Old friend, new enemy

"Ha!"

Pok ...

"Nggh!"

Pok ...

"Urrgh!"

Pok ...

"Tarundoru!"

"Ganbatte, Genichirou!" Yukimura Seiichi smiled pleasantly across the net at Sanada Genichirou.

On the sidelines, Sanada's team mates murmured restlessly. This friendly match between Germany and France tennis institutes turned out rather surprising results.

Sanada was one of the best players in their institute. That is, he was light-years ahead of everyone else on team, except Tezuka Kunimitsu. Only Tezuka seemed to be able to keep up with Sanada. They had traded Number One rank in the institute back and forth between them for a year now.

Now, it seemed another player of Sanada's calibre had appeared. Not only that, Sanada the Thunderstorm and Yukimura from the French team obviously had history. And Sanada was losing. Losing very badly.

"If all the French players are that good, we are in serious trouble," said Edvard morosely. He was a tall lanky Finn with charming golden curls. He had his arms draped companionably over his doubles partner, Piotr Kaminski, a dark haired serious-looking Polish boy.

Except for Tezuka, who was warming up for the next match two courts away, the whole team were leaning eagerly over the banister of the seating area. They were expecting an entertaining rout. After suffering innumerable merciless defeats at Sanada's hand, it was only fair to watch Sanada wipe the court at the enemy's expense. And he had delivered rather spectacular performances in the last two rounds. However, Yukimura Seiichi seemed to be most inconsiderate and ignorant of their intended script. In fact, he was so inconsiderate, he was winning at 4-1.

"I wish Tezuka were here. He could translate what they are saying," said Piotr.

"Don't need language to translate tennis. That Yuck-guy is obviously egging Sanada. He hasn't done anything except return all of Sanada's shots like they were light rallies. Even the break your gut-strings and kill you dead homocidal ones! Who is this monster?"

"Yukimura Seiichi. Ex-captain of Rikkai University Affiliated Middle School. Sanada's tennis captain in junior high." A calm deep voice interjected.

"Tezuka! You're back. Just in time to see Thunderstorm get slaughtered." Edvard pulled Tezuka from the back of the standing crowd to the front. Now that they knew Yukimura was Sanada's ex-captain, they could set aside their scripted team solidarity. The next best thing to Sanada pummelling someone else was Sanada getting pummelled. The new script involved enjoying the view of Sanada getting creamed, crushed and pulverised for a change. Even if it meant taking a loss on their side.

On the court, Sanada was completely oblivious to everything around him. There was only one person on his mind and there was only one target that his eyes had locked on. He did not even notice Tezuka standing only a metre away when he walked past to change court.

Only one person could do that to Sanada. Only Yukimura Seiichi.

Yukimura had also noticed Tezuka's eyes, intently tracking Sanada's progress around the net. He gave Tezuka a look and a nod, as if to pull Tezuka's attention away from Sanada to him. A greeting and a promise.

Tezuka held his gaze for a heart-beat, then slowly nodded back, before deliberately turning away. Terse, dignified, and perfunctory. One captain's greeting to another, and an answering challenge.

Sanada had reached the baseline position. Tezuka watched him carefully. The way he shook his head once, too quick to be noticeable. He knew Sanada was feeling the effects of Yukimura's tennis and was trying to shake off his worsening vision. Then he held up the ball to Yukimura, to signal that he was using a new ball in the next service. And served it right into the net.

"Fault!" announced the referee.

"Daijoubu?" Yukimura's soft concerned voice drifted in the silence.

"I don't believe it!" Jan Heinrich exclaimed. He was the German aggressive base-liner from Sanada's subgroup. "Sanada just faulted!"

"Tezuka ... What is wrong with him?" Raul Pacelli looked perplexed. He was another member of Sanada's subgroup. "Sanada had never faulted any of his serves in a match before."

