Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ Translate This ❯ Anger ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: Don't own, so please don't sue!!

 

 

 

 

 

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Anger

 

 

 

 

 

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I ran towards the lockers as I heard the P.E. bell ring. Today was a softball day, and I was glad it was over, since I didn't really like the sport much. After changing, I met Ryoma outside, and we chatted as we waited for the dismissal bell to ring. We had really become good friends over the past week. When I thought about it, I realized that he was the first friend, real friend, that I've ever had. Not to mention that he's had a growth spurt, considering that he was now an inch or two taller than me. All of the other guys in our grade, though, still seemed to tower over him.

 

 

As soon as the dismissal bell rang, he and I headed over to the front gates, and home. But as we were walking, a smiling Fuji headed our way.

 

 

“Hello.” He greeted us.

 

 

“Oh, hi Fuji! Do you walk this way too?”

 

 

“Yes,” he nodded. “In fact, I live very close to Ryoma.”

 

 

“Oh really?” I thought for a second. “I haven't seen you walk this way before.”

 

 

He smiled. “That's because my sister usually picks me up.”

 

 

Tenaya grinned. “To drive you three blocks home?”

 

 

Fuji smiled. “What can I say, she'll grab any opportunity to drive her new car.”

 

 

I laughed. “Oh, okay.”

 

 

“So Ryoma, no tennis today, would you like to play me at the park?” Fuji asked.

 

 

Ryoma smiled. “Sure. And I'll win.”

 

 

“Ha, we'll see.” He looked over at me. “Tenaya, would you like to come too?”

 

 

I nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like fun.”

 

 

Fuji nodded. “Alright, I'll pick you both up then.”

 

 

“Okay.” I smiled. “See you then!”

 

 

 

*Narrator's POV*

 

 

A couple of hours later, Tenaya, Ryoma, and Fuji met at, coincidentally, her `thinking park' for a game of tennis. On the way there, Fuji explained that there was a game this Saturday against Hyotei, so it was best to get prepared. Ryoma looked extremely pumped and excited for this, she noticed while they warmed up.

 

 

Tenaya smiled as she sat down on a bench to watch. The excitement on his face shone with every smile, the sport itself just giving him joy. Reminded her of someone else…

 

 

It was only about 7:00 when their game ended, with Ryoma just barely winning a 7-5 tie break. The whole time, Tenaya thought mostly about Ryoma. How he could always find so much fun in a simple sport. She remembered when, before, she had felt the exact same way. And possibly, could feel again. And Ryoma, if anybody, would be the one to inspire her.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Over the next couple of days, Fuji and Tenaya had become great friends. Fuji always made her laugh, unintentionally most of the time, which always made him wonder what exactly was so funny. He had started walking home more and more, instead of riding with his sister, and often walked with Ryoma and her. But as the three of them spent more time together, Tenaya noticed something about Ryoma. He never said much when somebody else was in their company. Like they would be having a conversation, and as soon as somebody walked over to join them, he kind of quieted down. It didn't really trouble her, but she did wonder about it sometimes…

 

 

As Friday rolled around, the last tennis practice before the match, the whole team was getting more and more excited. All of them, at one point, asked Tenaya whether or not she'd be there, and she reassured them all with a smile that she would. She was anxious herself about this match. It would be the first official match she'd been to since…Regionals, and she wondered how she would handle it.

 

 

When Saturday morning came, she was surprised to open her front door and see Ryoma standing there, tennis bag in hand, ready to go. She laughed when she saw his eager face. “Excited aren't we?”

 

 

He nodded and motioned for her to hurry up. “Come on! We're supposed to be there at 10:00!”

 

 

She grabbed her skateboard. “Yeah, which is in an hour?”

 

 

“But I need to warm up!”

 

 

“Oh c'mon and just admit you're excited. You never need an hour to warm up.”

 

 

“Ok, whatever, just hurry up!!” He jumping up and down with anxiety now.

 

 

She laughed and hopped onto her skateboard. “Alright, alright!! I didn't know you could get this excited about something.”

 

 

“I usually don't. It's just that I haven't had a match in almost 2 months, and plus, I'm playing Atobe Keigo today, which will probably the first challenge I've had in a while.”

