Rolling Memory (Prince of Tennis Fanfiction)

Chapter 7

After the ranking match, everything goes back to normal. As always, there's a morning practice. Chiharu sits in the at tennis room, writing and reading the data she has received from Inui-senpai about the ranking match. Chiharu is so frustated because she's not watching it and writing this data is like doing paperwork.

"Ah, Chiharu-san. You're here?" asks someone as he opens the door.

"Oh, Fuji-senpai. Ohayo gozaimasu," Chiharu greets with a tired smile.

"That's a lot of paper. Are you okay?"

"Un, daijoubu desu. If I was there..." She sighs.

Fuji just chuckles. He grabs a piece of paper and reads it. Chiharu just returns to her work, while playing with her pencil every once in a while. From the side of the paper Fuji stares at her. They stays that way until the door opens again.

"Oi Shigeko, Inui-senpai's looking for you. Fuji-senpai, you're here too?" It's Ryoma.

"Ryoma! Okay, where he is?" asks Chiharu as she walks towards the door.

"Court 1."

"Okay. See you, Fuji-senpai!" Chiharu smiles and waves.

"Un." Fuji waves back.

After Chiharu is gone, Ryoma just stares at Fuji before he, too, follows Chiharu out the room.

. . .

"Inui-senpai, doustano?" asks Chiharu.

"Oh. I want to discuss about the training program," says Inui as he fixes his glasses.

"Training? Oh, okay."

Both of them walk out from court and sit under a tree. Inui gives his book to Chiharu and lets her read it. It's so silent and after she's halfway done, Chiharu tries to make a conversation.

"E-to... Inui-senpai, your tennis style is data tennis, right?"

"Yeah."

"How do you do it?"

"I just collect the data and memorize it."

"Wow... That's so cool, Senpai! You're really smart," says Chiharu, awed.

And the silence comes again. Chiharu flips the pages and tries focusing herself at reading it. She doesn't know anything else to ask. Inui just looks at her from side of his eyes.

"Why you join this tennis club, Shigeko?" he asks suddenly.

"Eh?! Um... I wonder why..." Chiharu puts her index finger on her chin, thinking.

"There must be a reason you want to join us. Or maybe I should change the question. Why did you join to become a manager? Why don't you join the girl's tennis club?"

"Ehh... So many questions! Hm... Well, before I was told to go to Hyotei or Rikkaidai, but at that time I watched Seigaku's match. After that, I was determined to go here. Hehe..." explains Chiharu as she scratches the back of her head.

"Hmm... I got some data." Inui smirks.

"Ehh, you collecting my data too?!"

-:-:- Rolling Memory -:-:-

"Chiharu-chan!!" shouts Sakuno when Chiharu is walking at in the corridor.

"Doustano, Sakuno?"

"Did you see Ryoma-kun anywhere?"

"Ryoma? Ah... haven't seen him. Why?"

"Well... I want to congratulate him for successfully entering the regulars."