The First To Lose (Prince Of Tennis)

17 (Tezuka Kunimitsu)

Chapter 17 -- Tezuka

"He ended up eating his own shit," Ryoka cried out, still laughing even as they walked out of the bowling alley.

Inui scowled, still feeling a little off after having to drink his own vile concoction.

Her laughter subsided when Ryuuzaki-sensei stopped and stood in front of them, about to say something to the whole team.

"Next week will be the second round of the Kantou Tournament. Our opponents will also be top ranked veterans," Sue announced loudly, not minding the curious stares of some passerbys. "First up is Saitama's Midoriyama Jr. High. And then Chiba's Kogou Rokkaku Jr. High. If we can't beat these two teams, we won't be able to face Rikkaidai Jr. High in the finals!"

Ryoka nodded. As the unofficial team manager, she had already done her research. Midoriyama Jr. High wasn't going to be a problem. She visited their school and watched their practice. They seemed easy enough to beat. But with Rokkaku, it might get a little troublesome.

Spaced out on her own, she didn't hear what Ryuuzaki-sensei said only hearing the surprised gasps of the boys.

"Huh?" She asked, as they all were uncharacteristically silent. "What happened?"

"Tch," Ryoma muttered, the only one speaking up. "Weren't you listening? Captain Tezuka is leaving."

Ryoka took a minute to process her younger brother's words.

"Oh. That."

She saw it coming. He needed time to heal his arm. He wouldn't have to if I tried to stop him, Ryoka thought.

She turned to face Tezuka, giving him a lopsided smile. "Well, I hope you don't get too lonely there."

Tezuka nodded, still having his same expressionless face.

↯

Ryoka sat at the bus stop silently with Tezuka. Everyone else left to get some food but Tezuka declined and she followed him.

"If I had stopped you, you wouldn't need to leave," Ryoka whispered. "But I didn't -- "

"It's like you said. I wouldn't have stopped even if you told me to," Tezuka said, cutting her off. "So, don't blame yourself."

"If I punched you I bet that would've stopped you."

"..."

"I should've thought of that earlier."

Tezuka looked at Ryoka whose eyes were cast on the ground while she muttered incoherent words under her breath.

"I remember now. You looked like me back then. And if that was me, I wouldn't have backed down either."

Remembering the exact words Ryoka said on the day he lost, he furrowed his eyebrows. He had pondered long and hard trying to think of why she would say that. And he was determined to find out before he went to Kyushu.

"What did you mean 'back then'?" Tezuka asked bluntly, snapping Ryoka out of her thoughts.

"Huh?"

"You said I reminded you of yourself back then. Why is there a 'back then'? Did you change?"

Ryoka scoffed, trying to sound nonchalant. "Obviously. I was twelve. I think I might've gotten a little more annoying," she admitted with a shrug.

"When you beat your Dad."

Ryoka whipped around to face him. She sat there with her mouth opening and closing repeatedly. It took her a while before forming an actual sentence. "H-How did you know that? Did Midget tell you that?"

"Just a guess."

Ryoka fiddled with her fingers and looked down again, avoiding the intense gaze of Tezuka's russet brown eyes.

"Yeah. I did change," she whispered after deciding that Tezuka was a pretty trustworthy person. "I started playing tennis before I could even speak. Literally. I'm not even joking. And my goal in tennis was always high. My Dad. He was at the top of the food chain and I wanted to beat him. I trained and trained. Since I was young, my body couldn't handle the vigorous training and I was kind of a sickly kid. By the time I was twelve, I beat him. And everyone else I played with. I guess tennis just wasn't the same anymore. I had no goal. My skills were perfect. So, I stopped."

Tezuka stayed silent.

Ryoka let out a monotonous laugh. "I can't really guess what you're thinking with your blank face but whatever you're thinking, stop. I kinda enjoy chillin' all the time."

"How about those early morning runs? And practicing in the court during lunch?"

Ryoka's hazel eyes widemed. "What?! How'd you know that?! Do you spy on me?! Tezuka you creep!"

"The town is pretty small you know. I've seen you during my morning jog. And we're in the same school, I see you whenever I'm in the library."

A bright blush made its way onto Ryoka's cheeks and she felt a little guilty for calling him a creep.

"If you still train, then that means you haven't fully given up on tennis."

Ryoka grinned and she looked up at Tezuka who met her fiery gaze.

"Oh yeah? Who said I gave up on tennis?"