Every single pair of eyes turned to him for explanation. Tezuka sighed. This was probably why he cannot seem to get on well with Yukimura. He disliked Yukimura's style of tennis. And that was saying something. But it seemed to always fall on him to explain Yukimura's deadly games. "Yips-like effect. Sanada is slowly losing his sense of vision."

"That is impossible. He did not hit his head, did he?" Raul's Italian-accented German was getting thicker in the excitement. It took a moment for Tezuka to filter the syllables, separate the German words and translate them into Japanese before he understood the comment.

"No. It is Yukimura's tennis. It is a mental effect. No matter what you do, he always return everything. It forms a sense of helplessness. You will understand when you play him in the next match up."

"You played him before?"

"Yes. A long time ago."

"How do you beat him?"

"Belief in yourself and have fun."

They stared at Tezuka incredulously. "What kind of advice is that?!"

"Boys! Pay attention to the game. Especially you, Raul." The coach turned towards Tezuka speculatively. "I can see why he was called the 'Child of God' in Japan. He has incredible control, fast reflexes and good mental strategy."

"He has a nickname?" Edvard crowed excitedly. "What is Sanada's? Tsunami? Typhoon? Earthquake? Volcano?"

Tezuka sighed. Why was it that Sanada was so easily associated with natural disasters? Especially when his tennis was deteriorating into an unnatural disaster the longer he played against Yukimura.

"The Emperor," answered the coach to 'ooh' and 'aah' of impressed young athletes.

"That means Tezuka has one too!" Edvard said excitedly. "What is Tezuka's?"

"I don't think there is one," said the coach.

"The Pillar." Yukimura winked conspiratorially. He stood relaxed and calm while Sanada called time-out to replace his ruined tennis racquet.

Tezuka's team mates stared at him agape. "The Pillar?" They looked at each other in disbelief before they broke into gales of laughter.

"Tezuka … we know you have a stick up your ass … but … but … we didn't know it was that big!"

Tezuka's eye-brow twitched.

"Oh dear," said Yukimura in Japanese. "I think something is lost in translation." He looked at Tezuka with pure innocent puzzlement. "I'm afraid German is not my best language."

Tezuka stared at him, telepathically conveying his utter disdain for Yukimura's innocent act and the fact that he did not believe an iota of it. No, despite being his lover's best friend, Tezuka simply could not get himself to like Yukimura. He felt only a slight twinge of guilt for predicting that Raul was going to end up forfeiting his match. But he might just spend an hour or two with Raul later. It would please him very much to see Raul last six games – three games more than Yukimura planned for the Italian.

He cannot wait to play against Yukimura tomorrow and wipe that smug grin off his face. It was time to resume the match they had left unfinished in elementary school. Yukimura better had something more than 'yips' or he would be shown up as a one-trick-pony. Because Tezuka Kunimitsu had had yips, real life ones. Tezuka Kunimitsu had fought with and fought against yips. Real-life, heart-freezing, nerve-wrecking, excruciatingly painful ones. And Tezuka Kunimitsu had conquered yips.

Tomorrow, Yukimura Seiichi would see Tezuka's real tennis. Undiluted, refined and flawless.

Then ... Then, Genichirou's eyes ... His Gen's eyes will look at him. And only him.

Note:

Tarundoru – Slacker / Don't slack off

Ganbatte – Do your best

Daijoubu? – Are you okay?

I wrote one on Sanada being jealous. It's only fair to show Tezuka's side, right? :D I just hope all three are not too out of character.

I know … it was supposed to be a one-shot that became three. But Yukimura bugged me for an appearance because I shoved him back on the shelf in SM. So here is No. 4 for this universe, dedicated to everyone who reviewed, alerted, fav'ed and read this story. As always, criticisms and feedbacks are loved to pieces.

P.s. I'm so sorry. I did mention Tezuka's notebook. But he threatened not to cooperate in SM if I embarrass him with said XXX notebook. (Yes, this meant I actually have more stories in this universe. But I do not actually write them for various reasons.)