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 19 : Seigaku VS (1/3)
"Seigaku regular, gather around!" calls Sumire and the group start gathers around to Sumire. Chiharu already standing next to her. Looking everyone face with a satisfied smile, Sumire holds up a paper on her hand. "Okay, we're playing in the quarterfinals. This is the line-up. If we win this, we get ourselves a ticket to the Kantou tournament. Chiharu, read it."
"Hai," Chiharu answers and takes the paper from Sumire. "Singles 1, Tezuka-buchou. Singles 2, Fuji-senpai. Singles 3, Ryoma. Doubles 1, as usual, Kikumaru-senpai and Oishi-senpai. Last, Doubles 2, Momoshiro-senpai and Kaido-senpai."
The team get surprise to hear the announcement of doubles 2. Chiharu can see Momoshiro and Kaidoh are glaring each other.
"St. Rudolph is gathering all of the famous players in the region. They are a lot better than they were last year," Inui says opening his sacred book. "Captain Akaza, who plays singles, is still around. He is a strong opponent who beat our regular senpai last year."
"I'm also worried about Yuuta-kun, Fuji's younger brother," Inui adds. "He has been thoroughly trained to attack left-handed players. People even started to call him the left-hand killer."
"Left-hand killer? Did he aim to Tezuka-senpai?" Chiharu asks.
"I heard he is after his brother," Inui looks to Fuji who has his usual closed-eye smile on his face.
"I'm not left-handed," Fuji says.
"Which means, he after Tezuka," Inui states.
"Or maybe Ryoma too," Chiharu adds to make the regular look at Ryoma. "However, they must not know Ryoma's skill. He is a new regular after all."
"I agree with you," Inui says and pushes his glasses. "It looks like the new manager is controlling them well."
"Manager?" Kikumaru asks.
"Mizuki Hajime, right? He introduces himself to me earlier," Chiharu says remembering when she met Mizuki and Yuta.
"Yeah, he's a member of the reinforcement group. A pretty tough opponent," Inui says.
Hearing that, Chiharu take a glance to other team to find Mizuki talking to a boy with brown hair and dark skin which she assumes is captain Akaza. She also notices that Yuta has a small argument to one of their members. However, Chiharu can't take off her eyes from Mizuki. She kinda feels off to him since he walked to her. It feels weird when he introduced himself like he knows Chiharu before. From his smile, Chiharu feels that Mizuki plan something in this match.
"-haru… Chiharu!"
Chiharu jolted to hear Sumire calling at her with a frown face. She can see the regulars starts to walk inside the court.
"Oh… Sorry. I'm lost in thought," Chiharu says and rubs her neck.
"I don't know what you're thinking. Right now we need to focus to ," Sumire says and pats Chiharu's head.
"Got it," Chiharu replies with a nod. Sumire gives her a satisfied smile before walk into the court too. Chiharu following her from behind.
"Sumire-san is right. I shouldn't think about anything. What I can do now is encourage my team," Chiharu says to herself and slaps both her cheek.
Both teams already stand at the center of the court and greet each other. For the match of Seigaku and , Sumire asks Chiharu to watch from inside the court together with her. Therefore, now she sits next to her on the bench, while the other regulars watch outside the fences.
"Eh, Chiharu-chan not watch from here?" Haruka asks to Oishi.
"Well, it's seemed Ryuzaki-sensei want her to observe the match closer," Oishi answers.
"I'm so excited!" Tomoka says pumping both her hand.
"First is Momo-senpai and Kaidoh-senpai," Sakuno says to her friend.
"I wonder if they'll be ok," Kachiro says in worried and holding the fences.
"It feels like it's unexpected, but it's ok. They're in the same class after all," Horio ensures.
"Are they really that bad?" Mio asks.
"No… It's just both of them not getting along-nya~" Kikumaru answers.
Both Momoshiro and Kaidoh preparing themselves. Before they walk into the court, Chiharu stops them.
"Momo-senpai, Kaidoh-senpai," Chiharu says make both of them stop glaring each other and turn their eyes to the female manager.
"What is it, Chiharu-chan?" Momoshiro asks.
