1 Prologue: The Deal

"There is an increase with the number of teenagers playing tennis as their hobby or as their sport. In this new generation can we find another "Samurai Legend" and will give us a victory in the professional line?" said the Coach.

"Nah, who knows? We got a lot of future players, look at this one", it was the referee, pointing out to the kids playing at the court.

"That kid, he's a good one… I have seen his matches at amateur tournaments; he really got the potential as one."

"Oh, if I'm not mistaken, that's Tezuka Kunimitsu, the champion of last year's Middle School Interschool Division. So, now he's here for the Nationals huh?" The Coach makes a smirk as he watches Tezuka play on the court.

"Okay kids! Let's have a break, if you lose your energy you won't be able to participate at our Demo-tournament!'' It was the manager of the National Middle School Tennis Organization, (he looks like Santa, only that he's a little thinner and his beard isn't that long, he also smiles at everyone).

"Hey, Tezuka-san!" another kid participating at the tournament, Tezuka just makes a look and nods as a response.

"I'm Jyoushiro, I have seen you play before I know you will be named as the champion of this year's tournament"

"Uh, you think so, it's too early to tell." replied Tezuka.

"My, my, I believe in you! Just as well as Yamada-kun, I've said that too and it really did happen now we're here at the Nationals."

"Who is Yamada?" he looks interested and kind of amused here.

"Oh, you haven't known Yamada-kun yet? C'mon I'll introduce you!" Jyoushiro grabs the other kid's hand, though it was protesting, he has no other choice but to move and follow the earlier kid.

At the other court, where the female participants of the tennis tournament are gathered. "Look at her; she really is good in playing right?"

"Oh yes, she was able to beat the guy from our school, who tends to be playing at the Nationals too."

"Eh? Aren't matches between boys and girls prohibited in this tournament? How come they're playing?"

"Well, the Coaches didn't know about it, but they held a match yesterday, and that guy was so miserable."

"Well, losing from a girl might have stepped his pride"

"It's not just that, I heard there was a deal."

"A deal?"

"I'm not sure about it, but this guy really likes her and asked for a date, then if she will go on a date or not was decided by who will win their game in tennis"

"And the girl won so that the date was declined?"

"Yes, and of course there's also a consequence to that."

"A consequence? She already declined the date right? So, what does she want?"

"The consequence is that the guy must run up to 50 laps this morning practice, if he doesn't then she will announce to everyone that he was beaten by a girl in a straight game score of 6-0."

"Oh, she's a mean, it doesn't have to be that big, it's just a game"

"Well, that's it for her."

The two kids, Tezuka and Jyoushiro, reached the court of the girls, "Excuse me, have you seen Yamada-kun?" Jyoushiro was asking the two girls to talk earlier.

"Uh, Yamada-kun? Are you referring to that kid playing at the court?'' She points to the girl playing a match with another girl.

"Oh yes, thank you! Come Tezuka-san let's meet her!" In a shock he said, "H-Her?" But before they reached the girl's position another guy from behind appeared and pushed the smaller kid before him.

"Ugh!" said the girl, "Oh, my apologies I haven't seen you in the way!" The guy talks in an insulting way and gives an offensive smile to her. The girl stands and composed herself, from her gestures it shows how properly mannered she is.

"That's fine, you said you haven't seen me in the way, so I guessed it was an accident" and turns her back at the boy.

"Oops! Not so fast young lady!" grabs the girl's shoulder and turns her around. The girl's eyes looked at the hands of the boy and quickly pushed it away with a force.

"Hey! I think you're a hotheaded one huh? You acted so promptly just now, but you pushed me so rudely, tell me what are you trying to portray huh?" The girl looked at the guy fiercely and answered.

"I don't know what you are talking about, so please quit bugging me!" this time she glares at them angrily.

"Oh! It was Iba-san!" said Jyoushiro, seeing the boy who appeared before the girl.

"What about that guy?" Tezuka asked and seemed to be confused with what was happening.

"You didn't know Tezuka-san?"

"No, I haven't heard of him before."

"He was one of the middle school participants. He was at the same grade as you and he is far stronger than you'll think. This kid will be one of your opponents as you play the Nationals ``

''So, What's the big deal?" Tezuka is trying to hide the uneasiness he's feeling at that time.

"He's confronting Yamada-kun! Maybe he's having a deal with her."

"Huh?"

"Oh my! This is quite interesting but Yamada-kun is in danger. She's too small to fight for that big kid, no matter how good she is at playing, this boy will surely take his advantage and will use brute force in the match ``

''What do they think tennis is?" Tezuka sounded irritated at the thought that came from Jyoushiro.

