It's not the end. It's the begining
Summary : Graduation day comes closer and closer. Will it be the end or just the begining ? For Ryoma and for all of them ? OOC-ness
A/N : My high school's graduation day is not what I hope it would be, so I wrote this. Hope you like it. Inspired by 2 songs : What hurts the most and Too hard too say goodbye
It's just the normal day at Seigaku, the sky is still blue, the birds are still sing and our Regulars still have to go to school. But there's an abnormal thing happens at Seishun High – Ryoma's not late for morning practice today or the day before that or the day before before that, actually, he's not late for morning practice all this week although he isn't the morning person. You want to know why, okay, because it's only 1 days left to the 3rd years' graduation. And if you think Ryoma didn't love his senpai-tachi, you're all wrong, he loves them very much, but he never tells them, don't ask why, he just love them.
Because of that, our prince's very irritated, he doesn't want his senpai go, but he knows that even if he tells them, they still have to go. Buchou will go to Germany, Fuji-senpai will fly to England to take a photography class, Oishi-senpai will go to Osaka University to study medical treament and Kikumaru-senpai will go with him, Inui-senpai will go to Kyoto for " gathering data" Ryoma supposes while Taka-san will take a cooking class to heir his father's business later. They all have to fullfill their own dreams, their parent's expectance. He knows that, he's so damn knowing that but he can't help but being selfish, wants to keep them close to himself forever.
Today's the last day of the tennis club's activities, the atmostphere on the court is very quiet, you can just hear the sounds of the rackets hit the balls, the sounds of the friction between the shoes and the court... and the silent sighs.
" Ne Fujiko, Momo-chan and Ochibi seem more quiet than usual, what happened to them nya ?" Kikumaru asked his friend confusing
" Saa, even Kaidoh somehow has a little off today, no, actually all this week ne Inui ?" The tensai asked the boy behind him
" I know, Echizen hasn't speak more than 3 phrases, quiet than usual 90%, play style was off by 30%, Momo's friendliness was off by 45.6%, his smile turns to a frown more than 13 times a day. And Kaidoh... 100% it's because of today and tomorrows' events" The data man said looking at the bandana boy on the court, no notebook can be found in his hand, those eyes behind his glasses fill with sadness and confusion
Tezuka and Oishi seem like noticing that, too. Tezuka's stoic face has shown no emotion, but if you look carefully, his eyes are narrow between confusion and disappointment. Oishi's mother hen mode was on from Monday, and today is Thursday but his mode never seems to off yet higher
At the same time, the three main characters are on their train of thought. This week, all the regulars have close to each other than usual, they ate lunch together at the school's rooftop, play tennis together when the training was over, and some days, all of them went out to burger together, too, even Tezuka and Kaidoh went with them, and the smiles on their lips are never left, they smiled, they laughed, they were together all the time they could, but that seems never enough with Ryoma, Momo and Kaidoh
The practice has ended while ago, the next Buchou and Fukubuchou were chosen, they were all dismissed, but Ryoma still stood at the entrance of the court, lost in thought
"There is the court A where I first play Momo-chan senpai with the Twist serve, the court D where I played Kaidoh-senpai and Inui-senpai when we were in midle school, the first match I played Buchou on the court near the train station, the match I played with Kikumaru-senpai, Fuji-senpai, Taka-san, the nth match I played with them since I entered here – Seishun High. Even I close my eyes, I can still see them clearly, I still can feel the warm of their embraces when we won Nationals, the smiles they gave me from before to now. I will miss them, very very miss them, what I supposed to do without them, I don't know, I don't want to know, if I could bring back time... I don't know how I can love them that much, they are... How can I tell Momo-chan senpai that I will go, too, how can I tell them ?"
It's hard to deal with the pain of losin' you everywhere I go
But I'm doing it
It's hard to force that smile when I see our old friends and I'm alone
Still harder gettin' up, gettin' dressed, livin' with this regret
But I know if I could do it over
I would trade, give away all the words that I saved in my heart
That I left unspoken
"I can't turn this page
Or hold back the time"
Ryoma left, not even want to look back or want to change, he just left. His senpai-tachi also left before, everyone left with their own thought
That night, Ryoma can't sleep, he rolls over the bed from times to times making Karupin get off the bed to find a better place to sleep. It's just 1 o'clock in the morning. Then he sat up, changing to the sport clothes and left the house, to the school's court then lay down at the tree near them
"As if tomorrow never comes"
When Momo arrived the court, he saw the familiar sihouette, it's Echizen
" Oi Echizen" He called out
" Momo-chan senpai" The prince replied
" W-What ..."
