Pairings: Supposedly EchizenxTezuka... hahaha... (Ironically, I actually hate that yaoi pairing...)
Chapter 17: Harm in Dreaming
Inner Taro: What are you talking about? Everyone dreams. Some of them may be incoherently... random (pink sheep with laser guns), while others are just planning the schedule for tomorrow (Tezuka), and others are fairly disturbing (whacking your math teacher). Still, there is no harm in it, unless something alarming becomes reality.
---The Day Before---
Michiru Fukushi had a bit of natural talent, given, but when it came down to it, he was just plain lazy. For him, tennis was just a leisurely activity where he could have fun bossing around clueless lackeys. Even though he had the potential to do well in St. Rudolph, for example, he wouldn't for two reasons: he did not want to waste that much time under an annoying boss, two, he actually had to fill out a transfer form and transfer (very troublesome, if you think about it. Plus, it never occurred to his skinny head that he could transfer between grade levels.) So, of course, the logical thing to do was stay at the head of Ginka's tennis team. When you have a laid-back captain like that, you could only guess how the attitude spreads, right? Of course, he was also a rather lucky guy. Teachers and students all seemed to like him in a way he wouldn't ever guess or care, but his main luck lay in...
Tezuka Kin.
She changed everything, not in all the good ways, either. '-beep- her!' That little swaggering rascal changed the tennis team from his lovely sandbox to a Nazis training camp. Of course, he had seen it coming the first time he saw her, but it was just too troublesome to do anything about it. She took charge, treading over their asses daily. Even though half of the tennis team worshiped her like God reincarnated, the other half couldn't help but pray to the Devil for a bloody death. (Thank goodness they weren't Catholic either or the priests would all get heart attacks.)
Still, even Fukushi had his humanity. A tiny corner of his mind would never forgive taking away his easy life and leadership. Another corner was simmering in envy for her natural charisma and talent (which was repelled by her inherent arrogance and obliviousness.)
Now that she was gone for a day (for a reason she refused to admit) in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Fukushi fully intended to make the most of it by cracking his whip like he had never done before. Of course, not like he had a choice...
Everyone who loses their match has to run 100 laps. Fukushi? If Ginka loses, you are running 200 laps. Anyone who refuses to do so will be expelled from the club. No excuses. By the way, buchou, no pressure.
Her smug smirk and that touch of superiority... Ginka's was hers and she knew it, even if everyone called him captain. Unwillingly but too lazy to do anything about it, Fukushi became her puppet. He wanted to smack her.
However, a part of him didn't want to fail her and obviously none of the other regulars either. Her blunt disappointment, ironically, cut through the pride of each of them more than anything else. The way she would shake her head with her eyes full of disappointment did a lot more lasting psychological damage than a hundred or even a thousand laps. How had she done that to him? It was so not-Michiru-like.
That was why Fukushi simply could not let her down at the risk of his life.
Okay, so maybe Taro hadn't told the exact truth. Sure, they were winning two to one, but they weren't actually doing so great... except in utterly pissing off their opponents to –beep-.
Although lazy, Fukushi was resourceful. Since Itsuki was an expert at instigating Tashiro, and Tashiro was a connoisseur at provoking his opponent, it made sense to put them together in his crazy logic. He had a strategy for those two: at first bicker like husband and wife to drive the opponents into a fake sense of security, and if things looked hopeless (which they almost always did) then provoke their nemesis into using very corporeal violence and thus winning automatic points and eventually disqualification. Amazingly, it worked. For some reason, Tashiro exhibited signs of tennis phobia, but Fukushi was sure it would pass... eventually. At least he saved them from running laps.
Doumoto had one advantage: power, and he made the most of it by smashing a ball so hard that he broke his opponent's wrist. (However, Fukushi suspected that Houjyou was lying; the guy was just scared out of his wits of Doumoto's wrath that he wet his pants.) Suzuki was so fast that he managed to get hit by every ball, and thus the umpire was so scared that he thought his enemy was trying to commit murder, so he disqualified Houjyou and Ginka won. Of course, Suzuki was covered in bruises and black eyes, but it was mercy compared to what Kin would do to him when he didn't finish his laps. (He still had endurance issues, see.)
