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It was already time to leave the seaside and back to the hustle and bustle of the city. Kikumaru complained that he didn't have enough time at the beach, since the first two weeks were used up by the useless tennis summer camp. Ryuzaki-sensei pulled his ear, and of course, Kikumaru instantly shutted up, rubbing his sore ear.
It was finally the day when they all were going back to Seishun Gakuen and back to tennis after the three-week break at the Fuji's summer house. Suddenly, while Yuki was packing her things, getting ready to go, her cell phone rang.
"Hello? Haragiri Yuki here!"answered Yuki quickly, stuffing her favourite teddy bear into her backpack.
"Yuki? This is your aunt. You're in Tokyo, right?"
"Yeah. Anything?"
"Obaa-san's not feeling too well, so I thought that you'd like to pay her a visit this weekend. How 'bout it?"
"Obaa-san? What's wrong with her?"
"She was playing tennis one day with one of her veteran friends and she tripped over a ball. She knocked her head, and she's under a coma now."
"NANI? COMA? I'll come soon! A.S.A.P!"
"Good. See you then."
Yuki heard her aunt cancel the call and she put her cell phone in her pocket. As she thought of her grandma's condition now, it made her awfully worried. After her parents' deaths, her grandmother was the only one who decided to take care of Yuki. She comforted Yuki alot, and also introduced her to her favourite sport now, tennis.
"Obaa-san...matte ne.."said Yuki in her heart.
*flashback*
A five-year old Yuki can be seen looking at two coffins. Her big blue eyes were filled with tears. No one could and dared to console the poor little girl. Suddenly, Yuki's grandmother, Haragiri Tsuki, walked up towards the girl.
"Now, Yuki. Don't cry. Okaa-san and otou-san won't be happy if they see you crying like this. Come on, dry your tears."
"Ah? *sniff* Arigato *sniff* obaa-san..*sniff*,"said Yuki in the middle of tears.
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(still in flashback mode)
It had been three months since Yuki moved into her grandmother's house. She expected her grandmother to always stay at home, but her grandmother often went out. She usually carried a duffel bag and left the house in Yuki's hands. It was not that Yuki hated being responsible, but it was just that Yuki often felt alone.
Whenever her grandmother was home, she would instantly turn on the television and watch some people hit a ball from a side of a court to the other side. Yuki preferred watching her cartoons to all this nonsense. She often wondered what else does her grandmother do instead of going out, coming home all sweaty and watching some people hit a ball on the television.
One day in winter, it had started to snow. Yuki's grandmother couldn't go out and decided to serve Yuki some hot porridge.
"Yuki, just take a seat and watch TV while I get the porridge ready."
"Hai."
Yuki reached out for the remote control and changed the channel to Cartoon Network.
"Yuki, why don't you watch tennis? It's interesting, isn't it?"
"Obaa-san, I can't miss an episode of Hello Kitty. After all, it's alot better than watching some people hit a ball from a side of a court to another."
"Yuki, just watch tennis. You'll find it interesting." Yuki's grandmother took the remote control from Yuki and changed back to the sports channel.
Yuki and her grandmother could see an American man play against this Japanese man who looked like a samurai. His eyes resembled a cat's, and he often wore this headband and tied his long hair up.
"Obaa-san, who's that? He looks like a samurai."
"Well, Yuki, just watch, and you'll see."
Yuki glued her eyes to the television. That samurai man was indeed a good player. He hardly lost a point, just lost a set.
"So, obaa-san, who's that?"
"Echizen Nanjiroh, or rather, the samurai. He's good, isn't it?"
"Nn."
"Do you wanna play like him?"
"Nn."
"We'll start tomorrow then, Yuki?"
"Nn."
"Good. Let's go now to get some things you need before learning tennis."
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
It had been a week since Yuki started tennis. She had to do alot of training as she didn't have enough stamina to play a set. If she took longer than a minute to run around the tennis court, she would have to drink her grandmother's secret recipe.
After many years, Yuki became immune to the taste of the drink. It just gave her no effect. Her skills were rather good, and since Yuki joined the tennis club in her school, she got exposed to the types of tennis players in the field. Yuki was once a gymnast when she was younger and decided to do acrobatic tennis.
When Yuki was 11, she went for the under-12 and won a bronze. Even though Yuki was disappointed to only get third, her grandmother was always beside her to support her.
Yuki often got silver, which was her highest achievement back in Hokkaido. Being in Seigaku, she hoped to get to the nationals and finally get gold for not only herself, but for Seigaku.
*end flashback*
Yuki was thinking silently in the bus on the way home. She was thinking of whether to go back to Hokkaido or not. At first she thought of just staying in Tokyo, but after remembering all her grandmother's contributions to who Yuki is now, she finally made up her mind to go back to Hokkaido.
"Obaa-san...matte ne..I'll be back."
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Well..the "I'll be back" part reminds me of some actor...er.....i forgot his name....hehehe.......so well..didya have fun reading? review if ya like! ^.~
