Youthful Days (Book 1)

8. Menace from St. Rudolph

Following the district selection, practice for both teams was bumped to five sessions per week to prepare for the prefectural tournaments.

Ayuna continued her routine jog through the cherry blossom grove before morning practice. Occasionally, she'd run into the tennis team, who also had a habit of doing laps around the Physical Activities Complex. During these encounters, Ryoma would give her a nod of acknowledgment. Meanwhile, the regulars would surreptitiously glance at her with curiosity as they kicked dust. Fuji Shuusuke was the only one who always waved and greeted her.

After a week, both teams were scheduled to play against St. Rudolph—one of the youngest institutions in the prefecture with a relatively small student body. The reason being St. Rudolph had a reputation of only admitting gifted students with superior athletic or academic achievements. Tennis and badminton were sports of no exception. Since its inception, St. Rudolph teams had consistently made the region's top eight rankings. Their tennis team, in particular, was the dark horse that once qualified for the national semifinals.

In other words, St. Rudolph was a competitor not to be underestimated.

Both teams were set to face St. Rudolph on a Sunday. While the tennis team was scheduled to play in Koganei Park in the morning, the badminton team would play in the Minato Sports Center later in the afternoon.

Once their schedule was announced, Rei and Momoko put their heads together and devised a plan.

"Let's go to the tennis game in the morning," Rei suggested. "I'm still bummed about missing that game against Fudomine."

Momoko's eyes gleamed. "Sounds good to me! No use practicing and wearing ourselves out on the day of the competition!" Turning to Ayuna, she asked, "You'll come too, right?"

Ayuna thought back to her conversation with Ryoma, where she'd been granted permission to see his games. "Sure, I'm free."

"Then it's all settled!" Momoko clapped gleefully and did a little twirl. "It's gonna be us three, and a court full of boys from all over Tokyo!"

"I thought we're going for the sport..."

Rei laughed once through her nose and rested her hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "Clearly, dear Ayuna, you don't know Momoko very well yet."

***

On Sunday morning, the three girls gathered before the park's entrance. The sky was without clouds and was in a pristine blue that accentuated the white-hot streaks of sunlight. This being early morning, most of the park ground was left unoccupied. They strolled around and each bought drinks at the vending machines before making a beeline for the freshly swept courts.

"St. Rudolph honestly gives me the creeps," muttered Rei as they settled in the second row of the bleachers. At the front, the regulars gathered around their coach as she read off today's lineup.

"Why do you say that?" asked Momoko. "They're just some nerd school. Nothing we can't handle."

"But didn't they make it as far as the national tournament?" recalled Ayuna with a small frown.

"So? Our regulars are also of national caliber," retorted Momoko defiantly. "I can feel it in my bones that they'll take this win easily!"

Rei sneered. "Momoko, be honest, will you? Confess that you think Momoshiro Takeshi is of nationals caliber in your heart—"

Momoko clamped a hand over her friend's mouth before she could finish. "Not another word, Kikumaru Rei. Or I'll toss your undershirts across the school courtyard!"