Title: New Blood
Rating: G
Pairing: None, not really.
Warnings: Unbeta-ed. Random.
Disclaimer: Not mine, shuddup. TT The captain in this fic would be my creation though. And that is all.
Date started: 17 May 2004 11:49
The new school year brings dozens of new members to the tennis club of Seishun Gakuen, no doubt having been attracted by the reputation of the "Kantou Best Four" tennis club, and rumours have it that the team will be going to new heights in this few years.
Personally, Oishi thought a few years was too generous an estimate. Tezuka just had a way of making people feel that way—that if he said they would be winning the Nationals, they very well would. Furthermore, the new Regulars—who were largely responsible for securing the reputation of "Kantou Best Four" for Seigaku—that replaced the departed seniors also showed great potential in contribution towards that aim.
There was Inui Sadaharu, who was amongst the first batches of students to join the club in their year and had been following Tezuka around with a notebook and pen ever since. Today though, he was hovering over the freshmen—with a notebook that looked new—instead. Everyone had gotten used to his rather bizarre ways, though they still tended to keep away from him. Especially after it gradually became clear that when he won a Regular spot last year, it was due to those mysterious notebooks he carried around. Oishi didn't mind much. The other boy had seemed pleasant, though somewhat distant and detached, whenever they spoke. He supposed the data-collector just had too much on his mind to pay attention to social skills.
Fuji Syuusuke was another story. He was amongst the last to join the team, and nobody paid him much attention, passing the small frail looking boy off as another student who would remain a common member throughout the years. But—or perhaps because of that—most everyone took to him nicely, because he was always smiling so pleasantly. The fact that he wore the same smile when he wiped the floor with the Regulars and third year in his block last year without losing a set once while displaying some breathtaking moves, was part of the reason most everyone shied away from him later on. In a way he was creepier than Inui. It was no wonder the two got along surprisingly well.
Kikumaru Eiji, too, got along very well with the brown haired boy, in a much less discomforting way. He was only slightly earlier in joining the team than Fuji and the two had become fast friends amongst the first years then. After Fuji's astonishing victory, there had been strong rumours that Fuji losing his first ranking tournament had something to do with Kikumaru. It was probably due to the fact that Fuji suffered straight losses—after maintaining a no-loss record for the first few matches—once Kikumaru had two losses on his record. But nobody quite dared to voice that out loud. Eiji didn't take long to catch up, with his gift for the sport and thirst for attention, he secured a Regular spot for himself soon enough. Oishi had witnessed his speedy improvement over the time they practiced doubles together outside club practice.
He had to work harder, he thought, or he would be left behind. And that wouldn't do. Furthermore, Ryuzaki-sensei did not hide her expectations of the two to become Seigaku's new regular doubles pair, though Eiji was rather skeptical of the idea. Oishi didn't mind. Doubles was fun. Especially when he teamed up with Eiji. And if he could help strengthen Seigaku's doubles, all the more he should do it.
So it was based on such a batch of new Regulars that the rumours were started. The now third year Regulars are good, but they just don't shine the way Tezuka and the others do. They needed better players to advance beyond the Kantou tournament, and having a new batch to select from is a start.
Oishi walked to Inui's side and politely chose not to peek at what he was scribbling. "Seen anyone good?"
He received absent-minded mutterings as response. "Hmm... seems to be quite a poor pool of selection." Oishi felt his heart sink. "But there is hope yet.... this... and... maybe this... No... that one..."
Acknowledging that it had been a mostly futile effort, Oishi looked around. Eiji still wasn't there yet. Fuji was standing with his racket tucked between the crooks of his bended elbows and surveying the first years with a rare air of solemnity. The first years were returning the favour by staring right back. Oishi could occasionally hear them ask one another if that boy is a first year too and if so, why was he in the Regular uniform?
"Fuji. Where is Eiji?" the two of them are in the same class starting this year, much to Kikumaru's—and a certain number of second year girls'—delight.
