Lucifer of Rikkaidai

Chapter 35: Junior Invitational Selection Camp

"I will." Yukimura suddenly appeared behind Akaya.

"YUKIMURA!?" Everyone exclaimed.

"EH! BUCHOU!" Akaya freaked out and stood up. "Y-You were discharged?!"

"Yup. I wanted to surprise you guys. Yanagi and Sanada filled me in." Yukimura smiled angelically and sat down next to Akaya.

"So. Continuing on with the selection camp." Yukimura turned to Akaya and spoke.

"Nope. Never." Akaya faced away, averting her eyes.

"We'll go to the beach." Yukimura suggested. Akaya flinched a little. A beach… man, that's just tempting.

"Nngh… I still don't want to go." Akaya said.

"Then how about a beach trip plus a delicious barbeque party? You like Korean BBQ right?" Yukimura made Akaya face him and said.

"I don't wanna g—"

"You will go, right?" Yukimura smiled and asked once more. His smile, though, wasn't as angelical as his usual ones.

"Hieeeh!" Akaya freaked out. It's been a while since Yukimura has put on his scary smile.

"Hmm?"

"Okay, okay I'll go!" Akaya gave up and said.

'S-Scary.' Everyone gulped.

Akaya kept on pouting and mumbling.

"Come on, Akaya. It'll be completely different from what you've experienced in America so far. Echizen's going to be there too. You'll see other great players."

"Why do I need to go there when there are plenty better ones over here."

Everyone smiled at an indirect confession of Akaya's feelings about the regulars.

"It's for an experience, Akaya. I promise you that it'll be a lot of fun and help to you. You might even run into some of them during nationals."

"…" Akaya just looked away.

Yukimura pat her on the head.

"So you can do this much, right? Consider this as my discharge present."

"…Okay."

"You'll do great, Akaya. I believe that you'll be the best one in the group." Yukimura smiled and ruffled her hair.

"Hehehe. Okay. Thanks buchou." Akaya gave him a big hug. "You still have to keep your promise about the beach trip and barbeque party."

"Sure thing."

"So, when does this camp start? How long is it?" Akaya asked, a bit more eager to go.

"It starts in 3 days—next Tuesday. And it's a week long, and the actual tournament will be held 3 days after they select the players. There's a bus that will pick up the players in front of our school in the morning."

"A bus will pick us up? We only have 2 people!"

"They want us badly, that's why." Yukimura said, smiling.

The team enjoyed the dinner afterwards; they congratulated Yukimura for his discharge, and once again swore to win the nationals.

"Wah…! I'm so happy that buchou is finally out to play with us again…!" Akaya teared up.

"Huhuhu. Thanks Akaya. I'm excited too." Yukimura put his arm around her and hugged her. Then he noticed a rather sharpening glare from Niou, who looked at Yukimura's arm rather unpleasantly.

'Ah~! I see how it is. Huhu. Oh man, I want to tease him so badly… he tricked me all these years and I want to do it so badly!'

"Buchou, buchou! Play a match with me!" Akaya looked up with sparkling eyes.

"Sure, but after you get back from the camp."

"Eeeeh!"

"I still have to rest a bit for a couple of days."

"Oh~ Okay."

On the way home, Akaya remained silent. Yanagi, who was walking next to her, knew just exactly why.

"92% chance that you're worried about the selections camp." Yanagi said.

"Hehe. Spot on, senpai." Akaya chuckled smugly. "I just… my heart's still not in it. I want to play with Yukimura-buchou as soon as possible."

Yanagi chuckled, ruffling her hair.

"Selections camp is one thing in a year, while you could play Seiichi all you want from now. Which one should you do first?"

"The… selections camp…"

"That's right. And I promise you, you will, no matter what, be selected."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because everyone from Rikkai has been accepted with a chance of 100% for the last 5 years or so, and you are way more capable than some of those that were accepted."

"Am I?"

"You are. Ever seen me lie?"

"No, but…"

"Would if help if I go along too?"

"It would help but you won't right?"

"Hm… I could."

"Really!?"

"I was originally planning to go to collect some data… might as well go." Yanagi rubbed his chin and said.

"Then you can go in my place!"

"Nope."

"Aw…"

"Just try your best, Akaya. It's most like you when you give your best at everything." Yanagi smiled and ruffled her hair. "The regulars will love to hear that you, among twenty other boys, were qualified to be in the final team."

Akaya thought for a moment. Maybe it won't be so bad with two of her most trusted teammates going. And plus, she could meet new people and play new people and cream Echizen's ass again.

"Alright then! I'll try my best to not let you down! Bye senpai!"

