A/N: 'Prince of Tennis' is not mine. It is Takeshi Konomi's.

Summary: The only guy Sakuno wanted as a boyfriend SEEMS to have a liking towards her best friend. Some misunderstanding in exchange of some USER FRIENDLY METHOD.

User Friendly

Chapter One

Hidden Motive Formulated

"Ryuzaki Sakuno," a familiar guy read as he set his eyes on the first name under the post "High School Junior-Year Overall Ranking" pinned on the bulletin board beside the door of the most famous high school in the Kanto region. "yes, that's the name"

RIIIIINGGG~!

"oh, its music to my ears," Tomoka Osakada said to no one in particular as she outstretched her arms. "Saku-Chan!" turning to her best friend sitting beside her, casually packing her things, "student council?.. again?" the red haired pouted as she wait for a response.

"For today, nah." She smiled reassuringly.

"YEY~! So that means we can walk home together?" she cheerfully hopped to her friend.

"Sure." She plainly replied.

Sakuno has admittedly been very busy with student council works lately. The president hasn't been a round for a week or so already due to some college preparations, and that leaves everything to her concern, much to her dismay. For that, she could not blame her best friend for being utterly bitter towards the student council for claming all her attention.

"Tomo-chan, just a moment, you can just wait for me outside." Sakuno just interrupted her friend's continuous complains regarding how the student council snatches her best friend.

"EH?"

"I'll just check something," she hurriedly reassured.

"See! I hate the student council!" Tomoka exclaimed childishly. Sakuno giggled one last time before sprinting towards the office.

Honestly, she just forgot something in the student council office. Something important that she cannot go home without. She barged through the door surprising everyone present.

"Vice pres!" Kaito Sagawa, the secretary, yelped.

"What are you still doing here? Today's a none working day for all of us, remember?" she said in a-matter-factly tone as she journey to her desk.

"Yeah, we know it's just that there is still something you need us to work on." The ever responsible treasurer, Aika Yamato, replied.

"I just told you, today's a non working day for everyone. We managed to finish everything yesterday, so there's nothing left to work on until the last day of the week. You can go easy now." She smiled as she reached her destination.

"YEY~!" everyone rejoiced and started gathering their things up.

Soon enough, everyone was already by the door, and started bidding their goodbyes to each other, Sakuno managed to wave back to everyone.

When the room finally fell silent, she opened the drawer of her desk and found what she had left.

She checked the room one last time, and she was off.

"she really did get rid of her twin braids," someone thought.

"Tomo-chan!" she called as she ran towards her.

"I thought, you'd ditch me." Tomoka voiced out.

"When did I ever do that?"

"so far, not yet."

"and never will!" Sakuno confidently ensured, they both giggled, "besides you were always the ditcher!" Sakuno teased, "blame it to my brothers!" Tomoka giggled some more.

"I missed this!" the red-hair said randomly.

"Tomo-chan, you don't have to say that as if we have never seen each other for quite a long time,"

"Why? Isn't that the case?"

"Of course not, we're classmates so you usually see me, and there is no reason for you to sound like I have been gone for so long."

"Exactly! We're classmates. And not just classmates, I guess, I almost thought you were also my best friend," Tomoka said sarcastically, "and because of the student council, it seemed to me that I have not been with my BEST FRIEND for some time, and I miss our bonding moments like this," suddenly being serious.

A short silence, "you know what, your absence made me realize some things,"

"What is it?" asked the auburn haired-girl.

"I just realized that maybe, this is how it would feel if you already get yourself a boyfriend." At that, Sakuno yelped as if something really hard hit her, "E-eh!"

"So, she still stutter… when the topic comes to that," someone inwardly commented.

"T-Tomo-chan!" Sakuno blushed.

"What? I was just thinking. Besides, I have accepted that such time would come soon," she paused, looked at her friend knowingly, "and I feel, it's real too soon," she teased even more.

"T-Tomo-chan!" Sakuno blushed even more, "C-cut it out! that thing's almost impossible at this rate… because I still wish it would be him," she replied although the reason was kept to herself.

The topic faded off and the fun conversation between the two continued. It was only cut off when they reached the place where they had to part ways.

"Bye now! I hope to have another bonding moment with you again, tomorrow! See you!" Tomoka waved to her friend.

"Sure!" She answered immediately with a warm smile plastered upon her face.

She smilingly sighed as she faced towards her direction. She felt really good after having a great time with her loyal friend.

Actually, she had never imagined herself being, at the very least, close friends with Tomoka Osakada. They were total opposites when they met. Sakuno was shy and timid, and the latter was kind of the very opposite of that, she was always very full of energy. And then again, who could have thought that they would be really close to each other to the rate of going to the same high school together?

During the long run of their friendship, she had unconsciously got rid of her unnecessary shyness, much to the point that she was elected as the vice president of the student council. She also, somehow, managed to liberate herself from her stuttering issues. Moreover, although she still has that clumsy side, at least, it doesn't show off to much already, like how it often does when they were younger. She managed to be better in tennis too, she might have even been a regular if she just didn't refuse it for the student council.

