---I Have Now Realized---
Summary: Sakuno & the rest of the freshmen are now on their 2nd year. Also, Sakuno knows that she has forgotten her feelings about her "oujisama" (or has she) Now both of them are at Sakuno's house when somebody shows up….& something happens….new character appearance . RyoSaku. Oneshot.
A/N: Hi again!! I'm sorry if this is not the fanfic I promised you. It's just not finished yet & I'm bored…gomen nasai (I'm sorry). I came up with this fanfic after finishing all of my homeworks….I have no idea on how to play tennis because I play badminton. The things I wrote about playing tennis in the later part are just based on my knowledge ok? Now Enjoy! Oh & don't forget to review…Arigato (Thank you)
"You are going to work on a project. And this project will not only be done by you, yourself. Instead you are going to work in pairs," the English teacher announced to the class. "These people sitting in here (while pointing to them) will pick their partners from the container here (showing to the class). Got it?"
"Hai," (yes) the class replied in unison.
And so the students stood one by one going towards their teacher who has the container with the students' names. All they have to do is insert their hand inside the container & get a paper & read it out loud to the whole class so that the person whom he picked knows that he/she is his/her partner. (You get the point. Right?)
"Ryuzaki Sakuno," a certain dark-green haired, arrogant, cocky, short brat read out to the whole class notifying Ryuzaki Sakuno that he is her partner.
Then a pale, pinkish blush crept up to Sakuno's cheeks the moment she knew that Echizen, the person she 'once' loved (notice the 'ONCE' word), was going to be her partner for the project.
----Bell Rings----
"What is wrong with me? I have already got over him but…why did I stiffened a while ago the moment he called my name? Also why am I being hesitant to ask him about the project? Am I really over him or not?" Sakuno thought when she saw Echizen prepared to leave the room. Then she took the chance to talk to him & approached him.
"A-ano…Ryoma-kun," she said hesitantly but not as hesitant as before. "Would you like to do the project at my house later?"
"Ok," Echizen replied. "I'll wait for you at the gates later." & left. Meanwhile while he was saying these words to her, something in his head kept saying: "Oi say it now!" "This is a great opportunity to tell her how you feel!" "What are you waiting for Christmas??! Say it now!!!"
While he was walking at the hallways, he kept thinking about the words that he heard inside his head while talking to Sakuno.
"May—maybe I should do it. Should I?" Echizen murmured to himself. "Ahh! What am I saying??!" he said while getting pissed at himself.
It IS true that the short, dark-green haired, cocky, arrogant (cute/adorable. hehehe) brat really have his feelings over the cute, hesitant, braided girl who always makes him bentos (lunch) & also his partner at their project in English. But it's not that obvious because his pride is just too high (1). Is this or later the right moment to tell her about his feelings for her?
----After school at the school gates----
"Gomen nasai Ryoma-kun," Sakuno apologized to her partner who was drinking Ponta while waiting for her. "Sensei asked me to do something"
"Hmm…well should we be going then?" Echizen asked while his heart was beating sort of faster than usual.
"Okay," Sakuno replied. And she & Echizen walked together keeping their distances away from each other because as of right now, at this moment both of hearts are beating way faster than usual. (As for Echizen, faster than a while ago) & both of them know that the moment they go closer to each other, the both of them will turn scarlet red or even redder.
"Have I? have I really forgotten my feelings about him? If I did forget my feelings for him…then…why is my heart beating faster than usual even though were meters apart?"(Ohh…too much exaggeration there) Sakuno thought while they were walking towards her house.
"Do I really like Ryuzaki-san 'this much'??That my heart beats faster than usual even though were meters apart & I'm going ahead of her?!? Echizen thought confusingly.
Both of them were so busy with their thoughts that they haven't realized that they are already in front of Sakuno's house.
