The next day, the Hyotei team boarded Atobe's private jet, heading straight to Naha City on Okinawa's main island.
After landing, the group checked into the most luxurious five-star hotel in the area.
"Two to a room… not bad, right?"
In the hotel lobby, Atobe, holding the room keys, slowly relaxed his furrowed brow. If it were up to him, he'd never accept such an arrangement. But this was a team trip, and he had to consider everyone else's comfort.
Besides, sharing a room with Oshitari wasn't the worst thing. The group, including Coach Sakaki, totaled 15 people. The doubles pairs shared rooms, Atobe and Oshitari took one, Hiyoshi and Akutagawa another, while Ryoh and Shishido paired up. That left Coach Sakaki, Ishikawa, and Akutagawa. Out of respect for the coach, Ishikawa chose to room with Akutagawa—partly to keep the wildcard in check. After all, it was widely acknowledged within Hyotei that only Ishikawa could handle the "beast."
"Everyone's settled in, right?"
On the 18th-floor hallway, Mukahi, sporting sunglasses, a beach shirt, and shorts, excitedly knocked on doors, announcing, "Time for some sunbathing! I'm exhausted from all the training lately."
"Sunbathing?"
Akutagawa, who had planned to sleep in, perked up. "Sleeping on the beach sounds like a great idea."
Honestly, he was treating this vacation as a sleep marathon. But this time, even Ishikawa and Atobe didn't push him to stick to his training regimen. This trip was all about unwinding.
"Let's head out once you're ready," Coach Sakaki, now in casual attire, addressed the group in the hallway. "Remember, this is a vacation. Relax and enjoy yourselves."
As he spoke, his gaze lingered on Akutagawa, whose arm was still in a cast. The boy's expression was as cold as ever, but the fact that he'd joined the trip suggested he was starting to warm up to the team.
Soon, the group arrived at a bustling beach near the hotel.
The sun, the sand, the endless blue of the sky and sea merging on the horizon, dotted with seagulls—it was picture-perfect. The beach was alive with people in swimsuits and bikinis, and rows of umbrellas lined the shore.
"Tch," Ishikawa chuckled, glancing at the crowd. "Too bad Chitose isn't here. He'd be loving this."
"Hmph," Akutagawa scoffed. "That guy's not into mature women. He'd rather flirt with high school girls."
"Oh?"
The others turned, surprised that Akutagawa had actually responded to Ishikawa.
"Idiots," Akutagawa muttered, walking off toward the rocky part of the beach.
"Anyone up for swimming?" Mukahi asked. "The netted area over there is safe."
"Sure," Hiyoshi agreed, feeling more energetic lately after finding a new direction for his martial arts-inspired tennis style.
"Coach and I will relax under the umbrellas," Atobe said, heading off with Oshitari and Sakaki.
"Taki and I will explore," Shishido said, eyeing the lively crowd.
Ishikawa nodded. "I'll wander around too."
For Ishikawa, this trip was about taking in the scenery and easing his mind. Since arriving in this world, he'd been training nonstop, his nerves constantly on edge. He knew he needed to balance intensity with relaxation.
As the group split up—some swimming, others napping or exploring—Ishikawa strolled along the beach, observing the lively scene. He occasionally paused to gaze at the ocean, letting his mind unwind.
Suddenly, he overheard an angry voice: "Those guys are total cheats!"
"Let it go, Uehara," a companion replied. "They didn't technically cheat. We just weren't good enough."
"But I can't accept it!" the short-haired man snapped. "I'm ranked in the top 50 at my club. There's no way a bunch of middle schoolers could beat me fair and square."
"Their footwork was insane," the companion admitted. "But I still can't figure out how they pulled it off."
"I'll expose them," Uehara growled. "Let's go back and watch. I'll find their weakness."
Curious, Ishikawa decided to follow them.
Meanwhile, Shishido and Taki wandered the beach, their minds still on tennis. Despite the vacation, the sting of their loss in the Kanto finals lingered. They knew they'd performed well against the nationally-ranked pair from Rikkai, but a loss was still a loss.
As they searched for a tennis court, they stumbled upon a makeshift beach court surrounded by spectators.
"Match point! Hirakoba wins!" a tanned boy announced from the referee's chair.
"Next challenger!" a boy in a beach hat called out. "10 minutes for 5,000 yen. Win a game, and you get 5,000 yen. Lose, and you pay the same!"
A confident blue-shirted man stepped forward, but despite his strong start, he lost to Hirakoba, the blond-haired player.
"He's toying with them," Shishido observed.
"Yeah," Taki agreed. "He's controlling the match perfectly."
As more challengers fell, the crowd grew hesitant.
"Anyone else?" the beach-hat boy asked, growing anxious.
"I'll go," Shishido said, stepping forward confidently.
(To be continued...)
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