DISCLAIMERS
I don't own The Prince of Tennis as well as The New Prince of Tennis or The Prince of Tennis II. These amazing works belong to the amazing Konomi Takeshi-sensei and are not my intellectual property. The places, the songs, brands, and everything else aren't mine either. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Ok. So this is my first try on doing something in the comedy genre. It's got RyoSaku, I guarantee that. I was hoping to try something new. Then suddenly, this thought just hit me. Stronger than expected, it had me typing the minute it reached my head. XD Anyways, I considered treating this as my second Lethal Concoction one-shot. The other was previously done by the 'young' me from years back. This is my first time writing a one-shot after so long. Please bear with me. I do hope you'll stick with me 'til the end. Don't forget to review, or favorite, or follow. It gives me inspiration desu :3 And actually it's summer over here, so I guess it fitted perfectly XD SummerSpecial I guess? :3
EDIT (01-17-2019)
OMG. I DIDN'T KNOW I HAD THIS HAHAHAHAHA ok. Ok. Better upload it since it's only a one-shot anyway. Ehehez.
Good Mistake
Synopsys: Sakuno cancels probably the most important event of her life for a very odd job. With their plan cancelled, Ryoma gets dragged by his previous teammates instead to help a friend overcome his phobia of fishes. Inui mixes a weirdly named, weirdly-looking juice to help said friend. Oishi accidentally gives the wrong drink to Ryoma. Ryoma drinks it without knowing such a toxic existed. Ryoma welcomes his new addiction: water, water, water, fishes, and a certain mermaid. [Complete]
Synopsys (2): Mistakes? Cancelling your once-in-a-lifetime date because of a weird job is. Unable to come up with a good excuse thus getting dragged in an ocean park because previous agendas were cancelled is another. Accidentally giving Inui juice is definitely one. Pretty sure drinking former senpai's concoction is as well. So how come everything ended up… rather nice? Another summary prepared inside. [Complete]
/
In a land not-so-far away from where the author of this story lives, lies the wonderful place of The Land of the Rising Sun. Zooming in on one of its peaceful prefectures, and further narrowing the location down to a peaceful house – in one of its peaceful bedrooms, lied a not-so-peaceful-looking auburn-haired teenager.
For the umpteenth time, the room accepted yet another sigh from its owner. As Sakuno Ryuzaki forcefully got up, she looked at the cross-filled calendar that hung near her cabinet. With some dates crossed out and that certain day decorated with colorful girly stickers of hearts and flowers filled her view, her sigh record just kept counting.
"Sakuno, someone's been calling you for ages! Hurry and pick it up, please?!"
She heard, pulling her out of her sigh-full reverie. The informer was answered with a dejected 'yes' from the bothered youngster. Sakuno managed to reach the phone before the caller could hang-up – her pace was unbelievably slow that any caller would want to hang up on.
"Hai?"
"AT LAST! I THOUGHT YOU WOULDN'T ANSWER! WHERE ARE YOU? YOU PROMISED TO HELP ME. NE? NE?"
Sakuno had to place the phone a little far from her as she heard the other line. "Gommen, Hai… I know, I promised."
It seemed that Sakuno's sighs were contagious as the person on the other line also heaved a breath. "Look, I know you had plans for today. But I just can't leave –"
"My brothers alone, they're too young. You can have the talent fee. It's only for today." Sakuno bored-ly filled in and looked up at their wall clock.
7:30AM
In her original plan, she would've already been dressed and ready to go.
"I'M REALLY SORRRRYYYYYYYY"
"Tomo-chan, it's fine. Really, I just… I guess I just feel bad about not getting to tell him my real reasons."
"Huh? You didn't tell him? Why? Why? Whyyyyyy?"
"Mou! I-it's embarrassing! It'll be my first time doing something like that and I'm really not so confident with myself yet."
"Hmmm… well I guess you have point. Demoooo~ what are the chances of meeting him in an aquarium park?"
/
From: Girl-friend
Subject: Gommen! _
Eto, I can't come today. I'm really sorry. An emergency came up. I hope you'll understand
/
Golden orbs scanned the message for who-knows how many times as if wishing that he just misread the contents. But no. Surprisingly, he can't do anything about it. It wasn't as easy as when he plays tennis. He wouldn't get any answer/solution considering that it wasn't a match, and the person who just cancelled their… ehem, tennis practice wasn't an opponent to begin with.
He had everything planned out though. According to his 'training menu' they would walk towards the station and travel to the beach. He deemed that the purpose of walking was for pure stamina training; insisting that they would walk and not run because she might trip again. Yes. That was it.
When they get to the beach, they'll change into their swimwear, and he'll have to put a shirt over her. It was protection from the sun and possible bruises if she ever, and he knew she will, stumble – not because she might attract perverts that'd ogle her body. They would play beach volleyball to strengthen her arms – not for the purpose of enjoyment. Then he'll teach her to swim for leg power improvement, and not due to wanting to be close to her.