"Oh we're here," Sakuno said as she went ahead of Echizen; opening the door. "Tadaima!" (I'm home/I'm here)
"Ah…Sakuno Okairi nasai,"(Welcome home) her grandmother greeted while she was in the kitchen preparing dinner.(2)
"Come in Ryoma-kun," Sakuno told Echizen. "Obaa-chan (Grandmother), Ryom-kun's here. We'll be doing our project together at the living room"
"Oh Ryoma's here?" Ryuzaki-sensei said surpriseingly. "Hmm…I wonder what's gonna be Nanjiro's reaction when he hears about this?"
Echizen & Sakuno headed to the living room & talked about their project & they have come to a conclusion that Echizen will be the one to report, since he's fluent with English. While they were doing their project, both of them couldn't breathe properly. Until, the doorbell rang….
Ding-dong
"I'll get it!" Sakuno exclaimed as she jumped out of her seat & walked fast towards the door. This gave both of them enough time to breathe properly but upon opening the door…
"Ah Sakuno-chan, long time no see," the person in front of her said. Upon hearing this, Echizen jumped out of his seat & eavesdropped on them.
"Who is this guy & why the heck did he call her '-chan'?" Echizen thought.
But he was so busy with his thoughts that he forgot that he was eavesdropping on the 2.
----The part Echizen missed----
"O-oniichan?!?" Sakuno exclaimed confusingly & surprisingly. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in America"
"Yeah, I was now I'm back here in Japan for a little vacation," the stranger (3) replied.
----END Now, he's really listening----
"Oh," Sakuno said.
" Is that all I get? An "Oh"? After in America for a long time? No hugs or what-so-ever? The things you used to do last time?" the stranger asked looking disappointed.
"The things you used to do last time?!??" ran in Echizen's thoughts. "What does this mean? That she's already got a boyfriend in America?!"
"Er…um…you might be too old for those kind of things so I decided not to do them," Sakuno replied.
"Nah…I'm never too old. You'll be & will always be Sakuno-chan & I will & will always be you oniichan. Okay?" the stranger said as he ruffled Sakuno's head.
"Aww…oniichan. You haven't changed a bit," Sakuno said as she threw her arms onto him & hugged him. "Arigato"
To this, Echizen reacted violently he was filled with rage &He wanted to go there & separate the 2 from hugging. "How dare him hug her!!" he murmured to himself. "Its as if they haven't met in ages!!"
"Ne Sakuno-chan is Ryuzaki-sensei around?" the stranger asked as soon as they finished hugging each other.
"Mmm…" Sakuno nodded happily. "Wait in the living room with Ryoma-kun & I'll go get her."
As soon as Echizen heard this, he immediately hurried back to where he was sitting before he eavesdropped on them. But there's something familiar about him. He feels that he's already met that guy somewhere. He kept thinking then, at last, he remembered….
-----F L A S H B A C K-----
While Echizen Ryoma was waiting for his next match, someone approached him.
"Ne you're Echizen Ryoma right?" he asked Echizen.
Echizen did not answer but just nodded a "yes"
"You speak Japanese right?" he asked again.
And again he nodded a "yes"
"Play a match with me," he directly told Echizen in Japanese.
"Huh?" Echizen said in confusion.
"I said play a match against me," he clearly said.
"Yadda," (No way!) Echizen answered stubbornly.
"Saa…maybe you're saying that because you're afraid to lose to me?" he said provokingly.
Now that was too much already. He has been provoked by someone he doesn't know & he's not gonna back down.
"Ok I'll play you," Echizen finally said as he stood up, holding a racket with his right hand.
"Ok then let's see if you're really worthy of winning the Jr. Tournament for 2 consecutive years," he said & again still provoking Echizen followed by a sly smile on his face.
So they headed to the nearest free tennis courts that they could find.
"Which?" he asked Echizen.
"Smooth," Echizen replied. Then the person twirled his racket (not sure if I used the correct term there). Unfortunately it was rough so the person who provoked Echizen served first.
