Kunimitsu Tezuka VS Reiji Shinjiro (Prologue)

Tennis Court.

“The captain of the Evergreen Tennis Club, Kunimitsu Tezuka...” Reiji Kamishiro gazed at the boy across from him, whose expression was as stern as his own, and thought to himself.

“No matter who the opponent is, to me, they’re merely additional points to be earned.”

Closing his eyes briefly, Reiji didn’t take Kunimitsu Tezuka too seriously. Even though he was the club captain, Reiji had no intention of holding back.

“What's up with that hairstyle of Kamishiro’s? Is that a tire wrapped around his head?” One Evergreen student, upon noticing Reiji’s unusual hairstyle, couldn’t help but comment with a hint of disgust.

“I think it looks more like he spun around in a pencil sharpener—like a pencil that wasn’t properly sharpened...” another chipped in.

“Anyway, it looks like a melon peel of a hairstyle; probably not that strong either...” yet another student added.

...

“Teacher Hanamura?”

Matsubara Mei, returning from the vending machine, softly called out upon noticing Aoi Hanamura ahead.

“What is it?” The boy approached, looking at the woman whose lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile.

“You possess strength beyond your peers. If carefully honed, you could become a flawless gem of the highest beauty.”

Seeing Aoi Hanamura begin her usual coaxing again, Mei felt a twinge of impatience. Why was this woman so fixated on him? Wasn’t there Tezuka, Fuji, and Fuka? Didn’t Akutsu have sufficient physical talent? What about him attracted her attention? Surely not because he was the shortest?

“I told you I’d respond after the Kanto tournament is over. You seem to be in quite the hurry, Teacher Hanamura.”

Mei spoke evenly, uninterested in responding to the woman’s praise.

“I’m not in a hurry, but I see you’re quite afraid of coming to our school.”

Hanamura’s sudden shift to a provocative tone amused Mei internally, yet he maintained a composed exterior.

“If I had to say I have any feelings toward Seisho Shonan, ‘fear’ isn’t quite right. More accurately, the reason I don’t want to go is because your school is still far from where I want to be.”

“That’s quite bold of you, but I do like that stubborn streak of yours. There are some things I feel you must know.”

Hanamura, unfazed by the boy’s bluntness, paused before speaking.

“What?”

“Evergreen is an obscure, little-known school. Even if you fight your way through the Kanto tournament and advance to the nationals, the school’s legacy pales compared to some of the established powerhouses. These will inevitably become obstacles to your continued growth.”

Mei understood her words clearly. He smiled wryly.

“Since Teacher Hanamura is so eager for me to join Seisho Shonan, I assume you’ve thoroughly researched Evergreen’s background?”

“Hmm?” Hanamura was momentarily taken aback.

“Then do you know why I came to Evergreen, and why I joined its tennis club?”

The woman said nothing, waiting for him to reveal the answer.

“My dream isn’t about joining a prestigious school, nor is it about entering an institution with a rich history. I simply want to gather talented tennis players and challenge the nationals together—to savor the joy of winning the championship. That’s all.”

The boy shared his thoughts openly. Hanamura was surprised but not entirely so. She smiled.

“A simple and pure ambition, but also quite ambitious. From what you say, it seems you were the one who assembled these players?”

“Not entirely, but most of them.”

Mei scratched his nose.

“I see...” Hanamura nodded, about to say something more, but Mei interrupted.

“The match is about to start. As the coach, if you’re not on the sidelines, the players might lose focus, right?”

With those words, the boy lifted his racket and strode forward, prompting a seductive smile from the woman as she followed closely behind.

“Even if you’ve shown me your ambition, I won’t give up so easily.”

Hanamura walked beside him, her voice soft.

“Actually, it’s not just me with goals. Frankly, your school uniform is really ugly, and it’s far from my home.”

Mei’s words made the woman stop in her tracks. After a moment, she shrugged with a helpless smile, clearly unbothered.

“Kamishiro’s in good form.”

Outside the tennis court, Takahisa Kajimoto observed Reiji Kamishiro’s deep and intense aura and nodded approvingly.

“Hey, Kamishiro’s had that deadpan look since he joined the tennis club. Seems the Evergreen captain is about the same.”

Yohei Tanaka recalled the first time he encountered Reiji back when he joined Seisho Shonan.

“The second singles match is officially starting. It’s Seisho Shonan versus Evergreen Academy.”

Since Tezuka was up next, Fuji sat on the coach’s bench in his stead. Observing the physical disparity between the two players, Fuji whispered, “Is this the level reached during ‘enhanced human’ training...?”

“That Kamishiro’s physique is absurd—such a strong upper body but skinny legs,” Ryo Shishido remarked.

“Reiji Kamishiro is also the only player among those we've gathered with insufficient data. I wonder what kind of player someone with that build truly is,” Sadaharu Inui said as he flipped open his notebook, seemingly ready to record match data at any moment.

“But Inui, didn’t you say before the match that Kamishiro’s data was already compiled? Isn’t that all of it?” Shishido asked in surprise.

“That was just surface-level information. It won’t help much during the match,” Inui shook his head.

“Kunimitsu Tezuka, prepare to witness my finest masterpiece.”

Inside the court, Aoi Hanamura watched Tezuka, who was waiting for Kamishiro to serve, a slight smile playing at her lips.

“One set to decide the winner! Kamishiro of Seisho Shonan to serve!”

“That guy’s arms are so long,” Kumakiri Shibayama observed as Kamishiro struck the tennis ball against the ground.

“Like a gibbon...” another Evergreen student muttered.

“Did you see that? He seemed to completely envelop the ball with just one hand!” another nearby student exclaimed.

Watching Kamishiro serve, Tezuka’s thoughtful gaze suddenly sharpened. He moved several steps to the right and returned the ball with a swing.

*Tap!*

“0-15!”

“Tezuka’s really something. That return looked ordinary, but the power behind it and the angle were beyond what most could handle,” Kumakiri thought, visibly impressed.

“Pfft, he’s nothing special. I thought there was some hidden strength behind that facade!” Fuyuka Oda said dismissively after Tezuka easily scored the first point. She had noticed Kamishiro’s serious expression earlier and had thought him a formidable, silent type.

“Don’t be so quick to judge, Fuyuka. He’s the second singles player, and in tennis, the lower the number, the stronger the player. Kamishiro probably isn’t as simple as he seems,” Sara Kitajima reminded her.

“Also, have you noticed that Kamishiro doesn’t seem to miss Tezuka’s shots because he can’t reach them, but because he chooses not to? Or rather, he could reach them but doesn’t?”

Kaede Kitajima’s remark caused Mamoru Inoue and Saori Shiba to exchange surprised glances. Inoue observed closely and when Tezuka reached 30-0, he suddenly said, “That really is the case...”

Purple Pen Literature