Hiroki and Kiyoshi were the only ones that actually played a real match, and they had done well, but neither of them listened to Fukushi's inane strategy of swallowing their pride, crying like girly girls and begging their adversaries to go easy on them. Oh well, Fukushi felt no sympathy for them. He had concocted a perfect stratagem, but they insisted on shunning him, so they'd just have to run their laps tomorrow.
The fact that Michiru had managed to turn these losers into winners meant that he must be some kind of undiscovered tensai. There was no other explanation.
Of course, Taro watched the entire thing with a sinking feeling in his stomach, but he also decided (with some blackmail) that it was better if Kin didn't know the details.
They went out together for dinner (Fukushi wasn't paying the bill, for sure) as they laughed at the irony of the world.
"You should have seen the look on the umpire's face when I threatened to kill him if he didn't make us win."
"Doumoto, psst. The other team's captain is right there. Let's hum and pretend he didn't hear us, neh?"
"So, guys, you know the real reason Kin's coaching us losers?"
"What? For a chance to flirt with us amazingly good-looking guys?"
"No, she told me about her dream to defeat her older brother, Tezuka Kunimitsu."
Silence.
"Oh, for a moment I thought you meant Seigaku's captain."
"I did..."
"That's not fair! Why didn't I inherit genes like that?"
"Her, defeat Tezuka?"
"What is she going to do? Cry 'aniki, go easy on it! Please!' and threaten laps if he wins?"
Delirious laughter erupted from everyone except for Hiroki and Taro.
"You never know. It just might happen."
"And Ginka just won Nationals."
More chuckling and even Hiroki joined in. Taro felt his insides burn.
"The guy's probably is going to become a pro. It's like a toddler dreaming of beating Doumoto."
"Poor Tezuka Kunimitsu. I would be ashamed if I had someone like her as a little sister. It's no wonder she's at the loser public school Ginka rather than that filthy talented private school, Seishun Gakuen."
It was obvious that they were releasing their constrained envy and rancor of having a bossy, female freshman order them around. According to the conversation, she should be calling them all 'sama' and fetching balls. It may be playful banter to the regulars, but Taro was shocked, mortified and above all, absolutely livid.
"How dare you say these things about her?!"
The laughter ceased. Taro felt every eye in the restaurant on him.
"Look at what she's done for you all! She's spent hours and hours of each time devoted towards each of you and this is how you repay her? Do you think she wants to be stuck along with you losers as well? Look at the obvious neglect and favoritism by her parents. Why don't you trade places with her? Her life has never been easy. She's always been overshadowed by her brother in everything she does, no matter how hard she tries! Do none of you see the purple bags under her eyes every morning? Did any of you realize that she wears four weights everyday, even when she's doing the same amount of running and training as you? While you all are whining and concocting excuses, she does triple your daily training regimes! Are all of you such fools that you can't see how desperately hard she's trying?"
Even though Taro hadn't noticed earlier, he was wiping tears of frustration from his eyes.
"Can't you see how distant she feels? The burden she carries in her heart? The pressure and responsibility weighed on her shoulders to be just as good so she can proudly wear the name Tezuka? Unlike her older brother, Kin is no tensai. She's not gorgeous, tall, smart, leadership-material or naturally fated with the perfect opportunities. Every step of the way, she's fought. Hard. I know, because I've been along with her every single day since kindergarten. Right now, more than ever, she needs support from her friends. You're awfully shitty excuses for friends, insulting her behind her back like this. The difference between you guys and her is like heaven and hell. The reason she's been able to beat you all to a pulp is because she works harder than anyone else I know. And here you are, not giving an ounce of effort other than what she squeezes out of your lazy asses. You guys don't even deserve to know her."
Absolute silence. Pop. A bubble rose in Kiyoshi's soda.
"At the very least, Kin has a dream. True, by all odds, it's hopeless, impossible and a pointless waste of time, judging by the chances. Still, she's trying her hardest, and that's a hell lot more than what any of you are doing."
Someone whistled.
"Hey, Taro-chan, ever considered being a poet?"
Although the words were meant as a joke, the dark atmosphere didn't lift. Guilt gnawed at the inside of every single regular as each sentence rang true. They looked away, not willing to accept the changes they needed to make. Finally, after Taro collapsed into his seat, flushing by his explosion, someone managed to break the silence.
