Story title: UNDER THE GROTTO
Story summary: Everything started under the grotto… their friendship, their everything… though it's been a common knowledge that nothing can last eternally.
Clandestinely as ever, she stole a look at him. There he was as usual, sitting (or more likely skulking) at the corner. A smile formed in her lips. He never paid attention to anyone, it's rare for him to talk, and he wouldn't talk at all if the teachers won't talk to him either. She even gave him a nickname, 'Mr. Mystery'. She giggled inwardly. Yes… he's very mysterious, yet very calm and calculating. Then he turned at her direction, smirking. She hastily turned away from him, blushing furiously.
He chuckled silently in his seat. There she was again, staring at him thinking he doesn't notice her gaze. He caught her again, he thought triumphantly. And she blushed too. It's been like that for a while now, since she first arrived. She'll stare at him, he caught her, and she'll blush. She's highly amusing… very shy, quiet, distant but most of all, cute. If she thinks she's the only one observing the other, then she's completely wrong. He's keeping an eye out for her too. Not that he thinks she's not capable of looking after herself but she's just simply adorable.
It's the last day of the school year. Exhausting and strenuous exams were finally over, and now they're just relaxing and playing around; so untypical of eight-year-old grade two year students. Their current class adviser is observing her students in a distance with a faint smile. She'll be missing them a LOT. Then something… no, someone caught her attention. It's the most popular and most admired student among the second graders, Fuji Shusuke. Of course, with his prodigiously tennis skills and extraordinary intelligence no wonder the girls are fawning over him like he's some god or anything of the sort. But she greatly disliked his antisocially behavior. He's so different with his sister Fuji Yumiko of the 5th grade, who's the current vice president of the student council and the upcoming president for the following school year.
Kobayashi-sensei could only shake her head in disbelief. She flipped her long ebony-black hair in irritation. He's been a nuisance (not in a bad way, though) in her class, his unenthusiastically attitude's making her teaching mood gloomier. No matter how bright he might be and quiet he might be, he's not keen to learn or at least he seemed to be. Then she caught him staring at another someone not far from his corner.
This time she grinned at the recognition of the brunette. The deputy principal's granddaughter, Ryuzaki Sakuno who transferred just recently. She's alone as usual, she sighed. No one has really dared to get at least acquainted with her. But she noticed a certain someone has taken a liking of her. It's none other than of course but Fuji Shusuke. His attitude and behavior changed dramatically at her arrival. He became more eager in lessons and turned into a show-off little brat! As a teacher she's not sure whether she should've been glad at the drastic change or be pissed.
She shifted her gaze away from them back to the other naughty and playful students. They're happy, laughing, shouting, running all around the room, and playing with one another. She smiled faintly; they sure will be missing each other a lot during the holidays… with their strong friendship bond. She sighed one again.
Then from the corner of her eye, she saw little Ryuzaki walking at the tensai's direction very nervously. She went forward his table. The boy instantly noticed her presence and turned towards her, smiling as ever.
"Konnichiwa, Ryuzaki-san." He greeted formally with utmost respect as he shifted comfortably in his seat. The girl blushed as expected, of course. She heaved a deep sigh before holding out her open palm. He only stared at it with confusion. But of course, he knows what she means but he just wants to hear her talk. He loves seeing people suffer.
He watched as the girl struggled and fought for words. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out then closed it again. Her gestured seemed to be nothing to him. After several minutes she finally managed to utter three words.
"You dropped this." She spoke in a very small but charming voice, still holding out her hand. He grinned maliciously, his blue eyes pierced through her, intimidating her frail body. He cocked her head to get a better look at the thing in her palm.
"Oh, thanks… yeah." He told her with his smile as he took the ring from her palm, intentionally brushing his fingers against her soft hand. He closed his eyes again much to her relief.
'I thought he's handsome with his closed eyes but he's even more handsome with those sharp blue eyes of his.' She thought as she giggled inwardly.
Kobayashi-sensei smiled. Maybe he's not as antisocial as he appears to be. And maybe… a certain someone could get him out of his shell.
-
~Next year~
-
There she was again sitting under the grotto taking refuge from the harmful sun.
'Mou… why do I always have to wait for Obaa-chan…' she whined inside her head. She tossed her hair out of her face. This time, she groaned in frustration. Her hair's been getting unmanageable these days. Many of her friends are advising her to have her hair trimmed since it's getting too long. But she loves her hair so much that she can't take to have it cut even an inch!
"Ne…" a voice broke her from her reverie startling him. Slowly, she turned to face whoever he is! Yes, it's a he from the recognition of the voice. And much to her surprise, it's the guy she never thought would approach her. It's Fuji Shusuke.
"Fu-Fuji-kun!" she squeaked in surprise as she leapt from her seating position that made her lost her balance. Lucky for her, he has fast reflexes enough to catch her in time with his strong pair arms. She blushed again.
