Disclaimer: I do not own Tennis no Ohjisama and Card Captor Sakura, especially each anime's characters. Iwase Kumiko-san, Yasuhiro-kun, Maeda Hideki-san, Furuya Akiyoshi and the Reverie Café are my own creations. Any similarities with real people and/or places are unintentional and coincidental.
Author's Note: I deeply apologize for the late update, though I hope this chapter is compensation enough for you. I hope you would enjoy reading this chapter. Thank you very much.
The Sadist of Seigaku
Chapter 15: Continuation
For the longest time, Ryuzaki Sakuno stared at the ceiling, large and innocent eyes fixed on nothing at all.
You are very important to me.
The words spoken by her senpai are still so clear to her that the mere memory of them causes her heart to flutter in her chest. She does not know how to react to it because this is something very new to her. She had crushes – the last one was Echizen Ryoma – but what she felt when she was enamored by them is nothing compared to the chest-gripping sensation she gets whenever she is reminded of Fuji-senpai…and his words.
"Mou…"
Groaning in confusion, she buries herself in her bed covers in an effort to erase such sensation. Fuji-senpai has always been nice to her: like a caring older brother to a clumsy little sister. The last thing she wants is to have a one-sided crush on her Fuji-senpai. She would be treading on dangerous ground again should she allow herself to feel such things.
And no, she isn't thinking of what his rabid fangirls would do to her.
It's just that she does not want to fawn over him or be captive to an illusion of him liking her the way she likes him. Should reality dawn on her, it would be very tragic for the two of them.
Shifting on her bed again, she grabs the nearest fluffy item on her bed – which happens to be the humongous stuffed tennis ball Fuji Syuusuke gave her – and buries her head on to it. She sighs out loud before shaking her head. Now is not the time for her to linger on such things. She has something very important to do, and that is to support Fuji-senpai in his rematch with Shiraishi Kuranosuke of Shitenhouji.
Removing her bed covers, she grabs her alarm clock to look at the time.
It is a quarter before nine in the morning.
Blood draining from her face, pretty auburn-haired Ryuzaki Sakuno lets out a frantic squeal.
A sardonic grin graces his handsome face as he surveys Fuji's blank gaze.
It was just a few seconds ago when the Seigaku prodigy said he would give his all in this match. Though he can't read the mysterious glimmer in Fuji's eyes, Shiraishi is very excited on how the match will go. His last meeting with Fuji totally disappointed him. The Seigaku prodigy was short of unprepared that although the last minutes of the match were exciting, it was generally depressing for him and for Fuji. It was the day when the tennis genius was put to shame by a man who played the basics of tennis.
"I'll take your word for it," he says as he drops his racket to his side.
"Uhn."
After the short exchange of words, the two walk away from each other. "This is a one-set match," Shiraishi begins as he tosses a ball to Fuji. "You serve."
Fuji watches the yellow-grin thing fly to his court, but instead of catching it, he swings his racket and hits the ball back to Shiraishi's side of the court. He smiles at the astounded look on the blonde player.
"I think it is appropriate that you serve."
"Are you serious?"
Fuji nods emphatically.
Shiraishi raises a brow before heaving a sigh. Sensing that there is no use in arguing with the seemingly easy-going prodigy, he positions himself half a foot from the baseline and executes a serve. The ball lands exactly at Fuji's right service box to which the prodigy returns easily. Then on, the two engage in a heated rally of some sort, both being contained to the baseline. Slowly but surely, Shiraishi can feel himself moving from the right to the left side of his court as Fuji repeatedly directs the ball to the baseline. Grunting at the manipulation, he hits the ball with enormous force and runs to the net.
Fuji, on the other hand, returns the attack, directing the ball to the right service box. The ball should be a good meters away from where Shiraishi is standing. Then again, the Shitenhouji player was able to see through him that even before the ball makes a landing, it was returned to Fuji with a backspin.
The ball's low bounce made it difficult for Fuji to return but he does, nevertheless, by volleying the ball. Smirking at the chance, Shiraishi executes a powerful smash only to be countered by Fuji's equally powerful rising shot.
Nothing but score.
"Love-15."
The two stop upon hearing the announcement. Turning to the entrance, they see the nonchalant but expectant gaze of Tezuka Kunimitsu and Oishi Syuichirou.
"Tezuka…"
Oishi waves amiably at the two before assisting Tezuka in closing the doors. When Oishi has settled at the audience's bleachers, Tezuka stands on a pew located a few feet from the net pole.
"I'll play umpire," he volunteers.
Fuji chuckles at Tezuka while Shiraishi shrugs his shoulders, eyes dancing in amusement. It's not everyday that the great Tezuka Kunimitsu plays umpire in a match instead of playing to win it.
