Come Back To Me
disclaimer- I do not own prince of tennis or any of its characters.
Part 1
A few years before the world war two.
Ryoma age- eight years old
Sakuno age- seven year old.
"Stop pulling my hair" shouted the girl with auburn hair to the boys who were bullying her.
Ryoma stood there and looked at them but he didn't react, he observed the girl.
Girls were troublesome according to him. He never liked playing with them because they either wanted him to play with their dolls which usually involved dressing them up or they wanted him to play a game where they would pretend to be husband and wife. A cold shiver ran through Ryoma's spine as he thought about it. And girls always cried. He can't deal with girls crying.
He looked at her again and this time the boys were tossing the book she had among themselves. She was short. And she was really trying her best to take it back from them. She jumped and whimpered and her face puffed up a little showing her anger.
Her hair was too long, no wonder these boys troubled her. But she didn't give up. Most girls would have given up and ran home to their mothers and complaining about the boys to their fathers but she didn't. Tears had welled up in her eyes but she didn't run away like a coward. She didn't give up.
She was unusual for him.
Ryoma was looking at her fascination until one of the boys pushed her down. She had scraped her knees and she started crying but she got up, patted the dust away in her dress and she said with a weak voice
"Give my book please?" she had actually pleaded to them and the boys laughed back at her.
"Or what?" one of the boys asked and this time Ryoma answered them
"Then I will beat you up!" and the boys looked at him, anger evident in their eyes.
"How dare you brat?" one of the boys shouted and they ran at him, leaving the book behind.
"Oye!" Ryoma shouted looking at the girl who was blinking, she was shocked.
"Take the book and run!" he said and he started running, the boys chasing him.
The girl didn't hesitate after that. She took the book and ran away without looking back
"Wait!"
Someone said and he looked behind to see who it was. It was that girl who was bullied by the baker boys. Her hair was still long and she had them in pigtails. She was blushing but Ryoma thought maybe it was the cold, it was after all winter and the snow was also falling. She couldn't look him in the eyes and she kept looking down at her feet.
Ryoma waited for her to say more but she didn't so he started walking away.
"Wait!" she shouted again and Ryoma stopped but he didn't face her.
"I wanted to say thank you…" he heard her say and Ryoma just nodded his head and started walking away.
"Do you want to play with me?" she asked, more like shouted. Ryoma contemplated her proposal. She was a girl, he doesn't play with girls. He was a boy, he should be playing with other boys and not girls. What will the other boys say? But it was not like they were his friends! He actually didn't have any friends. People didn't like him much.
"My name is Sakuno, what is yours?" she was standing in front of him now and Ryoma's eyes widened as he didn't he notice her until now. Her eyes were brown and warm. Her smile also felt warm. He blushed a little bit looking at her and he hid it but burying his cheeks in his scarf.
She waited for him reply but he was blinking at her without saying a word. Sakuno, disappointed turned around and started walking away. She had thought that finally she would have a friend to play with but the boy didn't reply to her and maybe he didn't like her.
"Ryoma" she heard him say and he looked back at him smiling again.
"I will race you to the book store on the other end of the street!" she said and she started running.
Ryoma smirked and started running trying to catch up with her.
"Mada Mada Dane Sakuno" he said.
"There is going to be a war, so my parents are moving to my grandmother's house who lives in this small town in the hills…" she said with sadness.
Ryoma looked at her and didn't know what to say.
"My father is going to go and fight and fight…" he said looking at his feet.
They were in the park sitting on a bench. There were army men and military tanks all around the city.
"My father too…" she said and she layed her head on his shoulder.
Sakuno and Ryoma were best of friends and Sakuno always liked to sleep on Ryoma's shoulders.
"I don't understand the war, I don't know why we can't live in the city anymore…." Sakuno said.
"My father told me that they will kill everyone on the way…" Ryoma replied.
"What if we hide… anyways we are good hiders aren't we Ryoma?"
"It's not that easy Sakuno…"
"But…I don't want to leave!" she shouted and she started crying "you are my only friend…" she whispered.
