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

CHAPTER 124: Always - End of Festival Arc

Ayase Mami peeked through the curtains and looked at the crowd. Members of the audience turn to each other and exchange a few words everytime a scene ends. Judging from the expressions she had observed so far, they looked really excited and satisfied with the way the play is unfolding so far. She heaved a sigh of relief.

Although she gave permission for the cast to thwart her script as they see fit to compromise to the situation backstage, she's very nervous at the outcome. "But there's no way around this mess... The best I can do is manage the backstage efficiently while the cast do their job," she told herself.

When preparations for the next scene was finished, Mami looked at her classmate tasked with holding the falling backdrop cloth in place. "Hold tight and hang in there. Someone else would switch once the scene ends..." she told him. Her classmate nodded, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead. Mami signalled for the curtain to be raised.

The current scene playing out onstage is of the Sheriff, Prince John and Sir Guy talking about plans to catch Robin Hood (as it is their fundamental reason to exist) while Lady Marian pours them drinks. Sir Guy looks quite displeased and seemed to be concentrating more on keeping an eye on Lady Marian than the conversation they are having. After looking silently frustrated for a few dialogues, he finally spoke.

"Pardon my intrusion, my lords, but should the lady be tasked to do such a menial job as pouring drinks?" Shuu said.

Ryoma is in the middle of tilting a wine bottle onto a glass and stopped midway. Before the Sheriff or Prince John could deliver a response to this, Lady Marian spoke. "Why, I actually enjoy doing such menial tasks, my good sir. It is far better than staying in my chambers, all cooped up like a bird in a cage," Ryoma said, displaying a sweet smile (with Seigaku members in the audience cringing) and proceeding with pouring the red liquid (actually strawberry juice) inside the crystal wine glass.

"But my lady..." Shuu said in protest before the narrator explained that Mariane indulges the Sheriff in making her serve during such meetings for it is the sure-fire way to hear of their schemes and plans against her Robin. It would be troubling for her to be excluded in the meetings because of Sir Guy's interference but it also shows that the knight's concern for the lady is genuine.

On the other side of the backdrop, the backstage people are trying to hammer in small nails onto the crumbling background, being very silent and careful. Unfortunately, one of them suddenly hit the head of the nail a little too hard and a metallic thud reached the ears of the cast acting onstage and the audience on the front seats.

Flustered, Shuu impulsively grabbed Ryoma's wrist. Ryoma blinked while Horio and Miyako looked on, hiding their nervousness and keeping their act together.

The sudden wrist-grabbing made a few of the girls in the audience squeal. "Oh no, that's so cute! Echizen-kun and Hoshimura-kun!"

Hearing their names from the crowd, Shuu and Ryoma both wilted inside, full of disgust, and struggled to keep their composure.

Shuu did not have to exert effort in acting embarrassed for he really is already dying inside for being shipped with a fellow guy. With scarlet cheeks, he quickly let go of Lady Marian's wrist. "Excuse my behavior, my lady. I just... cannot bear to see you being treated like a mere serving girl," he said, fumbling over the ad-libbed lines that his overheated brain was able to come up with. "Thank god we acted on character for the service in the cafe! It turned out to be useful for the real deal!" he thought, making a mental note to give Mami a word of praise for coming up with the idea.

"Hoshimura, nice save!" the people backstage thought in unison before glaring at the person handling the hammer. He hung his head in apology and embarrassment.