" I have something to tell you" Ryoma cut him off
" Nani ?"
" I'll go back to America"
" B-But why ?" Momo hesitanted
" It's hurt to stay you know. I've known all of you for damn 6 years, I was with you even more than with my classmates, talk with you more than my classmates, went out with you more than with my classmates, and now they're all gone. Tell me, how I can take that ? Last year, when you and Kaidoh-senpai were gone, I feel nothing much than a little hurt because I know we'll all together again and that makes me feel better a lot. And now ?" He said, not even took a break
" I-I... Sorry" Momo mumbled
" No, I'm sorry"
And then they fell into silence
That night, no one can sleep, even Tezuka, then he gets up, changes clothes and walks to school. When he gets to the school's gate, all the Regulars were there, except Ryoma, Momo
" Saa, Tezuka, you can't sleep ?"
" Aa. I didn't expect all of you here. Where Ryoma and Momo ?" He asked
" Saa, let's go in then"
When they get on the court, Ryoma and Momo were playing each other, sweat was all over their face
" You're late" Ryoma scowled
" Aa"
" Hoi hoi, let's pair up and play doubles nya"
" Yoshhhh, we will win this time, right Echizen ?" Momo laughed
" I don't play doubles" Ryoma pouted
How cute they all thought
It's just 2 in the morning and they don't seem to care, why they have to care ?
And the graduation day has come. Under the tree near the court, there are a lot of people gather around it chuckling, even you can hear some whispers like " Kawaii" , " Beautiful" , " They're so sweet"
Ryuusaki-sensei wonder what had happened so she go to the place they're gathering and see the scene she will never forget
Under the large tree near the court, lay 8 boy sleeping, it's the Regulars of course. Eight of them, Tezuka's in the midle, Ryoma's on his left with Momo's head on his thigh, Fuji's on Tezuka's right shoulder with his hand is in Taka's hand, next to Fuji are the Golden Pair side by side, and next to the loud mouth Momo is Kaidoh in Inui's arm. All of them have peaceful smiles on their lips. Ryuusaki-sensei can't help but chuckling softly and taking her camera out to snap some pics to print out later, and so many years later, this pic becomes the most precious thing to all of them. She shakes Tezuka's shoulder waking the boy up
" Tezuka, it's time to wake up" said the coach
" Un, hai" He rubbed his eyes softly
" Minna, wake up"
They heard some groans from the others but one louder snore from Ryoma
" Ryoma, wake up" Tezuka shaked him lightly
" Urg, 5 more minutes" He took Tezuka's arm as if it's his pillow
Everyone chuckles then can't help but laughs a bit louder making our prince so irritated that he opens his eyes sleepily
" I'm up. Shut up baka oyaji"
" H-Hahahahahaha. Oyaji, Tezuka buchou was your Oyaji Echizen ?" Momo and Kikumaru laughed so much that they choked, grasping for air
" Huh ? What are you talking about ?" Ryoma snaped open his sleepy eyes to see the hazel eyes of his buchou
" It's time for going to the hall. Go and get change" Tezuka just said normally
" Hai." Ryoma said with the others' choruses
The Graduation has begun with their national anthem and Principal's boring speech, but they don't seem to care much, especially Ryoma, he just sat there, looking for where his senpai-tachi were then he sigh
" Why Kikumaru-senpai and Momo-chan senpai cry so hard, even Kaidoh-senpai and Oishi-senpai and Taka-san sniff too, I wonder what Buchou and Inui-senpai are now, I can't see their eyes clearly. Are ? Why are my eyes so blur, and wet ? Don't tell me I'm crying, I never cry, big boy don't cry. Yes, I just sweat, just sweat."
I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house
That don't bother me
I can take a few tears now and then and just let 'em out
I'm not afraid to cry every once in a while
Even though goin' on with you gone still upsets me
There are days every now and again I pretend I'm okay
But that's not what gets me
Then he stood up, sneaking out the door and go to the rooftop. Awhile after him left, Momo has found him
" Everyone is looking for you, come on, we will take picturers"
" Hai, hai"
When Ryoma follows Momo to where the others were, he saw that they are waiting for them, and when they see him, they smiled. While taking the picture, he stands in the midle, the others were around him like they're protecting him from the evil. What can he say now ? So he just smiled, the best smile he can give them, the best smile that he always hides behind his smirks.
