It was early morning and Ryoko and Akiko Nakamura were getting ready to head to school. They attended Seishun Gakuen, or Seigaku for short. Akiko was busy putting her hair up in pigtails and tying them with pink ribbons while Ryoko finished brushing out her own hair. Both were dressed in their school uniforms.
"You almost done?" Akiko asked, tying the last ribbon in place. Ryoko looked over at her younger sibling and sighed.
"Almost! Geeze, keep your shirt on!" she retorted. "Why are you in such a hurry?" Akiko turned to her sister and put her hands on her hips.
"It's almost Valentine's Day!" she reminded. "Or did you forget the Valentine's Day dance is Friday ?" Ryoko finished tying her hair back and set her brush down.
"Just great," she sighed. "We're gonna have so much chocolate in our locker again!"
"I know! Isn't it great?" Akiko asked, sitting on the bed with a soft bounce.
"I guess," Ryoko said off-handedly. "I'm not particularly interested in that much candy." Akiko stood up off the bed and went to stand by her identical twin.
"Like you wouldn't be happy if he gave you some candy," she stated.
"That's not the point, Aki," Ryoko said. "He's not the type to do something like that."
"How do you know, Ryo?" Akiko retorted. "Maybe he's just to shy to do it." Ryoko hefted her book bag over her shoulder as she headed out of her room.
"What about you?" she asked. "What's your excuse for your man?" Akiko's face turned slightly red and she bent down to retrieve her own bag off the floor. She quickly ran out of the room after her sister.
"T-that's different!" she cried. "Ryoma always gives me my gift in private!" Ryoko smirked and shook her head.
"Gah I don't want to hear about anything he gives you in private!" she deadpanned.
"Ryoko!" Akiko whined while her mirror image just laughed. They quickly threw on their winter coats. It was the middle of February and there was still snow all over and it was quite cold. Ryoko opened the door and turned back into the house.
"We're heading out!" she called. A tall brunette came out of the kitchen and stood in the doorway.
"Alright, I'll see you after school," he stated as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Have fun at practice!"
"We will, Eli!" Akiko and Ryoko answered. Eli shook his head and went back into the kitchen as the door shut behind him.
Akiko and Ryoko made it to the school fifteen minutes later. They just got to their lockers when they were grabbed from behind.
"Aki-chan!" an excitable redhead cried.
"Hey, Ryo!" a tall raven said. Ryoko and Akiko looked over their shoulders to see Eiji and Momo looking at them.
"Hey, guys," Akiko greeted.
"Hi," Ryoko said before turning back to her locker. She opened the door to put her bag away but something on the top shelf caught her eye. She peered in to get a closer look, catching the other three's attention.
"What's the matter?" Akiko asked curiously. Ryoko reached her hand in and pulled out a rose wrapped in shiny red foil.
"It's a flower?" Momo asked. Ryoko shook her head.
"No, it's a chocolate rose," she corrected.
"Who's it from?" Eiji asked. Ryoko reached into her locker once more and ran her hand over the area the rose had been sitting.
"I don't know," she stated. "There's no card or anything." Akiko, Eiji and Momo exchanged glances.
"It's a secret admirer!" Akiko and Eiji yelled happily. Momo raised a brow at that as he scratched his head.
"But who could it be?" he wondered aloud. Before anyone could form a reply a tall figure appeared behind them.
"You're going to be late for class," a voice stated. All four teens turned upon recognizing the voice.
"Captain Tezuka!" they cried. The sandy blonde haired teen crossed his arms over his chest and stared at them.
"Get to class or its 100 laps at practice," he commanded. Ryoko quickly put her rose into her bag after switching out her books and took off to her homeroom with her sister and best friends. Tezuka soon followed after with a shake of his head.
The rest of the day flew by fast and soon school was over. Ryoko headed back to her locker to put her books away. She knew Akiko would meet her there so they could go to tennis practice together. She popped open her locker door and went to put her books away but something brushing against her hand made her pause. She reached in and pulled out another chocolate rose.
"What is going on?" she asked herself, looking around for signs of anyone watching nearby.
"Hey, Ryo. Whatcha looking for?" Akiko asked as she came up to her. Ryoko turned towards her wide-eyed.
"Did you see anybody around?" she asked.
"Huh?" Akiko said. "There's lots of people around. School is out." Ryoko shook her head as she continued to look around the hall.
"No, I mean around our lockers," she clarified. Akiko tilted her head in confusion.
"I just got here so no," she said as Ryoko held out the candy. "Another one?"
"I just found it in the locker," she said. "Same one as the last one."
"That's weird," Akiko said. "You better put it away though. We're gonna be late for practice." Ryoko put the candy in the bag with the other one and slammed her locker shut.
"Shit! Tezuka will make us run 100 laps if we're late!" she cried. "Let's go!"
"One of the perks of being allowed to practice with the guys, ne?" Akiko laughed. Ryoko raised a brow at her but couldn't help smiling.
"Perks my ass," she retorted. "Run!" Akiko started laughing harder and the two raced through the mass of other students to get to the courts on time.
Ryoko and Akiko got to the girls' locker room and quickly changed out of their uniforms into their winter tennis outfits. Once they were changed they darted out into the bright sunlight and raced across the quad, sliding onto the courts.
"Oh, shit!" they cried as they slipped on an icy patch just inches from Oishi and Eiji. The sudden stop caused them to lose their balance and fall backwards. They braced for impact but were surprised to find themselves being held by strong arms.
"You're late, Nakamura," a voice stated. Akiko and Ryoko looked up only to see they were saved by none other than Fuji and Tezuka.
"Captain?" Ryoko and Akiko yelped as they scrambled away from the teens.
"You should be more careful," Fuji said with a smile. "You could have gotten hurt."
"We know," Ryoko said. "Sorry we're late, Tezuka."
"Why were you late?" Tezuka asked.
"Ryo got another rose," Akiko stated. Momo and Eiji exchanged glances.
"Another one?" Momo said. "Was there a note this time?" Ryoko shook her head while Tezuka raised a brow.
"No nothing. Same as the last one," she replied.
"A rose? You were late because of a flower?" Inui said incredulously. Ryoko and Akiko turned to him to explain but Momo beat them to it.
"Someone's been putting chocolate roses in her locker," Momo explained.
"There's no note or card either," Eiji added. "It's a mystery, nya!"
"A secret admirer?" Oishi said. "Do you have any idea who it could be?" Ryoko shook her head.
"No idea," she told him. "But it has to be someone I know, right?"
"Not necessarily," Kaidoh spoke up. Ryoko and Akiko turned to look at the bandana wearing teen.
"What do you mean?" asked Akiko. Inui pushed his glasses up on his face as he looked over his data book.
"According to my calculations," he started. "there's a 50% chance it's someone you don't know."
"What if it's a stalker?" asked Taka. "What if he's watching her right now?" Ryoko's eyes went wide and she flew into his arms.
