Courting the Courted
Seven
“Echizen got attacked?!” I yelled in anger as I limped over to my team mates on my crutch.
“Yeah – who ever did it messed up Arai – Kun too; he hit a bunch of rocks with his racket at Ryoma. He’s in pretty rough shape. But not as bad as you.” Momoshiro said. Ryoma walked in a few seconds later claiming that he fell.
I sat on the side lines watching everyone run laps. I started laughing as six members of the team were on the ground clutching their throats – they had just drunk the Penal Tea.
I had to go for a cheek up on my ankle – but everything was healing on track, I rounded a corner and there stood a boy in a white uniform, grey hair and piercing amber eyes. He stood in front of me on the empty street. He took a few steps forward, kicked both of my crutches out from under me and hitting me in the small of my back knocking me to the ground. I coughed a couple times from the pain of my ankle, wrists, back and knees.
“Your school is going against us in the men’s final. You will make sure that you lose – or else I’ll make your body so screwed you’ll never be able to move again.” He said as he walked away. I growled at him as I rose very painfully. I limped the ten minute walk back home slowly.
After the final bell rang I made my way down to Ryuzaki – sensei’s office.
“Oh – hello Chiharu, is something the matter?” She asked turning her chair towards me.
“No – not really – I just came by to give you this note from my personal coach.” I said handing her the folded watermelon stationary. She eyed it before she took it from my hand ad read it.
“I take it you know what she wrote,” She asked as she read it, I nodded, “I’ll tell Tezuka for you – but make sure you’re at the Regionals.”
“Thank you Ryuzaki – sensei,” I said bowing before I left. My personal coach, or manager as she liked to be called, wanted me to be trained by her – and only her – for Regionals. I hurried out of the school with my bags – being careful not to run into anyone from the team. I saw Momoshiro and Eiji walking around the corner so I quickly dove into my coaches yellow Honda.
“Ready for practice,” She asked as I adjusted the seatbelt. I nodded, “Not very talkative today huh?”
“Not really in the mode to talk I guess.” I replied leaning my chin onto my right hand.
“There’s something in the bag for you so you can practice and walk without the need for crutches.”
I rummaged through the plastic bag that sat on the seat next to me. I pulled out a package for a left leg brace, “Wow – thanks Lily – sensei.”
“We’re going to the gym today to pump up your strength that endurance.” Sensei said making a right at the corner, “Seeing as how you lost your first match since you came to Japan you obviously need to hit some iron.” I cringed at the mention of my one loss. We pulled into Akahito’s Gym. Lily and I entered the change room – once I was in my tennis outfit I got help from sensei to adjust the brace.
“We’re going to hit the treadmill first for warm up.” Lily said smiling as we walked out – although she was in her late forties she was very young at heart. I stepped onto the treadmill as Sensei set it. I began jogging. I felt no pain in my ankle or anywhere at all. After about five minutes we switched over to stretches, then to weights. I was able to do five hundred sixty – two pounds with out strain on the leg press. We moved to the free weights – I did ten sets of twenty each with the thirty pound weights.
“You’re buffed up since our last gym session.” Lily said smiling as she steered me over to the bar. I hopped on it and started to do some chin ups.
“Playing against a wall is tiring.”
“Chiharu,” I heard a familiar voice yell from behind me along with shuffling feet.
“Oh – hello – you must be from Seigaku too. How’s Chi doing at your practices? Does she slack off – I bet she slacks off.”
“We’ve never seen her work this hard in practice…” A hard voice said. I froze mid – up.
“T – Tezuka,” I asked dropping gently from the bar. I turned around to see the entire team here.
“Ryuzaki – sensei said that we should hold a gym session today to build up strength for Regionals,” Tezuka explained.
I cringe slightly, growling under my breath, “Ryuzaki – sensei.” I picked up a weight in my hand.
“You really shouldn’t be practicing.” Ryoma said simply taking the weight – only to have it drop his hand to the ground. I sighed and got onto the treadmill, setting it for a fast run.
“I knew you’d been slacking off at your school practices! I just knew it!” Lily yelled with glee, “Double practice for you until you work up to speed at both!” I glared at her as I quickened my pace.
