One Nil to You (A Prince of Tennis Fanfiction)

Prologue

November 19, 2012

Romanovros Manor — Point Piper, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Morning

Staring out from her bedroom's cupola, Juri wondered how her grandmother Yesfir was doing in Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women. As she faced the morning sun and watched the waves breaking over Seven Shillings Beach, she wondered if her grandmother had begun to adapt to the forbidding environment she had been condemned to three months ago after being found guilty of all charges. Perhaps she has—Yesfir was after all a survivor of one of the most harrowing marriages in the world for decades. Still, she hoped that her grandmother was not being tormented by the inmates, considering she heard how belligerent women detainees were in America. And she hoped that her father and Eduard had come up with a strategy to save the innocent employees of Romanovros Global Company after the company had closed down since her grandfather's trial, conviction and ultimately his death.

Two more months until the Australian Open, but she didn't feel like training today. The holidays felt different this year. Yesterday, she had taken her little brothers, Yuki and Aki, for swimming and picnic down at the beach. Here and there were Christmas trees on the decks of the houses they passed even though it was still a month away. They had the beach all to themselves that day, but she didn't show any interest in either the waves or the seashells, starfishes and seagulls that her brothers were fascinated with.

She envied how the twins felt so extremely carefree, something she wish she could feel right now. They were too young to realize what happened these past five months and the impact it has had on her life, yet she relied on them for the escape of circumstances under pressure. They were a constant reminder that life goes on and that she had to do her best because her dream was standing just a few steps before her. She couldn't tell a number of times how she felt overwhelmed with sadness and anger over the months, only to have the two of them say something funny or do something silly to bring her back to the reality of how lucky she was to be alive and be part of this family—a family that she thought would forever fall apart and found hopeless.

On her desk were framed photographs of her mansion in Japan, her welcome party there that was planned by her mother, the party of the opening of Legacy International Inc.'s Japanese branch, the birth of Belle's puppies in the mansion, the victory of the Eastern Junior Japanese Selected Team against the Western Junior American Selected Team in the East-West Goodwill Games with her accepting the trophy on behalf of the team, Seigaku's victory in the Kanto Prefectural Finals and in the Nationals Tournament, and the International Wimbledon Junior Tournament last month where she participated in the women's division while Seigaku, Hyotei, Shitenhoji and Rikkai represented Japan.

In the silence, she studied them until she was interrupted by a knock on the door. As it opened, a West Highland White Terrier capered towards her and her mother came into the room with a tray of Japanese breakfast.

"Belle and I missed you at breakfast." Misuzu said, as she placed the tray on the coffee table.

"I'm not hungry, mother." Juri replied while cooing to her dog.

"You need to eat, sweetie."

Juri finally went back inside her room and sat on her desk, staring at the pile of photos, seeing nothing at all.

Misuzu joined her daughter and placed a hand on Juri's shoulder, as she asked, "What's wrong? Normally you'd be training since the Australian Open is just two months away."

"I had been wrong for so long." Juri mumbled. "And I didn't realize it only until months ago."

"You mean about Mikhail and Yesfir? Or about Kunimitsu-kun?"