Prince of Tennis: My Princess

Chapter 3: Witch

In class, Dachi turns around to Wu Yaoguang. His smile and kind eyes made her shy away like he was a strong ray of sunshine.

Dachi: Yaoguang, I heard you're officially going to be one of our cheerleaders with Qi Ying and Peng Xia.

Wu Yaoguang is a little embarrassed to talk about the tennis cheer team since it's just little rants and such.

Wu Yaoguang tucks her hair behind her ear: Uh, yeah. I thought it would be something interesting. Besides, I'll get to support you and watch you play.

Dachi chuckles a little: I usually play doubles. Jiale is my partner. It's kind of cheesy but they have little nicknames for us.

Wu Yaoguang: Not at all, it's sweet.

Dachi: By the way, are you free this evening? The team is going to He Xinglong's family-owned restaurant.

Wu Yaoguang: Perhaps next time. I have plans with Ji Jingwu tonight.

Dachi's smile drops slightly, unnoticed by Wu Yaoguang.

Dachi: that's okay.

A silence cuts through their conversation. Neither of them know what to say next.

Wu Yaoguang: Uh, Dachi, do you know the answer for number 6 on the worksheet?

Dachi references his paper: I got 619 candies.

Wu Yaoguang purses her lips and quickly taps on her calculator.

Wu Yaoguang: I'm so close. I got 600 candies.

Dachi: Why don't we work over this at lunch?

Wu Yaoguang: Okay, if you don't mind.

At lunch, Dachi and Wu Yaoguang sit at a patio working on the problem. Wu Yaoguang brings up the next following lessons.

Wu Yaoguang: If the teacher follows the book then we will learn these next. They look challenging.

Dachi: Well, I have no idea how to do these as of now but if you don't get it by then; come to me. I'll help you.

Jiale appears before them with his tray of food: Hey~ what are you two looking at? Math? 🤢 During lunch? Are you crazy?

Dachi: we're just clarifying something.

Jiale looks at the pages: Hey, my class is ahead of you. We learned this last week. Zhou Zhi knows it best. If either of you struggle with this then come with me and Zhou Zhi during breaks.

Wu Yaoguang: Thanks. I'll keep that in mind.

Later that day, Dachi walks Yaoguang to sign into her cleaning duty before his practice.

Dachi: Remember, the door locks after 6 and the supply room is here.

Yaoguang gives a shy smile: I'll remember. Thank you, Dachi. Now go to practice. Don't be late.

Dachi smiles and walks away, still facing Yaoguang: I'll see you then.

After Dachi walks away, Yaoguang grabs a broom and goes to sweep the hall. Not too long after, she hears footsteps approaching. Two girls are behind her and she recognized one of them. The girl with a pretty face was the girl talking to Dachi when he first returned from a tennis match. The other girl must be her friend.

The pretty girl has her arms crossed: Hey, rich girl, are you trying to take Dachi from me? Dachi is mine.

Yaoguang stops sweeping: I can't take from you what is not yours. Besides, Dachi and I are just classmates.

The pretty girl scoffs: Yet you dare make me look bad in front of Dachi the other day.

Yaoguang cringes. Is this girl seriously trying to bully her to stay away from Dachi right now? This feels like a stereotypical mean girl vs new girl trope.

Yaoguang: Do you want an apology? I'm sorry I stopped you from making a fool of yourself. You just sounded like you really wanted to appeal yourself to Dachi. It made me cringe. I felt second-hand embarrassment.

The pretty girl pointed at Yaoguang: You-!

Yaoguang: I'm going now.

Yaoguang may have spoke calmly but on the inside she was so scared. Her heart was beating so fast. As soon as she turned away, the pretty girl yelled and Yaoguang could hear their footsteps after her. Yaoguang quickly runs. She had no idea where she was running but the whole time, she kept the broom in the hand. She ran around campus like a Western witch on Halloween.

Yaoguang jumped into the bushes down a path with the broom in hand with a yelp. She laid quietly and peeked through the leafs as the two adrenaline-filled girls ran by. A sigh of relief expels from her. She was unbothered by the dirt and mud that she laid with.

A deep, yet soft, voice whispers from behind her: What are you doing?

Yaoguang gasp and turns around. She sees Zhang Baiyang and majority of the tennis team.

Dachi: Wu Yaoguang...

He steps over the cement curb and offers a hand to Yaoguang.

Dachi: Yaoguang, what are you doing there?

Qiao Chen: More importantly, how LONG have you been there?

Qiao Chen gives a suspicious look to Wu Yaoguang then a slight nod to Jiale, who nods back.

Yaoguang takes Dachi's hand and Baiyang takes her broom: I... (looks around) How did I get here?

Jiale: Wu Yaoguang, why are you in the bushes?

Yaoguang: I was hiding from...

Yaoguang looks around and do not see the girls. She then debates for a quick moment if she should expose the pretty girl's territorial behavior over Dachi. Yaoguang cringes and shakes her head.

Yaoguang: I'm lost.

Dachi smiles sweetly at her: Your clothes are dirty. Come on, I'm sure we have some clean and unused team uniform inside. If none fit you, you can take Lu Xia's.

Lu Xia: If you dare.

Yaoguang stops and looks back as Lu Xia, partially from fear and wondering if he is serious. She thinks he is.

Dachi chuckles: Lu Xia is joking. Come on.

Yaoguang is guided inside by Dachi. They leave Baiyang with the broom in hand. Now HE is a witch.

Dachi takes her to a closet of the tennis uniform. He grabs a shirt and a pants. Dachi hands them to her.

Dachi: You can change in the bathroom.

Yaoguang thanks him and goes to quickly change. She folds her dirty clothes neatly and puts them in a bag. She steps out of the bathroom.

Yaoguang: Dachi, this fits nicely. Thanks. I would've been embarrassed walking around with muddy clothes.

Dachi: It's almost 6.

Dachi picks up his team jacket that laid over the back of a chair. He gently places it over and around Wu Yaoguang's shoulders.

Dachi: It's cold by now. Stay warm.

Wu Yaoguang could feel her face burn up. Dachi is so sweet to her.

Wu Yaoguang: It's okay. I won't being staying out long. You-

Dachi: Just in case- I'll stay warm by constantly moving around but you-

Yaoguang: Dachi, I'm big and produce a lot of heat. I'll be fine.

Yaoguang goes to take off the coat but Dachi pinches the collar of the jacket together so Yaoguang cannot take it off.

Dachi: I've got to go now. See you.

Dachi runs out. Yaoguang adjusts the jacket then walks out where Baiyang has been waiting for her by the door. He hands the broom over to her and walks away without a word.

Yaoguang: Thank you, Zhang Baiyang.