"Suit yourself, captain," Shiraishi amiably says before settling at the baseline. In a few seconds, he delivers a flat serve. The ball lands at the center line of Fuji's court, forcing the prodigy to move back to give him space to swing his racket for a return. The ball makes a straight court pass and lands at the right service box of Shiraishi's court. Expectedly, the Shitenhouji player returns the ball and the two engage in a heated rally all over again.
In the midst of excitement, Shiraishi bites his tongue to subdue the butterflies in his stomach. This Fuji he is playing with is drastically different from the one he met a few years back. Though physically the same, the stance and the air of the present Fuji is more powerful and purposeful. Gone is the Fuji who returned shots with a tactic thought only after the opponent has delivered an attack. While he knows the new Fuji may spell trouble for him, he won't have it any other way.
The mightier the opponent, the sweeter the victory.
With a gangly grin gracing his lips, he jumps to the air and returns a lob with a powerful smash.
Fuji could only watch the ball land and bounce on the left side of his court.
"15 all!"
"It is actually a miracle that you are walking with me," Momoshiro comments teasingly before ruffling the dark mane of his kohai.
Echizen swats his senpai's hand away from his head before taking a swig of his grape Ponta. Shrugging his shoulders unconsciously, he chooses not to comment on his senpai's joke to avoid any morning mishaps. While Sunday is supposed to be his rest day, he was not able to resist his senpai's invitation for a morning walk. Echizen could have ignored Momoshiro even if he acted like a banshee in front of their house. Slamming the door to his face would be very easy for him to do. Then again, he felt a sudden weight in his chest the moment he saw his senpai.
The grimness of his eyes could not be hidden by the playful smirk.
Echizen's curiosity did not stand a chance.
"So, where do we go, then?"
Echizen takes another swig of his favorite drink before stopping. Putting his left hand in his pocket, he narrows his eyes in concentration. "Hmm…to Seigaku," he hoarsely whispers, but loud enough for Momoshiro to hear. Said second year student scratches the back of his head before heaving a sigh.
"Okay."
The two walk in comfortable silence thereafter. Echizen continues sipping his Ponta while Momoshiro quietly walks, eyes deep in contemplation. For the first time, he is appreciative of Echizen's silence, no matter how awkward it could be for him.
Call it gut feeling or something else, but he could feel that something is going to happen today. Momoshiro cannot put a finger to it so instead of tossing and turning on his bed, he went out of the house to bother someone else, just to ease the tension. He has been hearing things from Tezuka-buchou and Oishi-senpai, and it does not help that they have been acting strange since yesterday.
Pouting at the strangeness of it all, Momoshiro turns to his kohai only to freeze.
The tennis prince is wearing a death glare directed at something – or someone.
He follows his kohai's line of sight and whistles low.
Auburn-haired Ryuzaki Sakuno clutches her chest as she struggles to catch her breath. It is already quarter to ten in the morning. Fuji-senpai's match with the Shitenhouji player is at ten. Inwardly scolding herself for spending too much time reflecting a while ago, she unconsciously grasps on to a wire mesh of a nearby court to steady herself.
She is suddenly alerted by footsteps nearby.
Add to that a wolf-whistle.
"Oh, wow."
Sakuno turns to face who just spoke only to find her heart sinking to her tummy when she sees a boy Momo-senpai's age standing in front of her. While he doesn't look so gangly to her, she can't help but feel dread in her insides at seeing him.
"She's a fine girl, Honda," she hears another voice as another boy emerges from the basketball court. The newcomer stands in front of the first guy.
Sakuno unconsciously bites her lower lip. "A-ano, excuse me, but I'm in a hurry," she says, trying her best to sound as strong as she could be. She may not be a fighter like Tomoko-chan but she is not a crybaby anymore. She'll get out of here her own way.
"Tsk, tsk," the first guy shakes his head, approval gleaming in his eyes. "The little girl has spine." Grabbing her chin with his pointing finger and thumb, he raises her head so he could see her face clearly.
The Honda guy suppresses a pleased grin.
Eyes widening at his reaction, Sakuno instinctively slaps his hands away from her face, pushes the Honda guy aside and bolts away from them. She does not know where that courage came from but she really needs to get away – fast. Unfortunately, the other guy was able to grab her wrist even before she could go any further.
"Eh? We got a little spitfire here," he smirks, as Sakuno struggles to get his hands off of her wrist.
And that was the scene Echizen Ryoma saw.
To say that the tennis prince is livid is an understatement.
He looks positively murderous at that moment, Momoshiro just had to step in front of him and smack the boy taking possession of Sakuno's wrist.
