Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ The Right Motivation ❯ Sakuno's Doubts... ( Chapter 1 )

Sakuno's doubt…

 

With the girl's tennis season coming close, so does the girl's rankings and Sakuno was working hard, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't get better. As shy as she was, she also didn't like bothering her senpais or classmate by asking for help. It was hard but she wanted to do this all by herself so she can prove to herself that she can be independent. She has always felt that someone had to always come to save her. Well this time was going to be different…she hoped.

It was the weekend and Sakuno was at a secluded tennis court she found while practicing by herself. `Yoshi.' She put down her can of balls and racket. Her attire was her usual white shirt, skirt and sweat band. She sat down and re-tied her shoe-laces securely for she had a record of falls from unsecured shoe-laces. Sakuno grabbed her tennis racket out of her case and ball and began to hit against the wall. Her shot started getting more consistent, but still, not good enough. Her form still needed some work and so, she continued.

After about an hour or two she took a break. During the break she thought to herself. The regulars' style of tennis was unique with each individual. `Everyone has already found they own tennis, but me. I feel so stupid, what if I don't get any better, maybe I should just…' She caught herself doubt herself again. Shaking off her doubts, she stood up, clenching her fist. Her expression shone with determination. `If I keep thinking negatively, then I'll never improve myself. I have to keep on trying, with no one's help.' She gripped her racket, picked up a ball and began hitting against the wall. Unnoticed to her that someone was watching her practice.

Sakuno started to realize that her shots were getting a little more consistent. She got excited and continued to practice. `I'm getting better.' She didn't notice the person watching her. The person was a head and a half taller, shoulder length olive green hair with deep chocolate eyes. She had been observing her the whole time. When Sakuno stopped, it was starting to get dark. Her watch read 5 pm. “I should start heading back.” She packed her things and started walking home. As she walked she felt satisfaction. `My shots are getting better. Maybe I can really play.' She smiled to herself, just when she was about to turn a corner and bumps into someone. “Itai…” She was on the ground, the figure helped her up. “Mengo mengo, you should have watched where were going nya.” Sakuno looked up at him. “Ah, Kikumaru-senpai…gomen nasai.” He looked at her for a moment. “Oh Ryusaki-chan! mengo mengo!” Another person was behind Eiji.

“Doushita Eiji?” Fuji emerged from the side with his happy-go-lucky smile. He saw Sakuno and Eiji holding hands. They both let go, then Fuji asked. “Why are you out so late Ryusaki-chan? Does sensei know you're out here late?”

“Ah hai. I was practicing.”

“All by yourself?!” Eiji exclaimed. Sakuno nodded casually.

“Would you like to play with us?” Fuji asked.

“Yeah yeah you can play with us!”

“Oh no, it's okay. I'm really bad, I'll only be a bother to…”

“Don't say things like that, Ryusaki-chan!” Eiji scolded. Fuji frowned also.

“You shouldn't say stuff like that about yourself.”

“Yeah, it's okay! Saa, iko!” Eiji locked arms with her and lead her to some tennis courts. Fuji followed and lock arms on her other side. Sakuno blushed with embarrassment, but was happy someone wanted to play with her.

The courts were deserted. “Yogatta, we can play without bugging anyone!”

“And visa versa, iko Ryusaki-chan, get your racket and balls out.”

“Hai.” Once out on the court, it was Eiji/Sakuno team vs. Fuji. “Come on Fuji!”

“Onegaishimasu, Fuji-senpai, Kikumaru-senpai.”

Fuji smiled. “Onegaishimasu Ryusaki-chan.” Fuji served a ball lightly for Sakuno. Since she had her warm up, she made contact with the ball, but it hit the net. Embarrassed she apologized. “Gomen nasai.” Eiji put a hand on her shoulder.

“It's okay, it's all Fuji's fault. Oi Fuji that was a bad serve! Now look what you did, Ryusaki-chan is embarrassed!”

“Ah, gomen ne, Ryusaki-chan.” Fuji apologized while scratching the back of his head.

“Iye, it's my fault, I have horrible control and horrible hand eye coordination.” Sakuno explained as she faced the ground. Eiji and Fuji looked at her then at each other. They both agreed. “Then we'll be your couches!” Sakuno's downcast face shot up in surprise.

“Eh?”

“We'll help you get better. I hear that the girl's tennis season is about to start.” Fuji said.