"Well, I guess there's no harm in dreaming. Like Taro-chan was so kind to point out, it's a lot more than what we're doing, neh?"
Uneasy smiles returned.
"Well, tell us that we wish her luck, okay? Because she's going to need all the luck in the world and more..."
In messy unison, everyone raised their Ponta cans.
"To Tezuka Kin, the poor unappreciated girl destined to prove the world wrong."
"To Tezuka Kin, the kid who dreams big and trains bigger."
"To Tezuka Kin, our fukubuchou and the heart of Ginka."
Loud cheering, crashes of soda cans, and suddenly a miraculously large bill was left for Doumoto…
---The Following Day---
"You can't be serious! Twist Spin Shot destroys an undeveloped skeletal frame?" Kin gawked at Yuuta.
"That's what aniki told me."
"That Mizuki... I swear, I will rip the guts out of him," Kin fumed internally, steam practically blowing from her ears.
"That's okay. Aniki's avenged me already. Like you said, things have a tendency to come out all right, neh?" Yuuta smiled and Kin melted.
"You sure you don't want me to slap him again?" she smiled weakly.
"That's okay. Save it for another day," Yuuta humored with a surprisingly genuine smile. There was something about Kin that made him feel... he didn't know, carefree? Like a little kid, almost...
"So I'm guessing you made up with your brother?"
"You noticed?" he blushed slightly.
"Well, considering St. Rudolph lost, that's the only explanation for your good mood," Kin analyzed.
"I guess you know me after all," Yuuta chuckled.
"So I'm guessing my relentless training helped?"
"Are you kidding me? I would have died under Echizen without your help. Still, like you said, he's the type of opponent who evolves during a match. What an annoying kid," Yuuta mused. "Hey, at least Ginka made it to semifinals, huh?"
"Yup, I guess miracles do happen after all," Kin laughed, although her hopeful tone was insinuating more.
"Good luck against Seishun Gakuen," he smiled.
She chuckled, replying, "We're going to need more than luck to defeat them. It's simply amazing to think how far we've gotten. Doesn't it feel so unreal? To actually be on the same page as our older brothers? I don't know, it just never occurred to me that I would actually be facing my brother on equal footing."
"Isn't that the point?" Yuuta frowned. "To defeat them on equal footing?"
"Well, yeah, but-" She couldn't find the words. She knew that Ginka didn't stand a chance against Seigaku any more likely than pigs could fly. Even if every single person in Ginka gave more than their best, it could not compare to Seigaku's worst. They were setting up the regulars for utter humiliation.
Itsuki and Tashiro would simply bicker. Kiyoshi and Hiroki wouldn't be able to get past Kikumaru's acrobatics. Her against Fuji, the tensai with unlimited potential who had never lost a game? Inconceivable. Fukushi against onii-chan? He wouldn't be able to score a point, and worse, deep down, Fukushi didn't care. However, this also made him psychologically immune- Fukushi didn't care if he was winning or not. He simply played to have a good time. He would never get discouraged (or excited, either.) He would follow Kin's strategy and let his reflexes decide the rest. He was just so laid-back that he was driving her crazy.
"Don't worry about it, Kin-chan," Yuuta placed a hand on her shoulder. "Things have a tendency of turning out all right." He waved a finger. "Remember, Kin-chan, you're not alone. I'll help you beat Echizen."
She pouted, saying, "I hate it when people quote me. When did we switch places? So, a game, how about it? Mizuki and you can tell me all about that brat's weaknesses," she pulled him along, her tennis racket swishing slightly.
"You're envious," Yuuta noted.
"You be quiet or else I'm going to add laps."
Yuuta was about to chuckle when he realized that the side of her leg was covered in purple blotches and band-aids.
"How did that happen?" he frowned, pointing to her leg.
"Oh, I fell. It's nothing," she replied hastily, shielding it from sight. Yuuta knew she was hiding something, but he knew she wouldn't say anything even if he kept pestering her.
