A/N: Meh!
Fine, I'll say something… erm… ergh… Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: If I ruled the world with Takeshi Konomi, then every tennis game would be exactly like Prince of tennis. Eat your heart out, Andy Murrey! (Random/ wished it were true)
Chapter Seventy Nine
Slut? Tramp? They were an interesting choice of words. What it revealed to Fuji was that the girls were talking amongst themselves and coming up with their own conclusion on the matter. Did she now have to explain everything to them too? She wiped her cheek down and avoided the set of eyes that looked to her. The only thing that could make for forget what just happened was to reminded herself of Tezuka's words. That, she could easily do. There was something about the way he said he missed her that made her believe him. But blended in with the sound of his voice, was Fuji desire to see him in the flesh. And so, she pondered over how she could sneak away to German… And what she could say to those on her return. Jinhana's out burst didn't bother her.
The Bunsei school soon began to take note of Fuji. If she was strong enough to dispel Ogata's effects, why wasn't she playing? They saw the state of her left hand and realised her injury was the major factor as to why she was sitting this one out, but they also asked themselves why she was so far away from her team.
Fuji found she didn't have much time to think about his words. When she saw Kikumaru stand up to go down onto the courts, she wanted to watch.
Nariko walked back to the team, a little shaken. Yokoishi was there to greet her. She dropped her hands on Nariko's shoulders and shook her backwards and forwards to wake her up form the mood she was falling into. For the year eight girls it was the first time seeing the cute Jinhana like that. Yokoishi wanted to make sure Nariko was okay.
After Kikumaru stepped down, Arai walked into the courts. Arai was annoyed by Jinhana's performance but she couldn't let that bother her now that she and Kikumaru had to secure a win to be in the games. She at least wanted a point won in doubles so singles didn't have to work so hard. She wasn't going to let Doubles two bother her. She understood what happened in that match and it was an unfortunate pairing. Not even Ryuzaki-sensei could have avoided that. Kikumaru came onto the courts slowly, after her. They lined up in front of their opponents, who were newly formed pair, though not to be taken lightly.
The four bowed in and the games began. Bunsei were to start. Arai reached for Kikumaru's shoulder. She jumped, not expecting the heavy hand. Arai felt the jolt but chose not to mention it.
"Let's see what these two are about before we do anything. I'm not as sharp as you lot but tennis is still tennis. As long we figure out their game we can end this quickly. All right?"
Kikumaru couldn't bring herself to say anything and nodded. Arai didn't like the lack of enthusiasm. She wanted to question it, but left Kikumaru to get on with it. They got in place for their opponents to serve the ball.
Kikumaru glanced Arai from her corner of her eye. What's up with her attitude, she wondered. One minute she's quiet and stepping on eggshells, the next thing she's commanding the team like before…
"Kikumaru-chan!" Arai yelled as the ball shot past her even before she had a chance to move.
"Wow, that was fast." Kikumaru uttered and gripped her racket.
"It's not fast. You can hit that." Arai encouraged her.
Kikumaru heard her but she didn't understand how Arai could be so positive after what she did to Fuji. The ball came at her again, but she wasn't quick enough to return it. The ball lodged itself in the little triangle of her racket. Those watching were both amazed and laughed at the impossible odds that it got stuck in such a place. Kikumaru took the ball out and tossed it towards the ball girl. She could hear her team cheering for her to focus, but she couldn't.
The third serve she was able to return. In a heartbeat, their opponent was up by the net for a serve and volley. Arai lunged forward and lobbed it high. Kikumaru turned to her again. How can she play like that without a care? The Bunsei players smashed it back, but didn't expect Kikumaru score the point with her acrobatic play.
While Arai cheered for the point won, Kikumaru sighed out through her nose. Why should you be happy when she's by herself?
Throughout the match Kikumaru couldn't figure out why the change was so great.
"Come on, not another one." Umeko complained. Even though the score climbed up to 3-0 to Seishun, Umeko could see the togetherness breaking.
"What's wrong now?" Shikawara asked, a little bothered by the team's attitude.
"I agree." Suzu jumped in. "Kikumaru-chan's uncomfortable."