"That's…creepy!" she cried, hiding her face against Taka's chest.
Everyone started talking at once, trying to figure out who the "stalker" could be, much to Tezuka's annoyance.
"That's enough!" he yelled, gaining their attention. "We have practice now. Deal with the other issue after."
"Sorry, Tezuka!" everyone apologized. Tezuka uncrossed his arms and let them drop to his side.
"Let's get ready to run," he said. "Ryoko and Akiko stay in the middle and don't fall behind."
"Right, Captain!" the twins said in unison. Tezuka nodded once and turned to run off the court while everyone else followed behind dutifully.
When they finished their run, they teamed up and got ready to play a practice match on the courts that had been cleared earlier. Ryoko and Kaidoh were paired up to play against Taka and Inui. Akiko and Fuji teamed up to play against Eiji and Oishi. Ryoma and Tezuka played against each other in their own match. Two hours later found everyone scattered around the courts, lying flat on their backs and breathing heavily while Tezuka looked on.
"Damn what a workout!" Akiko said as she wiped the sweat from her brow.
"Seriously!" Ryoko agreed. "Taka really worked me over good!"
"That sounded really bad, Ryoko," Ryoma pointed out. Ryoko bolt upright, her face turning red.
"Echizen! You perv!" she cried, chucking a tennis ball at the teen. "That's not what I meant!" Ryoma caught it easily and laughed while Taka sputtered on the ground beside him.
"Time to cool down," Tezuka stated. "Let's run." Collective groans rang out from everyone on the ground. They quickly got to their feet and got ready to run once more. There was no use in complaining about it as it was part of their routine and Tezuka would just make them run farther anyway. Finished with their run, the team headed back to the school to get changed. Once there, Ryoko and Akiko broke off from the group to go to their own locker room after promising to meet up with the guys once they were done.
"I'm gonna hop in the shower here," Ryoko stated as she stripped out of her clothes.
"Good idea," Akiko said. "I'm gonna take one too." The twins went into the shower area and turned the water on, waiting until it got to just the right temperature before climbing in under the spray.
"Ahh…this feels so good!" Ryoko said. "Damn I hate winter."
"Seriously," Akiko agreed. "I almost froze out there!"
"You have any plans with Ryoma tonight?" Ryoko asked after a few minutes. Akiko and Ryoma had been together for almost two years now and Ryoko didn't think anything would ever separate them.
"Not tonight," Akiko replied. "Ryoma has something he has to do with Nanjirou."
"Nanjirou?" Ryoko echoed. "That crazy old fool?" Akiko started laughing and stuck her head out of the shower curtain towards her sister.
"I'm not sure he'd appreciate being called old," she called out. Ryoko giggled a little at that.
"I notice you don't deny the "crazy fool" part," she pointed out.
"Nope. You have any ideas about the flowers?" Akiko asked before she disappeared back into the shower.
"Not a clue," Ryoko answered. "I've been thinking about it all day."
"Hmm…could be someone from the team," Akiko mused as she shut the water off and wrapped a towel around herself.
"I don't think so," Ryoko said, quickly exiting the shower as well. Akiko tilted her head a little to look at her older sister in confusion.
"Why not?" she asked. Ryoko flipped her hair over her head as she bent over to towel dry it.
"Think about it," she started. "How could they get into my locker without me knowing?"
"That'd be easy enough," Akiko retorted. "Bathroom breaks, study hall…they could be in the hall while you're in class for any number of reasons."
"That's true," Ryoko conceded. "We can rule out four at least."
"Four? Who?" asked Akiko as she pulled her uniform back on.
"Ryoma, Oishi, Eiji and Momo," Ryoko said. "You're with Ryoma, Oishi and Eiji are together and Momo…is well…Momo." Ryoko straightened up and put her uniform back on, glancing over at her sister.
"That still don't rule Momo out," Akiko pointed out. "Plus there's the rest of the team. Not to mention all the other guys in our school."
"I doubt the guys are that interested in me," Ryoko deadpanned.
"Are you kidding me?" Akiko yelped. "Do you not remember last Valentine's Day?" Ryoko closed her eyes and shuddered at that. Remember? How could she forget? All day long guys would come up to her and hand her small boxes of chocolate and flowers. By the end of the day her locker was so full that when she opened it to get her books she was buried in a chocolate avalanche. On the plus side her locker smelled really good for the next week.
"Okay maybe but still," Ryoko said. Before Akiko could form a reply a knock sounded on the door to the locker room.
"Ryo! Aki! You still in there?" a voice yelled from outside. "What's taking so long?"
"Kuso…we'll be right out, Oishi!" Akiko yelled back. She and Ryoko quickly finished dressing and threw their bags over their shoulders, heading for the door.
Once outside, they saw the entire team sitting around waiting for them. As they approached everyone got up and moved towards them.
"What took so long?" Kaidoh hissed.
"We took a shower," Ryoko informed him. Kaidoh looked up in surprise with just a hint of red tinting his cheeks.
"Uh…," he gulped as he stepped back, unsure of what to say to that. Ryoma walked up to Akiko and put his arm around her waist.
"You ready to go home?" he asked.
"Yup," Akiko replied. "See you guys tomorrow!"
"Bye, Aki!" everyone said as she and Ryoma walked off. Ryoko stayed behind with the others while they left.
"Aren't you going to go with them?" asked Fuji, looking at the redheaded girl.
"Naw let them have time alone," Ryoko replied. "I can walk home later."
"By yourself?" Oishi asked. "That's probably not a good idea." Ryoko turned to face the vice-captain curiously.
"Why not? I've done it before," she wanted to know. Eiji put his hands on his hips and leaned down a bit.
"Did you forget about the stalker?" he demanded. "It's not safe!"
"I can take care of myself, Eiji," Ryoko reassured. "Eli made sure of that."
"We're not even sure it is a stalker," Fuji reminded. "It could be anyone at Seigaku."
"There's a 35% chance it could be someone from a different school," Inui stated.
"Huh? That's not even possible!" Ryoko protested as she hefted her bag up onto her shoulders before turning to walk away.
"Where are you going?" asked Oishi. Ryoko looked over her shoulder but didn't stop walking.
"Home," she stated. "I don't want to think about this anymore." Momo looked at the others before running off.
"Hey hold on!" he yelled. "I'll walk you home!" Ryoko slowed down and waited for the violet-eyed raven to catch up. When he was at her side they started walking once again. They walked in silence until they reached Ryoko's house.
"Thanks, Momo," Ryoko said.
"No problem," Momo replied. "See you in the morning."
"Okay," Ryoko said as she leaned in to give the raven a kiss on the cheek. "You're a good friend, Momoshiro." Momo's face turned slightly red at that and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"You know I'd do anything for you and Akiko," he stated. "Night, Ryo." Ryoko watched as Momo turned and walked away. Normally she would invite him in to watch a movie or just hang out with her, Akiko and Ryoma but the teen left before she could. Shaking her head, she ran up the sidewalk and went up onto the porch, opening the door and disappearing inside.