---Later That Day---
The green foliage filtered the bright sunlight. The woods around her was strangely quiet as she ran past in a blur, her sneakers crashing on the gravel with each step. Her breath fervent and her muscles burning, the heavy weights around her wrists and ankles dragging down her every step. Still, it's worth it, she persuaded herself. 'It'll all be a bargain when I see the crush of defeat on onii-chan's face.'
Like Emerson advised, Nature offered guidance, and it provided Kin with a solace she didn't find anywhere else. She often took Ginka's tennis team on a run once in a while, but all they'd end up doing is complain their heads off. What a waste of oxygen.
She paused for breath as the outline of Ginka's building appeared into view. Heading towards the tennis courts, she took a brisk pace.
Image training. Focus on image training.
Each of Ginka's members stood on Seigaku's heads as they claimed the victory. Kin's foot firmly placed on Echizen's cocky head as he muttered 'Mada Mada-' Ginka would take the Prefectural trophy, yes... Tezuka would be smacked in his rear as he let down his guard, underestimating Kin's mad tennis skills.
Then the image blurred and collapsed. She couldn't do it. Maybe she should just confess to everything that she's a girl and get them all disqualified. Then maybe the girls' team would even shun her.
Inner Kin: You've gotten this far, Kin. You're actually against your brother for the first time in your life and you're backing off? Coward.
'But it's hopeless...'
Inner Kin: That's exactly how losers think, more specifically, everyone in Ginka. You don't want to be lumped with that group of losers, neh?
'It's too late for that. We've had incredible luck so far by not meeting any of the powerhouses, but...'
Ironically, just when she thought that, a short green-haired boy defeated a bewildered Fukushi in a love game and yet Fukushi didn't appear a bit concerned. Eyebrows twitching, she watched from the shadow of a tree as he defeated half of the tennis club without breaking a sweat.
'T-that can't be... Echizen Ryoma?' She felt like smashing her head against the tree. Fukushi can't even handle the club for two days when she's gone? She felt a massive migraine coming, but first she had to get rid of the little insolent brat that intruded onto her turf, and he was going to pay for it.
"What're you doing here, chibi?" she waved her fists at him.
"F-fukubuchou!"
"Come to rub off on me, have you?" If looks could kill, Echizen would be dead 50 times over by now. He adjusted his cap, blinking.
"Do I know you?" he murmured.
"Do I know you?" Kin repeated incredulously, "YOU KEEP YOUR HANDS AND LIPS TO YOURSELF AND STAY AWAY FROM ONII-CHAN OR ELSE YOU'RE GOING TO BE DEAD BEFORE YOU GET TO KNOW ME!" Everyone inched away from a positively livid, fuming Kin.
Echizen just looked at her like as if she was crazy (which she probably was) and inched away as she blew a gasket in front of his face. "I'M NOT LETTING A GAY ELEMENTARY KID TOUCH ONII-CHAN! HE'S MINE! MINE!"
"You're too loud," Echizen grimaced.
"DO YOU THINK I AM BLIND? I SAW YOU WITH ONII-CHAN IN THE CLOSET YESTERDAY. I am not tolerating it. NOT AT ALL! You got that?"
"T-Taro-kun, please calm down," Suzuki sweatdropped. "He challenged everyone in Ginka's tennis club to a match, that's all."
"Nani?" 'So he isn't here about onii-chan?'
Inner Kin: Seriously, to be honest, I have no idea where you get these ideas. It humiliates me that I'm even associated with you...
"Sou ka. You want to play with me, don't you, chibi?" She smirked, taking off his hat and rumpling his hair. It was a very awkward sight, really, seeing another freshman petting Echizen's head. If the circumstances were different, Sakuno may have laughed.
"Get away from me," the boy frowned as he moved to the opposite side of the court. "One game match."
"Geez, I was just trying to be friendly," she frowned. The other members just gaped at her. 'Friendly?' No one would solve the mystery of the fukubuchou, that was for sure.
Echizen's serve was nice and crisp like she expected. He had excellent speed and form, but there were still holes in his play and she could find them with her improved Insight. Using different spins to throw him off, she hit a cord ball that barely made it over the net.
"Lucky," Fukushi grumbled.
"Love to fifteen."
