Chapter One:

The Curse Lake

The bus groaned to a halt on the side of a winding mountain road, its wheels kicking up a cloud of dust as the doors hissed open. Out spilled the Seigaku tennis team—Regulars, juniors, and a few guests—stretching stiff limbs and squinting up at the sight before them.

"Whoa…" Horio muttered.

Nestled among the dense trees stood an enormous old-fashioned house, built from dark wood and perched atop a small rise like something straight out of a countryside drama. Ivy curled around the balcony railings. A path made of moss-covered stone led from the dirt road to the large front porch, where paint peeled but charm still lingered.

"The Ryuzaki family vacation house," the coach said with a note of nostalgia in her voice. "It's been a while."

Standing beside her was another coach—stocky, with graying hair and a friendly-but-serious air. He adjusted his glasses and gave a firm nod. This was Coach Tanaka from Seigaku High, joining them for the weeklong joint training camp.

Behind the house, visible through a break in the trees, sat an overgrown tennis court, its lines faint but still intact. A breeze stirred the leaves overhead, and the scent of pine mixed with faint traces of old wood.

Coach Ryuzaki turned to the group and clapped her hands. "Alright! We've got one week of intensive training ahead. But first, this place needs to be livable. I want teams assigned to cleaning, organizing supplies, food prep, and fishing. This house may be old, but it's sturdy and full of memories."

Fuji opened one eye. "Memories, hmm?"

"Good ones," the coach added with a chuckle. "Hopefully."

Osakada leaned toward her best friend, eyes shining. "It's huge! Can you believe your family owns this, Sakuno?"

"I-It's been so long," Sakuno replied softly, her gaze sweeping the house. "I barely remember anything about it…"

Coach Tanaka stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Let's get to work. Team one: dusting and floor sweeping. Team two: kitchen and food supplies. Team three: gathering fruit and water. Team four: fishing."

Everyone broke off into small groups, some groaning at the mention of certain tasks.

The old house creaked as they stepped inside. Dust coated the wooden floors, and cobwebs hung from corners like forgotten curtains. Still, it had a warm atmosphere, like the walls remembered the laughter of summers past.

The students got to work. Osakada and Sakuno tackled the upstairs rooms, scrubbing windows and shaking out old blankets. Momoshiro and Kaidoh bickered over who had to clean the porch. Horio proudly swept the living room—though he sneezed every other minute.

Kikumaru, with his boundless energy, danced between chores and dramatic flair. While sweeping under a creaky cabinet, he suddenly straightened up with a spooky expression.

"Ne, ne! Has anyone heard the story of the cursed lake?"

Half the group froze. Tomoka immediately paused mid-step.

"There's a curse?" Katsuo asked, eyes wide.

"Yup!" Kikumaru dropped his voice to a whisper. "They say there's a lake near here. Looks peaceful. But years ago, a couple came to the mountain for a romantic trip. They fought, fell into the water, and were never seen again."

Momoshiro's eyes gleamed. "Oh yeah, I think I heard that too. Something about how the spirits of doomed lovers haunt the place?"

Fuji, smiling serenely, added, "They say if you fall in with someone who has feelings for you—or vice versa—the river decides your fate."

Inui nodded as he scribbled in his notebook, mumbling something under his breath while Oishi sighed and kept cleaning.

Horio let out a shaky laugh. "T-That's just a story, right?"

"Or is it?" Kikumaru grinned.

Sakuno's face had gone pale.

"Stupid senpai," Ryoma muttered under his breath. "...making up ghost stories again."

Everyone turned toward him.

"You don't believe it?" Momoshiro asked, feigning surprise.

Ryoma gave him a deadpan look. "No."

"That's suspicious," Momoshiro teased. "Sounds like someone's afraid of water ghosts."

"I'm not afraid of anything," Ryoma replied coolly.

"Ohoho," Kikumaru laughed. "Then Ochibi should be in charge of catching fish from the lake."

Ryoma shrugged. "Fine."

"Eh? Really?" Osakada blinked. "You're okay with that?"

"It's just fish."

Momoshiro and Kikumaru exchanged gleeful looks. Fuji opened his eyes. Inui adjusted his glasses.

Oishi chuckled as he shook his head at his kouhai.

"Actually," Momoshiro said slowly, with mock seriousness, "he shouldn't go alone. That's dangerous. He'll need a partner."

Sakuno, who had been quietly dusting the window sill, froze as she sensed the sudden shift in the air.

"Sakuno-chan!" Kikumaru exclaimed. "You're from the Ryuzaki family—you know this place! You should go with him."

"E-Eh?!" she stammered, clutching her duster.

"It makes sense," Momoshiro added. "Echizen gets fish, Ryuzaki-chan keeps him from falling into the cursed water."

"Don't tease her," Oishi said gently, though the corners of his mouth twitched.

"I think it's romantic," Osakada added with a dreamy sigh.

Sakuno glanced nervously at Ryoma, who didn't seem to care in the slightest. "Do whatever you want," he mumbled.

Before she could protest, Coach Ryuzaki returned to the room, brushing dust from her hands.

"Alright, team," she called out. "Once we're done cleaning, we'll need food for dinner. So—who's volunteering to catch fish?"

There was a beat of silence.

Then, all at once, half the room pointed.

"Ochibi and Sakuno-chan!" Kikumaru yelled.

Sakuno squeaked. Ryoma sighed.

"…Tch. Whatever."

Everyone burst out laughing.

And just like that, their fate was sealed.

To be Continued…