Two days later, Ryoko was again at her locker getting ready to get out her books for the day. She popped the door open and let out a sigh.
"Not again," she said. "This makes three days in a row." She reached her hand in and pulled out yet another red foil wrapped chocolate rose.
"Got another one, huh?" Akiko asked as she came up to her sister. "That makes five so far."
"Six," Ryoko corrected.
"Six?" Akiko asked. Ryoko nodded as she put the rose back where she found it and took out her books.
"There'll be a sixth one after school," she stated. Akiko smiled and nodded.
"Oh yea," she said. "You've been getting two a day." Ryoko blew out a breath and slammed her locker shut.
"I wonder how many more I'm going to get?" she muttered.
"Hard to tell," Akiko said. "We're still no closer to figuring out who's doing it."
"So far I've ruled out the other schools," Ryoko said as she and her twin headed to their homeroom. "There's just no way anyone could get in here without being seen by someone."
"Not to mention they wouldn't know your locker number," Akiko added. "It's so romantic though!" Ryoko raised a brow at that.
"Romantic? It's kind of creepy," she retorted.
"You only think its creepy cause you don't know who's doing it," Akiko pointed out. "If it was him I bet you'd have no problems with it." Ryoko blushed a little as they entered the classroom.
"Of course I wouldn't!" she hissed. "I actually like him."
"You like who?" a voice asked from behind them. Ryoko and Akiko turned around only to see Tomoka and Sakuno looking at them.
"Nobody in particular," Ryoko said, making her way towards her seat in the back. To her dismay, Tomoka and Sakuno followed her.
"Come on you've gotta spill!" Sakuno cried. "We need to know!"
"Seriously. You've already got Ryoma," Tomoka stated, looking at Akiko. Akiko simply shrugged, ignoring her comment. She wasn't particularly close to the girl and knew she didn't like the fact Akiko took Ryoma's attention away from her friend.
"What do you care, Tomoka?" asked Akiko. "You're dating Horio for Kami's sakes!"
"Horio? Seriously?" Ryoko yelped.
"So? Sakuno's seeing Kabaji," Tomoka retorted. Akiko smiled at Sakuno upon hearing the news.
"I knew you'd be a good match," she stated. "He's a good guy."
"Thanks, Akiko," Sakuno said. "Oh, Ryoma!" Ryoko and Akiko turned to look in time to see Ryoma, Momo, Kaidoh and Eiji walk into the room. The four teens walked past their own seats to gather around the girls like they always did.
"You're late," Ryoko said. "What took you so long to get here?"
"We left morning practice at the same time," Akiko added. "How'd we beat you here?"
"Not all of us have a limo to pick us up," Momo laughed.
"Hey! We offered you guys a ride!" Ryoko cried. Momo reached forward and ruffled the girl's hair affectionately.
"We know but we had other things to take care of first," he told her. "You can give us a ride after night practice."
"Deal," Akiko said, winking at Ryoma who's cheeks turned slightly red as he pulled his hat low over his eyes. Everyone laughed at his embarrassment before quickly taking their seats when the teacher called the class to order.
As soon as the bell rang to dismiss the class, Ryoko and Akiko took off into the hall with Momo, Kaidoh, Ryoma and Eiji.
"Hey, Ryoko!" Arai called out, making the redhead turn around. "You got a date for the Valentine's Dance yet?"
"I haven't even thought…oops!" Ryoko started to say until she felt herself bump into something rather solid. She hurriedly turned around and found herself looking up into the amber eyes of Tezuka.
"Sorry, Tezuka," she apologized. Tezuka simply shook his head as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"We'll meet for practice half an hour later than normal," he stated.
"Half an hour?" Momo repeated. "Does it still end at the same time?" Tezuka shook his head.
"Of course not," he replied. "We'll be making up the half hour. Don't be late." Ryoko looked over at Akiko before pulling out her cell phone.
"Guess we better tell Eli we'll be late for dinner," she stated.
"Good idea," Akiko replied. "Hurry and call. We're gonna be late for class."
"See you later, guys!" Ryoko said to Ryoma, Momo and Eiji as they walked off with Kaidoh. They had the same first class and he always walked with the twins.
"So do you have a date for Friday?" Akiko asked as they walked along. Ryoko leaned forward to peer around Kaidoh and shook her head.
"No I haven't even thought about it," she replied. "You're going with Ryoma, right?"
"Yup I need to go dress shopping later," Akiko said. "I know! You can go pick one out too!"
"What good would that do?" Ryoko asked. "I don't have a date." Akiko smiled and latched onto Kaidoh's arm.
"Its okay, Ryo," she smirked. "If you don't have one by Friday Kaidoh can take you." Kaidoh's eyes went wide and his face turned red.
"I…uh…what?" he sputtered. Ryoko laughed and latched onto his other arm.
"Sounds good to me," she said. "Would you take me, Kaidoh-kun?" Kaidoh snapped his head around to look at Ryoko in surprise.
"I…um…that is…yea," he stumbled out. "Hisss…" Ryoko laughed and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
"I'm just teasing," she said. "You don't have to take me to the dance." If it was possible the bandana clad teen's face turned even brighter red and he let out a small hiss.
"Okay," he managed to get out just before they entered their first class. Akiko and Ryoko let go of his arms and made their way to their seats. Kaidoh followed behind them and paused by Ryoko's desk.
"Kaidoh-kun?" Ryoko said in surprise. Kaidoh leaned in so only she could hear him.
"If you need a date for Friday, I'll take you," he stated. "Just so you won't go alone."
"Thanks, Kaidoh," Ryoko said. "I'd appreciate that." Kaidoh nodded once before straightening up and heading to his seat in the back.
The rest of the morning flew by and soon it was time for lunch. Ryoko and Taka met up with the others on the tennis courts like they always did. They were getting ready to play a few practice matches before their next class began in an hour. They paired off and decided to play one on one while Inui sat out to collect their data. Ryoma slung his arm around Akiko's waist and they headed off to one of the courts together. Momo walked up to Ryoko and grabbed her by the hand.
"You can play against me," he stated as he dragged her off to another spot on the courts. Kaidoh and Taka teamed up to play against Oishi and Eiji while Tezuka and Fuji played against each other.
The matches got underway with a lot of yelling, laughing and grunts coming from the players. By the time the lunch hour was almost over Ryoko found herself laying flat on her back breathing heavily with her eyes closed .
"Dammit Momo!" she cried. "You could at least take it a little easy on me!" Momo laughed as he came around the net to stand over her.
"All's fair in love and war," he stated. Ryoko opened one eye to look at him curiously.
"Love and war?" she said. Momo grinned at her widely.
"And tennis, of course," he said. Ryoko burst out laughing at that. The expression on Momo's face was so serious but she could tell he was doing his best not to laugh.
