Seigaku's Scandal, Part 1

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A group of first-year new students were silently picking up balls by the court.

The second and third-year upperclassmen around them would occasionally let out a scoff at them.

Seeing this scene, Tezuka Kunimitsu's expression was very calm. Ever since he joined the Seigaku Tennis Club, this scene had played out almost every day.

Picking up balls, being scoffed at by the upperclassmen of the Tennis Club, being bullied – this was the current middle school life of Tezuka Kunimitsu.

"Tezuka, did you see yesterday's Tennis Weekly?"

A boy with slightly narrowed eyes leaned in front of Tezuka. His name was Fuji Syusuke. Before entering middle school, he was also a well-known tennis player in the Tokyo region during his elementary school years.

Tezuka Kunimitsu didn't speak upon hearing him, merely nodded calmly.

"I didn't expect Hyotei's regulars to have seven first-years among them."

Although Fuji Syusuke's tone held some exclamation, there was no sense of loss from the comparison. He didn't yet understand how much he truly loved tennis.

"Mew... I'm really envious of Hyotei, to become regulars as first-years. Compared to them, we can only pick up balls here."

The speaker was Kikumaru Eiji. He and several other Seigaku first-year members also came to stand beside Tezuka and Fuji.

"There's no helping it. After all, the upperclassmen's skills are quite strong. Moreover, Seigaku has a rule that first-years can only pick up balls, cannot enter the court, and certainly cannot participate in the selection for regulars."

At this moment, Oishi Syuichiro, who had come with Kikumaru Eiji, spoke with a hint of helplessness.

"If we don't compete, how do we know the upperclassmen are stronger than us? Even if the upperclassmen are indeed stronger than us, what about Tezuka? His skill is definitely above those upperclassmen..."

Listening to Oishi Syuichiro talk about Seigaku's rules, Kikumaru Eiji's usually cheerful and jovial face turned a little somber, but his tone was filled with strong dissatisfaction.

"Tezuka's win rate against the upperclassmen is one hundred percent, and he doesn't lose a single point."

Inui Sadaharu, who had been silently picking up balls without speaking, also chimed in at this moment.

Hearing Kikumaru Eiji and Inui Sadaharu discussing him, Tezuka Kunimitsu's icy face remained impassive.

However, a slight ripple stirred within his heart. The reason he chose to join Seigaku was because of his idol, "Samurai" Nanjiro. After all, Seigaku's current coach was Nanjiro's mentor, Ryuzaki Sumire.

But upon arriving at Seigaku, he discovered that the tennis here was completely different from what he had imagined.

For Seigaku tennis players to become regulars, it wasn't based on skill, but on seniority.

Tezuka Kunimitsu looked up at the Seigaku regulars running and swinging their rackets on the court, suppressed the ripple in his heart, and his entire being returned to its usual calm.

"Hey, you first-years over there, what are you all gathered around for?"

From within the court, an abrupt voice reached the ears of the first-years.

"Oh no..., it's Takerei Senpai..."

Upon hearing this voice, many of the first-years showed a hint of fear on their faces.

Because this voice belonged to none other than a Seigaku regular, Takei Kenshi. →

The reason why the first-years feared him so much was that he and several other Seigaku regulars often found pleasure in bullying new members of the Tennis Club, even extorting money from the first-year students.

As for whether Coach Ryuzaki Sumire knew about Takei Kenshi's actions, she naturally did. She simply turned a blind eye.

Because, deep down, Ryuzaki Sumire looked down on first-year students, believing their physical development was insufficient and they simply couldn't play tennis well.

It was precisely because of this, and under the pressure of Takei Kenshi's status as an upperclassman and regular, that the first-years dared not speak out despite their anger.

However, there were always exceptions. They completely ignored the extortion from Takei Kenshi and the others. Especially Tezuka Kunimitsu, who was at the center of the first-years. Around him, those first-years also never paid any attention to the extortion from Takei Kenshi and the other regulars.

