Chapter Three: Still Standing
Taro: U-.- She wasn't yesterday...
"Hey, look, that freshman's got a Mizuno racket, Pro Light S90!" a student exclaimed.
"That's right. Check it out," Kin winked.
"Who'd you steal that from?" a junior approached her, grabbing the racket from her hands.
"I didn't steal that from anyone! I swear!" she stuttered, alarmed, "I-I just borrowed it, that's all."
"Well, that person won't mind if I borrow it for a while, eh?" he smirked, playing with the strings. "Itai!" A ball collided with the back of his head and he turned around sharply to see Hiroki.
"Oi, Doumoto-kun, with that intimidating personality, it's no wonder you can't get a girlfriend," Hiroki joked.
"You..." he muttered, annoyed, and glared at Kin. She stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry. "Why, the nerves of her..." He picked her up by her shirt, his fist just above her face.
"Doumoto..." Hiroki warned, throwing a tennis ball up and down.
"Humph." He released her, slammed the racket to her chest, and walked to the other side of the court, still simmering in irritation.
"Arigatou gozaimasu," she smiled at him, bowing slightly.
"No problem. Just watch out for him, okay? It's not smart to have him as an enemy," Hiroki said. 'He's so cool...' she thought, staring up at him in reverence.
Inner Taro: Oh, no! She's fallen for a senior and I've been swept aside like trash... T.T How could you, Kin-chan?
"Daijoubu, Taro-chan?" she blinked when she realized that he was sniffing, his arm wiping his face.
"I'm okay," he said courageously, hiding the swelling tears.
"You melodramatic person..." Kin sighed and slapped the back of his head.
"Itai!" he cried.
"That's more like it," she raised her head and marched to the other side of the court.
"Looks like there're a few new freshmen this year, eh? All right, listen up, everybody!" a junior called for attention, smacking the racket against his palm. "My name is Michiru Fukushi, and I'm the captain, last year and this year. Eh eh, if you want to challenge me, that's for later. Now, hem hem," he cleared his throat, "It is our year, Ginka's year to rise up above all others to win this year's national- Itai! Hiroki, what was that for?" He rubbed his head from Hiroki's attack.
"I think you're a little ahead of yourself, Fukushi-san," Hiroki snorted.
"Listen up, everybody. Practice will be held at lunch everyday as well as Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Next next Tuesday, we will hold a tournament to decide who's going to become regulars," he explained, everyone listening intently.
"Hey! I'm the president here, Hiroki! Let me finish. As I was saying-"
"What's a regular?" a freshman raised his hand and asked. Kin cringed when she realized that freshman was no one other than the oblivious Taro.
"Taro-chan?" she whispered.
"Hmm?" he turned, completely ignorant.
"Shh. Never ever ask a sophomore or junior anything for the rest of your life, okay?" she hinted, her eyes glaring dangerously.
"Ano, okay," he blinked. 'God, how slow can this guy be?'
"We should kick him out of the club," a guy suggested.
"Ah, well, he looks like he can handle picking up a few balls at least," Hiroki defended, and Kin returned to stargazing him.
"Yosh! Everyone take three balls with you and scatter!" Hiroki called.
"Come on, Taro," Kin smiled and grabbed three balls.
"Mate," he called and ran behind her.
"Oi, Taro-chan?"
"Since there's no practice tomorrow afternoon, you want to go run with me? You know, track and field?" she asked, smiling cheerfully.
"Demo, I have to study for a science test," he blinked hesitantly.
"Oh, please, that's not until Friday. Besides, it won't take that long," she rebutted.
"Okay, sure," he shrugged. 'So, how do I do this?' She looked at the ball and then at the racket. She remembered all those times she watched Tezuka kick everybody's ass (with his right hand too) as she would stare affectionately, cheering him on. Of course, it's not like he actually noticed.
"Try an underhand serve," Hiroki suggested.
"Ano, right," she agreed. She dropped the ball and swung her racket, but to her chagrin, it landed on the net and her racket fell from her grasp. "Oops."
"That's okay. Here," he picked up the racket, "This is a bit heavy for you. Use mine."
"Arigatou," she smiled, taking the handle. She dropped the ball and hit it again, and it went over and hit the centerline.
"Keep your feet at the width of your shoulders. Bend your knees."
"Hai."
"Hold the racket at the end and at waist level directly in front of you. It gives you more power."
"H-hai."
"Now move your shoulders to the right and prepare to hit the ball."
"Ready."
"Continue the swing and make contact with the ball so the racket is almost in front of your body."
"Okay."
"Now the racket should be just above your shoulders, pointing to the sky and your intended direction."
"Hai. Let's try again." She dropped the ball and waited for the right moment to follow through. She smacked the ball right in the sweet spot and became a perfect shot to the center of the court.
"Nice, but don't bend your wrist like that. For the most part, use your shoulder strength."
