♫Wonderful Days♫Prince of tennis♫Hyotei♫

♫17♫ Let's overcome that habit of yours

Some day later, Ranfa and Shishido returned to the abandoned building. This time, they brought Choutarou along with them.

"Is this really okay?" Choutarou asked.

"Yeah, come any time." Shishido answered him, "Sakura and I set up this training programme just for you." 

"Shishido-san and Sakura-san?" 

"It's about time we get you sorted out, Ootori, let's get rid of that twist you do when you try to hit more to the right." Ranfa stated, "I did tell Senpai that he doesn't need to be here but he said he's going to keep an eye on us. Isn't he nice? Ah...he's got a nice voice, good looks, a good friend... An ideal man... Ah! Ahem! Back to business! Appreciate the fact we are here for you, we got you covered, Ootori!" 

"I asked you to help me last time." Shishido went to the other side of the broken wall, "I'm just returning the favor... Now come!" 

Seeing that Ranfa and Shishido went through all of the trouble to prepare a training session just for him, he decided he will do his best and not make them waste their efforts.

Saying that he wasn't going to waste their efforts were easier said than done though; it was not easy to get serve the Scud Serve to the right side without twisting his wrist. He kept hitting the wall instead of getting it through the hole. 

Ranfa watched countless times of Choutarou trying to get it over but he was no successful at all. 

"Don't twist your wrist! One more time!" Shishido encouraged on the other side.

"Yes!"

"Oi, Sakura! Show him how it's done again!" Shishido said to Ranfa. 

"Ootori, look carefully. I'll do a normal serve first..." She served the ball normally and she watched Shishido chased for it and catch it in his own hand, "Now, my nameless serve..." She served her best move out and when it landed on the other side of the hole they chiseled, it skidded elsewhere at top speed. 

"What the hell, Sakura?! Now I have to hunt for it!" An annoyed Shishido ran after the now missing ball, complaining about why she served that kind of ball in a place like this. "My ball! Goddammit!" 

"You have still have your balls!" Ranfa shouted back. 

"Um..." Choutarou started.

"Ah, you see? The important thing is not to put too much pressure on yourself and serve it like usual. Give me your hand." 

"O-okay..."

Choutarou gave his hand to her and she flexed his hand in the way he usually twist when hitting more to the right. 

"This, you see this? You need to stop doing that." 

"I'll try..." 

"You'll get it soon. We'll wait for Shishido-senpai to return and then we will continue." 

"Yes! Sakura-san, thank you very much." 

"Hm?"

"I mean, you're having your own problems but you're still helping me..." 

"I am the manager." 

"Speaking of that, I think Sakura-san is good enough to even join the girl's team and take the Nationals..." 

"You think so?" 

"Yes! Because Sakura-san has the skills to back up your words!" Choutarou meant it, he really believe this small girl can take the Nationals if she wanted to. 

"You're too sweet, Ootori. How do you not have a girlfriend when you're so cute?" 

"Huh? M-me? C-cute?" 

"I think you're really cute." 

Choutarou blushed at her words and it was Shishido's return that snapped Choutarou from blushing. 

"Let's continue!" Shishido shouted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Choutarou's training was showing little progress; he was getting close to the hole but it was not enough.

Ranfa was holding an umbrella to cover herself from the rain because the spot she was standing does not have a roof over it. 

'He's showing progress...' Ranfa thought to herself.

"It's your right wrist! If you don't fix it, you'll have no control!" Shishido was showing Choutarou how to serve without twisting his wrist. It was a little frustrating because Choutarou continuously twisting his wrist when he's not supposed to, "Quit that!" 

"Sorry..."

When the rain stopped, Ranfa felt a little sleepy so she fell asleep against a wall not too far from them. Shishido put a jacket against her to keep her warm. 

"Sakura-san can go home if she wants to. It's getting really late." 

"She said she will stay until you get it right. I have no idea what this girl is thinking but she is really persistent..." Shishido sighed with a smile, "Well, that's just Sakura. Girls should be more like her." 

"Yeah..." He said with a light blush. 

"She is not too girly and still look cute. It's hard to be like that." 

"Shishido-san, do you like Sakura-san?" 

"Of course I like her." 

"I mean... Like 'like'." 

"What are you talking about, Choutarou? There is only one like." 

"Shishido-san, you're so oblivious that it is kind of frustrating...." 

"Huh?" 

Soon the sun was finally starting to rise....

"What's wrong?! Are you done already?!" 

Shishido's shot woke Ranfa up and she slowly opened her blue eyes to see Choutarou preparing another go. 

"Ikyuu nyuu kon!!" 

Ranfa tiredly watched the ball fly through the hole with precision...

...

He did it! He finally did it! Ranfa got up from where she was sleeping and she ran over to Choutarou! 

"Yes! You did it!" She hugged the taller boy from behind, feeling very proud of him, "You finally did it!

"Sakura-san..." 

"All right, Choutarou!" Shishido pat Choutarou's shoulder, proud of him that he finally did what Ranfa can do, "Don't forget that form! One more time!"

Choutarou smiled, "Yes!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Choutarou was a mess but he didn't mind it one bit. His best friend and manager helped him overcome one of the greatest obstacle ever and he was able to surpass it with their help. 

"Senpai, I'm hungry. Let's eat breakfast." Ranfa happily requested.

"Sure." 

"Can you treat?" 

"Oi..." 

"It's a senpai's responsibility to take care of their kouhais." 

"You... Then why can't I say a kouhai should treat their senpai out of respect."

"Are you telling me, a girl, to treat you? I didn't know you were that much of a cheapskate..."

"You..." 

Choutarou watched the two of them bicker but he smiled with a light blush when looking at Ranfa's small back...