Ryoma didn't say a word and they just sat there in the bench watching the sun set.
"Here take this…" Sakuno said as she gave him one of her hair pins. It was made of thin metal with silver coating and it had a pink gem on it.
"What will I do with this?" Ryoma asked her.
"It is something you will remember me by" and before Ryoma could say anything she ran off because Sakuno hated goodbyes.
"Mother can I have grandmother's old white pendant?" Ryoma asked.
"Why do you want it Ryoma?" his mother asked him curiously.
He heard his father laughing at him
"Ryoma… you do know I gave that pendant to your mother because I fell in love with her and your grandfather gave it to his grandmother when he fell in love with her, now it's yours…. Make sure it's given to the right girl" he said and he went out laughing.
Ryoma looked at the old antique pendant, which had a white stone. The metal was old and the paint was wearing off but the white stone still stood out in his own way, even though it was small and not too fancy.
Ryoma just stared at it and also at the pin that Sakuno gave him which was in his other hand.
"Mamma… do we really have to go?" Sakuno asked her mother with tears in her eyes.
"I am sorry honey… it's for the best… now come… we have a train to catch…." And Sakuno nodded at her mother.
She looked back at the empty street where she and Ryoma used to play once upon a time. It's been a week since she has seen him, that say in the park she gave him her favourite clip and she ran without saying good bye.
Maybe he was angry at her.
Maybe he didn't like her anymore.
Maybe he didn't actually consider her as a friend like she did.
Maybe he had to leave too.
Maybe
Maybe he just…
He just didn't want to see her anymore.
Sakuno felt like crying. He was her first friend for this past eleven months and that's why she was so upset about leaving. She didn't want to lose her only friend.
"Sakuno…we must go … come on honey" her mother shouted and Sakuno looked at the empty street one more time hoping he would show up but she couldn't see any boy with cat shaped eyes.
She sighed and went along with her mother and was almost going to sit inside the taxi when she heard his voice
"Wait up!" he shouted and she looked behind to see him running as fast as possible through the empty street.
Sakuno ran to him and met him half way.
They both were out of breath,
"here." He said by taking her hand and placing his grandmother's pendant in her hand.
"Something you will remember me by…" he said again.
Sakuno looked at it and was shocked.
Ryoma wasn't a very emotional guy and he can rude, mean and arrogant.
He giving her a gift was a shock to her. She clutched the pendant tightly and she hugged him.
Ryoma didn't hug her back and just stood there.
"Sakuno!" her mother shouted
"I must go…" she said and she ran toward the taxi.
Part 2
Ryoma age- nineteen
Sakuno- eighteen
During the world war two.
"I think lads, we can get at least two weeks off!" shouted Eiji.
"Finally! Fighting in this war… I would die for some good food and some good company…" Momoshiro said.
"And some girls…." Fuji followed
"Say… Ryoma… nobody has even seen you with a girl! Don't you like girls Ryoma?" Momoshiro asked him teasingly. Ryoma just looked at them and didn't say a word.
"Mind your own business Momoshiro!" said Kaido
"What did you just say to me you ugly toad?" Momoshiro shouted at him and they both started fighting.
"Stop it you two… now once we reach the town… I want you all to hit the hospital immediately and head doctor Oishi has to clear you all that you are safe and healthy, then you must go to the war analyst Mr Inui if you have any vital information about the enemy? Is that understood?" Sargent Tezuka leader of their team shouted.
"Yes sir!" they shouted back.
"Ryoma… the boys and I are going to hit the dance club after the medical exam and you are coming with us…. No escaping out of this one…" Fuji said with a sadistic smile.
"But… I don't want to go Tomoka! I would rather like to sit here and read a book" said Sakuno.
"But! The soldiers are coming and I know for sure they would love the company of beautiful woman and would like to dance with us all night long! Ahhhh Sakuno… can't you see? This the best opportunity for us to get some men! We might even get one forever!" she shouted.
"But I am not interested…." Sakuno said
"oh darling… don't start that again with me… you are putting on a nice dress and also your dancing heels and we are going to that dance club" Tomoka said as she snatched the book that Sakuno was reading.
