A/N: Sorry this took so long. I was working on my novel. No time to waste, let's get into it!
Edits: Yeah, some stuff that needed to be altered… not a lot: 3.4.09
Edited cuz of those l'il honorifics. 27.5.2009
Disclaimer: Tennis no Ojisama/Prince of tennis belongs to the respective artists. You know who you are!
Chapter Thirteen
"I love this time of year. It's exciting and fresh with talent." Ryuzaki-sensei mused.
She spun around in her chair to face both Tezuka and Fuji, whom she called to her office for a quick chat and up-date on their teams' progress. "I've had Inoue-san and Shiba-san in the building so be conscious that they'll be taking pictures of you all. Be in your best forms." They agreed to this. "I'd love to say that the first few matches won't be that important but you can never really know who you'll be up against so be alert, but don't get arrogant." Again, they agreed. "Not forgetting that a lot of people will be watching, not only students but their parents and locals, and the media, so show some class."
"Yes, sensei."
"So," She continued. "Have you done with your inter-squad matches Fuji-san?"
"I have." She reached into her breast pocket and took out a small white piece of paper and another one with Ai Suzu's measurements.
Ryuzaki-sensei scanned over the list quickly putting the other in her pocket. "Nariko-san and Suzu-san? What happened to Kikoishi-san?"
Fuji would have liked to tell her sensei the truth but not even she knew that much. "Kikoishi-chan wasn't in her best form and she lost."
"How many matches?"
"… all of them…" Fuji answered. Even now that she said it, she knew it sounded very strange.
"All six! I'll speak with her later, but I am happy with this line-up. I don't think I need to change it too much but if I have to, I will." She now turned to Tezuka. She could hear that they still had matches to play so she asked him when he was likely to have the players' list ready.
Tezuka told Ryuzaki-sensei that they had half of their matches yet to play. Ryuzaki-sensei tapped her hand on the table. She wanted to say something and, in fact, she did.
"You only have the week after next before it's your turn. Don't take too long. You guys still next extra training. Again, some of those teams you beat last year will be coming back with a vengeance." Tezuka nodded but Ryuzaki sensei continued.
While all their talk was going on, Fuji glanced out the window. She couldn't see anything but the familiar aggressive sounds and those of cheering were clearly heard as several of the boys' matches were in progress. Of course the boys would take longer to play a match. The thought of them losing was enough to bring out their serious game, even using their special moves so not to lose face. That would definitely draw out a normal fifteen to twenty minute game to a thirty or even forty-minute match.
"Well, I'd like a faint idea of who you want in your team. I also have a faint idea of who we'll be up against. I want to test the pairings against the other schools. Fuji-san? Stay with Tezuka-kun while I photocopy your notes and make a photo call."
She didn't give them time to answer. She pushed her chair out, zipped up her jacket and promptly left the room. Tezuka barely moved or showed indifference.
"Where's Oishi-kun?" Fuji asked Tezuka.
"He's in a match right now?" He answered.
Tezuka took a sheet of paper from the desk and turned to find a sit and begin his list. Fuji wandered over to the window to watch the matches below in progress. This was a nice open angle to watch the match. She could see all the four courts easily, and they kept Fuji's attention until see heard Tezuka shift in his chair.
"You don't have to stay here Fuji-san. It's okay for you to join your team."
"Hmm?" She faced him. "There's no need for me to rush off. Leiko-chan is in charge so I know things are okay. I can help you for a while if you want?"
He didn't argue. Fuji decided to see the names he wrote down on the sheet of paper. She sat in front of Tezuka and read it upside-down.
"Oh? You didn't write that young boy's name down, why?"
Tezuka didn't reply.
"I thought you would have given him a chance, seeing as he's able to play better than most. By the look of it, he's giving Kaido-kun a run for his money."
More cheers from the year sevens ascended from outside that even Tezuka had to glance up.
"If," Tezuka began. "he beats Inui-kun, I'll give him a shot."
Fuji wondered for a moment. "How unfair. I can't image he'd be too happy about that."
"What does it matter if he's happy?" He retorted.
Fuji sat back and chose not to reply to that harshly spoken question. Though she was used to his mannerisms, he seemed a little more wary for some reason. Tezuka kept his had down. Fuji stared at his spiky hair wave over his forehead and dust his ears. To allow the tension to ease from the air she thought about Tezuka and Echizen… clearly they didn't look the same but she couldn't help but see a similar strength emitting from the baby in the team. It would be denial if Tezuka didn't acknowledge that strength. What was his other reason? He couldn't be playing by the rules, surely? In beating Inui, Echizen would gain access to the preliminaries? Good luck to him.
She waited patiently for Tezuka to finish. The excitement outside kept her mind off his temperament. Once he placed his pen down Fuji asked if she could see the list. He nodded and she took it. It was the usual team. Himself, Sai, Oishi, Inui, Takashi, Momoshiro, Iwara and Kaido. How boring. Nothing new. Hopeful Ryuzaki-sensei would mix it up a bit. It would have been more exciting if he wrote Echizen's name down. She placed the page down and stood up.
"You're happy with those guys?"
"Why shouldn't I be?"
She decided that his behaviour towards her was unjust. She reached over and placed her index finger on his lips. "Tezuka-kun, you don't have to be so formal or serious with me." She moved her finger and stroked his cheek softly. "Please relax around me."
He caught her hand and eased it away from him and onto the desk. When she through he would have let go immediately, he kept a hold of her. This took her by surprised. She tried to tug her hand away. Tezuka held her hand firmly in his.
"Sorry if I sound a little strong. I do worry when I'm with you. I get a… a little tense around you."
She laughed lightly. "There's no reason to worry when with me. I'm only being me." She was happy at his openness. He's never said anything like this before. It pleased her and satisfied her for the day. How could she stop being herself when he was going to surprise her with words like this?
"Don't you like it when I touch you Tezuka-kun?" She asked teasingly.
He refused to reply and now let her hand go. Maybe I went too far, she thought. She went over once more to stand by the window. However much she wanted to watch Kaido and the baby, her mind wondered. Tezuka's fun to tease… more so when he tells me interesting things. Although, was she prepared to tone it down? Where's the fun in that!
They were both startled when Ryuzaki-sensei burst in the room. Even before she told them she faxed the notes off she asked for Tezuka's list. She read it and said the same thing as Fuji.
"You're not going to put Echizen-kun's name down?"
Tezuka blinked. "If he wins." He stood up. "Excuse me."
They watched as he excused himself from the room.
"What did you do to him?" Ryuzaki-sensei boomed.
Fuji shrugged in defence. "Nothing."
With the note in hand Ryuzaki-sensei walked over to her desk and slipped it between her files. She leant against the side of her desk and asked Fuji if she had anything planned for tomorrow's training. Fuji nodded and said she wanted to test Nariko and Jinhana against Kikumaru and Arai. The singles can practise together on basics.
Ryuzaki-sensei dismissed Fuji to further plan her training with Arai. Before Fuji left, Ryuzaki-sensei warned her to be ready for the matches in a few days. Fuji knew not to undermine the worrying feelings from her sensei. Her intuition was normally right. Fuji hurried down to the tennis grounds to fine tune her plans for tomorrow.
...tbc...
A/N2: Another chapter done. Phfew.
Chapter 14: Jinhana POV as she trains with Nariko?
