"I really love you guys!" hugs Akaya and Bunta.
"Really, you do?" Akaya blushed.
"Of course I do. You helped me make this fanfic successful!" Bunta struggled to get out of the bear hug.
"Stop hugging me and stop saying that you love us!" he screeched.
"Why? Is there something wrong about that, Marui-senpai?" Akaya asked.
"It's un-genius-like..." he said.
"Don't you know that there has been a research by intelligent people that three hugs a day keep stress away?" Marui then hugged back.
"Sanada, I mean, Niou dressed as Sanada, say it!"
"K Prime does not own The Prince of Tennis or anyone of us." he paused then shouted, "I'm supposed to be Sanada! TARUNDORU!"
The Rikkai regulars' practice has been stopped and was supposed to be continued after classes.
"Everyone is dismissed!" Yukimura said and the members dissipated and into their respective classes. He eyed the two and they were still exchanging deadly, fierce looks. 'Oh, still at it aren't you?' he thought. Everybody felt the aura emanating from them that started from yesterday.
"Would you look at that?" Niou whistled as Yagyu mentioned the two. Marui was the first one to leave the courts while Kirihara helped undo the nets; he was a first year student after all. Yagyu and Niou waited for Jackal and the others to attend their respective classes.
As usual, Yukimura still smiles as if there's nothing that's bothering him (concerning the fact that his teammates are at each other's throats). Sanada was still the same, barely affected. The most affected of all was Jackal since his doubles partner showed such ferocity at their practice game.
'Does it really have to be like this?' Jackal thought. He remembered when they were still in junior high. The two had been good friends though often times Marui teamed up with Niou to pull a prank on Akaya. He sighed deeply and wished that the war would be over soon.
Sakuno concentrated on her studies for now, pushing away thoughts about what had happened yesterday to the back of her mind. She's doing her best now to study and become a senior high student, but her thoughts still clouded her cognition. Often times, her mind flies to somewhere else, pondering as to why things such as those happen to her.
Also, she kept in mind that she shouldn't and wouldn't come close to the senior high building whatever happens.
However, she knew that one day she'll have to cope with her future problems. 'No worries! It's still not here so I shouldn't fret about it.' She thought. 'Not yet.'
The three demons were deciding to hold practice matches for the regulars and announced who were going to face each other. Yukimura was the one who chose the match up in the said activity and so, Renji approved.
"There will be no doubles practice match today." The doubles teams were a bit disappointed to hear such news. "I will announce the match up today:" Yukimura paused and scanned the crowd for the two who have been in conflict lately. Marui is normal; no signs of agitations and he is chewing his bubblegum as usual. The other was normal too, just paying attention to what his buchou would say. "Kuwahara vs. Niou on court A,"
"Okay." Jackal entered the said court readying himself for the match.
"Geez! I wanted to play doubles!" Niou complained while he was walking toward the court, his racket in hand.
Then, Yukimura announced the next match up, "Yanagi vs. Yagyu on court B,"
'Do I even have a chance of winning?' Yagyu asked himself in his thoughts, after all, its one of the three demons that he will be pitted against.
Renji just walked quietly; there was a small smile on his lips signifying that he was satisfied by his buchou's decision.
"And the last one, Marui vs.….," he waited for Marui's reaction (and for the drum rolls to start). Marui just looked at him while blowing a big bubble. He continued, "Kirihara on court C." Akaya looked fiercer now, after hearing that he will be playing against the person and senpai that pissed him yesterday.
'I hope this will help clear things up.' Yukimura thought. Renji told him the probability that it would be successful and admitted that it is quite discouraging, but he still went on with the plan.
They faced each other, one on each side of the net. Marui held out his hand for a hand shake and the other did accept so. The tension within the court was heavy and their hands clutched the other as if planning to crush it. Then the red haired boy broke the silence, "Don't think that you can win against me, brattling." His gaze still fixed on its target.
"I'm not planning to lose to you without a fight, senpai." Akaya replied and walked to his respective place in the court that signaled the start of the game.
Yukimura watched them play, both exhibiting great skills. "Eh? I never knew that this was a very great plan." He said as Sanada stood beside him. "The desire to overcome each other makes them desperate to use all of their skills, ne Sanada?" he smiled at him. Sanada just continued to watch the game.
Akaya plans to have long rallies while Marui tries to win swiftly. The two sides were even, most of their games were decided by a deuce. No one wanted to lose. Akaya knew that his senpai still holds a grudge against him (About the ball-thingy yesterday) but that is not going to scare him away. 'I'll make you reach your limit with this.' He thought. But while he was lost in his thoughts, Marui performed his Tightrope Walking. Akaya got shocked that he ran as fast as he could to catch the ball before it lands. Marui wore a smile on his lips. But to his surprise, Akaya was able to volley it back to his side over his head.