"Oh Momo you kill me!" she laughed. Momo joined in after a moment and held out his hand to her. Ryoko took his hand and allowed the raven to haul her to her feet. He yanked a little too hard and she fell against him. Momo wrapped an arm around her to help steady her and they stared into each other's eyes for a few minutes.
"Ahem…how long are you gonna hold her, Momo?" asked Ryoma from behind him. Ryoko and Momo broke apart with a start and Ryoko lost her balance on the slippery suface. Bracing for impact she was relieved to find herself being cradled gently by strong arms. She looked over her shoulder to see that Taka caught her.
"Thanks, Taka," she said, giving the sandy haired teen a smile. Taka could feel his face start to heat up and he quickly looked away.
"No problem," he said. Feeling comfortable, Ryoko didn't make a move to get out of Taka's arms. Akiko came up to them and Ryoma wrapped his arms around her from behind, holding her tight to him. The others quickly came up to them and they spent the rest of the time chatting and joking around.
"Hey uh…guys?" Oishi started. "Has anyone seen Tezuka?" Everyone stopped talking and looked around but the sandy haired captain was nowhere in sight.
"Hmm…wonder where he went?" Eiji wondered aloud.
"Wasn't he just here a few minutes ago?" asked Inui.
"I thought he was," Taka stated. "Maybe he had to use the restroom?" Ryoko and Akiko exchanged glances at that. Tezuka leaving to use the bathroom? They'd never seen him leave a practice of any kind for any reason. Before they could think on it further the object of their discussion appeared.
"What are you doing just standing around?" Tezuka demanded to know, making everyone jump. "Ten laps before the bell rings!"
"Yes, Captain!" they all shouted before hurrying off the court to do their laps. They knew if they failed to finish Tezuka would add a lap for each one they failed to complete and make them run it on top of the twenty laps they had to run after school.
After they finished their run, the girls went back to their lockers to collect their books for the afternoon classes. As soon as Ryoko opened her locker the familiar scent of chocolate met her nose.
"Not again," she said with a sigh. "Who the hell is doing this?" Akiko looked over and smiled at her sister.
"Persistent, ain't he?" she said. "But why now? Usually it's after school you get the second one."
"I have no idea," Ryoko stated. "I'll be glad when Valentine's is over." Akiko gathered her books and shut her locker, leaning against it with a smile.
"You can't tell me you're not the least bit curious," she deadpanned. "I mean, what if it's him?" Ryoko's eyes went wide as a blush ran across her nose.
"One can only hope," she stated, gathering her books and slamming her own locker shut. She couldn't help the smile that came over her as she thought about who it could be. "I wonder if it really is him." Shaking the thought from her mind, she and Akiko quickly made their way to their next classes.
The next afternoon Ryoko and Akiko were wandering around the school grounds looking for Fuji. They were going dress shopping for the upcoming Valentine's Day dance the following day and Fuji had promised to accompany them. He was the only one the twins trusted to give an honest answer about the dresses they chose.
"Captain!" Akiko yelled out, gaining Tezuka's attention.
"Yes?" Tezuka asked as he turned to face them.
"Have you seen Fuji?" asked Ryoko. "We were supposed to meet him but we're a bit late." Tezuka looked back and forth between the girls and sighed.
"Follow me," he stated before turning around and continuing on in the direction he'd been going. The twins fell in step behind him without question. He kept walking until they reached a room with the door shut.
"Huh? What's in here?" Akiko asked her sister in a whisper. Tezuka glanced back over his shoulder before opening the door and stepping aside. Akiko and Ryoko looked into the room only to see Fuji sitting on the windowsill reading a book. He looked over at the sound of the door opening and smiled warmly.
"There you are," he said as he got to his feet. "I was wondering where you went."
"Sorry, Fuji," Ryoko apologized. "We had to talk to a teacher after class."
"That's quite alright," Fuji said. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yea we're ready," Akiko stated. Fuji nodded before turning his attention to Tezuka.
"Thanks for taking care of that thing earlier for me," he said. Tezuka simply nodded as he adjusted his glasses.
"You're welcome," he replied. Ryoko and Akiko looked at each other and shrugged. They had no idea what the two teens were talking about but neither one had the courage to ask about it. They knew better than to piss off Tezuka. It often resulted in a lot of laps to be run and drills to go through.
"Let's go, ladies," Fuji said as he began to walk off.
"Right," Ryoko and Akiko said in unison as they fell into step beside him. Tezuka stared after them until they disappeared from his view. Shaking his head he walked to his locker and picked up his bag, slinging it over his shoulder before heading home.
Once on the crowded train at Harajuku station, Ryoko and Akiko stood near Fuji. There were so many people on the train that if the driver hit the brakes too hard you were guaranteed to hit against someone. Ryoko and Akiko were too busy chatting to notice anyone else around them.
"Oi!" Akiko yelped after a few minutes.
"What's wrong, Aki?" Ryoko asked in concern. Akiko looked over at her sister with an angry expression on her face.
"Someone touched my ass!" she yelled. Ryoko's eyes went wide and she jumped a little.
"Yipes!" she cried. "Someone grabbed mine too!" Fuji turned to look behind the girls only to see Kirihara and Niou looking rather pleased about something. Shrugging it off for the moment, he turned back around but stepped closer to the sisters.
"Dammit!" Akiko and Ryoko growled again. Fuji glanced behind him in time to catch Kirihara and Niou pulling their hands back from the twin's asses. The two exchanged glances with a smirk and went to do it again. Just as they reached their arms out, Fuji spun around and grabbed hold of them, keeping them from doing it again.
"Hey! Let go of me," Kirihara hissed.
"Puri! Get off," Niou added. Fuji's eyes opened wide, revealing deep blue orbs.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he warned. "Unless you have no plans on playing tennis ever again." Ryoko and Akiko turned around and lightly touched Fuji's shoulders.
"Let it go," Ryoko said softly.
"This is our stop anyway," Akiko added. Fuji released his grip on the two teens and turned back to face the girls.
"But it wasn't right…," he protested. Ryoko and Akiko simply smiled at him as they started to pull him off the train.
"Trust us we've dealt with worse," Akiko stated. "But we appreciate you protecting us." Kirihara and Niou got off the train behind them but stayed a few feet back. Ryoko and Akiko linked their arms with Fuji's and walked off.
"I was only trying to protect your honor," Fuji replied. Ryoko and Akiko smiled at the brunette and leaned in to press a kiss on his cheeks.
"Thanks, Fuji," Ryoko said. "You're such a gentleman." Fuji's face turned a little red but a smile broke out on his face.
"You're welcome," he said. "Now where to first?" Kirihara and Niou watched Fuji walk away with the twins on his arms. Niou shook his head as they left.
"Puri, some guys have all the luck," he deadpanned. Kirihara growled and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Damn Fuji…," he growled. "Let's get out of here." Niou nodded and the pair walked off together.
