Rolling Memory
Hamu-Leonia04
Prince of Tennis (テニスの王子様Tenisu no Ōjisama) belongs to Takeshi Konomi
Author just owns the OC and this Fanfiction
Chapter 17
Today is the day for the prefectural tournament. Many teams have gathered around the place. Some even have their own match right now. Seigaku already gathering except Ryoma.
"He's late. What is Ryoma doing?" Sumire asks as she looks at her watch.
"If we don't register with eight people by 10 am, we'll be disqualified," Fuji says.
"Tha... That'll be bad," Kawamura worried response.
"This sucks," Inui comment also.
"What about Oishi? Did he manage to contact Echizen?" Tezuka asks Kikumaru, the partner of the golden pair.
"Doesn't seem like it," Kikumaru answers then look at Chiharu. "He not with you, Chiharu-chan?"
Chiharu shakes her head. "We don't promise to come together, so I thought he going to be alright by himself. Also, I thought Ryoma will come with Momoshiro-senpai."
"We don't plan it either," Momoshiro answers and mess his hair. "If I know it going to be like this, I should have picked him up earlier."
"Huh? What's up? Pre-game meeting?" ask another voice behind Chiharu.
"Inoue-san and Shiba-san," Chiharu greet them then notice Sakuno and Tomoka come too. "Both of you come also, I see."
"Of course! I will support Ryoma-sama with all of my heart!" shout Tomoka with an energic voice.
"Mou, Tomo-chan! Don't shout!" Sakuno says to her friend with an embarrassment face.
"If you don't register soon, you'll be disqualified you know," Inoue reminds them.
"Well... Actually, Ryoma hasn't come," Chiharu says with a weak voice.
"Eh!?"
"Hmm, as expected from Ryoma-sama! To be late for the prefectural tournament! He way to funny! Ahahahaha!" Tomoka says as she is really proud of Ryoma.
"Tomo-chan, to say something like that..." Sakuno feels offended by the comment from her.
"Sigh... If Ryoma not come, we going to be disqualified, idiot," Chiharu says and pinch her temple in frustration.
"Hey!" shout another voice from behind. All of them shift their attention to the source of the voice, which is Oishi. "I contacted Echizen! Seem like he helped a pregnant woman who was in labor get to the hospital."
Hearing that, everyone just stares Oishi with a blank face.
"That's a lie right?" Momoshiro asks and gets a nod from the trio freshmen.
"100% lie," Kaidoh also adds.
"If we wait for him, we won't meet the deadline. He will get the scolding later..." Sumire says and walks to her bag and pulls out a white cap, similar to Ryoma ones. "Anyway, we have to register somehow..."
"What? You mean one of us has to be disguise?" Chiharu asks surprise.
"Yeah. Let see..." Sumire looks at the first years in front of her and lands her eyes to Chiharu.
"No way," Chiharu says notice Sumire's look.
"Come on, Chiharu-chan! You're good at tennis after all!" Kikumaru says and puts his arm around Chiharu's shoulder.
"It's has nothing to do with this!" Chiharu retorts back. "Anyway, there are three reasons I can't replace Ryoma!"
"Three?" Oishi asks.
"First, I'm a GIRL. Can't you see?" Chiharu says and emphasizes it which result them to let out an awkward laugh. "Next, I'm a manager," the others nod her reason. Chiharu then takes a breath before continue. "And last... I don't really say it from start but you guys should have noticed that I'm taller than Ryoma, right?"
Hearing her last reason, some of them takes it in surprises. Chiharu lets out another frustrate sigh and walk-in middle of Sakuno and Horio. With that, finally, they notice that Chiharu is taller among the freshmen. Chiharu height is 160cm while Horio is 151cm, same as Ryoma. Chiharu is even taller than Katsuo.
"Eh? Seriously?" Momoshiro says in surprise.
"I don't notice at all," Kawamura adds also.
"Then, I advise all of you to check your eyes after this, hope that it's not blind," Chiharu says with 'smile' to them and they can feel goosebumps.
"Ma, ma... I just joking earlier," Sumire let's out a laugh which Chiharu replies with a pout, where the other member though her expression is cute. "Then, we go with Horio..." Sumire put the cap to Horio.
"Eh!?" Horio shouts in surprise.
"Kaidoh, lend him your jersey!" order Sumire which Kaidoh reluctantly obeys.
After disguise Horio, Seigaku walks to the registration table. Tezuka gives the paper to the staff.
"Number 128, Seigaku," Tezuka informs. "Please register the eight of us."
"I will confirm your position," says the staff after taking the paper. "You will play five games in the first round. You'll need to win..."
While the staff explains about the tournament, Horio nervously stands behind the regular. Chiharu lets out a sigh before whispering to him. "Don't act suspiciously! Just stay calm or we will be found out!"
"Easy for you to say that!" Horio whispers back.
"Then, pull down your cap!" Chiharu orders him which he follows right away.
"Huh? Seigaku has a freshman player?" the staff asks in confusion when he checks the paper.
Hearing that, all of Seigaku members and Sakuno others feel nervous too. Chiharu nudges to Horio to answers the staff question.
"Is there something wrong?" the staff asks again.
"No, there is nothing wrong at here, sir," Chiharu answers with a smile. "Right, Ryoma?"
"Ma... Mada mada dane..." Horio answers and tries to act confident.
"How trustworthy. Well, good luck!" the staff let out a chuckle before continuing with the registration.
All of them let out a relieved sigh. Horio just grinning and do the pose of peace to all of them. Seeing that, they just let out a sweat drop.
Chiharu and the team decide to go to their destine court while the other freshmen wait for Ryoma outside. She helps the regular do their warm-up.
