Game, Set
WHO: Ryoma Echizen//pontasized, Kunimitsu Tezuka//buchouinglasses
WHAT: Tennis match, demonstration, maybe some chatting.
WHERE: (really big?) Tennis courts.
WHEN: After both of their coaching sessions end, mid-evening I guess.
WARNINGS: Uh. I dunno. Incomplete!
Normally, Ryoma was one to put his all into his matches - unless of course, he knew they weren't that good and needed to learn how to play, not get pummeled the ground. That was the problem he was facing right now.
Now only did the girls and children not know how to play, but they didn't seem to want to learn, either. He would constantly tell him to relax their shoulders, straighten their elbows, or to stop swinging the racket around like a bat. It was so annoying. The children listened, at least - or tried to. Then they just went back to playing around. And Ryoma wasn't exactly good with children, seeng as he basically was one just a week or two ago.
"Alright, we'll stop here for the day." He finally announced, sighing. Ryoma didn't expect any of these people to catch on immediately, but the pace they were going at was insanely slow. Sure, they were paying, so it was kind of their fault if they couldn't learn; he was doing his part trying to teach them, after all.
Ignoring the questions, Ryoma packed up his tennis racket and tucked the can of yellow tennis balls under his arm, heading to the court where he and Tezuka had agreed to meet up at. Surely a match with his (former?) captain would lighten his mood. And, if they were lucky, it might attract a few more learners who might actually pay attention.
Tezuka sighed and bit back some harsh words as another late thirties father attempted to correct his son the wrong way. Gently he fixed the child's position and explained to the embarrassed father what each of them had been doing wrong. It had been like this all day long.
Teaching families was a hassle. He much rather he only had the children. Apart from a few forced to come by their parents they had much more energy and were much more committed to learning the sport. Even if their technique was completely lacking and it was hard to keep their attention at times their mostly innocent actions and eager faces were much more preferable than the houswives that hinted at extra curricular activities or husbands that were already exhausted from work and didn't like his looks. He glanced at his watch and almost sighed in relief. It was time to move over to the court for his demonstrative match with Ryoma.
"Ah, if you'll please follow me, I have arranged a demonstrative match between myself and a friend to show you the potential of tennis." He gathered up his bag and headed for the designated court hoping this would help enrollment and thoroughly looking forward to a match with the younger Echizen.
Ryoma probably wouldn't be able to get his own students to go home since the children actually wanted to learn tennis and the girls were just.. girls. And they were definitely following him. It was almost like being at Seigaku all over again, being followed by those two girls (..yeah, he couldn't really remember their names right now). Maybe he and Tezuka could switch groups and see how that worked out, since the former captain didn't seem too pleased with his own group.
After a short explanation to the ones following him, Ryoma jogged the rest of the way to the court, hoping to reach it at the same time or before Tezuka did. He did want a match, but he also wanted to maybe talk a bit. You know, catch up with what was going on in Japan - even though Tezuka said he'd already returned. He found that weird, how he could have gotten on the plane to Japan when he was sent to this city before even leaving the train heading to the airport, nevermind the fact that he was still in America.
Tezuka could hear the whispers of the families behind him. Who are we meeting? How good is Mr. Tezuka really? What if he loses? All he did in reaction was speed up his steps. He really was looking forward to the match but he was also hoping he could get Ryoma to eat with him later. He didn't know very many people around yet and the ones he did (besides Ryoma) he wasn't inclined to spend time with. He still hadn't heard about Ryoma's trip to America and he was rather curious about it. Not to mention it would be nice to just spend time with his fellow pillar.
Tezuka reached the court to find it still empty and almost laughed. It was just like before; he always beat Ryoma places. He motioned his students to the bleachers and removed his jacket, folding it and laying it on the bench. He began a warm up and waited patiently for Ryoma to arrive.
Ah well, same old same old. The now 22-year-old arrived only a few minutes late as per usual. It was a habit, he supposed, from not really wanting to look too eager for a match. Upon reaching the court, he had to smile. It was just like it had always been, Tezuka arriving early and already warming up. Ryoma, too, sent his students to the bleachers as set his equipment down on the other bench before starting towards the other man with a racket in hand.
"Buchou." He greeted his former captain with a simple nod and that same little smile of his. Tezuka had changed, if only in that he was taller and looked more stern than ever, but he was still recognizeable.
