Out of Tennis

The Little Girl With Red Hair

Third Person's POV
After their last hell of a practice for their first game in the Nationals, the Seigaku regulars decided to eat at Kawamura's sushi shop to bond and relax for a bit. "Minna, listen up! Lets have a game! We're going to call it, 'Follow the Buchou'. We'll spin the bottle and when it stops, to whomever it would be pointed at will be the 'captain' and in the second spin, the person to be pointed at would have to follow the captain's order. This is like truth or dare, only it's just a DARE.To those who wouldn't follow the captain will have to drink Inui-senpai's Juice." Echizen thought the game's just a waste of time and energy so he said he would not join but Inui informed them that to those who will not join will have to drink his improved juice, so Echizen doesn't have a choice. "Wasting my free time and energy is better than drinking Inui-senpai's advanced juice", Echizen realized. "Momoshiro, although your idea's lame, I think it's still enjoyable since it's a game! Nyaaa~.Why don't we start now everyone??!" Kikumaru Eiji, enthusiastically asked. "So okay, since it's your idea, Momo, spin the bottle." Oishi stated. Momo began to spin the emptied bottle of soy sauce and it pointed at Kikumaru then to Momoshiro.. "Nya~ lucky! Lucky! Hmm. What should I asked Momoshiro to do?" "Hah! Momoshiro, as your captain, I want you to eat 10 pieces of Taka-san's wasabi sushi, to show how serious you are in winning your first match in the Nationals...hmm." "Eiji-senpai.. That's like drinking Inui-senpai's juice! Right. It is like that." "Hmm? Except you're not gonna pass out. Nya~ Momoshiro, 10 pieces of wasabi sushi or Inui's juice? Hm.."

It's almost passed 6 P.M. and the group decided to go home already, or at least get out of Kawamura's place since they've been there for too long. "Thank you for always letting our team eat and stay here as always." Said Tezuka, to the sushi shop owner also Taka-san's father.Echizen and Momoshiro both headed towards their home, Kikumaru and Oishi went to a nearby sports shop, Tezuka and Fuji to their school to finish some student council duties and Kaidoh and Inui went to a nearby tennis court to practice some new techniques.

On their way to Seishun Gakuen, Fuji and Tezuka talked surprisingly not about tennis but about school matters. "Fuji, how is the progress of our school's yearbook?" Tezuka formally asked. "Saa..I want to include every clubs' achievements and since some clubs are still having tournaments, we (other students tasked to make their yearbook and Fuji) haven't completed the yearbook yet. And of course, the graduation photos also. The school hasn't given those yet." Tezuka didn't asked anymore questions until they arrived at their school. Both of them went to the student council room. There were still some students left doing some things inside the room. Tezuka's doing some paper works, probably requests of the students to be permitted to use rooms or do some things inside the school for their clubs while Fuji asked their schoolmate Sai Furokuwi the flash drive that contains the new school photos to be included in their school newspaper. Fuji then told Tezuka he's leaving already since he and Yuuta will buy a gift for their sister.

"Aniki!!!! Here!" Yuuta shouted at his elder brother. Yuuta is with his teammate Mizuki,whom Fuji Syusuke had beaten in the district tournament and pretends not to know him every time they see each other or refuse to answer Mizuki, every time he tries to talk to him. "Aniki! What are you going to give nii-chan?" "Hmm.. I think I'm going to give her a new phone..Her phone's not working." " Really? Do you have enough money aniki? Or should I contribute?" " Saa~ I have enough money Yuuta." Fuji Syusuke said, still while smiling. "I didn't know my rival is so generous in giving gifts to his siblings. I should add that to my data." . Syusuke, ignoring Mizuki's statement asked Yuuta what he wants to give to their sister. Yuuta said he's going to buy their sister new and colorful baking equipments. They went out of the mall already after buying their sister gifts. Mizuki is still with the siblings,pestering the older one but still ignored. Yuuta then asked his older brother about Seigaku's preparations for the Nationals. "Hmm. We're good. We're all motivated and determined to win."

On their way, they saw a building, well an under-construction building, collapsing and there were some people too. But what caught Syusuke's attention and eyes was a little girl with a very bright red hair,oblivious to what is happening, still standing there, probably waiting for her guardian or parents. Syusuke ran to the little girl when he saw a big metal thing falling exactly to where the girl is standing. Yuuta tried to stop his brother because he knew it was dangerous but failed. Syusuke was almost too late on saving the girl. He embraced the little girl and covered her as much as he could to protect her from the falling debris. His back was facing the falling metal thing and it hit him hard. And since the building was still collapsing, no help was given immediately. Everything happened in swift motion. When Yuuta was out of shocked, he immediately searched for his aniki. He found his aniki with a big metal thing on him. Syusuke still has the little girl safely covered. The ambulance came and Syusuke's being brought to the hospital, unconscious.