Every man in the room was either dancing, smoking or having a glass of wine with a woman except Ryoma. There were more number of woman then the men in the room, so the woman were practically fighting for the soldier's company.
"Hey young man… care for a dance?" a woman who might be much older to Ryoma asked him and he just gave her glare and ignored her.
"Ah, you will never get a girl with that attitude…" she said Ryoma scoffed.
Who needed girls anyways?
Women here were drunk, clingy and were looking either for a rich man or a soldier who was in a higher position so that they can seduce them into marrying them or they were looking for men to have a casual summer fling.
Ryoma thanked the gods that he was only going to be here for two weeks in this god forsaken town.
He went outside the club to light a cigarette and to be in peace.
He decided to go into an alley that had a small fountain in between and two benches in the corners.
Who has a fountain in an alley anyways?
This town was weird.
He lit his cigarette and let the smoke put him in a daze along with silence the alley offered.
All he could hear was the water from the fountain.
He stared at the water and then he notice a woman sitting in the opposite side.
He let a small frustrated grunt. Great… he has to get out of this place too where he found peace.
He looked at the girl and noticed that she was reading a book.
She didn't even notice him.
That was weird.
Ryoma was handsome... yeah he can say that.
All this time while growing up he had woman following him around like crazy.
He got rid of them when he became a soldier in the war but that wasn't a relief because it was replaced by men trying to shoot him down every day.
So how come she didn't know he was here.
So let out a cough, to make his presence known and he decided to leave after that.
The girl took a book from the lap and brought it closer to her face and covered her face with the book except the eyes. She looked over and saw Ryoma sitting there.
She gasped, sat up and started walking.
Ryoma scorned, she was running away from him?
He saw her walking and he followed behind her quietly.
She started walking faster and he did the same
What is up with this girl, he asked himself
She ran and he started running.
Then suddenly she tripped and fell.
Ryoma hurried and was about to help her up when she said
"Please don't hurt me…" and he was shocked.
"I won't hurt you girl…" he said with anger apparent in her tone. He helped her up and gave her the book that was fallen on the ground.
He looked at her and his breath was literally taken away from him
She had brown eyes and her hair was put in a bun.
She had light make up on and was dressed like she was going out for dancing but her hair and clothes were neat and tidy so it didn't look like she danced the night.
She looked scared.
Ryoma didn't know why but he felt this girl looked very familiar.
Like he knew her before from a long time ago.
He didn't even realised that he was so lost and mesmerized by her that she gave him a quick thank you and started running away.
He didn't even get a chance to ask her name.
The next day Ryoma decided to search all of the book stores in the town for this girl.
He had to know her name.
He wondered why she was so familiar
After searching for her for two days he finally saw her in an old antique book store, working there.
Her hair was long… very long and she tied it into two pig tails.
She looked very unrecognisable but she looked much more beautiful than that day.
He walked into the book store and she was sitting there in the counter reading a book just like the other day.
He lit a cigarette as he walked toward her and when she smelled burnt tobacco she looked up with an irritated face and was shocked to see Ryoma.
"You are that man who followed me that day…" she said pointing at him.
Ryoma frowned. He was not a stalker.
"You are not allowed to smoke in here sir..." she said and he smirked. He killed the cigarette bud in the ash tray and he looked at her.
"My name is Corporal Ryoma Echizen, I was wondering if you had the book I was looking for…" he said
The girl frowned this time.
"Yes sir… please follow me…" she said with fake courtesy.
"What is your name?" he asked her curiously.
"Its Sakuno Ryuzaki corporal Echizen"
Ryoma came to that book store every day to meet Sakuno. Sakuno didn't like him in the start but they slowly started talking.
She would suggest him books to read and they would talk about it next day. Sakuno was really shocked at how fast Ryoma could read the books.
They became friends within a week and Sakuno enjoyed Ryoma's company.
"I hated soldiers" she said and he looked at her giving her a confused look.