"Oi. Stop touching my best friend's girlfriend," he says, violet eyes dark with amused malice. While Momoshiro likes to see a jealous Echizen, he does not want to include an abused Ryuzaki Sakuno in the picture.
The boy immediately releases Sakuno, while said girl stumbles. She could feel herself falling to the ground only to be steadied by Echizen.
"Ryoma-san…"
"Girlfriend, eh?" The Honda guy spats. "Tell your best friend to take care of his girl friend the next time."
Echizen's eyes widened at the words, anger evident in them. Momoshiro nervously shots a look at his kohai. The tennis prince looks ready to jump on the arrogant brat. While a brawl is something he can handle, he has no intention of having a scene at barely ten in the morning.
Flexing his shoulders, Momoshiro stands between Echizen and the brats – as he would have to call them – and stands to his full height. Those limply kids wouldn't stand a chance. "What did you say?" He nearly growled his last words.
Terror coursed through the two boys' system at seeing the death glare directed at them. With a last snicker, they ran to the park never to be seen again. Momoshiro inwardly sighs at what just happened before turning to his kohai-tachi.
Echizen still looks murderous. His wide eyes are still fixed at where the boys went to. He could only imagine what the tennis prince has in store for them once he meets them again. Meanwhile, Sakuno lightly touches Echizen's forearm, and to Momoshiro's amusement, it was enough to bring a blush to Echizen Ryoma's presently homicidal façade.
"Ryoma-san, thank you very much," she says before giving him a bow. She turns to Momoshiro as well. "You too, Momo-senpai. Thank you very much."
"Huh? Ah. Ahehehehe…don't mention it, Ryuzaki-chan," he scratches the back of his head in embarrassment. "By the way, why are you alone, anyway? You shouldn't be roaming the streets of Seishun without a companion."
Sakuno blinks at his words. "Oh…ano…I think I'm old enough to take care of myself, senpai," she replies before pouting cutely. Her action brought Echizen to a blushing fit while Momoshiro raises an eyebrow, amused at her answer.
Heaving a sigh, the junior power player unconsciously pats hear head. "I know, I know. Anyway, where are you going?"
At that, Sakuno's innocent eyes widen. "Oh no…" she whispers as she looks at her wristwatch. It registered ten in the morning. "I'm already late," she adds, eyes watery in exasperation. Biting her lower lip – which is actually pure torture to Echizen, as Momoshiro has observed – she bows to the two before making a dash.
To her and Momoshiro's surprise, however, Echizen grabs her wrist. "Where are you going?"
She blinks at him. "Oh, uhm, ano, to Seigaku."
Echizen still holds on to her, waiting for her to continue. "I'm supposed to meet Fuji-senpai there," she adds, much to Echizen's chagrin.
"Really? Well, Echizen and I are heading there too, ne?" Momoshiro says as he nudges Echizen.
Said prince only grunts in response before loosening his grip on Sakuno's wrist. "Let's go. We'll accompany you there," he finally says before dragging her along with him, leaving an amused Momoshiro to fend for himself.
"Ah. Young love."
Fuji wipes the sweat on his forehead with the armband on his right wrist. Flexing his legs a bit, he positions himself a few inches from the baseline. Throwing the ball up to the left side of his head, he hits the ball with a combination of topspin and a sidespin, resulting to a twist serve.
Breaking from his stupor, Shiraishi immediately jerks his body backward to give way for a backhanded return. Though able to return the serve, it was returned at an awkward angle that the ball bounced out of the court.
"15-love."
Fishing another ball from his pocket, Fuji fluidly dribbles it with his hand before throwing it up. Anticipating another twist serve, Shiraishi angles his body with most of it leaning behind to give way for another backhanded return. He's not about to make the same mistake twice. Much to his pleasure, he was able to return the expected twist serve, and the two engage in a heated rally again.
At some point, Fuji accidentally makes a lob with which Shiraishi returns with a smash. Instead of using his Higuma Otoshi, he fully swings his right arm to return Shiraishi's smash with an equally powerful rising shot. To his dismay, it seemed as if Shiraishi just flew to where the ball is heading that he returned the shot easily. Narrowing his eyes in concentration, he answers back with a Tsubame Gaeshi.
The ball skids on Shiraishi's side of the court, untouched by the player's racket.
"I was actually waiting for that."
Fuji turns to his opponent, silently reading his intention. Deciding to dismiss the comment, he looks at the wall clock above the door. It is already half an hour past ten and they have won two games each. It's not as fast as he expected it would be, but he won't have it any other way. He steals a glance of the bleachers. Disappointment clouds his eyes when he realizes that someone is missing in the picture.
Where are you, Sakuno-chan?
"Are you okay?"