The shorter boy responded with a small smile. "Akimoto-sensei caught him doing something else in his class today. I reckon he should be done serving his sentence soon."
"Ah..." Oishi nodded in acknowledgement, wondering what Eiji did this time. He glanced at the panting first years, worn from the workout they were just put through. "So, what do you think of the new members?" he asked out of politeness and some curiousity.
"Mm?" the other boy turned to face him now. "Oh. Them." Oishi hoped they were out of earshot of the first years. "Hmm... who knows."
Ryuzaki-sensei, Oishi remembered, has commented before that the new Regulars are rather too individualistic to be able to play doubles with one another properly.
"Hey," both boys looked up to see Kanegawa-buchou approaching them. "Where's Kikumaru?"
Kanegawa had taken over captain duties for a while now since Yamato-buchou's retreat near the end of last year. He wasn't even the strongest player amongst the senior Regulars, but he was one of the more pleasant seniors that weren't prone to attacking underclassmen that are better than them in tennis. Most likely, Ryuzaki-sensei or Yamato-buchou had seen to this arrangement after that incident with Tezuka and an angry upperclassman.
Fuji obligingly repeated his response, and Kanegawa looked amused. Behind him, Oishi could see Tezuka frown ever so slightly.
"That's just as well then, that I won't be affecting your precious doubles practice. Make sure baabaaknows that," Kanegawa turned to Oishi. "You, too, come and help me round these kids up. There're an awful lot of them, aren't there. The rest of you, get started on practice." Fuji waved at Oishi before leading Inui, who was still scribbling and muttering to himself, away to the courts with a gentle arm.
So Oishi had, along with Tezuka, guided the newcomers through the welcome speech and sent them on their basic training or tasks. It didn't take him long to notice that two of the first years were almost constantly fighting or arguing over one thing or the other. He was breaking up their fifth quarrel when Ryuzaki's loud voice distracted all of them.
"KIKUMARU!" the redhead who was somehow already on the courts cringed visibly. "You were late weren't you! Don't think you can just sneak in! Get over here!"
There was a brief moment where the two shortest members of the Regulars seem to converse before Ryuzaki's repeated shout of his name sent Eiji jumping and running over. The teacher gave the boy a very hard glare from her advantageous vantage point, which Eiji shifted uncomfortably under.
"He was serving his punishment because he wasn't paying attention in class." Kanegawa piped up from behind their coach, grinning at Kikumaru, who made a face at him when Ryuzaki wasn't looking.
"Oh? And what were you doing, gaki?"
"Well... I..."
"Hmm?"
"Eh... that is..."
"Fuji!"
"Yes, sensei?"
"What was he doing in class that got him punished?"
"Ah..."
"Kikumaru! Stop elbowing him!"
"I didn't see it actually, Ryuzaki-sensei." Kanegawa was coughing, and between coughs, you could barely hear the word "liar".
"Ah?"
"Really." Sweet, sweet smile.
"Oh?" That wasn't even a clever lie. But there was really no point pressing Fuji Syuusuke. "Fine, I'll ask your teachers later." Eiji looked abashed. "Now you, get started on your doubles practice!"
Eiji looked to Oishi, who looked to Kanegawa, who looked to Ryuzaki. "But coach, he can work on his own for now, can't he?"
"Why?"
"He needs work on his singles play anyway."
Ryuzaki rolled her eyes and overrode Eiji's indignant protest, "That's none of your business. And don't pretend it is. What is the real reason?"
Kanegawa shrugged in an oh-well-I-thought-that-wouldn't-work manner. "Oishi is pretty useful—uh, helpful with keeping the freshmen in line."
The coach's eyebrow twitched. "Get the non-Regular seniors to help you."
Kanegawa's eyes shifted in a manner that said what he thought of the seniors' abilities. "How about getting Kikumaru to join him?"