"Don't keep frowning to each other, you guys will get old like Sumire-san," Chiharu says and point to her forehead. "Come on, smile! Both of you're going great!"
"Chiharu…"
"Hm?" Chiharu glances at Sumire who looks her with a tick mark, showing that she gets disturbed by her comment. Notice it, Chiharu let out her infamous smile and say "Don't worry Sumire-san! Even though you're old, you're still beautiful!"
Sumire gets taken back and lets out a cough, to get rid of her awkwardness. On the other hand, the team already holding laughs with the way their coach act.
"Ahahaha, thank you Chiharu-chan," Momoshiro says before walk to the court.
"Tch, it's nothing," Kaidoh muttered.
"Huh, you said something, mamushi?" Momoshiro talks back to Kaidoh.
"What spiky hair?" Kaidoh says back and glares him.
"Come on, stop fighting!" Chiharu scolds them.
"It's seemed the one who can calm them only Shigeko-san," Fuji says in amuse.
"and Tezuka, of course," Inui adds and adjusts his glasses.
Momoshiro and Kaidoh walk to the court with grumbling to each other. They can see that both of them still arguing made Sumire sweat drop from the interaction.
"Were those two like that before?" Ryoma asks to his senpai.
"Yup, they were like rivals even before you joined the team," Fuji answers.
Hearing the conversation behind her, Chiharu let out a smile.
"Rivals, huh… I can see that" Chiharu hums and glances to Mizuki. Mizuki notices and smiles at her. Quite taken back, Chiharu just answers with a nod and look at the other way. "There must be something about him…"
The match finally started. Momoshiro and Kaidoh face Yanagizawa and Kisarazu. The match going well with Seigaku win 2:1. The team cheers them however Chiharu just keeps silent. Sumire notices her behavior and nudges her shoulder.
"What do you think, Chiharu?" Sumire asks.
"Nothing. It's just… It's too easy. I can see that the skill from it's not only like this. It's weird," Chiharu says and puts her hand to her mouth.
"Hm… I think so," Sumire nod and look back at the players. Just that, the match becomes different.
Suddenly Yanagizawa hits the ball at Kaidoh's weakness side. When Kaidoh returns it with a lob, Kisarazu jumps to smash it. Surprisingly, he able to twists his body on air do a drop shot, which makes both Kaidoh and Momoshiro miss the timing. Momoshiro runs after the ball. He looks surprised to find Yanagizawa already marks him, so he doesn't have any choice but to return the ball to Kisarazu.
"No, it's a trap!" Chiharu says and stands up from her seat. As Chiharu predicts, it's a trap that allows Kisarazu to hit the ball back at empty spots. Kaidoh runs after it. The others cheer him to use snake but he returns the back with a normal shot at the ball hit the net. Everyone gets confused, even Yanagizawa and Kisarazu.
"He failed…" Kachiro says.
"No, he is not…" Chiharu muttered and sit back to her seat. "Kaidoh-senpai is not failed to hit with snake. He can't hit it."
"Seems they got our data," Sumire says to Chiharu which she replied with a nod.
"But, it's different from Inui-senpai. His data…" Chiharu says referring to Mizuki. "It's a prediction."
The match continues. Yanagizawa and Kisarazu able to push Momoshiro and Kaidoh back. They even prevent Momoshiro and Kaidoh to use their specialty shot. Without realizing, both sides keep a long rally. Chiharu can hear some murmur, complaining about the hot weather.
"Are you okay with the heat, Chiharu?" Sumire asks the female manager.
"I'm fine," Chiharu replies with a smile. She then looks back at Momoshiro and Kaidoh in worried. She can see both of them become tired. Not only that, they still fight with each other. Sumire lets out frustrate sigh and cover her eyes. "The heats already got them. It's improved their frustration. Did he predict this too?" Chiharu looks Mizuki from the corner of her eyes. "He is such a nuisance person but don't think everything will go with your way."
"Change court!" the referee announces. Finally, the time for both teams to have a small break. Chiharu gives her senpais towel and drinks when they arrive at the bench. Even when they sit, they are not facing each other. This gives another frustrate sigh from Sumire and Chiharu just let out a chuckle.
"So, how're you guys doing?" Sumire finally asks.
