Chapter Three – Friend or Enemy?

Fuji had once confined in me, in one of my last visits to our tennis court, that he often been faced with the dilemma of winning a match and winning his opponents good opinion. He dreaded having to play his brother Yuuta in an official match, because he knew not what to sacrifice, the match, or his brother.

Having no over competitive siblings, I hadn't quite understood what he meant, but I had begun to realize a fraction of what he felt during the tournament.

It was a competition for tennis players from all of Japan. Having won the girls' tournament with absurd ease, the rules had been bent and for once I was allowed to play in the males' championship.

I had felt a twinge of unease as I faced Tezuka, for I still bore great respect for him, and all that he had done for Seigaku. And it just didn't seem fair to him, with his just healed arm and all.

I had also been reluctant to beat Akaya, who had helped me a lot during my three years at Rikkadai High, and was actually a very amiable guy once he was off the tennis courts and with people he held a shred of respect for.

The same with Atobe, who had become something that resembled a friend to me, through Yuushi. Having had him in my class for a couple of years definitely added to that feeling.

Only when I'd faced Yuushi himself had I felt nothing of the sort. My tensai opponent had his eyes fixed on victory and victory alone, as I had. Any slack on my part would have resulted him my being defeated. Neither of us had held back, both understanding the others intentions.

But those pesky emotions returned with full force in the finals. I almost didn't want to step out into the court and face that last match. He stood there on the opposite side of the net, smiling as always.

He hadn't changed much, and I could fully predict the Disappearing Serve he used in the first game.

Nor had my memory changed. For a split second, just when the ball hits the court, I will be able to see it.

And I did. My racket smashed into the little yellow streak, making the ball visible to all for another fraction of a second. And now, his left corner near the net will be unguarded. I flung the racket forwards.

"15-love!" The crowd gasped. They knew as well as I did that Fuji's legendary serve had not been countered for all of the past three years. Of course, the normal rules didn't really apply for the person who technically thought up the serve for him, but the crowd wasn't expected to know this. Evidently he hadn't imagined such a scenario either, for his eyes grew wide with shock as they had three years back when I'd used his Tsubame Gaeshi.

I'm sorry, Fuji. But if you know me as well as I think you do, you will understand that I must win.

And win I did as the game progressed, allowing myself no time or space for hesitation. As I said before, I knew his weaknesses, and his greatest one was perhaps his tendency to let his feelings slow him down.

"3-4, advantage to Misaki. Change courts!"

"You've improved much." He stopped as he passed me while walking to the opposite court.

"So have you." I struggled to remain indifferent, and strode right on. Any more conversation and my resolution would be in danger of wavering.

He knew exactly where my new Boomerang Serve would go, and was in position when the ball turned around in mid-flight, twisting back towards my court before hitting the ground and bouncing back to my side of the net.

As the spectators looked on, wondering how we seemed to read each other's minds, I rushed forwards.

I struck the ball. It flew right at him. He raised his racket, but before he could swing it down, the streak of yellow lightning suddenly made a sharp turn to the left, passing between his arm and body to hit the court a few feet behind him and roll off.

Being guarded against Fuji had been hard at first, me not having broken my habit of letting him see whatever new moves I was developing. But I had been careful not to use my Angular Snake in this way before, anxious to hide it until it was time for the two of us to fight it out. I looked away, not at all inclined to see the surprise mingled with a little hurt on Fuji's face. But as he should have ceased to trust me the way I'd once trusted him, he had no reason to expect that I would be as open to him as before. Not, at least, in terms of tennis.

Boomerang Serve. Return. Strike back. The ball flashed back and forth across the net, so fast that it was blurred.

"Ugh!" Yet another return. Fuji's hit had been so heavy; I'd actually slid back a few inches when countering it. Wash, rinse, repeat...

Rackets swung again and again as shouts and grunts echoed in the court. Even his features seemed fuzzy, such was our speed. I couldn't see it there, not very clearly, but I knew his smile had never once faded.

Match point.

"Ugh!" He had gotten stronger, but so had I. There were a few moves hed never seen before, but then there were some that were new to me too.

"Ugh!" I only just returned his last shot. He was a tensai, and who better to give a prodigy trouble than another of the same sort? We were equals, in so many aspects, except...

"Ah!" My last swing threw my whole body back. I'd saved the best--or worse, however you saw it--for last.

With this point, I'll finally live up to the hopes of girls everywhere for me.

With this point, I'll win.

I waited for my special move to take effect. Waited for the ball to bounce up and hit Fuji's hand, dislodging his racket.

Is this really the sort of victory you want? There wasn't much time for me to decide on this, but before I had come up with a conclusion, the ball made contact.

When I saw Fuji's look of confusion and shock, I finally found my answer.

No.

But it was too late to take the shot back. His racket clattered to a stop a few feet behind him.

"Misaki wins, 6-5!"

Cheers erupted, but I wasn't paying attention. I will never use that move again.