The sound of tennis balls invaded Reiya's hearing as they neared the tennis courts. The iron grips on her arms prevented her from escaping. She felt an emotion that she couldn't name. Confusion, excitement, nervousness? Maybe a mix of all of those.
Reiya saw the back of a familiar head of hair that looked extremely similar to her's, and she started sweating as they neared him. What would he think when he saw her? What did she think of tennis at that moment? What if-?
"Yukimura!" Niou called out before she had the chance to ponder her thoughts any longer. She watched he turned ever so slowly in her vision. Reiya couldn't read his expression. It didn't show any surprise, expectancy, or disdain. It was just— normal. She quickly averted her gaze and looked down, her glasses shadowing her face.
"Niou, Marui," he greeted with a smile. "What is it?"
The two pointed at Reiya. "We brought a manager." Yukimura finally spared a glance at the girl, who was still looking down. She peeked from the corner of her eye to see him looking at her with some curiosity, and it suddenly occurred to her that he had never seen her before in her current appearance. They were in different classes after all, and Reiya had made sure to avoid him as much as possible. Maybe if she left now he wouldn't—
"This is Reiya," Marui proclaimed.
Or not.
"Reiya— um..." He turned to her quickly and whispered. "What's your name?" The not-so-subtly eavesdropping people around them looked on incredulously. She could almost hear what they were thinking. You dragged her here without even knowing her name?
"It's... Takami," she hesitated, looked down again, not wanting to see 'Yukimura's expression. "Takami Reiya."
The air instantly fell about 20 degrees lower. The members of the surrounding area shivered, while Reiya continued to stare at the ground.
"Is that so?" Each word from her brother's mouth sounded punctuated. "Takami...was it?"
"Uh...yes?" Reiya stammered.
"So you want to be the manger of the tennis club?" he said with a threatening smile. Reiya froze in place. That smile. The one that meant certain death of you didn't do what he wanted.
"N-no!" she quickly replied. The atmosphere became even darker, and her brother seemed to grow taller in front of her.
"No?" he asked again.
"Uh, yes! I-I mean no!" Eyes identical to her's narrowed dangerously. "...I meant yes?" The captain smiled brightly, the air returning to its normal temperature and the suffocating presence disappearing. The tennis club breathed a sigh of relief.
"Welcome to the tennis club..." There was a pause as she watched him ponder what to call her. "...Reiya," he decided. The tennis regulars continued to watch with wide eyes. There were a few reasons for this.
One: they had never seen their gentle, polite captain be like this towards anyone, much less a girl.
Second: he had just called a girl informally by her first name.
Third: he had acted completely out of character.
Yanagi scribbled furiously in his notebook. "Ii data," he murmured. He placed his fingers contemplatively on his chin. "Hm... Similar response to last time..."
Reiya tried to protest as she was steered towards the gathered group of boys.
"I'm not qualified for this," she argued. "For all you two know," Reiya directed this at Marui and Niou, "I don't play tennis."
"You don't?" asked Marui.
"Well I do, but that's not the point—"
"Then what's the problem?" interrupted Niou.
"Yes, what is the problem?" came a sweet voice from the front. The girl gulped. Before she had a chance to say anything, her brother started talking.
"Everyone," he addressed to the gathered members, "this is our new manager." He clamped a firm hand onto Reiya's shoulder. "Takami Reiya...san." The club members bowed towards her.
"Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!" they said. Flustered, Reiya hastily bowed back.
"Yoroshiku— Wait," she jerked back. "I haven't agreed to do this yet."
"Didn't you say yes when Yukimura asked you?"
"Well maybe but—"
"It's nice to meet you manager," said Niou. Reiya gaped in disbelief.
Practice was over. The sun was just barely beginning to set and Reiya sat on the bench, watching as first years bustled about cleaning the courts and picking up balls.
"Reiya." A voice spoke near her ear and she jumped. Her brother raised an eyebrow at her. "Let's go home." Reiya blinked.
"Uh, okay." She stood up and grabbed her bag.
The tennis regulars looked on as the two walked together. "Hey," Marui nudged Niou. "Did you know that they knew each other?" He shook his head in response. "Huh."
Reiya felt like she was forgetting something, when she suddenly remembered and stopped short.
The challenge from that girl—uh, what's-her-face.
"One of your team's fan girls challenged me," she told her brother beside her. He was bemused.
"Oh? In what?"
"...Tennis." He smiled.
"Maybe you could join our practices," he suggested. Reiya shrugged then looked at him weirdly, realizing that they were having a normal, civilized conversation, like the siblings they were. She opened her mouth to ask, then stopped herself.
The two walked the rest of the way home in silence.
~~Extra~~
"Sanada," Yukimura started. They were at a tennis store looking at supplies. Sanada looked up from the grip tape he was eyeing.
"Hm?" he grunted.
"Have you found anyone for the manager?" the other asked lightly. Sanada paused.
"No," he turned to Yukimura with a suspicious glance. "But you sound like you have." The captain chuckled and looked away.
"Maybe," he said. "If she chooses that path... I think it would be for the best." At this his smile gained a tinge of sadness and regret. Sanada frowned, puzzled.
He stared down at the girl in front of him. A wave of anger coursed through his veins, and he clenched his fists, remembering the horror, the fear, the humiliation—
"You want to be our manager?" he blurted out. She blinked her dark eyes in confusion, and his mind flashed back to Yukimura's words from the previous day.
"I think it would be for the best."
He meant...her?
Sanada scowled and then turned away. "Let's go," he signaled to his teammates.
If that was Yukimura's wish...then he would not interfere.