"Yeah, those guys are pretty tough. It's fun though," Momoshiro answers.
"Aren't you out of breath?" Kaidoh says to Momoshiro as he wiping the sweat from his arm.
"You trying to pick a fight?" Momoshiro says back to him. Before they start to fight each other, Sumire cuts them with waving her hand. "Ah… You guys are too heated up! You're just nitpicking at each other".
"I'm calm!"
"I wonder…."
"Huh, what's that?"
"Stop it! You two seem to be more energetic than I thought," Sumire cuts them again with amuse smile.
"Well, we aren't that worn out yet… I think… Hahaha," Momoshiro gives an excuse.
"What do you think, Chiharu?" Sumire asks the girl who silently watches their interaction.
"Well, it's true that the opponent has better technique and combination. Then, do you guys have something in mind to handle it?" Chiharu says and glances at the opponent who is talking with Mizuki.
"Use strength! / Use determination! To win!" both Momoshiro and Kaidoh answer together before walks back to the court.
Sumire quite surprises with their replies while Chiharu let out a laugh. Momoshiro and Kaidoh stop their step and look back at Chiharu with a red face. It's must be embarrassing.
On the other hand, Mizuki already smirking to them. Finishing laughing, Chiharu wipes the tear that comes from her eyes. She looks at her senpai with an excited face.
"It seems we don't have to worry with you guys. Then, here is a tip from me to win," Chiharu says with a loud voice, indicating she wants St. Rudolph to hears it. Everyone looks at Chiharu in confusion, even the Seigaku members.
"If just a prediction. Prediction is not always true. That's why what you guys need it's just change it. Don't let them predict everything!" Chiharu says with a smirk and looks at Mizuki. "Right, Mizuki-san?"
Mizuki smirk waste away from his face. Both Mizuki and Chiharu stare each other like there is a competition where the one who looks away first it loses. On the other hand, Momoshiro and Kaidoh think over to what Chiharu just says to them.
"If we continue like this, we can win," Mizuki says to his team. "Don't let her word get on you guys."
Chiharu just let out a hum. She looks back to Momoshiro and Kaidoh, believe that they can get over it. Just when Yanagizawa and Kisarazu step into the court, Yanagizawa starts to provoke both Momoshiro and Kaidoh.
"Yo! It's something our wonderful manager said… The stimulation based on the analysis of your data says we will win by 6-2 dane!" Yanagizawa says. "The situation right now seems to completely follow it dane! You guys won 2 games and us 5 games, only 1 game left dane! Mizuki's scenario is pretty scary dane!"
"Gosh, he is so annoying with that dane dane… If he said it to my face I will seriously punch him on his face," Chiharu muttered with a tick mark on her head. Sumire let out a sweat drop, sometimes forget that Chiharu is not the kind polite girl you find from her appearance.
"No matter what match, it follows his predictions dane! You can see the result no matter what happens dane!" Yanagizawa continues.
"Dane, dane, you're annoying dane!" both Momoshiro and Kaidoh shouts back to Yanagizawa make him silent.
"Wow, they are so in synch!" the trio freshmen compliment.
"Rudolph-san, listen up okay? There are no such things as scenarios in tennis. I'll teach you that!" Momoshiro says with a serious face.
"If you said that your manager is correct in everything, then it's the same with our manager. We will change that stupid prediction," Kaidoh says.
Everyone becomes silent after the statement. They can feel the serious tension from the court. Both players walk back to their position. Just when they're going to start, the reference stops it with time.
"Please do it quickly," the reference says to Mizuki.
"I understand," Mizuki answers and walks to Seigaku court, holding a broom in his hand. He then starts to sweeping the line behind Momoshiro.
"What is he doing?" Horio wondering.
"Oi, don't you meddle with the match now," Kaidoh says with a slight glare.
"Oh, I'm sorry. You're exciting to play has made the line hard to see. See, the referee would be trouble right?" Mizuki replies with a calm tone.
"Well… Then, thank you…" Momoshiro says in dumbfound while Kaidoh just lets out a tch.
"Calling a time out when it's bad for them," Tezuka muttered.
"He cleverly dampened Momo's fighting spirit," Fuji replies.