His smile quickly disappeared as his eyes followed the path of the ball in the air. Akaya fell on the ground, face down. The onlookers gasped, they knew what this meant. The ball landed outside the single's line and whoever was the announcer shouted "Out! Game to Marui, 5 games to 4! Change court!" (Marui was the server of this game. Good thing I play tennis! n_n)
Akaya stood up and walked to the other side of the court, avoiding eye contact with his opponent. His eyes are now blood-shot. He heard his senpai said, "I'll make you pay hard with these skills of mine."
"Ke! Like you can do that to me!" he positioned himself for his serve planning at the same time what to do to make Marui reach his stamina limit.
Outside the court, "Seems like Akaya-kun's going for that strategy." Renji said which astonished Yukimura.
"You finished your match already?" he asked as he followed Renji with his eyes. Then he returned to watching Marui and Kirihara's game, "Seems like both of them are on their own limits." He stated. He has been observing Akaya who's been huffing strongly.
"It's surprising he's putting up a good fight against Marui by hitting deep in to the court which disrupts Marui's play style," Sanada paused, "but Marui doesn't hit it too hard that it is just enough to make it go over the net." Renji nodded. "Marui also alternates his shots, from weak to strong shots to make Akaya run up and down the court." The two were having long rallies and Akaya was able to win his service game.
Now, the score is even at 40-all, and a deuce will decide the game. Marui was about to serve when he fell on his knees, "I'm out… of energy." He huffed. He heard Akaya chuckle but to his surprise, Akaya was down as well. Yukimura smiled and the two were smirking at each other. Yukimura nodded at the announcer and he said, "This game will stop! No game!"
The two pulled themselves together to approach the net and shook their hands. They grinned at each other and exited the courts together. Their teammates were around them and gave them towels. They looked at them as if they're waiting for something.
"What!?" Akaya said irritatedly. Then Niou teased them.
"I guess that both of you will have to show that kind of desire to win in the game of love." The two were drinking water when Niou said it and ended up choking. Both of them coughed and the others laughed.
Niou continued, "Even geniuses don't know what to do when it comes to love;" He looked at Marui who seemed disappointed yet satisfied at the same time. He shifted to Akaya who has his towel over his head and his face covered. "And devils even become soft." Akaya blushed big time. Good thing that the towel covered his face.
"What the heck are you talking about!?" he hollered at Niou who's taking his time laughing.
Niou had a very great plan in his head and he suddenly pointed somewhere random. "Look! It's Sakuno!" Akaya quickly turned his head followed by Marui. Then Niou started laughing out loud and rolling on the ground! He stopped and wiped away the tears of joy. "I really got you there, brat!" Akaya got redder.
"Why you! I'll kill you!" Akaya ran after Niou who had escaped already.
"Love, huh?" Marui mumbled to himself while watching his kohai and Niou run around.
He teased the boy; everybody laughed, and Yukimura was glad that the two were back to normal. Sanada just let the two run around the courts, since Yukimura held him back.
While Niou was running, he shouted a lot of things that made Akaya angrier, one of which was: "Our brattling has a crush on Sakuno-chan!" He knew if he didn't stop running he'll get killed. And so, the dispute between Marui Bunta and Kirihara Akaya was finally resolved.
The day went by slowly and Sakuno stared outside the window as the final bell rang. She sighed and put away her things into her bag and stood up. When she got out of her room, a lot of girls were outside shouting and screaming. She found her friend at the back of the crowd and asked what was going on. Then she spotted something red somewhere in the crowd. After a few struggles, two boys reached her, one with magenta hair and the other with seaweed-like hair. She gasped as she was about to say their names when one of them carried her off and ran as fast as he could away from the crowd followed by the other.
Once they were very far away from the crowd, the boy put her down. She faced them then slightly bowed to hide her face. "W-What is it t-that y-you want, Kirihara-senpai, Marui-senpai?"
"We'll be having a party at Saturday night." Kirihara said as he panted.
"And we're inviting you." Marui said trying not to lose his composure from their hustling earlier ago.
Sakuno blushed and thought, 'Why can't I stop from blushing?' She was thinking if she should come or not. She looked at her senpais and made a note on her mind, 'Kirihara-senpai and Marui-senpai will not accept NO for an answer.' And so, she made up her mind, "Hai… I'm coming along." She said defeated.
"Great! We'll meet here at school at 6, don't forget that!" Kirihara said with his scary face yet he was smiling.
Marui leaned close to her to whisper something which made her blush. Then they left.
'Bring muffins and sweet stuff that you made. I really like your cooking.' And that was what her senpai told her. She walked home, her head down a bit to hide her flushed face. What a day it turned out to be.
Yay! Chapter 5 is out! This one took me a lot of time re-editing! (i'm not that much of a genius, even in tennis)
Preview of next chapter: The song About a Girl by The Academy Is continuously plays in Kirihara's head. Then he sang along,
"I'm not in love. This is not my heart. I'm not gonna' waste these words about a girl."
Tuesday's nearing! Pag-ibig nga naman.