"Arigatou gozaimasu, Hiroki-senpai," she smiled, "Demo..."
"What is it?" he asked.
"I'm left-handed," she said nervously.
He blinked and said, "Why didn't you say so? Let's see it."
"Yosh." She inhaled and exhaled sharply. She remembered Tezuka's perfect, out-of-the-textbook form: bent knees, clean follow-through, and relaxed shoulders. 'Don't forget that constantly austere face either.' She dropped the ball and hit it towards the other side.
"Good form. You'll do fine," he smiled.
"Arigatou. I'm really grateful," she smiled.
"No problem. Why don't you and Taro go over to that wall and hit some forehands?" he suggested.
"Come on, Taro, we've got to show everyone what we're made of," she dragged him over the wall and started hitting. 'This is a piece of cake. Under Hiroki's tutelage, I can shine!'
It took Taro a few tries, but he was actually getting it. Pity that he spent most of his time fetching balls. Still, it was becoming really natural for Kin.
"19." She took a step back and to the left.
"20." A step forward and to the right.
"21. Eh, this is boring." She caught the ball with her right fist, throwing it against the wall. It returned with more force, and she hit it smoothly, but it landed on her shoe and she was a little irritated.
"Let's experiment," she pursed her lips. She hit it easily with her left arm and then switched to her right arm. After her fourth try, she didn't switch fast enough and she missed the ball. 'Chikusho. Hmm.' She tried again, only with more distance between her and the wall with slower, steadier strokes.
"Hey, look, that freshman is using Nitouryuu," a player exclaimed, pointing at her. She smiled, gaining confidence with an audience.
"That's easy with only forehand. I can do that," another person boasted.
"Then let's see it," the voice replied flatly.
"Hehe, well, it'd be more impressive with backhand," the man responded hesitantly. 'Backhand? Let's try it.'
---Meanwhile---
"What do you want, hitting my head with that ball?" a junior glared down at Taro, who cowered in fear.
"Gomenasai. P-please forgive me," he bowed low, hoping to avoid a conflict.
"Heh, you think you can get away with a simple sorry?" He lifted him up by the collar and he was thrashing wildly in fear.
"Somebody help! I don't want to die!" he shouted, squirming, "Kin-chan!"
"What a coward. Calling for help, are you?" he grumbled, staring straight at him, making him fall utterly silent.
Inner Taro: O.OU Don't kill me! SAVE ME, KIN-CHAN!
---Five Hours Later---
She panted heavily, sweat rolling down the side of her face. Even after three straight matches with other freshmen, she was still standing.
"My serve rate needs work," she groaned, slapping her forehead.
"You mean it's 0?" Taro corrected.
"You be quiet. You try overhand. You won't be able to get one either," she crossed her arms stubbornly.
"Okay. So you go like this, right?" He tossed it in the air and hit it up. It went over the net slowly and bounced on the baseline.
Kin's jaw dropped to the ground. "That's not fair!"
"Kin-chan, tilt your racket up when it meets the ball. That way it goes higher although it doesn't have as much power," Taro suggested.
"Don't you go bossing me around just because you served overhand once because of sheer luck!" she growled, annoyed.
"Kin-chan-"
"Actually, that won't be necessary. Watch this." She tossed the ball high- way too high- and accidentally a bit to the right. 'Aw well, it doesn't matter.' She jumped to her right and smashed it down, but fate wasn't that kind. Her racket accidentally slipped from the impact and tilted it to the left. She fell down, landing on her butt and her racket smashed on top of her head.
"Look, Kin-chan!" Taro pointed, amazed. To her astonishment, the ball spun fast on the net, as if willing to break the net to pass. The next second, it crossed above the net and landed softly without even a bounce.
"S-sugoi..." Taro collapsed to his knees, "Well, too bad it's a fault."
"Arrgh..."
"Oi, you freshmen! The club's about to close! Since you guys are the last ones here, I'll leave all the ball-picking to you, okay? There's exactly 365 balls, and if you don't find all of them, you'll have to face Doumoto's wrath tomorrow, got it?" the junior waved and disappeared into the changing room.
"B-ball-picking?" Kin repeated, her eyebrows twitching. She glanced around. There must have been hundreds and hundreds of balls everywhere. On the ground, in the forest, behind the wall, even on the roof...
"We're going... to be here... all night," Taro gulped, completely discouraged.
"So, Taro-chan, thinking of skipping class tomorrow?" Kin smiled, gulping at the thought of Doumoto beating her up.
Well, hope you enjoyed it. Review if you feel like it and don't bother if you don't. Flames are welcome as long as they have concrit. (I'll do my best to update everyday, but I'm probably going to drop interest after a week.)
Just to make sure: Taro-chan is obviously not the same 42-year-old coach of Hyotei Gakuen, to spare any confusion...
So, anyone else want to be my beta? I could always use concrit.