Chapter 10
He didn't know how much time had passed, but when he opened his eyes, everything seemed to be same as it was before. The same whiteness of the infirmary, the weather was still dark, but had stopped raining, and the sweet scent of the girl beside him.
He glanced at the clock up on the wall
Shimatta! Tennis practise.
He raised himself out of bed and slipped on his shoes. He decided to have one last look at Sakuno before he left, since he didn't know how long it would be before he got the chance to watch her without being caught.
He moved to sit on her bed. Her cheeks were pink making her face blossom with beauty. Her lips was slightly open and her breathing even.
Inch by inch, his hand moved in to touch her face. Something he never dared to do, but just this once, he couldn't hold back. She was warm, burning up actually, but she had goose bumps on her arms. His thumb and forefinger wandered down to her lips and he traced it tentatively.
He took her hand and was about to tuck it under the sheets so she could be warm, but her small fingers curled themselves gently around his.
One day, it'll happen. It will happen.
He heard some noise behind him and quickly tucked her in snugly and sneaked out before the nurse saw him. He ran all the way to the changing room not once stopping.
He stood panting and coughing inside the changing room.
"Deh!" someone opened the door and knocked him over.
"Oy Echizen. It's only you. Thought I hit buchou!" Momo gave a sigh of relief.
"Yarou." After they got changed they headed to the courts and began a heated tennis match.
After 15 minutes or so, Echizen began to lose his stamina, his vision began to blur and his head spinning.
"Oy Echizen, daijoubu ka?" Momo asked.
"Hai."
"Really?"
"Hai Momo-senpai. Let's continue. I'm about to win."
"Hah! Let's see about that."
As they continued, he became aware of the conversations around him.
"Hey where's Kaidoh-senpai today?"
"Heard he went to the infirmary to pick up Ryuzaki."
"Really?!"
"Damnit, don't even think about hitting me again Arai!"
"Hey, there they are."
Echizen stopped midway in his serve and caught the ball again. He bounced it a couple times, to steal a glance at Sakuno. She walked beside Kaidoh, wearing his Seigaku jacket. Kadoh, as usual, walked with his racket tucked under an arm, hands in pockets and eyes closed.
He straightened up and looked at her, her eyes gazing straight back at him. The jacket was huge on her, it went down way past the end of her little skirt.
She looks cute, but she would have looked better in mine.
"Oy Echizen, are you going to serve or not!!" Momo asked going crazy on the other side of the court.
And so they continued their match, but after another 15 minutes, Echizen really began to lose it. His head was spinning really hard. All the shots that came at him were totally blurred.
"Jack Knife!----Echizen!!"
"Echizen!!" he heard Oishi-senpai call out.
His legs wouldn't move. He blinked, his eyelids dropping slowly, his shoulders sagging. He didn't even have enough energy to dodge Momo's move. The only thing that saved him was the fact that he fell unconscious on the floor, and the ball knocked his cap off.
"Oy Echizen!" Momo jumped over the net and ran to his friend. A group crowded around them.
"Momo. Doushita!" Oishi came through the crowd and knelt down beside the unconscious boy.
"I dunno! He just collapsed!"
"He's burning up!"
"Oishi-mama, what should we do?!" Kikumaru asked frantically.
"Mama?!!" Oishi asked.
"Seigaku's Mama." Everyone chorused for him to hear.
"Move over!" Kaidoh's voice growled. Some students jumped at his voice. But instead of Kaidoh stepping in, the petite little Sakuno pushed in.
"Arigato Kaoru-nii. Neh Echizen-kun. Echizen-kun!" she eased him up. "You know you have a fever. You're so carelessness. Mattaku!!" she said gently.
"Awww, mama, that's so cute. Looks like o-chibi won't really need mama no more-nya." Kikumaru said gazing at the two cuties. He wasn't aware that he was teasing Oishi though.
"EIJI!!!" Oishi said with mock anger. "Ryuzaki, let's take him to the changing room."
"Hai." Oishi piggy-backed Echizen, while she followed. But she ran back to Kaidoh.
"Arigato Kaoru-nii for helping me get in before. Here, arigato." She said taking off his jacket and handing it back to him.
"Wear it." He didn't take it from her outstretched hand. She shook her head.
"You'll need it afterwards. Hora! Hayaaaku!! Kaoru-niiiii!!" she purposely began to whine to annoy him.
"AH! AH! I got the point!!" he barked. She laughed and ran off, but just before she exited the courts, she turned around and waved to him. She stood there until he got the signal. He raised his arm tentatively and waved back. Then she was off again.
Damn kid. He thought but smiled to himself.