"I hated wars… that's why I preferred reading the books so I can at least imagine to live in a peaceful era…"
"I hated wars too… but I realised… for my family and I to have a future… for the future to be peaceful, I must fight for it , and being a part of this war and serving my country kind of gives me the hope that maybe when the war ends… the world will be a better place…" Ryoma replied
"But how do you know that you are on the good side or bad side?" Sakuno asked him
"you don't… in war there is no good or bad… you let someone shoot you or you shoot someone…but this war has taken my father and when I asked him why would he voluntarily consider going inside the lion's den he said that there was no use running away from it… it is part of our lives now and we can't escape from it but do our parts…. That's why I joined the army… to do my part…"
Sakuno sat there looking at Ryoma with disbelief. She didn't know what to tell him.
Sakuno was there at the train station. Ryoma was standing there in front of her.
She never thought that she would get close to another soldier after her father died fighting in the battle field. She promised herself that she would never get to know any soldiers because she couldn't bear loosing someone again. It would break her heart.
She tried her best not to cry and she kept smiling at him but Ryoma knew how she felt.
And he knew how he felt too.
He loved her, and he knew she loved him too.
Even though in the past two weeks they just sat and talked about books, he knew that she was the one.
She was the girl he would marry.
He really wished he had more time in this god forsaken town.
She brushed his hair off his forehead with her delicate fingers and she looked at him.
"I was thinking about what you were telling me that day, I think I should also be part of this war and help people… I registered myself for training to become a nurse… I am going to help people… save lives" she said and Ryoma cupped her cheek with his hands and he kissed her lightly on the lips.
Sakuno was shocked but then she closed her eyes and let the tears that she has been holding on to flow freely.
It was a beautiful first kiss. It conveyed all the emotions that Ryoma wanted to tell her, how much he adored her and how much he loved her.
Once the kiss ended Sakuno hugged him and buried her head in his chest and cried. Ryoma hugged her back and caressed her hair.
"Promise me you will come back to me…" she said and she gave him a piece of paper with an address written in it "and promise me you will write to me whenever you can…."
He nodded and took the paper from her.
He put her hair behind her ears and then suddenly he notice her neck.
She was wearing a chain that he never saw before.
He slowly pulled it out and was shocked to see a white stone pendant that once belonged to his grandmother.
"A childhood friend gave it to me…." She said and he stopped her from speaking and started searching through his pockets for a clip that once a girl had given it to him.
Sakuno eyes widened on seeing the clip.
All memories came rushing back.
It was him
It was her.
He kissed her again but this time passionately.
She responded with the same passion.
"Ryoma... Train is about to leave… tell your goodbyes…" Eiji shouted from inside the train.
"Promise me Ryoma…" she said crying.
Ryoma held her hand tightly and said "I promise"
Part 3
During the World War 2
Ryoma's age- 22
Sakuno's age- 21
"Any letters for me?" Sakuno asked the mailman and he replied a kind no even though he was irritated with her asking him every week.
Ryoma wrote letters to her every week after he left. Sometimes it would be late, sometimes she wouldn't hear from him for a month or so and sometimes she would hear from every two days.
It would just be half a page. he has nothing much to tell her except for the fact that he had killed people but he never wrote them in letters, he never expressed his grief.
So he wrote about the people he meets, the towns he goes go, the meals he has or just some memory he remembers of his childhood or adolescence.
Ryoma wasn't good with words, Sakuno knew that but she had the talent to read between the lines.
She got to know him better. She replied with words she knows Ryoma wants to hear.
Sometimes Ryoma wouldn't even get her letters because he keeps moving from place to place but he still writes her without fail.
It's the only hope he had after fighting every day, someone to write to, and someone to go home to.
One day, Ryoma wrote that he had got a promotion and he would be leading a team by himself. Sakuno was very happy for him but after that the letters became less and less.
It's been a year since she got letters from him but Sakuno as always smiled and went to visit the mail man every week hoping there will be a letter for her.
Tomoka used to read the papers for her, the papers used to publish the names of all the soldiers who died in battlefield. They were never accurate about when it happened, where it happened and how many days it has been since the person died but whenever the papers get any information about any soldier, they used to publish it hoping someone or the other who knew them will mourn for their death.
