If everything went right, this was the last time she would have to see any of them. For some reason, it didn't worry Sakuno as much as she thought it would when she talked to her family about it. Not anymore.
Sakuno Ryuuzaki had lost her parents at an early age, as well as her elder brother, Jin. And when she was told that she was the last survivor, she accepted it gracefully and only let her emotions out when she was away from the spotlight and alone with her family.
After a few years, she was finally left alone with the wills, and made arrangements with her family to live with her grandmother and attend a school known for its tennis stars--Seigaku.
"Sakuno-chan!" Tomoka greeted, waving at the tenis courts for the shy young girl.
It was their thing. Sakuno's two cousins--Eiji and Tezuka--were both Regulars on the Seigaku team, and so Tomoko easily dragged her to watch them practice everyday to watch them. And though Tomoko went to watch the first-year, a boy named Ryoma Echizen, Sakuno tried to seem interested in a sport that had taken her family away from her.
Her mother, Amaterasu Ryuuzaki, had been a professional athlete--the Olympian, she was dubbed. She wasn't just a professional tennis star, she was also a pro swimmer, gymnast, track-runner, volleyball player, soccer player...you name it, her mother could excel.
Well, at most everything. Things like basketball were indisputably her father's knack. Yuudai Ryuuzaki had made the national basketball team for Japan at a young age, and went on to play basketball for the Olympics. He too was a sensational athlete.
The two had met and it was instant. In a year they were married and in another two they had given birth to their first child, Sakuno's brother Jin. Then she was born only another three years later.
"Sakuno, what's up?" Kachiro Kato asked. "You don't look very well."
"I'm fine, Kachiro-kun," she replied, faking another smile. "But thank you for asking. How's your father doing?"
"Well enough. I think he's a little sad he can't watch some old clients, but he says it's okay as long as he can watch the old tapes of them," he replied.
He and Sakuno had known each other from childhood. Her parents had trained to play tennis with his father, and when Sakuno was three her brother had started to teach her as well. Whenever she wasn't practicing or playing, she and Kachiro would hang out and talk about random nonsense.
Even at a young age, Sakuno had been a prodigy like both her parents. Jin had been as well, but it was Sakuno everyone remembered. She was the won with the impeccable records, having come out of several years of different sports with perfect records. She had never lost a game in her life, in any sport she had played before.
By the age of three when she started to actually play tennis, she could perform a Kikumaru Bazooka, Zero-Shinki Drop Shot, and Nitoryu better than her family and even Nanjiroh Echizen could. She was supposed to start training with the Olympic teams at a shocking age of five, but that was never to be after the accident.
Even her grandparents were legends.
Tsubasa Shimada--her mother's mother--had been the epitome of a strong women, having been a model and quit to become a personal trainer and coach to Amaterasu when she was going to the Olympics. She had taught Sakuno the more graceful sports, and Sakuno now skate loops around Sarah Hughes or Michelle Kwan any day, as well as speed-skate Apolo Anton Ono in the ground.
Her grandfather on her mother's side was a brute of a man as much as Tsubasa was delicate and graceful. Samuru Shimada had taught Sakuno the proper way to play sports like football, American football, baseball, and even practiced with her as much as Jin about tennis.
He was, in fact, the reason her mother and father met. He and Sumire Ryuuzaki--the only living grandparent Sakuno had left--had been friends together during their time together in a tennis school like Seigaku. As they grew older, they became like a brother and sister, and Samuru even helped coach Nanjiro every so often.
And then there were her father's parents--Sumire and Kannon. Sumire was known mostly for coaching Nanjiro, but she was a great tennis star herself, as well as a fierce coach.
Kannon was a bull--he could tear up any competition he was given, physically or mentally. He was a genius with an IQ at 187, and had passed his brains on to Sakuno with an IQ at 179. he played the sports no one else in his family thought to play. He, as well as Sumire, had been her favorite grandparents. They and Jin had been her favorite family.
"Oi! Echizen! Good luck today!" Tomoka yelled as they ran their laps around.
Echizen looked and then looked away, thinking about what he saw on Sakuno's face in that instant. Was that another dazed look? She said she wanted him to help her with tennis--that meant no more spacing out!