"C'mon Yamada-san, I know you're a good player, let's have a deal", it was Iba-san trying to persuade her to fight.

"You will try to get revenge for your little brother, won't you?" He was surprised, "Eh? So you knew it all along, didn't you? Why don't you play with me now?"

"It's for your own sake that I refused the match. You don't want to be called Loser Siblings do you?" Yamada's arrogant way of saying this to Iba-san pushes him to lose his temper.

"You're so arrogant for a small girl like you!" The guy grabs a ball and hits it with a smash that reaches the hind leg of Yamada.

"Ah!" Those who have seen what just happened awed at the moment the girl fell to the floor.

"You're a coward hitting a person behind! Oh really? Why won't you stand and have a match with me already? Cocky bastard! Coward loser! ". She screamed for that and got the attention of the people around; it can be seen in her face the pain she felt from the ball that hit her leg. And to that, the guy really got his temper all out and raised his racket to hit the girl's face. But just before it, a ball hit his pulse and dropped the racquet.

"Huh? Who was that?" it was Iba-san his voice trembled for what had just happened.

"Hey, are you really a guy?" said the voice from behind.

"W-who are you?" he asked. "It doesn't matter who I am. What matters now is what you were doing."

"So what? This is none of your business!" It was Tezuka, then he walked near the girl and tried to help her to get up from the floor.

"T-thanks…" Yamada was surprised the moment Tezuka helped her she was puzzled and stared blankly at him.

"Hey! Don't get in the way you four-eyes!" Iba-san was angry at the moment that he was being just ignored.

"Oh! You were having this little girl as your prey Oni (Monster)."

"What'd you say!?"

"Why won't you have a match with me?" Tezuka looks at him.

"Hey, acting as if a knight in shining armor doesn't you?"

"You want a deal right? If I lose then you can have her." All of them were surprised.

Yamada protested, "Hey! I said thank you for saving me but who are you to decide and make a deal out of me!" However, Tezuka just ignored her and continued what he's saying. "If I won… leave her alone!" Silently spreads for a moment, then Oni's laugh breaks the stiff surrounding. "HAHAHA! You're way too serious four eyes, it's a deal! I'll give you what you want!"

"Eh, Tezuka-san!" It's Jyoushiro, trying to stop Tezuka but the two boys went to their position on the court to start the match. "You won't mind if I serve first don't you, Onii (Big brother)?"

"No, I don't mind breaking your service game." Game and set, Tezuka to serve! Jyoushiro was surprised by what he had seen from Tezuka's service. "Ah! (surprised) what in the heck, Tezuka is doing!?"

"Hey kid, you knew this four eyed kid?"

"Oh, Ya-Yamada-kun!"

"What are you talking about?"

"It's just, Tezuka-san uses his right hand to serve, and it was kind of weird you know…"

"What's so weird with that? It's nothing weird for me ``

''It's because…"

Meanwhile in the court

"Try to return this kid! Ha-ha you're good but you can't reach this ball with a backhand!" (Hits the ball to the very end of the court, but then as Tezuka was moving just to position himself to return the ball, he shocked all of the people around him, even his opponent on what he did.)

"A forehand using his left hand?" said Yamada in an amusing tone.

"Yes, because Tezuka-san is a left hander. That's why I was worried why he used his right hand to serve when he usually uses his left."

"This Tezuka is quite amazing…" said Yamada. But Iba-san who got shocked tried to compose himself and boosted up his fighting spirit although he was trembling in fear.

"His left hand has much more force than the right, are you making fun out of me? I won't lose to you brat!!!"

The game goes on and Onii has a very hard time returning the balls thrown by Tezuka who's using his left and right hand, up to the last he hasn't scored a single point.

"Game and Match! 6-0 Tezuka won!"

"Yes! Hey, Tezuka-san you did it you really beat him up!" Tezuka just made a sound of "Uhm" as a response to saying yes.

"Damn it, you'll have a day… I promise that, I'll beat you up! I will take revenge, remember this day! I'll be back to you too Yamada!"

"Ehem! Before I forgot, what was our deal again?" Now it's Tezuka talking. Oni seems to be scared and runs away from the court crying.

"What a cry baby Oni-san is" this time it's Jyoushiro.

"Hey you!" it was Yamada and she was pointing at Tezuka, "have a match with me…"

"Huh? Wait, Tezuka-san saved Yamada-kun so why do you want to have a match with him?"

"I'm grateful he did save me, but I promised not to ask or accept any help from a man. I hate you guys!"

"What!?"

"You act as if you were superior to us girls, then you can do all what you want and decide whatever you want!? I won't let you do that!"

