She left Japan to study in France. At first she had a bad time being homesick and all. Even though her cousins, which she lived with, were very nice, she can't help but miss her friends. During that time she has transformed into someone very beautiful. She had the right curves in the right places, her long brown hair, well, is still long. No one would recognize her that easily. After she graduated, her grandmother invited her to return to Japan. She agreed happily and when she got home she was treated to a hot springs resort. And now she's coming back to the city. Everything's been so quick that she didn't even get to reconnect with her friends.
The speakers turned on, announcing that they're nearing their destination. Sakuno took out her brush and started to brush her hair. She remembered those times when she was practicing tennis and Ryoma would say that her hair was too long. She blushed lightly at the thought. She glanced at her tennis racket, wondering if she should head to a tennis court first before going home.
The train soon stopped and she got out, carrying her bag. But she noticed something very odd. There was a pink arrow just in front of her feet. There was something written on it: "Ryuzaki Sakuno, Follow These Arrows" She blinked. Making sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. She looked around and she noticed that every train opening had an arrow with the same writing. And they all joined into one line of arrows. Curious, she followed the arrows.
Unknown to her, the two 'mischievious' former regulars were hiding and watching as their plan fell into action. Momoshiro and Eiji.
"Sugoii! Sakuno-chan looks so pretty!" Eiji exclaimed. "Keep your voice low, Kikumaru-senpai. But you're right, she does look pretty. Wait 'til Echizen sees her," Momoshiro grinned.
Sakuno saw the last of the arrows nearby. It was pointing to a tennis ball. She kneeled down and picked it up. 'It looks normal,' she thought. But when she turned it around, she saw the little drawing of Ryoma's face on it. "Eh..?" "Oi, what are you doing with my tennis ball?" a voice called out. She lifted her eyes from the ball and saw the one and only Echizen Ryoma. But he was all grown up now. He looked absolutely fangirl material. And he was holding a Ponta can. Nothing different about that. "Ryoma-kun!" She exclaimed. She blushed a bright red as she looked at him. "Ryuzaki?" he said. He looked at her from head to toe. 'Is this really Ryuzaki? Hm.. she's grown,' he thought. 'And her hair aren't in braids,'
"Ah, here," Sakuno handed him the tennis ball. "Sankyu," he said. He noticed that she was holding a racket bag. "Do you still play tennis?" he asked. "Hai. I've been practicing while I was away." 'No stuttering,' he noticed. "How good are you now?" "I'm not sure. But I'm definitely better than I was before," she replied. "Want to have a match with me?" he smirked. "Honto ni, Ryoma-kun?" she asked. Sort of surprised that he asked her. Well of course, she said that she was better than before! Of course he'd want to test that. She mentally facepalmed herself. 'Oh no, Ryoma-kun might think I'm not a good player!' she worried. "Ryuzaki?" he looked at her, confused at her worried face. "Ah, h-hai. Lets play," she smiled lightly, clutching her racket bag. He nodded and they left the train station.
Eiji rubbed his palms together, "The plan is working!" Momoshiro high-fived with his senpai. "Come on senpai, lets follow 'em," They grinned as they left their hiding place.
Ryoma and Sakuno arrived at a tennis court nearby. Sakuno sighed, feeling nervous and happy at the same time. Ryoma looked at her, "Come on then," "Hai," she said and went in the tennis court. She started to tie her hair into a ponytail. "Wait, I don't have my tennis racket." he stated.
"He doesn't have his tennis racket!" Eiji worried. "Don't worry, I thought this might happen so I had a back-up plan!" Momoshiro said as he was putting on a disguise. "Way to go, Momoshiro!" Eiji grinned. "Now hurry before ochibi leaves to get a tennis racket!" Momoshiro got on his bike and headed for the tennis court. He pedalled faster and sped up. As he got nearer to the court, he pretended to accidentally drop a tennis racket. Ryoma noticed the racket and he picked it up. "Oi, mister, you dropped your tennis racket," he said but the mysterious guy was already out of sight. "Hm?" he looked around. "That's weird." "Ah, Ryoma-kun, you already have your racket. Lets play?" Sakuno said as she held her tennis racket. "My tennis racket?" he said. He looked at the racket and noticed that it was indeed his. The red racket with his initial on the butt of the handle. "That's more weird. I'm coming," he said and walked to his side of the court.