Eiji just smiled and shook his head at Ochibi. "Sakuno!" he greeted dramatically, smiling as he blew her kisses and waved his arms, just to mortify her.
"Eiji, shut up and focus until you can play as well as you talk!" Sakuno shot back, smiling as he saluted her and went back on task.
"Oi! Sakuno, be nicer. Not everyone can play as well as you!" Momoshiro teased, sticking out his tongue as he defended his friend. "Maybe you should teach us."
The fact was, however, he wasn't joking. Jin and Momo had been like twins growing up, thus he and Sakuno knew each other like siblings. It was how he got interested in playing tennis--he watched Sakuno.
It was such a shame when he turned on the news and saw the story. When Sakuno was five, her mother was going to America for some Olympics, and Sakuno was to meet with several American men about Olympic training.
The entire family had gone, save for Sumire because she was having surgery. She had urged even her husband to go, saying he had to be the one to watch Sakuno and make sure she came back. There were rumors she would be left in America to train after she met with the men.
On the way over the Pacific, the plane started to crash, and just as Sakuno got up from her seat to get away from her mother, the plane went down into the water. It was her last thought--her mother died before Sakuno could apologize. It carried with her through all the time, and haunted her went she felt low already.
Without even thinking, Sakuno lay down flush with the floor and relaxed her muscles, closing her eyes and breathing as steadily as she could. When they hit down into the water she slid to the closest exit and opened it as the water level started to pour in. From there she swam sixty miles to LA, and was hospitalized for almost a month.
"Sakuno-san!" Oishi greeted, walking over after he finished his laps. He bowed, and laughed as she bowed back. "Momo and Eiji and I are wondering if you'd like to join us this weekend for a party."
That certainly brought Ryoma's attention. She was invited to hang out with them? She of all people, who everyone thought was his? So what if she wasn't--he had started to believe it as much as the next person.
"Can't," she replied. Did Eiji and Tezuka really not tell everyone? She liked that--oddly, she liked to finally have the privacy she was refused as a child with dead parents. Dead and famous parents. "I'm going away," she replied.
"Really?" Ryoma asked apathetically, getting a drink next to Oishi as he pretended not to be interested in Sakuno's life. "To where?"
"Well..." Sakuno didn't want to tell him--or anyone.
England. Anyone would know she was going to be gone more than a weekend. Maybe even more than a week. Eiji and Tezuka would definitely put two and two together.
She was going to come back in four years to start Olympic training. She was going to do everything her parents did. She needed to feel a bond with them somehow. And that would be what they did--schooling in England.
They were a bit older when they started to go to the Olympics, and Opens, and play for the professionals, but she was better. She was going to show the world she wasn't her parents, but she was still their kid. There was a balance in the middle.
"Anou...I'm going to be going to--"
"Saku-chan!" Eiji greeted, smiling as he fussed Ryoma's hair. "Is he trying to flirt again? Ochibi, ochibi. I can teach you how to flirt if you really want a date with Sakuno that badly."
Tomoka glared daggers at Eiji. Echizen was hers! "Sakuno, you didn't tell me you were going away. Visiting with your parents?" she asked. Though they were friends, Sakuno was strangely secretive about why she lived with her grandmother and not her parents. "They must be having a blast without you around to walk-in on them," she teased.
"Yeah. And Jin must be a saint by now," Sakuno replied, looking down as a shadow crossed her face.
Tezuka noticed from far away and turned to see Momo staring as well. "You're really going to let her just go?" Momo asked. "She says she wants to come back, but what if she doesn't? Are you ready to accept that?"
Kaidoh sighed as he went to get water, then spat it out when he heard Sakuno speaking about Jin Ryuuzaki. "Your brother's a saint? He was the devil in soccer. I took up tennis because of him. I couldn't compete in soccer. Then he took up tennis with that baka."
"No, Jin isn't. Nor am I visiting my parents this weekend," Sakuno replied. Her parents were buried in Tokyo. She had already seen them twice this year--more than her full. She didn't see her family in the grave. It was too haunting. "I won't be gone too long. Don't worry."