Tezuka only half concentrated on his warm up as Ryoma showed up with his giggling girls in tow. He bit back a smile at the man's obviously annoyed gait. He studied the younger man as he approached with his racket. Ryoma hadn't changed at all except maybe he'd gotten taller by some inches. He was still slender and hawkeyed with green casted raven's hair. He even still called Kunimitsu Buchou. It made him happy that Ryoma still considered him such.
"Ryoma. It's good to see you." His lips quirked into a smile for the time of a blink but then it was gone. He couldn't let his students see it.
"Do you want to warm up?"
Oh, but Ryoma saw it. He'd gotten good at catching Tezuka's fleeting smiles ever since he learned that his captain could actually smile. He didn't say anything about, if course, knowing the strict reputation the older man had to keep up. Others he might tease, but he respected his captain enough to refrain from that.
"Teaching them was enough of a warm up, I'd think." He replied, glancing at the bleachers where their students were. The majority were adults, which didn't really surprise him. Tennis wasn't restricted any age groups, after all. Half of those adults didn't look like they were there to learn tennis, though. He turned his attention back to Tezuka, suddenly wishing he'd bought that Fila cap he saw in the sports store the other day.
"Did today's lessons go any better than the last one?"
Tezuka scowled.
"No. If anything they were worse. Some of the wives are even..." He broke off and shook his head. It had been awful and embarassing but enough of that he was here with Ryoma to play.
"I don't think we should explain anything to them. They can take the innitiative to ask or look it up themselves. I just wish we had some of Inui's recipes. That would weed out the dedicated from the...others." He decided to use a polite term as the bleachers were all quite focused on them. He glanced at Ryoma.
"Are you going to get your hat so we can start?"
"You mean the ones who completely suck?" Blunt as ever, but he wouldn't be Ryoma if he wasn't like that. He had to admit though-- these people in this city really left something to be desired. Like, y'know, talent. They really did suck. Badly.
"Oh. Um. About that." Ryoma's hand had instinctively reached up to grab the lip of the hat that should've been there, only to grasp at nothing and settle for raking back his hair. "I didn't have one when I arrived and I.. forgot to buy a new one."
WHAT: Tennis match, demonstration, maybe some chatting.
WHERE: (really big?) Tennis courts.
WHEN: After both of their coaching sessions end, mid-evening I guess.
WARNINGS: Uh. I dunno. Incomplete!
Normally, Ryoma was one to put his all into his matches - unless of course, he knew they weren't that good and needed to learn how to play, not get pummeled the ground. That was the problem he was facing right now.
Now only did the girls and children not know how to play, but they didn't seem to want to learn, either. He would constantly tell him to relax their shoulders, straighten their elbows, or to stop swinging the racket around like a bat. It was so annoying. The children listened, at least - or tried to. Then they just went back to playing around. And Ryoma wasn't exactly good with children, seeng as he basically was one just a week or two ago.
"Alright, we'll stop here for the day." He finally announced, sighing. Ryoma didn't expect any of these people to catch on immediately, but the pace they were going at was insanely slow. Sure, they were paying, so it was kind of their fault if they couldn't learn; he was doing his part trying to teach them, after all.
Ignoring the questions, Ryoma packed up his tennis racket and tucked the can of yellow tennis balls under his arm, heading to the court where he and Tezuka had agreed to meet up at. Surely a match with his (former?) captain would lighten his mood. And, if they were lucky, it might attract a few more learners who might actually pay attention.
Tezuka sighed and bit back some harsh words as another late thirties father attempted to correct his son the wrong way. Gently he fixed the child's position and explained to the embarrassed father what each of them had been doing wrong. It had been like this all day long.
Teaching families was a hassle. He much rather he only had the children. Apart from a few forced to come by their parents they had much more energy and were much more committed to learning the sport. Even if their technique was completely lacking and it was hard to keep their attention at times their mostly innocent actions and eager faces were much more preferable than the houswives that hinted at extra curricular activities or husbands that were already exhausted from work and didn't like his looks. He glanced at his watch and almost sighed in relief. It was time to move over to the court for his demonstrative match with Ryoma.