Fuji walked along with the girls still on his arms as they entered Harajuku. It was one of the fashion capitals of the world located in Tokyo that sold many international brands as well as their own brand of fashion and styles.
"Let's go in here first," Akiko stated as she stopped by one of the shops. Fuji and Ryoko looked up to see a sign on the door that read "Adore".
"They have really nice stuff in here," Ryoko said as she followed after her twin. Fuji went in behind her without a word. His sister shopped here once in a while and he knew the clothing to be of the best quality. He dutifully trailed after the girls while they pulled out different dresses to try on. After getting an armful for both, he made his way to the dressing rooms with them at his side.
"Thanks, Fuji," Akiko said as she took the clothing she picked out.
"We won't take too long," Ryoko said as she took hers as well.
"Take your time," Fuji stated. "I've no other plans until training later." Ryoko and Akiko nodded and disappeared into the dressing room stalls. They both had training with the team as well and wouldn't dare to be late for it.
Ryoko and Akiko each tried on the dresses they picked and after showing them to Fuji to get his opinion, decided not to get anything. After getting dressed in their clothes once more, they headed out and walked off to check out other shops. Heading further down the street they came upon another shop.
"Let's try this one," Akiko said before they went inside. Again Fuji held the dresses they chose before carrying them back so the girls could try them on. When they disappeared inside the changing room Fuji sat down on the little sofa to wait. After a few minutes both girls came out wearing one of the dresses they picked.
"You look good," Fuji stated upon seeing them. "Turn around." Ryoko and Akiko turned around in a slow circle. Ryoko was wearing a powder blue strapless thigh-length dress with a slit up the right side while Akiko wore a dark purple spaghetti-strapped one with silvery sequins all over the bodice.
"Well? How do they look?" asked Ryoko. Fuji looked back and forth between the two girls while thinking.
"The blue clashes with your eyes, Ryo," he told her before looking to Akiko. "Yours looks too…frumpy." Akiko and Ryoko exchanged glances and started laughing.
"Frumpy?" Akiko managed to get out. "Never thought I'd hear you say that." Ryoko nodded her agreement.
"Come on, lets get me out of my clash and you out of your frumpy," she laughed before turning to head back into the dressing room dragging her twin behind her. Fuji shook his head and waited for them to come out in the next dress.
After trying on a few more dresses Ryoko decided to sit it out. She had tried on everything she wanted and still hadn't found anything she liked. She rested her head on Fuji's shoulder and waited for Akiko to come out. The manager had just been putting out the newest dresses and one had caught Akiko's eye. She had gone to retrieve it and try it on. A few minutes later Akiko appeared in the dress. Ryoko's mouth dropped open and Fuji's eyes became visible.
"You look hot!" Ryoko cried after she recovered from her initial shock. Aiko giggled and did a quick twirl.
"You really think so?" she asked as she twirled again.
"Yes that is definitely the dress for you," Fuji agreed, motioning for her to twirl again. Akiko was wearing a fuschia colored organza strapless sweetheart A-line dress with contrasting various large size sequins all over and a taffeta sash that was tied like a bow at the waist.
"Then this is the one I'm getting!" Akiko cried before hurrying off to the dressing room to change back into her regular clothes. Five minutes later she was back out and the trio were heading to the front to pay for the dress. When they were finished, Fuji took the bag from Akiko and they continued on their way, trying to find a dress for Ryoko.
The next shop they went into seemed to have a wide variety of styles to choose from and many dresses from other countries as well. Ryoko walked up to one rack that had different Chinese style dresses.
"Oh these are pretty!" she gushed as she pulled out a black one with a golden dragon design.
"Yea it is," Akiko agreed. "But we're Japanese and we're looking for a Valentine's Day dress." Ryoko sighed and put the dress back on the rack.
"Seriously what's the point?" she asked. "I don't even have a date to go with!"
"Maybe whoever keeps giving you the roses will be there," Fuji suggested from beside the red heads. Ryoko and Akiko both looked at him but he was looking at them with his eyes closed and a smile on his face.
"Knowing my luck it'll be some creep I don't even know," Ryoko deadpanned, causing Akiko and Fuji to laugh.
"It could be him you know," Akiko reminded.
"I can only hope," Ryoko replied as she picked out a couple dresses. Fuji looked back and forth between the sisters in confusion. Him? Who were they talking about? Not sure who it could be, Fuji followed the twins to the dressing rooms so Ryoko could try on the dresses she picked up.
Ryoko proceeded to try on dress after dress, coming out each time to show Akiko and Fuji to get their opinion. She walked out of the dressing room wearing a short, v-neck yellow sequined dress with a lighter yellow bow around the waist.
"How's this one?" she asked, twirling around.
"Ugh too much yellow!" Akiko said as she made a gagging gesture.
"I agree," Fuji said. "Yellow is not your color." Ryoko rolled her eyes and went back into the dressing room to try on yet another dress. So far she had tried on five different ones but none of them seemed to be the one.
"Okay this is the last dress," Ryoko called out before exiting the stall. Akiko and Fuji turned their attention to the other girl and waited for her to appear. Fuji and Akiko's eyes went wide as Ryoko came up to them.
"It's perfect!" Akiko cried. Fuji nodded his agreement.
"You look stunning," he stated. Ryoko blushed and twirled around again. She wore a short, silvery strapless dress made of lustrous, iridescent taffeta with magnificent roses adorning the mini hemline and a sparkling beaded bodice that gave off a delicate sparkle.
"You really think so?" asked Ryoko.
"Of course!" Fuji assured. Akiko smiled at her twin and stood up, moving towards her.
"If you don't buy this dress I'll kick your ass all the way home," she stated before leaning in to whisper. "He is gonna love you in this." Ryoko blushed once more as her sister stepped back. She gave a curt nod while smiling wide.
"I'll buy it!" she proclaimed before turning and hurrying back into the dressing room to change. Ten minutes later she was back out with dress in hand and going up to the cash register to check out. Five minutes more and she was happily on her way back to the train station with Fuji and Akiko at her side.
Later that night after practice was over, Akiko and Ryoko headed back to their townhouse where their half brother Eli would be waiting. Practice had run over half an hour and Akiko had called to let him know they would be late. In typical big brother fashion, he sent his limo to pick them up so they would make it home safely. Ryoma and Momo hitched a ride with them as they happened to be going in the same direction. After getting dropped off, Ryoko and Akiko were swiftly taken to their house for the night.
"Eli-nii we're home!" Ryoko called out, alerting the brunette they were there.
"In the kitchen!" Eli called back. The twins quickly kicked off their shoes and set their tennis bags in the closet by the door. Tossing their backpacks onto the couch as they passed through the living room they made their way into the kitchen.
"Something smells good!" Akiko cried.
