Admiration, Respect, Tennis...And Love?

Chapter 1

Okay, before this begun I wanted to clear some things, this chapter take place on the first ranking tournament on the series, and continue to after Tezuka leaved for Germany

Without further addo, enjoy!

=====================

This is not what I was expecting...

I look at my opponent, she was supposed to be a good player, since she is a third year regular and yet, how comes I was able to win this easily?

I sigh and ruffle my shoulders leigh hair in frustration, smile softly and shake her hand, turn on my heels and walk away.

How comes that Seigaku's tennis team, the male one, is so good and yet the female one is averege if that?

that is the only explanation I have for this, I thought it was a fluke that I gained my spot as female regular along with Momo and Kaidoh in the males one, after all they have something I am lacking: pure, unadulterated talent and yet...

is this because the girls are more focused on the boys than training?

I sigh softly, really disappointed at my match, after all the effort I put on my daily training, thinking that I didn't have a good chance at my second ranking tournament since I learned to play only a year ago, and that time, my fist time I played against rookies, but still I wanted to try, to know where I stand against a senior player at least....

I sit down on one of the many benches and sigh again, sipping from my bottle of water.

----Sakuno Pov----

Masayo-sempai won so easily, and against a senior player too!

She is amazing!

"a-ano...congratulations for your win"

Sempai look at me and scoff, ruffling her own hair in apparent annoyance, "Your name is Ryuzaki Sakuno, right?"

I nod in answer, feeling how my cheeks heat up.

She knows my name!

She sigh and shake her head, "you shouldn't congratulate me, no after such pathetic show"

what!?

"b-but you were amazing! you are a second year, but you are the strongest girl on Seigaku tennis club! you are- you are like Tezuka-san or Fuji-san, the stro-"

A hand on my mouth stop my ramblings, Sempai look at me with a frown, shake her own head again and release me, "please, don't compare me to Tezuka or Fuji, I am not, I'm never going to, and above all I do not want to be like them"

wha-?

I open my mouth, then close it, "b-but..."

does she hate them?

"Sakuno~! Ryoma-sama's match against that creepy glasses regular is about to start! let's go!"

She take my arm and drag me away, I notice how Masayo-sempai's eyes widen, and then narrow in annoyance.

"w-wait, Tomo-chan...."

Then Sempai stand up and walk away, did...did Sempai get mad?

----Masayo Pov-----

dammit! I can't believe I almost forgot Inui-sempai match against that rookie was after my own match!

I am grateful with that girl for reminding me, but I am also annoyed at how she referred to sempai.

I clench my firsts and jog to Inui-sempai's court. Once there I find a not that populated area, a not easy chore, not with this 'genius' playing against Sempai.

Fortunately I find a place where I can watch perfectly the match, unfortunately I am too close, too visible, there is no way Sempai won't notice me today.

I sigh and ruffle my own hair in frustration, what should I do?

I do not want to distract him, well, he has not noticed me before, not anyone else for that matter, but what if he does and he loses because he focus on little ol' me? the only girl that look up to him above all the other regulars?

I sigh again and shake my head, suddenly a idea pop-up on my head, I can, maybe, let people assume that I am curious about the rookie too.

I mean, I am sure there are lots of people curious about how he'll fare against Sempai, after all he won against Kaidoh, sure, he is a relatively new regular, so people assume he is weak, which is stupid.

Kaidoh is not weak, he is not that strong right now either, but if you consider his raw talent, his stubbornness, the fact he is still growing up and his manly pride, I wouldn't be surprised if he end as capitan next year.

is hard to maintain my blank face when that kid kept disrespecting sempai like that, I know I have slipped a few times, but how would I not when, even if that kid keep loosing ground, he does not despair but keep getting cockier and cockier.

how you dare!?

I clench my teeth and grab the fence when he goes almost too far with his words, is then when the tables are reversed and sempai lose ground steadily.

Sempai...

My hands shake, barely believing my own eyes, I feel my eyes watering when I see the desperation on Sempai's movements, that kid, that stupid kid is making Sempai doubt himself!

I feel like crying but I won't, Sempai is stronger than that, even if he loses against this kid he won't give up, he'll become stronger, that's why I won't let myself cry.

Once the match is officially over, with the kid, Ryoma, the winner, sempai stand up and get closer to him, I strain my ears to heard what he is mumbling to himself.

"split-step with one foot, ii data"

My eyes tear up, how can he be so nonchalant about his loss?

how can he be so positive? so strong?

I turn around and jog away, I am not strong enough to stop my tears, but I won't let anyone see me cry, not when sempai is the hurt one but is still able to look on the bight side to this situation.

=====================

This was SUPPOSED to be a one-shot, but along the way this become a complete fic, The first chapters are mostly introduction, the rest is character and plot development.