Clash of Strings and Rackets

Chapter 3: Focus and Friction

The Seigaku tennis courts buzzed with the usual mix of energy and strain, but something was off. Despite Riyoma's and Fuji's sharp focus, Tezuka couldn't ignore the slacking energy of some of the team members. Standing at the edge of the court, his steely gaze fell on Momoshiro and Kikumaru. On the surface, the duo looked like they were working hard, hustling around the court with exaggerated enthusiasm, shouting encouragements to one another. However, Tezuka's instinct told him it was all a façade.

"Inui," Tezuka said curtly, breaking the silence.

Inui pushed up his glasses with a calculating smirk, already anticipating what Tezuka wanted. "I've been keeping track," Inui replied, pulling out a notebook filled with his signature data. "Momoshiro and Kikumaru have been skipping high-intensity drills whenever no one's monitoring them. I've calculated their effort levels at only 60% efficiency during these sessions."

Tezuka's jaw tightened. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, but Inui's meticulous data rarely lied.

"They're overconfident," Inui added. "Perhaps because we've already cleared the preliminary qualifiers for Nationals. But complacency at this stage is dangerous. There are much stronger teams ahead."

Tezuka nodded in agreement, though his thoughts remained unsettled. Riyoma's razor-sharp concentration and Fuji's calm intensity were commendable, but the rest of the team lacked that same drive. Hard work and focus had been the backbone of Seigaku's strength – Tezuka would not allow his team to falter now.

Later that evening, as the sun dipped toward the horizon, Tezuka stood watching his team run their final laps. The tension weighed on him as much as the day's humidity. Were Momoshiro and Kikumaru overconfident? Careless? Or was there something he was missing?

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of faint laughter from across the school grounds. Curious, Tezuka turned his head toward the music building, where the familiar sound of instruments echoed faintly.

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Inside the music room, Ritsu Tainaka was drumming away happily, her usual carefree grin plastered across her face. The rest of the band, however, was far from relaxed. Azusa's brow furrowed in concentration as she meticulously tuned her guitar. Mio, seated by the keyboard, looked equally on edge, muttering to herself as she worked through a complicated chord progression.

"Ritsu!" Azusa snapped suddenly, her voice cutting through the air. Ritsu paused mid-drumbeat, blinking in surprise.

"What?" Ritsu asked innocently, twirling a drumstick between her fingers.

"Stop messing around," Azusa scolded. "We need to get this piece perfect if we even want a shot at placing in the competition. You're the leader of the band! How can you be so laid back about this?"

Ritsu groaned, slouching over her drum set. "Chill, Azusa. We've still got time. I'm just trying to enjoy this, you know? This is our last semester together."

Azusa's expression darkened. "This competition matters to me, Ritsu. I need to do well to earn bonus points for college admissions. Do you even realize how tough it is to get in anywhere these days?"

Ritsu blinked again, taken aback by the seriousness in Azusa's voice. Before she could form a reply, Azusa grabbed her arm and pulled her aside, lowering her voice.

"I'm serious, Ritsu. You're our leader. If you don't focus, how can we? Stop being so irresponsible."

The words stung more than Ritsu expected. She glanced at Azusa, her usually carefree demeanour faltering for a split second. "I... I just wanted us to have fun," she mumbled.

Outside the music building, Tezuka's steps slowed as he overheard the tail end of their conversation. The irony struck him immediately – Ritsu, who had urged him to relax not long ago, was now being called out for her laid-back attitude.

Tezuka's brow furrowed slightly. So she wasn't just carefree... she was irresponsible.

For a brief moment, judgment flickered in his mind. But Tezuka was not one to interfere in others' business. Shaking off the thought, he adjusted his bag on his shoulder and turned back toward the courts.

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Meanwhile, in the music room, Ritsu sighed as she stared at her drumsticks. Azusa's words lingered in her mind, heavier than she cared to admit. Focus and balance – maybe there was more to leadership than just having fun.