Author's Note:I don't believe this but this is actually my last chapter, initially I thought about whether I should continue after the match because I guess I always saw this as being the prequel of my other story, but what will happen in this chapter is beyond the prequel.
But anyway, this is the last chapter. Although I might actually write an one shot of Shiraishi talking to Tezuka for my friend, as when I first told her about my fan fiction she really hoped that Tezuka might come out as he's her favourite character. Initially Shiraishi is meant to be having a conversation with Tezuka about the match but it wouldn't fit in this story.
Disclaimer:
The reconciled couple was sitting outside the porch, stealing some time together before Shiraishi heads back to the lodging where the entire tennis club of Shitenhouji was staying in. They were holding hands again, while her head rested on his shoulder.
"I am still a bit worried about Chitose, that will he will change his mind and quit again. The problem is that unlike the rest, he never really seemed to belong. Of course, there are others in the club who are good but…"
"Maybe you will all do such a wonderful job that you would only need to play three games." Ashita told him optimistically.
"I do hope that and our team is quite strong. I only know that I will definitely be playing tomorrow, as it will be the last time I play my 'perfect tennis'."
"Kuranosuke, are you sure?" she tilted her head in order to look at him. "What if…"
"I promise that I won't have a break down again if Shitenhouji ends up being forth." He assured her. "Ashita, the reason that I was so stupid last year was because I felt guilty for not using perfect tennis all the time. I still don't know whether I was right or wrong, but since I did all that I could in order to win this year, I wouldn't feel as if I let my team down anymore."
He couldn't really explain himself but he suddenly kissed her on the lips after he finished speaking- it was the first time he did such a thing.
"Kuranosuke?!"
"We are fifteen now, Ashita. We've been going out for a whole year and were friends for a year before that."
"But still…" she protested, blushing at being kissed for the first time. But she did not draw away, and she even rested her head on his shoulders again.
"So now you know all that Shiraishi did for the sake of Shitenhouji's tennis team." Watanabe said softly, as he and Chitose carefully left the couple they were spying on. "So don't you think that you should play for Shitenhouji one last time?"
"I will." Chitose promised, still shocked at what was revealed and said to him. He always knew that Shiraishi was very dedicated to the team's win as the captain, but he never once imagined that Shiraishi would go this far: playing a style of tennis that he did not like at all, devoting numerous extra hours to practising his perfect tennis, and even breaking up with the girl that he seemed to like greatly.
What touched him the most was that Shiraishi did all these for the team, not for himself. Chitose didn't necessary agree with some of Shiraishi's actions, to an extent he was placing his team above his love for tennis, but Chitose did feel that he was obliged to play and win for Shitenhouji one last time.
Shiraishi's goal of taking his team to the finals would not come true, but Chitose was determined to help Shiraishi gain the next best thing: the title of being third.
The order was announced the next morning, just a few hours before the commence of their last match in the nationals.
Kintarou would play singles 3, with Oshitari and Zaizen in doubles 2- a compensation for what happened yesterday.
As for singles 2…it was Shiraishi, and he might very well be playing the deciding match.
Unknown to Shiraishi, his team mates were actually all really determined to win the game against Nagoya Seitoku for his sake. After what Chitose and their coach told them last night, along with additional information from Koharu and Yuuji, the whole team felt that playing their very best in order to let Shitenhouji be third in this year's nationals was the only way to repay all Shiraishi did for them.
Even Kintarou was not just playing for himself. Though he really was scared of Shiraishi due to his 'poisoned hands', he was fond of his captain as Shiraishi has helped him in numerous ways- from taking him to almost all of their matches, to speaking with his teachers in regard to his homework and test results.
Kintarou easily won his game, and even though Zaizen and Oshitari faced some problems in the first few rounds, they still won in the end.
Shiraishi was very calm as he stepped onto the court, even though this may be the last match of the round. But to him, the match seemed more significant for the reason that it was the last time he plays his perfect tennis, as well as the final match he plays as a member of a team.
He did not like perfect tennis as it was too boring and it robbed him of his enjoyment of tennis. But it would always represent the significant two years of his life when he was the captain of a team.
His future as a solo player was secured as Watanabe told him that he had offers from many tennis clubs in Japan, especially from Osaka, due to his performance in all his three years of junior high school. They would arrange for him to play with other single players on a part time basis, which allows him to continue studying. He would only be belonging in the club, not representing them, so he could play the way that he wanted.
"I have someone from one of the clubs who wants to talk to you after you finish." His coach informed him.
Shitenhouji did manage to gain third place gloriously with a win of 3-0.
"So this is the end." Shiraishi said softly as he walked to the cheers of his team mates and the members of the tennis club, to his coach and to Ashita- who was sitting with the team.
"Well done, Shiraishi." A familiar voice which he has not heard in two years said warmly.
"Captain?!" Shiraishi chocked out- face to face with the one who was his captain, the one who guided him for a whole year by being his doubles partner, as well as the one responsible for him being the captain from his second year.
"It has been a while, Shiraishi." His captain continued. "I've attended every match Shitenhouji was in and I can only say that you are a very good captain, exceeding my original expectations.
"I saw the nationals last year too, and I would have congratulated you then, but the manager of the club I am in had arranged for me to attend a match directly after the end of Shitenhouji's game."
"I really wish that you came and talked to me last year." Shiraishi said with a rather bitter smile. "Perhaps things might end up different."