“Yeah! You'll be a regular, nya!” Eiji jumped up to her.

“Are you sure I won't be a bother? I really suck.”

“Don't worry about it.”

“Give it everything you got nya.” Eiji gave her a thumbs up. Sakuno was really happy and gave them a low bow. “Arigatou gosaimasu senpais, but I warn you I'm really bad and if you ever want to stop, please tell me. I don't want to both…”

“You're no bother Ryusaki-chan.” Fuji smiled.

“Keep saying that then senpai is going to be really hurt, you don't want that now do you, Ryusaki-chan.” Eiji pouted playfully. Sakuno taking the pout serious, quickly bowed again in apology. “Sumimasen! Onegaishimasu!” Fuji chuckled.

“Sa, hajimerukai?” He smiled at Sakuno.

“Hai!” Sakuno said smiling.

Fuji, fine tuned her strokes and Eiji help her on her agilities. “Very good Ryusaki-chan. If you keep on practicing you'll get the form in no time.” Fuji encouraged. Sakuno blushed. “You think so?” Fuji nodded. After Fuji, Eiji helped her. “Okay Ryusaki-chan, in tennis you have to be really fast so you can get any ball you want. So your footwork is very important. Try to step forward, not backward.” Eiji explained; Sakuno nodded in acknowledgement. “Okay, I'll serve some balls to your left and right; you have to run to the ball and hit it back to me.”

“Hai.” Eiji served some balls. Sakuno hit half the balls Eiji served her. She felt so ashamed of herself, she apologized again. Eiji and Fuji looked at eachother, trying to figure out how they can help her. Then Fuji got an idea. “Ryusaki-chan?”

“Hai?”

“Eiji will serve the balls to me; you stand behind me and shadow my movements.” She was glad they didn't give up on her, normally, the person would just give up because she was so bad. Sakuno nodded and stood behind Fuji and mirrored his movements as Eiji served balls.

After the practice, it was 7pm. “Arigatou gosaimasu, senpai-tachi. I've learned a lot today.” She gave them a low bow. The two regulars smiled, she was about to leave, when Eiji stopped her. “Chotto, Ryusaki-chan.” She halted and turned around. Fuji and Eiji came up to her. “It's about dinner time, let go somewhere to eat.” Fuji insisted.

“Eh, honto desuka? Demo, I don't have money and you've already done so much for me, I don't want to…”

“Wah!!!! Fuji, Ryusaki-chan doesn't like us! Wah!!” Eiji fake cried on Fuji's shoulder.

“Ah, it's not like…” Sakuno didn't like seeing senpai cry.

“Come on you wouldn't want to make us senpais sad, now do you Ryusaki-chan?” Eiji gave her puppy eyes. Sakuno just gave up and said okay.

“But I didn't bring any money with me.”

“It's alright, it'll be our treat.”

“But…”

“Enough Ryusaki-chan! Your coming, nya!” Eiji guided her out the court with his arms around her shoulders. Sakuno blushed. `Why are they being nice all of a sudden?'

From afar, the figure watching smiled and started walking in the opposite direction to them. “I can't wait to see you progress, Sakuno. I'll be waiting.”

Sakuno was sandwiched in between Fuji and Eiji as they walk to a pizza parlor. “Here we are, what kind of pizza do you like, Ryusaki-chan?” Fuji asked her.

“You should get what you like, I don't mind.” Sakuno said shyly blushing. Eiji thought this was cute. “We'll get a large Hawaiian pizza with three drinks please.” Fuji ordered. The waiter took them to their seats.

Suddenly they saw Tezuka and Oishi enter. “Oh it's Tezuka and Oishi.”

“Oi!” Eiji caught their attention. They walked over to their table. “Oh Ryusakyi-san, konbanwa.” Sakuno bowed to both of them. “Konbanwa, Oishi-senpai, Tezuka-senpai.”

“De, why are you guys here?” Oishi asked.

“Date da yo.” Fuji simply stated smiling. Tezuka and Oishi raised an eyebrow. “Eh?” Sakuno flushed and tried to explain. “They insisted th…”

“It's a date nya.” Eiji interrupted smiling at her flush again. “Ki-kikumaru-senpai.”