 

 

“So, is he good?”

 

 

“Not really. He's beaten Tezuka before though.”

 

 

She stared at him. “…who's beaten you.”

 

 

Ryoma smirked. “Yeah, but Atobe just won by luck that time. I'll flatten him today!”

 

 

Tenaya sighed. “Okay, whatever you say. Just don't let that ego of your get any bigger.” She smirked. “Or there won't be room for anything else.”

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

*Ryoma's POV*

 

 

I can't believe I lost. How could it be possible? When I thought about it, there was no way I could lose. But I couldn't really concentrate right now, since everybody else was making such a racket. (No pun intended.) We were in Takashi's sushi shop, celebrating our victory. Everybody but me. After Atobe beat me, Fuji won, securing the win for Seigaku but…I can't believe I lost!

 

 

I grit my teeth and clenched my fists. How could I suffer such an embarrassing defeat? It was so close too. It was my match point, and I made an unforced error. Then I hit the ball into the net during his match point. God, how I hated myself right now. Not only have I been training to play Atobe for weeks, I feel like I let my teammates down. They had all been rooting for me, and I let my concentration slip.

 

 

I looked over at Tenaya, who was chatting animatedly with Fuji, about his game no doubt. I couldn't help but think that I let her down the most. She had always been there to help me out, but at her first game, Atobe beats me.

 

 

I hurriedly drank the rest of my tea and got up to leave. The room was so crowded and everyone was being so loud, that I slipped out easily without being noticed.

 

 

I sighed and stared at the sky. It was close to sunset, and the clouds were outlined with a light pink-ish tint. Sorry everybody…Tenaya…

 

 

 

*Tenaya's POV*

 

 

I smiled at Fuji as he talked about the match. He was commenting on how well the others did, and what he could have done better. I smirked inwardly. Modesty was always his way.

 

 

But the truth was, I was only half paying attention. My mind kept wandering back to Ryoma's game with Atobe. How, the moment his backhand slipped and the ball hit the net, he had dropped his racket and went down on all fours. Sakuno had rushed out there a little later to comfort Ryoma, but he had ignored her. He stayed there for so long, that I had started getting worried, but the look on his face when he eventually stood up was even worse. His expression went beyond wounded pride, to the point where it looked like it was emotionally painful, a feeling I understood. And after that, he hadn't said a single word, and nobody tried to speak to him. (Well, except Tomo and Sakuno, but it was safe to say that they had no luck.)

 

 

I looked up as I heard the shoji door slide shut, and looked over to Ryoma's empty seat. “I should really do something about him.” I thought. So when Fuji finished, I stood up and announced that I was heading home. I thanked Takashi and his dad who both bowed in response, and I congratulated the whole the whole team on their victory.

 

 

After I put my shoes on, I grabbed my skateboard and slid the door open. I spotted Ryoma turning the corner about a block away, and I hurried to catch up to him

 

 

 

*Narrator's POV*

 

 

“Hey, I saw you leave the party.” Tenaya said as she skateboarded up to him. “Why didn't you say anything?”

 

 

He shrugged and kept walking. “Maybe because I didn't want everybody to know.”

 

 

“Well, people are going to wonder where you went.”

 

 

“Oh well. Let them wonder.” He shrugged. “What about you? Why did you leave?”

 

 

She smiled. “I had my fun. I don't really like sushi anyway.”

 

 

“It looked like you were having lots of fun, talking to Fuji.”

 

 

She raised her eyebrow at the bitter edge to his voice. “I…was. He's a great conversationalist you know. And always so kind, and not to mention, great at tennis. But I didn't want to hog his attention. No matter how modest he is, everybody else knows that he's the star of the day.”

 

 

Ryoma clenched his teeth. Was Tenaya trying to piss him off? “Oh really?” He forced a smile. “What did you guys talk about?” He wanted to see whether or not she was doing this on purpose.

 

 

“Well, most of the conversation was centered around his game today. He was commenting on how he could have improved, and I was, well, listening. I didn't really find that much wrong with how he played today though, to tell you the truth. Flawless, almost. They really don't call him the tennis tensai for nothi-“

 

 

“Then why don't you go back there and keep talking to him then?!” Ryoma yelled. He had had enough. Tenaya was the person he minded least, and deep down without knowing it, he had kind of wanted her company after his defeat. But right now, it seemed like she was purposely pushing all his sore spots, and getting on his last nerve.