"Why?" Some others asked but none of the year nines knew to answer them.
Fuji shook her head slowly before looking around the arena. Why are you trying to fight my battles Kikumaru? Fuji saw Kikumaru expression changing, and her movements slowed. Fuji didn't know if it was the fact Ryuzaki-sensei wasn't around why the team were doing as they pleased. Had the forceful eyes of the old lady been on the bench, Fuji wondered if the first match would have gone as it did, and she wondered if Kikumaru would have looked so distant. Kikumaru looked up to Fuji and the two caught each other's gaze. Fuji understood what she was going to do. Kikumaru looked back to the courts. It seems that Kikumaru was torn between her loyalties to Fuji and her team. One was out-weighting the other.
As the ball came to her she deliberately missed it. Arai was able to read Kikumaru's movements and moved in place to return the ball and keep it in play. Kikumaru didn't expect this at all. There was no level of guilt on her part at all. Arai was too into the game. She was going on as if she didn't play a part in all of this change. Kikumaru curled her hair behind her eat and shuddered when she heard Arai's voice. She remembered like everyone else, what was revealed to her that day in the changing rooms. Before all that, Fuji had shown her that picture that caused such turmoil in Tezuka's heart. But the fact that it was a team member – someone she was close to her as Fuji was, Kikumaru couldn't go on as if everything would fix itself.
Oishi told her to carry on thought it all and try her best to keep winning until Fuji was ready to speak, but she felt guilty. Kikumaru, like Umeko and Nariko, felt guilty that she was playing with the person who aggravated the situation.
"Kikumaru-chan, it's your serve." Arai said and tossed the ball to her.
Kikumaru was another one who understood Fuji didn't make the situation any better by provoking and encouraging Atobe to always be around her. She was horrified with Fuji confessed that her heart was swaying from Tezuka. Despite that Arai didn't have to go to Tezuka. She should never have done that.
Kikumaru didn't catch the ball.
Tezuka was so mad that day at the boys' tournament, and Fuji was scared that he would find something out before she could fit her mistakes. Kikumaru peered down at her hand, the one that held Fuji's shaken hand. Kikumaru never wanted to see the two of them like that.
She held her head high and called out to Arai with a girl in her eye. "I forfeit this match."
"What!" Arai thought she said something else. When Kikumaru turned to leave the court she understood. "Where are you going!"
Kikumaru kept walking. As soon as she walked out the court the umpire warned her that she two minutes to return to play or the doubles pair would forfeit the match. She didn't care. She played her racket in her bag and sat with the coach.
The Bunsei girls were just as perplexed and even walked towards the net to call Kikumaru back.
"The match hasn't finished Seishun!" They yelled at her.
Arai took a deep breath in and marched over to Kikumaru. "What are you thinking?"
"I can't play anymore."
Arai had to hold back from grabbing Kikumaru by the shoulders. "Why? Tell me why?"
Kikumaru waited a long time before she answered. For a moment she listened to the murmurs and confusion behind her. The umpire called one minute.
"You betrayed me."
"What's the matter with you! Get back on the courts. We can talk about this later."
"No."
Arai looked around. Everyone was waiting. "What do I have to do to get you back on that court?"
"Confess to everyone what you did to Fuji-chan. I know you showed him that picture and I can't believe you would do such a thing."
"Godamnit, Kikumaru-chan! Fine, I'll tell everyone, just come on."
Kikumaru lowered her gaze. "I don't believe you."
"Kikumaru-chan, please… just wait until the end of the day. Come on!"
"I no longer want to play doubles with you. You betrayed me. Look where my best friend is sitting! Until you figure that out, I don't want to play alongside you."
Their coach didn't say anything. She didn't know the girls were like this. Arai dropped her arms to her side and turned to the umpire, waiting for him to call an end to the game. She was starting to realise that things were getting out of hand.
"Seishun Academy's double's one has forfeited the match. Meaning Doubles one goes to Bunsei by default."
One of the Bunsei girls screamed at Kikumaru. "What do you think this is! Some stupid game that you can just walk away from. Some of us have been training hard for his day. If you know you're not going to play, next time, don't bother showing up. Your school is pitiful!" Her partner pulled her away.
