Prince Imperfect
By: rennomiya
It was weird. Ever since she was little, she had imagined her prince to be kind, caring and humble. She likes boys who had those kinds of personality. In fact, she doesn't like arrogant, sarcastic and selfish boys. She had avoided boys with those attitudes as much as possible. But now that she sees herself as a freshman in high school, it turned out that the person she fell in love with didn't turn out to be the imaginary 'Mr. Perfect' she always dreamt to meet. In fact, the person she fell in love with was the kind of person she used to avoid before.
Echizen Ryoma. 'Prince Imperfect', in her world.
He was a tennis genius; Mr. Popular, handsome, cool. He had been the prince of every girl in the school. And as much as Ryuzaki Sakuno hates to admit it, he had become her prince too.
It was puppy love three years ago—which she didn't take too seriously because she knew that she only admired him for his tennis. He was nice at times. But that was only when her grandmother was around or one of her senpais would force him to be nice to her. That was why she would've never even thought of falling in love with him.
But what happened?
She fell for his charms—that was what happened. Even if he has the personality she dislikes in a guy, at the end of the day, she founds herself thinking about him all the time.
She smiled to herself bitterly.
The girls in her class admired her because they said she was mature. They said she was a good cook. They said that she has a talent for tennis. They said that she was lucky to have Ryoma-sama as a friend.
It wasn't true. She was, in her self-observation, immature. She fell in love with a boy just because he had saved her from bullies several times without even looking into his real self. She wasn't a good cook because the person whom she wanted the compliments from, always say mada mada dane. She doesn't have a talent in tennis because without him, she wouldn't even bother on taking up that sport. And she wasn't lucky to have him as a friend… because they were never friends. They were just acquaintances.
She felt sorry for herself.
She was an idiot. She was idiotic for falling for him, and she was even more idiotic for expecting that he'll return her feelings. For him, she was just a face in the crowd.
"Oi, Ryuzaki," the very same person she was thinking about (again) had called her as she was spacing out on her desk.
She looked at him with regretful eyes. He appeared to have been slightly startled at her expression but he returned to his normal straight face as soon as it came. "What is it, Ryoma-kun?" she asked in the same gentle tone she always has.
He handed her two tickets for an amusement park. "Coach gave these to me and told me to bring you here."
That's right. It was always because of her grandmother. He looked uncomfortable to oblige to her grandmother's request—she was sure by his facial expression. She shook her head after she examined the tickets. "Don't worry. You don't have to do it. I'll just tell grandma that you brought me there."
He, for a second, looked as if he didn't like her answer. But he just shrugged it off and walked away. "You should at least come."
"Why?" she asked as she watched him pulling his chair and sitting on it.
He turned his head away from her. "Coach wanted some pictures taken for proof."
She sighed. Her grandmother was too bothersome at times. Can't she see that Ryoma-kun doesn't want to be with her? They should just let him be.
"Okay. I'll come," she said in defeat.
"2pm in front of the station."
"Okay…"
It wasn't a date.
After all the days they spent together going to some places their senpais and her grandma tricked them into going to, never did they regard any of it as a date. She knew that he thinks of those days as a waste of time.
For her though; a simple flick of hope inside her tells her that she was indeed on a date with him. But that flick fades away as soon as they start the day.
They arrived on the amusement park shortly after they met on the train station. She was again late, and she knew that he was mad at her for making him wait. But he never told her that he was mad.
After they entered the park, Sakuno took out a digital camera from her bag. She showed it to him with a smile. "I brought this since you said that grandma wanted proof."
"Hn." He walked away.
She sighed and clicked the camera. She took a picture of Ryoma walking away.
She followed him after that. She walked behind him as per always. She didn't even bother on asking him where to go. She knew he wouldn't answer anyway.
"Hey there, cute couple!" called a staff from the park. He was standing behind a brick wall.
She intended on ignoring the person but Ryoma stopped to look at him. She curiously wondered why Ryoma would even acknowledge the person who misunderstood them as a couple.
The middle-aged man grinned cheekily after he got their attention. He pointed towards the sign on the brick wall. It said 'Maze of No Return'. It was a cheap name for a cheap-looking guy. "Come and try this newest attraction! There are different entrances and exits. Couples would go on different entrances and if they can come out from the same exit, it meant that they are bound to be together forever!"
She knew it was just a game. It was corny.
Ryoma smirked and walked closer to the guy.
She looked at him confusedly. She never expected Ryoma to be interested in that game.
He looked back at her. "Oi, are you coming or not?"
