Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis. I do own Kumara Hikari though.

Chapter 6

After school

"Echizen, Kumara, come here." Ryusaki-sensei called out to the pair who just got ready to have another practice match.

Exchanging a confused look, Ryoma and Hikari went over to Ryusaki-sensei.

"Today, you two will have a doubles practice match with Kikumaru and Oishi." She told them cheerfully.

The Seigaku regulars looked over Ryusaki-sensei in surprise, all except Tezuka. His face held the usual stoic expression that doesn't betray any of his thoughts on the matter.

………..

"Echizen and Kumara are going against the Golden Pair in a match."

"It's impossible for them to win."

………..

The tennis members exchanged headed whispers and looked over the said players.

"Silence!" Tezuka raised his voice, the court quieted.

Hikari looked at Ryoma then smiled in Ryusaki-sensei in confusion. "Doubles? You want me to doubles?" she repeated, sure she had heard the coach wrong.

Ryusaki nodded affirmatively, "Yes, I want you to play doubles with Ryoma."

Momoshiro slapped a hand on Hikari's shoulder and laughed, "Kumara, I pity you, Echizen got zero sense in doubles."

Hikari looked thoughtful for a moment then smiled in embarrassment, "I'm not really any better. In fact, I'm probably worse. I watched several doubles, but I never really tried to play it. I always played singles."

Momoshiro stared at her in shock, "Never?" he whispered, disbelief in his voice. The rest of Seigaku regulars looked equally shocked at the new development.

……….

"Never?"

"There's no chance they are going to win."

"Echizen and Kumara are going to get creamed."

……….

The crowd once again rose in whisper before Tezuka silenced it again.

Ryoma pulled his cap lower and grunted a soft, "Che."

"Hoi, hoi!" Kikumaru jumped over cheerfully, "You want us to go easy on you?" he grinned at Hikari, but was surprised by the frown on her face.

"What do you mean, go easy on us?" Hikari's frown deepened. Her tennis pride was highly insulted by such comment. Walking briskly toward Ryoma, she said in a determined voice. "Let's win this, Ryoma."

Ryoma stared at Hikari; beat Seigaku's Golden Pair with their zero experience in doubles. Then a grin formed over his lips; that would be interesting. Nodding, the determination in his eyes mirrored her own. He nodded.

Hikari turned and face the stunned Seigaku regulars, "No need, play your best. We planned to win." She gripped her racket tightly, a stubborn expression on her face.

………

Kikumaru and Oishi watched the transformation as game mask slide over Echizen and Kumara's face. Though they do not believe they can lose to the two since they have almost zero experience in doubles, the determined way Echizen and Kumara looked warn them against carelessness.

The rest of the tennis members buzzed in astonishment at Echizen and Kumara's words. Win against the Golden pair, impossible; especially consider both of them hadn't much experience in doubles. Partnership and teamwork has primary importance in doubles. If the pair is not in sync, it's impossible to win.

The players went to their individual position and got ready. The match begins.

"One set match, Kumara-Echizen pair to serve."

……….

The match wasn't anything like they had anticipated. Kumara and Echizen worked surprisingly well together. In fact way too well for two people who had so little experience in doubles. They didn't fumble over each other like Momoshiro and Echizen did in their match at the Tokyo tournament. Instead both seem quite aware which ball should they hit and which they shouldn't. Hikari, as the game maker, was well in control and supported Ryoma's attacks seamlessly.

"How can this be?" Horio uttered, stared at the duo. "I thought Kumara never played doubles before."

The others are just as stunned as they watched the movements of the two, perfectly in sync.

"I knew it." Ryusaki-sensei grinned triumphantly, earning questioning looks from those around her.

"Ryusaki-sensei, you knew this is going to happen?" Kachiro looked her, wide eyed.

She nodded absently, "Yesterday's match was what inspired me of this. Ryoma and Kumara are very familiar with each other's movement. They knew the other's strength and weakness because they are rivals. However what made them a really great doubles team is that they are friends also. They could rely on the other, unlike normal rivals. Their own individual exceptional play was not only unhindered by the only but the power had increased with the other's support."

The first-year trio looked at Ryusaki-sensei in enlightenment, "Does that mean Ryoma-kun and Kumara-kun will win this match?" Katsuo looked at Ryusaki-sensei hopefully.

"That is unknown." An authoritative voice cut through the conversation. The three wide-eyed first years look up at the speaker, Tezuka-buchou. "Though Kumara and Echizen has the potential of a perfect doubles team, this is still their first play. They have too many raw unpolished points that could be taken advantage of. Also lacking experience, they cannot construct complicate formation as Kikumaru and Oishi can."