"15-Love," he announced as the ball bounced without Echizen hitting it. He was amazed about his opponent's serve because it wasn't just any normal serve, it was a Twist Serve! But not any normal twist serve, that Twist Serve's speed, rotation & timing were better than his own Twist Serve.
"Who is this guy?" he asked himself.
"Amazed? Echizen-kun it's just starting. Pull yourself together," the person called out to Echizen. "Alright here's another one," he said as he served another Twist Serve.
Echizen did hit it but his racket was blown away. "Not only is its timing, rotation & speed, the ball has a lot of power too," Echizen complimented the serve in his thoughts.
"30-Love," he announced once more. "Oi Echizen-kun what's wrong with you? Okay here's another one," he said as he served another Twist Serve.
This time Echizen was able to hit it again without getting his racket blown off but it hit outside the court.
"Out. 40-Love," he announced again. "Hmm…looks like you're getting the hang of it," he said & served another Twist Serve.
Now Echizen finally hit it across the court but his opponent was ready & countered it making it a return ace.
"1 game to Love," he announced happily with a provocation in his voice. Obviously he wants to provoke Echizen so that he'll go all out. "Your service game Echizen-kun"
Echizen gritted his teeth, looked up to his opponent at the other side of the court, pointed his racket towards his opponent & said his favorite line, "Mada mada dane" & served a Twist serve.
"Easy," his opponent said as he hit it to the backcourt which Echizen wasn't unable to reach.
"2 games to love" (opponent leading)
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"3games to love (opponent leading)
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"3 games to 1" (Echizen got a game)
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"4 games to 1" (opponent leading)
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"Are you sure you're even trying?" Echizen's opponent asked.
Echizen gave him no reply but his expression has changed to a serious one & he also shifted his racket to his left hand & said "Mada mada dane"
"Ah…its about time you got serious," his opponent told him.
"You'll be sorry that you challenged me & have pushed me this far," Echizen warned his opponent as he dribbled the tennis ball, held it tightly with his right hand & served.
"4 games to 2" (Echizen got a game)
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"4 games to 3" (Echizen got a game)
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"5 games to 3" (opponent leading)
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"5 games to 4" (Echizen got a game)
"Ok that's it. You've proven yourself to me," his opponent told Echizen.
"Huh? But we're in the middle of the game," Echizen objected.
"Iie (No), that's all what I needed to know," his opponent pursued as he was leaving the courts. "Oh yeah, arigato (thank you) Echizen-kun & by the way I'm Kanagizawa Ryou, yoroshku (nice to meet you)And he left the courts leaving a confused-looking, green-haired brat named Echizen Ryoma behind.
"Che," he said as he, too walked away from the courts & went to his next game. Also thanks to that Kanagizawa guy he doesn't need to warm-up anymore.
-----E N D O F F L A S H B A C K-----
"You're Echizen Ryoma-kun right?" the stranger who entered Sakuno's place asked.
Echizen just nodded.
"Still remember me?" he asked.
"Iie," Echizen lied.
"Well to refresh that memory of yours. Again, I'm Kanagizawa Ryou & I challenged you in an unofficial match when you were still in America," Kanagizawa explained.
And again he gave no answer but asked him instead. "Why did you back out in the middle of the game were you afraid that I might beat you?"
"Nope, I already told you that you've already proven yourself to me," Kanagizawa answered once more.
"What do you mean?" Echizen asked confusingly.
"I mean that the moment I saw you win 2 consecutive championships I doubted you. And I wanted to see it for myself if you're really that good because I've heard a lot about you from Ryuzaki-sensei. Now is that clearer?" Kanagizawa clarified.
"You know Ryuzaki-sensei?" Echizen asked surprisingly.
"Of course she's the one who taught Sakuno-chan & I how to play tennis" (I think)
Kanagizawa told Echizen.
"Then you & Ryuzaki-san are---"Echizen said with a pinch of disappointment in his voice & was cut off by Kanagizawa who continued his sentence.