Fuji turns again to Shiraishi who called him over from the other side of the court. Raising his tennis racket to signal his ascent, he returns to his position at the baseline and prepares to serve. "I'm fine," he answers as he grips the ball hard enough. Setting personal matters aside, he hits the ball with enormous force, aiming to land it at the centerline.
Said ball drops to where Fuji intended it to land. "A flat serve, eh?" Shiraishi spats as he returns the ball with a flawless backhand. Then, he runs to the net, aiming to attack Fuji's next move with a volley.
Unfortunately, the Shitenhouji player was forced to run to the back of the court when Fuji executed a groundstroke. For a few minutes, Shiraishi was, again, contained at the baseline. Patiently waiting for an opening, he purposefully directs the ball to the center service line, forcing Fuji to move away from the baseline. The ball was returned with a volley and consciously telling himself not to make a lob, Shiraishi smashes the ball to the back of the court.
Fuji could only watch the ball whiz past him.
"30-15."
"Why did you just tell me now?"
If Kaidoh Kaoru squirms, he would have done so now, but the famed mamushi of Seigaku has so much pride he tried to hide his uneasiness in front of Inui-senpai.
Much to Inui Sadaharu's amusement, the viper only grunted.
The data guy sighs as he rests his chin on his right arm, which is propped near the edge of his desk. He was surprised that his kohai came all the way to his house to say that he found Tezuka and Oishi arranging 'things' inside the seldomly-used indoor tennis court. While the Seigaku regulars are a bunch of rowdy young men, not all of them are snoopers.
Tezuka is too square to even think about snooping. Besides, he is the one to be snooped at, and not the other way around.
Echizen is also one to mind his own business but he tends to be one of the snoopers because of his companions – Kikumaru Eiji and Momoshiro Takeshi.
Fuji is an in-between. He loves to snoop and he should be a good subject to be snooped at. The keyword is "should be" because the prodigy is good in determining if someone else is prying on his personal matters. When he finds out – and that is always – he transforms into one pretty good actor.
Kaidoh is just the same with Tezuka.
Nevertheless, if Kaidoh were to say something is unusual, then it is something to think about. Narrowing his eyes hidden by his trusty eyeglasses, Inui analyzes the data in his head. The indoor tennis court is only used on rainy days. The fact that Tezuka and Oishi did not include the other regulars in the arrangement is something in itself.
"They are hiding something," he says more to himself than to Kaidoh.
The viper quietly nods in agreement.
"Knowing Tezuka, what they are hiding is not easy to find out," he says, eyeglasses gleaming. "We have to go to Seigaku."
"Should I call Kikumaru-senpai and the others?"
Inui pauses contemplatively.
"Yes, please."
Oishi Syuichirou restlessly glances at his wristwatch. It is already eleven in the morning and the match is stuck at three games to two, with Fuji in the lead. Much of Fuji and Shiraishi's battle consisted of ridiculously long rallies and heart-stopping cliffhangers. If there were a crowd, they would have turned nuts.
"Is something the matter?"
Surprised at his friend's unexpected question, Oishi shakes his head, although he is sure that Tezuka might not have seen it (he is standing two pews behind Tezuka). Then again, the silence that followed meant that the captain already dropped the subject. For a few minutes, he concentrates on the match between Fuji and Shiraishi, but after some time, he finds it hard to ignore the wrenching feeling in his gut – something he feels only when unwanted things are bound to happen.
"Do you think it is a good idea that the others are not here to witness the rematch?"
Oishi's question did not go unheard. While Tezuka remained silent, the ever-sensitive vice-captain could sense the guilt in Tezuka. Finally, the captain speaks. "It may not be the best idea, but we need the least number of witnesses to protect the names of Seigaku and Shitenhouji."
Heaving a heavy sigh, Oishi changes his stance as he puts his weight on to his left foot. Putting his hands in his pockets, he looks on to the match, quite satisfied of Tezuka's reply.
But the nagging feeling did not disappear.
Meanwhile, Fuji restlessly bounces on his feet as he waits for Shiraishi's serve. Unconsciously gripping his racket tighter, he tilts it at an angle as he returns the serve. The blonde player on the other side of the court runs for a volley and makes a drop shot, forcing the Seigaku prodigy to lunge forward and run after the ball. While Fuji was successful in keeping the ball "alive", Shiraishi hits the ball even before it landed on his side of the court. The ball lands somewhere on the right service box.
Fuji could only follow the path of the ball, disappointment clearly written in his blue eyes.
"30 all."
"Hey, wait up!"
Momoshiro Takeshi shouts at the so-called lovebirds who are a few meters ahead of him. The second-year player does not understand why Sakuno is in a hurry when they both know that Fuji is one of the most patient persons there are. Nevertheless, he makes a dash to catch Echizen and Sakuno.