 

 

Tenaya stopped and hitched up her skateboard, deciding to walk instead. She raised an eyebrow at him. “Ooh, hostile aren't we? Just because of one stupid little game?”

 

 

He burst. “It's not just one stupid little game! I lost to Atobe! Him! I've made a resolution to beat him, and I make one little mistake and lose it all. If only—“

 

 

“Ryoma, stop it.” Tenaya sighed, as if she was suddently extremely weary, and hugged her skateboard closer. “What you're going through right now…I know how you feel…I think, at least, a little. That feeling you get when you lose, and the people you feel you've let down. Ryoma, I know.”

 

 

She looked up at the setting sun, and for a moment, she really did remember, as clear as day. All those times she lost, and just had that empty feeling inside that only the right words could fill. Well, her dad provided those words for her, and right now, she felt that she needed to provide them for Ryoma.

 

 

“All those people cheer for you, in hopes to see you win. And you'd do anything not to let them down, which is exactly what you did today, or so you think. You're unconsciously letting these people control you, and you've forgotten about yourself. You're playing first and foremost for you.”

 

 

Ryoma unclenched his fists, and remained silent, as if pondering what she just said. By this time, they had reached Tenaya's street, and they turned the corner.

 

 

“You fee like…you've lost them.” She continued, in a sad voice. “Their support, hopes, expectations, everything. But you don't see that…we don't care that you've made a mistake. It's like you've fallen down, and refuse to try again.” They slowed as they reached her house. They paused and turned to face each other. Tenaya looked into Ryoma's eyes and saw an emotion she couldn't describe. Something between confusion and relief. She stepped closer until they were face to face, and looking into each other's eyes.

 

 

“You need to look up, and see that we're the ones waiting for you. We've forgotten your mistake, and just hoping to see you back to your old self again.” She smiled sadly. “All of us.”

 

 

Ryoma looked at Tenaya. She was smiling, but her gray eyes told of nothing but pain. He didn't want to admit it, but it seemed like she knew more about him that he did. And right now, she was speaking the exact words that he had been waiting to hear, for a long time.

 

 

Tenaya took one step closer, and slowly raised her hand up to Ryoma's face, barely letting her fingers graze his cheek. “So, stop trying to redeem your lost pride, and just want it for yourself next time. Win it for you.”

 

 

Ryoma closed his eyes. He could almost feel them filling with tears that he was just barely able to hold back. How could it be that this strange girl he had met only a little more than a week ago knew all this about him? She had somehow found his most hidden sadness, one that he did not even know existed himself, and soothed it with only a few sentences. He looked up at her through blurry eyes. Her hand still lay softly on his cheek, and he relaxed at her touch. The comforting scent of peaches emanating from her, completely the opposite of Tenaya's wild nature, although still fitting somehow, surrounded him like a warm, safe blanket.

 

 

Tenaya looked into his eyes that were quickly beginning to tear and smiled. She noticed that up close, his eyes were actually a deep green, not brown like she had first thought. Hm, how fitting, mysterious, forest green eyes…

 

 

For a second, Ryoma thought that she was going to kiss him, since she had started leaning closer and closer. But at the last moment, she just smiled, and brushed her hand across his cheek once more, this time her fingers gently grazing his lip. And with that, she turned and ran up the steps to her porch. “I'll see you tomorrow okay? We should do something fun.” She smiled one last time, before disappearing into her house.

 

 

 

 

a/n: Whew, summer vacation! I'm trying to update as fast as I can, but I haven't actually written much more of the story past this chapter. So, the posting will slow down a great deal starting from now. Since I would like to save you the trouble of checking back to this story every day, I'll contact you every time a new chapter is posted. Please give me your email address, by sending it to viviansk8s@yahoo.com. Thanks for all your support! Flames, constructive criticism, and comments welcome.

 

 

Koreangirlme: Thanks for your comments! And I feel that I can write much better by switching “Point of views”. Glad you liked the system too! Enjoy chapter 8!