Disclaimer: I do not own prince of tennis…or any of the characters from the manga or anime. I only own those I create myself for this story.
To See Her Again
Ryoma exited the airport. It was his first time back in Japan since he left for America 4 years ago. Damn, its hot Ryoma thought to himself as he scanned the area outside the airport. He was beginning to wish he had re-thought his outfit. He was in a white t-shirt covered by a black button up long-sleeve that was fully unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up to above his elbows; his jeans were deep blue denim and baggy in the legs, the bottoms just barely covered the tongue of his shinny white tennis shoes. Time to head out I suppose.
The only person who knew he was back was Momoshiro. They had arranged to meet at Momoshiro's favorite ramen shop.
"Did you start without me Momo-sempai?" Ryoma said sarcastically as he sat down next to Momoshiro, catching him off guard. The sight of the 17 year old Ryoma was surprising to Momoshiro. The once short statured boy that he knew was now totally different. Ryoma now stood at about 5' 10". His hair was kept a little longer than he used to wear it, but his face was the same. His upper body was surprisingly broad and his arm muscles cut perfectly. He looked good Momoshiro thought to himself, and he is defiantly still playing, he smiled.
"Hell yeah, but your early aren't you?" said Momo picking up the bowl of Ramen to finish off the last bit.
"I took an earlier flight. Good thing I already ate. (Ryoma smirked) So what is it that you wanted to show me today?" Ryoma said looking quizzically at Momo.
"Oh yeah, what time is it?" he look at the clock "2:30. Shit, we are already late." Momo stood up and placed money on the counter. "Come on."
Ryoma was surprised. Momo had always been big, but he had grown considerably. Even though Ryoma himself was taller now, Momo still towered over him. Walking steadily behind him, Ryoma was able see Momoshiro's massive shoulder blades glide beneath the hunter green t-shirt he was wearing. Glancing down he noticed Momo's thick calve muscles moving underneath the slick black fabric of the jogging pants he was wearing. He hasn't quit playing Ryoma thought as he peered at the newly scuffed tennis shoes Momo was sporting; it brought a small smile to his face.
Before he knew it, Ryoma realized he was standing outside Seigaku. "What are we doing here?" he asked.
"Well, Eiji and Oishi are here, and there is someone else here that I think you should see." A sly smile slid across Momo's face.
"Hmm" Ryoma said as they started walking towards the tennis courts. Much to his surprise there was a match being held, a girl's match to be exact. He scanned the area to try and find the golden pair, and finally caught sight of them on the opposite side of courts. "Aren't we going to say hi?" Ryoma asked looking up toward Momo.
"We will in a minute." Momo said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Check out this match real quick first." He tipped his head in the direction of the court that Eiji and Oishi were standing next to.
Ryoma focused his attention on the two girls playing on the court. One was a delicate looking girl with short red hair. Her yellow eyes focused intently on her opponent who was getting ready to serve. She looks about average, Ryoma thought, I wonder if she is any good? After observing the first player, Ryoma then turned his attention to the server.
Her white tennis shoes stood out perfectly against the deep green of the court floor. Her legs were incredibly long and shaped perfectly for the sport. The gleaming white skirt she was wearing hung gently over her upper thighs. There was a small strip of bare skin showing between the top of her skirt and the bottom of her blue and red tank top. Her waist was slender and her stomach was toned and flat. Ryoma's eyes followed the curves of her breasts up to her delicate neck and chin. Her head was tipped, which didn't allow him to see much of her face since it was hidden behind the brim of a white ball cap that mirrored his own. Her deep brown hair was pulled through the back of the cap and rolled loosely into a bun. He was mesmerized.
She then began to bounce the ball. Her thin wrist twisting as she tightened the grip on her bright red racket. All of a sudden the aura surrounding her began to swirl. It was lavender in color and encased her entire body. A small smile then fell on her face as she hurled the bright yellow tennis ball into the air. Her serve was elegant and powerful. Ryoma had never seen anything like it, not the serve or the aura that surrounded her.
The match ended quickly. As soon as it was over, Ryoma heard the girl address Eiji and Oishi.
"Did you see that Eiji-sempai! Oishi-sempai!? I did it!" She exclaimed bouncing up and down and leaping towards them. Her breathtaking smile was enough to melt the hearts of both of them as well as everyone around them.