She nodded her head slightly and decided to just let him do what he wants. But before they entered the maze, she asked the man to take a picture of her and Ryoma, for added proof that they went to that park. She looked at the picture taken. Ryoma had his hands on his pockets, looking at another direction while she was facing the camera with a slight blush on her face.
"Okay, let's begin!" said the man.
Ryoma entered the farthest left entrance of the maze while Sakuno entered the middle entrance.
She wandered around the place, hoping to find an exit. Ryoma was mean. He knew that she was a directionally-challenged girl but he just let her wander around a labyrinth alone. She was probably never going to find an exit even though the person in-charged of the attraction said there were five different exits.
It doesn't matter if they both can go out from the same exit. She was never coming out of there anyway.
She gave up after a few more minutes of walk. She sat down on a corner between two tall brick walls and curled herself miserably.
If she doesn't come out of there after an hour, a staff might come and look for her. She didn't think that Ryoma would even bother on looking for her. She was sure he would never do that. He was more likely going home since there was already a picture taken.
She waited.
And waited.
Until she heard some footsteps coming closer. That person's shadow loomed over her. She looked up, expecting some personnel from the park when she saw his amber eyes.
"Ryoma… kun…?"
He looked irritated. He turned around and began walking away. "Let's go."
His tone was harsh.
She smiled bitterly. She was such a jerk. And here she thought that he wasn't going to look for her. She stood up and dusted off her skirt. She was about to step a foot forward when she spoke.
"Ryoma-kun… I'll just stay here. You go ahead."
Ryoma stopped on his tracks. He turned his head around. His eyes showed that he was confused.
She sat back down. "Don't worry. Grandma won't hear any of this. I don't want to bother you anymore, Ryoma-kun."
"What are you talking about?" he asked.
She buried her head on her knees. "I'm waiting for someone…"
This time, he turned his whole body around to face her. "Who?"
She thought that this was the right time to forget about her feelings for him. This was the time she was supposed to wait for her right prince again. She just turned on the wrong path. She was just a bit distracted because of him. But now, it's time to let go. "My prince. A kind, caring and humble prince. I was waiting for him for a long time. I'm sure he'll show up sometime."
Ryoma stared at her with unreadable eyes. "Hn."
He turned around after he finally understood her and disappeared on a corner.
She hugged her knees tighter. This was the right thing to do. Ryoma wasn't her dream prince, it was someone else. Her heart just thought that he was. And now, this would be the first time she refused Ryoma's help.
And Ryoma would never come back. She knew that he understands. He was probably glad that he won't have to do what her grandma tells him anymore. She was a bit happy for him.
Then, a hand suddenly grabbed her wrist. She was surprised at the sudden actions. That person pulled her strongly enough to make her stand on her feet. The person pulled her closer after she was standing up and he rested her head on his chest. They were too close that the only thing separating them was his hand that was grabbing her wrist between them.
"Eh?"
"You're too selfish. And picky. You're selficky."
She knew that voice.
It was Ryoma.
Why was he still there? Wasn't he happy that she already let him go?
"W-What are you... t-talking about, R-Ryoma-kun? W-Why did you come back?"
"Don't be too choosy. I'm all you've got," he said.
Her eyes widened.
"Even if your real prince comes and saves you, I'll push him away. So don't expect a kind, caring and humble person to come and save you."
She blushed at his words. Was he implying that… that he likes her?
She raised her head up to look at his eyes.
"Be contented with an arrogant, sarcastic and selfish prince. You'll never get anything more or less."
She smiled sincerely. "Okay." In the end, it was always the imperfect prince that comes back to save her. Maybe that was what makes him perfect.
"Let's go." He pulled her wrist which he was still holding.
He leads them towards one of the five exits of the maze.
And somewhere along the way, she pulled her wrist lower so that her hand would meet his.
Prince Imperfect didn't seem to mind. In fact, he held her hand tighter as they exited the maze.
.OwArI.
A/N: Did you get it? No? Was it horrible? A review would be nice.
Prince of Tennis © Konomi Takeshi
.OmAkE.
"Uhm, grandma… here's the pictures you want."
"Huh? What are you talking about Sakuno?"
"Eh? You said you wanted proof that Ryoma-kun and I went on the park like you wanted."
"No, I didn't."
"E-EH? B-But grandma!"
Sigh. "Let me tell you something, Sakuno. Ryoma just used his senpais and me as an excuse to ask you out on a date. We never asked him to go with you anywhere before. He just tells you that I asked him to do it or his senpais forced him to do it. He's just too shy."
"…"
"That's the truth."
Blush. "O-Oh… I-I see. I-I'm g-going to m-my room now…"