" It's over" he thought " These past damn six years has over. What can I tell them now, " It's hurt to see you left, then I'll leave to not being hurt anymore. Thanks for all the years we had spent together and congratulated for the graduation" ? Stupid, it's so damn stupid"
What hurts the most was being so close
And havin' so much to say
And watchin' you walk away
And never knowin' what could've been
And not seein' that lovin' you
Is what I was trying to do
" Ochibi nya" Kikumaru glomped him, gave him the bear hug
" Urg Kikumaru-senpai, l-let me g-go" He choked, turning blue
" E-Eiji, let him go, he's turning blue" Oishi panicked
" Eh ? Gomen gomen Ochibi nya" He smiled sheepily
" Che, ne senpai-tachi, play a match. I'll win all of you" He smirked
" That's all I can do right now"
Standing by your side
It felt like I could fly
If I could be half the man
That you are in my eyes
And I could face the darkest day
And fight the tears inside
From you I learned it all
You would never let me fall
Love won't come undone
" Tsk, what a brat. I'll beat you this time" Momo and Kaidoh chorused
" Mamushi, don't take my lines"
" Teme, that's what I said"
" You wanna fight ?"
" Bring it on, fshhhhhhhhhh"
" Maa maa you two, don't fight" Taka said
They play and play, till they can't anymore, the sun has gone no where in sight and they're all lay on the court, no lights have turned on, all they can see is the sky full of stars in front of them, no one says a word, not because they can't or else, just because they don't want to break this comfortable silence
There will come a day
I'll have to walk alone
And I'll have to make it on my own
You taught me all there is to know
I'll never let you go
And Kikumaru was the first one to speak
" I wish that today never ever ends, nya"
" That's impossible Kikumaru" Inui said firmly, but all of them can hear the sadness in his voice
" Ne senpai-tachi, I" Ryoma hardly said
" What's up Echizen ?" Oishi asked worriedly
" I-I will go back to America" He whispered
" We all knew that, Ochibi, but we wonder why you leave so suddenly, nya" Kikumaru said softly
But answering him was a moment of silence. Ryoma turns his gaze to another place, just like he doesn't want anyone to know he's crying. The tears rolling down his cheek were hot and wet but he didn't care, a soft sniff can be heard all over the court
" Ryoma/ Ochibi/ Echizen, a-are you crying ?" Everyone stunned
" I-If I stay any longer, I won't take it. T-The pain in my heart is more hurtful and hurtful everyday I see you, my mind always reflects on the past, the time we're through together, I can't sleep at night as think that this day has come closer and closer, I've wished that the sun would never rise, but it never happened" his voice's trembling, no one can say anything
" W-When I'm with you, I want to say " Congratulates for your graduations. These past six years, I've had fun, but seeing you leave like this, I can't take it, so I will go, too. I saw you as my brothers, I hope we could still be together, but I think that we can't, so let's end here." I want to say that, but how can I say such a cruel thing like that, tell me, how can I say such a cruel thing like that" He bursted out crying, he knows they couldn't die from heartbreak, he always tries to remember that, but it's too hard to stop his heart from breaking, shattering over and over again.
I can't turn the page
Or hold back the time
It's too hard to say goodbye
It's too hard to say goodbye
Just can't say goodbye
" D-Don't say anymore I-I nyaaaaaaaaaaa" Kikumaru cried with him, in Oishi's arm
" Y-Yeah, don't say anymore woaaaaaaaa" Momo followed Kikumaru bursting out crying
Kaidoh has hug Inui so tight, preventing himself from crying but he can't, and Inui can't either
The tears roll over Tezuka's eyes when he held Ryoma in his arm comforting the boy while Fuji's smiling face was no more but a painful face with tears making Taka's chest all wet
" We will meet every month, every year, if you want, just don't say anything like that, we don't want to hear those phrases of yours, please don't say that, it breaks our hearts into million pieces" His voice's shaking
" P-Promise ? You promise, right ? Please" Ryoma sniffed
" Yes, we promise, we promise" They said in chorus
It's not the end, it's the begining
End.