"Hell yeah!" That was great!" Eiji said wrapping his arms around the delicate frame of the girl before him. Oishi just smiled and looked at her adoringly. "I can't believe how good you've gotten Ryuzaki!"
"Did he just say Ryuzaki?" Ryoma asked Momo. He was stunned.
"Yep." Momo said, his eyes gleaming at the look that Ryoma was now wearing.
Back on the courts… "Guess who is here." Eiji said with a grin, tipping his head in the direction across the courts to where Ryoma was sitting with Momo. Sakuno pulled two small pins from her bun and at the same time she pulled the brim of her cap back and off her head to release her hair. Long brown waves cascaded down her shoulders and back all the way down to her thighs. She then turned to look in the direction that Eiji pointed to.
Her heart stopped. Her brown eyes met his golden eyes, and she couldn't breathe. After 4 years of being gone, Echizen Ryoma was now standing across the courts looking at her. She gripped her tennis racket tight. She told herself two years ago after Ryoma abruptly stopped writing for no reason that she would not let herself give into him easily. She was not the same timid, shy girl he knew back then and she was not about to give in now. She flashed a brilliant smile towards the grassy hill that the two boys were sitting on and waved enthusiastically. She dropped her racket, hair pins, and cap on her bag by the bench. Then she grabbed the golden pair by the hands and bounded out of the courts to go and greet the boys on the hill. Her heart was racing as she approached them.
Ryoma could not believe the scene that was playing out in front him. Sakuno let go of Eiji and Oishi's hand and ran full force towards Momo and him.
"Did you see me Momo-sempai!?" she yelled as she got closer. Then she jumped excitedly into Momo's lap and threw her arms around his neck.
Momo didn't seem surprised at all as he embraced her back and began discussing her match. Ryoma could not believe it. Not only did she ignore the fact that he was there, but now she was straddling Momoshiro and acting like it was normal.
Momo noticed the irritation growing on Ryoma's face. But before he could say anything, Sakuno took over.
She leaned herself over putting one arm in between Ryoma and Momo and the other on the opposite side of Ryoma. She was now only a few inches from Ryoma's face. His eyes widened in shock.
"And what the hell do you think you're doing just showing up and not telling me you were coming?" Sakuno teased while tilting her head to the side and giving Ryoma her most innocently seductive smile. This time it's my game Echizen Ryoma she told herself through her racing heartbeat.
It took him a second, but Ryoma regained his cool composure. "I didn't tell anyone but Momo-sempai." He said calmly. Staring into Sakuno's sparkling brown eyes, he felt his heart jump a bit.
"Hmmm" she said, obviously mocking his speaking habits. She removed herself from in front of him and used Momo's shoulders to lift herself off of his lap. She took a few steps in the direction of courts and then she turned her head over her shoulder and looked Ryoma directly in the eyes.
"You not done for the day?" Oishi asked. She smiled, turned her attention back towards the courts, lifted her hand to wave goodbye and calmly said, "mada mada dane," then ran back to the courts and out of earshot of the boys.
The three boys surrounding Ryoma laughed at the bold remark of Sakuno. They were amused at her evident teasing because they knew that 4 years ago she wouldn't have dared to do so.
"17 year old Ryuzaki is a little different than the 13 year old one huh?" Momo teased Ryoma elbowing him in the arm to gain his attention. Ryoma nodded ignoring the laughing and teasing, and still watching her intently.
Later that night, after visiting with the other regulars from his Seigaku days (the ones still in town anyway) and of course his parents, Ryoma lay in his old bed with Karupin and stared up at the ceiling. Man she was beautiful. When did she get so good at tennis? And what was that aura she had? His mind flashed to the moment before the serve, then to Sakuno's face only inches from his…why was my heart beating like that? Is it just because she is so pretty now…no she was always pretty…is it just because she was so close? Now that I think about it I never really got to close to her back then. But why? Why did I stop writing her anyway? And why did I feel like I wanted to touch her, to kiss her? Ryoma shot up from his pillow, his face beat red. Do I want to kiss Ryuzaki…. His mind was filled with her all that night…her and nothing but her.
To be continued