"Watanabe-san told me what happened to you and I am truly sorry that you felt I wouldn't be happy with what you have done. My hope is that you would take Shitenhouji to the nationals and you actually did much better then that."
"Don't…don't apologise. You and sensei might have been the one who set me on this patch but ultimately I was the one who choose to walk that way. The truth is that it is mostly my own fault, because of my pride." Shiraishi admitted. "As I was the captain in my second year, I felt that I had to do something exceptional. As for my obsession this year…I think it was the fear that others might say I am doing an even worse job."
"Then know that you have probably succeeded in being one of the best captains in the history of Shitenhouji's tennis club." His captain told him sincerely. "But Shiraishi, you have done enough as the captain, it is time for you to do whatever you want."
"To play tennis the way I like- the way I used to." He answered very softly. "Sometimes I would play that way again, and it is like a reward, as only then do I enjoy myself. These rare times also remind me why I play tennis in the first place.
He would still be a very good player without his perfect tennis, because he never gave up his old way of playing. His study of the rules in order to develop his perfect tennis would still help him, even if he no longer plays that way.
Shiraishi was not wrong in saying that he had some talent in regard to tennis, and his willingness of working hard to improve made him even better. He also had the advantage of starting at a very young age. The teacher who looked after his class in kindergarten used to play tennis so she taught them the very basic rules, which advantaged him when he began to play tennis properly in elementary school.
He was already a very skilled player by the time he entered junior high school, and his captain's guidance helped him greatly. The main reason that he turned to perfect pennies was because it would help him to win more, not because it would improve his skills at a drastic level.
"It is best for you to think about all the other offers you will soon hear about, although I do hope that you will join my club." His captain told him.
"So just enjoy yourself in Tokyo and only worry when you get back to Osaka." Watanabe said. "Shiraishi…if you would like any advices then I will be very happy to share some."
Watanabe used to be in one of these clubs until he decided to become a coach. He realized, after numerous victories, that he would receive a greater pleasure in helping young boys to achieve the success he managed.
But he forgot that winning was not always the main thing until it was much too late- when Shiraishi already made up his mind.
"I will like that, Sensei." Shiraishi said with a smile, understanding that the offer was an act of apology.
Turning to Ashita, he took her hand and he was truly amazed at how everything turned out in the end. Not only could he start playing tennis the way he liked, he finally got the answer he hoped to hear from the captain that he greatly admired and respected. Ashita has also forgiven him completely for what he did to her.
He was happy right now, and he knew that this happiness would stay because his sacrifices taught him much.
Author's Note: I am kind of sad that this story is finally over. It really was very enjoyable to write, and it was also quite a change from the other stories I was writing about. This story seems, to an extent, dealing with the very daily life even though these characters are extraordinary. What I mean by ordinary is that…they are set in our time and perhaps it is not that impossible that there might be people like that (even though some of the tennis is so elaborate that it is just too impossible.) but I mean comparing that to the other fan fiction I was writing- Fushigi Yugi, a story set in an ancient-China world about heroes and everything, Baldur's Gate, a game that is set in a fantasy world abit like the middle ages, and in my fan fiction my main character is an assassin, so definitely not really everyday in our world.
A thing that I have really debated on and on is this: should I categorize this story as 'romance' as well? Because part of it does have a romantic element- him realizing that he likes Ashita in such a way, their reaction to the break up, and their reconciliation- which suggests that they are progressing in their relationship. (laugh, it seems I have a habit to leave a really long author note as I finishes a story, maybe it is because I know that this is the last time I get to do this.) But ultimately I decide that this story is not focusing about romance, it is about Shiraishi and what happened with him and Ashita is not the focus, but merely one of the things that happened to him. I think I realize this when I wrote the last chapter, he didn't specifically think of his action of dumping him and Ashita as that is just one of his sacrifice, it is not his only sacrifice. There are other things, playing perfect tennis and spending a lot of hours practicing perfect tennis. But what his captain said to him: "You have done enough as the captain, it is time for you to do whatever you want." Is something I would really like to say to him. I remember having played a game with one of my friend- what is the one thing you would say to this character if you can. In my case that is definitely what I would like to say to him.
As I write this story, I almost wonder whether I should change the title to 'in order to win,' as I almost feel that I was using that phrase so much more then any other words.
'Sacrifice' is finally finished and if you have read it and enjoyed it then please leave me a final review now that it is finished. This story really is finished as everything has ended, but I might be writing some more one shots focusing on Shiraishi. One is probably going to be Shiraishi talking to Tezuka, and maybe even the rest of Seigaku, and maybe it might lead to a talk with Fuji as well. The other will probably be a one shot about his point of view in the 'grilled meat competition.' I suppose they are aftermaths of this story but yet they don't really fit in this story. I really hope that there will be more stories about Shiraishi, so far there seem to be only six when I use the filter to search. I think I might publish them under 'in order to win', make it a collection of one shots. There is also a sort of 'what if' one, which is quite stretching it. But it's the idea of what if Mizuki actually went to Osaka and tries to get some people from that area to join St Rudolph. Another thing I'm quite sad that I didn't get to do in my story is a scene when Koharu and Yuuji compare their attitude- their funny tennis- to Shiraishi's.
So a big thanks to anyone who have read it, and an even bigger thanks to Lingfeng and bluepenguin15 for reviewing it and reading it.