Echizen is well aware that his annoying senpai is after them. Half-enjoying the idea of making Momo-senpai ran after them, he turns to look at Sakuno to check if she is still okay. He knows she can't run as fast as he can, nor has she the stamina to match his, but she seems pretty okay with the pace they have been doing. Unconsciously tightening his grip on her hand, he skids to a halt and changes the angle of his body to cushion Sakuno's smaller form.
"Eep!"
Echizen puts his weight on his left foot as he steadies Sakuno. The sudden break of their pace caught her too off-guard that she crashed against him. Satisfied that she wasn't too shocked at what he did, he turns to his left and glares at the group of people blocking their way.
Then, a camera flash follows.
"Wha-!"
"This will be one good source of blackmail, Echizen," the data guy casually says as he waits for the newly-printed picture to get clear. Once clear, he stares at the picture of Echizen, his arms protectively wrapped around a surprised Sakuno. Glancing back at his kohai-tachi, he gives the tennis prince an impish grin.
Said tennis prince just growls in return.
Before the two could engage in a verbal whiplash, they hear the frantic shouts of Kikumaru Eiji from the left and Momoshiro Takeshi from behind.
"Nya, Inui! You shouldn't leave us behind like that," the red-head childishly pouts as he mockingly lectures Inui on manners. "Besides, we don't even know why we're going to school."
"You're going to Seigaku as well?" Momoshiro asks, curiosity momentarily overshadowing his annoyance of Echizen. "Well, we're going to Seigaku, too," he chips in as he looks at the other arrivals.
Kaidoh and Kawamura calmly take their places beside Inui, waving a "hello" to them. Echizen keeps his gaze steady while Sakuno amiably bows back. Heaving a sigh at the tense atmosphere, Momoshiro could guess that Echizen has something against Inui-senpai again.
Or maybe, it's the other way around.
"A-ano, senpai-tachi are going to school as well?"
All the Seigaku regulars look at the smallest person in the group. Kawamura gently smiles at Sakuno before replying. "Hai. We're supposed to be there, but I don't know why, yet," he says, giving Inui a meaningful glance.
Sakuno blinks at the reply before looking at all of her seniors. They do not know that Fuji-senpai has a re-match with Shiraishi Kuranosuke? Even to the innocent Sakuno, that is a very big surprise. Biting her lower lip in concentration, she delves into her own world as the regulars start discussing the trip to Seigaku amongst themselves. Her thoughts were only momentarily broken when Echizen tugged her hand to start walking.
They do not know about Fuji-senpai's rematch. She looks at the six regulars with her. Only Tezuka-buchou, Oishi-senpai and Fuji-senpai are not with them. That means, only Tezuka-senpai and Oishi-senpai know of the rematch…Her thoughts linger to that one piece of information in her head. A sinking feeling in her stomach strikes her as she remembers her grandmother's words regarding unofficial matches.
"The fewer witnesses, the better."
Unknown to Sakuno, Inui has a hunch that something is up with the other three "missing" regulars. For him not to know anything of Tezuka's plan means that the captain and the vice-captain are getting good in keeping things to themselves; not that he is offended in any way. While some people might get hurt with what the two leaders of the group did, Inui does not take anything against them. Then again, what is Fuji's role into their "plan"?
A match against Tezuka and Fuji is not worth hiding from the group. Besides, Tezuka takes every opportunity for the other club members to witness each regular's matches so that they will learn.
Inwardly wracking his brain for ideas, a thought suddenly hits him.
It may be impossible…Inui tells himself as he tries to tie in the rumors of players from rival schools visiting Seishun City. But it's not that farfetched. He looks at the auburn-haired girl walking beside Echizen. Trying hard not to focus on the tennis prince's hand possessively holding hers, he studies her for as long as Echizen's wrath could allow him.
She knows something we don't. Nevertheless, the data guy chooses to be quiet about it as he does not want to put her on the spot. Once the group passed by the entrance gates, he motions for the others to head to the indoor tennis court.
Shiraishi suppresses a gasp as he chokes for air. One moment ago, the ball went past him and he remembers himself lunging to catch it. Unfortunately, his immediate reaction was not a very good one because instead of being able to return the attack, he ended up on the cold floor.
So much for running after the ball…
"Are you alright?"
Shiraishi looks up and finds Fuji Syuusuke standing in front of him with his hand extended in a gesture of assistance. Smiling in appreciation, he accepts the kind gesture and slowly gets up. "Yeah, I think I'm fine," he replies before flexing his shoulders. When no stinging pain came, he taps Fuji's shoulder. "Thanks."
"Ah."