"---childhood bestfriends," Kanagizawa continued & smiled.
"Ah Ryou long time no see," Ryuzaki-sensei said as she entered the living room. "Let's talk at the backyard, Sakuno's doing her project with Ryoma."
"Ok," Kanagizawa agreed as he stood up & went with Ryuzaki-sensei outside. "Ne Echizen-kun, I have no interest in Sakuno-chan, she's all yours because she's just like my little sister. Just promise me that you'll take care of her. Tell her how you feel right now before she decides to forget everything about her feelings for you. But if ever I hear that you've hurt her, that's a different story. Got it?" he whispered into Echizen's ear as he passed by him, & then winked at Echizen. Making his heart smile because now Sakuno Ryuzaki is all his & Kanagizawa-kun is just Sakuno's childhood friend & oniichan.
So they continued doing their project & now they can breathe normally because they feel like they have known each other for a long time. (I really don't know how to introduce the climax of the story. Gomen (sorry))
"Ok it's almost done, let's just continue it tomorrow. Its getting late I'd better go home," Echizen told Sakuno.
"Okay, I'll help you to the door," Sakuno offered Echizen.
"Okay this is it," Echizen told himself. "No more turning back"
Before Sakuno could open the door, Echizen stopped her, held her by her shoulders & pressed her by the wall &…..
Sakuno was surprised at what Echizen did. She tried to speak but she couldn't because she felt Echizen's lips touch hers. "Wh-what is this Ryoma-kun why are you doing this?" she asked herself.
Echizen wanted this a quick one but as if one second was stretched into 10 seconds. "A-atashi…atashi (I...I) DAISUKI DA YO SAKUNO!" (I Love You) Echizen finally blurted out after their lips parted, having a hard time looking for the right words to say. (I don't really know how to describe a kiss, again gomen)
Sakuno was surprised she turned red. "Ry-Ryoma-kun wh-what do you mean?" she asked while her voice was stuttering because of what Echizen had done & said.
"Sakuno, pls don't make me repeat again. Daisuki da yo," Echizen repeated once more & this time she knew that Echizen wasn't kidding around.
"Oh Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno exclaimed as she flung her arms around him while tears of joy were uncontrollably falling down her cheeks. "You don't know how long I waited for this day to come. I thought you didn't like me so I was about to give up but then I realized that I can never forget about you. Ryoma-kun you'll always have a very special place in my heart. I love you, too Ryoma-kun," she told Echizen while hugging him.
"Me, too Sakuno, I never realized that I really liked you this much. I thought that the feeling I felt towards you when I see you cheer for me & when I see you smile was just a normal feeling towards a friend but it wasn't, it was more than that," Echizen confessed as he hugged her with all his love for her. "Arigato Kanagizawa-kun"
"See you tomorrow Sakuno," Echizen bade while blushing furiously but his heart was jumping for joy.
"You, too Ryoma-kun see you tomorrow. Take care," Sakuno bade.
---owari---
How was it? Is it romantic enough for all of you? I think it's too long for a oneshot but I always did wanted to write a oneshot. Hehehe. Does the title suit the story? If you have any suggestions tell me but I think "I Have Now Realized" is good.
Footnotes:
(1)I think that Echizen couldn't express his feelings that well because his pride is too high so I used it.
(2)Well I haven't seen Sakuno's parents yet so I thought that Ryuzaki-sensei took care of her. Also I'm using Sakuno's first name instead of Ryuzaki to avoid confusions when she's speaking.
(3)Umm…he is a stranger (still) to Echizen but not for Sakuno. I just used the term stranger because I don't want to tell you guys his name yet but you've all figured it out right?
That's all for the footnotes. Now the reviews! Pls review even if you criticize this fanfic or what pls review! Onegai(pls) This is my 2nd fanfic & my first oneshot. For those who reviwed & are about to review. Reviews make me feel better. Thanks! For those who haven't, I dare you to submit a review or else! (Man, how demanding) Thanks!