“De what are you two here for?” Fuji asked. Oishi simply answered that they were getting shakes. Tezuka noticed tennis rackets. “You three were practicing.” Eiji nodded. “Why don't you guys join us?” Fuji offered. The two took seats across from Fuji and Sakuno, next to Eiji.

Their pizza drinks and shakes came. As usual they talked about tennis. Sakuno sat quiet, eating her pizza and listening to what they were saying. `Wow, they talk about tennis even outside of school.' “Ne, Ryusaki-san, I hear that the girls tennis season is coming soon. Are you going to try-out for a spot of a regular?” Oishi asked, seeing how she didn't say much. “If I get better in time, maybe. I don't know, our captain was kicked out of the tennis club for abusing her captain privileges. So I don't know how the rankings will go.” They were surprised to hear about the girl's tennis captain. “Honto!?” Eiji exclaimed. And she simply nodded. Then Tezuka asked her a question. “Then who's going to be the girl's team captain?”

“I don't know for sure, but there is a rumor going around that she transferred to our school about a year ago.”

“Namaiwa?” Fuji asked. Sakuno thought for a second.

“I think her name is Kiruha-senpai.” She said unsure.

“What year is she?” Oishi asked.

“I'm not sure, but I know she's older than me.” She took another bite from her pizza and stayed quiet again, too shy to say anymore. The boys were talking about who she might be. Fuji notice that she became quiet again. “Ryusaki-chan, you don't like talking much, do you?” Sakuno looked up to him. “Eh ah, I'm just…shy.” Pink hue appeared lightly on her cheek. “You don't have to be shy around us. We won't bite.” Eiji heard Fuji say this and playfully frowned at her. “Ryusaki-chan, are you scared of us?” Sakuno alarmed, she shook her head, “No, it's not…”

“Oh, then it must be Tezuka, he's always frowning. Isn't that scary?” Tezuka acted like he didn't hear anything, Fuji lightly chuckled at this. “He's evil too, he'll make you run a million laps just so he could see you cry and…”

“Eiji, that's enough, you're scaring her.” Oishi scold Eiji, giving Sakuno apologetic eyes. “Gomen Ryusaki-san.” Sakuno had sweatdrops on her head. “Da-da-daijoubu-desu.” Eiji went up to her face. “Did I scare you, nya?” <<sweatdrop>>. “I-iye, daijoubu-desu.” She gave him a nervous smile. Eiji wiped fake sweat off his forehead and let out a relieved sigh. After talking a little while longer Tekuza and Oishi had to leave. Fuji looked at his cellphone. It read 8:30. “Eiji, we should take Ryusaki-chan home, now.”

“Honto?” He looked at his cellphone. “Ah! Sensei's going to get soooo mad at us!”

“Calm down Kikumaru-senpai, I'll explain to obba-chan what happened. It'll be alright.”

“No, Ryusaki-chan, it's our duty as senpai's. We'll talk to her, if she's mad.” Fuji said as he got up. They left the pizza parlor and walked her home.

As Sakuno's house came to view, so did her grandma. Ryusaki-sensei walked up to them. “Sakuno, I was worried about you, where have you been?”

“I was practicing, and I ran into Fuji-senpai and Kikumaru-senpai. They treated me to dinner.” Ryusaki-sensei, looked at them.

“Arigatou, you two.” Sakuno faced both of them and bow,

“Iro Iro arigatou gosaimasu, senpai.” Fuji smiled and Eiji put his hands behind his head and smiled. “Don't mind don't mind.”

Fuji nodded, “It was our pleasure.”

“Since you guys came all this way, why don't you guys come in for some snacks and I'll take you home afterwards.”

“It's okay, we have to get home anyways.” Eiji said.

“Then I'll give you guys the ride back.” She turned to Sakuno. “You young lady should go inside and get ready for bed.” She nodded and did as she was told.

Ryusaki-sensei, took Fuji and Eiji home. “Arigatou, again.”

“No problem, sensei.”

“Mata na.” Then she left for home. Meanwhile, Sakuno decided to make treats for Fuji and Eiji as a thank you.

On the other side of town, that person was looking up the sky, smiling. “You've grown much, Sakuno.”

 

 

I hope you guys like it. I don't know how many people like Sakuno, but it's about her. Oh and if you haven't notice it'll probably end up a Saku/Kiku fic. I think they'd make such a cute couple. Please read and review! I don't guarantee quick updates. I want reviews first…please…^_^. Hope you guys enjoy.