Sakuno looked at Tomoka who was reading the papers as she entered the hospital and Tomoka looked at her and gave her the nod. Sakuno couldn't bring herself to read the papers, she was scared she would find Ryoma's name in it. That nod reassured Sakuno, his name is not there.
He was alive, he still is.
Working in the hospital wasn't easy for Sakuno. Like the soldiers who see death every day, Sakuno saw death too. But this death was slow and painful, it could make anyone feel depressed. Sometimes it was the kids who haven't even grown up to know what the world look likes during spring and sometimes it was old who lamented on the love they never got to confess or the family they never got to chance to go home to.
Sometimes it was the woman who were at the wrong place at the wrong time or the woman who would beg Sakuno to tell the one they love that they will always love them.
She would see people cry every day and some would laugh but that was rare.
But despite all this sadness, Sakuno always smiled.
She had a habit of talking to the patients, trying to make them feel better and they adored her for it.
When she sees them taking their last breath, she tries her best not to cry, she couldn't because she had to stay strong.
The war will end soon and Ryoma will come back to her.
She can't break apart, she had to stay hopeful.
"Sakuno, we have a new soldier coming in, he has burn marks and cuts… clean him up will ya?" said Tomoka as she was taking another patient.
Sakuno nodded and hurried to the young soldier. His arm was burnt and he had cuts all over his face. She called an intern to help her clean him up. The soldier didn't speak anything, he was quiet and he took the pain without shouting or screaming. He looked young, maybe seventeen or eighteen years old.
He hadn't spoke for days.
Sakuno tried to make him talk, know his name or anything about his family but he wouldn't.
Days went by and people started referring to him as John Doe.
"Christopher… they call me Christopher…" he told her one night when she got him his meds "I am sixteen, they forced me to be part of this… I didn't want to! Now look… I have burn marks all over my body and the pain never stops/ doesn't it? I hate the war… I hate it!"
"Nobody likes it… who does? But it's our present now… and we must do our best, help who need help and hope what we are fighting for brings a peaceful future…" she said with a smile.
"it's funny…" he laughed coldly "our team captain said the same thing… he was nice man… he knew I wasn't meant to be there so he told people I am useless and they used me to do odd jobs, I used to clean their shoes, help with the food, hand over their arms and all you know? Until one day they ran out of men and people forced me to be part of it. The captain tried his best to persuade them that they didn't need me… but I had no choice, I had to fight… that's when it became worse…killing another human being… one day he said that I had to deliver a telegram to the base and he also gave me a letter…. I still have it… its scrunched a little bit… burnt in the edges…but I still have it…"
"What's this glorious captain's name?" Sakuno asked with a smile.
"Captain Echizen….." he said and Sakuno gasped.
"What…. What?" she asked him in disbelief.
"You know the man…?" Christopher asked and he reached out for the jacket but Sakuno took it before him. She searched the jacket thoroughly and found the letter. It was addressed to her.
She took it and she started walking and Christopher was calling her but the world stopped for her.
"Sakuno! There been a enemy invasion in an Army base that is not too far from here… they are bringing the soldiers… stay alert!" Tomoka shouted and Sakuno nodded.
Sakuno went inside a room and read the letter. Her eyes Widened.
Ryoma was going to an Army base, the same base that Tomoka said has been attacked.
She literally fell down and sat there motionless.
She didn't know how much time has been passed, she just sat there.
Tomoka came barging in and pulled her out.
"What's got into you Sakuno!? Wake up dammit, they are here… we need everyone!" she said shaking her and Sakuno just stared at her.
"There are HERE!" Tomoka shouted again and went away with the other nurses.
Sakuno slowly walked through the ruckus, there were wounded soldiers everywhere being attended by the nurses.
She was searching for a face but none of them she knew.
She became anxious and started looking through every corner, she prayed to god he was not here but that also scared her because if he wasn't here then he might be…
Then in a place where there was no nurse just a man who was beaten up and was covered with blood and coughing, she rushed to him… she was a nurse after all.
When she saw him, she screamed.