"So you'll be back for practice Sunday at seven, then?" Ryoma asked. She had to be. He had to see her this weekend. That was what kept him sane--seeing her everyday. "Or should I move it later?"
"Ryoma, I've been meaning to talk about that. You say I've been improving, right?"
"Hn."
"Good, because I want to stop learning."
Learning was such a loose term. Becoming comfortable playing again was more like it. Sakuno planned on playing tennis in England, win an Open or two, then come back a great tennis player.
Tennis.
The reason her family was killed. Her mother was playing tennis for the Olympics. She was going to talk to some men about tennis-training, and they were planning on leaving her in America to learn American tennis--she'd meet up with a family-friend, but Sakuno had still been mad about it. Her mother and she were fighting about it on the plane, when she let slip that Sakuno would be staying.
"Fine." Not fine. Definitely not fine. Sakuno was distancing herself from him again, and he hated it. He didn't understand why, but Ryoma was definitely not happy at the turn of events. "Whatever you want."
Because it was. She had the choice to keep learning or not. Ryoma couldn't stop her, even though he wanted to.
"Thanks. Okay, where'd Tezuka get off?" Sakuno replied, looking for her cousin.
"Everywhere," Oishi coughed out, teasingly.
"Saku-chan?" Eiji asked. "Are you all set for this weekend? I can drive you, if you want."
As much as he respected his couisn's decision, he didn't want her to leave. How else would he tease Ochibi? Say he liked Tomoka? The girl would take it for the absolute truth! And the absolute truth was Sakuno and Ryoma were meant for each other! Anyone could tell they were in love--even if they didn't notice it.
"Nah. I'm all set, Eiji-kun. But thank you. It means a lot to me."
"How are you getting there?"
"Raiden is going to drive me, and I'm meeting with Koji to go. An says her brother might let her come. I'd really like it if he did let her!"
"I bet," Momo answered, walking up to the group. "Good luck on a plane. I can't believe how much older you seem. It's scaring me a little."
Sakuno understood. Momo was like her brother, and Momo certainly treated her like a little sister. She wondered if Jin would've been the same way, and what he would say about her leaving.
"I can't believe I won't get to see you for awhile. That's going to be the hardest part to get used to. Not seeing my family."
Tezuka suddenly appeared behind her. "You're coming over tonight, right?" he asked.
Ryoma raised an eyebrow. She was sleeping with Buchou? Awkward. Everyone kept saying Buchou's girlfriend and Ryoma were dating. Thank god Buchou hadn't killed him. Why didn't he?
"I think so...no. Everyone's coming to Obaasan's house. And then you guys are all sleeping over Eiji's Friday," Sakuno replied.
She didn't have a house by herself, but she lived with Tezuka and Eiji and their grandmother. Her grandmother had legal custody, but that didn't mean when her family invited her she didn't sleep over.
"Fine. I'd rather you not go," Eiji answered in a huff.
"I know. But even Jii-chan wanted it. If the certified genius thinks it's a good move, I'm going to do what he always wanted."
Ryoma stopped pretending to be only half-interested. "Who's he?" Ryoma asked.
"The grand Kannon Ryuuzaki," Eiji explained. "My mom's dad, Sakuno's dad's dad, Te--"
"Why aren't we practicing?" Inui asked. "We've been focused on Saku-san's plans for this weekend for over half an hour now. The match starts in an hour, and we still have to get there."
The guys all looked around before picking up their stuff and getting on the bus that had been waiting for almost fifteen minutes now. As Sakuno tried to sneak off, Eiji whistled innocently and grabbed her into a bear-hug to bring her on with them.
"So, why am I here again?" Sakuno asked as he put her in the seat right across from Ryoma with him in the way back row.
"Because I'm not done talking to you," Eiji replied, crossing his arms over his chest and staring. "Why do you want to leave everyone behind so badly? Come on, we haven't been too big of asses. Couldn't you wait until college?"
"No. I won't have the time to do more than visit every so often if I wait until you're old enough for college. Going to school in England won't be an option."
