Hi everyone! This chapter is a bit shorter than the rest.

Oh who am I kidding, it's WAY shorter.

I just wanted to post what I had written for the week, at least to keep to my schedule. There has been some trouble, and I don't know if I can post my weekly chapter by this weekend.

So I'll just put up the half done one. I assure you, I have read and reread it at least three times.

I hope it'll suffice (for now).

Enjoy!

"You're good."

"You're not bad yourself," Ryoma panted and grasped Momo's offered arm, feeling himself being pulled to his feet again.

It had been a close match, but he had won, as usual. So why did he feel so tired?

Momo had beaten him at that. Endurance… His techniques would still do, but not for long.

If he could breathe any faster, it would have been considered hyperventilation. His water bottle was nearly emptied as he gulped down mouthful after mouthful of water, not even bothering to aim for his mouth. The blessed liquid dribbled down his chin and stained his already wet shirt.

"Well, Echizen, you are on the team. We hold ranking matches next month, and we will select the regulars then. There'll be a letter sent for you for confirmation, but for now, you can join practice with the second years."

"Yes." He placed the racquet in his hand onto the bench.

"Also, if you are considering trying for the regular team, you had better get your own racquet."

"Yes." He wasn't going to join the regular team anyway.

"Though, to be honest, you're not up to standard for the regular team." Tezuka closed his eyes and pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose.

What.

"For now, you don't have a chance."

That was insulting.

"Until you work on have your stamina, you will never make it."

Ryoma looked up defiantly, even as the captain, he had no right to say that.

"The last three shots Momo fed you, you could have easily returned it to the left corner, out of his reach. And won quite easily. And in the sixth game, Momo gave you a lob, which you could have smashed."

"And so?" He could tell that the captain wasn't done with his analysis, but he couldn't be bothered to listen. He didn't need to know.

"You didn't. There's still one month until the ranking matches, I expect you to work on this problem." Tezuka picked up his racquet.

"And what makes you think I'll try out for the regulars?"

"You still have to deal with this problem even if you aren't." Tezuka said, with as much emotion as a dead sea urchin, "your current level can only get you this far."

"I'm… I will win." Ryoma wiped his chin.

"Prove it then. Inui, give him the training schedule."

With that, Tezuka left, presumably to shepherd the different levels into their respective groups.

No stamina huh? Well, he'll show them just how much stamina he had. One month was more than enough.

Yes, he'll show them exactly what they missed in today's show.

"Tezuka, I think you left quite an impression. Why are you making him try for regulars?"

"It's his decision to make. I didn't force him," he deadpanned.

"Saa… I wonder what he'll do next." Fuji watched as Ryoma reluctantly joined the second years in their training, but unable to do anything due to his dispossession of a racquet.

Curious and curiouser.

"So, how was first training?" Fuji twirled his racquet in his hand, throwing it into the air before catching it again. The racquet did an acrobatic spin Eiji would be proud of, and dropped straight, handle down, back to earth.

Ryoma grimaced, "Bad."

"Oh?"

"I didn't get a proper chance."

"For what?"

"To play."

"You played against the best players of the first and second years, wasn't that a chance enough?" Fuji further probed.

"Best players? Didn't seem like it."

"Better not let the others hear that."

"What? You're not mad?" He flinched as the racquet came uncomfortably close to his face.

"Mad? Whatever for?" Fuji rolled the sole of his shoe on a pebble, stowing his racquet safely away under his arm.

"For insulting your team."

"Quite the contrary. Of course, you will have to prove yourself now. How do you plan to go about doing that, hm?" Fuji kicked the pebble.

"I'm still thinking. But if I get into the team, I can still reject, right?" the pebble landed in a shrub.

"I don't know, everyone I know who has gotten in has accepted."

"You don't seem like the type to take tennis seriously," Ryoma eyed Fuji suspiciously.

"That's because I don't... to some extent."

"And someone forced you to join?"

"Nope, I joined of my own free will."

"Why? You could spend your time much more usefully."

"Doing what?"

"For starters, it won't be compulsory to get to school at six."

"Then?"

"You can actually sleep."

"I do sleep every night."

"I mean sleep properly."

"I sleep on a ten thirty to five thirty schedule."

"Seven hours."

"Something wrong?"

"Studies show that children your age require at least eight hours of sleep."

"And where did you hear that from?" Fuji challenged, smirking.

Ryoma blushed, "My mom…"

"That makes a lot of sense."

"She just reads too many self help books and quotes them to me."

"Self help books."

"Type A mom." Ryoma shrugged. Not of his problem.

"I see…"

"Hm, Fuji senpai, do I have to go for morning practice?"

"For non-regulars, it's not compulsory, why?"

"So it's optional?"

"Yes, would you like to come with?" Fuji asked, knowing full well what the answer would be.

"Yes," Ryoma frowned, thinking hard.

"Oh? I thought you would want to sleep in." Still as unpredictable as ever I see.

"Stamina," Ryoma mumbled, "I'll show him stamina."

"Stamina is not something that can be acquired within a month you know."

"I have stamina, it's just in hibernation right now."

"Better let it defrost soon ne?"

"I know, but I still need to train."

"Train for what? I thought you weren't going to join as regular if you got in?" Fuji coaxed, the answer would have to come out some time.

"To prove myself," Ryoma said simply, stopping at the front door, "hold on, Eiji-senpai told me that you go out for dinner every Thursday."

"You heard it from Eiji." Fuji had walked past Ryoma to open the door.

"Yeah, so wh— Oh." Eiji.

"Hm," Fuji nodded knowingly.

"But Tezuka was there." That should be a reasonable argument.

"Was it at Taka's shop?"

"Taka's shop?"

"The tall, brown hair..." Fuji latched the door behind him.

"I know him, but he owns a shop?"

"The old fashioned sushi store. His father runs it."

"Oh, that one! Yes, it was there."

"Then probably Taka invited them all again. You know Tezuka, he won't refuse anyone. Except Eiji when he's hyper, then he usually leaves it to Oishi." He added as an afterthought.

"He won't?"

"As long as it has nothing to do with tennis." He smiled, yet it somehow felt eerie. And only he could pull it off.

So sorry! I will get back to it once things are back to normal. Oh, and could any of you help me with my Summary? I think I should work on it...

That's it for now!

Bye!

MC