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Chapter 3
Tensai, tensai, tell me why
You look like the cat who's gotten into the pie
"Regulars! Gather around!" The team crowded around Ryuuzaki-sensei, expecting the usual after-practice talk. "There is an important announcement this week. Inui, please explain."
Everyone turned to Inui. "Seigaku is entering a pair for the mixed doubles event in the Kantou prefectorial tournament this year."
As he had predicted, stunned silence greeted his announcement before a noisy babble broke out.
"Mixed doubles?!"
"The tournament's only two months away! How can they do it on such short notice?"
"...who's playing?"
They looked expectantly at Inui.
"The girls' team have already chosen their representative. After researching not only your playing styles, but also your personalities and experience in playing doubles," here Momoshiro shot Ryoma a surreptitious glance, "I have selected Fuji to enter this event."
The waves of shock at this announcement reverberated around the room, but Fuji's expression never changed.
"But he's second singles, nya!" Eiji protested vehemently, trying to save his best friend from the awful fate of playing doubles with a girl.
Ryuuzaki-sensei cut in. "The mixed doubles is not a team event, so Fuji will still be playing second singles. There's nothing to worry about. I've seen her play, and she plays tennis very well – maybe even better than some of you here."
Snorts of disbelief were heard around the room, unanimously proclaiming that girls could never beat boys, especially not in tennis.
She sighed. Sometimes the regulars could be so juvenile. A string of rapid knocks jolted them all out of their discussions.
Ryuuzaki-sensei smiled. Maybe the new girl would be able to teach them a thing or two... "She's here."
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She stepped gracefully into the room, tennis bag slung casually over one shoulder. Shutting the door behind her, she turned.
Brilliant azure orbs snapped open. "Shyoko?!"
"Fuji!" She couldn't believe what she was seeing. "What are you doing here?"
"I didn't know you played tennis!" His voice was incredulous.
"They obviously don't need any introduction..."
"But the rest of you do, nya!"
Shyoko turned. "Eiji, you're in the tennis club too?"
Ryuuzaki-sensei stepped out amidst the growing confusion. "This is Darika Shyoko. She's going to play mixed doubles, as all of you know by now."
"Hajimemashite, Darika-san!" They chorused.
Before they could get any further, she interrupted, "Call me Shyoko."
"Tezuka Kunimitsu." She shook his hand, feeling rather like she was shaking an iceberg.
"Oishi Syuichiro. Dozo yoroshiku." A boy with black hair stepped forward.
"Kikumaru – "
" – Eiji. Yes, I know."
"Nya! You took away all the fun!" He pouted.
A quiet, retiring guy came in front. Eiji, seeing an opportunity for mischief stuffed a racquet into his hand.
"BURNING BABY KAWAMURA TAKASHI!!! DOZO YOROSHIKU!"
She took a step back. "Uh... pleased to meet you too."
"Inui Sadaharu." His glasses glinted evilly. Another one to torture...
"Kaidoh Kaoru."
A spiky-haired boy offered his hand. "Momoshiro Takeshi."
"Echizen Ryoma." She could hardly see his face, hidden by the white cap.
"So who's my partner?"
She followed their gazes to... Fuji.
"You're my partner?!"
He simply smiled.
"...oh, man!"
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"Oishi and Eiji, practise doubles with Momoshiro and Ryoma."
The latter two looked at each other. "Doubles?!!"
"Kaidoh and Kawamura. Singles. Fuji and Shyoko, follow me." Ryuuzaki-sensei led them to the courts at the far end.
"Today, you two will play a game against each other. Get to know each other's playing style, strengths and weaknesses." She left them staring at one another.
"Me? Play against you?" Shyoko was clearly horrified. Why, just yesterday the regulars had filled her in on Fuji's talents, and the thought that she had to face him was not very comforting.
His usual smile grew a bit wider. "Afraid, Shyoko?"
"Of course not!" She retorted instantly, ignoring the small voice in her brain telling her that her doom was nigh.
"Well then, let's start. You serve." He tossed the ball to her, effectively sealing the match.
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Shyoko got into position, feeling the familiar thrill rush through her.
"Love all. Shyoko to serve."
She tossed the ball high into the air before bringing her racquet down to score an ace.
"Not bad..." Fuji murmured, his smile growing.
They played in long rallies, each probing, testing the other's strengths. He noted that her style seemed to adapt to take advantage of any opportunities she got, both attacking and defending. She was hard to read, he had to admit that much. Her ability to change between a defensive style and more offensive play was one of her talents.
Shyoko, on the other hand, did not analyse the game quite as much as Fuji, relying more on instinct to tell her what to do. Decisions were made the moment before her racquet touched the ball.
"Five games to four. Fuji leads. Change court."
When he first used Tsubame Gaeshi, she was utterly at a loss as to how to return it. But after being on the receiving end of it two more times (and nearly losing a game in the process), she managed to return it to the far end of the court.
It was at forty- fifteen when she fought back, drawing even with him.
"Game point. Fuji to serve."
She hit his serve back with an extraordinary smash. Using the spin he had created with his serve and a flick of her wrist just as the ball came into contact with her racquet strings, the ball sped towards him in a blur of colour. His eyes flew open as the ball suddenly swerved away from him, forcing him to dash to reach it. He barely made it, causing the ball to go over the net in a high lob.
She saw the opportunity, and she pounced.
"Five games all. Change court."
He unleashed Higuma Otoshi.
"Game, set and match to Fuji."
She threw herself down on the bench, taking a long drink of water.
"Good game. You might need to work on your stamina a little, though."
"You weren't playing seriously, Fuji." Her legs felt like lead, and her breath was coming in short gasps. "If I ever had to play you full strength..." She shuddered.
Inui came up to them. "I've drawn up a special menu and training schedule for both of you."
"A menu?!!" This coming from Shyoko, of course. Fuji simply smiled, knowing that his favourite drink, at least, would be on his daily diet now.
"It'll help to strengthen your muscles and build up your body." He looked speculatively at their slight frames. "Maybe I should increase the dose..."
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Shyoko later learned from experience just how unpleasantly nasty Inui's concoctions could be. Her mother had been worried the first time she rushed to the toilet and threw up her dinner into the porcelain bowl, but the next few times soon wore off the novelty.
Upon learning that it was her new diet for the tennis team, her mother shook her head.
"The things kids do these days..."
She finished dinner feeling extremely like a bulimic patient.
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Do review! I'm really, really sorry if I upset any of you by putting her into tennis, but I figured that since tennis plays such a big part in Fuji's life, she'd obviously have to get involved sometime or other... so I said, "What better way than to throw her headlong into it?" (Well, actually not headlong, but you know what I mean). So, yeah, tell me what you think, and I promise to try to improve!