Hidden Plays

32: Until the right moments

Finals were just around the corner, but in the tennis world news of Tomi coming back beat out any news of the upcoming finals.

News reporters went everyday to check out Tomi's training. They noticed that her training was quite usual and ordinary, so most didn't stay until the good part. Those who stayed for the good part got a lot of details about the rigorous training Tomi goes through.

It was astonishing how Tomi handled all the hard work. She worked on her puppeteer skills with personal trainers who were all stumped by her movements.

She was to head back to France soon and continue training for the real deal.

She also analyzed other pros skills taking each of them into consideration and creating her own moves.

On the day of the finals she went to the stadium alongside members of Hyotei. She noticed Echizen wasn't around.

As soon as he came he looked like he was in a daze not knowing what was happening around him. It was cute seeing him all confused, but Seigaku was clearly scared of the results. One by one players that had played Echizen went to help him regain his memory and quickly teach him. Even Sanada of Rikkaidai whose match had finished.

She noticed their determination.

"Even though they are all from different schools each of them have the will and fighting power to take their opponent head on. I like their spirit." Satomi said. The whole team of regulars except for Atobe and Hiyoshi were there. Satomi stood up and walked away. They were about to follow her, but she was already gone by that point.

Just being Manager Satomi of the Hyotei team she joined all the players and Ryoma on the court.

"Buchou-senpai, your racquet please." She said. Atobe's eyes widened for a moment.

"No, you can't do it. You must take into consideration the risks." Atobe said holding his racquet away.

"I'm not doing this for him or myself. I'm doing this for someone else." She said grabbing Hiyoshi's racquet and wiping the sweat from his racquet on her shirt before going to the other side.

"Your opponent is me. Now I want you to do the same thing we did last time we played, try not to lose." Satomi said. She served the ball softly while Ryoma returned it in a sloppy motion Satomi kept on hitting back. Long rallies were the key to finding a weakness. Soon Ryoma was having trouble returning all of her shots, they were powerful and fast. All the sudden Satomi dropped Hiyoshi's racquet and sighed.

"Nice job. My arm needs some rest. That's all I can do. It's your job from here on out. She said informing everyone else before picking up Hiyoshi's racquet and returning it to him.

She let out a small smile.

"A few more rallies and he'll be ready." Satomi said before heading back. She noticed how Kintaro stalled time for Yukimura, but Yukimura defeated him without his jacket falling off his shoulders. Satomi watched from the entrance/exit of the second level. Yukimura caught her eye and he let out a small smile, but his smile wasn't returned. Instead she took a few steps back and entered the shadows of the hall that covered her.

She wanted to return that smile, but she knew it wasn't a genuine smile, it was forced. She hated seeing him like that. Even if tennis was the one thing that kept him from losing sanity he should still have fun with it. She thought of Yukimura as almost the perfect future partner, except she wanted someone who could be truly happy with what they have and do.

She watched as Echizen arrived and the match started. She stayed in the shadows as the match progressed. At first Echizen seemed to taunt Yukimura by making the jacket fall off his shoulders.

"That kid really knows the right buttons to push." Satomi mumbled.

"That's what makes him annoying." Another voice said startling Satomi.

"I was hoping I'd bump into you." A female voice said. Satomi tried to get a glimpse of them, but their whole bodies were hidden.

"Were you really away for that long to the point you forgot my voice?" The female asked. Satomi's face paled, but refused to show it.

"Good to hear you too, Akimoto-san." Satomi said.

"Huh? You two know each other?" The male voice said.

Noriko Akimoto, her former doubles partner, and her boyfriend, Saeki Koujiro.

They stepped into the light.

"You're infatuated with my cousin. Admit it, I know you visit him all the time. You're secret's safe with us. Just no PDA in front of me okay?" Nori asked with a smile. Satomi's eyes darkened.

"We're not together." Satomi grumbled.

"I beg to differ." Nori said.

"If you don't know the real reason why I visit him you can't call yourself a real friend. Real friends support each other through the hard times, your cousin, he was a real friend." Satomi mumbled her eyes continued watching the match, but her bangs shadowed her eyes as tears welled up in her eyes.

Nori looked pained before she looked angry.

"Well how can I support you if you never tell me anything?! Sometimes I feel talking to a wall is more entertaining than talking to you!! You don't give me a chance! You don't open up!!! When you do it's always after everything's already dealt with!! You have horrible timing!!!!" Nori said as she fell to the ground in sobs. Satomi was in pain too.

"I come from a family of actors and was born into a 'public' life. Acting and making sure no one find out unnecessary details about my personal life. You don't know what it was like, seeing your family fighting all the time, seeing them so independent, didn't have anyone to rely on, didn't have a mom that greets me whenever I come home, having an overprotective brother who would go to lengths to keep me from dating, or a father spoiling me to the end of the earth. I grew up in a condition where my mother didn't arrive home until really late, and left really early before she never came back at all after the divorce, my parents were always split, opposites attract, but they also fight, my brother could care less about my existence, my father never bought me anything unless it was necessary or tennis stuff, and I trained under his harsh schedule ever since he discovered my abilities. On the outside I look perfect, I'm everything that people are jealous of, but after experiencing this kind of life first hand, I want to be normal." Satomi said before she turned and left brushing past Nori who was on the ground full out crying.

"She seems familiar...Are you okay, Nori?" Saeki asked kneeling down and embracing Nori.

"Tomi..." She croaked out.

"Her name's Satomi, not Tomi...Wait a second..." Saeki said realizing something.

"They're the same person..." Saeki said.

"The hair color, the height, your relation with her. Satomi is Tomi is she not?" Saeki asked. Nori regained herself for a moment, but was still sniffling.

"Yes...*sniffle*...Don't tell...*sniffle*....anyone." Nori mumbled wiping away her tears. Saeki nodded and helped Nori up.

"If she's only going to hurt you, she's not worth your time." Saeki said.

"She was always there for me. When I was injured. She...she dedicated her wins to me. When she was injured she cheered me on from the sidelines. We had each other's backs through thick through thin, but she always had trust issues, even with me. Seeing her open up to my cousin before she opened up to me hurts. It's hurt badly!!!" Nori said as more tears followed down her face.

Satomi leaned against the wall her head was tilted up, eye closed, as she let out a shaky breath. She had heard everything.

Sometimes the right time for you might not be the right time for someone else.