A/N: Hm, okay, I'll answer some of your questions;

…I see Fuji is popular, as to be expected.

However…in writing romance, I prefer using main characters (both the hero and heroine) who have genuine flaws. Fuji is…much too emotionally mature and understanding/supportive for that main role. (Maybe you get what I'm saying?)

Hyoutei characters like Mukahi, Shishido, Hiyoshi, well, you'll still see more of, since this is a Hyoutei-centric story. It's just…at this stage of the game, if there hasn't been a hint of potential beyond friendly interest already, then most likely you won't see the relationship being taken in a romantic direction.

Hey, I love making things difficult for you guys, but we still need a timely conclusion, right?


Day 4, Early Afternoon


Hmm…

It might be bad for her to think so herself, but tomorrow's were only practice matches, weren't they?

Yet, one young man here appeared to be experiencing more uncertainty than she was.

"Kawamura."

Seigaku team's prominent power player looked up from his slumped posture at the mention of his name.

"…Are you feeling uneasy since your partner is missing?" Shizuka asked, sympathizing somewhat with his situation. The brunette sat down on the end of his bench, laying her sketchbook and clipboard across her lap.

"Um…" Kawamura blinked at her unexpected presence, then dropped his gaze to the ground, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Is he…um… That is, is Fuji feeling unwell today?"

"Ah." Shizuka looked over at the regulars moving around on the tennis courts. Group practice was dragging on longer than planned, today. A lot of their energy have been expended running those laps this morning. "Fuji, he's caught himself a cold."

She supposed their vice-captain had yet to inform anyone. "Apparently, he was practicing outside until late last night."

...It was a bit surprising, to be honest. She had assumed that an athlete would know to better care for his health and physical condition. Perhaps Fuji was one of those who don't understand their own limits.

Kawamura rubbed his brow with one hand, deflating once more. She heard him mutter a soft curse beneath his breath.

She mistook the normally gentle-natured young man's reaction for something else. "Rest assured," Shizuka felt she should comment. "He's doing what's optimal for your match by not moving around today."

"Um…" Kawamura turned his hung head in her direction, wearing a light grimace. "I think I ought to apologize to you, too…"

"Pardon?" Shizuka questioned.

The tall tennis player clenched fists resolutely, and stood from the bench, bowing to her. "Truly sorry!"

"Fuji, he only stayed up late because I asked for his help in overcoming my fear of heights," Kawamura admitted all at once. "Knowing him, he probably felt compelled to hide his symptoms, too, so that I wouldn't blame myself over this."

"So, for that…" Kawamura again repeated, "I'm really sorry about this!"

"Oh." She thought about what he said. "But, why are you apologizing?"

"Um…" He cringed a bit, glancing up at her. "Your evaluation is dependent on our performance tomorrow, is that correct?"

"Ah," she answered, "That's right."

"Then, um, sorry, for someone like me to be causing such a burden," Kawamura hesitantly admitted.

Pffft.

Whoops. She shouldn't be laughing when someone was being serious. But, it was really cute that it turned out he was worried for her. "Kawamura," Shizuka said with a cool smile. The Seigaku regular then looked apprehensively at her. "Does it really seem like I'm that small-minded?"

"Eh?" The gentle-natured Kawamura went wide-eyed when those words sunk in, caught entirely off-guard. "…N-N-N-"

She ignored the long pause in-between.

"It's true that I think Fuji is the strongest all-round among you," she said. As a matter of fact, she herself had been feeling regrettable earlier. "But, he is not the only player. And besides."

It was his ability. It wasn't her ability.

"He could recover by tomorrow," was what she said. "So, cheer up. You should be more confident, like-"

And while she was scanning the premises for a prime example—

"Echizen," Oishi was calling, "You're heading off? You haven't gone through all the exercises."

"…They're the same no matter where you do them, ne?" The boy's nonchalant response. "I'm leaving."

"That's no good, Ochibi~!" "Echizen!"

"Well," Shizuka said, "just have some more confidence." That…cheeky…

He really didn't fear anyone except Tezuka and their vice-captain Fuji.

"Ahah…" Kawamura awkwardly concluded the topic, "R-Right. So then, I'll be heading back. Excuse me." He bowed politely to her, and headed in the direction of the courts while massaging his broad shoulders tiredly.

…Kawamura… He was by no means a poor tennis player, from what she would know. Yet…she couldn't really rationalize it: Between the other members of the Seigaku team and him, there was some kind of gap in ability. And he was aware of it.

Clearly. Truly. Acutely.

