December 27, 2007
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis in any way, shape, or form, save for the manga I have purchased.
Title: Mada Mada Dane
Author: PurificationArrow
Rated: Teen
Genre: Romance
Summary: (AU) Ryuzaki Sakuno is a young vet who lives her small-time life one step at a time. When she begins treating a Himalayan cat, belonging to Echizen Ryoma, a rising singing sensation, her calm life grinds to a halt. Who knew that a single cat can make such a difference?
Notes: Just a bit of info on some things that might show up later on in the story. Thanks.
Italics – Thoughts and emphasis on words
Bold - chapters
Bold and Underline - author's note
Chapter 1: All Because of Karupin
Ba-dump
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A young woman scribbled some words and numbers into a column on the sheet next to her.
"Her heart rate is steady and strong. Fortunately, no infections have set in since the break. Continue to leave the cast on for at least another week, and then switch to bandages. Try and make sure that she doesn't try and jump up onto anything, otherwise she could re-injure her leg." Sakuno smiled at the small tabby cat on the table in front of her. Her smile then transferred to the teenage girl on the other side of the table. "You've been taking good care of her. Keep it up." Sakuno said.
"Yes! Thank you, Ryuzaki-sensei!" The girl said, and bowed.
Sakuno smiled at her, and then lifted the cat into her owner's arms.
The girl bowed once more, and thanked her again before running out the door, and meeting her mother on the sidewalk.
Sakuno gave a sigh, and picked up the files on the examination desk. She gave it a look over twice to make sure that the information was accurate. When she was satisfied, the girl tucked it away in a folder which she inserted in a drawer in her desk.
Her patient, a tabby colored Japanese Bobtail by the name of Hanabi, had been hit by a car by the side of the road.
Luckily for the cat, the car hadn't been speeding, and therefore she wasn't hit hard enough to kill her. Hanabi's leg was still broken however, and she had been put into a cast for a couple months. If that cat had a tail, Sakuno would have likely been forced to amputate it.
"Ryuzaki-senpai, do you need a cup of coffee?" Her assistant asked.
"Tea please, Kim-san." Sakuno called back.
"Yes ma'am."
Sakuno gave her watch a quick look-see. It was around 4:36 PM. She had began work at around 9:30. She got off work at 5:30 PM. Just another hour to go. Sakuno thought. "Thank you, Kim-san." She said to the young lady who had just brought her tea.
The girl smiled at her.
Her veterinary assistant was named Kim Chun-Hyang. She was 19 years old, and went to a prestigious college in the area. The girl was South Korean, but had learned Japanese to come to Japan and take up veterinary work.
She and Sakuno were good friends.
When Sakuno had met Chun-Hyang, she had been about 12 years old, and Sakuno 14 years old. Her parents had been against her coming to Japan, but she had done so anyways. At the time, Chun-Hyang had come to Japan to live with her elder cousins in Chiba, Japan, with no regards as to what her future could be.
Chun-Hyang had been attending Seishun Gakuen, as had Sakuno. Sakuno had been assigned as Chun-Hyang's temporary translator and guide around the school. So naturally, they became eventual friends. But not without a few troubles. Chun-Hyang, despite her lack of understand Japanese at the time, could easily tell when people were making fun of her, or when she wasn't accepted. This had not sat well with the Korean girl. To make things short, she had been a violent little youth. Frequently beating up males her age and older, and scaring the living daylights out of the females.
Nearing the end of the school year when Sakuno would be preparing to leave junior high and enter high school, Sakuno had made the personal effort to try and ease Sakuno's violent tendencies.
She had urged Sakuno to join the tennis team at school, and that it would be an interesting experience. Chun-Hyang had done so, and it was there that she had met a boy by the name of Fuji Shusuke. At first, Chun-Hyang's violent tendencies had erupted yet again.
Surprisingly, after a while, Chun-Hyang had managed to settle slightly. Despite the occasional fights picked with other people, Chun-Hyang had gotten to know Fuji better. He'd helped her improve her Japanese speaking skills, and he defended her verbally whenever someone had decided to pick on her by using words and language Chun-Hyang wasn't familiar with. Later on, on the day of graduation, Chun-Hyang had been crying.
It was to be expected, of course. Her best friend was leaving, and the chances of them seeing each other on a frequent basis were diminished greatly.
Yet, to both hers and Chun-Hyang's surprise, it had been Fuji Shusuke to the rescue. He had comforted Chun-Hyang in his own warped way.
He began with teasing her, which led to Chun-Hyang deftly punching him squarely in the chest while still sobbing, which led to Fuji embracing Chun-Hyang. To be honest, Sakuno had seen this outcome for a while. Their affection was quite blatant, once you got past the verbal fights (mostly on Chun-Hyang's part), punching and kicking (on Chun-Hyang's part), and the bizarre faces (also on Chun-Hyang's part). Also following this, the two had begun dating. Another surprising, but accounted for outcome. And yes, Sakuno had indeed thought about this a lot.
Finally, by the time Chun-Hyang had entered high school, Sakuno was ready to leave again. Also at this time, it was then when Sakuno had discussed future business ideas with her grandmother's co-worker, Tezuka Kunimitsu.
It was he who had helped Sakuno decide her future with animals and veterinary care. At first, Sakuno had been deathly afraid of the stoic man. However, in time, she had found that he was a nice person, though not very social, he still had his kind moments nonetheless. Sakuno began taking classes regarding Biology and medical research in animal healthcare and welfare. Chun-Hyang later on followed in her friend's footsteps in pursuing animals.