"Ah, if you'll please follow me, I have arranged a demonstrative match between myself and a friend to show you the potential of tennis." He gathered up his bag and headed for the designated court hoping this would help enrollment and thoroughly looking forward to a match with the younger Echizen.
Ryoma probably wouldn't be able to get his own students to go home since the children actually wanted to learn tennis and the girls were just.. girls. And they were definitely following him. It was almost like being at Seigaku all over again, being followed by those two girls (..yeah, he couldn't really remember their names right now). Maybe he and Tezuka could switch groups and see how that worked out, since the former captain didn't seem too pleased with his own group.
After a short explanation to the ones following him, Ryoma jogged the rest of the way to the court, hoping to reach it at the same time or before Tezuka did. He did want a match, but he also wanted to maybe talk a bit. You know, catch up with what was going on in Japan - even though Tezuka said he'd already returned. He found that weird, how he could have gotten on the plane to Japan when he was sent to this city before even leaving the train heading to the airport, nevermind the fact that he was still in America.
Tezuka could hear the whispers of the families behind him. Who are we meeting? How good is Mr. Tezuka really? What if he loses? All he did in reaction was speed up his steps. He really was looking forward to the match but he was also hoping he could get Ryoma to eat with him later. He didn't know very many people around yet and the ones he did (besides Ryoma) he wasn't inclined to spend time with. He still hadn't heard about Ryoma's trip to America and he was rather curious about it. Not to mention it would be nice to just spend time with his fellow pillar.
Tezuka reached the court to find it still empty and almost laughed. It was just like before; he always beat Ryoma places. He motioned his students to the bleachers and removed his jacket, folding it and laying it on the bench. He began a warm up and waited patiently for Ryoma to arrive.
Ah well, same old same old. The now 22-year-old arrived only a few minutes late as per usual. It was a habit, he supposed, from not really wanting to look too eager for a match. Upon reaching the court, he had to smile. It was just like it had always been, Tezuka arriving early and already warming up. Ryoma, too, sent his students to the bleachers as set his equipment down on the other bench before starting towards the other man with a racket in hand.
"Buchou." He greeted his former captain with a simple nod and that same little smile of his. Tezuka had changed, if only in that he was taller and looked more stern than ever, but he was still recognizeable.
Tezuka only half concentrated on his warm up as Ryoma showed up with his giggling girls in tow. He bit back a smile at the man's obviously annoyed gait. He studied the younger man as he approached with his racket. Ryoma hadn't changed at all except maybe he'd gotten taller by some inches. He was still slender and hawkeyed with green casted raven's hair. He even still called Kunimitsu Buchou. It made him happy that Ryoma still considered him such.
"Ryoma. It's good to see you." His lips quirked into a smile for the time of a blink but then it was gone. He couldn't let his students see it.
"Do you want to warm up?"
Oh, but Ryoma saw it. He'd gotten good at catching Tezuka's fleeting smiles ever since he learned that his captain could actually smile. He didn't say anything about, if course, knowing the strict reputation the older man had to keep up. Others he might tease, but he respected his captain enough to refrain from that.
"Teaching them was enough of a warm up, I'd think." He replied, glancing at the bleachers where their students were. The majority were adults, which didn't really surprise him. Tennis wasn't restricted any age groups, after all. Half of those adults didn't look like they were there to learn tennis, though. He turned his attention back to Tezuka, suddenly wishing he'd bought that Fila cap he saw in the sports store the other day.
"Did today's lessons go any better than the last one?"
Tezuka scowled.
"No. If anything they were worse. Some of the wives are even..." He broke off and shook his head. It had been awful and embarassing but enough of that he was here with Ryoma to play.
"I don't think we should explain anything to them. They can take the innitiative to ask or look it up themselves. I just wish we had some of Inui's recipes. That would weed out the dedicated from the...others." He decided to use a polite term as the bleachers were all quite focused on them. He glanced at Ryoma.
"Are you going to get your hat so we can start?"
"You mean the ones who completely suck?" Blunt as ever, but he wouldn't be Ryoma if he wasn't like that. He had to admit though-- these people in this city really left something to be desired. Like, y'know, talent. They really did suck. Badly.
"Oh. Um. About that." Ryoma's hand had instinctively reached up to grab the lip of the hat that should've been there, only to grasp at nothing and settle for raking back his hair. "I didn't have one when I arrived and I.. forgot to buy a new one."