"Even though it's the first round, don't underestimate your opponents!" Sumire reminds them.
"Hai!" answers the team.
"It's Yamabuki Jr. High," Inui suddenly says make them avert their attention to the green jersey team. "They're aiming to be champion as well."
Then Sumire's expression change when she looks at the old man from Yamabuki.
"It's that... Banji-san?" Chiharu asks the coach.
"Yeah..." Sumire answers not avert her attention from the old man.
"Is there something wrong?" ask Tezuka.
"Nah, it's nothing," Sumire says and looks back at her team. "Ryoma still isn't here?"
"Not yet. He should be arriving right now..." Chiharu says as she looks around.
The match already started and now it's Kaidoh match. It's a single three. Just when the match nearly over, Ryoma finally arrives at the team.
"Ah, Echizen!" Oishi greets the first-year.
"You're late! What were you doing?" Tezuka scolds Ryoma.
"Just a little warming up," Ryoma answer cockily.
"What warming up, you brat! When we go back, it's 40 laps around the school for you!" Momoshiro says and drilling Ryoma's head with his hand.
"That's hurt, Momo senpai," Ryoma complains.
"What such easy-going person you're, chibi," Chiharu mock Ryoma.
"Huh!?" Ryoma shout offended with the nickname.
"What? Have a problem?" Chiharu asks with a smirk.
"Stop that Shigeko. We'll save the lecture for later," Tezuka says to her which Chiharu obeys and stick out her tongue to Ryoma for his annoyed. "Prepare yourself for the match, now," Tezuka order Ryoma.
"Go, Ryoma! Win all of it in the first match!" Sumire orders also. "Go for it!"
Ryoma let out his signature smirk and walk into the court, have his match. His match went so well with him gaining all the points. Chiharu just let out another sigh before smile watching Ryoma match. She really can't get annoyed with Ryoma. Just that, she hears the trio make fuss behind her.
"What happens?" Chiharu asks.
"Shigeko-san... Look at this," Kachirou says and points to Horio jersey, which is Kaidoh.
"Ryoma making jersey dirty in purpose earlier! What should I do? I borrowed it from Kaidoh-senpai!" Horio says in a panic.
"As I expected, he comes late because of this... He must have had another useless match, huh?" Chiharu says in bored and takes the jersey from Horio. "I will clean it after this and give it back to Kaidoh-senpai. Just calm down, kay?"
"Shigeko! You're a lifesaver!" Horio says with teary eyes.
After that, the match ends with Ryoma win. Then they move to the last single match. All of them become silent. Silent in excitement. Chiharu then walks near the fence to take the closer look from the match. The one who plays is Tezuka. Which is the first time the first year to see his official match? When Horio and friends make a fuss about it, Chiharu just lets out a smirk, knowing that she has seen his match before.
"Wha... What amazing speed and control..." Shiba says in amaze holding her video camera.
"Awesome! His opponent hasn't been able to touch the ball once!" Tomoka says.
"This is captain Tezuka's real strength..." Sakuno says in amaze too.
"That's not all," Ryoma interrupted them. "The captain's real strength is nothing like this. Right now, it's just warm-up exercise," Ryoma says with makes the other look at him.
Chiharu just let out a smile and shrug his shoulder. Just then, she notices there are two girls walking at her.
"Chiharu-chan! We come!" says one of the girls.
"Haruka, Mio! You guys really come!" Chiharu says in surprise to see her classmate there.
"Well, we promise to come after all," Mio says and look at the court.
"Look, Mio! It's Tezuka-senpai!" Haruka says and shakes Mio shoulder. "Go cheers him!"
"Hu-huh!? Just shut up!" Mio says with a red face and covers Haruka's mouth.
Chiharu lets out giggle to see how her friends interact. Hearing her giggle, the regular and other tennis members shift their attention to Chiharu. Some even blush from the sight.
"Chiharu-chan is really cute, right, Oishi?" Kikumaru says and clingy to his partner.
"Ko-kora, Eiji!" scolds Oishi with a slight red face.
"Shigeko-san, who are they?" Fuji is the one who asks, gaining Chiharu's attention.
"Oh, sorry. Let me introduce them. They are my classmate, Konishi Haruka, and Fujibayashi Mio," Chiharu introduces both of her friends.
"Good afternoon, senpai-tachi!" Haruka greets them cheerfully.
"Nice to meet you, senpai," Mio says and bow little.
Just right when Fuji going to say something, Tomoka already dashes in front of them.
"What are you doing here!?" Tomoka shouts and pointing her finger to Mio.
"What the hell with you, speaker!? It's free for me to come to her or not! As you know it's not like you own this place!" Mio shouts back to Tomoka with an irk mark.
"What did you say!? I'm the leader of Ryoma-sama fan's club!"
"Huh, you have to much free time to do something like that. Why don't you use your time to study your skull head, huh!?"
Both Tomoka and Mio arguing in front of them. Sakuno tries to calm both of the girls while Haruka just let out a sigh, knowing that Mio doesn't get along with Tomoka. With the sight in front of them, Seigaku also doesn't know what to do. The arguing still continues until Chiharu had enough.
"SHUT UP!" Chiharu scolds to both Tomoka and Mio, make them stop fighting. "Right now, Tezuka-senpai is having his match and we need to support him, right? Can't you guys see and appreciate the teamwork? If you guys only come to have a useless argument, feel free to go home right now."
Hearing Chiharu statement, both Tomoka and Mio become silent. Haruka just lets out a chuckle and pats Chiharu shoulder to calm her down. Chiharu doesn't say anything and just turns her attention back to her captain who already winning one game. Doesn't know what to do, the rest of the team follow Chiharu and begin to cheers their captain.
-:-:- Rolling Memory -:-:-
TBC