Satisfied that his opponent is not injured, Fuji returns to his side of the court and waits for Tezuka's announcement. Said captain eyes Shiraishi, silently debating with himself whether to call for a break or allow the match to continue.
The blasting sound of the doors opening made the decision for him.
"What is-"
Kikumaru Eiji was prepared to blast into the gym when he heard a thud inside. Whoever was playing in the gym would have to answer to him. And if Tezuka, Oishi and Fuji are the perpetrators, they would definitely have to hear his hour-long tirade of not hiding anything from the other regulars.
Such thoughts went off the drain upon seeing Shiraishi and Fuji on court, Tezuka apparently playing umpire and Oishi at the bleachers.
He blinks in disbelief.
The other regulars, sans Sakuno, could only gape.
Tezuka was surprised for a moment or two – more of hearing the doors opening than seeing the others – before sighing to himself. Somehow, he is prepared to hear whatever his teammates would have to say regarding his decision.
Besides, he thinks he deserves it.
Sensing that no one is going to move, he casts a final look at Shiraishi and Fuji before looking at the other regulars by the door.
"Let's take a break."
"Mou, Tezuka!"
Fuji smirks as he hears Kikumaru whine at Tezuka. Shaking his head a bit, poor Tezuka, he takes a swig from his water bottle before placing it on the floor. He was about to look for his towel when he finds his favorite kohai standing before him.
"Sakuno-chan," he breathes out her name, half-expecting her to walk up to him and take a seat beside him. Then again, it seems that she is her usual shy self because she remains standing in front of him, her innocent eyes searching his.
He can't help but smile.
"Ano, senpai, I'm sorry for not getting here on time."
"It's okay," he appeases her, taking her hand into his as he gestures for her to sit beside him. "The game started before schedule. I'm glad you are here to cheer for me," he adds cheekily.
"Eh? Oh, well, I'm really going to cheer for you senpai," she sincerely comments as she gives him his towel.
While Fuji is wiping the sweat on his face, Sakuno looks up at the bleachers only to find the regulars gathered amongst themselves. Her eyes shift to Shiraishi who is sitting a few pews from them. Her eyes, then, wandered around the gym before landing on her senpai beside her.
She curiously blinks at him.
"The match is at four games all."
"Eh? How did Fuji-senpai know I wanted to know that?"
Fuji chuckles at her bewildered look, tracing his thumb on the contour of her left cheek. "I just know it," he mysteriously replies.
"Eh?" Sakuno whispers to herself, pouting a bit because she did not understand his reply at all.
"By the way, Sakuno-chan, did something happen when you were on your way here?"
Fuji just had to ask that question. Even while playing with Shiraishi, the thought of Sakuno getting into trouble was in his mind. Then again, he had to make an effort to erase such thoughts when he must concentrate on his match. Now that she is with him and he is having a break, he has to know why she was late.
"Uhm…" Sakuno trails as she looks up at her senpai. Now is not the time for her to make him worry. Besides, the scene at the park a while ago was handled well, thanks to Momo-senpai and Ryoma-san. Deciding that she would mention it later after his match, she settles for a "nothing that could be handled, senpai."
Fuji raises a brow at the answer, his blue eyes dancing in mirth. His favorite kohai is learning fast, eh? With his right hand cupping her cheek, he lifts Sakuno's face to meet his. "Sakuno-chan owes me an explanation later, ne?"
"H-hai."
Fuji traces his thumb on her cheek a second time before letting her go. The break will end in a few seconds and he has to be back in fighting mode. Heaving a sigh and clenching a fist, he stands up and walks to the court.
"Fuji-senpai," he hears Sakuno call him. "Please do your best!"
He turns to his left and finds her waving at him. A genuine smile graces his lips as he waves back before turning to Shiraishi.
He can see a teasing grin on his opponent's lips.
He widens his smile as he plays along.
"You should know that you have the upper hand in this match," the Shitenhouji player begins as he discreetly points at the auburn-haired girl at the bench. He takes note of how Fuji's eyes change from amused to wary in a few seconds at the mere mention of his pretty companion. Deciding not to irritate him any further – he has heard that an angry Fuji is a very bad Fuji – he remains quiet, but the teasing glint in his eyes cannot be missed.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Fuji stands a few inches from the base line as he anticipates Shiraishi's attack. The Shitenhouji player throws up the ball and hits it the moment it reached its peak. Fuji barely had time to react when the ball whizzed past him.
Kohou!
Shiraishi smirks at the surprised look on Fuji's face before executing a kohou all over again.
"He's going to get another service ace if Fuji won't counter it," Kawamura comments as he looked on, worry creeping in his eyes.
Echizen takes note of that simple fact as he watches Fuji move back a little from the service line. The tennis prince wasn't expecting the Shitenhouji player to use special techniques since his tennis style was supposedly simple.