Momoshiro and Eiji grinned as they watched.
Sakuno bounced the ball lightly. No way was Ryoma letting her use HIS tennis ball with HIS face on it. She tossed the ball in the air and served it. He easily returned the ball. She ran to return it. Time passed and they were having a rally. 15-30 love. You could guess who has the 30.
"Sugoii! Sakuno-chan is keeping up with ochibi! I want to play with her too!" Eiji exclaimed. "No way, I want to play with Sakuno-chan first. I dropped the racket which made them start the match. If it wasn't for me, we wouldn't see this," Momoshiro objected.
"Fine, but I'm second." Eiji pouted.
Ryoma was surprised when Sakuno did a Twist Serve on the second match. Of course, having been practicing for so long, Sakuno has invented her own moves. She hit the ball in a certain way that it spun differently. Making it almost invisible. Even to Ryoma. But of course, he wouldn't be called a prodigy if he couldn't beat an invisible ball. He returned it after trying twice. He smirked at how much she's grown in tennis. And physically. And she also didn't stutter that much. She should've kept her hair in braids. !Plok! "Huh?" he looked behind him and saw that the ball was there. She had beat him. But he wasn't concentrating so that doesn't count. He placed his racket on his shoulder.
"I won?" Sakuno wasn't expecting that. "I won!" she exclaimed. "Sugoii! I won against Ryoma-kun!" Well he should be feeling slightly bad because he lost. But he felt happy and somehow proud that she beat him. Why was he feeling happy? Is it because she was happy? Or maybe it was because she has returned after so many years and he was glad to see her.
The sun was setting as he walked her home. "Omedetto, by the way, for beating me." he said. "A-arigato," she blushed lightly. Still overcome by the fact that she beat him. And she was walking home with him. And she was holding hands with him. Wait, she is? She looked at her hand and it was indeed being held. Held by him. She blushed a bright red. 'Ryoma-kun is holding my hand, he's holding it..' her brain was about to order her to faint. "We're here," Ryoma said as they stood in front of her house. "S-sou ka.." she said. 'What should I do, what should I do? Should I let go first or should I let him let go first,' she panicked. The door opened and there stood Ryuzaki-sensei. "Ah Ryoma, I'm glad you brought home my granddaughter." she smiled. "Come now, Sakuno, it's getting dark." she stepped aside to let her in. "Hai, obaa-san. R-Ryoma-kun, it was nice p-playing with you. Ja ne," she bowed and went inside. She let go first, by the way. He didn't even get to say bye back.
'Playing with me? We're not kids anymore, but..' he thought. 'But she looked cute when she said that. And why wasn't Ryuzaki-sensei upset? Didn't she see that I was holding her hand?' He lifted his hand and looked at it. 'I.. want to hold it again...' he thought as he lied down on his bed. Remembering how warm her hand was and how it fit perfectly in his.
Coincidentally, Sakuno was also looking at her hand. Replaying all the moments in her head over and over again. 'Ryoma-kun..' she blushed. Just his name makes her blush. She was surprised that all these emotions returned to her. While away, she thought that she lost her feelings for Ryoma. That she now thought of him as a friend. It made her sort of sad. But now she's overwhelmed with even stronger feelings for him.
Momoshiro and Eiji were so proud of their work. "I'm so glad the plan worked out. I hope ochibi and Sakuno-chan will end up together, nya~!" Eiji said as they headed home. "Yeah." Momoshiro said as he put his hands behind his head. "Oh, look, Kikumaru-senpai, a shooting star." "Sugoii! I'm gonna' wish for them!" Eiji closed his eyes and intertwined his fingers. "What did you wish for?" "Secret." Eiji grinned. "Senpai, I wonder who had the most difficult part in this plan." Momoshiro wondered. "I did! It wasn't easy placing all those arrows with people walking here and there and sometimes bumping into me. So I did the hardest part," Eiji said. "No, I did. I had to sneak into Echizen's house to grab the ball AND his tennis racket!" "Technically that's trespassing," Eiji pointed out. "Well, n-no not exactly. His mom was there. I said I had to bring his tennis racket 'cause he forgot to bring it." "Sou ka. Well I think we can both agree that our plan worked perfectly." Eiji said. Momoshiro agreed with a nod.