He was aware of it.

"—If I may have your attention, please—"

It was at that moment an announcement came on, causing heads to turn toward the surrounding speakers.

"—This is your humble servant, Okura Ashita speaking~ I am informing you that an important change has been made—"

Blinking, Shizuka eased herself to a stand, listening intently for what would surely affect her role.

"—I am allowing both junior coaches one chance to change their group's match lineup as they see fit. Deadline is at 12 noon, tomorrow. That is all~—"

"Ehhhh-!?" The simultaneous reaction arose from the Seigaku regulars upon receiving the news.

…Come again?

Shizuka was experiencing a similar, stunned reaction.

"You're kidding me," Momoshiro was voicing his discontentment out on the courts. "I stuck with this dour guy this whole time because I assumed the lineups were set!"

"Fshuu…" Said 'dour guy' was equally scandalized. "That Okura guy is just doing whatever he pleases."

"Hoi, hoi~ If there are to be changes, I must be partnered with Oishi, nya~" Kikumaru clung to the back of his favourite doubles partner.

"Aha…" Seigaku Captain Oishi interrupted before anything got out of hand, "Even so, this doesn't necessarily mean there will be changes. Ah." His eyes found her figure next to the courts. "May I ask, what are your thoughts on this?"

"Oh…"

A long, pensive silence ensued.

…That was really an uninformative 'Oh', they thought.

"Half hour break," she simply said.


"Echizen."

The viridian haired boy didn't even as much acknowledge her with a glance.

"Why do you like messing with Atobe so much?"

As instructed by Inui earlier, the boy was tuning up on his defense of passing shots, utilizing one of the ball machines on the empty courts.

She was sure she was within earshot.

"What if I pull you out from that matchup?" the girl asked.

"Heeh?"

Still, his nimble golden gaze was purely focused on the balls. "Who are you going to replace me with?"

"Well…" She hadn't thought that far ahead, yet.

That intensely focused form of his, it wasn't half bad. Particularly, the way his eyes lustered like jewels would conjure to mind the figment of an opponent before him.

"Echizen." Shizuka asked, "Is it fun to face a stronger opponent?"

"You're noisy," the younger boy indicted. But, he answered anyway, "If I am to play, might as well play against someone strong."

At least he recognized that Atobe was a strong opponent.

"What if you end up losing like that?" the girl asked blandly.

"In Singles," he said, and she could always detect a foreign accent when he pronounced words in English, "I won't be losing."

Where did all this confidence come from in that smaller build of his, she wondered? Shizuka crossed her arms. Then again, at one time she-

'-Then, prove it.'

Shizuka winced from the sudden pain inside her ear, reaching a hand to cup it.

…She had recalled something unpleasant just now.

Unpleasant. That woman's fragrance was so unpleasant. It was soaked into the oriental rugs, embedded into the vintage lamp shades, permeated through the salon space that was neither cold nor warm.

'…-between you-…-my son-…'

Shut it out.

All of it.

She wanted to put those thoughts behind her, now.

"Echizen," Shizuka called, observing him pick up consecutive shots. "What if it's an opponent you can't win against?"

Oh, geez… She braced a hand on her forehead. Didn't this make it seem like she was picking on him? She…shouldn't be letting her personal affairs affect her job.

"Oi, what's with you?" Echizen finally lost patience and retorted, allowing a ball to escape past him. With an audible click of his tongue, he spun his racquet with a flip of his wrist, extending it in her direction. "Is there a person who can become victorious while weighing on failure and the end?"

Shizuka fought back an urge to scowl.

…Why did she have to be told this by a younger boy?

"Little boy. I'm just worried for your sake," she stated, haughtily cross her arms over her chest. "You taunted Atobe so much, what are you going to do w-" pause "if you wound up losing to him?" she remarked.

"Hmm…?" The boy lifted his cap, wiping off his brow with a slim but finely toned arm. Something about her mere suggestion seemed to have amused him a bit. "You," Echizen remarked, "Wasn't recognizing the players' strengths and weaknesses part of your role?"

Yes. What about it?

"Heh." Wearing a subtle little smirk, Echizen remarked, more so to himself, "Only the strong can discern the strong, eh?" He then said to her with his characteristic smugness, "Mada mada dane."

Alright. Had he just-

"You're gonna get white hair, worrying unnecessarily," he warned cockily, moving over to, and breezily retrieving his can of Ponta from the bench with his racquet head.

"Boy," Shizuka stressed through clenched teeth, "I may be older than you, but it's still much too early for me to be getting white hair." She ran her fingers through her long hair, gazing at the ends.