"You okay?" he asked worriedly as he carried her in bridal style. She blushed once more before replying, "Yeah… uhm could you let go now?" she asked awkwardly, flushing even more.
Realizing that he was still carrying her in a very awkward position, he cleared his throat before setting her down the earth. "Oh… I apologize if I… startled you." He replied awkwardly refusing to meet her intent gaze.
She cleared her throat too before speaking, "Uhm… what are you still doing here? Aren't you supposed to be home couple of hours earlier?" she asked gaining more confidence every second. This is the first they ever talked not unless you would call the episode where she returned his ring.
He smiled at her, "I'm still waiting for my onee-san. Hmm… I supposed your waiting for Obaa-san?"
She blushed even more, she's turning maroon. Did he just called my obaasan, 'obaasan'?, she asked herself. He continued to smile at her and it somehow relieved her that her blush subsiding moderately. Then he turned away from her, walked around, and gazed at the grotto.
"You have a good place." He commented as he admired the beautiful grotto before him.
She grinned, "Yup, it's a great place." She agreed then she added, "Would you like to sit here with me while you're waiting for Yumiko-taicho?" she suggested as she sat at the grotto. She patted the space beside her waiting at his response. He hesitated for a moment before he sat beside her.
"Thanks!" he muttered.
And that's where and how everything started.
-
Months had passed; their friendship bond grows stronger every second. No one knows about their bonding time every after dismissal not even her grandmother and his sister.
This time he brought some cookies while she brought some drinks and blanket for their everyday picnic. They got used at each other's presence immediately. They became best friends and often spend their time together whether it may be inside or outside the school. A strong wind blew by, Sakuno's long silky hair danced with the wind while Shusuke laughed at her disheveled hair.
She pouted rather cutely at him that made his heart skipped. I like her.
"Not funny!" she scolded him as she jabbed her forefinger at his chest. He chuckled lightly; he took a handful of her hair in his hand, staring at her hair longingly.
"Why don't you tie it?" he asked suggestively as he let go of her hair. She smiled, "Why not? Maybe tomorrow…" she replied.
They continued to sit at the blanket in silence, savoring the serenity of the place. They continued to listen at the soft chirping of the birds, the rustling of the trees, and the gentle and soothing sound of the flowing water from the small fountain nearby.
-
The following morning, a certain brunette arrived in her classroom with her hair twisted in twin braids. Many of the guys gasped at her awe-striking sight.
She looks better with her hair in braids.
He walked up to her and gave her one of his inviting smiles. "You look better in twin braids. You look cute." He commented making her blush in crimson red.
-
Since then she wore her hair in twin braids every day… always. She took his comment into the very deepest of her heart. But she knew it has to come… their not-so fairytale ending.
He told her since the start that his parents are planning on moving him to another school with his sister after she graduated. And it was confirmed three weeks earlier before the graduation rites by him.
"I'll be transferring in Tokyo after onee-san's graduation." He told her one afternoon.
She didn't say anything but just smiled at him.
-
Today is the today. Their last day… their farewell party.
No matter how hard she tried to look and sound cheerful, it's no avail.
She didn't say "I'll miss you" or "Goodbye" and neither did he. Because it doesn't seem appropriate. It's not like they won't see each other, would they? Yep, it doesn't seem appropriate.
So no goodbyes at all…
-
Her grandmother invited her to attend the graduation rites much to her delight. She's expecting to meet "Shusuke-kun" there since his sister's a candidate for valedictorian.
And as much as she anticipated it, it happened. But not in the way she expected to.
He's distant than before and less enthusiastic. He just waved at her with his never fading smile twice and it was over.
-
EPILOGUE
'It's been four years…' a certain brunette mused longingly as she strolled around the mall with her best friend, Osakada Tomoka. As they were passing by a jewelry shop, a familiar-looking brown-haired boy around her age passed beside her. Realization hit her and her hopes aroused. In a split second, she turned her neck to get a better view but failed though she saw him turned at her direction.
I'm sure it's him! I can't be wrong… it really is him.
I didn't waste the past four years of looking through old pictures just to recognize his face whenever I meet him again.
She smiled inwardly. 'At least… he recognized me. He still remembers.' She happily thought with contentment and satisfaction. If only she had seen his face, she would've seen his disappointed expression.
-
There he was with his best mate, Tezuka Kunimitsu wandering around the mall. As they were walking by the jewelry shop, he caught sight of the familiar auburn braided hair. He hastily turned at her direction but the angle wasn't right so he didn't see her full face but he saw her turned at his direction too.
He grinned, 'She still remembers me… I wish we'll again and at that meeting, we'll interact with one another.'
Disclaimer: silverDoe doesn't own Prince of Tennis
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I hope you enjoyed reading my first one shot. This is a true to life that's kinda exaggerated. I just realized that I shouldn't have made them classmates but the usual sempai-kouhai relationship... but what was done was done.
arigato gozaimasu and please don't forget to vote on my poll... and of course the review! :D