The former Seigaku team decided to have a little welcome back party for Sakuno. A kind of tennis related party. Momoshiro and Eiji arrived at the tennis court. Which was where the party will be held. Later in the night. "Momoshiro, help me with this welcome back banner," Kawamura called.
"Ah, hai!" Momoshiro ran to help him. "Eiji, how did the plan go?" Fuji appeared behind Eiji, carrying a box of party stuff. "Fuji! W-what plan?" Eiji acted as innocent as he can. Fuji just smiled, "I know you had a plan for Echizen and Sakuno. Inui told me." Eiji sighed but brightened up, "It went perfectly! Sakuno-chan enjoyed the date! Even though she didn't know it was a date. Then they played a tennis match and Sakuno-chan kept up with ochibi and she actually won!" he throwed his hands in the air. Everyone looked at him. Then all of a sudden he's surrounded by curious friends. "Ryuzaki won?" Kawamura asked. "Ii, data.." Inui murmured. "How did the match go?" "Tell us, Eiji," Fuji said. "W-well.." Eiji scratched the back of his head. "We'll tell you guys later. But for now we have to decorate as fast as we can. They might be coming soon!" Momoshiro said. Even though the two won't be here 'til 7:00 or so. They all went back to their duties. Eiji sighed, glad that he got out of that situation.
"Okay, is everything ready?" Ryuzaki-sensei asked her former Seigaku team. "Hai!" Was the reply. "All right. I'll go and get Sakuno. Inui, Oishi, you go to Echizen's house." she said. "Hai," Oishi said.
The rest waited for Ryuzaki-sensei and the others to return. Eiji bounced a ball lightly. Fuji still wondered what happened at Echizen and Sakuno's match. What he would give to have been there. Tezuka wondered the same. But they all thought one thing, they wanted to have a match against Sakuno. They wanted to see how she beat him. "Echizen.. why are you carrying your racket?" Oishi sweatdropped. "What, you said that the party was going to be in a tennis court. It would be stupid if I didn't bring my racket." Ryoma said as he went down the stairs. Oishi sighed. "Come on, Inui," he followed Ryoma. "Alright," Inui replied.
"Come on Sakuno," Ryuzaki-sensei said as she opened the door. "Just a minute, obaa-san." Sakuno fixed her hair with a white ribbon. She smiled lightly. Then she grabbed her racket bag. "Sakuno, why are you bringing your racket?" her grandmother asked. Though she didn't mention that the party was at a tennis court. Sakuno shrugged. "I want to play tennis afterwards."
Ryuzaki-sensei smiled. "I'm glad you have tennis in your blood," she said proudly.
"Ah, they're coming!" Eiji announced as he saw them coming from two different ways. Ryoma was closer though. "Come on ochibi, you're gonna' be a present!" Eiji laughed as he pulled Ryoma to hide behind them. "What? A present?" Ryoma was confused. He just hoped that no ribbon will be on his head. "Ah, Echizen, you dropped your racket." Kawamura was just about to lean down to hold it when Fuji snatched it. "Not now, Kawamura," Fuji smiled. "Oh, right." he chuckled nervously. Inui played the music just as Sakuno came near.
Sakuno smiled as she saw the former Seigaku team and the rest of her friends.
"Welcome back, Sakuno!" they said. She smiled as she noticed the wonderful decorations. Her eyes sparkled. 'I'm glad I brought my racket.' she thought. "Sakuno!" Tomoko hugged her bestfriend. "Long time no see, Sakuno-chan!" Eiji glomped her. "Eiji," Oishi called. Signaling that they were about to reveal Echizen. "Ah, right!" Eiji stepped back. "Kikumaru-senpai?" Sakuno curiously asked.
"You're gonna' like this, Sakuno," Tomoko smiled as she stood beside Sakuno. The team stepped aside and revealed Ryoma with his racket on his shoulder. "Echizen let go of your racket for a minute!" Oishi took the racket.
"My racket," Echizen said as his racket disappeared. "Tsk tsk, Echizen be a gentleman for once." Momoshiro messed the prodigy's hair. "Ochibi can't help it," Eiji chuckled as he lightly glomped Echizen. Ryoma frowned at what they did. Sakuno giggled. It was just like before. When they were first years.