"Yea I'm starving!" Ryoko added. Eli smiled over his shoulder at his younger sisters. It had been a blessing in disguise to find his birth mother just to find out she wanted nothing to do with him. Because of it, he got to meet his sisters and after a series of other events, even became their guardian.
"Dad's in Italy so I thought we'd have lasagna," he stated before turning back to pull the large pan out of the oven.
"Brett's in Italy?" Akiko asked. "How long is he gonna be there?" Eli sat the hot pan on the stove before stepping back.
"Just a week then he's off to Hokkaido," he replied. Ryoko went over to the cupboard and pulled down the plates and glasses while Akiko grabbed the silverware.
"Think he'll come see us before he goes back?" she asked.
"I'm not sure," Eli mused. "Probably will though."
"I don't see Big Daddy coming all the way to Japan without seeing his fave girls," Akiko deadpanned. Eli raised a brow at that.
"You mean Dad's got a couple girlfriends here?" he teased good naturedly. Akiko and Ryoko whipped their heads around to look at him as he leaned against the sink with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.
"Eli-nii!" they yelled. "We mean us!" Eli couldn't help but laugh at the identical expressions on his sisters' faces. They were so identical that one of the only ways to tell them apart was the black butterfly tattoo under Ryoko's right eye.
"I'm kidding," Eli laughed. "Sit down dinner is ready." Akiko sat down while Ryoko grabbed the kettle of hot water off the stove and poured each of them a cup of tea before sitting down opposite her twin.
"I'm so hungry I could eat that whole thing!" Akiko said as she stared at the large pan of lasagna. Ryoko said nothing as she picked up a napkin and handed it to her sister.
"I think you need this," she stated after Akiko gave her a funny look.
"Huh? What for?" Akiko asked. "I haven't started eating yet."
"It's to wipe the drool, Aki," Ryoko replied with a straight face. Akiko's eyes went wide and she snatched the napkin from her sister's hand.
"Not funny, Ryo!" she cried. "You know I have a weakness when it comes to lasagna!"
"Like kryptonite to Superman," Eli deadpanned. Akiko snapped her attention to her brother and smacked him lightly on the arm.
"Eli!" she whined. Eli and Ryoko laughed at the wide-eyed redhead until Eli cut the pasta and served it up. Even though the girls were no longer on such strict diets like their father had them on, they still didn't eat too much unhealthy food. Lasagna was one dish Akiko just couldn't say no to. Ryoko's weakness happened to be tacos and Eli made sure to fix both dishes at least once a week for them.
They settled in to eat and talk about the doings of the day. Eli was fully aware of the chocolate roses Ryoko was receiving on a daily basis at the school as he kept them in the freezer for her so they didn't melt or get broken.
"The Valentine's dance is tomorrow," he started. "Are you any closer to figuring out who's been giving you the roses?" Ryoko and Akiko shook their heads.
"No," Ryoko replied. "We've ruled out the other schools at least."
"And three people from the tennis team," Akiko added, taking a bite of the lasagna on her plate.
"Three?" Eli questioned.
"Yea I thought we said four?" Ryoko asked. Akiko shook her head and set her fork down, wiping her mouth before speaking.
"No, you said four," she reminded. "I said three. We can't rule out Momo yet." Eli looked back and forth between his sisters eyebrow raised. He was just as intrigued with the mystery as Akiko was. He could tell Ryoko was curious about it but was a little put off by it at the same time.
"Okay so with Momo it's four," Eli stated. "Who's the other three?"
"Oishi, Eiji and of course Ryoma," Ryoko listed off. "Possibly Tezuka."
"Tezuka?" Akiko repeated. "Why him?" Ryoko took a sip of her tea before answering.
"Come on, do you really see him as the type to do something like this?" Ryoko deadpanned. "He's too strict and let's face it he's not exactly mister approachable."
"That's true," Eli agreed. "Could it be an old boyfriend?"
"Doubt it," Akiko said. "Our last boyfriends were in America."
"Hmm…," Eli trailed off as he took a bite of his dinner. It descended into silence as the trio tried to figure out just who it could be that was placing the chocolate roses into Ryoko's locker anonymously.
Lost in thought, they finished their dinner and Eli was kicked out of the kitchen to watch a movie and relax while the girls cleared the table and did the dishes.
"You got any plans tonight?" Ryoko asked her sister. Akiko nodded as she dried the plate she was handed.
"Ryoma and I are going to the twilight ice skating in the park," she stated. "You should come."
"No just you and Ryoma should go," Ryoko replied. "You don't always have to include me in everything, you know." Akiko walked up and threw her arms around her twin.
"I know but I don't like leaving you alone," she said with a smile. Ryoko smiled back and shook her head.
"It's fine," she assured. "I don't mind spending time alone." Akiko raised a brow at her skeptically.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Yes!" Ryoko cried. "I'll finish up here. You go get ready for your hot date on the ice." Akiko pressed a kiss to her older sister's cheek before running off towards her room.
"Thanks Ryo! You're the best!" came the younger twin's voice as it floated back to her. Ryoko couldn't help but shake her head and laugh.
"Dingbat always worrying about me," she muttered, turning back to the dishes. "And I thought I was the older twin." Shaking her head once more, Ryoko set to finishing up the dishes before heading to her room. She had homework to do and she wanted to get it done and over with.
Half an hour after Akiko left with Ryoma the sound of the doorbell rang throughout the large house. Ryoko lifted her head to listen in case Eli didn't hear it. It rang once more and Ryoko jumped to her feet, rushing out the door and down the stairs to answer it.
"I got it, Ryo!" Eli called out just as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Okay!" she called back, turning to go back to her room. She only made it half way up the stairs when Eli called out again.
"Ryo! You've got company!" Eli yelled. Ryoko stopped in her tracks at that. Company this late at night?
"Alright I'll be right down!" she yelled back as she turned to go back down the stairs once more. She walked out through the living room into the hallway by the door and stopped in her tracks upon seeing just who was waiting there.
"Hello, Ryoko," the teen greeted.
"Hi, Inui," Ryoko returned. "Come on in." Inui took his shoes off and followed after the redhead as she led him to the kitchen, indicating a chair to sit in.
"Thanks," Inui said.
"No problem," Ryoko replied. She moved around the kitchen and grabbed a can of orange Ponta out of the fridge and set it on the table in front of the teen before adding a plate of pepperoni slices and some cheese with French onion dip.
"Thank you," Inui said again as he opened the can of soda. Ryoko joined him at the table and opened her own bottle of carrot juice. She wasn't sure if the glasses wearing teen would drink it but figured he'd rather have a soda instead.
"What brings you here this late?" she asked. Inui took a drink of the cold liquid before setting it down again.
"I need your help with something," he stated.
"Oh?" Ryoko said, eyebrow raised. "With what?" Inui reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper that was folded in half. He unfolded it and laid it out on the table in front of him. Ryoko picked up her chair and scooted closer to the teen to get a better look.
