So this is the chapter

that eliminated the confusion of me forgetting about Kawamura Takashi,

by naming the main character Taka.

Actually, from this little part, was I inspired.


Chapter 4: Taka vs. Taka

She stood alone on the courts, engulfed in humiliating thoughts. Now, she felt extremely regretful that she had been too friendly with Fuji Shuusuke.

Why did she do that? It was so stupid of her! He could've just run away to his tennis friends and tell them about it and laugh together.

"Wait, why am I thinking about this? This is just stupid!" she picked up a ball and threw it heavily. From the other side, she heard something like a mewl and saw a person falling down while rubbing his head.

"Taka-sempai?" she whispered, slowly walking toward him. "Taka-sempai.. I'm very sor—"

"Good then, let's have this become a match. " she heard Tezuka shouting from the outside of the court.

'A.. what? A m-m-m-match!?'

"No wait, I'm not ready—"

"Great now! Burrrrrrrrrning!!"

She stuttered, seeing as Fuji threw him a racket. Now he was in the burning mood. That meant only trouble. It meant…

'I won't get rid of it now, unless I die.. '

She and her dark sense of humor.

"Taka, what are you doing?" Tezuka asked with his piercing voice, seeing as the girl was stumbling over her feet, like a scared person trying to flee from the battle.

"Me? Um.. err.. I .. "

"Come on baby! Take me on!" Taka shouted excited, gripping the racket harder.

'Might as well do it'

A ball was thrown at her. Then a second one. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. Thinking that if one powerful hit from Taka-sempai would catch her wrist, than everything would be over and done with.

She beat a ball against the ground and threw it as hard as she could.

"15-0"

Everyone stared in awe. Except for Tezuka, that is, because he didn't show any emotion whatsoever. Never. Taka stared at the ground in front of her sempai. It had a slight hole. It was small, but there it was. It was her point. She did it!

A second serve came. She hit it hard, full of self-confidence from the previous serve.

She did not notice when something flashed right next to her ear. It was fast, it was strong. She could feel it, even though she would never be able to see it. The wind passing by her indifferently, made her realize that.

Taka wanted to keep her service.

"15 all"

Another serve, stronger than the previous ones. But in vain, it didn't work. The flash passed by her again. She felt her legs numb and her hands twitching with fear.

"15-30"

And another one.

And one more.

That's when she realized that she was never the strongest one as she thought. As her friends said to her. There were even stronger people, that didn't need to fight to be strong. Taka sempai was one of them. Through tennis he was a monster. He was powerful and strong.

She felt embarrassed. Embarrassed by the fact that she was too cocky for her own good.

What power? What tennis? What was she? Why was she like that?

She was weak and tennis itself was demonstrating this to her, right now.

"1-6. Set and match won by Kawamura."

She fell exhausted onto the ground, the ball sliding across her knees. Her eyes stared into the green little thing as if she was ready to burn holes into it. Thoughts engulfed her into a sea of guiltiness and embarrassment.

Late did she notice a hand stretched out before her. She looked up seeing Fuji Shuusuke with his usual smile plastered on his face.

How could he always smile?

She slowly grabbed his hand and stood up.

"Don't worry. You did pretty well up there. " he smiled, pointing to the court. She turned her head in his direction and her eyes widened. Holes were everywhere, spread onto the ground. But only in Kawamura's side.

"See? You're now a potential power player."

'Me? Power player.. ? So it wasn't all in vain… ? My power… ' she looked at her rusty, hurt hands.

"You should go to the doctor. "

"Ah, y-yes. " she nodded dumb folded as she stumbled out of the court. Passing by Tezuka, she was stopped by his emotionless words.

"I hope you know understand that vanity and cockiness have nothing to do with tennis." He said, without looked at her.

She looked down into the ground, and without a word, she started to run away from the courts.

Of course, what he said was true. But enough of it already, inside of her, a painful battle was taking place.