Fuji tightens his grip on his racket in anticipation of the serve. Eyes locking on the whizzing target, he jumps back, extends his arms and hits the ball with pinpoint accuracy. The ball lands a few feet from the baseline of Shiraishi's court. Expectedly, the blonde prodigy easily hits it. Positioning himself at the center of his court, Fuji bounces on his two feet as he meets the ball near the net. He gets a point with a drop shot.
"Nice," Shiraishi comments, a sardonic smirk gracing his lips.
Fuji blinks at his opponent before smiling good-naturedly. "I wasn't expecting my opponent to commend me after winning a point against him."
Raising an eyebrow at the prodigy's statement, Shiraishi lets out a laugh. "This guy," he says while lightly pounding his chest, "may be as unexpected as you are."
"It seems so," Fuji says before positioning himself a few inches from the service line.
"I didn't know he and Fuji are in good terms," Kikumaru comments, bewilderment evident in his eyes.
"I guess, that's how Fuji-senpai really is," Momoshiro says as he ruffles Echizen's hair. "He can easily make friends with an enemy, ne, Echizen?"
Said prince swats his senpai's hand in annoyance, eyes locked in the game. He has to reluctantly admit that among his senpai-tachi, Fuji Syuusuke is the friendliest and most dangerous. He can make friends out of his enemies without being so vulnerable to backstab. Ch, he'll make a good politician, he mentally spats before clenching his fists.
"15 all"
Echizen turns to Tezuka who has just announced the score. Rival or not, he is glad that his senpai is doing well. While he does not like Fuji-senpai getting close to Sakuno, it does not mean he'd stoop so low and wish ill things against his senpai. That issue would be dealt with outside the tennis courts.
An hour later, the audience find themselves hanging on a balance when Fuji failed to return Shiraishi's groundstroke attack.
The score is six games all.
Tezuka casts a glance at each player on court before deciding to call for a 30-second break. Fuji and Shiraishi both look exhausted, something which Tezuka fully understands. It has been three hours and fifteen minutes since the match started. Both look ready to win. While he knows he is also waiting for Fuji to finish the match and win it, he is particularly happy that his friend is playing seriously. While Fuji has mostly been limited to using simple tennis techniques, his mannerisms have diminished dramatically, enabling him to cope with the straight-forward tennis of Shiraishi Kuranosuke.
He's maturing already, Tezuka muses as he watches his friend drink from his water bottle. But he has to know that he is still far from reaching his potential.
Yes, unlike him and Echizen, Fuji's limits have yet to be known. The difficulty may lie on the fact that Fuji rarely plays seriously. Then again, should the prodigy take each match at heart, he may be one force to be reckoned with.
Meanwhile, Fuji wearily slumps on the bench after drinking. Head bowed and arms resting on his knees, he breathes out a heavy sigh as he contemplates on his next move.
Sakuno, on the other hand, quietly looks at her senpai before grabbing his towel situated beside her. A few seconds later, she finds her senpai blindly reaching for something. Thinking that it is his towel he is reaching for, Sakuno guides his hand to the item only for Fuji to clasp her hand into his.
The auburn-haired girl blinks several times, quietly fighting off the butterflies in her stomach.
"Thank you for being here for me," Fuji hoarsely whispers.
His kohai smiles softly at him, squeezing his hand in assurance. No words have to be exchanged between them, and Fuji is very grateful for that.
He needs the silence to focus on the tie-break.
And he has to admit that he needs some one to assure him that he is doing well.
"We will be having a seven-point tie-break."
Tezuka's announcement draws a few sharp breaths from the audience. This is the moment they have all been waiting for – and for some, dreading. Whoever gets at least seven points and be two points higher than his opponent would win the match.
The two players cast glances at each other before taking their respective positions. Fuji grips the ball he has been holding before dribbling it with his hands and throwing it up for a serve. The ball lands on the baseline of Shiraishi's court, to which the Shitenhouji player returns with a powerful topspin. Fuji immediately counters it with a groundstroke, containing Shiraishi again at the baseline for a few minutes. The rally heats up when Shiraishi, again, directs the ball to the centerline, forcing Fuji to move forward. Fuji returns the attack by directing the ball a few inches from Shiraishi's left foot. The Shitenhouji player attempts to return it with a backhand, but he brushed the ball at an awkward angle, causing it to bounce to the bleachers instead.
"1-0, Fuji."
Tezuka tosses a ball to Shiraishi after announcing the score. Catching it with his racket, the blonde player dribbles it with his hand and throws it up for a serve. The ball bounces to Fuji's left service box and was returned with another groundstroke. The two rally for a few minutes before Fuji purposefully directs the ball to the left-most end of the baseline. Shiraishi, who happens to be at the right end, runs after the ball.