Therefore, Takei Kenshi harbored resentment towards these first-years, especially Tezuka Kunimitsu. After all, the first-years who ignored his extortion were all gathered around him.

Tezuka Kunimitsu never imagined that his innate aura of leadership would bring him great trouble today.

Takei Kenshi, with a hint of anger on his face, walked up to Tezuka Kunimitsu and shouted, "First-year, what are you doing?"

Looking at Takei Kenshi before him, Tezuka Kunimitsu merely frowned slightly, then turned and continued picking up balls.

Seeing Tezuka Kunimitsu's demeanor, the other regulars who hadn't managed to extort money from the first-years began to instigate.

"This Tezuka Kunimitsu doesn't seem to take Takei seriously at all. After all, Takei is his senior..."

"I think he's been unhappy for a while. Look at him, acting like he's so great, yet he still has to obediently pick up balls and can't even touch a racket..."

"Takei, you should teach him a good lesson so he knows what it means to respect his seniors..."

Hearing the words of the other regulars and seeing Tezuka Kunimitsu's dismissive attitude towards him, Takei Kenshi became even more enraged.

"Bastard!"

Suddenly, Takei Kenshi cursed loudly and kicked over the basket of balls in front of Tezuka Kunimitsu. The tennis balls that had already been collected were scattered all over the ground.

Seeing this, Fuji Syusuke's narrowed eyes opened slightly, and a hint of danger flickered in his blue eyes.

Oishi Syuichiro stepped forward and bowed to Takei Kenshi, "Takerei Senpai, Tezuka was just picking up balls. Is there anything he did wrong?"

"Get lost, you brat."

Takei Kenshi shoved Oishi Syuichiro aside and stepped in front of Tezuka Kunimitsu. "Don't you always think you're so amazing? Then today, I'll give you a chance to know what it means to respect your seniors!"

Afterward, Takei Kenshi grabbed a racket and walked onto the tennis court, shouting at Tezuka Kunimitsu, "Get your butt onto the court..."

Tezuka silently stood up, took a racket from someone else, glanced at Fuji Syusuke and the others, and then walked onto the court.

He had already decided that after this match, he would leave Seigaku. His match against Takei this time was simply to let the Tennis Club's coach know that there were people among the first-years who were not weaker than the regulars.

"Tezuka..."

Fuji tried to stop Tezuka, but Tezuka refused him. He resolutely walked onto the court. This match wasn't just for himself, but also for Fuji Syusuke, Inui Sadaharu, and the other first-years who were still picking up balls.

Meanwhile, in the Seigaku coach's office, Ryuzaki Sumire turned a blind eye to everything happening on the court.

"Coach, shouldn't you stop them?"

At this moment, Seigaku's new captain, Yamato Yudai, spoke up from the side.

"Let them be," Ryuzaki Sumire simply shook her head, then looked at Yamato. "What do you need?"

"I came here for those first-years. Several of them have strength not inferior to the regulars, especially Tezuka Kunimitsu and Fuji Syusuke. I want them to participate in Seigaku's regular selection this time."

Yamato Yudai had witnessed the strength of Tezuka and Fuji, and he really wanted to get some opportunities for them.

But Ryuzaki Sumire didn't care about the first-years, saying plainly, "First-years are still building their foundation. There's no need for them to play in matches."

"Coach, you've seen it yourself. Most of Hyotei's regulars now are first-years. This shows that there are also existences among the first-years stronger than the regulars. Our Seigaku should also discover the talented first-years. Only then will we not fall behind other schools."

Hearing Ryuzaki Sumire's words, Yamato Yudai sighed inwardly. If Seigaku remained stuck in its old ways, it would likely continue to decline. As club president, he still wanted to fight for the first-years again.

But Ryuzaki Sumire ignored him. After all, this rule for Seigaku was set by herself and had been upheld for over a decade. If she changed it now, wouldn't she be slapping herself in the face?

So Ryuzaki Sumire simply said lightly, "Yamato, do you really think those first-years at Hyotei can lead them to the national tournament?"