A Gentlemen's Wager, Chapter 10

A/N: Kaidoh and Inui don't listen. They never listen. They were supposed to be a pacing device, not a major plotline. Oh well. Hope this doesn't cause anyone dental work.

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"Inui-senpai, you're still thinking too much," sighed the frustrated second-year. Though Inui had secured the use of the courts for as long as they needed them (Oishi only making the politest of snickers), they had been practicing twice a week since the Rokkaku game, and Inui still didn't understand what Kaidoh was trying to get him to do.

"Kaidoh, perhaps I should check my data. There may be a ..."

"You promised you would keep the notebook closed," Kaidoh answered sternly, holding in a hiss. Every session Inui-senpai mentioned the notebook Kaidoh had forbidden him from touching. How was he supposed to feel where the shots would land if he already knew? For all his efforts, Kaidoh knew he was being a poor teacher, and the thought forced guilt into his mind. Everything Inui-senpai had done for him, and he couldn't teach this basic trait that should come so naturally. But it was as if Inui-senpai had turned this part of his brain off somewhere along the line, deciding his instincts could not be trusted.

Of course, it didn't help that Inui-senpai had all of Kaidoh's data memorized, and thus didn't actually need the notebook to predict his shots. Ordinarily, this would have flattered Kaidoh; today, it was just irritating.

"I think your concept of instinct is too narrow," Inui continued, "I can already tell most of your shots, Kaidoh. Isn't that the same as instinct?"

"No, Inui-senpai. There's a big difference between knowing where the shots will land, and feeling them. That's why you can only hit most of my shots."

"The ones I miss can be corrected with some weight training on my quadriceps--"

"Fshuuuuu." Kaidoh couldn't help it. He knew it would wound Inui-senpai a bit, but it was either hiss or he was going to completely lose it. Maybe if Inui-senpai played with his eyes closed ...

Kaidoh considered the thought. "Senpai, can you see without your glasses?"
Inui raised an eyebrow. "Not very well. Solid objects blur and my depth perception decreases by 45 percent. Why?"

Kaidoh stepped over the net, reaching his hands up towards his senpai's face.

Inui stepped back. "Kaidoh, what are you--"

"Just trust me, senpai." That word had some effect on the analyst. Inui froze, but allowed Kaidoh to gently remove the glasses most people believed were surgically attached. He couldn't help but step back a pace as he did so, his breath catching. Kaidoh had always found Inui attractive, though not in the same way he knew people found Tezuka-buchou or Fuji-senpai attractive. Inui-senpai had a dignity, a presence to his character that Kaidoh had always been drawn too. Without his glasses, though, Inui-senpai had the same presence and an astonishing handsomeness to his features as well. Kaidoh fervently hoped Inui's vision was poor enough that he couldn't see the brilliant flush storming over Kaidoh's face.

The only cognizant thought he managed was: They're green. I never thought they'd be green.

"Is something wrong?" Inui-senpai asked. He sounded ...nervous. Kaidoh wondered how many people had seen him without the glasses, and then instantly decided no one else should.

"No, senpai. Just play against me now. Your data isn't based on your eyesight now, is it? You'll have to play instinctively." Kaidoh reverently set the glasses down on Inui-senpai's jersey, out of the way of the court.

Inui-senpai smiled, almost impressed. Kaidoh felt a surge of pride and another embarrassing blush. Serve. It was time to serve.

Training with Inui-senpai had made Kaidoh very aware of his own habits. He knew, for instance, that he liked to serve with ten percent more power than necessary on the first game. He held back this time, sending only a very weak serve. Inui-senpai caught it, but seemed to be expecting more resistance. The return landed well out. Kaidoh called it.

Inui frowned, probably because he was unable to see the exact distance out and use it to calculate his next move. This might actually work. "Don't try to over-analyze it, senpai. You know my style well enough, just return it."

Kaidoh served again, a more natural serve this time. The two began a volley series. Inui-senpai's movements, however, seemed more halted than usual. His steps lacked fluidity, and his swings jerked through the air. If anything, he seemed less natural than ever before. Kaidoh won the first game easily.