My chance of returning this is slim, but…
Grabbing his chance nevertheless, he positions himself ten feet away from the baseline and hits it. Unfortunately, the ball hits the net but did not cross over to Fuji's side.
"2-0, Fuji."
Instead of applauding, the Seigaku regulars and Sakuno wait in tense silence. Twenty minutes later, they find themselves watching a cat and mouse game: Fuji takes the lead only for Shiraishi to catch up, preventing the Seigaku prodigy to lead by two points.
By now, the score is at 9-8, with Fuji leading the game.
Both players are already panting in exhaustion while the audience, in tense silence, has forgotten that it is already more than an hour past lunchtime.
No rumbling tummy was even heard.
"Go, Fuji-senpai," Echizen hisses as he clenches his fists.
His senpai-tachi around him looked at him in surprise before focusing on the game.
Shiraishi wipes his sweat with the sleeve of his shirt before posing to serve. Once his racket has hit the ball, he runs forward to stall any baseline attacks Fuji has for him. Upon seeing his tactic, Fuji directs the ball to the side, forcing Shiraishi to run after it. For a few seconds, the two engage in a rally again, no one ever giving an opening to the opponent.
His brain racing with a number of strategies, Fuji settles with returning Shiraishi's powerful smash with a jack knife, surprising both Inui and Momoshiro.
When almost everyone thought Shiraishi wouldn't be able to return the powerful attack, the blonde player answers with an equally powerful shot engaging Fuji in a rally yet again.
For a few minutes, the two seemed to be flying all over the court.
It's time to put an end to this.
Gritting his teeth, the Seigaku prodigy fully swings his racket and returns Shiraishi's topspin with a Tsubame Gaeshi.
The ball skids past Shiraishi, untouched by the player's racket.
For a moment, the two looked at each other.
"One-set match won by Fuji Syuusuke of Seigaku," Tezuka's voice reverberates in the gym. "Seven games to six."
After that, the regulars behind him broke into banshee-like yells.
Shiraishi unconsciously drops his racket as he wearily walks up to Fuji. "Congratulations," he says, offering his hand for a handshake.
Fuji returns the gesture. "Thank you for letting me have this rematch with you."
Shiraishi smirks, although Fuji can trace the disappointment in his eyes. "You know, I think the better player won."
Fuji gives him a smile but before he could say something, he is attacked by his friends slash teammates.
"Fujiko-chan!" Kawamura yells before giving Fuji a light slap on the back.
Inui gives him a "thumbs up".
Kikumaru engages him in his infamous bear hug. Fuji struggled a bit in the contact as he gasped for breath. He was thankful to Oishi who was there to "pacify" his ecstatic best friend.
"Thanks Oishi."
"No problem. Congratulations by the way."
Fuji nods amiably at the warm greeting.
Kaidoh gives him a handshake while Momoshiro gives him a "high five".
The rowdy group is reduced to silence when Echizen makes his way to Fuji. The two geniuses stared at each other before Echizen extends a fist to Fuji.
"Congratulations, senpai."
Fuji grins at the greeting and returns the gesture by extending his fist to tap Echizen's.
Before Echizen could utter another word, the tennis prince was grabbed by Momoshiro, teasing him about being "cool" and all. Fuji laughed with the others but became silent when he found Tezuka looking at him. The captain is standing beside a weary Shiraishi, who is slumped on his bench.
A ghost of a smile graces the stoic captain's lips.
Fuji's grin widened even further.
The laughs died down again when the regulars made way for Ryuzaki Sakuno.
She reluctantly approached the group, a bit intimidated of the tall tennis players. Gathering her courage, she squares her shoulders and walks up to her senpai, a lovely smile drawn on her beautiful face.
"Congratulations, Fuji-senpai," she says before shaking his hand.
Fuji tightens his grip on her hand, his gaze on her gentle. "I think I specifically told Sakuno-chan to call me 'Syuusuke-senpai'," he randomly says.
"Eh?!"
Eight heads turned to Fuji, then to a blushing Sakuno, before turning to Fuji again.
"Se-senpai!"
Unmindful of the confused and teasing eyes around him, Fuji grins at her before imprisoning her in his arms.
Sakuno could feel her heart flutter as her senpai buries his head on her shoulder…
…in front of the other regulars.
Tezuka raises an eyebrow at the scene. It seems that Fuji is formally announcing who Sakuno is in his life to his friends.
The lovely scene – horrible, though, to Echizen – was unfortunately cut short when they found Sakuno and Fuji crashing to the floor.
Credits go to Wikipedia for the tie-break rules.
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