"Good. England's not as good as Japan, anyways. We have better stuff--we've got sushi," he taunted. "Besides, you don't need to get on a plane to get to school here. I know you, Saku-chan. You're going to panic on the plane. Even if An is there with you."
"What?" Momo asked, turning around in the seat in front of Ryoma. "You're taking An with you? Not fair! My girlfriend stays firm-planted in Japan, right where I can visit her whenever I have time."
"You're going to England?" Ryoma asked.
Tezuka did a head-count as Sumire boarded, and the bus went off. Ryoma's head was buzzing. First this cousin thing, now Sakuno was leaving him? This was all wrong! Nothing was in the right order! She was supposed to be there for him and cheer him on all through his career.
"When are you leaving?" he asked.
God, Ryoma was the last person Sakuno wanted to find out about her leaving. She honestly did like the guy--a lot. It was hard enough to think about leaving, it was harder still to leave when Ryoma knew. Would he care? was he just being polite, or was that really a hint of sadness in his voice? Was it possible he liked her?
"This Saturday. I won't be back until my schooling is over. Seigaku is great, but my grandfather always wanted me to go to school in England--they have a great educational program. Seigaku's a bit under me," she answered.
"A bit? Saku-chan, you're going to college! That's a bit more than Seigaku is right now. Why can't you pick a college nearby? Or at least stay around us. It's going to be so hard around without you. You've gotten by at this level already."
Sakuno sighed. She wanted to stay, but her academics were important. She needed to prove that she was just as smart as she was talented. "I have another option, but you won't like it anymore than you do now."
"What?" Momo asked, excited. Maybe there was hope left for Sakuno staying. And then it'd be easy for Ryoma and Sakuno to get together.
"I got accepted to another college I didn't even apply for." She hesitated. "It's in America."
"Do whatever you want," Ryoma told her. "It's your life. If you don't like Seigaku and you want to go to college, it's your choice."
Suddenly Sakuno started to cry and Ryoma blinked. Was she supposed to cry? It was so knew to Ryoma--he didn't have a clue how to make a girl he cared about happy--or even stay. He wanted her to stay, so bad.
"I don't want to go. But my grades already outreach Seigaku. I was told I can do better in college, and tennis would be more challenging."
"Challenging?" Oishi echoed. "So this is all about tennis? I thought you stopped playing."
"I thought I taught her to play," Ryoma replied, sipping a Ponta.
"Started back up. I wanted to play again," Sakuno replied, blushing. "Ryoma-kun? I already knew how to play tennis. I just haven't played in almost a decade now."
"Where's Fuji?" Oishi asked, looking around and spotting him. "Oi! Fuji, you owe me five hundred yen! Sakuno-chan's playing tennis again! I told you it's already too thick in her blood! How about basketball?"
"This is ridiculous! You've been betting on me?" Sakuno asked.
"Yep. To see how long you could be an idiot. Come on, you expect everyone to just forget it when a prodigy quits?"
"I was in an accident. For all you guys knew I quit playing because I was harmed enough--like Tezuka and his Tennis Elbow! What if something had happened to me I wasn't comfortable about saying in the accident?"
"Thank you for telling everyone about my Tennis Elbow, by the way," Tezuka said, glaring.
"Doesn't matter. You'd still keep playing. Face it, you can't walk away from playing games. You're just like Jin that way. He'd be proud," Eiji replied, hugging her and kissing her head. "What if we have an unofficial game. If Ryoma beats you, you have to stay and either go to a local college or Seigaku. If you win, you can go on another plane thousands of miles away."
She had to. There was no other way. "Deal."
Ryoma couldn't believe the girl's talent. It was like she had been playing for years and years. But she was a bit off. She could predict everything he did, but she was unsure of her own moves. And that's why with one final hit he won.
Sakuno bit her lip and nodded. So her heart hadn't been into leaving, Tezuka noticed. She hadn't used both hands, or any of the little tricks she had. She just wanted to be begged enough and shown she wasn't imposing.
Thank god that was all it was.
"Oi, Ryuuzaki?" Ryoma asked, swinging his racket to rest on his shoulder. "Why do they think tennis was in your blood? Does your family play?"
"They did. Some still do."