"Yes, not only that, Eiji and Oishi had been doubles team for a long time. Their teamwork cannot be overcome so easily." Fuji's gentle voice added once Tezuka's voice came to a halt.

The trio nodded and went back to the match. This is truly exciting.

………..

At the court

Hikari stared at Golden Pair, panting lightly. The game is 5 to 4 in favor of the Golden Pair. This is a difficult match; the opponent is experienced in doubles play while she and Ryoma are still beginners. Normally, it's impossible for the beginner to beat the old pro. But, her eyes narrowed, she refuses to lose. Sparing a glance at her partner, whose lips set in determination, Hikari grinned inwardly. Looks like Ryoma is thinking the same thing.

Then she noticed something, Kikumaru-sempai is breathing hard. Suddenly she was hit with an inspiration. Kikumaru-sempai's stamina was their weakness. Her resolve firmed, she focused attacks on Kikumaru. Ryoma quickly noticed her attack pattern also followed her lead.

Like her, he quickly noticed the reason of her targeting on Kikumaru. The flow of the game has turned.

………

The Seigaku students stared in astonishment at the stilled court. They cannot believe what just transpired.

"Game and set, 7 to 6, match won by Echizen-Kumara pair."

The two first-year who are beginners in doubles has won against Seigaku's Golden Pair in the tiebreak. How can this happen!

……….

"They won!"

"Against the Golden Pair!

……….

"YAY!" Hikari squealed in delight as she jumped up and down. She hadn't won this hard for a long time. She jumped over to Ryoma and was about to hug him in ecstasy when she heard the familiar yell of Tomoko, cheering for her Ryoma-sama.

'Cannot hug Ryoma now.' She reminded herself before casually dropping her arms and grinned at Ryoma in delight. "We won!" she exclaimed as she bounced up and down again.

Ryoma frowned at her, in slight hurt. He saw her arm rise and knew she was about to hug him. So why did she stop? Ever since they first meet, she had always hugged him, whether in delight or merely to surprise him. However, since this morning, she had avoided touching him and moves away whenever he touches her. To say he's not hurt would be a lie.

He did not have time to contemplate Hikari's strange behavior toward him. Hikari was so happy at their triumph over the Golden pair that soon he was swept in with her delight. The musing over her lack of touch was soon pushed to the back of his head.

"Echizen, Kumara, you did very well." Ryusaki said after Oishi deposited the exhausted Kikumaru on the bench.

Hikari grinned lightly and smiled at her two opponents, "Wow! You guys are great! I haven't had such a hard match for a long time."

"Kikumaru, you need to strength your stamina. If a match prolonged to tiebreak, you would lose because your low stamina." Ryusaki-sensei reprimanded the red haired boy panting hard on the bench.

The she turned and faced Hikari, "Kumara, would you try out for Seigaku regular this month?"

Hikari stared at the old woman, "what?" she sputtered out, surprised.

"You and Echizen would make a wonderful doubles team." Ryusaki-sensei stated, "Doubles had always been out weak point. However that may change if you paired up with Ryoma."

"No!" Hikari waved her hands franticly in front of her, "I mean, I'm a girl, I can't join a guy's team."

"There's no gender limitation in the tournament." Tezuka stepped up and stared at the nervous girl. 'Tezuka Kunimitsu.' Hikari thought as she stared at the tall captain.

"Girls could compete but there had been never any who are good enough to make the team." (FD: I know, it's suppose to be a boy's team. But I want Hikari to join the Seigaku regulars. So I changed it a bit.)

Hikari frowned a little; her eyes took a sad glint. "I'm sorry, " she said quietly, "I don't want to participate any tournaments for a while. So I'm sorry." She apologized again.

"But why, Kumara?" Kawamura asked the young girl in confusion. He cannot understand why Kumara would want to stay out of the tournament.

Ryoma stared at Hikari, who looked down and avoided the questioning stares of the Seigaku regulars. He remembered the way Hikari had looked last night, when she promised she would tell him the reason someday. He frowned lightly and took step in front of Hikari, unconsciously assuming a protector role, and shields her slightly from Ryusaki-sensei's sight. "Sempai, Ryusaki-sensei." He said quietly and unconsciously formed a defensive stance in front of Hikari. There was no mistaking the disapproval and warning in his steel tone.

Ryusaki-sensei was startled at the admonition glance Ryoma gave to her. She quieted, "You don't have to join the Seigaku regulars. Kumara. It was a suggestion. Anytime you changed your mind, you can come and tell me."

Hikari lifted her head and smiled at Ryusaki-sensei. "Arigato." She said softly.

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