Everyone looked at her and Tomoka came running to her.
Sakuno started crying her heart out, it was the first time they had seen her cry.
"What happened Sakuno?" Tomoka asked as she has never seen Sakuno so vulnerable, so sad, and so broken apart.
And when she saw who she was crying for she gasped "oh my god… that's Ryoma! We need medic here IMMEDIATELY"
Ryoma was having a very good dream, a wonderful dream.
He was in a spacious home having hot chocolate and some Christmas cookies. The Christmas tree was decorated and there were gifts under the tree.
A small boy who was a carbon copy of him was lighting up the fire to make the house warm.
Then a small girl came running to him, her hair as long as Sakuno and she just looked like her but with black hair.
"Happy birthday DADDY!" the girl shouted and Ryoma kept down his hot chocolate and picked her up and hugged her.
"Where is mommy?" he asked her and his little girl pointed to the kitchen.
He went to the kitchen saw a beautiful woman icing a cake.
"Hey..." he said standing at the entrance of the kitchen
She looked at him and smiled.
"Wake up Ryoma… please… wake up!" she told him and he was confused.
What was Sakuno talking about?
"Ryoma please… Ryoma… wake up!" she said again and suddenly everything went black.
He felt pain and he felt someone clutching his hand.
He heard her again…but this time it was just barely spoken
"Wake up…please..."
He opened his eyes and he saw her. She was sitting beside him and crying.
He realised he was in a hospital. There were wounded people around him everywhere.
He looked at her again and he whispered "Sakuno…" and she looked at him and she cried more.
But this time she was smiling and crying.
She kissed his forehead and she shouted "Tomoka! He is awake!"
He kissed her again. She was lying beside him and the whole hospital was asleep.
"I missed you …" she whispered and she hugged him more tightly.
He hugged her back and smelled her hair.
"It will take at least a month for your arm and leg to heal you know" she said looking at his plastered left arm and left leg.
"And I probably shouldn't lie down with you either…" she said and she was going to get up but he pulled her down to lie with him.
"Stay…" he said and she did.
"You don't have to go back!" she told him.
It's been a month since he came to the hospital and Sakuno has spent all his time with him. She just couldn't attend other people. She constantly took care of him, afraid that she might lose him again.
She told him that for five days he was unconscious and she found him covered with blood. His body had cuts and she was scared that he was seriously injured but it was only his left arm and leg that had been fractured.
He was fine now but his hand was still plastered.
He received an order to come back to duty after a month.
The war was almost going to end and it seems they were about to win it.
But Sakuno didn't want him to go, she can't bear seeing him again like that again.
The last thing he remembered before waking up was the bomb that the enemy had planted. He and his team were successful in protecting the army base until the enemy decided to throw bombs from the air.
He managed to figure out their plan sooner and tried to evacuate as many people as possible but the bombs came dropping down sooner than expected and all everybody had to do was run.
When he woke up he saw his men down and he saw back up trying to help them go to the hospital. He helped his men into the truck trying to save as many as possible avoiding the pain that was shooting from his left arm and leg.
Then the pain became unbearable and he fainted.
When he got consciousness he found himself in the hospital.
"We can run away, we can live in my grandmother's house in the hills, nobody will find us there… we can…"
"I can't leave Sakuno… the men who died under my leadership would have died for nothing… their lives would be meaningless… I can't be a coward… I can't run away from this…" he said
"What about me? I love you Ryoma… I can't… I can't even imagine loosing you again…" she said.
"I promise I will come back to you… didn't I keep it?" he told her.
"I almost lost you... Don't you get it…?"
"You will never loose me Sakuno…" he reassured her.
"But…"
"I love you Sakuno… I might not be able to write letters but you are the reason I fight so hard because I have someone to come home to…"
And she kissed him as hard as she can.
"You have to promise me something…" she said, they both were lying down on his hospital bed.
"Tell me…" he said, he was combing her hair through his fingers
"If you ever fall in love with anybody else… you have to tell me…" she whispered
Ryoma looked at her, staggered.
Was she serious?