“Happy?” I yelled in annoyance. My team laughed.
“Yeah – who ever did it messed up Arai – Kun too; he hit a bunch of rocks with his racket at Ryoma. He’s in pretty rough shape. But not as bad as you.” Momoshiro said. Ryoma walked in a few seconds later claiming that he fell.
I sat on the side lines watching everyone run laps. I started laughing as six members of the team were on the ground clutching their throats – they had just drunk the Penal Tea.
I had to go for a cheek up on my ankle – but everything was healing on track, I rounded a corner and there stood a boy in a white uniform, grey hair and piercing amber eyes. He stood in front of me on the empty street. He took a few steps forward, kicked both of my crutches out from under me and hitting me in the small of my back knocking me to the ground. I coughed a couple times from the pain of my ankle, wrists, back and knees.
“Your school is going against us in the men’s final. You will make sure that you lose – or else I’ll make your body so screwed you’ll never be able to move again.” He said as he walked away. I growled at him as I rose very painfully. I limped the ten minute walk back home slowly.
After the final bell rang I made my way down to Ryuzaki – sensei’s office.
“Oh – hello Chiharu, is something the matter?” She asked turning her chair towards me.
“No – not really – I just came by to give you this note from my personal coach.” I said handing her the folded watermelon stationary. She eyed it before she took it from my hand ad read it.
“I take it you know what she wrote,” She asked as she read it, I nodded, “I’ll tell Tezuka for you – but make sure you’re at the Regionals.”
“Thank you Ryuzaki – sensei,” I said bowing before I left. My personal coach, or manager as she liked to be called, wanted me to be trained by her – and only her – for Regionals. I hurried out of the school with my bags – being careful not to run into anyone from the team. I saw Momoshiro and Eiji walking around the corner so I quickly dove into my coaches yellow Honda.
“Ready for practice,” She asked as I adjusted the seatbelt. I nodded, “Not very talkative today huh?”
“Not really in the mode to talk I guess.” I replied leaning my chin onto my right hand.
“There’s something in the bag for you so you can practice and walk without the need for crutches.”
I rummaged through the plastic bag that sat on the seat next to me. I pulled out a package for a left leg brace, “Wow – thanks Lily – sensei.”
“We’re going to the gym today to pump up your strength that endurance.” Sensei said making a right at the corner, “Seeing as how you lost your first match since you came to Japan you obviously need to hit some iron.” I cringed at the mention of my one loss. We pulled into Akahito’s Gym. Lily and I entered the change room – once I was in my tennis outfit I got help from sensei to adjust the brace.
“We’re going to hit the treadmill first for warm up.” Lily said smiling as we walked out – although she was in her late forties she was very young at heart. I stepped onto the treadmill as Sensei set it. I began jogging. I felt no pain in my ankle or anywhere at all. After about five minutes we switched over to stretches, then to weights. I was able to do five hundred sixty – two pounds with out strain on the leg press. We moved to the free weights – I did ten sets of twenty each with the thirty pound weights.
“You’re buffed up since our last gym session.” Lily said smiling as she steered me over to the bar. I hopped on it and started to do some chin ups.
“Playing against a wall is tiring.”
“Chiharu,” I heard a familiar voice yell from behind me along with shuffling feet.
“Oh – hello – you must be from Seigaku too. How’s Chi doing at your practices? Does she slack off – I bet she slacks off.”
“We’ve never seen her work this hard in practice…” A hard voice said. I froze mid – up.
“T – Tezuka,” I asked dropping gently from the bar. I turned around to see the entire team here.
“Ryuzaki – sensei said that we should hold a gym session today to build up strength for Regionals,” Tezuka explained.
I cringe slightly, growling under my breath, “Ryuzaki – sensei.” I picked up a weight in my hand.
“You really shouldn’t be practicing.” Ryoma said simply taking the weight – only to have it drop his hand to the ground. I sighed and got onto the treadmill, setting it for a fast run.
“I knew you’d been slacking off at your school practices! I just knew it!” Lily yelled with glee, “Double practice for you until you work up to speed at both!” I glared at her as I quickened my pace.
“Happy?” I yelled in annoyance. My team laughed.