Broken Strings (Prince of Tennis/ slow burn love story)

Part 10

It's about ten more days before the Seigaku tennis club has to get into action for the Prefectural matches. It's a good thing they have BYE for the first two rounds, meaning they don't have to play before the best eight teams are selected. It gives them more time to practice and prepare.

But... there are also other things to be done.

"No way." Ryumi states bluntly, making the three freshmen that are always hanging around Ryoma gasp.

"Amazing rejection!" Horio gasps.

"But... Nee-san." Ryoma starts object, only to be silenced by the stern look in her eyes.

"You need to socialize more. Taking Sakuno-chan to the racket stringers might be good for you. You're always so dense when it comes to other people's emotions." she lectures.

"Big sister wisdom." Kachiro gapes.

"Besides, I'm going to the hospital tomorrow. This cast is coming off whether the doc wants it or not. I've had an itch for days now, and I'm going insane. So you enjoy your date ne?" she winks.

Ryoma looks at her boredly. "It's not a date. I'm just showing her-..." he starts to explain, only to be cut off.

"I don't care! If I call it a date, it's a date!" she counters, leaving no room for arguments before turning on her heel and leaving the four standing there.

"Scary~." Katsuo mutters, leaving Ryoma to sigh.

.........

"Ah~. I'm so glad that cast is off." Ryumi sighs again with relief as she and her mom arrive home.

Reiko chuckles at her daughter. "So you keep saying."

"Oh. Nanako-chan. Where is dad?" Ryumi asks her cousin when they have made their way inside.

She looks up from her homework, thinking for a moment. "I think he went after Ryoma-kun..." she muses.

"Mh? Doesn't he have anything better to do?" Ryumi mutters, shaking her head before turning to go to her room.

"I don't think so. He went to spy on you last week when you went to hang out with your friends." Nanako says, making Ryumi screech to a halt.

"What?!" she shouts, turning around, fire in her eyes. "Old man..." she seethes. "I'm coming for you! Nanako, I'm going to borrow your bike!" she calls, already on her way outside.

"Be careful!" her mom calls after her, but she's already gone.

The two women share a look. "Maybe I shouldn't have said that..." Nanako sighs in dismay.

.........

"Echizen-san?" a voice questions, making Ryumi look up from her position, draped over the steering wheel, panting. "Are you okay?" Tezuka asks.

"Tezuka-kun? Yeah, I'm okay. Just tired... and hungry." she complains, sighing. She has given up in trying to find her dad. She will give him an earful tonight. "Do you know a place that serves ice cream?"

He shakes his head, wearing his usual stoic face. "Kawamura's sushi is close though." he points out.

She blinks in surprise. "Kawamura's?" she wonders.

He nods, walking in that direction, causing Ryumi to fall in to step with him automatically, bike by her side. "His father's place." he explains curtly.

"Your cast has come off?" he questions after a moment of silence. It was starting to get a bit awkward. The both of them have never really spoken much before and aren't exactly close.

"Yeah, finally." she sighs, looking down at her arm that still has folds in its skin from the cast. She didn't throw it away though. She had them saw in between Eiji's and Fuji's drawings; For some reason she wanted to keep them.

"And your knee?" he questions next, seemingly unafraid of a bad reaction to the direct approach. However, Ryumi doesn't mind that sort of thing.

"It has a long way to go." she answers honestly. "I'm receiving therapy, but progress is slow."

He nods in understanding. If anyone knows about slow progress, it's him. "And tennis? Will you ever go back to it?" he wonders, assessing her as she looks into the distance, not seemingly looking at anything in particular.

"I want to. More than anything." she admits quietly before pausing. She turns to look up at him. "Can I show you something?" she asks.

When he nods she puts the bike on its stand before bending down and rolling up the right leg of her three-quarter shorts, revealing the brace. She pulls it off, the velcro tearing apart. Tezuka's eyes widen slightly at the surgical scar sitting beneath.

"Even if it heals enough to use properly, it will always remain a weakness. If I play again, I cannot play like I used to. Besides, people will know about it and use it against me. If it comes to matches, it will not be an easy comeback." she explains.

"I see." he muses, watching as she puts the brace back on before hiding it from sight.

"You know how it is right? That's why I'm telling you." she says, surprising him a little as she glances at his arm. "I don't mean to sound rude, but I wish it was just my arm, I can switch, so I don't mind that. But I need both my legs..."

"I've had people tell me to give up because of this, try something else, put my dream aside... But I can't." she finishes.

"I understand." Tezuka says after a moment. "Your brother... he is the same way, isn't he?" he asks, although already knowing the answer.

"Of course. Who do you think he gets it from?" she replies with a smile as they start walking again.

"Speaking of which, I want to play a match with him soon." he says, surprising her a little, but she still smiles.

"Want to rattle his cage?" she wonders, making him smile the tiniest of smiles at her wording.

"Something like that. He has potential, but a bad habit of copying someone other's play." he says.

Ryumi nods in understanding. "So you've noticed? That's fine. He needs a wake-up call. It's time he stepped out of the shadows and starts playing for himself and develop his own style. I would appreciate it if you could help him achieve that Tezuka-kun. I know you will not regret it." she tells him.

He nods before halting, showing they have reached their destination.

.........

"Ah~. My stomach is grateful to you! Thank you for lunch, Tezuka-kun! Being hungry leaves me in a bad mood." Ryumi tells him as they step out of the sushi-shop an hour later. "I'm sorry for having you pay. I was in such a rush, I didn't remember to bring a wallet. Embarrassing." she laughs awkwardly.

"It's fine." he waves off.

"Let me treat you to ice cream sometime then." she offers.

Tezuka has no time to reply before Ryumi freezes glaring at something down the street. She bristles, making him look over to see someone hiding in the bushes.

"Oi! I see you!" Ryumi shouts, rushing towards the bike leaning against the building causing the person to dart off in a hurry.

"Come back here! Oyaji!" she shouts, cycling after him, leaving Tezuka in the dust.

The door to Kawamura's shop slides open, Kawamura peeking out in curiosity. "What was that?" he wonders.

Tezuka slides his glasses back up his nose. "A clap of thunder." he replies stoically, making Kawamura look to the sky confused while Tezuka muses on how interesting the Echizen family is.