Arai couldn't bring herself to say anything and thought about what she was to do here on after. Kikumaru got up to leave and rejoined the group.
"How interesting…" Fuji couldn't believe the rapid demise of her team… could she really fix things before Tezuka came back? Like Arai, Fuji was thinking of a way she could pull things around.
"Kikumaru-chan you crazy person! How could you!" Umeko held her head in horror. She was the first person to forfeit a match.
Kikumaru cut her eye to her. "I'm mad at you too."
"What! What the hell did I do to you?"
"She's your friend so she must have told you everything."
"How many time do I have to tell you lot that I don't know anything! She didn't show me any picture. If she did tell me anything it was that she kissed him! She hasn't-"
When Umeko saw Kikumaru's eye brows lower in confusion, she realised her mistake and suddenly felt a change in the air. But Kikumaru didn't know that Umeko was talking about Arai kissing Tezuka. Kikumaru thought Umeko spoke about Atobe kissing Fuji that day they played Miura. A heavy arm hooked around her neck and pulled her down a step.
"This is why I don't tell you anything." Arai held her tightly.
The girls looked away. Shikawara pushed up her glasses, Suzu looked at the courts, Nariko stared at her nails and Yokoishi held back from giggling as she gathered her things together. They acted like they didn't hear anything but they were playing with the thought. Who kissed who? Did Fuji kiss Atobe or Sai? Stranger still, could Umeko be talking about Arai. Even more mind-boggling then that, who would want to kiss her!
Kikumaru dropped her backs on the bench and sat down in silences.
"Well, aneki will do her very best to not crumble under any inner-conflict. Nope, I will not let such a fate befall me." Really she wanted to win to save herself the full fury of Ryuzaki-sensei's return from training. She wasn't so foolish as to put herself in the same fate as the other four. She wouldn't be the one to lose all hope for the team. Though, if Shikawara lost, there's nothing she could do about that… as long as it wasn't her! The thought of having Inui's juice was more then enough reason to win.
"Hee, hee! Sometimes I forget how amazing I am. I'm amazed by how amazingly, amazing I am." She grinned. She hopped down the stairs and placed her bags beside the stunned coach. "Hi sensei!"
"Is this team always this dramatic? It's a wonder how Ryuzaki-sensei keeps her long hair from falling out."
"No. We're normally more refined. Maybe it is because they have forgotten the wrath of sensei when she realises we fell to the waste side in her absence. But don't worry sensei, I, who is amazing, will ensure an amazing win for the team."
"Please do." Even she realised the backlash she would receive if she had to tell Ryuzaki-sensei that the team lost.
Yokoishi glanced over to her opponent. She took a lighter racket out of her bag and took to the courts.
Her brown-headed opponent, with the sleepy eyes was a strong one. She was one of those who specialised in science. Physics and astrology was her area of interest. Somehow, she was able to induce weightlessness, sickness and asphyxiation.
The latter was scarier. It wasn't often that she used it, but she has been known to tease her opponents with it. Yokoishi merely yawned into her hand. "Big whoop." She whispered. The two shook hands.
"I remember your game with that Miura girl, the one you lost." Her opponent gloated.
Yokoishi laughed. "Oh my, you saw aneki at her worse, senpai." Yokoishi gripped her hand. "Aneki was unprepared. Don't underestimate me this time."
"Likewise."
They got into place. As Yokoishi walked to her corner, she said a few words to herself and called forth a few friends. She was really hoping for a rematch with Aihara, the match she lost against Miura schools, but she had to use her temple guardian's now so that they had a chance to move forward.
Everyone on her level and above felt the heavy force of the three guardians, who were for the duration of the match under her command. Yokoishi wanted to make the match lighthearted and fun, after the two disappointing matches before hers, so she pulled her blue hairband over her eyes.
"Not this again." Suzu worried.
"I think she knows what she's doing." Shikawara said to Suzu.
Yokoishi's opponent didn't know what to make of her covering her eyes, but if she wanted to play blind then she would take full advantage of her mistake.
…tbc…
A/N2: Oh, girls, get it together.
Chapter 80: Singles match.
Thanks for reading