Ah. Split ends?

With his free hand grabbing the can of soft drink that was lightly tossed to the air, the viridian haired boy pressed its aluminum surface to his cheek. Feeling that it was still sufficiently chilled, he opened the drink. "If you have time to make a fuss," Echizen nonchalantly asked, "Isn't there someone else you should be paying attention to?"

"Echizen." She might as well cut to the chase. "You have a few noticeable blind spots."

"Oh…?" The boy disinterestedly took gulps from the opening of his can.

"They appear subtle because your reaction speed is fast enough to make up for it, the majority of the time," she began. She might have missed them entirely, if she hadn't been suspicious of the way he would get himself disqualified during that particular trial by stepping and slipping on the plastic balls lying around.

"Oi," Echizen interrupted.

"…What?" she asked, her train of thought abruptly halted.

With what could be interpreted as a roll of his eyes, the boy tightened his racquet under his arm, balancing the can of soft drink on top of the racquet face.

"Hold your hand out like this," he told her, and brought his two fisted hands together in demonstration.

"…What? Why?" She hesitantly did as bidden.

"Great. Now, tuck your thumbs in. And lock your fingers together like this," Echizen nonchalantly continued to instruct, showing her.

"…Hey," Shizuka prompted in confusion.

He coolly took another swig of his drink, and with his grip power, dented the aluminum out of shape. He placed the deformed can of half-finished Ponta on top of her fingers.

"Bye, then."

"Hey-!?"

The boy was heading back on court like it was none of his business.

"Y-You-…"

She only moved her hands a little bit, and the Ponta almost toppled. Crap. It wouldn't do to spill something like this on the otherwise immaculate court surface.

Very carefully, Shizuka edged for the exit.

Dammit. He got her this time. Not cute at all. She'll remember this.

And it was just her luck that Momoshiro chanced by while she was searching for a receptacle.

"Oh!? You found him?" the boy's upperclassman asked, jogging over to her. Then, oblivious to her mood, the Seigaku regular leaned over her shoulder and asked, "Eh? What's this? Some new form of concentration training?"


In the end, she had gotten some on her sleeve.

It was really. Insufferably. Sticky.

As soon as possible, she had gone back to her room to switch a jacket.

Dammit… Because he had chased her away like that, she hadn't even gotten to say the most important thing.

Pulling her door soundly shut, she spun on her heel and headed down the hallway toward the stairs. A glance at her watch indicated that break was nearly over. But, since she was here, should she have a word with Okura-san…?

She glanced in the general direction of the sound.

In the bright and natural-lit center space of the modern design stairs, she heard it again.

Shizuka leaned her arm on top of the white railing beside her, and looked over to the floor below.

A lone figure was down on first floor, pausing as he also spotted her. Haltingly, the young man lowered the camera from his eyes. "Aa…" A soft look of self-awareness came over his delicate features. "I've been found out…"

"Fuji," she said. He had every reason to appear apprehensive. "You should be resting still."

He gave an apologetic chuckle. "Forgive me, it would appear that I am no good at remaining idle…"

"Your healt-" she started to say.

"Ah, however," Fuji smoothly interjected. "It has been some time since someone has read me to sleep. The rest of the princes' story," he said, "I should like to hear it."

It took her a moment to register what he was talking about. The heir-naming fairy tale.

"Forget it," Shizuka flatly rejected, reminded of yet another occasion when that Echizen kid had bested her.

"Is that right…?" Fuji wore a small regrettable frown. "Truly a shame."

"…Fufu…"

Geez. He was no different from usual, was he?

But… Shizuka leaned both her arms on the railing.

Seigaku Vice-Captain Fuji Syuusuke was actually a gentle guy, huh.

Sacrificing his own health for a teammate. Hiding his sacrifice from that teammate. Lending her his jersey when he should have used it for himself. Was it something normal people would have done?

"Fuji…" she said down to him.

"Do you trust in Kawamura that much; believe in his abilities?" To the point of being willing to compromise his own performance?

His elegant blue eyes lighted upon her, mesmerizing in their mysterious intensity.

"I was the one who asked him to lend us his power for this final year, though he had kept true to the path he had chosen for himself. Maa…do you think I trust him?"

Shizuka regarded him with a veiled gaze.

"Both Oshitari and Kabaji are very strong, you know," she said to him.

If, by chance, he were taking them lightly. "Are you not underestimating them?" Then…she couldn't help but feel offended. "Or…are you saying that winning or losing doesn't matter to you?"