"What happened to the others?"
"They died in a plane crash."
Suddenly everything flashed before Ryoma. Living in America, being told he'd have a play-mate, hearing about the plane crash and his play-mate was going back to Japan, going to Japan for the funeral...
"So you were going to live with my family," he breathed. "I went to the funeral. My dad's always been good friends with your family. I'm sorry they died. They went too young."
Sakuno shrugged. "Only the good die young," she replied. "That's why I'm still alive."
"Good thing you are," he muttered, too low for Sakuno to hear. "What do you mean only the good die young? If they were so good, they could've survived. The good? You're the best there is. My dad never stopped praising you."
"At tennis? He's only seen me play a few times."
"Didn't matter. You were like a vice. God, I hated you."
That froze Sakuno. He hated her. She loved him, and he hated her.
Eiji was confused when he saw Sakuno streak off, and even more confused as Ryoma just stood there blinking. Neither one understood for a moment, and then it dawned on them at once.
"Eiji-senpai? Can you help me?" Ryoma asked.
As Sakuno and An Tachibana got ready to go skateboarding, Sakuno thought about the night before. "An? Did I tell you I'm not leaving yet?" she asked.
An dropped her skateboard and almost broke it. "Fuck!" she yelled, picking it up. "No, you haven't. You're not? This is awesome! You can train with me for the X-Games! We can go together this year!"
"We were going to anyways," Sakuno laughed. It was another thing with her mother and father--her mother had been a skateboader for the X-Games, and her dad was a surfer and Moto-X racer. "But I'm not going to college. Well, I'll be going to college nearby. I was accepted by Toudai with welcome arms."
"Thank god! Who else would we tease about Ryoma-kun liking? Tomoka? That other freakin' girl would think we're serious--you know Ryoma likes you, right?"
"No, he doesn't."
As the girls went on talking, Ryoma walked up the Ryuuzaki Residence's stairs and took a deep breath, only to get a push ahead by Tezuka. Eiji and Tezuka had both decided they wanted to film the thing for posterity, and be near to tease them and give Ryoma a backbone.
Surprisingly, Tezuka was the one wanting to film it. But whatever rocked his boat.
As Tezuka opened the door, he smiled at the two and bowed, fishing his camera out of the living room where he left it. "Saku-chan.I need your help with a video project. Do an interview."
"Fuck. Another one?" There had already been several that year, people wanting to talk to the celebrity, wanting to reminisce her parents, treat her like a hero for living. And then there was one about sports in general. She wasn't in the mood, but how could she refuse. "Fine. What?"
"Do you like Echizen?"
"Yes," she answered, warily as Eiji and Ryoma snuck in the house. "Why do you ask?"
"Do you like like Echizen?"
"Yeah."
"Do you love Echizen?"
"Do you love you fuckin' head?" she replied, glaring as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Yes. I love him. Why is this in a school project?"
"Who said anything about school?" he shot back. "I just said it was a video project."
Suddenly she screamed when someone tapped on her shoulder and turned with a punch. After it made full contact and the boy was blasted a few feet back did Sakuno realized it was Ryoma. "What do you want?" she asked, stiffly.
"You. Or more like a date with you," he answered seriously. "Though right now I think I need some aspirin. Fuck! That's fuckin' painful!"
"Just because these two are bullies doesn't mean you have to ask me," she told him, slapping the older two boys.
"I'm not. I generally want you to be my girlfriend."
"But you hate me," she pointed out.
"I hated you," he clarified. "Everything was always Ryuuzaki does that better, you do worse than a girl, you should be at the same level of the Ryuuzaki girl at least. I hated having that competition. I like you though."
Sakuno's jaw dropped and Ryoma took the chance to kiss her. When he pulled away, he smiled and Sakuno felt butterflies. "You're totally serious."
"Of course. I love you."
She smiled and kissed him back, making Eiji gush and start making faces while An faked gagging. Ryoma flipped them off and started to deepen the kiss, and Sakuno moaned into it. When they started to grope each other, Eiji just looked the other way and An blushed beet-red.
Tezuka smiled and kept filmimg. The team was going to love this video.