"What are you talking..." he said
"I mean… we are young and I know how this works… sometimes people fall out of love or love someone else…I don't know when this war is going to end… you can meet new people… new woman and she might be much prettier, much beautiful then me… I won't blame you if that happens… I will…"
And she was cut off because Ryoma had kissed her. He pulled her much closer to him and his hand caressed her butt which made her gasp and he used this opportunity to put his tongues inside her mouth. She moaned and that made Ryoma deepen the kiss.
"Silly girl… do you know the history behind the white pendant I gave you?" he said after breaking the kiss.
She looked at him flushed and she was still puffing, catching her breath.
"My grandfather had to fight for my grandmother. My grandmother's parents refused to give their consent for the marriage so my grandfather even though he was a landlord worked with his father in law in a farm for two years earning their trust. Then when the wars came around, my grandfather lost everything during the war but had this pendant. He had given it to my grandmother promising to love her and take care of her even if they were rich or poor, the same pedant my father gave to my mother when he asked her to marry him, and I gave it you when we were kids…. Because I had a feeling… you are the only woman I could ever be happy with…."
Sakuno cried but she was happy.
Very happy.
"You look so beautiful Sakuno…" Tomoka said making her dress proper and she put the veil over her face.
Ryoma and Sakuno decided to get married.
They couldn't wait any longer, at least they would die being married to the one they love.
She loved him and he loved her.
All the nurses in the hospital helped the couple, they decided to get married within two days because they just had two weeks together
An old lady who used to cook food lent Sakuno her wedding dress. She made a few alterations and made it fit Sakuno perfectly.
The dress was perfect. It was simple and was decorated with beautiful lace. Sakuno fell in love with that dress.
Tomoka asked the priest in nearby church to marry them off and he agreed.
It was a small ceremony, only a few nurses and soldiers who knew Ryoma attended.
Christopher fell in love with one of the nurses and he has become more cheerful in life, it seems he has found a purpose. He was Ryoma's best man.
Tomoka walked Sakuno down the aisle.
There was Ryoma, with his arm all better.
He smiled at her, a rare smile that only she got to see.
Tomoka arranged a room for the newlyweds in an old cottage house.
Sakuno slowly untied her hair and Ryoma unzipped her dress.
Her back was bare to him.
He kissed her neck from behind and slowly kissed her bare back.
Sakuno closed her eyes and enjoyed that tingling feeling.
Sakuno wanted to wait till marriage and this was the first time Ryoma touched her like this.
He made her face him and he kissed her, conveying all his feeling to her though that kiss.
Sakuno wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him closer to her.
He picked her up and pushed her down on the bed.
He removed his shirt and pant and kissed Sakuno again.
Sakuno traced his beautiful toned chest that was decorated with battle scars.
"You are beautiful" she whispered and he kissed her neck.
He removed her dress along with her panties and Sakuno was naked under him.
He kissed her breast, her stomach making Sakuno moan which was like music to Ryoma's ears.
He made love to her so many times that night, and the room was filled with Sakuno's moans and Ryoma's grunts.
"Come back to me" she said as she kissed him again for the tenth time.
It was much harder to say goodbye.
He hugged her and kissed her forehead
"I will" he said and boarded the truck.
She kept looking at him until he disappeared out of the view.
He was gone, to fight in the war.
All Sakuno could do was pray for him to come back home to her.
"You are pregnant!" Tomoka said with happiness.
Sakuno blinked at her, registering what she just said.
The morning sickness, the dizziness, the mood swings…
It all made sense now.
"How far am I?" she asked Tomoka
"Three months give or take…" Tomoka replied.
Sakuno covered her mouth with her fingers and slowly started crying.
She couldn't believe it!
She was going to become a mother.
Ryoma was going to become a father.
They could finally have a family that they always dreamed of.
But then she realised… what if he doesn't come back? What if her child remains fatherless?
What if her child never gets to meet their father?
The thought made her cry more and Tomoka knew what her friend was thinking.
She hugged her while Sakuno cried her heart out.
"Sakuno... We must leave now!" Tomoka said as she pulled her out of the hospital
"We can't leave Tomoka… there are so many patients in there…" Sakuno replied to her.
