Tennis no Ojou-sama: A Prince of Tennis Fan Fiction

CHAPTER 72: The Favor of a Lifetime

Ryoma checked the time in his phone. Thirty-minutes before eleven. He better hurry. He still had to go back to the cabin and help out with the preparations for lunch. Unlike the second and the first team who designated permanent tasks on groups, their team representative designed a table for the members, changing tasks in the morning and the afternoon in proper rotation. "That way, everyone would experience each chore and it wouldn't be unfair to those designated with the harder ones." Sakuno explained to them. There were groans of disapproval from some of the lazier members but it was approved by the majority.

He reached the Representatives' cabin and was supposed to march to the gate when an odd scene made him stop. The door of the cabin opened and someone came out.

Ryoma's eyes widened a little. "Tezuka-buchou?" He said and rubbed his eyes, just in case they were playing tricks on him. He looked again.

No. It was indeed Tezuka Kunimitsu, the captain of the Seigaku tennis club. He saw the captain looking warily from side to side as if checking for anyone's presence. He had what looked like a paper bag in his hand. He was clutching it protectively.

"Eh?" Ryoma said as a thought hit him. He recognized that paper bag. It was the one that Ryouko was swinging around when they went to the beach last night. "Why is Buchou holding onto that?" He asked himself.

Tezuka finally exited the gates and took a moment to lock it with a key from the set he has in his hand. It jingled as he struggled with the task. He placed the keys inside his pocket and went away in a hurry, still looking around warily. It looked as if he was nervous, but Ryoma thought that he must be seeing it wrong. Tezuka Kunimitsu, the Captain of the Seigaku Tennis club, nervous? It just didn't make any sense.

But why on earth did he come out from the Representatives' cabin with Ryouko's paper bag in his hand? Ryoma is extremely mystified and despite of himself, he felt a heavy feeling settle in the pit of his stomach.

Each of the girls carry a set of keys to the gate and the door of the cabin. The fact that Tezuka had one set with him means that one of the girls lent or gave it to him. In addition, it was Ryouko's paper bag that he was carrying which leads to the concusion that the girl who gave him the keys is...

"Ryouko." Ryoma said, completing his deduction. He scoffed. He thought that she might be hiding in a corner somewhere, crying her eyes out. "Ryouko wouldn't cry. Are you stupid?" His subconscious told him. "Okay, maybe not crying but at least moping or feeling upset." He answered it.

Hecould imagine her doing that, but not certainly sending their club's captain toget something for her. Ryoma's fist clenched. He felt unpleasant. He had been circling the campsite for nearly an hour. He just made a fool out of himself for worrying.

He turned around and marched away. Never again would he spend another minute of today on worrying about Fujioka Ryouko. He tried to focus on getting back to the main cabin but a thought was gnawing at the edge of his mind. "Hold it right there." His subconscious told him. "If she sent him to get something for her, it only means that she cannot go to the cabin to get it herself."

Ryoma stopped on his tracks. She cannot go herself? Why? Did something happen to her?

Whatever it is, the answer probably lies on whatever is inside that paper bag that their captain carried. If Ryouko is in real trouble, Tezuka-buchou won't be prancing around the Representatives' cabin... He'd be right there by her side.

An image of Tezuka kneeling beside an injured Ryouko popped in his mind. "Are you okay?" The captain asked. "No." Ryouko answered and leaned onto his shoulder.