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Chapter 9
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Tezuka
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Two weeks had passed. Two very slow and very long weeks had dragged on. Although Tezuka remained the way he was to everyone who saw him, inside, he was doing everything not to go mad with frustration.
'I thought that not seeing you would solve everything. Everything would fade away like it was a dream. And my life would return to as before.' Tezuka lay on the tennis courts long before anyone else had arrived at school.
The sky was grey with rain clouds, but he lay stretched out like a cat with his hands behind his head, like he was sun bathing. His eyes were closed, his breathing even, but his mind was running a mile a minute.
'We haven't come face to face in the past two weeks. I suspected that would happen, but I never counted on how much I wished that we could have bumped into each other. A few times I saw you walking alone in the distance. I wanted to go up to you and talk casually. But I never do that. I don't do that to anyone, and I don't want to take the chances that you might find out how I really feel. Would you still greet me and smile at me like you always do, if you found out? You wouldn't see me as the same person anymore. I won't appear to be the stern and terrifying person I'm described as and you would turn away from me. I've been to so many tennis tournaments and not once have I felt this fear. I only watch you from afar, that's what I've been doing and what I suspect will keep doing until –'
"Neh buchoo…"
Tezuka's eyes snapped open to the voice of Echizen. He sat up and regained his composure quickly.
"What is it."
"That's my question buchoo. Why are you lying here?" Echizen questioned bluntly.
But before Tezuka could think up an appropriate answer, Echizen went on.
"How about a match buchoo."
As Tezuka turned to walk away he answered. "Fine."
As he made his way to retrieve his racket, his thoughts rambled on again.
'I never thought about it before, but Echizen has changed since junior high. He's taller now and certainly appealing to the girls in school. His attitude is practically the same….but she's still attracted to him, so I guess…he's easier to talk to than I would appear.'
"Let's start buchoo." And so their match began.
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Echizen
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After a game or two, Echizen realised that the captain wasn't himself. His moves were still good and swift and definitely skilful, but he always responded a fraction of a second too late. What could disturb him like that?
He had been waiting for a chance like today to verse the captain. It was to pour out his anger from that night of frustration. It annoyed him but he didn't know why.
Nothing could happen between those two. That was what he would have thought if the next moment didn't happen. He hit an easy shot at the captain but he missed it.
"What's wrong buchoo."
The captain remained still for a while before he answered, "Nothing. There was a sun glare." He lied with a straight face, but his eyes remained at a point past Echizen's right shoulder.
The younger boy turned around with curiosity. And all in a single moment he understood. Sakuno. She was there. She was sitting under a tree holding a puppy. She was laughing softly and looking adoringly at the little pup that lay snuggled in her arms. He turned back to the captain. He stood there unmoving and watched her.
'Sun glare? The sky was as dark as it could get in daylight, and there certainly was no sun. So she's his sunshine is she?........ He does feel for her after all.' Echizen gripped his racket fiercely, his jealousy fuelling up his anger.
tbc