"This is my latest idea for an energy drink," Inui informed her. "But no matter how I make it, it doesn't come out right." Ryoko looked at him and blinked. Did he want her for her chemistry skills or because she and her sister were immune to his concoctions unlike his team mates?
"So what do you need help with?" she asked, not sure if she really wanted an answer.
"Would you help me figure out what I'm doing wrong?" Inui asked.
"How? I don't have any of the stuff you need here," Ryoko told him. Inui ate a piece of cheese and followed it with a piece of pepperoni.
"Come with me back to the school," he stated. "I'll bring you back after. Unless you have other plans?" Ryoko shook her head and stood up, tossing her empty bottle into the sink to be rinsed out later.
"Nope I'm not doing a damn thing tonight," she stated. "I'll help you out." Inui stood up as well and placed his can in the sink as well. When he turned back to gather up the plate of leftovers, he found Ryoko had already covered it and placed it back in the fridge.
"Thank you," he said. "I really appreciate the help, Ryo." Ryoko smiled at him warmly before heading into the living room.
"Sure, I've nothing else to do," she said. "It'll be fun…just the two of us." Inui stopped in his tracks a moment as a sudden blush came over him. Just the thought of being alone with the fiery redhead made his entire body heat up.
"Sounds like fun," he agreed, trailing after her slowly.
"Eli-nii I'm going out for a bit with Inui," Ryoko informed her brother. Eli looked up at the two teens and nodded.
"Okay, just be back by midnight," he commanded. "Or else she stays at your place, Inui." Inui's eyes went wide and he gulped audibly as his face once again turned red. He completely missed the smirk that came over Eli's face.
"Eli!" Ryoko yelped, smacking the brunette with a throw pillow. "Behave yourself, dammit!" Eli started laughing and chucked the pillow back at her.
"Alright, alright," he laughed. "Just be home by midnight, okay?" Recovering from his embarrassment, Inui adjusted his glasses and nodded.
"I'll have her back by then," he promised. Eli simply nodded and turned back to his movie. Ryoko motioned for the raven haired teen to follow her into the hall where they gathered their coats and boots.
Two and a half hours later Inui and Ryoko were walking back towards her place. The night air was very cold and it was snowing lightly. Ryoko twirled around in it as she walked.
"I just love the snow!" she cried. Inui cocked his head to the side and looked at her.
"I thought you hated the winter?" he asked. Ryoko stopped twirling to look back at him.
"I hate the cold of winter," she clarified. "But I love it when it snows!"
"Uh…huh," Inui said, not understanding how one could love snow but hate the winter that brings it. In no time at all they were back at Ryoko's and she started up the street towards her house.
"Thanks for bringing me home," Ryoko said with a smile.
"Thanks for helping me," Inui returned. "I couldn't have done it without you." Ryoko turned back towards him and smiled.
"I'm sure you would've figured it out soon," she stated, not watching where she was going. She lifted her foot up but never noticed the danger the snow hid under its pureness. As she set her foot down, she slipped on the ice beneath the snow and fell back. "Ahh!"
"Ryo!" Inui shouted, darting forward subconsciously. Ryoko turned as she fell and found herself falling to the ground. Inui wrapped his arms around her as she fell, going to the ground with her. Inui held her tight against him so she wouldn't be hurt and took the full brunt of the impact. They rolled a couple times with Inui never letting go of the redhead he held safe in his arms. When they stopped, Ryoko found herself cradled against Inui's chest, looking down at him. She looked into his eyes not saying a word. Sighing, she dropped her head against his chest and stayed there.
"R-Ryo?" Inui yelped. "Are…are you okay?" Ryoko slowly shook her head but didn't bother to look up.
"Gah I hate winter," she stated. Inui blinked a few times not sure what to do until the sound of the girl in his arms laughing caught his attention.
"You sure you're okay?" he asked again. Ryoko lifted her head but made no move to get off him.
"This has been one hell of a week," she said. "I can't wait until this is all over." Inui stared at her, not sure what she meant and wondered if it had anything to do with the roses she had been getting from the mysterious…stranger. After a moment, Ryoko rolled off the teen and got to her feet, brushing the snow off her pants. Inui got to his feet hurriedly and adjusted his glasses.
"You'd better get inside before you catch cold," Inui stated while clearing his throat. "If you're sick Tezuka won't let you practice."
"I know," Ryoko replied, still brushing the snow free. "He's a pain in the…"
"Ryoko! Come inside now!" the voice of Eli cut in. "It's late and it's damn near freezing out there!" Ryoko turned and looked up at the second floor window.
"Coming!" she called out before looking back at Inui. "I gotta go now. Want me to have the limo take you home?" Inui brushed the snow from around the girl's shoulders and stepped back.
"No I can use the fresh air," he said. "I need to clear my thoughts."
"Okay, night, Inui," Ryoko told him. "I had fun tonight. We should do it again sometime."
"Anytime you want," Inui replied. "Good night, Ryoko." Ryoko watched as the teen walked up the street until she couldn't see him anymore. Shivering against the cold, Ryoko ran up the steps, and went into the house where the warmth of home was waiting for her.
The next morning, Ryoko was sitting in front of her vanity brushing out her hair. It was finally Valentine's day and soon the whole crazy thing would be all over. So far she had been given ten chocolate roses in her locker, none of which came with any hints as to who the mystery person was. Sighing, she pulled her red hair back and tied it with a little white ribbon that had red hearts on it. Akiko was sitting on her bed waiting for her to finish. She had her hair up in pigtails, being held in place with pink silk ribbons.
"Come on, Ryo!" Akiko cried. "You're taking forever!"
"I'm almost done," Ryoko retorted. "Once I get this in place we can go." Akiko bounced up off the bed and moved behind her sister.
"Let me do it," she said. "With your OCD you'll be forever tying up your hair." Ryoko stuck her tongue out at the mirror in front of her, knowing her sister could see it easily.
"Quiet you!" she growled lightly. "I'm not looking forward to today." Finished with tying the bow around her ponytail, Akiko picked up the brush and ran it through her hair again.
"Perfect!" she said. "Now let's go." Ryoko rolled her eyes and got up, following her sister out of the bedroom and down the stairs.
"Heading out, Eli!" she yelled out as they grabbed their bags off the table.
"Have fun today!" Eli replied from the den. Throwing on their coats and putting their bags over their shoulders, they headed out into the blistering cold towards the warm limo that was waiting for them at the curb.
Once inside, the limo whisked them away to the school. The twins hurried into the school to their lockers. Already there were people lined up waiting to give them special gifts and treats.
"I don't want to do this," Ryoko muttered under her breath. Akiko elbowed her in the ribs lightly but never let the smile on her face falter.
"Hush and just accept it," she hissed. Ryoko sighed and turned a smile towards everyone that was waiting for her and her sister. All at once candy and flowers were thrust into their hands and both girls were doing their best to keep up and thank everyone for the gifts. After fifteen minutes, the crowd died down and the twins were alone at their lockers once more.