"Is Kikumaru useful in assisting you in this particular task too?"
"No." the captain admitted. Eiji looked like he was going to yell again.
"So what purpose does that serve?"
"Well. They still get to... practice their... coordination. Or something." He smiled blithely at their coach.
There was probably something to be regretted about their choice of captain in the coach's perspective, Oishi thought as Ryuzaki exploded and dismissed everyone else and ordered the captain to 'jolly well take care of his own duties'. The senior has now switched tactics to negotiating for a few more non-Regulars' help. There was a loud guffaw and a low hiss from the audience of wide-eyed freshmen witnessing their coach and captain go at it.
---
"Hoi!" Oishi barely managed to remain upright when a sudden weight landed on his back. He turned to find his doubles partner in training grinning unrepentantly at him, half hanging off his back.
"Ah. You're early today, Eiji."
The redhead looked affronted. "I don't get caught everyday you know."
"...Ah."
Eiji stared down at the clipboard holding a name list in Oishi's hands. "Kanegawa roped you in to help again?" Before Oishi could respond, "You shouldn't let him do that, you know! It's like what coach said. He can jolly well wipe his own butt!"
"Eiji!" Oishi flushed. "That certainly wasn't what Ryuzaki-sensei said."
Eiji waved a hand carelessly as he walked towards where Fuji was standing. "It's all the same."
Oishi shook his head. Kanegawa was also heard to have complained that it was all Kikumaru's fault that the scene yesterday happened. He didn't know what was up with those two. They're too friendly to be considered hostile but they persist in snubbing each other.
Fuji smiled at his classmate when he was near enough. "Said hello already?"
"Yep!" Eiji waved his arms around. "In the Kikumaru way!"
The brown haired boy chuckled over the familiar 'family' pride the other boy tended to display while Eiji sobered slightly.
"So, is your brother joining?"
Fuji opened his eyes slightly and stared at the fences for a moment.
"Did you talk to him?" Eiji leaned in closer, worried. It just didn't feel right when his friend stopped smiling.
He shook his head. "He avoided the topic completely." He paused a moment. "I'm pretty sure he isn't going to join."
On impulse, Eiji wrapped an arm around him and squeezed in a half embrace. "Let's go see what the little kids are doing! Maybe your little brother is amongst them after all!"
Fuji doesn't believe in such optimism, but he went along with a smile anyway.
---
There was not much to see, in actual fact, about several dozen new faces. Fuji thought it might even be more entertaining taking a look at Inui's notebook if they wanted to find out about the newcomers.
"Oh look, that one looks like he never held a racket before in his life. And I bet that one weighs a ton! How is he going to catch up to the ball?"
That is, unless you have Kikumaru Eiji prattling a commentary beside you the entire while.
"Hey!"
"Oh that guy is so tall! I wonder what he eats..."
"Hey!"
"Do you think that one will make Regular? He looks like he has the skills..."
"HEY! Kikumaru-senpai!"
Fuji turned first, blinking slowly. It hadn't occurred to him that the 'hey' was meant to catch their—or at least one of their—attention. A spirited boy jogged up to them, grinning.
"Yo, senpai-tachi."
Eiji turned to Fuji, looking impressed. "He called me senpai."
"So did the lower-classmen we met these few days."
"Yea, well, after they did a double check to make sure we're juniors." Eiji wrinkled his nose. "And they're not from the tennis club!"
Fuji nodded as if that made perfect sense. The boy was staring at them strangely now.
"Who are you?" Eiji looked at him curiously.
"Momoshiro Takeshi! Class 1-1. You can call me Momo-chan."
The two juniors stared at him. The freshman quite suspected that the brown-haired one was stifling a laugh, but the other one was already grinning.
"You're a strange one, Momo. I am... wait." He frowned cutely, recalling that the other boy had called his name just now. "You already know me?"
"Ah it was hard to miss it when coach yelled it so loudly yesterday!"