But aside from this, another thing that may have always been noticeable to all previous acquaintances and friends they had when they were in middle school, when she would bump into them, was her twin braids. They are obviously not there anymore, "it's a matter of changing my lifestyle, ladies and gentlemen," she would sometimes teasingly reason out.

"Have you changed it to just a single ponytail?"

"Oh! You look gorgeous when your hair's done that way,"

"You look the best when you just let it down,"

You might be wondering about what hairdo did she change it for… actually, she got rid of her twin braids for a lot more other hairdo. She doesn't stick with just one already. The reason? Well, nothing really, it was just, Tomoka had learned to be so fond of doing Sakuno's hair differently each day. And that leaves her with no choice every time. Anyhow, it had been showing various good results.

At any rate, though, even if she had changed in different aspects, there was still this one thing that she can't change inside her. It's technically impossible. What is it, you ask? It's that tingling-and-uneasy-yet-happy feeling when a certain name is being mentioned. You should have known, she still likes him. I mean no, not anymore, SHE ALREADY LOVES HIM. But who's him?

"R-RYO-RYOMA-KUN ?" her heart felt to have skipped a beat or two when she saw the back side of a man with green-almost-black hair sitting at the sofa in their living room " Wait. Wait, Sakuno. Calm down. Don't jump into conclusions" she tried calming herself.

"Sakuno!" Sumire exclaimed as soon as she saw her granddaughter enter the living room, "Come on!" she gestured her grand daughter to sit beside her.

As obedient as she is, she walked towards her grandmother's side, slowly, making sure to see who the guy was. and she swore, she may have fainted on the process, her heart thumps hardly on her chest as she try to control whatever emotion she might express if it turns out that it is really him.

oh hell! "I-it's r-really h-him" she thought as her face show her outright shock for the moment. Anyhow, she managed to take the seat her grandmother saved for her, if it was because of the shock that she did so unexpectedly, she could care less about that. "A-AM I D-DREAMING?" She repeatedly asked herself.

"Hey Sakuno, will you be staying still forever?" Sumire asked sarcastically upon observing her stoned grand daughter for a while, "I never taught you to be passive with our guests, so won't you say anything to him?" she said straight-faced. "Anyway, I'll just get something some snacks, so, Sakuno?" her grandmother secretly winked at her upon getting up. "Oh! She knew, didn't she?" she sighed inwardly, at least, her grandmother has an understanding side… "or not. What should I say to him?" she panicked to her thoughts.

"U-uh, y-yeah right. I-I'm so sorry. Uh. Hello…?" she managed to put up, a nervous smile on her face, her eyes not setting still on their guest and her last statement sounded more like a question, "can anything be worse that that" she thought to her self. Let's disregard about her getting rid of her stuttering issues mentioned earlier. :P

"Hn," was the boy's short reply.

"now what?" Sakuno was deep in thought of a way to keep the conversation going.

"S-so when did you come back?"

"Just today."

"uh. I-I see," then awkward silence.

"hmm. so w-what did you come back here for?"

"some matters,"

"…that doesn't concern me. Sakuno, what a stupid question!" she scolded herself inwardly. And then another longer uncomfortable silence. And for that, she cursed whatever might be taking her grandmother so long, although it hasn't been 2 minutes yet.

Her eyes scan the whole room, at least to calm herself. But then she realized it just won't take effect, so she let out a soft sigh that she intended for herself only to hear. She kept her head low. Only then did she had some time to look at him, even if she only uses her peripheral vision so that he doesn't see her staring, she could see how more good looking he got. "Plus," After three years of playing tennis, it's no surprise that he had developed a buff body, she smiled at some thought, "if Tomo-chan was here, she could have said, he's yummy." And without her noticing, her soft giggle caught the guest's attention.

"Ne," and then, she was back to reality, she could even swear she could have fainted when, finally, he heard him talk, first.

"H-hai?"

"I see you're still friends with that loud red-haired,"

"You're referring to Tomo-chan?" she said thoughtfully, then she threw him a questioning gaze that she bet he didn't see, "I-I guess…?" she finally replied, more like questioned back, not sure of how she could have answered.

"Do you know her digits?" he asked nonchalantly.

"O-of course," she responded, confused.

"May I have it?"

"EH?" now, can anyone tell her, what's going on. Why is Ryoma asking Tomoka's number? Has he developed a liking on her best friend? Under her nose? "s-sure," she managed to react.

A/N: Yow! This is my first PoT fic, although I had been a long-time fan of the title. So pardon me, if I didn't get to your expectations yet. Also, I guess, my attempt to make this a one-shot fic was a failure. Haha. So you may expect upcoming chapters soon. I just hope school works won't meddle with my plans of finishing them soon so that it won't be left hanging long. READ AND REVIEW, PLEASE? Pretty please?