One Nil to You (A Prince of Tennis Fanfiction)

Chapter 5

July 12, 2012

Seishun Academy — Tennis Clubhouse

Morning

"It's ringing!" Oishi told the regulars and Momoshiro who were gathering around him.

"Do you really think we'll know anything from Juri-san?" Momoshiro asked curiously.

"Considering the direness of the circumstance, there's a forty-eight percent chance of that." Inui stated.

Ever since the first round of the Kanto Regionals Tournament, Tezuka hadn't been coming to school even though summer vacation was still six days away, none of them, even Coach Ryuzaki, heard any news about him or heard personally from him. Rumours had been circulating that the principal had given him an early vacation due to his injury, others within the club were murmuring that he won't be able to play for some quite some time or even up until the finals and that he may have turned in his resignation as captain.

"Hello?" a voice came from the other line.

"Oh, hello, Juri-san!" Oishi said, greatly delighted as the others.

"Oishi-san, what is it?" she asked.

"Are you in the middle of something?"

"Yes, that much for now."

"Oh, I see—"

"Ask her already, Oishi!" Kikumaru cut him off.

"Okay, okay!" Oishi calmed his voice when he finally asked, "Anyways, Juri-san, is Tezuka alright? I mean... Have you heard anything from him?"

There was no reply.

"What'd she say, Oishi?" Kawamura asked curiously.

The vice captain was agitated at the unexpected silence. "Juri-san...?"

"We're..." Juri's voice returned but it seemed distressed. "... We're not on speaking basis as of now, Oishi-san."

"Wha-What?" Oishi stammered anxiously. "What do you mean you're 'not on speaking basis'?"

"It's what Kunimitsu wants." Juri said shortly. "I know everyone right now has their stomachs in knots, but have a little faith. Please. Even just a little."

"If you say so..."

"I have to go now, I still have training to do in the compound."

Right after the call ended, Fuji said solemnly, "I take it that Tezuka's sequestering himself even from her."

"Possibility of an LQ is twenty-one point eighty-eight percent." Inui disclosed.

Kaido was muddled. "LQ? What's an LQ?"

"Lovers' quarrel. It's when two people who love each other argue over a certain subject and later they make up and all is right with the world until their next falling-out." Inui explained.

"Come on, Inui-senpai, you seriously think the captain would pick on his own cousin?" Momoshiro questioned.

"This is bad! Oh, this is bad!" Oishi was panicking. "A lovers' quarrel with Juri-san and Tezuka's cloistering himself with an injury in a degree we don't know about? He's not only scarring himself physically but emotionally! Tezuka really needs help right now."

Watching their vice captain freaking out, Inui commented, "As expected of the Mother of Seigaku, his worries are on a different level than ours."

"Oishi, calm down." Fuji said, as he placed his hands on the vice captain's shoulder. "Inui's just stating a theory. Besides, there isn't anything official if Juri-san and Tezuka are dating, and even if they are, they wouldn't be the type of couple who are like lovesick turtledoves teasing, laughing and giggling with all their might, then after a few minutes later, they'll begin yelling and berating each other and an LQ is in progress."