, Momo thought to himself as he re-checked the surrounding area. Finding nothing, he shook his head and tried to focus his energy at the matter at hand.

"Are you alright, Momo?" Fuji asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" he said before throwing up the ball and releasing a powerful serve.

"I don't want to drink that awful thing!" Eiji exclaimed as he got a point off of Tezuka.

He did a fist pump and smiled sheepishly at Tezuka, who stared back at him with his expression-less face.

"Don't let your guard down," Tezuka said before turning and walking back to prepare for another serve.

Eiji laughed and walked back to return his serve. His blue eyes concentrated as he watched Tezuka throw up the ball, set up, and then smash the ball down, aiming exactly for the right corner of the service box on Eiji's side.

Eiji took a step back and positioned himself in front of the ball before swinging. His return hit on the other side of the court that Tezuka was on. Smiling Eiji watched Tezuka run over to get it. Before he realized it, Tezuka had done a quick top slice that went right through Eiji's legs. Eiji turned and saw the ball hit the fence and start rolling back toward him.

"I told you not to let your guard down," Tezuka said.

Eiji clenched his teeth. "I'll get the next one…" he said quietly walking back to his side.

As he turned to face Tezuka again, he had a smile on his face. "Let's go!" he said excitedly.

Tezuka held in a smile. It was just like Eiji to have his happy-go-lucky attitude, even when facing the captain. He admired that. But he wasn't about to drink what Sadaharu had on that table. Losing was no option.

"Game, set and match," Ryoma proudly called out as he defeated Takashi with a smirk.

Takashi's racquet slipped out of his hands as the two walked forward to shake hands. "Um…good game…Echizen…" he said, smiling and scratching the back of his head. "Looks like I've got a lot more practice to do…"

"You, too, Kawamura-Sempai," Ryoma replied. "Mada mada dane."

Kyoko smiled at the two as they walked out of the courts. "Good job you two," she said.

"Th-thanks," Takashi said with a shy smile.

"Looks like Echizen won," the three heard Sadaharu say.

Turning around, they saw he stood by them, and his glasses glinted, making his smile look evil. He handed Takashi a glass of the juice called 'Punishment'. Kyoko was silently thankful that she didn't have to drink it.

Takashi reluctantly chugged the drink down, and held his mouth shut as he tried to swallow it. He ran off into the distance, and yelled as he was leaving.

Kyoko and Ryoma glanced at Sadaharu who was taking notes on Takashi's reaction.

Slowly they walked past him to see how the rest of the matches were turning out.

"So, do I get a winning kiss?" Ryoma asked.

"What?!" Kyoko asked, turning to him surprised.

Ryoma smirked. "Just kidding."

Kyoko blushed as she tried to laugh it off. "Right…I knew that…"

She could feel her heart beating faster in her chest, and was thankful that it wasn't noticeable to anyone but herself.

The two walked past Fuji and Momo's court as they shook hands at the net. Momo had a sour look on his face, obviously having been defeated. Fuji's smile was a little broader than normal as he watched Sadaharu hand Momo the deadly drink.

Momo's reaction was the same as Takashi's, and was soon seen running away from the courts, holding his mouth in disgust.

The remaining matches were playing out their last few points when Kyoko and Ryoma reached them. Eiji had an intense expression on his face, while Tezuka had his normal, cold expression. Oishi looked spent, and Kaidoh wasn't sweating as much as Oishi was.

"Game, set, match," Tezuka said as he did a zero degree drop shot for the final point.

Eiji fell to his knees and put both hands on the ground. "Noo!!" he shouted. "I don't want to drink it!"

Sadaharu appeared behind him with a smile. "Here you go, Eiji," he said handing him a glass filled with the juice. "Drink up."

"Do I have a choice…" he replied standing up and taking the drink. He plugged his nose and chugged it down.

He soon joined Momo and Takashi somewhere outside of the courts to recover.

Oishi and Kaidoh, having watched this, turned to each other more determined than before.

I will not lose!, they thought at the same time.

Oishi served, and Kaidoh did a sharp snake before rushing to the base line. Oishi looked for a weak point and did a Moon Volley over Kaidoh's head. He ran back to get it, but when he hit it, his shot landed against the net. His fate was sealed: Sadaharu was behind him, and he was with the rest of the victims within a matter of minutes.

Kyoko nervously laughed as Kaidoh ran past her and Ryoma. "I'm very glad I don't have to drink that…" she said. "I don't think I'd make it…"

"It's not that bad," Fuji said, walking over to them.

"Then…why didn't you take the drink instead?" Kyoko asked.

Fuji smiled. "It's more fun watching others suffer through it," he replied.

Ryoma and Kyoko cringed as Fuji's smile suddenly seemed sinister.

Kyoko's bag suddenly began vibrating and she took out her phone that was causing it. She saw she had one new text from Sachi, and opened it.

'Kyoko, save some of Inui's juice 4 me. I'll want some 2morrow.'

Kyoko looked over at Sadaharu and said, "Sachi will want some of that juice tomorrow. Maybe bring it for lunch," Kyoko reported, to which Sadaharu smiled.

"Certainly," he answered.

Kyoko looked down at her phone again as she typed a reply:

'Got it taken care of. Where are you?'

Kyoko waited a minute before Sachi's reply came back.

'Out with a friend. I'll call you later today.'

Kyoko smiled as she read her reply and snapped her phone shut. She wondered what friend Sachi was hanging out with, but figured she'd hear about it when they talked on the phone later.

"Who are you texting, Kyoko?" Fuji asked curiously.

