Yeah! Finally - the Hyoutei match!
Chapter 13
Tensai, tensai, tell me why
When you're with her you can touch the sky
Today's the big day...
Shyoko jumped out of bed, greeted her mother with a cheery smile and bolted down her breakfast at such an alarming speed that her mother was quite sure she'd get indigestion, before bouncing out of the door with all the nervous energy of a wound-up spring.
Actually, she didn't.
The first thing she did when she woke up was to yawn sleepily, noting through heavy-lidded eyes that she was an hour early. After a nice warm shower, she ate her breakfast leisurely, exhibiting none of the signs of nervousness she had displayed on the morning of the previous match, so much so until her mother was almost fooled into thinking it was a normal school day. Only when she took her tennis bag did her mother realise that today was the day.
She seems remarkably relaxed about the match she was agonising about two days ago...
"Bye, mum!"
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Shyoko was humming softly, enjoying the cool morning breeze when two familiar voices interrupted her contemplation of the morning air.
"Nya, Fujiko! Matte!"
"Ah, gomen ne."
As she rounded the corner, Eiji and Fuji came into her field of vision, both chatting animatedly. At the sight of the honey-haired tensai, a deep blush instantly overspread her cheeks.
"O-ohayou..."
Fuji was a shade pinker than usual, but he greeted her with his trademark smile.
"Are you ready?"
She nodded vigorously, her eyes twinkling in merriment as she remembered her secret weapon.
"Saa, let's go!"
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"Best of one set match, Seigaku's Darika Shyoko to serve!"
From across the court, he saw Oshitari smirk, and his own lips quirked up in response.
You don't know what's waiting for you...
Shyoko served, and the match was on.
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"Four games to love, Oshitari – Tamari leads! Change court!"
"N-nani? Fuji-sempai and Shyoko-sempai are losing?!"
Inui pushed up his glasses, a distraught Momoshiro next to him. There was something wrong with this scenario. He looked at the pair on the court, seemingly unconcerned about the huge lead their opponents had.
What are they trying to do?
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"Maa, Shyoko, give them one more game."
She looked at Fuji. "Isn't that pushing it a bit too far? I mean, what if we lose the last game?"
He chuckled. "We won't, don't worry."
"Are you sure?" She asked quizzically.
"Very." With an affirmative nod, he walked back onto the courts, Shyoko following behind.
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The ball bounced off the court, Shyoko's racquet missing it by mere centimetres.
"Love-forty!"
Her expression was a mixture of despair and frustration; indeed, she looked quite ready to tear her hair out.
"You're getting pretty good at it," Fuji complimented her. "Just don't overdo it, though."
The next ball he returned was exactly two millimetres out.
"Five games to love, Oshitari – Tamari leads! Change court!"
Fuji turned to look at Shyoko. "Are you ready?"
She smiled deviously. "Bring it on!"
His lips curved ever so slightly as he settled into position.
It's showtime.
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He returned the oncoming ball with just enough force, causing the ball to blip at the net – onto the opponent's side.
"A cord ball?!"
Tamari rushed forward, her racquet just managing to reach the ball before it touched the ground.
Not bad... but this is one game you can't win.
A beautiful lob sailed through the air to their side. Shyoko smiled, silently admiring Fuji's ability to manipulate the game so deftly. She jumped into the air, not unlike a tigress poised to strike. And as the ball came, her racquet met it full force. It took only a moment's work to add the necessary spin before she sent it flying back to the other side.
Oshitari was there, waiting with a smirk on his lips. He looked confident – after all, he already knew the outcome. What could go wrong?
Many things, it seemed.
The only sound was the slight rustling of leaves and the soft thud of the ball as it landed in the bushes a good distance away. There was utter silence for a moment before stunned whispers broke out in the crowd.
"W-what happened?"
"She sealed Higuma Otoshi?!"
"Masaka...!"
There was chaos on and off the court before the referee finally recovered his wits enough to call.
"Fifteen-love!"
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"Game, set and match to Seigaku!"
"They didn't drop a single point?! Are you serious?"
"I can't believe it! Seigaku crushed us!"
The Seigaku supporters cheered themselves hoarse as the Hyoutei students looked on in pure disbelief.
Shyoko turned to Fuji. "We won!" She sounded as if she couldn't quite believe it herself.
"Yes, we won." He laughingly agreed, before catching her up and whirling her around in a sudden display of elation. When he stopped to catch his breath, he realised that their faces were only inches away from one another, with nothing but air to separate them. Fuji stared at Shyoko for a long moment before he registered what was happening.
"Ah, gomen..." He put her down and backed up automatically, a light blush staining his cheeks.
There was a slight pause as Shyoko finally found her voice. "Daijoubu..."
He smiled at her adorably flushed face, before holding out his hand to her.
"Shall we go?"
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That night, Fuji reflected that Shyoko's hand was very soft, and he really wouldn't mind holding it again. Of course, there was always the danger that he might not want to let go the next time.
And there would be a next time. He'd make sure of it.
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So how was it? Review, ne?