"Is everyone here?" Kei barks out, scanning his team as they warmed up in the early morning light. "Sasaki, where's your partner?"
The blonde boy looked up from where he was touching his toes, impatiently blowing the hair out of his face. "Who knows? Probably passed out at someone's house from partying too hard again."
"Tell him when I see him he is dead," Kei snapped, the irritation clear in his voice. "Shiro you'll probably be playing with Sasaki for today."
"Got it," Shiro replied cheerily, obviously the only morning person on the team. He sauntered over to his bag and picked a racket, getting used to it's familiar weight in his hands. Experimentally, he did a few strokes in the air before going to grab a ball to practice with Shinoda who was just finishing off his stretches.
On the other side of the courts, Markus and Mike Gibas were still stretching, both of them helping the other in their warm-ups. Currently Markus was sitting on Mike's feet while Mike did consecutive sit ups.
"Keep going. You're almost done," Markus encouraged Mike who cursed his lack of stamina as he pushed through the last sit-up before flopping down on the ground.
"Markus and Sasaki I want you guys to play a doubles match with Shiro and Gibas. Focus on improving your flexibility and stamina. Eri and Shinoda will be playing each other." The captain announced, "I want everyone to be focusing on their footwork and accuracy while I go find your damned doubles partner Sasaki."
Whipping out his phone, the black-haired boy dialed Daisuke's number, scowling darkly as soon as he heard the deep voice.
"I hope you know its practice right now," he snarled. "Get your act together Daisuke. Nationals are just around the corner."
"Oh shit! Sorry Kei. I'll be there." The sound of mad scrambling and curses could be heard from the phone as Daisuke gathered his stuff quickly before he hung up.
Now satisfied that he would have a whole team at practice, Kei began his own stretches, already planning on how he would play Daisuke once he got to the courts.
Sasaki frowned, green eyes glinting dangerously. "That Daisuke. He needs a good knock to his head."
Nervously, Shiro edged away from the ticked off boy. He and Gibas were going to have to work hard if they wanted to beat Sasaki when he was in one of his moods. Markus and Saski together would be sort of a nightmare, one he was determined to beat.
As the four stood across from each other, Shiro clenched the tennis ball in his hand before exhaling with a whoosh. His breath hung suspended in the air before it slowly faded away. Throwing the ball up in the air, he swung his racket and met the ball with a satisfying thwack that sent it speeding towards Sasaki.
As usual, Sasaki was already in position, hitting it right back easily. This rally continued on for sometime until Shiro decided to go up to the front, finally ready to get this party started and use his fast reflexes to his advantage. Seeing this, Sasaki tightened his grip on his racket then sent the ball flying high up in a lob that was on a set course to go out. For whatever reason, Shiro decided to intercept it. Bending his knees, he coiled himself up before springing up. Somehow he reached the high ball and sent it back through his legs. What was even more surprising was the control he had over the ball even while floating in midair. Running to the back, Sasaki expected another lob or smash but Shiro's shot ended up being a perfect drop shot; barely bouncing at all once it hit the ground.
Markus slowed his running, no longer needing to dash towards the ball. "New shot?"
"Of course. I haven't been practicing alone with Daisuke for nothing you know."
Markus smiled and tossed the ball back to Shiro. "Training with him does have its advantages."
"Too bad it's not enough to beat us," Sasaki taunted as he came up behind Markus. "And why'd you get the lob? It was obviously going out."
Sasaki shared a look with Gibas before replying, tapping his head gently with his racket. "Guess I misjudged your control. I thought you were the pro when it came to accuracy."
With those words hanging in the air, the game continued. Both sides hit heavy shots, one side trying to drain the other and the other determined to not give in to the exhaustion they felt in their arms and legs.
Shiro leapt across the court, just barely reaching it. The ball flew up and Sasaki took his chance. Running forward, he leaped up and smashed the ball down hard.
"Take this," Gibas grunted, the small first year putting all of his strength into the return as he gripped the racket with both hands.
Markus received it as Sasaki had just recovered from his smash. Planning on ending it with his accuracy, he shot it perfectly towards the corner but at a price. As he swung, he felt a sharp pain run up his arm and he almost lost his focus. Grabbing it with two hands, he completed the swing, immediately checking his wrist, which was already turning a dark purple and red.
"Damn. Of all times, it had to be now," he growled, deciding to ignore it for the time being.
'Good thing I wear long sleeves. It only has to hold out until Nationals. Just till then. No one can know.'