It was finally the day. The bus had come to the school to pick up Sanada, Yanagi, and Akaya, and the regulars saw them take off, wishing for the best.

"Yaaa I'm so excited!" Akaya exclaimed as she spotted a mob of tennis players already waiting.

"I thought you didn't want to come." Sanada chuckled and pat her on the head, looking out also.

"Nah, I changed my mind." Akaya grinned, showing her teeth. "I'll definitely be picked!"

"Good attitude. Let's do our best."

"That reminds me… why do we only send out two or three people? I see Seigaku with all of their members." Akaya pointed outside and asked.

"Actually the camp asked us all to come, but... the others felt no need. Plus, we can't have our entire team be exposed before the nationals. That's why we only pick out three to two."

"Aaaah, I see."

Sanada got out, followed by Akaya and Yanagi.

"OOOH! Fancy!" Akaya looked around; the facility had a huge building, a track, tennis courts, pools and such. When Akaya stepped out, all the boys noticed her and turned to observe the talk of the legend, and murmured amongst themselves.

"As expected, she's here too." Oshitari said. Atobe noticed her also like all other boys

"Heh. Rikkaidai's up to something this year again, huh."

"Ooh, so many people!" Akaya looked around busily and spotted people from Seigaku, Hyotei, Rokkaku, Jyousei Shounan, Fudoumine, and Yamabuki.

"Let's go line up. Our school sign's over there." The three walked over to stand behind a picket that said, Rikkaidai Fuzoku. Sanada and Yanagi kindly let Akaya stand at the front row in order to not block her view.

"Welcome." A woman in a white lab coat and glasses greeted them. Then there was the coach from Hyotei and from Seigaku.

After a series of introductions the 28 players that gathered went inside their dorms to check where their rooms were.

Akaya, who was the only girl in the camp, got to share a room with Tachibana An.

'WELL AIN'T THIS JUST AWK.' She thought and headed over to her room.

It was not just because of what Akaya's Red Eye Mode imposed on others; because Akaya was just too caught up in tennis, she did not know how to treat girls other than her mom and her only girl friend at school. She had an older brother, her entire team was nothing but boys, and even her cousin was a boy.

And plus, even if Akaya apologized to Tachibana Kippei and An was there to witness it, she didn't see Akaya apologizing to Fuji after the tournament. And yes, she was there during the match to see the entire thing happen right before her eyes.

Akaya sighed. When she walked into her room, An was already inside, organizing her luggage.

"Hi." Akaya greeted casually.

"…Hi." An stared at Akaya with blank eyes for a couple of seconds before saying hi.

'Is this a good sign or not…?' Akaya was already sweating inside.

When she tried to reach for the drawer in between their beds, An flinched a little, surprised by Akaya's arm.

'Haah… that's what it is.' Akaya sighed inwardly, opened the drawer, and put her cellphone charger inside.

She quietly left the room, partly to stay away from An and partly to check which team she was put in.

And great. The same team with Kamio. Double the awkwardness.

Then her eyes met with Kamio. He seemed to have frowned if it wasn't just her imagination.

'Che. I don't even care anymore.'

'Let's see… gah. Echizen Ryoma. Oishi Choutarou. Kajimoto Wakahisa. Kamio Eiji. Me. Shishido Ryou. Sengoku Kiyosumi. Momoshiro Takeshi. Hn. Seeems like a fair enough group.' Akaya just scoffed and walked away. Too bad Yanagi and Sanada were in different teams too.

"Hey, you're that second year ace girl!" Someone hollered. Akaya flinched a little, surprised by a sudden loud voice. She has never seen this dude before.

'Aaaah then he must be from Jyousei Shounan. Che, how annoying.'

"Aw, aren't you cute! To be the only girl blooming in a mob of guys… mm~ how wonderful!"

Akaya just sighed and walked away while this idiot rambled on and on, boasting about how wonderful he was.

'I feel like I've seen the same kind even among girls.'

There were too many things bothering her at once. Plus, this dude looked like a total douchebag and a player.

"Looks like you're in my team too." Echizen, who appeared out of nowhere, said.

"Woooow we're in the same team with this girl!" Kikumaru Eiji beamed as he jumped on top of Echizen's shoulders.

"Yo, Kirihara!" Momoshiro walked over too and greeted her casually.

"Sup." She greeted too. "Looks like all Seigaku members made it, huh?"

"Mmhm!" Kikumaru exclaimed. "I heard Yukimura's surgery went well! Congratulations!"

Akaya's face brightened at the mention of Yukimura. "I know! Thanks! I knew he was going to make it though." She grinned.

