They all sat around the table eating, well most of them, Niou was still running laps for the prank he had played in the morning. Ryota didn't know the details but it was safe to say that Sanada was pissed.
Marui was eating a large chocolate pudding, he paused and looked at Ryota, "So how did Orlando High offend you, Manager-san"
Kirihara laughed, "True, True, nobody lost a single game. That's pretty embarrassing for that school. Next time, they would think twice before challenging us"
"So how did you do it?" Niou said from the end of the table.
Kirihara jumped before glaring at the trickster, "When did you get here?"
"I have been here ever since"
"That's a lie, right, bouchou"
Yukimura just smiled before turning to Ryota, "You haven't answered the question"
Ryota shrugged, "I didn't do anything, I just merely showed them a difference in strength"
Those words brought back another memory.
"Aniki, you were so vicious with him" Ryota said as he glanced at Kelvin who was still kneeling in shock in the court. The Blond boy had challenged his brother to a match and his brother had given him one.
"I wasnt, I merely showed him a difference in our strengths, A copy can never win over the orginal. He is still Mada Mada Dane"
He swallowed, his brother had apologized this morning but still he felt like there was a rift between them.
Yukimura nodded, " Well done, This first string idea worked, I didn't know we had so many good players and I can feel their zeal afresh, Everyone wants to be better. The prelimaries is in three weeks. We would be having a selection match in the evening, the first string would be joining "
"Bouchou" Kirihara whined, "Surely you don't think they could beat us right"
"Hmmh" Yukimura smiled, "If you have been slacking, I wouldn't be surprised. Each Regular would face a first string member, lose and they would take your spot. No questions"
"Hai"
"Excuse you, let me inform them and prepare the courts" Ryota said before bowing and leaving.
"He does his work well" Jackal said.
"I heard he gave the first string burgers for winning, we have not gotten anything ever " Marui said, "Hope he would give me a cake when we win Nationals"
Yukimura almost hit his head on the table, He needed an aspirin.
"Renji, What have you found out about our mystery manager"
"Echizen Ryota age 12. Height four feet seven. Favourite food, Rice. Favourite drink, Ponta. He uses both arms but favours his right. Has no injuries as he participates well in P.E. Has a lot of stamina because he hardly sweats after rigorous duties. Has an elder brother, Echizen Ryoma who is labeled a genius and was called a gift to the tennis world by New York Times. He joined Titans Youth Club at the age of six which was also the year he began to compete. He plays Doubles and has won seven competitons, he was also a finalist for five. He is a defense specialist and its most known for winning the International Children Tournament which he played with his elder brother who had won the singles, the year prior. His playing style is..."
"Enough"Yukimura said, truth be told. Renji scared him sometimes. He had to wonder how many books of data, the data master had on him.
He looked at his teammates who was staring wide eyed at the Professor.
Kirihara shuddered, "Yanagi-Sendai, you are scary"
Marci nodded fast in agreement.
"It still does not say while he stopped playing"
"I have a hypothesis. There was a fight in the Youth Club after his brother was invited to the U.S Open. He and a player fought. He was expelled afterwards. Whatever the reason is, it involves his brother"
Yukimura nodded, a small smile on his face, his teammates knew that smile. Ryokan should better just transfer.
Pairing his teammates was not an easy job, he knew he had to give the regulars a challenge. He paired Azumaya, who loved to think on his feet and was ever changing his tactics to Yanagi-senpai, the data master. Even he cannot tell the future.
He paired third year with Kirhara, someone that knows him well, he didn't want any of the first string first year to quit because of fear.
He paid the best of them, Saiba Testu, another second year with the captain. A sound defeat would help the arrogant asshat to be better.
He moved to the courts, other members had a, ready gathered. Fukai greeted him before deciding to escort him,"I m nervous" The boy said, his face showing that the feeling was alien to him.
"Don't be, you are good" He saw the captain with the other regulars and moved to give him the list.
"The list is wrong" Yukimura said, ignoring Ryotas totally confused face.
