An Angel With A Tennis Racket

Question

I don't know how he managed to do it but he did. To make things simple, Yukimura-senpai and I started working on our project during free period today when he asked if I wanted to work on it together again after school. I told him that it was a good idea and that I'd meet him in the library. He shook his head and handed me a piece of paper with lines on it - directions, he said. I had raised my eyebrow at him, a questioning look on my face. Why couldn't he just tell me where to meet instead? It would have been much simpler. He also insisted on carrying our cardboards and other materials there. Not really wanting to make an unnecessary fuss about it, I just nodded my head and agree to meet him there - wherever it was, it was in the campus. Besides, it wasn't like he was going to pull something on me.

After my last period, I swiftly packed up and headed out of the classroom. With the piece of paper - a.k.a Yukimura-senpai's hand-drawn mini-map - in hand, I made my way to the destination and found myself in front of an indoor gym.

'Don't tell me there's an indoor tennis court...' I thought to myself, heaving out a sigh when I opened the door to see that there isn't just a tennis court. There were multiple, not just one. There was also a basketball and volleyball court. The gym was huge. Massive. On top of that, the project materials were on the bench on the other side of the gym. Around them, the Rikkaidai's tennis players stood. I started walking towards them and realized they were trying to help Yukimura-senpai finished our project.

As I got closer, I cleared my throat. They all turned towards me and quickly hide the materials behind their backs.

"Oh, you're here!" Yukimura-senpai smiled, but not his usual one. It was a smile of a child that have been caught doing something they weren't supposed to.

I crossed my arms and just stared at them. Some of them swallowed.

"Look, it's not em what it looks like." Marui slowly brought his hands out from behind his backs, showing me broken bits of what used to be...a cardboard?

I blinked, "Who broke it?"

There was a moment of silence.

I asked again, in the same exact tone. "Who broke it?"

"W-we all did," Nio stammered.

"We didn't mean to...sorry..." "Yeah, sorry..." "We'll fix it. Don't worry!" They all seemed to say.

Letting out a sigh, I stepped in, glanced at the damage that had been done, sat down and started piecing everything back up again. From what I could tell, Yukimura-senpai had probably walked in here, carrying all the materials. The tennis team, seeing their captain in trouble, tried to help him out. Apparently, some water got involved, then some arguments...Nothing too bad. Sensing their eyes on me, I looked up at the tennis team.

"It's fine," I said simply. "Go practice."

With that said, I heard them letting out a sigh of relief as I turned my attention back to work. Yukimura-senpai got up and assigned the members on different tasks and training before sitting back down to help me.

"You should go practice too."

He smiled, "I will. After this."

It didn't take us long to "repair" our project as most of the stuff were still wet. We'll have to wait for them to dry up first.

Knowing so, Yukimura-senpai went to trained with his team as I watched. I tried to keep myself looking busy whenever one of them came to ask if I wanted to play a round of volleyball, tennis, etc. with them. I actually wanted to join, but...I didn't want to show them anything. Not yet. Not ever...

But I couldn't turn away as the tennis team stepped onto the tennis court. They started warming up. Seriously this time. Even though it was called a warm-up, the players took it very seriously. They all seemed so focus.

'They really love it...' I thought to myself. 'No wonder they're so good.'

Someone once told me in the past that no matter what you're doing, if you don't feel passionate about it, you'll never be truly good at it.

I took it to heart.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, listening to the sounds of the tennis balls hitting rackets and the floor.

Everything has a rhythm. Everything was in sync.

Wait...What was that?

I quickly opened my eyes but it was too late. The practice was over. I got up as the tennis players were all heading to the showers.

Who? Who was it?

My eyes glanced around from player to player, searching for a sign.

Who? WHO?!

But there was none.

I started panicking, my breathing quickening.

Someone on the tennis team...has a Tendinitis.

It was nothing too serious but without proper treatment, it could get serious. It seemed like the player might also have a broken wrist, or at least a fractured one. How could I tell Yukimura-senpai without him questioning me on how I found out about this...and what if it happened to be him? Someone with the condition definitely didn't want to be found out.

What am I going to do?

*Note: Tendinitis is an or irritation of a tendon, a thick cord that attaches bone to muscle.