And there is the mini-story of how Chun-Hyang and Sakuno had met, and how each had found their current occupations.
"Ryuzaki-senpai? Are you alright?" Chun-Hyang asked.
Sakuno opened her eyes. "Yes, I'm sorry Kim-san." She apologized.
Chun-Hyang smiled, "It's alright. But you have one last call regarding an appointment." She said.
Sakuno frowned, "Was there a problem?" She asked. Chun-Hyang, being her assistant, was usually supposed to take care of Sakuno's appointments, and then tell her about them later on. Chun-Hyang frowned. "Yes senpai. The man on the phone wishes to speak directly to you. He refuses to make an appointment otherwise."
The side of Sakuno's mouth twitched. Irritation. There were just some men in the world with their high-and-mighty male pride that did these things.
Sakuno took the phone from her assistant. "Hello?"
"Is this Ryuzaki Sakuno?" A male voice asked monotonously.
"Yes, it is." Sakuno replied.
"Good. I would like to schedule an appointment for my animal tomorrow."
A defiant meow somewhere on the other line interrupted the man. "I'm sorry, an appointment for my cat, Ryuzaki-sensei."
Another meow.
"Alright! I would like to schedule an appointment for Karupin, my cat, tomorrow please." The voice said in exasperation.
Sakuno couldn't keep an amused chuckle, despite herself. "Alright," she said in between small chuckles. "Why couldn't this matter have been discussed with my assistant?" Sakuno asked.
The man cleared his throat, "I have a small problem with coming to the hospital. Therefore, I would like to schedule a private appointment in the evening at my home."
Shrugging to herself, Sakuno knew that there were issues like this. "Very well. I will need the location of your house, a time after 6 PM, and your name please." Sakuno said, readying her pen above a sheet of lined paper.
The man told her the location of her home. Chun-Hyang was surprised. His home was actually not too far from hers. This was coupled with the fact that the only other person within walking distance of her home was the house must have belonged to some elderly citizen who preferred large, old Japanese style homes, much like herself. Although, with Sakuno's slight issue with obliviousness, it would have been quite easy for her to miss a new house or foundation built up.
The man requested a time which Sakuno wrote down. She sighed to herself. She would have to skip dinner then.
Lastly, the man's name.
"I'm afraid on time, Ryuzaki-sensei, so I must leave immediately after my name," the man explained. "Eh... also, please keep this information confidential, if you will. My name is ..."
After he had told her his name, the line clicked dead.
This left Sakuno staring at the receive in shock. She blinked again and again, yet she was still thoroughly startled.
Chun-Hyang waved a hand in front of Sakuno's face, "Um... Ryuzaki-senpai?" She asked her.
Sakuno jumped, awakened from her revere, and smiled nervously, "It's nothing, Kim-san. Well, I'm going to leave now. I need to rest up before work tomorrow. Well then, goodbye!" She had jumped up, grabbed her coat and bag, and had promptly left.
As Sakuno left the veterinary clinic, she grasped the piece of paper with the information for her appointment to her chest.
When the young vet had reached her home, she laid the paper on her table and stared at it. The girl went to her cabinet underneath the radio, and pulled a CD out. There was a handsome man on the front with a cap on, and a smirk on his face.
"Echizen Ryoma..." she breathed as she stared at the paper to the CD, and back. "Echizen Ryoma."
Echizen Ryoma, a new hit in the Japanese singing industry. He had appeared from seemingly out of nowhere, and was now listed at the top of the music charts. He had incredible talent for someone his age, and some of his songs had even reached America.
Sakuno collapsed in her chair. Why had this happened to her? She asked herself. No wonder he had wanted to talk to her separately and without anyone knowing. Sakuno could only begin to image the kinds of things tabloids would say about him if she were to treat one of his pets, which, by the way, Sakuno hadn't even known existed. She groaned, and blinked her now exhausted eyes.
Why? She asked herself. Why?
(A/N:) This is something new I decided to start. I just can't help lumping Sakuno and Ryoma together. And this story, being an AU (Alternate Universe) story also means that there are alterations to their histories, ages, and mild twists to their personalities. Let me clarify this.
Kim Chun-Hyang is a character of mine that I have created. I also have another Prince of Tennis story out, Ryuusei no Musune. This is a story in which Chun-Hyang stars. However, there are differences between that story and this. In that story, Chun-Hyang and Fuji are not dating, nor do they hold any outward affection for each other. The part about verbal fights (or rather arguements) and violent tendencies on Chun-Hyang's part are true. Also, I couldn't resist putting my character with Fuji. It is a temptation that all authors, at one point or another, and tempted with. This isn't going to be a huge factor, so just bare with it if you don't like it, please.
And more clarifications. Sorry! In this, Sakuno is in 9th grade in the little history bit I put in. Tezuka is in 11th grade. I was tempted to make him older, but resisted since I've already given in to my temptations one too many times, and I needed to make the age thing and his features a little less strange, although it is highly amusing at times. Fuji and Chun-Hyang were in 7th in the little history bit as well. I'll stick some of the other characters in there later on... maybe. It depends on who you people would like to be in here.
Just say so, and I'll choose the top two or three. Also, just a little bit more, please bare with me still. Sakuno's timidity is a tad irritating to me in the manga and anime. Thus, I made her slightly more confident and outgoing in here. Also, she is 21! If she is a stuttering fool at this age still, then I'd be quite frustrated. The future chapters will also be longer. I wanted to slightly shorten this one just because it was the first chapter.
And I believe that is all. Please review, and also say who you would like to be in the future chapters. Thank you!
-PurificationArrow