"Oh my, (whispers at Tezuka's ears) hey Tezuka-san it's just a womanly pride just let go of it ``'

``Alright, I'll have a match with you."

"W-What!!!??? Tezuka-san! "

"Then it's a deal, if I lose I'll accept this as your help but if I won't you will just forget this match and don't show up again before me."

"Okay, but I want another consequence as well for our deal."

"What is it?"

"I'll just tell you once I win this match."

"Huh? Alright, I won't mind you telling me that because I'll outdo my best to win over you!" then the match started. The two players were good, but at the very end the winner was still Tezuka.

"You're not bad for a girl, you're a good player." Said Tezuka and offers his hand to Yamada but she refuses and tries to stand up on her own.

"I never lost to a man before, what's your name?"

"Kunimitsu Tezuka."

"I'm Yuuki Yamada, I-I accept my defeat to you Kunimitsu Tezuka, now tell me what is your deal?"

"You really want to know it?"

"Of course, I won't run away or break any deal."

"Yuuki, let's talk outside" and turns his back to Yamada.

"HUH? He called me by my given name? How rude… (Blushes) hey wait up!"

Outside the tennis club, the two end up walking at a nearby park.

"Kunimitsu, how long were we going to walk, spill it out already!"

"Spill out what?"

"Huh? Your deal? What is it?"

"This."

"T-this?"

"Yes."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean this Yuuki." Grabs the girl's hand "This is what I mean"

(Blushes) "Hey! Quit calling me by my given name! You're not even my b---!" she paused and looked at the hand that was holding hers and back to the eyes of Tezuka. "You can't be that serious aren't you?"

"You already called me by my given name too, and second I am serious about this."

"Kunimitsu is your family name, r-right?"

"No."

"What!!!??? But I-I thought it was you…"

"The prize of the deal is YOU"

"Huh? I-I…" she ends up being speechless.

"I am your boy(SPACE)friend from now on."

"Boyfriend? As in a friend boy?" she said in a bit disappointed tone.

"Yes." That was Tezuka's reply, "(In her mind) what in the hell am I thinking?"

"Oh, there's a second one."

"There's a second one!?"

"Yes."

"That should only be one! You're unfair!"

"I got three prizes for that, saving you from the racquet, winning a match against Oni, and defeating you."

"Ha??" (In her mind again) "This guy really tricked me".

"Never get into a match with deals again… (Paused and looked into her eyes) Isn't it fun if you play tennis with your friends and not fight?"

"I don't need to have another friend" . It is clearly seen to her eyes that she was lonely.

"I already have one friend that has never lied to me… and that's enough… others will just act as a friend but the truth they were just tricking you… if you're not on top, you won't survive… you won't even have the chance to move peacefully, others will laugh at you, beat you, and… hurt you."

"Then I'll be your friend. I will laugh with you, be beat with you, and share the hurt you're feeling."

"You know you just showed up, you talk a lot as if you know me?"

"Maybe we should get to know each other, we can start and be friends, right?"

"No, you're just kidding…"

"Why are you a man hater? You can open it up to me."

(A certain flashback comes to her mind)

"We all have painful memories, but with friends, we can share it with them, believe me. A part of you will start to melt, it will give you a lighter feeling. It is hard to shoulder all your problems alone."

"Why were you telling me all of this so suddenly, why… why do you have to show such concern…"

"I don't know either… it's just… I came to think of it." (Without knowing, Yuuki's tears start to fall.)

"Why are you crying?"

"Huh? I-I'm crying?" (Swipes away her tears)

"See? I told you, you can share it with me so you can feel much better." It was Tezuka in such a concerned tone.

"Can I trust him? he is still a man… He is like Gen-chan… No, he was different."

"You're a man hater aren't you? No matter what happened in the past, it doesn't matter right? You can still meet a lot of people though… so stop stereotyping with us."

"No I'm not!" then paused and laughed.

"What's funny?"

"I don't know why but… I remembered something happy." (Smiled)

Tezuka was a bit glad seeing her smile, her face glowed a little. "I told you, it will be lighter if you share it with a friend. You look prettier when you smile."

Yuuki blushed, "I-If you want it this way, then I'll get along with you… I think I could at least trust you right?"

Tezuka gave a warm smile to her as an answer that he can be trusted.

"From now on you are the third person that I trust."

"Who are the other two?"

"It was my mother and Gen-chan."

"Oh, I wonder how you became friends with Gen-chan."

"Wait, what was your third deal? Will you tell me now? Do I have to treat you or buy you something?"

"Uh? Maybe, I'll tell it to you after the Nationals."

"That long? Alright, fine! This wouldn't be our last meeting right?"

"Yes because we're friends"