"Yeah, but it seems like he has another intention also," Tezuka says. Just then, Mizuki walks to Seigaku bench, stand in front of Chiharu.
"How unfortunate. If only Inui is the one who sits there," Mizuki says.
"Hm… It's that so?" Chiharu stands up and crosses her arm. "Don't you dare underestimate me just because I'm a freshmen manager. How about you find a coach, manager-san?"
"Oh, I never underestimate you from the start, megami-sama (goddess)," Mizuki says with a smirk.
"You! If you're finished, please go back to your seat," the referee says to Mizuki. Mizuki looks at Chiharu's blank expression before the turn around his body, ready to go back to his seat.
"Data is everything, huh?" Chiharu asks to make Mizuki stop his feet and glance at her.
"If you know, even our genius data player over here loses to mere freshmen because counting to his data," Chiharu looks at Mizuki and points her finger to Inui. "However, he able to renew every data he has in every second. Can you even do that?" Chiharu adds with a smirk. Mizuki's easygoing expression disappears from his face. He doesn't reply and continue his way.
With a satisfied face, Chiharu sits back on her seat, not noticing the hurt look that Inui has. The others can only encourage him by giving a pat on his back.
Then the match continues. Like Chiharu says, the Seigaku team able to turn the table around. Kaidoh able to make Yanagizawa and Kisazaru confuse with his boomerang snake. With Kisarazu's mistake, he gives a lob which Momoshiro finally able to return with dunk smash. Not only that, but both Momoshiro and Kaidoh's strengths are also improved.
"What's going on? Their ability has increased. They're different people from how they were in the district tournament," Mizuki says to himself. "These guys… during the match… They're evolved!"
Seigaku cheers the doubles team for gaining 1 game. However, Yanagizawa and Kisazaru able to pick up the pace. Kisazaru notices that he can shut boomerang snake by hitting the center but he decides to give a chance for Kaidoh to hit another boomerang snake, saying that it's boring to win like that.
Kaidoh hit boomerang snake, like what Kisazaru asks and surprise to find Kisazaru able to return it, giving another lob but it's a slice-spin lob. Momoshiro takes the bite and jumps high to use dunk smash while the others know that it is suicide. Chiharu can see the victory smile from Yanagizawa.
"Seems you underestimate Momoshiro-senpai, huh?" Chiharu state with a smirk.
Kisazaru surprise to find Momoshiro able to keep his balance on-air and hit the ball with dunk smash. Yanagizawa takes a stance to return the ball. When the ball hit the court, unexpectedly it bounced up and hit Yanagizawa's faces. With the power from the ball, Yanagizawa gets throwback and passed out.
Everyone becomes silent from the sight. Even Chiharu, she doesn't expect that Yanagizawa will get hit by the ball. In reflect, she runs to Yanagizawa to check his condition. Seeing Chiharu acts so fast, Kisazaru gets snap out from his shock and join to check his teammate. The referee and Sumire follow after.
"He is… Dead," Chiharu says with horror face.
"HUH!? DID I KILL HIM!?" Momoshiro asks in surprise. Before Chiharu answers, she gets smack on the head by Sumire.
"It's not time to jokes around, Chiharu," Sumire says with a sigh.
"I'm sorry…" Chiharu says with a pout and rubs her head. "He just passed out."
"This is bad. He can't continue," the referee state.
"I think so too," Kisazaru lowers his head in agreement.
"Oi, Yanagizawa wake up! The match is still not over!" Momoshiro shout to Yanagizawa hopes he wakes up.
"He only needs to rest. Don't forget to treat the wound," Chiharu informs Kisazaru. Kisazaru looks at her weird before nod. Wondering why the manager from Seigaku helps him.
"You're right. Thank you," Kisazaru gesture the freshmen from to pick up Yanagizawa.
"Due to 's forfeiture, Seigaku wins," the referee announces.
Hearing the announcement, Seigaku let out cheers while Kaidoh and Momoshiro just left out blank. Momoshiro throws a tantrum not accepting the victory, while Kaidoh just shrugs his shoulder and goes out from the court.
"Now, times for the golden pair."
-:-:- Rolling Memory -:-:-
TBC