"Eiji, do you think Echizen's all right?"
"Eh? Ochibi?"
"He's been a little distracted recently�"
"But he beat Momo yesterday, Oishi. There's nothing wrong with him."
"But he's not talking, and he seems different�"
"O-ishi. It's Echizen, nya. He never talks anyway."
"Aa, I suppose you're right. You don't think he seems a little off, though?"
"Echizen's behaviour is eighteen percent more disinterested than usual, in general club circumstances."
"Eh?!"
"Inui! Stop creeping up on people!"
"However, in matches he has exhibited a twelve percent increase in focus."
"Really? Maybe something's happened to him�"
"Maybe he's sick, nya?"
"And Nationals are coming up � oh no�"
"Echizen has not been displaying symptoms of any recognised medical condition. Current data suggests that whatever is bothering him is actually improving his tennis."
"See, Oishi? You worry too much."
"Eiji, if something's happened to Echizen we can't just ignore it. We're supposed to be his senpai, after all."
"Huh? Something's wrong with Echizen?"
"Ah, Momoshiro. Do you have any data as to why Echizen would be eighteen percent more apathetic during club practices?"
"He is? Since when?"
"A week or two�"
"The first recorded discrepancy was nineteen days ago."
"Really?"
"Hoi?"
"That's not good, that's not good at all. He wasn't even rude after he beat me yesterday�"
"Idiot. Could at least have the decency to be ashamed of yourself, losing to a first year�"
"What was that, Mamushi?!"
"You're too noisy!"
"Oh yeah? Come over here and say that, bastard!"
"Hey hey, you two, enough of that �"
"Fssshh."
"Stupid snake."
"I said enough! Momo, what about Echizen?"
"Oh yeah � maybe his cat is sick or something?"
"�cat?"
"Data suggests that in that scenario Echizen's tennis would suffer significantly."
"True, true. Maybe someone beat him, then?"
"�but only Tezuka ever beats him, nya. And even then, not always."
"His father, too, but since this has been occurring all Echizen's life it is ninety-eight percent unlikely to be the cause."
"�growing?"
"What?"
"Kaidoh?"
"Maybe he's just growing."
"He could use to, nya."
"Eiji!"
"Heh, he'll be sixteen this year. Ah, it's good to be young, it's good to be young!"
"�fssshh."
"Oi, who are you hissing at, Mamushi?!"
"Growing pains would also be more likely to affect his tennis."
"Aa, but Fuji nearly beat him last week, remember?"
"That could be ascribed to loss of stamina after playing three matches in a row."
"And Tezuka was playing on the next court."
"Aah! Fuji-senpai!"
"Hoi, hoi, where did you spring from?!"
"Hmm? Oh, my ears were burning. What's this about Echizen? He's been playing quite well recently, I thought."
"Aa, but he's so distracted off the court �"
"Oishi's all worried, nya."
"Well, love does that to people sometimes, you know."
"Eh?!"
"Echizen has a girlfriend? He never told me!"
"Who'd tell a loud-mouthed idiot anything?"
"You �!"
"Oh, not a girlfriend."
"Oh � so it's not requited? Oh dear."
"No wonder he's distracted, unnya."
"Right! Then we have to find this girl and make her accept Echizen!"
"Fssshh."
"Momo, we really shouldn't interfere � but maybe it would be all right to ask�"
"Approximately eighty percent of the first-year girls are likely to have crushes on Echizen."
"Yeah, they all go kyaa-kyaa over him. Fuji, what's the girl's name?"
"Hm? What girl?"
"The one Echizen likes!"
"Echizen likes a girl?"
"Fuji!"
"You just said so, senpai!"
"You're not listening. I didn't say anything about girls."
"�interesting data. Hmm."
"Then who?! Fuji, stop being mean and tell me!"
"Fssshh. Not my business."
"Well, think about it. Who does he play more than anyone else, hmm?"
"�his dad? Eww, Fuji, that's gross!"
"He hates his dad anyway, Eiji-senpai."
"Like you hate Kaidoh-kun?"
"�huh? Fuji-senpai, what's that got to do with anything?"
"Oh, nothing. Just thinking aloud."
"Fuji, are you trying to say that Echizen and Tezuka are�"
"Very interesting data�"
"You mean you hadn't noticed the way they look at each other?"
"Echizen loves buchou? Whoa, no way."
"Hoi, Oishi, are you okay? Anyone in there, nya?"
"�I should have noticed. I can't believe I didn't � Fuji, are you absolutely sure?"
"Well, don't you think that they seem to come alive when they play each other? And they watch each other all the time."
"Aa, but that might not mean anything�"
"And then I caught them kissing last week."
"Eh?!"
"Mou, Fujiiii! Why didn't you tell me?!"
"Well, you didn't ask. Besides, isn't it obvious?"
"�probability twenty-seven percent, plus behavioural factors, and of course the strength issue�"
"O-ishi, Fuji's mean."
"What should we do about it, though?"
"�senpai, why are you all standing around?"
"Ah, Echizen. Good data, good data."
"Ah�"
"�Echizen! You little � why didn't you tell me?"
"Owowow � Momo-senpai, you're squashing me."
"Echizen, of course we're all happy for you, but� are you sure you're not rushing into anything?"
"Heheh! Our Ochibi's all grown up!"
"�huh?"
"Eeeh, don't play innocent, don't play innocent. We know what you've been up to�"
"�I don't know what you're talking about, senpai."
"Mm, something to do with Tezuka maybe?"
"�buchou?"
"Typical Echizen, typical. Seducing the captain �"
"Always aim high, nya!"
"�I did not!"
"Oh? Then that was someone else he was kissing after practice last week?"
"�I� senpai!"
"Ah, Echizen, it's nothing to be embarrassed about, really �"
"Fuji-senpai, did you have to tell everyone?!"
"Heh, Ochibi's blushing!"
"But I didn't tell everyone� would you like me to?"
"Senpai�"
"Everyone. Twenty laps. Now."
"�Tezuka!"
"Buchou!"
"Ah, I'm sorry, it's none of our business�"
"Practice is already over, nya!"
"Maa, Tezuka, it would be careless to think no one would find out, hmm?"
"�thirty laps."
"Ah, I'm going, I'm going!"
"Fssshh. Get out of my way, idiot."
"�"
"�"
"�it wasn't my idea, buchou."
"I know."
"Good."