Falling Star

A/N: Hello everyone! It's been a long time now and I hope I didn't keep anyone waiting too long! So here is my new story (a sequel to Way of Life) Falling Star! I had a request earlier from Animeandmangaaddict that I post up an Epilogue for Way of Life, I decided it was a good idea but I didn't want to repost a finished story. So I decided that I would recall each moment after the event in Way of Life bit by bit in the chapters of this new fic, so thankyou for your idea. PLEASE REVIEW AND ENJOY!

Usual code:

Bold – English

Normal – Japanese

Italic – Thoughts

Chapter 1 – Ever so close

On an early morning in the fresh spring breeze with flowers blooming in every dark corner and bringing light to a misery of the passing winter, a brunette stood at the window of her bedroom, her eyes wondering around at the new season, but no flowers bloomed in her heart, the winter still settled inside her like a giant rock at the bottom of a pond.

The events two years ago during winter had triggered her emotions and still hurt whenever her mind zipped back upon those moments, and thanks to that, she had been living alone for a whole year due to the loss of her grandmother during that very season.

She was now in college, and staying in dormitories with one or two roommates wasn't as lonely anymore, but when you had to stay with two agonizing girls that were screaming fan girls and bugged you all the time when they were in such a bad mood or when she was in their way, it was much worse than lonely.

She did okay in college nowadays, simply because she had to live with it, and friends? The tennis starters of Seigaku? They had graduated long before and were still in Tokyo, but right now, she was in Kyoto, to fulfil the wish of her grandmother that she went to this college. There was no way she could contact her best friend when she had already moved to Canada and was so busy with school work and learning a new language.

And what about the arrogant boy she had falling in love with? Where'd he go? After her grandmother had passed away, she lived with his family for a long time… until the day he left for Los Angeles to compete in the upcoming US Open, he'd hurt her, he'd broken her heart in such a way that she found an excuse to move away from his family and live by herself in Kyoto, hoping never to see him again.

But that wish never came true, because after only one year of competing in the Wimbledon and US Open, he had won his title by beating the World Number One twice in a row, claiming his title in just a year roused every continent in the world like a volcano to focus all eyes on the attractive nineteen year old rising tennis star.

His style of playing was broadcast all over the world; the tickets to his matches were sold all in just a day; almost every young woman in the world had their heart stolen by the prince, everyone praised him. The media would pay its own life to just get a single glimpse of the World Tennis Champion. Every magazine, every TV ad, everything, you would see a slight mention of the tennis star, every person that walks among the streets; they would know the name of Ryoma Echizen.

But the tennis star never showed up with a girlfriend or even a girl that was close to him, anyone who mentioned this would get a cold glare and miss their chance to take a sneaky photo of him. But one thing was clear: Ryoma Echizen forever hated the media and every fan girl that grew across the world.

Sighing, Sakuno turned from the window and looked around the isolated room, her life was torture as she lived with Ryoma Echizen's BIGGEST fans now… They would always turn on the TV whenever some programme or even ad is on about him, they would squeal at his name and day dream about being together with him in the "near future". Of course, there were things they did far beyond any fan's expectations but Sakuno just couldn't describe any without turning pale.

Yes, the Ryoma Echizen she had fell in love with two years ago was now on the other side of the world, yet, she could see him everywhere she went, his features far more handsome and mature than before, his gold cat-like eyes sharper, perfect lips, nose, EVERYTHING about him was what a girl always hoped for, but she never got mesmerized by his pictures without feeling a torturing pain in her heart.

She'd kept their moments together quiet, of course, otherwise rumours would be flooding and the media will interview the first girl the tennis star had even looked twice at. More over, those fan girls will kill her and send assassins, though she doubted anyone would believe her even if she told.

Sakuno was still ever so close to the young man, no matter how much she tried to push herself away from him…

"Ryoma! What about your schedule for today?!" His manager yelled after him, desperately trying to keep up with the fast pace of the young man.

Ryoma didn't reply, he simply walked out the door, slamming it behind him; he went into the garden of his mansion. Placing himself in a chair by the small pond he sighed and laid his white cap over his eyes, trying to fall asleep and escape from this crazy world.

Two years now, two years, that's all it has been and this is how much he'd earned just by playing tennis at some dumb tournament for one year. His English manager, Larson (who, of course, was more than proud to be a tennis champion's manager) wouldn't leave him alone for one second, talking to him about contracts, commercials and all those crap that just didn't relate to tennis no matter how you looked at it. Ryoma had been given a holiday by his professor in Japan who had been sending him homework, which only made Larson bug him even more.

No rest, his head hurts now, didn't he come to this country for TENNIS? He didn't come here to get flogged by fans and money, he didn't come here to have an annoying life where everyone in the world wanted to pry into his personal business, he WOULDN'T have come, it wasn't worth it one bit, hurting the only girl he'd loved so he'd show his family some appreciation for once in his life.

He hated this, it was torture being so far from her, but she was so close too, sure, he's not dumb, she would've seen one or two of ads or commercials about him, she still sees him, but he can't, he hadn't seen her face in two years now and it was starting to sink in. But there was no way ANYONE was making him get a girlfriend other than her, he could fly to Japan, to Tokyo, or maybe trying calling her, NOBODY from Japan had contacted him, not even his family, except for his damn pervert of a father. But if he did travel around carelessly, the punishment would be a swarm of media and fans, the last thing he'd want.

