Chapter 16
"You start the game, Yuu," Ginta tossed the tennis ball at Yuu.
Yuu caught the ball and suddenly saw an image of himself as a bald-headed monk. "This has got to be a joke, right?" Yuu muttered to himself.
Yuu served and the game started. It started out just fine and Yuu thought things might just work out until Ginta started slamming the tennis ball out of the court so many times it cost them the first set.
"Out! First set end! Game count 6 to 1!" Yuu groaned to himself.
Tsotomu looked smug. Almost as if he knew he was going to win the whole game. Yuu could see the coaches looking a little worried at how the first game had progressed. Which means, Ginta was not in his game. Just his luck.
They were taking a break while the court was being prepared for the next set. Yuu sat down and drank his water while Ginta looked at the crowd as if searching for somebody. Yuu knew precisely who he was looking for. It was Miki. It must have really bothered Ginta that Miki ran away feeling hurt.
Yuu would have liked to go after Miki himself back then but he had the tennis game to play. He just hoped Miki was alright.
"Second set, in!" the referree called for them to start.
Yuu served and it was a fast one. Tsotomu barely returned it and it was a good opportunity for them to score but then the unthinkable happened. Ginta hit it into their side of the net, giving their opponents the point. The crowd cried out their dissapointment.
Suddenly, Yuu could hear Arimi calling out from the crowd, "Get your act together! If this goes on, you're going to lose!"
Even Tsotomu looked dissapointed at Ginta. It was too easy. Ginta should have been able to smash it over his head but instead...
"Out!" Ginta hits it too hard again.
Frustrated, Yuu whispered angrily at Ginta,"If you don't keep your swing under control we're going to lose! It's no use trying to smash all the time because you keep hitting it out of the court!"
Ginta looked frustrated,"I know, I'm sorry."
This time Ginta tried to rein it in but their opponent took advantage and ended the second set for them.
"Game won by Sagaki! Game count 4 to none!" the referee announced.
The game continued and it was a nightmare. A nightmare that Yuu wished would end. Better still, never happened so that he would still have his hair when he woke up.
"Out! Love 30!"
Ginta cursed out loud.
"Out! Love 40!"
The ball hit the net. Yuu prayed.
Suddenly, a voice cried out from the crowd,"What the heck are you doing, Ginta! What' wrong with you? Shape up! Come on, like you always do in practice!"
Yuu spunned around and saw Miki waving her arms furiously at Ginta.
"Miki...," Ginta whispered beside him.
Yuu glanced at Ginta and saw the hope flash in his eyes at the sight of Miki cheering for him. And suddenly Ginta transformed before his eyes. Determination crept into his eyes.
Ginta gripped his racquet and bent to serve. And what a serve! The best Yuu have seen coming from Ginta and it smashed into the opponent's court giving them their score after what seemed like an eternity.
"4 to 1," the referee announced.
Then it was Yuu's turn to smash it in.
"4 to 2...4 to 3..." The scores kept coming in and finally it was 5 to 4. Toriyo won the game! The crowd cheered at the turn of events.
Yuu watched as Ginta gave Miki the victory sign and Miki cheered.
After what seemed like ages, it was finally the last game and they have to win this one in order for Toriyo to win.
"Ginta, we must get this score!" Yuu spoke to Ginta with determination.
Ginta nodded his head. The ball was served and returned. Suddenly Ginta saw his chance and moved to hit the ball. Yuu prayed silently that it would deliver as Ginta jumped to smash the ball.
The ball soared over the net and hit squarely in between Tsotomu and his partner. Everything just froze in that instant. Seconds passed by like minutes.
"Game set and match! Won by Toriyo!" the referee shouted finally.
The crowd went wild. The game had finally ended and amazingly they won! Yuu shook hands with Ginta. Yuu could see Miki jumping with joy and beside her Arimi was clapping her hands together furiously.
While on the other side of the court, Tsotomu looked stunned. Finally, he collapse on the ground with a shocked look stuck on his face, probably realizing in that instant that he was going to have to shave his head.
