A Guide to Life for Beginners

Hecate0o.

I did not own the Prince of Tennis.

One afternoon practice at Rikkai, the regulars saw a girl who's about to jump from the rooftop. This is the start of their never-ending story. They saved her and taught the suicidal girl the joy of living while stopping her from killing herself. Fem Ryo.

The first thing that mattered to her at the moment is that green ball. Everything would be determined by that small item. A pair of golden eyes never left its focus on that ball. If only she could control that ball…

Cool drive to his right side.

"15-30! 6-5 for Echizen Ryoma!" the referee called out. His voice was raspy since he has been holding his breath due the intensity of the match. He gasped for air.

The said person lifted his racquet in acknowledgement. Eyes were gleaming in her usual arrogance. A lineman threw her a ball which she received without glancing back. Buying time, she dribbled the ball while slowing down her heart rate. Her breath was irregular. Sweats continued trailing down her body.

The current temperature was 40 degrees Celsius. It mocked her endurance.

The raven-haired girl raised her head. She looked at the spectators. Her father, Nanako, and her Aniki was seated in the family tribune. Her mother wasn't there because of her work. All of them urged her to do her best, to win.

The second thing was expectancy.

She sighed heavily before releasing her specialty, twist serve. Her opponent returned it beautifully. She smirked at this. A good game made her adrenaline rush and it easier for her to forget things.

Haa

Haa

Haa…

Her body was in a heavy dose of carbon dioxide. The sun created imaginary oasis out there. Her vision was getting hazier by seconds. She no longer could see the audience. The sight of her opponent was a blur.

Just a little while longer…

Despite her condition, she continued chasing the ball. Gazing to the point her opponent might be, her lips slowly shaped into her trademark sneer followed by her mighty counter. The ball returned to the opposite side and did not bounce back. It was wheezing in the baseline.

Hundred gasps of awe could be heard.

Her opponent's eyes were bulged out. He did not expect that kind of shot from this little girl. Sure, she had minimum power compared to him but her techniques freaked him out. He ogled at the ball, still hoping the ball leap.

The tomboyish girl was getting irritated with the long interlude.

"Referee, the call?" She arched one of her perfectly sculpted eyebrows.

The said man was still gaping at the previous scene, couldn't erase his shock from his face. "Uh. Oh, right! 40-30! Echizen Ryoma to serve!"

The blue sky greeted her lovingly, promising her thousands of perishable bliss. She smiled back returning the favor.

Her aura enveloped the stage. Slowly, everyone was affected by it. All eyes glued on her. Their breath was in rhythm with her. Sweats, nervousness, power; they could feel it. Right now it wasn't her who is standing on the green court but themselves. They knew how unbearable it was.

Last point. Must acquire the last point.

The last point…

God, let me win this time.

A trail of blood dripped down her lips. Unconsciously, she had been biting her lower lips furiously. She couldn't feel the pain, though. A long breath was drawn. Whilst launching the twist serve, she was cornered by the urge to win.

The last thing mattered was triumph.

Every shot was made of an accurate prediction. She gripped her racquet harder than it should be. The time progressed slower than the usual. Every millisecond, she felt the accretion of her pressure. Her heart was too weak to endure the burden

Please, let this match end. Let me win!

"GAH!"

This was the execution shot, the samurai drive. It was stricken at the exact time. Her opponent could only gawk discovering the ball. It was too fast for him to return it.

His disappointment soon was swept by honor of having a match with one of the tennis genius. He accepted her victory willingly but his smile was a bit faltered.

"7 to 5! Echizen Ryoma's win! Echizen Ryoma is declared as the international junior circuit for the third time!" The audience cheered to celebrate her win. They looked happier than the winner itself.

The victor remained stiff at one spot. She didn't move. She looked down to the ground. Nobody knew what the girl is doing. He was the nearest one so he could see droplets of tears falling down.

Before he reached her side, she did something surprising. She threw her racquet to the nearest metal pole. Everybody gawked. As she predicted, her racquet turned into pieces which was flying toward her right now. Her left hand and her back got assaulted.

Nobody could make a noise then.

A small smile appeared in her face sensing blood was dripping down her wounds. She then feeling no use to stay there any longer, walked slowly to the exit leaving the audience flabbergasted.

The history recorded this as the most phenomenal tennis match, ever.

"…I greatly recommend her moving away from here, to a place where she can live as an ordinary girl. She has been enduring a great burden as a rising star. She will do something more extreme if she remains in the stardom. Yes, yes, it's your privilege as her parent to decide. But…"

Tired acting as peeping tom, Ryoma slouched down to the couch. Her brother was there accompanying her. He was reading a newest gossip magazine unlike him. She leaned on him who just shrugged at her.

The clocks tickled uncertainly. It wanted to stop seeing the girl right there enjoy the seamless time by lying in her brother's lap and doing nothing. Her face was unusually relaxed. Drowsiness teased her, enticing her to play in LaLa Land. Nobody knew what she had been thinking but a small smile formed in her lips.