"What the hell am I gonna do with all this?" Ryoko whined, looking at all the stuff sticking out of her backpack.
"Eat most of it and throw the rest out," Akiko deadpanned. "The flowers just stick in a vase until they die." Ryoko shook her head and turned to open her locker door. She reached into the top shelf first, knowing their would be a flower waiting inside. Sure enough, an eleventh chocolate rose was laying in the same spot as the others.
"Got another one," Ryoko stated as her hand brushed against something else. "And…a note?"
"A note? Finally?" Akiko said. "Who's it from?" Ryoko pulled the small piece of paper out of her locker and unfolded it so she could read it.
"It doesn't say," she replied. Akiko placed her hands on her hips and glared at her sibling.
"Well what does it say?" she demanded a little impatiently. Ryoko glanced over at her sister before dropping her gaze to the note once more.
"This week you have received eleven chocolate roses," Ryoko read. "You will receive a twelfth rose at the Valentine's Day dance from the one who loves you the most."
"Oh that is soo romantic!" Akiko squealed. Ryoko looked over at her sister and heaved a sigh.
"I wonder who it could be," she stated. "I don't recognize the handwriting."
"Guess we're gonna have to wait and find out later," Akiko stated. "Now we have to get to class. We're gonna be late!"
"Late again?" Ryoko yelped, chasing after her twin that had already run away. She caught up easily and they both slid into the classroom with only a moment to spare before the last bell of the morning rang.
Later that night Ryoko and Akiko pulled up in front of the school in their limo with Ryoma. He had met the girls at their place earlier. They were both dressed in their new outfits and were eager to get the night started. Ryoko had informed Eli about the note, no thanks to Akiko blabbing it first. Eli was curious himself as to who was giving his little sister flowers all week long and had wanted to be a chaperone for the dance but didn't want his sisters to think he didn't trust them.
Ryoma got out of the limo first before turning to help his girlfriend and her sister out. Once outside, Akiko linked her arm with his while Ryoko simply walked beside him as he led them inside. They made their way to the gym where the dance was being held. On the way there they looked over all the red, pink and white balloons, streamers and signs that lined the hall.
"It's so pretty!" Ryoko stated.
"Yea it is," Akiko agreed. Ryoma looked over at Ryoko and raised a brow.
"Wasn't Kaidoh going to be your date?" he asked. Ryoko smiled and nodded.
"He said he would meet me here," she replied.
"Guess he didn't want to deal with Eli," Akiko laughed. "Can't say that I blame him though. He was kind of rough on Ryoma when we first got together." Ryoma blushed and went to pull his hat down but dropped his hand upon remembering he wasn't wearing one. They walked a little further until Ryoko spotted a water fountain.
"Go on ahead guys," she told them. "I need to get a quick drink to calm my nerves." Akiko studied her sister for a moment.
"Are you sure?" she asked. Ryoko nodded and motioned for them to go ahead.
"Yea I'll be right behind you in a few minutes," she assured. Ryoma patted Akiko on the arm and started to walk away.
"Don't be too long," he said. "There's a lot of guys who want to dance with you."
"Gah don't tell her that!" Akiko yelped. "She's nervous enough about this!" Ryoko laughed as she watched her sister and Ryoma walk away arm in arm. She was glad they were together and hoped they would still be together for a long time. They loved each other like none she'd ever seen and prayed it lasted past their senior year.
After getting a drink and trying to calm her nerves, Ryoko straightened up and faced the doors to the gym. Just on the other side the one who loved her most would be waiting. But…who could it be? Is it him or someone else? How would she handle it if it wasn't who she hoped it was? Shaking the thoughts from her mind, Ryoko squared her shoulders and moved towards the doors before reaching out to open them. Hesitating only a moment, she took a deep breath, reached out and pulled the door open.
As soon as she stepped into the gym, she was met by loud music and flashing lights. Everywhere she looked red, white and pink could be found. Hanging from the ceiling were strands of shiny foil hearts in different colors that reflected the lights off their surfaces. Walking further in she stopped dead in her tracks. On either side of a small aisle were her friends from the tennis team. On her right stood Oishi, and on the opposite side stood Eiji. They simply smiled at her with their arms held behind their backs. Next to them stood Kaidoh and Momo, followed by Taka and Inui who were standing in a similar fashion. Farther down the line stood Ryoma and Fuji. Ryoko was taken aback at first to see Ryoma standing there. She thought for sure he'd already be dancing with Akiko. She was shocked to see Tezuka standing in the line as well, opposite her own sister!
Feeling slightly confused as to what they were all doing, she became even more confused when they all moved to stand in a straight line, blocking her from going any further and keeping their hands behind their backs.
"What the hell?" Ryoko yelped upon seeing her path blocked. A moment later and the music died down and another song came on. Ryoko immediately recognized it as Say You Like Me by We The Kings. She watched completely confused as everyone took one step back, except for one person. Her eyes went wide as he approached her, bringing his hands to the front to reveal a single, red foil-wrapped chocolate rose. Tears began to flow down her cheeks as he approached. She couldn't believe it. The man she loved the most had been the one to send her the flowers all along! She jumped when she felt his cool hand caress her cheek, using his thumb to wipe away her tears. Ryoko immediately snapped her head up to look into love filled eyes.
"T-Tezuka?" Ryoko questioned as the captain of the tennis team simply stared down at her, his gaze seeming to pass through her ice blue eyes straight into her soul. He placed the chocolate rose in her hands and gave her a small smile.
"Twelve roses for the one I love the most," he stated, causing more tears to flow down the red head's face. Ryoko didn't realize the song had ended and changed to Lost In You by Westlife.
"Tezuka I…" she started to say before getting cut off by the sandy haired teen.
"I love you, Ryoko Nakamura," Tezuka stated.
"I love you too, Kunimitsu Tezuka," Ryoko replied, moving into the teen's arms. A moment later Tezuka dropped his head down and pressed his lips to hers in a slow, gentle kiss. Whoops and hollers rose up from the tennis team as the new lovers kissed. Oishi wiped a tear from his eye while Eiji jumped onto his back from behind.
"Nya! Ryoko got trapped in the Tezuka Zone!" Eiji cried happily. Ryoma wrapped his arms around Akiko and held her close, leaning down to whisper in her ear.
"Happy Valentine's Day, my love!"
A/N: Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I hope you all had a great day and enjoy this once-short fic. I apologize as it was supposed to only be a short one shot but somehow it turned into this…Please Read and Review and leave me some love! I'm curious as to who you all thought was sending the chocolate roses. As always, any flames will be used to light the candles for my Valentine's Day dinner! For anyone who would like to see what my characters look like here's the link to their pictures. .com/albums/g418/KryingRain/Prince%20Of%20Tennis%20OC%20Pics/