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kat8chaIt is the look of disappointment on Yukimura's face that drives Sanada to train. Sanada had gone into that hospital room, facing a cured Yukimura and had bowed his head in shame.
His 'we lost' was loud in the quiet hospital room, but Yukimura's 'I know' was even louder. Sanada had looked up then and all he could read from Yukimura's eyes was crippling regret. As soon as Yukimura was out of the hospital he returned to tennis, returned to training.
Sanada trained harder. He made himself faster. Sanada focused on nothing but improving so that the horrid ghost of Yukimura's 'I know' would leave him.
Then Atobe appeared and Sanada wondered just what wasn't good enough?
Sweaty, tired, muscles screaming from exhaustion and the ball machine whirring but empty Sanada felt an answer come to him. He did not play for himself. Since Yukimura's illness Sanada had taken over the team for Yukimura's sake. During the Kantou tournament the team had not played for themselves, not even Kirihara. Now that Yukimura was better though the team had slowly shifted back into to playing for selfish reasons, everyone except Sanada.
Sanada turned off the ball machine, cleaning up the yellow tennis balls in his practice cage. He wanted a hot bath and a good nights sleep but he knew what he needed to do was think this through.
His eyes were as red as Kirihara's at morning practice, but there was a calm feeling in the pit of his stomach he had not felt in ages. Sanada felt centered in a way that not even kendo had made him feel in months.
"That's more like it." Yukimura placed one hand lightly on his shoulder before moving past Genichirou. "Twenty laps."
Sanada trained harder. He made himself faster. Sanada focused on nothing but improving so that the horrid ghost of Yukimura's 'I know' would leave him.
Then Atobe appeared and Sanada wondered just what wasn't good enough?
Sweaty, tired, muscles screaming from exhaustion and the ball machine whirring but empty Sanada felt an answer come to him. He did not play for himself. Since Yukimura's illness Sanada had taken over the team for Yukimura's sake. During the Kantou tournament the team had not played for themselves, not even Kirihara. Now that Yukimura was better though the team had slowly shifted back into to playing for selfish reasons, everyone except Sanada.
Sanada turned off the ball machine, cleaning up the yellow tennis balls in his practice cage. He wanted a hot bath and a good nights sleep but he knew what he needed to do was think this through.
His eyes were as red as Kirihara's at morning practice, but there was a calm feeling in the pit of his stomach he had not felt in ages. Sanada felt centered in a way that not even kendo had made him feel in months.
"That's more like it." Yukimura placed one hand lightly on his shoulder before moving past Genichirou. "Twenty laps."
