Secrets, Socials, and Seigaku

Chapter 39

            “That’s great Tomo!” Sakuno praised.

            Echizen said nothing. “I remember when I was just learning how to play tennis. Man,” I paused thinking back to the first time I had tried to hit the ball with my racket, “ I was so bad.” I told him with a chuckle. He snorted in his usual smug way. A grin grew on my face and I leaned into his side, “Was that a laugh, Ryoma Echizen?” I teased.

            He smirked and pulled at his cap, as if he was about to say some famous catchphrase in a drama series. “You still have a long way to–“

            “Do you want to die before we get to nationals?” I questioned with an uninviting look.

            From the corner of my eye I saw Sakuno get ready to hit the ball. Ryuzaki’s granddaughter had to be amazing at tennis! Lucky her, she probably gets her grandma to help her out with practice whenever she wants. I could see Sakuno taking my title as regular in no time!

 She released the ball from her hand and let it bonce off the ground.

Then again, if Ryuzaki could teach her whenever and she was exceptionally good than certainly Echizen wouldn’t be teaching her now…

            As the ball rebounded off the concrete floor Sakuno swung at it and sure enough, we should have been on the baseball field because; it would have been a homerun. “Well, that answers that then.” I muttered under my breath. Echizen didn’t spare me a glance and instead watched as the ball disappeared from sight.

            That poor girl, you could practically see Sakuno’s face light up like a Christmas tree in embarrassment. “I’ll go get it!” She shouted before taking off in said ball’s direction.

            “Sakuno,” Tomoko called after her, concern etched on her face, “are you gonna be okay by yourself?”

            Sakuno smiled back at her friend nervously. “I’ll be fine!” She called back. Her hair glided behind her as she chased after the missing ball. I watched, as her back gradually got smaller before standing up and stretching my legs.

            “Sakuno!” I called loudly. She stopped mid jog and I almost felt bad as I watched her teeter for her balance. Falling now certainly wouldn’t help her humiliation. “Hold up! I’m coming too!” I looked to Echizen and motioned to my long board with a finger. It was propped up against the structure we had been sitting on. “Watch my board for me, and if anything happens to him you’ll owe me a much more expensive one.” I told him uncompromisingly.

            He rolled his eyes. “Him?” He probed mockingly.

            I risked the pout on my face. “Shut up. My board is my baby.”

        I turned from him and started off in Sakuno’s direction. “She would have been fine on her own.” Tomoko told me in passing.

        I smiled back at her. “We’ll get back quicker if I help.” I told her smoothly. Saying, ‘she doesn’t seem like the type who would be okay on her own.’ Seemed a tad bit cruel in this situation. 

        I ran up to her with a smile that I hoped would help her feel at ease. She didn’t seem like the type that got along well with people she didn’t really know, and with our past history… “Thank you for your help.” She told me shyly. Her eyes seemed to be a lot more interested in her feet than my face. 

        “It’s no problem.” Sakuno seemed really bothered by the absent tennis ball, or maybe…”You know,” I hoped she wouldn’t think me crass, “I wouldn’t feel too bad about your homerun hit.” I told her earnestly.

        She looked up in shock, her doe eyes widening, then her face quickly morphed into one of mortification. “I-it was a home run?” She stumbled out, face turning red again.

        I couldn’t keep from laughing this time. “I’m sorry!” I told her at my outright lack of regard for her feelings. Amusement seemed to trump my senses at the moment. “Your face was so funny, I couldn’t help it.” Her once upset face blew up in a pout. “Hey, if tennis doesn’t work out I think you could have a real career on the girl’s softball team.” I teased with a smile.

        Her mood seemed to deflate more. “…Thanks.” I chuckled more at the dejected reaction.

        “Relax, I’m only joking.” I told her civilly, “Look, it wouldn’t matter what sport you decided to do; you have to work hard to get good. That’s just how it works.” That’s what my instructor’s had told me repeatedly for years, “Maybe this time you hit a home run, but don’t look at that as a negative.” I told her encouragingly.

        She wasn’t having the optimism speech. “What else should I look at it as then?” Sakuno never seemed like the stubborn type, but it was refreshing getting to see that she could be more than just meek.

        “Well, I can already tell you’ll be good at lobs.” She seemed surprised with my observation. “Did you see how high that ball went?” She threw me a look like she was questioning my sanity on the subject. I barged through her judgments. “Or maybe you’ll be a powerhouse when it comes to great serves! To be honest that’s where my specialty lies and it took me forever to get good.” I told her honestly.

        She seemed to be listening keenly to me now. “You’re specialty is serves?” She asked, genuinely interested.

        I looked down at the innocent girl. It was true, she didn’t look especially threatening as an athlete, but maybe she could use that to her advantage. All she needs now is someone to encourage her. “I’m gonna let you in on a secret, okay?” I told her. We were still walking through the woods of the park, but at a much slower pace compared to before. “But if I tell you–you have to promise not to tell anyone else, not even Coach Ryuzaki.”

        Sakuno’s brown eyes widened in interest and she quickly crossed her heart with a finger. “I promise not to tell another soul!” The diligence in her tone was adorable.

        I chuckled at her resilience and seriousness. “I’m holding you to that Sakuno.”