Eiji shoved Fuji. "Stop laughing, nya!"
"Fuji Syuusuke. Yoroshiku." He attempted to keep a straight face for his friend's sake. "I did tell you not to sneak in."
"It would've worked if Ryuzaki didn't come in so early!"
"Hehe. So what did you do in class, Kikumaru-senpai?"
Eiji made a face at the younger boy. "It's a secret"
"Kikumaru-senpai"
"You can call me Eiji." He grinned, then amended, "'Eiji-senpai.'"
"Ok! So, what were you caught for in class, Eiji-senpai?"
---
It was almost time for practice to begin so the two had terminated their survey of their lower-classmen after a lengthy chat with the freshman they had settled with calling "Momo". Fuji knew Eiji was dying to make a joke out of the boy being addressed as 'peach', but considering that the boy in question had invited them to call him "Momo-chan", the joke would've fallen rather flat. The younger boy had persisted in asking about Eiji's mishap in class till he got called away by a classmate. Fuji didn't participate much but had found the conversation between the two rather entertaining.
On their way back they saw a few more new faces. One dark-skinned boy with a white headband was surrounded by a few others and had their rapt attention while he seemed to be giving some sort of speech. Eiji found it funny and was indignant when Fuji suggested that he was quite alike Eiji himself not long ago.
They spotted Inui and were on their way to join him, Eiji talking and gesturing animatedly about their new homeroom teacher.
"Fushuu"
Eiji usually wouldn't have heard something so low in volume, but people tended to take note of sounds that could mean danger, some sort of instinctual self-defense mechanism, certainly. By reflex, they turned to seek the source of the sound. Eiji looked first at the ground, expecting to find a huge snake waiting to eat them up, but saw only a racket and a pair of track shoes. He followed the shoes up to the bony angles to long, long legs and lean torso and eventually found the face.
"Fusshuuu" the other boy hissed again and the two Regulars took a step back, whether it was because Eiji had a tight grip on Fuji's sleeve or if the smiling boy was actually intimidated as well will remain a mystery.
"What... what does he want?" Eiji whispered to his friend, checking out the other boy. He was a new face, so he had to be a freshman... but weren't freshmen cute and small and... non-frightening?
"I don't have any more idea than you do." Fuji was musing that the boy was wearing a very familiar expression. Thank goodness his brother is cute enough to not look that scary when he does that face. "We—"
The supposed freshman took a step forward just then and Eiji bolted, half-dragging Fuji with him by the sleeve that he still hasn't let go off. They ran to the nearest safety in sight—Inui, who was again opening his notebook—or perhaps it's just the lesser evil. As of currently.
"Inui! Who's that?"
"Kaidou Kaoru, twelve years old, Year one Class seven. New member of Segaku tennis club, batch one, register number 9. Do you want anything else besides the above information?" Inui's hand never even paused as he jotted down who-knows-what into his mysterious book.
"That's enough, thank you." Fuji supplied, straightening whatever has been skewed when Eiji pulled him along. The other boy was now muttering something about 'another weirdo in the club'.
"Everyone, gather!" came Ryuzaki's holler and they hastened to join the ranks of the Regulars, respectfully forming a line behind the senior Regulars. They were aware of the admiring looks from the first years, among which were two budding rivals and future Regulars.
Momoshiro Takeshi grinned and flashed a confident thumbs-up when Eiji's wandering eyes swept past him. I'll be right there after the first ranking tournament I'm allowed in.
Kaidoh Kaoru faced the front after a brief once-over at the Regulars and a disapproving glare at the overconfident boy beside him, whose actions he had caught out of the corner of his eye. There was no way he would allow that loudmouth to ascend to the Regulars before him, no way.
Inui hurried to scribble his last line before the stern coach got the time to yell at him.
27/04. Probability of advancing to Nationals by this year- 86 percent.
Completed: 27 May 2004 12:24