\n"Headache, Tezuka-kun?" Raphael asked, leaning against one of the empty
\ndesks.<\/p>\n
\nKunimitsu took his hand from his forehead. "I’m fine," he said, and
\nthat was true, but not likely to deter Raphael’s bored curiosity.<\/p>\n
\n"And here I thought there wasn’t the homework assignment invented that you
\ncouldn’t master," the angel said.<\/p>\n
\n"It’s not homework," Kunimitsu said, and because today was not a good
\nday, he simply slid the stack of papers towards Raphael, who picked them up after
\na moment.<\/p>\n
\n"Lovely penmanship," Raphael noted, which was a reminder Kunimitsu didn’t
\nparticularly need to write out a clean copy for Ryuuzaki-sensei. He handed the
\npapers back. "What is it?"<\/p>\n
\nHeartbreak, he wanted to say. Disappointment. Exclusion. The last time I have
\nto decide who stays and who goes—until the next time I have to decide. "The
\nassignments for the ranking matches."<\/p>\n
\nKunimitsu took out a fresh sheet of paper and began transcribing the names again,
\nthis time without the cross-outs and scribbling. "Hardly seems worth a headache,"
\nRaphael said, examining his nails.<\/p>\n
\nKunimitsu put his pen down. "Raphael-san." When the angel was looking
\nat him, Kunimitsu spoke carefully. "There are only eight slots for Regulars."<\/p>\n
\n"And a slot for the captain, of course," Raphael said.<\/p>\n
\n"No. Including the captain." Kunimitsu began writing again, filling
\nin the names for the A Block. His name. Fuji’s. Arai’s. Yoshimura’s. Kuwahara’s.<\/p>\n
\n"I see. Perhaps worth the headache after all." Raphael at least had
\nthe decency to sound respectful of a difficult decision. "Still. It seems
\nodd to eliminate one of your best players purely for the sake of numbers."<\/p>\n
\n"Are you suggesting I make an exception?" B Block: Oishi. Kawamura.
\nIkeda. Nishi. Mikami. Fushimi.<\/p>\n
\n"Of course not," Raphael said. "It’s not like you would listen."<\/p>\n
\n"It would be easy," Kunimitsu said. "Seigaku gives its captains
\nthe power to make these decisions. I could do it." C Block: Kikumaru. Inui.
\nNagayama. Saeki. Hiratsuka. Nakahama. <\/p>\n
\n"But you won’t." He could feel Raphael eyeing him. "Why not?"<\/p>\n
\n"Seigaku’s strength lies in the monthly ranking matches." D Block: Echizen.
\nMomoshiro. Kaidoh. Ninose. Kashiwa. Ogawa. "While I am captain, no one who
\nwears that jersey will ever need to wonder whether he earned the right to wear
\nthe jersey."<\/p>\n
\n"I’ve heard," Raphael murmured, "that before this year, freshmen
\nweren’t allowed to compete for a position on the Regulars."<\/p>\n
\n"That’s true," Kunimitsu said, evenly. "Before this year, they
\nwere not." Raphael’s eyebrows drifted up. "Before this year, there wasn’t
\na freshman skilled enough to be worth ranking against his sempai."<\/p>\n
\n"There wasn’t?" Raphael smirked. "Sumire-chan tells me stories,
\nyou know."<\/p>\n
\n"Ryuuzaki-sensei has been a coach for years. I’m sure she knows many stories,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\n"Indeed she does." Raphael stood. "A good leader, Tezuka-kun, knows
\nwhen to break his rules, and when to follow them." He paused, probably waiting
\nto be asked whether he thought Kunimitsu was a good leader. When Kunimitsu didn’t
\nask, Raphael sighed, expression wry. "You’re one of the good ones,"
\nhe said. "For what it’s worth."<\/p>\n
\nKunimitsu inclined his head. "For what it’s worth," he said, "thank
\nyou." He stood as well, and went to deliver the paperwork for the ranking
\nmatches to Ryuuzaki-sensei.\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Tezuka sets up ranking blocks.