After a moment of thought, the amber haired youth smoothed his fingers along the contours of his camera. "Say, Coach, what do you think of this building's architectural design?"

He tilted his head upward to the high ceiling plotted with open skylights, the view of which he had been photographing just now, on this last day.

"It really is a modern masterpiece infused with Western influence, will you not agree?" he asked congenially.

"Fuji…" So, he knew about architecture. But, what was this all of a sudden?

"If one is comparing Western architecture with the traditional Japanese, one might as well be comparing day to night," continued Fuji.

Oh…? Shizuka raised an eyebrow.

"Symmetry, height, clearance," Fuji named a few characteristics, "The Western architectures emphasizes presentation, presence, existence; leaving one's mark in the world."

"Contrarily," he noted to her, "the traditional Japanese architectures were influenced by Shinto religion. Asymmetry, obscureness, misdirection: Gates that are misaligned to front doors, greenery that taper your line of sight, gardens that only offer winded paths. Can you guess their intention?"

She simply stared back at him.

"Harmony." An elegant smile touched his lips. "Harmony, whether it is within groups, or between nature and humanity."

"At the cost of taking more time," Fuji interpreted, "and at the price of burying one individual's chance to shine… What you will receive is harmony."

…Hm… So, he was this kind of person.

There was nothing she could say to that. His conviction was strong.

She thought about it. "Fuji," Shizuka then asked him, "Is that why you're also indirect with your way of speaking?"

"Maa..." The amber haired vice-captain chuckled politely, and replied, "Only the brave and the unwise leave no escape routes, ne?"

He just did it again.

Well, she had heard his response.

But, regardless.

"Were you able to hear that announcement from earlier?" Shizuka asked him.

"So then," was Fuji's answering question, "What must I do to prove it to you?"

The girl regarded down at his earnest gaze.

…She hadn't even said it, but he already knew what weighed on her mind, huh. Somehow, she was no longer any surprised.

"…I think…" she slowly began, "you can start by lying back down."

"Aa…" There was no protesting against that, he supposed. He chuckled and conceded, "As you insist…"

She watched him ascend the steps to second level.

"However," Fuji commented once he reached the landing, "You truly care for me to get back to health, is that right?"

"Well," she answered, "Of course."

"Because of the contract conditions?" the guy asked mirthfully, lifting curled fingers to his chin. "Or, perhaps, is it…"

Those gorgeous blue eyes of his met with hers. "That you want there to be no excuses made, tomorrow?"

…She had discovered something for herself.

It was nearly impossible to come to dislike someone who truly appeared to be enjoying life; always congenial and resilient; always with a light-hearted smile.

Then, every once a while… He would say something like this. Words that would make her wonder about the true depth of his awareness.

"Fuji." Shizuka replied with a wry smile, "…What a ridiculous question."

He turned away with a light chuckle.

For a long while, the girl remained motionless in place, staring after him.

The conflict she must be experiencing, Okura Ashita could figure.

When the lineups were set, all she had needed to do was to give it her best. However, as soon as the junior coaches were permitted a choice, something else had been called into question.

The question of trust.

In a way… It was their final trial as young trainers participating in this joint training. For trust isn't something a person would get just by simply being told to have it.

The trust between players and coaches;

Whether the athletes can trust their coaches to make sound judgments;

Whether the athletes have the ability to convince their coaches of their dependability;

And whether their coaches will choose to be convinced.

How will these youngsters proceed from here?

"Kagami-chan~"

The girl gave a visible start.

"My, my," Okura drawled from the railing on third floor, "Are you having a tough time with the amendment?"

"Okura-san." She inclined her head respectfully, speaking with her eyes lowered. "…It is sudden."

"Oh my~" The professional trainer removed his glasses to wipe the lenses. "So then, would you like my assistance?"

She glanced up, blinking.

"I can't help you with that," Okura sang. "The decision has to be made yourself, you hear?"

At her misled expression, the man chuckled and told her, "Truth is, I like making young people suffer~" And with a helpless shrug of his shoulders. "But then they said I was en route to becoming a psychopath, so I went into coaching instead."

"Er…"

"Yeees?" He placed his thin-rimmed glasses back on. "If you have something to tell me, I am all ears~"

She hesitated for a moment, contemplating.

Her dark eyes raised up to meet his.

"Okura-san. Regarding tomorrow's schedule, I have a request to make."


A/N: Given how long this chapter took to complete, I can't guarantee the next one will be very speedy. So, let me take this chance to wish you all a restful/fun/safe holidays!