"Oi Ryoma!" Momoshiro yelled as he entered the locker room to boys tennis changing room. Momoshiro and Ryoma were now in their last year in high school, Momoshiro was held back in school due to a tennis injury.

"What is it, Momo?" Ryoma asked putting on his tennis jersey. Ryoma and Momo usually got to their tennis club earlier than everyone else, so they can warm up quicker.

"Looks like Tomoka-chan got into another fight with an underclassmen; Kintaro , I think was trying to help and ended up getting involved."

"That's not really surprising. So what are you so excited about?" Ryoma asked putting his hat on.

"Looks like Sakuno-chan got involved again…she's the prize again."

"What? How does she always get involved in their trouble." Ryoma said rolling his eyes. When he entered high school Ryuzaki-sensei asked him to help her when she needed help since she couldn't be there…so he always found himself rescuing her from all types of situations. He didn't really mind helping her out, even the rumors didn't bother him…but they bothered her, every time someone said they were dating she would avoid him. "So what's the stakes this time?"

"Well it's basketball, and if someone can beat Kintaro in a 3 point game, he can date Sakuno-chan for at least a month. Kintaro reassured her that he wouldn't lose but now some of the basketball players heard about the bets are getting in line…you realize she popular with a lot of those guys right?"

"Actually I didn't know that, but doesn't Kintaro play basketball?"

"Yeah a little, but the one I'm worried about is Natsume. He's the one that confessed to her in front our the science class, about two months ago. He's beaten Kintaro many times in basketball."

"Why don't you just play Momo?"

"Ann would kill me if I played and lost…she can't stand Natsume. I'd rather not risk it." Momo replied.

"I don't play basketball, so I probably wouldn't win either."

"Yeah but it wouldn't be weird for you just go take Sakuno-chan and leave. They don't like messing with you."

Ryoma let out a sigh, that actually sounded like him. He handed his racket bag over to Momo and headed towards the basketball courts. When he got there he found Kintaro playing one on one with one guy, but he saw a few other guys on the side…Natsume was there too. He could tell that Natsume was warming up, he usually did it that way before a game. He looked over towards the doors where the changing rooms were at, there was Sakuno and her loud friend.

"Ha, my win!" Kintaro yelled. Ryoma began to make his over to him. He catch the basketball just as Kintaro was passing it to the next guy in line to play him. "Koshimae!"

"Echizen!" Ryoma heard his name around the court.

"Koshimae, you came to help me out?" Kintaro asked confused.

"No, but this bet is over." He threw the basketball aside then headed toward Sakuno.

"Ryoma-kun." She was embarrassed. He went over and grabbed her wrist, he pulled her along behind him.

"Wait Echizen, you can't just take her with you, this bet isn't over!" Natsume said clearly irritated. "If you want to take her out of this gym, you should play me."

"It is over." Echizen said again. "And I don't have to play you." He slightly tightened his hold on her wrist.

"She's not your girlfriend; you have no right to interfere." Natsume yelled back.

"She's not your girlfriend either; you have no right to make her stay." Ryoma replied. He felt her hand grip his hand and she moved a bit closer to him. "And I do have a right to interfere."

"Like hell you do." Natsume said, he threw the basketball at Ryoma. Due to his anger he misjudged his throw and it headed right for Sakuno. Ryoma stepped in and let the ball hit him in the arm, the ball left a large red mark on his arm.

"Ryoma-kun are you alright?" She asked concerned, she put a hand on the red mark. "I'm sorry."

"You should know better than anyone why I have the right to interfere." Ryoma said, not missing a beat. "It's the whole reason she turned you down."

"How do you know about that?" Natsume yelled. "She answered me with no one around." He lied, forgetting Ryoma was in that class.

"Because she'd never date someone when she's still in love with me." He said confidently. The whole gym became quiet. He looked down at Sakuno's face, it was redder then he thought it would be. "Right Ryuzaki?"

She couldn't answer verbally so she just shyly nodded her head, she looked away from him.

Kintaro just started laughing, and ran over toward Sakuno and Ryoma.

"Sorry Natsume-kun, I can't continue to play, I have tennis practice." Kintaro said then headed out the door.

"Ryoma-sama, you knew about Sakuno's feelings?" Tomoka asked

"Of course." He said simply. "Also stop getting her involved in trouble like this." Ryoma said then turned to follow Kintaro, pulling Sakuno with him.

"Ryoma-kun, how long have you known?" Sakuno asked shyly.

"Momoshiro gave me a clue our last year in middle school, but I figured it out during our first year here." He replied. Sakuno didn't reply, he gave her a glance, then stopped. "What's wrong?"

"You knew all this time, I surprised that you still…" She stopped.

"Ryuzaki, you really haven't thought about it have you?" he asked.

"What do mean?"

"Who do I walk home with most of the time? Who do I always give my jersey jacket to before a competition? Who's the only one I take valentine's chocolate from? Who is the only one I tutor for English? And who is the only one I don't seem too bothered by when people begin rumor about dating me? Has it really never crossed your mind?" Ryoma asked. She was shocked, and her blush got 3 times darker. She hadn't noticed but his had slipped his hand from her wrist to her hand. "So why don't you think it has bothered me that you like me?"

"Ryoma-kun…I…"

"Ryuzaki, you may not have been my girlfriend, but you weren't someone else's either…I made sure of that." He said then began walking again; she followed with her hand still in his.

"Ryoma-kun?" she stopped and pulled slight on his hand to stop him, he turned to her. She felt a bit of confidence build up in her. "I love you Ryoma-kun."

"I know." Ryoma stared at her for a moment; he liked this confidence boost she had. He pulled her closer, and leaned down to capture her lips. After they walked to the tennis courts, he went to the changing room and grabbed his jersey. He gave it to her when he walked out.

"Koshimae, play a game with me!" Kintaro yelled when he saw him.

"Yeah." He answered. He turned to Sakuno. "I'll be back."

"Yosh!" Kintaro yelled as Ryoma entered the court.

"Oi Kintaro, why did you agree to help with the bet?" Ryoma asked. Kintaro looked at him dumbfounded.

"Because you weren't there." Kintaro said simply.

"What?"

"Because you weren't there. Tomo-chan wanted Hario-kun to play for Sakuno-chan."

"So you stepped in so he wouldn't lose?" Ryoma asked, he knew Hario never played basketball, so it could have turned out worse.

"Of course. I thought you'd come sometime, but I really thought you'd play them in my place." Kintaro grinned. He had Ryoma figured out. Ryoma let out a sigh.

"Thanks." Ryoma said quickly and quietly then headed to his end of the court, he could play Kintaro in a normal game. Kintaro had good ears so he heard his reply.

"Just don't come so late next time." Kintaro said just as quietly…he knew Ryoma could hear him.

Ryoma had heard him and let a smirk grow on his face, he glance over at Sakuno…there won't be a next time…she was always going to be his and now she knew it too.