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"Ah! Delicious! This tastes great after a match," Ginta guzzles down the cola in his hand. Yuu nodded in agreement as he drank his own cola.
They had made their escape from well wishers that swarmed around them after they exited the court and were now sitting on a bench somewhere not far away from the tennis court.
Ginta looked up from his drink, "You know, at first I thought it was going to be hopeless."
"Yeah, you were really screwed up the first half of the game," Yuu spoke frankly.
Ginta winced, remembering how he played.
"But you recovered just in time. Good game," Yuu made a toast at Ginta.
Ginta just watched him,"It makes me nervous when you speak like that, saying nice things to me after what has happened between the two of us in the past."
Yuu just shrugged, "I'm syaing it because you were badly affected by Miki and when she came back to cheer you on, you changed. It proves to me you really like Miki too."
Ginta flustered,"What do you mean by that? Do you like Miki too?"
Yuu finished his drink and throws it into the bin,"Nice shot!" and started to walk away from Ginta.
"Wait a minute, Matsuura! Answer the question!" Ginta stood up and glared at Yuu.
Yuu stopped and looked back at Ginta. He may have let slipped his feelings for Miki but he was not about to confirm it for Ginta. He just gave Ginta a secret smile.
Ginta looked even more furious,"Stop with that smile! Just answer me straight! Matsuura!" Yuu could almost hear him stamp his foot.
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Later, after they've changed and Ginta still without his answer, Yuu, Ginta and Miki walked out of the school and headed for the gate.
"So, in the end, we won 3 to 2! That's great! Congrats, you guys!" Miki beams at the two of them. Yuu felt like a hero under her sunny smile. He felt like he could slay dragons just to get her to smile like that again.
"Thanks," Ginta smiled.
Walking in a distance in front of them were Tsotomu and his partner. Tsotomu turned around, spotted them, glared at them and continued walking.
Oh ho, no way is he getting away that easily. Ginta seemed to have the same idea and both he and Ginta jogged towards Tsotomu.
"Don't forget our agreement, Tsotomu," Ginta pounded Tsotomu's shoulders, nearly knocking the breath out of him.
"I won't," he bit back.
"Smooth like a bulb, okay?" Yuu joined in the taunt. "Face it, you had no chance of winning against us in the first place! It was fate," Yuu grinned at Ginta.
"Yup, that's right!" Ginta grinned back, a mischievious glint in his eyes as he continued to pound on Tsotomu's shoulders.
Tsotomu gave Ginta the evil eye, "Hmph! I'll definitely beat you guys the next time, just you wait!" he throws off Ginta's hand.
Suddenly, the three of them spotted Arimi standing at the school gate, waiting. She started to walk towards them. Yuu wondered if Arimi was waiting to see him. Worried at how Miki would take it, he glanced back at her. Sure enough, Miki had spotted Arimi and she didn't look none too pleased.
Arimi stopped just in front of them and smiled. But instead of talking to him, she turned to talk to...Ginta?
"I've been waiting for you, Sou-kun,"
Ginta looked momentarily confused,"Huh?"
"After watching you play in that game, I got interested in you and wanted to get to know you. Would you care to join me for a cup of coffee?" Arimi used her sweet smile on Ginta.
"But I...," he turned to look at Miki for help. But Miki was not looking at him.
"So, shall we?" and without waiting for Ginta to finish what he was trying to say, she proceeded to drag him away from the group.
Yuu was shocked. This was unexpected. He looked at Tsotomu, who seemed just as unbelieving at the exchange.
Miki looked positively shell shocked.
"Wait a minute! Hey!" Ginta called out as he was dragged away by Arimi.
Yuu didn't know what Arimi was thinking, but it could only bode trouble. Although he was relieved that Arimi didn't cause a scene with him in front of Miki but somehow he got the feeling that this was a different game their playing now.
Things haven't changed. Ginta still cares for Miki and Arimi still cares for him. What would Arimi want with Ginta? The combination equals double trouble, that's for sure.