"I am the captain, I can't play"
Ryota apologized and then paused, that was a dilemma indeed. That would leave Saiba free.
"Should I move one of the second strings up"
"No need, you would be playing him"Yukimura said and made to leave.
"Wait a minute, I am a manager"
"I decided it, hurry up and enter the court"
"This is absurd, why" Ryota said angrily, he didn't care about respect all of a sudden.
"Are you afraid you will embarrass yourself, Are you a manager because you don't want to be embrassed" Yukimuras voice was soft, taunting.
"No, I want to pursue a manager..."
"More excuses, Ryota.You are just scared of showing your true self in front of others. You don't even have the balls to quit tennis completely. That's why you ran away to the managers post. Am I wrong, Ryota"
All he received was silence."If you can't listen to your captain's orders, quit the club. That's all. The selection match is in seven minutes" Yukimura said before leaving.
Yukimuras taunts reached, it reminded him of his club members.
"If it isn't the lower quality Echizen"
"What is it, David, leave me alone"
"Can you hear the crowd, they are hear to see your brother. The way he plays is so interesting, unlike you. Whenever I am playing with you, I am so bored out of my mind, I feel like quitting tennis"
"Leave me alone"
"Your family must be so ashamed, you are the least talented Echizen I have ever seen" That was when the taunts began.
"I didn't run away"Ryota murmured to himself."I didn't run away" He said again willing himself to believe it."I will play, I will freaking play, damn it" He was frustrated and pissed off but at the same time, his heart was fluttering, to be able to play on the courts, even for a moment was a joy.
He stood in the courts dressed in his tennis gear for the first time in a long time.
"Is this a joke"Saiba said, "Manager"
"No, it is not" He wanted to chide the senior for underestimating him.
"I want to play a serious match" When Ryota didnt respond, Saiba hissed, "I would probably finish this in ten minutes or less"
Ryota gritted his teeth, being underestimated was one thing, being insulted another.
"Rough or Smooth" He asked
"Dont worry, serve first"
Ryota served, it was a basic flat serve.The boy returned it at once. The two of them soon went into a deuce which Saiba won. Some of the regulars quickly won their matches and came to watch.
"His play is nothing special" Kirihara noted, "He is not using any famous serve, all his moves are basic"
Sanada nodded, "He adheres strictly to orthodox methods, it is like a refined dance"
"You guys have not noticed, have you" Yukimura said
"Noticed what"
Renji smiled, "He is returning 90% of Saibas shots and Saiba is beginning to tire"
They looked, it was true. A sheen of sweat had appeared on Saiba forehead and his movements have become sloppy.
"How, Its just the third game"
After the third match, Saiba went to drink little water. He sat down on the chair breathing heavily. He was tired, so tired, he felt like he had run a thousand laps or more. He wanted to quit the game. He didnt know why he was this tired, the boys plays packed quite the amount of power but he was not sure it was enough to make him this worn out.
Ryota on the other hand sipped his water, no sheen of sweat on his face.
"How are you doing it" Kirihara asked
"Doing what?"
"All your hits dont have the same power, do they?" Yukimura asked.
Ryota glared at him."No"
Renji nodded, "you sacrified the first match to get him used to the power and make him return them with all his power. Now even if you send a weak shot, he returns it with all his strength. Plus you are hitting the balls low, it is not obvious but they are indeed all low balls, he bends to pick it then return with all his strength. There is 60% probability that Saiba would not be standing at the end of this match"
"Tricks, what would you do if he figures you out?" Sanada hissed.
Ryota shrugged, "Whether he figures it out or not, i dont really care, this match is already mine" He said in a matter of fact voice.
True to Sanada words , Saiba discovered the trick and his anger seemed to energise him, his shots became sharper and even faster.
Ryota chuckled and moved the racket to his left hand, "Now, I can be serious too"
Sanada was shocked, He turned to Renji, "He is a lefty"
"yes, didnt you know"
It was not suprise then that Ryota won the game 6-1, the suprise was the way Ryota rushed out of the club and was not seen throughout the day.