Hidden Plays

26: But I wasn't emotionless though

After defeating the Netherland girl Tomi's competition got easier. She easily advanced through the second qualifying round before easily passing the quarter finals and semi finals.

Every so often she would practice with Ryoma. Whenever Ryoma challenged her it was never finished. They decided to play a full game, but neither of them gave more than one game at once, so each of the sets ended in a 6-6, with no clear winner, and usually they had to leave for their hotels before they could even finish. But Ryoma developed his Muga no Kouchi.

Tomi adored Ryoma, she saw him as a mini, but more open, version of her. Arrogant, cocky, stuck-up, nonchalant, etc. Tomi always gave Ryoma little noogie whenever he won his games. Ryoma would blush in embarrassment which Tomi let out a small chuckle. Of course no media was there to see the exchange, so Tomi kept her identity hidden without any problem.

It was only the finals when she finally had competition. Nori, she made it to the finals.

"So we meet again." Nori said in Japanese.

"Nice to meet you. Let's have a good game." Tomi said in french when they shook hands. Nori blinked in confusion but went to her position. The whole audience was quiet. Nori got serve.

When playing each other they rallied for a good amount of time.

Tomi noticed how Nori wasn't using her backhand at all. Using inside outs and rushing to the ball.

'So you injured yourself in such a small period of time?'

Tomi gave the point up.

But she won the first set 6-3, and when they were changing sides Tomi approached Nori.

"Next time you play me I want you to play me with all you've got, not with an injured wrists." Tomi said in Japanese. Nori gritted her teeth.

"You found out so soon? That's why you have been hitting to my forehand and refused to hit it to my backhand?" Nori thought. Tomi headed to her side of the court without another word.

Nori noticed how every single return went to her forehand. Her eyes softened.

'You still care Tomi. I know somewhere under that cold facade is the beautiful, kind, and caring girl I became best friends with. You're just currently in a state where you're confused, conflicted, and seemingly hopeless.' Nori thought.

It was 5-4, 40-15, in Tomi's favor, which meant it was match point for Tomi.

Nori was serving. She served and as soon as the ball landed Tomi hit an on the rise.

'Nori...You're still not quite there. I scarified too much to get here. My final competition as a junior seems quite disappointing. I was hoping you would have improved. Yet I feel like I'm the only one that learned. I matured...I learned sacrifices must be made in order to achieve your dream." Tomi thought.

'I'll spare you any more pain.' Tomi thought before she got in position. One last shot...The invisible one.

For a second the ball was heard bouncing before it was gone. Then a noise was heard against the wall. Everyone was quiet for a second. Cheers and clapping erupted in the crowd.

On the TV:

"Wow! That was amazing! That last shot finished it all for France's Beauchène." The first reporter said.

"France's first junior grand slam after Japan dominated for eight consecutive grand slams." The second reporter said.

"But it's the same person who win, this is her ninth grand slam win, just under a different country." The first reporter said.

"According to the Tennis Association they said Beauchène is her mother's maiden name, and her relatives are in Japan or France. It's the name the Tennis Association use to cover up her real identity for her. She's the infamous Tomi,
the Ice of the former Ultimate Japanese duo that dominated junior female doubles in the five previous grand slams." The second reporter said.

"Right now the finalists are actually former doubles partners." The first reporter said.

"They'll definitely be top notch pros when they grow up." The second reporter said.

"Actually according to some sources, this just might be a rumor, but it is said that Tomi left for France to go pro, because she was restricted in Japan." The first reporter said.

"She did it." Yukimura whispered as he sat on his bed turning the TV off before slinging his tennis bag on his shoulders. As soon as he stepped out into the morning sun he closed his eyes for a moment.

"We both did it." Yukimura said.

————
On the courts

"I did it...Sei-kun." Tomi mumbled as she was holding up her trophy. Luckily no one, not even Nori heard her. Tomi headed over to Nori and held out her left hand making Nori hold up her left hand in order to shake it. Instead of shaking it Tomi just held it.

"Before you join me on the professional courts get your wrists healed. Next time I play you, I want to play you at your full strength." Tomi said, before turning on her heels and leaving.

Nori just stared at her.

"What makes you think I have the ability to go pro? I'm not prodigy." Nori called out to her. Tomi stopped. The people were already leaving, so very few saw the exchange between the two.

Tomi didn't turn around.

"And you think I am? You've been with me for quite a few years. You know that I'm not prodigy. I'm simply put all my efforts into my practice." Tomi said before grabbing her bag and heading out of the courts into the hallway. She headed to the locker room and got changed quickly before she met up with Amelie Mauresmo. As soon as they were in the car Guy Forget congratulated her.

"Good job out there, you didn't need to use that weird mentally killing technique on her." Guy Forget said. Satomi shrugged.

"She knows how to counter it. She was the one who helped me develop it after all. She was my very first victim, but my strongest victim." Satomi said.

"Congrats. A Mizuno executive came to watch. He was impressed with you. He seemed to understand that you were helping her by hitting to only her forehand. Mizuno wants you back to talk with executives about going pro. It's a very high possibility you'll be going pro soon. We'll head back to France together. Then you'll leave France as Satomi, while everyone suspects Tomi will stay in France. You'll meet up with the Mizuno executive. They allowed you to stay there for a few months before continuing training with me and going pro." Guy Forget nodded.

The next day there was a press conference, Tomi answered questions, but he noticed a few people trying to get a picture of her eyes, but she kept it hidden from sight. She adjusted her eyepatch to make sure it was in place, and kept her head down.

The day right after that she left for France with her coach.

She stayed with her aunt before switching to her Tomi identity and boarding a plane to Japan.

When she arrived at Narika airport she was done for.

"I seriously hate airplane rides." She complained before grabbing a taxi and heading home.