"There has been revolving news lately about a white van who is on the loose in the cities where they spot a children, especially girls, and abduct them. Speculations say that those men eats their hostages' internal organs. But this is just an old story but somehow the said story circulated fast and now people are panicking if this is true. A neighbor told the police that he saw a scene like that one night when he was walking home. This story is actually an old myth a long time ago to scare kids especially when they always go out at night. But the said witness suddenly told the police that he saw a white van chase a girl last night. Are these kidnappers really cannibals? Police are now on the move on investigating and protecting the city from them. They warned not to leave your kids alone, day or night."
The sound of a toothpaste commercial started as the news show ended.
"That is terrible news! What kind of people would do that, I mean, that's disgusting!" Nanako shuddered in her seat beside Ryoma. She watched him mindlessly eating his japanese breakfast and not paying any attention to her.
"I could be next, for all we know!" she continued. An older man entered the kitchen, obviously eavesdropping on their conversation. Or rather, Nanako's one-woman conversation.
"It said 'children', Nanako. I'm pretty sure you're out of the young adult division." Nanjirou scoffed at his niece.
"Oh! That is so... rude!" the girl is obviously offended and blushed a tint of red on her cheeks.
The two bickered about everything including certain magazines Nanjirou is trying to hide from everyone in this house. Ryoma stood up and got ready to leave the scene as he didn't want to hear anymore nonsense this morning.
Naturally, he wouldn't believe such news and he is no doubt safe from it if it was true. First, he is skilled with hurting a dozen men with only a tennis ball and a racket. Second, according to the news, they're only after girls. Why is that, anyway? He immediately disregarded all his thoughts about them in his mind and stepped out of the house.
On the way to school, Ryoma had nothing more in his mind than tennis. He decided he would beat the hell out of Momoshiro in today's practice, grab a sweet, cold can of Ponta, then sleep all the way through classes. He was caught up in his thoughts that he didn't notice a hand about to grab his shoulder from behind.
"Ryoma-kun?" turns out, that hand belonged to his ever shy classmate/cheerleader, Ryuzaki Sakuno. Apparently, she walks this path going to school, too. She is as early as the tennis club's practice hour because she always watches the team practice, or to be specific, she watches Ryoma play, and inspires herself to do better on the sport.
Ryoma turned around and saw the girl smiled a bit then fiddled on her bag.
"Oh, it's you." He greeted.
"Ah, good morning! Shall we walk together? I-If you don't mind." Sakuno panicked as she couldn't decide how to talk to Ryoma, her ultimate crush, without stuttering and fidgeting in front of him. She's still not used to being friendly with the boy, after spending time together almost everyday for tennis lessons.
"Why not." Ryoma replied. Then they walked side by side going to school. Now even though Ryoma is the snobbish type, especially to girls, he grew comfortable being and talking with Sakuno. She had been supporting him ever since and they had become friends, much to the team's, and that loud mouth Tomoka's delight. He developed this comfortability of talking to the girl about other things beside tennis. Like, the annoying toothpaste commercial, the pen he once kept on the pocket of his pants and its ink messed with his pants all day. And it was red, he looked like a girl on her monthly period. Now that always made Sakuno giggle.
As they walk closer to the campus, many students have walked past them, some they know and threw them knowing smiles and greetings, some rode their bikes and many more.
"It's nice to know there are many students who walk together... I think it's safer this way." Sakuno, realizing that she said this confidently, quickly covered her mouth, and looked at Ryoma, hoping he doesn't care. She thought Ryoma might think that she always wants them to walk together. The boy just nodded in agreement, making Sakuno smile a bit. There are perks of him being a dense boy. You can say things to him but he won't really take it seriously or think about it much.
"So you heard the news, too." Ryoma said.
"Ah, yes, this morning. Knowing they are targeting girls is more threatening for me. I can't be at ease..." Sakuno confessed, looking down on her shoes.
"Mada mada dane."
"T-That's not an appropriate response, Ryoma-kun..."
"They're probably far from here. Besides, there's your annoy - your friend who can keep you company." Ryoma reassured Sakuno. She smiled, Ryoma smirked and pulled down the bill of his cap to hide his face.
"Come on." He continued to walk, getting ahead of Sakuno. The girl followed him closely until they reached the school grounds.