It was lonely living a life like this; it was like being the only star in the night sky…

"Ryuzaki-san!" One of her roommates called, she poked her head around the door to find the brunette reading a book upon her bed, "Some visitor came to see you, and he's waiting in the main yard, hurry up!"

Sakuno looked up, putting her book down onto her lap, she stared at the girl in surprise, "Ah… Mikira-san… Who is it?" She asked, getting off her bed.

"How am I supposed to know? Just go already, he's getting impatient," Mikira replied.

Silently walking out the door, Sakuno hurriedly made her way down the corridor, a visitor? From Tokyo? But how would they know where she was? Curiosity grew over her and she sped up, eventually jogging down into the main yard.

The spring breeze passed by outside and Sakuno searched along the place until she saw a tuft of red. Bright red, seated right on the bench in front of a tree and away from the crowd. Her eyes widened at the sight of the boy, "K-Kintarou-san?" she stuttered.

"Don't forget about me!" A loud voice came from behind the tree, and Momoshiro jumped out, his features still the same, slightly mature, but he didn't seem to have changed much.

"Mo-Momo-senpai!"

Kintarou (who still looked the same, but had grown taller) grinned at the stunned girl, "Saku-chan! You haven't contacted us for more than a year now! I got worried about you so I asked Momo-senpai and we searched for some clues to find you!"

"And we got it right! You are in Kyoto! We're staying here for a week," Momo added triumphantly.

Sakuno finally managed to get a grip of herself, "U-Um, did you fly here?"

"Of course we did!" Kintarou replied happily.

"F-For me?"

"YUP!"

Suddenly the bell rang loudly through the halls of the college and into the yard, "I'm sorry, I have to go back to study," Sakuno said, bowing apologetically, "Where will you be staying for the week?"

"I'll come pick you up after your study time is finished and the three of us can go discuss all this at dinner!" Kintarou replied happily, "See you then!" And without another word, he rushed out of the gate with Momo following closely.

"RYOMA!"

"MR. ECHIZEN!"

"RYOMA!"

"RYOMAAAAAAAA!"

"MR. ECHIZEN!"

Growling in utter anger, Ryoma slammed his bedroom door, getting away into the garden for a few hours only made the whole day worse, it was no good, the only time he can have some peace and quiet was to sleep. If only he could sleep and never wake up ever again.

He slumped down onto his giant bed, if he lived like this for the rest of his life, without seeing Sakuno and explaining everything to her, then he'd probably throw himself to suicide one day, maybe now? No… it's too late… he should've done that in the garden.

But something hit him after a long silence, that's it, a vacation in Tokyo for a month, that'll give him enough time to find Sakuno, he needed to see her face and hear her voice to get a hold of himself. He'll convince Larson, now, and if he refuses, he'll go anyway.

"NO" Larson replied loud and clear after the tennis star told him of his self-planned vacation.

"I need one, that's why I haven't been doing my duties lately," Ryoma replied.

"You can't leave to some vacation TOMORROW, Ryoma, you have contracts to sign, you have meetings, you have commercials, and you have SO MANY THINGS TO COMPLETE! You can't leave now!"

"Fine, if you let me have a one month vacation and leave me be, then I'll come back after and get every bit of it done," Ryoma insisted, getting annoyed himself, patience was never on his side.

Larson sighed, he rubbed his forehead and thought for a long minute, more like an hour for Ryoma, finally he replied, "You know what the public is starting to think of you because you don't have a girlfriend".

Ryoma rolled his eyes, great, the gay part, but he didn't reply, just giving the man a meaningful glare.

Larson continued, "I'll let you have three weeks vacation, and make sure the media doesn't find out, I'll even cover your work for you as much as I can, as long as you come back with a girlfriend by the end of three weeks, then you're cleared of all that work".

Of course that sounded like rubbish, such an unfair deal, but three weeks… three weeks away from the media to have some quiet time with Sakuno was all he needed, to go back to Tokyo and remember old times, yes, he'd do it. All he had to do was to explain his feelings to Sakuno, nothing was going to stand in the way this time, nothing, because he was ready.

"Better keep your promise, I'll set out next week".

"Oi! Kin-chan! That was lucky we find Saku-chan right? It was THE jackpot!" Momo said, laughing, but he stopped when he noticed the boy was quiet, he looked beside him and down at Kintarou, only to see him holding a ring in his hand, a ring with a small glistening diamond upon it, reflecting in the afternoon sun.

"Ne, Momo-senpai, what did it take you to ask Ann-san to be your fiancée?" Kintarou asked, not lifting his eyes from the ring.

Momo cocked an eyebrow, "I got shaken up… hey, why do you want to know?!"

Kintarou, still looking down, changed the subject "Remember what happened two years ago during winter? When Koshimae left from the airport?" he asked.

Momo sighed, "Of course, Saku-chan ran away crying, I don't know what he did to her, but I know she's wounded for life… poor girl".

Finally lifting his head, Kintarou lifted the beautiful ring to the reflection of the sun and watched the diamond glisten while the sun shone through the circle, he stared at it, "I wonder if I can heal that wound for her…"

Like a star in the night sky…

Seen by millions yet, touched by none…

You're so close in my eyes…

Full of wonders in my life…

And when that star falls…

I want to be the first to catch it…

Thankyou for reading! That is all so far and I hope you enjoyed it, though it wasn't really a complete summary of what happened in Way of Life, bit by bit of it will be revealed soon, so stay tuned! And please review; I would like to know your thoughts! Thanks again, and see you next chapter!

Yula089