"Hehe, you're not as scary as we thought." Kikumaru said with sparkling eyes, staring into Akaya's face which made her just slightly, veeery slightly uncomfortable. Nonetheless, he was a fun and sociable person.

"I heard you came over to apologize to Fuji-senpai." Momoshiro said. "I'm glad you did, or else I would've totally misjudged you."

"Awww he told you guys about that? How uncool of me…" Akaya sighed, scratching her head.

"It's fine, it's fine! At least the Seigaku regulars all seem to like you for that. At least more than that stupid Jyousei Shounan." Momoshiro shot a glare at Jyousei Shounan's douchebag player.

"Akaya." A deep voice called Akaya. She knew exactly whose voice it was.

"Fukubuchou!" She gleamed and immediately brightened up. Yanagi was with him too. "Yanagi-senpai! Did you check your team?"

"Aah. We're all separated. It's good that we can see other people, though." Sanada said. "Hello." And he greeted the three Seigaku players who were talking to her.

"I hope our Akaya didn't impose on you too much." He said and pat her on the head.

"I didn't…!"

"N-Not at all." The Seigaku regulars could still not get used to Sanada when he was with Akaya.

The players all went back to their rooms to check on their uniforms they received; gladly, An wasn't there or else Akaya would have had to go through another moment of awkwardness.

When she changed and looked at herself in the mirror, she sighed.

"It's big." She looked at the sleeves that covered her hand entirely. When she came out with her uniforms to get them changed, she saw Ryoma walk out of the room too.

"You too?" She snickered.

"Shut up."

"No wonder. You are shorter than me."

"Che."

After she got her uniform switched to the smallest size possible, she came back and changed again.

"Now this is what I'm talking about!" She looked at herself in the mirror and posed. "Damn, Kirihara Akaya. You look fabulous. This uniform was made just for you."

She walked out with her tennis bag and headed over to where Ryuuzaki's team was supposed to meet: by the tracks. And of course, Kamio had to be there too.

'Ugh. Whatever, I'm not here to deal with this shit.' Akaya sighed, sat down, and just stared blankly into the sky.

"What are you looking at?" Kikumaru popped out behind Akaya, completely blocking Akaya's view.

"Wagh!" Akaya yelped. Kikumaru looked up at the sky and back down at Akaya.

"There's nothing up there. Not even clouds."

"I was just looking." Akaya said, slightly annoyed.

"Aha! So you were daydreaming." Kikumaru snapped his fingers. Then, Oishi, Momoshiro and Echizen came over.

"Hehe. Aren't you glad that one fits you? Although it still looks bigger." Akaya teased Echizen, and he got flustered a bit.

"Hehehe! Aren't you, Echizen~?" Momoshiro teased also.

"S-Shut up, both of you." He looked away.

"Hehehe. Aren't you glad you're in Sumire-chan's group? She's really chill." Kikumaru said and Momoshiro nodded.

"Sumire-chan?!" Akaya cocked her eyebrows. Did they mean Coach Ryuzaki when he said Sumire-chan?

"Yup! We call her Sumire-chan." Kikumaru grinned.

"You guys seem to be on good terms with your Coach." Akaya was awed.

Maybe it was because Rikkaidai tennis team didn't have any coaches since the regulars were so capable. The Big Three would replace any coach just fine, in all honesty.

"Mmhm! How about Rikkaidai?"

"Oh, we don't have a coach." Akaya stated with much simplicity. "The senpai-tachi can take care of everything."

"Heh~ You mean by the Big Three, right?" Momoshiro asked in awe.

"Yup. Yanagi-senpai is in charge of coming with the training menus, Sanada fuku-buchou is in charge of scariness and preventing slackers, and Yukimura-buchou is the big boss." She explained.

Momoshiro and Kikumaru ooh'd.

"Although, I'm pretty sure Inui-san and Oishi-san and Tezuka-san on your side do a lot of things too."

"Mmhm!" Kikumaru beamed. "Inui's in charge of training menus, Tezuka is like a CCTV, and Oishi's like the mother hen!"

Akaya snickered at that. Mother hen? That's pretty funny.

"OH WOW!"

Akaya recognized that voice.

A ginger haired boy ran over to her and grabbed her hand, shaking it violently.

"MM~! IT'S YOU! RIKKAIDAI'S ONLY GIRL REGULAR! Hey hey, you remember me?" Sengoku Kiyosumi, was his name…? Anyhow, this guy bothered Akaya back then.

"Aren't you Yamabuki's Sengoku Kiyosumi-san?" She answered boringly.

"You know my name~! I'm so happy!"

"Alright! We'll start the practices!" Ryuuzaki soon came and announced. The practice began for real.