Ryouga unconsciously smiled, too. Rarely did he see his lovely sister smiling. He couldn't help but praying for her to continue smiling like nothing worries her. This small wish made him wanting to do anything to cure his sister's illness.

It was his fault, after all.

If only he declined his ex-girlfriend's demanding request to accompany her shopping in exchange for a make-out time. If only he did not lie to his family he's unable to pick Ryoma because of school assignment. If only he sent someone to pick her from that late club practice. If only he did not grumble then curse when his father told him Ryoma is missing and he must find her. If only he did not lazily search her. If only he found her faster. If only he remembered how dangerous New York could be. If only…he could return to that time.

Then that event would never happen. Ryoma would still be an annoying cold sister. She would never have that hollow look in her face. And she would never try killing herself.

But he knew the world hardly ever take the If equation. You were free to imagining things that is impossible to occur.

It was regret that made him thinking that foolish assumption.

His hand petted her head with such a gentle touch. The demigod was scared of breaking this fragile china doll with his too mighty power. His pair of golden eyes was scanning the article in the magazine—Exclusive interview with Echizen Ryoma, A Day of the Princess of Tennis.

Congratulation on winning the junior tennis circuit! We were there watching your match. It's truly fascinating, your play is.

Thank you.

How's your feeling after receiving the trophy for the third time?

Just thinking I deserve this victory. The trophy weights more than the former.

In your final match you threw your racquet and accidentally hurt yourself. Was it caused by frustration or maybe a relieve feeling?

…you could say that.

So?

...

Never mind then, let's move on to the more casual questions. You know, you are a sweetheart and everybody loves to know anything concern you. They want to learn more about their favorite princess of tennis. Can you tell us how you spend your day?

Could they mind their own business?

OK I'll try to tell them. So, what's your daily routine?

Sleep, eat, school, tennis practice, and petting Karupin...

Who's Karupin?

My cat.

What a lovely name! So, the princess of tennis has a soft spot for animal! This...

"…ga! Ryouga!" someone yelled near his ear. He jumped in surprise. He was too concentrated on reading the interview to the extent of drifting to another dimension. He almost ripped the magazine in surprise. He certainly didn't feel delighted.

"What?" He said in an almost menacing tone.

The woman on front of him was a bit mad, receiving that rude tone. But she skillfully suppressed her anger. Instead, she just glared at her son, silently warned him. The replica of Echizen Ryoma eyed her children, making sure there's no new wound.

She sighed tiredly. "Come on, we've got to getting ready. There's a lot things to prepare. The documents, the house, packing …particularly everything! Nanji is already at the front door waiting in the car."

Ryouga blinked stupidly. He somehow found his mother's sentences are not making sense. "Getting ready…what?"

Rinko sighed for the countless time that day. She wore such an exhausted expression which she will never show it to her only daughter.

"It's settled. We gonna move back to Japan; precisely, to Kanagawa. We discussed this just now. Your father wants to move to Tokyo but it's too risky for her. So, we choose Kanagawa, the nearest one to Tokyo, so you could go to some good university in Tokyo while she's schooling in a local school. Come on, we gonna talk this at home!" Rinko nudged her son lightly. She smiled to urge him to get moving.

A few seconds was needed by him to consume the information. He knew this decision was made for Ryoma's good.

"Oh! And don't wake her! Just carry her to the car."

Ryouga watched the back of his mother as she walked to the door first. He spent a moment to stretch a bit.

"All right."

He finally got moving. He shifted slowly so the girl continued sleeping. The magazine he has been reading was tossed to the nearest table nonchalantly. But, not before he read the last part of the interview.

Last question then, you, in your young age, has already obtained many achievements. You won hundreds official tennis match. You could easily buy everything you want. Do you have any unfulfilled wish?

…I wonder how heaven looks like

I feel dirty…

Like I never wash myself

No matter how often and how hard I rubbed myself,
I never ever feel clean.

I loathed this feeling

Hate this feeling to the degree I have to scratch myself
in order to blank over this sensation.

Somehow, hurting my own body feel very good.
A good distraction.

Maybe, death is not a bad idea.
A brilliant idea, really.

And I will be able to say goodbye to this sensation

Forever,

And ever…

A happy ending, right?

I know I have a major problem with grammatical mistake. This is not beta-ed, not yet. I'll ask my beta-reader later. I feel the urge to upload it now at two in the morning. Well, I will surely love it if there's any of you who wants to be this story's beta-reader, ehehe. :D

I'm new to this fandom. Not really. I have been writing a PoT fanfiction before but I don't want to update it. So, Hello there, this is hecate0o~ Nice to meet you! I will be very pleased if you return my greeting and leave one or two comment and critics.

I am a slow updater. My mood swing is the cause. Please be patient with me.

Ah, and truly sorry if you spot a gender mistake. I unconsciously refer woman as he and man as she. One of my weirdness. Don't mind it.

Then, let's meet again at the next chapter at Rikkai. Jaa, Mata!

Bandung, 3rd August 2011
2:05 am

hecate0o