"Sweet! Go fukubuchou! He was the first one to win a point from that kid," the juniors cheered. Unimpressed, he served again, only this one was sharper. Predicting the course of the ball, she returned it two-handed with a strong topspin. He hit a fast cross-court shot and Kin moved toward the ball.
'He's going to approach the net.' And she was right. Smiling, she hit a high lob in the right corner, outmaneuvering a bewildered Echizen.
"Hm, I see you're not like the rest of them," he lowered his cap, his eyes glinting slightly. To her surprise, he switched his racket from his right hand to his left hand. As he slammed the ball, she realized why.
'Twist Serve!' Before she could react, she barely moved her head out of the way as it soared past her cheek.
"You're finally getting serious, huh?" she smiled.
"No way, what was that?" The members stood in awe. 'So I get the pleasure of breaking your Twist Serve, hm?' Ebullient at this chance, in the split second before the serve came, she switched hands and tilted her racket down above her head before hitting the net and barely landing in. 'The Twist Serve only works if it's used against someone using the same hand. Unfortunately for him, I'm ambidexterous.'
"Lucky again," Fukushi frowned, "There's something fishy here."
It never occurred to Kin that she may actually win against Echizen, the son of the number one seeded pro player. The thought was nearly as unbelievable as winning against her older brother.
Unfortunately, that remained a dream.
He was serious this time with only one point from losing. His serve was far sharper the next time and Kin almost missed it as her return landed out. He did it again and she returned it with difficulty, but even though she knew he was approaching the net, she couldn't hit a lob and he gained the point with a drop shot. 'His strength and speed have suddenly increased so that he can't compare to before. Or, as onii-chan would say, "Yudan sezu ni ikou".'
"Game and match to the kid with the cap."
"Nooo! How could this happen? He defeated our best player," the freshmen groaned in despair. 'Oh, puh-lease, neither of us played to a third of our actual abilities.'
"I'll be seeing you on Singles Three," she shook his hand and then muttered softly so no one could hear, "Echizen-chibi."
---Later That Day---
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE LOST ALL OUR BALLS TO THAT DOLT?!" She screamed in Fukushi's face, drool splattering everywhere.
"See, uh, we agreed that if he could defeat us all that he would take all our balls, not just that little girl's," Fukushi explained, sweat rolling down his face.
"AND WHY DIDN'T ANYBODY TELL ME THIS?" She exploded, staring at everyone as they melted at her feet. 'I could have actually played seriously.'
"D-daijoubu, Taro-kun. We'll get them replaced soon," Hiroki waved his hands.
"Oh? Are you, Hiroki-senpai?" She raised an eyebrow.
"M-mochiron. We'll all help." The rest of them nodded vigorously.
"Very well," she rubbed her chin, her mind trying to fathom a punishment that was adequate. "Every single one of you must buy 20 brand new tennis balls by tomorrow morning! Now, everyone, get a partner!" The members scattered like ants as they arranged in pairs. "You will be piggyback-riding your partner until both of you have completed 20 laps each. The first group to complete them will be exempt from buying balls. Now get started!" Everyone grumbled in sheer horror at the thought. They'd be here all night long and whenever they'd slack off, she'd appear out of thin air and add extra laps. "Plus, Hiroki and Kiyoshi, that'd be 40 laps for losing."
The new puny freshman recruiter, Hidaka Yori, gulped. Yori really regretted his decision of signing up for the tennis club instead of the track club. Looking sideways at his overpowering partner Doumoto (or specifically, his bone-crushing muscles), he muttered, "Nice day, isn't it?"
Smug with the sentence she had concocted, she now turned her attention towards defeating Echizen. She had forced Mizuki into training her mercilessly, and it had paid off. The training regime he arranged for her was superfluously strenuous, but she wasn't complaining. After watching Hajime play numerous times, she got a taste of the brilliancy behind Mizuki's Data Tennis and coerced him into revealing his secrets. Her analytical, Insight and Foresight skills had improved, but she still sometimes lacked the physical requirements needed to carry out a strategy.
Deep inside she harbored an innate jealousy and aversion for Echizen. He was a tensai, he had a pro father, and he was stealing Kunimitsu's attention away from her. He was as cocky as her, only he had the skills to back it up. Muttering curses under her breath, she marched out to plan her revenge...