"I'm not sure this is working Kaidoh. It fails to simulate any relevant scenario I may face --"

"You can't have your glasses back," Kaidoh ordered. Besides, he didn't feel like covering up Inui-senpai's eyes just yet. Inui had convinced him to practice shirtless in a river three times a week; he deserved one match without Inui's glasses.

The second game, Inui-senpai did reasonably well returning the regular volleys, but if Kaidoh threw in a snake, his distance was far from the mark. Kaidoh still took the set 60-15.

The third round, Inui-senpai hit half the snakes back, though one was out.

The fourth, he returned a Boomerang into the singles court.

He won the fifth set 60-40.

Kaidoh felt an absurd pride in himself and his senpai. Inui-senpai certainly wasn't the cold tactician everyone made him out to be. He understood tennis. Really understood it in ways Kaidoh knew he had barely begun to grasp. When he mastered his instincts as well, even Tezuka-buchou would have difficulty defeating him. "That's enough for today, senpai. It's getting late."

"Ah." Inui-senpai rushed to return his glasses back on his face, much to Kaidoh's disappointment. Maybe he should tell Inui-senpai he looked handsome without his glasses, but he was afraid of coming off like those girls who told him he looked "cute" without his bandanna. Kaidoh mentally hissed just thinking about them.

Glasses secure, the analyst relaxed. "I think I'm beginning to grasp what you're referring too. It's quite ... different."

Kaidoh nodded. "If we practice enough before the finals, you could master the technique."

At the word "finals," Inui-senpai froze midway into zipping his tennis bag. "Anou, Kaidoh. About the match with Rikkaidai..."

Damn it, not again. Ever since Hyotei, Inui-senpai lost his nerve whenever the idea of playing doubles came up. "You don't want to play with me."

"It's not that," Inui said hurriedly, standing. "But, I'm needed in singles. I have the best chance of defeating their singles three player. None of the other players know him well enough --"

"He's the one from the photo?" Kaidoh frowned. He'd seen the photo when he'd been in Inui-senpai's room. A smaller, more cheerful Inui holding the handle of a trophy with a rather odd-looking boy whose eyes were closed. Kaidoh had asked about him, but Inui-senpai merely said it was his old doubles partner. Kaidoh had been curious enough to ask Fuji-senpai who had told him a little more about the end of that doubles team and Yanagi Renji's position at Rikkaidai, but even the tensai lacked the specific details that caused Kaidoh so much worry. The subject made Inui-senpai very uncomfortable, so Kaidoh had avoided it until now. However, if that was the problem, he had a right to know.

Inui-senpai looked somewhat shocked. "Y-yes it is, but it's not like..."

"Fshuuu."

"Kaidoh--"

"Inui-senpai, you can play against whoever you want," Kaidoh said, fighting to keep his voice brusque and detached. All their training. All their work together. This breakthrough tonight, and Inui-senpai was still going to abandon it to play with his ex. Kaidoh was not about to stand around waiting for Inui-senpai to make up his mind, no matter what. "I can play with Momoshiro again, if I have to..."

"Kaidoh, I need to play against Renji. I can't explain why right now, not even to myself. It's ...it's not something I can analyze. It's ..."

"Instinct," Kaidoh finished. He turned to collect his own things, deciding it wiser to not allow Inui-senpai to analyze his face at the moment.

"Maybe." The word sounded so unfamiliar from Inui's mouth. Inui believed in facts and statistics, not maybes. "I know I need to finish things with him, Kaidoh, and I know my chances of success would decrease dramatically if I did so ...without you."

What? Kaidoh turned to his senpai, unsure if he had heard that last sentence correctly. The syntax alone felt confusing. He risked turning his head.

"Kaidoh, will you continue to teach me, at least until after the finals?"

Kaidoh considered. Part of him wanted to storm off, insulted. But a different part of him sparked at the challenge. This was a fight, a chance if nothing else. And when their training was over and Inui-senpai had obliterated his childhood crush, Kaidoh could replace that photo on Inui-senpai's desk. He thought a shot of the two of them holding the Nationals trophy would do nicely.

As plans buzzed through the mamushi's brain, he realized Inui-senpai was still waiting for his answer. "Hai, senpai. I can do that."