"Oh, Sachi," Kyoko said as she put her phone back in her bag.

"Where is she…?"

"She says she's out with a friend…"

"A friend?"

"Yeah, I don't know who, though."

Fuji nodded. "Oh. That's nice."

Kyoko smiled as Tezuka joined their group.

Fuji turned to Tezuka and said, "With four of us down, I think practice should be over…who knows when they'll recover…"

Oishi joined their group then, too. "Yeah, I doubt Eiji will want to continue after that battle."

Sadaharu appeared behind the group. "But now would be a perfect time to see what they're capable of while they're weak."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Sadaharu…" Kyoko said. "You might kill them instead…"

Sadaharu pushed up his glasses. "Weeding out the weak is good strategy."

The small group took a small step away from Sadaharu, who was oblivious to their reactions.

"I think they've practiced enough for today," Tezuka agreed, looking around before speaking to everyone in his commanding voice. "Practice is over. You are free to leave now."

"Good work everyone," Oishi added as some passed by them.

"It was a fun practice to watch," Kyoko complimented.

"Thank you for helping with the matches," Tezuka said nodding to Kyoko.

Kyoko waved her hand dismissively. "It was no problem. It was actually kind of fun," she replied with a smile. "Well, I'd better get home. I've got a lot of studying and catching up to do with school work."

She sighed and everyone nodded in understanding.

"I'm going to go check on everyone to make sure they are okay," Oishi said, motioning toward the direction ones who lost their matches had gone in. "I'll probably have to carry Eiji home…"

"What a good doubles partner," Fuji said with a smile.

Oishi smiled. "I hope you guys enjoy your evening," he said with a wave as he walked away.

"See you guys tomorrow," Fuji said walking in another direction.

That left Tezuka, Ryoma and Kyoko. "Are you two leaving now?" she asked.

They glanced at each other.

"I think I'm going to stay for a little bit longer," Ryoma said.

"So am I. Are you going to be okay walking home on your own, Kyoko?" Tezuka asked.

Kyoko nodded her head and smiled. "Of course. I'm a tough girl," she said stepping on her tip-toes and punching his shoulder teasingly. "I'll see you guys tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow," Ryoma said.

"Have a good evening," Tezuka added.

She gave them a wave and a smile before turning and walking out of sight.

"You're practicing later?" Tezuka asked as soon as they couldn't see Kyoko anymore. "Any reasons?"

Ryoma shrugged and smirked. "Is there anything we need to settle?"

Tezuka stared down at him with a cold stare. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Ryoma set his tennis bag down and pointed his racquet at Tezuka. "If there's nothing to settle, let's just play for fun."

Tezuka smiled inwardly as he set his bag down and took out his own racquet. "If that's how you want to play."

Ryoma smirked and followed him onto the courts as the sky was starting to turn a pink-orange color.

Walking down the side walks on the way to her home, Kyoko admired the Sakura blossoms as she had that morning. For some reason, she couldn't get over how beautiful they were.

There was a light breeze that swept the soft pink petals off the ground, and blew Kyoko's hair back a little.

There weren't any cars passing, and there didn't seem to be any people nearby. This made her feel a little uneasy, but she dismissed it as her over thinking it.

As she opened her door and walked into her house, she heard the familiar buzzing of her cell phone. She set her bag down on the ground as she took off her shoes and took it out, flipping it open.

"Hello?" she said as she put on her slippers and picked up her bag again.

"Hey, Kyoko," she heard Sachi's voice on the other line.

"Oh, hey Sachi. I missed you at today's practice."

"I'm sure everyone did, but don't worry, I'll be there tomorrow," she assured her. "I just got a last minute phone call."

"Oh? From who?"

Sachi paused as she decided whether to give out that information. "Um…Keigo…"

"Really? That was…nice of him to call."

"Well, I'm happy that he's actually showing me that he likes me…"

Kyoko sat on her couch and realized what Sachi meant. "Oh…yeah, that's good…"

"I guess…" she said with a sigh.

"You like…Fuji, don't you?" Kyoko asked carefully, not sure how Sachi would react.

Sachi paused. "I…think so…but he hasn't really done anything to show he likes me, so…"

"So that's why you agreed to hang out with Keigo?"

"Don't get me wrong, I love so many things about Keigo. But…I don't know…"

"Maybe Fuji's just shy…?"

"Yeah, but I can't wait forever for him…"

"Yeah, you're right…" Kyoko said sadly. "Maybe if you hinted more at it…"

"I don't know how else to hint at it, Kyoko…" Sachi replied frustrated.

Kyoko nodded, even though she knew Sachi couldn't see it. "I'm sure he'll get it soon…"

"I wouldn't hold your breath," Sachi warned.

"I'm not a swimmer, so I wouldn't try to," Kyoko replied with a smile. "So, I'll see you tomorrow for school?"

"Ugh, I guess so…" Sachi groaned. "I'm not looking forward to school…"

"I don't think anyone is, don't worry. See you then."

"Bye Kyoko."

The two hung up and Kyoko brought her knees to her chest as she hugged them closer. She wondered how Tezuka and Ryoma were doing; she was sure they just wanted to practice more, but were they overdoing it? She guessed so. They liked tennis too much sometimes.

But then the thought of Fuji and Sachi came into her head, with Keigo in the background.

She could tell, maybe more than Sachi, that Fuji really liked her, but was waiting for the right moment to ask her. Maybe she could talk to Eiji about it and help things speed up so Sachi wouldn't choose Keigo over him.

With that resolution in mind, she opened her bag from school, and began doing her homework on the coffee table.