He tried to hide his smile as he heard the wonderful sound of her laugh. Inui looked at Sakuno to Ryoma and back again. He smirked, already knowing what data to add to his notebook. Pretty soon the party was in full blast. Everyone was having fun. Some of the former regulars even had a friendly match in the other court. Everyone cheered as they watched. Inui-Kaidoh VS. Oishi-Eiji. It was an exciting match. Both doubles teams did their best. As soon as they got out of the court, Inui played a slow song to tone down all the excitement. Then he sat down to rest. Everyone got to their partners and went in the centre to dance. Sakuno stood in the side, smiling as she watched. Ryoma sat nearby, wondering where his tennis racket is. Eiji chuckled as he twirled the girl he was dancing with. Then he noticed Echizen and Sakuno, the only two who were not dancing. Including Tezuka of course. "I'll be right back," he smiled kindly to the girl and excused himself from the dance floor. "Ochibi, why don't you dance with Sakuno-chan?" he grinned. "Hm?" Ryoma raised an eyebrow. "She looks like she's having fun watching. So why bother her," "Why are you so nuuummmb," Eiji complained. "Just go on and ask her to dance!" he nudged Ryoma out of his seat. "Fine," he turned around to go to Sakuno. "And call her Sakuno for once!" Eiji said and grinned happily. "Oh! Almost forgot,"
"Ryuzaki," Ryoma appeared behind her. "Ah, Ryoma-kun!" She smiled at him as she turned around. "Would you-" he didn't get to finish his sentence as Momoshiro and Eiji "abducted" him. Sakuno blinked. "Ryoma-kun?" "Oi! What are you doing?" He complained. "Gomen Echizen. But since this is going to be your first dance with Sakuno, we want it to be memorable," Momoshiro said.
"Memorable in a bad way?" Ryoma frowned. Momoshiro put him down. They weren't far but it looked like it. "Now wait here," Eiji said. Then him and Momoshiro took a basket of rose petals and surrounded the place with it. Then they headed out to Sakuno, still throwing petals. Ryoma sighed.
"Ryuzaki," Fuji appeared. "Ah, Fuji-senpai," Sakuno smiled at him. He smiled back. "You still call me senpai. Eiji said you had a match against Echizen. How did it go?" "It was wonderful! I can see why Ryoma-kun was always challenged to a match back then. And maybe even now. It was fun to play tennis against him. In a challenging way." she said. "Sou ka." Fuji nodded lightly. "It's fun to play against Echizen. How did you win against him?"
Eiji and Momoshiro arrived, their baskets out of sight. "Gomen Fuji-san, but we need Sakuno for a moment," Eiji grinned. Fuji looked in confusion. "I understand," he said.
"Sakuno-chan, we want to show you something, nya~" Eiji grinned. "Just follow the petals," Momoshiro said. "O-okay," Sakuno looked down at the pink petals. She followed it into a small forested area. Eiji kept an eye on her.
Sakuno arrived in a small clearing. Even though the lights from the party illuminate some parts, she still can't see all of it.
Eiji signaled Momoshiro to turn on the lights. Momoshiro plugged the light switch. The circle of trees around the clearing suddenly brightened up as the lights that were hung on them turned on. 'W-wow... it's so beautiful.' She thought. But then Ryoma caught her eye. "R-Ryoma-kun..?" "Ryuzaki," he simply said as he stood in the middle. Music from the party can still be heard, though faint. He held out his hand to her, "Shall we dance?" he smiled lightly. Sakuno placed her hand on her heart, 'Is this really happening?' she thought. She slowly reached her hand to his. Ryoma held her hand and pulled her close. Sliding his other hand around her waist as they slowly danced to the tune of the music. He kept his eyes on hers. Sakuno's heartbeat remained a fast beat as every second passed. looking into his golden eyes, she felt like she was floating. "Ryu- Sakuno," he finally said. "W-what is it, Ryoma-kun?" "I hope you haven't forgotten how to make those riceball-tennis balls." "Why?" "Because I think I'll be spending a lot of time with you." he smiled lightly. "I want to play tennis with you," She blushed. "H-hai," she smiled back. "I'll make them for you," "Good," he cupped her cheeks and kissed her softly.