"Fuji..." called out a familiar voice from the adjascent court.
He smiled and ushered himself to the owner of the 'beautiful' voice. Ironically,he disliked hearing 'her' call out his name. Not when the only he cared for now was to challenge and beat her in a tennis match in front of everyone. (As if Tezuka would allow him.)
"Fumito-san.." he responded sweetly.
Yuka looked around to make sure nobody's close enough to hear them. When she thought everything's good, she looked back at the guy in front of her.
"I 'need' you to be my boyfriend." she said, placing emphasis on the 'need', and making sure she sounded sane with whatever her words meant.
Fuji's smile was replaced with a slight frown. If this was a joke, he would've loved to go along with the whole flow. Unfortunately, Yuka's stare said the otherwise. Besides, she was not the person who's very well acquainted with jokes.
"Excuse me?"
Yuka sighed as she shifted her weight on her left foot.
"I want to go out with you. Remember what I said? I was serious about how I feel...Let's just try, ok? I promise to make everything work out for the both of us." she said in desperation.
Fuji at that moment completely lost his smile. He looked straight at Yuka with his blue-eyes, and tried to convey the fact that he despised pleas out of desperation.
"Fuji...please...I have to-"
"You're in trouble." the tensai interrupted.
Yuka nodded.
"Tezuka and I are."
Fuji`s frown deepened, and Yuka immediately felt the need to provide explanations for what she said. If she was planning to include the tensai on her plans, she at least have to tell him something. Even if it`s not the full story.
"Our parents." she started. " They had our marriage arranged. And if my assumptions serve me right, it would be less than 2 weeks from now."
"Tezuka`s not gonna marry you." Fuji continued immediately.
Yuka darted him an incredulous look. She dreaded the idea that she has to be confronted with the fact that Tezuka was not a bit interested at her. Does she really look that ugly? Because as far as her own judgment is concerned, she was among the most beautiful woman in Seigaku. (And she`s not kidding. Anyone could attest to this.)
"Now if you`ll excuse me." Fuji said before leaving.
Yuka gave out a sharp sigh.
She wondered what else she doesn`t have for her to receive such blatant rejection from the guy he like most. Yuka did everything she can, for all she knew. So as to why she isn`t enough...well...
"This is unbelievable." she muttered.
She turned around just in time to see an all too serious Kunimitsu Tezuka standing just few steps behind her.
"That`s not a very favorable habit." she said.
"Eavesdropping?"
Yuka glared at him. " So you were really listening?" she asked, annoyance coating the tone of her voice.
Tezuka shook his head.
"Just passing by."
Yuka heaved a sigh and bit her lower lip. She knew she was out of shape for any practices today, and the curious stares that the members of their club was throwing at their direction didn`t really help. Good grace. Do they really look like `that` interesting when standing together? Why can`t people just mind their own businesses?
"Honestly...I really need a break." she started. "Call me irresponsible or whatever, but I`ll be out for a couple of days."
Tezuka attempted to move closer, but immediately stopped when she stabbed him with `that` piercing glare. He understood what it meant of course. It`s the `one more move and you'll end up with a broken pair of glasses' type of look. The stoic captain didn't dare to try. He just hoped some diplomatic talk would be enough.
"You can't just leave them like that." he said, referring to the woman tennis team.
A humorless laugh escaped from Yuka's lips.
"So you're telling me to just throw away my future as simple as that? C'mon!"
"You don't understand."
"I do...It's you who don't."
Tezuka thought for awhile. He was completely aware of what's going on. His grandfather made sure that he understands everything. The arrangement was a hoax, and despite the fact that there are few who knew about it, (excluding Kate, Yuka and their mother) Tezuka understood that it has to be kept as a secret for the time being.
"We have to inform Ryuuzaki-sensei about this." he said.
"No need. I'll make -"
"We'll talk to her after practice."
"I said no need. Even if - "
"It's time to start the drills." Tezuka once again interrupted.
Yuka clinched her fists. Surely, Tezuka has no plans of letting her speak.
"Will you listen? I'm telling - "
"I need to go back." he interrupted for the third time. "The others are waiting for you. It's best if you now -"
This time, it was Tezuka's turn to be cut off with what he was about to say.
Collective gasps from the tennis courts were heard as they witnessed how Yuka pulled Tezuka into a kiss. Inui dropped his pen on the ground along with Eiji who completely lost his balance while doing his acrobatics routine.
"Ne..." Momoshiro muttered in shock while staring at the view before him. "Tezuka-buchou..:"
"Mada mada dane.." Ryoma thought as he pulled down his cap and silently walked out the court.
Unlike the silent surprise that engulfed the men's tennis courts, the women's team seemed to have forgotten everything as they swoon their way to watch the magnificent display of their supposed 'romance' between the two captains. Giggles and murmurs then started to fill in the atmosphere.
"A-anou...Z-Z-Zakuro-chan?..." Aya called out with a nervous smile as she felt the dimming aura surrounding her friend "Wh-why don't we - "
"Ne, Aya."
"H-hai!" she said almost immediately.
"Get lost." Zakuro said.
Aya blinked several times. "Eh?"
The confused gal looked around and realized for the first time that the court has long been vacated by its occupants who obviously found the next court more interesting.
"Zakuro-chan, maybe.."
"..."
Aya looked at her friend and then to the figure who just made his way inside their court. She looked back worriedly at her friend before deciding to leave. Right now, Zakuro probably needs a different company.
"Judging from your looks, I'd say you're not a bit pleased with the surprise." Fuji commented with his famous smile that everybody knew meant danger.
Zakuro remained silent as she grab hold of her racket, picked up some tennis balls, and walked to the court's baseline.
"Ikou." she said without waiting for Fuji's response.
As soon as the blue-eyed boy settled across her, Zakuro wasted no time and served the ball, which to Inui's calculation, if he was watching at all, would've double the speed of his 'Waterfall.'
Caught a bit surprised with the speed of Zakuro's serve, Fuji opened his eyes and ran left to intercept the ball's landing point. It's true that he was used to speedy service plays like the one from Ohtori Choutaro of Hyotei and from their very own, Inui Sadaharu. But surely, he never tried or saw anything like those played by a woman. Not to mention a 2nd year middle school student.
As the ball connected to the tensai's racket, he used his usual force to volley it backl to Zakuro. Surprisingly however, his attempt turned out to be a total failure as his racket was blown off with the strength of the serve.
"15 love." she said.
"Hmmm..." Fuji mused. He looked at Zakuro with a smile. "I didn't expect that." he admitted.
Zakuro ignored him and prepared for another serve. Fuji picked up his racket, and went back to his position. This time, he already managed to counter Zakuro's serve with a straight volley. He smiled when she moved few steps back to prevent the ball from hitting her face.
Yet the next thing that happened was one thing Fuji had least expected. Not that he thought she'll even be able to do 'that'.
He dashed forward as the ball dropped in front of him. But just as it was supposed to bounce, the ball rolled instead back to the net.
It took a reasonable 5.3 seconds before Fuji could mask his shocked expression with another smile.
"Zero shiki...ne?" he muttered, as he felt the warm drop of sweat creep out his forehead.
Zakuro finally looked back at him, victorious smile on her lips.
"One game to love." she said.