"Think about your baby Sakuno! The enemy is not that far away… they will be here soon and we must go immediately… we will die for sure. I made a promise to your husband to take care of you and I am not planning on to break it any time sooner…"
"Change out of your clothes and wear these… nobody must know we are nurses… we shall go to your grandmother's house…. We will be safe there… your baby will be safe there…" Tomoka said handing Sakuno some old rugged clothes.
They changed immediately and left the hospital.
Sakuno said farewell to the other nurses, hugged them and asked them to come with her.
They refused and said that they belonged in the hospital no matter what. They told Sakuno to take care of her unborn child and be safe, always.
Sakuno cried.
She and Tomoka got the news next day that the hospital has been blown into pieces and there were no survivors.
Part 4
Ryoma's age- 24
Sakuno's age- 23
The World War 2 has ended.
"You look so pretty Tomoka!" Sakuno exclaimed "congratulations to both of you!"
Tomoka met a man named Horio when they reached her Grandmother's house.
They both didn't get along in the start but soon they both fell in love.
Today was their wedding day.
Horio was a tailor and he owned a shop.
Sakuno decided to work in the local bookstore to support her and her one year old daughter Yumi Echizen.
Yumi looked just like her father, she had her father's eyes and his greenish black hair. She was a very curious and bright child who gave joy to Sakuno each and every day.
"Thank you so much Sakuno!" Tomoka said hugging her.
Tomoka was there when Yumi was born. She helped her give birth and everything along with it.
Yumi was an angel.
She was perfect.
"Mama!" Yumi shouted. Horio had her and handed Yumi over to Sakuno.
"My god daughter looks so beautiful!" Tomoka said kissing Yumi on the cheeks.
Yumi yawned
"I think it's time for me to go home! She is already tired… Congratulations again Tomoka and Horio… hope you have a great married life!" Sakuno said
"You bet I will" Tomoka said as she kissed Horio.
Sakuno looked at them and smiled.
She walked away, saying another goodbye for the last time.
She felt sad. How she wished Ryoma was here.
It's been six month since the war ended and she had no news about Ryoma.
She tried calling as many people as possible, sending telegrams to newspapers, government etc. but nobody replied to her or gave her a proper answer.
She became more anxious day by day.
But she hoped, she always did because he had promised her. And Ryoma won't break her promise… she knows.
"Mama …" Yumi said as she pointed to her crib. Yumi was growing up fast and she didn't want Ryoma to miss to see his child growing up.
She layed Yumi down in her crib.
Sakuno sat in the chair and read a story out loud.
It was a daily routine for her, she would read stories to Yumi and Yumi would doze off peacefully.
It was raining outside and there was thunder and lightning.
Yumi was scared and she began to cry but Sakuno was calming her down. Yumi hugged her mother tightly and Sakuno sang a song, hoping she would stop crying.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Sakuno thought it was the wind and ignored it.
Then the knock became louder and turned into banging.
Sakuno was scared. Who would come to visit her now? Her house wasn't exactly inside the town and was situated outskirts and no way would Tomoka would come at such a late hour in the night.
She put Yumi down and gave Yumi her favourite doll so she wouldn't cry or be scared.
Someone kept banging at the door and Sakuno went into the kitchen and took a frying pan in her hand in case it was someone who was not welcomed.
Sakuno slowly walked towards the door.
She opened it and with her pan ready was almost going to hit the person but the pan fell out of her hand.
She was shocked to see who stood at the door.
"Hello Mrs Echizen…" Ryoma said with a smirk and he kissed her "I am home"
"She is so beautiful" Ryoma said as he held Yumi. Yumi immediately warmed up to Ryoma, it was as if he never left.
"She is perfect…. Say daddy Yumi… da-a-die" Ryoma told and Yumi laughed.
"She looks just like you…" Sakuno said and kissed him in cheek.
Yumi laughed looking her mother and her father gave her a kiss.
"Thank you for everything Sakuno…" he said and Sakuno kissed him on the lips.
have a nice day~
0202