Practice was the usual. Flying balls here and there, the first years minus Ryoma remained on the sidelines ready to pick up balls, while the regulars demonstrate and further improve their signature moves. It went by smoothly, then it was time for classes. Everyone changed out of their practice clothes and into their school uniforms to attend their respective classes.
"Sakuno! I'm sorry, I can't go home with you. I need to take supplementary exams later. If I don't, there's not a future I will look forward to!" Tomoka, Sakuno's best friend and the president of Ryoma's fan club, approached her. Apparently, Tomoka failed her math class and needed extra classes to make it through the year.
Sakuno's face dropped. No, she wasn't mad at Tomoka. She was worried that her best friend would flunk her test and they couldn't graduate together. But it's always been like that. Sometimes, Sakuno would take extra classes for English, too.
"It's okay, Tomoka. I'll be fine. I mean, grandma can't leave the team early today but I can go right now." Sakuno said as she smiled. Tomoka thanked her then went on her way to class.
As for Sakuno, she didn't mean what she said a while ago. She's as scared as a lost kitten now that she has no choice but to go home alone considering there's a kidnapper on the loose! Her grandma suggested she stay and wait for their practice to finish but Sakuno has lots of work to do back home. There's cleaning, cooking, and homework. She had to decline.
So, Sakuno took a deep breath and went to find her grandma at the tennis courts to say goodbye. There she instantly spotted Sumire, the coach of the tennis team, gathering the regulars for a meeting before practice starts. It was now close to five in the afternoon and Sakuno really needed to go home to get started on her chores. She waited until the meeting is over then approached Sumire.
"Grandma, I'll go ahead now." she opened the court's door a little. Sumire turned around and walked toward Sakuno.
"Sakuno, I'm sorry, with the competition starting soon, I am very busy organizing the team and as the captain always says, 'don't let your guard down". Haha.." she chuckled. Sakuno giggled.
"It's okay, grandma. I'll be fine. I got my emergency whistle with me." she pulled out a red whistle and Sumire gave her a thumbs up sign. As Sakuno walked out of the courts, a certain young boy noticed her leave, but unfortunately what he didn't notice was a tennis ball about to hit him in the face. Boom.
"Echizen! Are you okay?!" Momoshiro ran towards the boy and he helped him stand up. Ryoma frowned at the second year. 'Sure, a thing like this would be very funny for those who doesn't experience much triumph in tennis', Ryoma thought while waiting for Momoshiro to stop laughing.
"Ryoma, focus! Where are you even looking? Momo, shut up!" Sumire shouted from the bleachers as she writes some things in a paper. The two boys continued their match but Ryoma couldn't help but worry about his classmate/friend/cheerleader, Sakuno, whom he had just recently been talking to comfortably.
As Sakuno took vigilant steps on a silent and deserted street, her heart pounded like crazy. She wore her whistle like a necklace and clutched it tightly by her hands. The sun is slowly setting and soon, she would be walking home in the dark. To entertain herself, she thought of singing one of her favorite songs on the radio.
Everybody's got a thing
But some don't know how to handle it
Always reachin' out in vain
Accepting the things not worth having but-
Sakuno stopped when she heard footsteps behind her. She slowly turned around to check who it was, but there was no one behind. She shrugged and continued to walk. By this time, the sun had completely disappeared and replaced by the bright moon. As she admired the moon, she smiled and continued to sing.
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, mama
'Cause I'll be standing on the side
When you check it-
Footsteps.
Now Sakuno was sure someone is following her. She didn't turn around, but at the corner of her eyes she grasped a silhouette of a man, a tall man, emerging from a street light pole. Now, Sakuno would definitely choose to blow her whistle if she hadn't thought that maybe this person was not following her, just taking the same path like her. That's how considerate she is. As she tries to get ahead of the stranger, the man also walked faster to catch up. Then Sakuno caught sight of a sharp shadow coming out of the person's side. Now she was sure that was a knife! She ran as fast as she could but the footsteps of his pursuer was much faster. Just as a hand grabbed her shoulder, Sakuno was forced to turn around and they both fall down the hard pavement. She had no chance of screaming at all.
To be continued.
AN: Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing - Stevie Wonder