It was the perfect training menu. He even wore his swimming trunks underneath his clothes for lesser luggage. Since he added walking around the stalls and looking for things to buy in their supposed-to-be, practice. Yet, all had to be cancelled by the one who had actually requested him to do so… He insisted his parents to have summer over at Japan just for this request… so how was Ryoma Echizen's day?
"PERFECT~ WE'RE HERE!"
"Oi, Horio. Don't get too excited. Remember we're here to help Kachiro overcome his phobia of fishes." Katsuo murmured.
"What's wrong with being excited, Katsu-chan? This is great~! We haven't had a get-together like this for ages~ We miss our kouhais. Ne, Momo?"
"You got that right, Eiji-senpai. What better way to spend the summer with friends~"
"Saa. I'll make sure every moment's captured then."
"Senpai, I'm thirsty. There's no Ponta available in the vending machine."
"Ahhh! Eiji! Stop hugging Kachiro! He's running out of air! Gah! Fuji don't just take pictures without permission! Oh, here you go Echizen. Good thing Inui managed to get us some drinks. Waaaa! Eiji! Let go of Kachiro!"
"Waaaaa! I wanna go home! I wanna go home! I can't do this! It's nightmare at broad daylight! Save meeeee!"
"Stop whining and face it like a man. Ffsshhhh…"
"Kaidoh's right, Kachiro-kun. Here, you can have this. It's my latest mixture. I call it –"
"Aqua… Aquatic Love? Did I say it right, Inui?"
"So it seems, Taka. Still, do not let your guard down. His mixtures are still unstable as of what I've heard."
Buzzes and buzzes kept Kachiro at ease. But the more they neared the aquatic park, the more he seemed near his death. Without thinking, he took the tumbler from one of his former senpai's hand and drank the strange liquid up to the last drop.
The action of the young man had rendered the group speechless as they waited the most-anticipated and expected scenes to happen.
…
…
…
…
..
..
.
.
?
Kachiro was still standing, waiting for the scary substance to take effect. He was waiting for a good minute, but nothing was happening. Opening an eye, he looked around and saw that everyone was all eyes on him.
"What happened?" Horio inquired, not really well with silence.
"Kachiro? Are you still alive? I can take you to the hospital if you want…" Oishi murmured in worry as he approached his former kouhai.
The object of their worry blinked and started moving his lips. As if savoring the taste of the liquid he had ingested.
Eiji blinked and went near the younger boy. "Well? He's still alive! Tell me Kachi-chan, how did it taste?"
"A-ah… it tasted… like water."
"WHAT?!" the group chorused.
"Wow, Inui-senpai, you managed to do something life-friendly." Momo whistled.
The mixture master mused, surprisingly disappointed at the turn of events. He turned to pick up the container and examined the contents. After a quick smell, his rectangular specs glinted.
"This…"
Everyone turned to look at him in worry.
"This is plain water… I must've labeled it by mistake."
"Heee? Yokatta. Kachiro, you'll live!" Katsuo shouted in glee.
"But, I knew I had packed it. I wouldn't forget something as important as that." – Inui
"Stop thinking about it, Senpai. Just be glad you won't be summoned to the court." – Kaidoh
"About the toxic, Inui. Supposed Kachiro-kun drank it, what would be the… ehem, predicted effect?" Fuji asked as he turned his camera – which was on video mode – towards the person he asked who was clearly stabbed in the heart at the heavy stress of his friend on the word.
Recovering from shock, Inui tilted his specs and replied while looking at the camera, "Well, it'll help him overcome his phobia. He'd love everything aquatic. Water, fishes, everything with scales."
"That's just beyond weird, senpai…" Horio muttered, thanking the gods above for the mistake that saved his friend from peril. Inui, still preoccupied at such a mistake, walked around. His stroll was stopped upon hitting a can. Picking it up, the smell of rotten fish from a hoarder's den reached his nose. Specs glinted once again.
"Etoooooo, guys… I've been wondering… where's Echizen?" Taka murmured as he re-scanned the area, hoping to find their fresh-from-America rookie.
"Maybe he got lost during our walk?" –Kaidoh
"Ryoma-kun? Lost? I doubt that'll ever happen, Senpai." Answered Kachiro.
"He was here a while ago. He even asked me for a drink." Came Oishi's reply.
Inui turned to his companion sharply. "Ah. So I didn't really left my Aquatic Love, and it didn't really go to waste."
"What…" Eiji's inquiry was stopped as he saw what Inui was holding; the few drops were already enough to tell him it was the lethal concoction they thought unexisted.
The horror in everyone's eyes displayed as they thought of the worst that could happen.
Somewhere in the heart of an artificial paradise; on an enormous rock – seated a petite young lady. Velvety chocolate tresses swayed as the summer breeze passed by. Smooth, pinkish skin glowed mystically under the summer sunshine. The maiden's light blush finished the look wonderfully.
"Mommy! Mommy! Look! A mermaid! I wanna swim with the mermaid!" a little boy pointed excitedly.
Sakuno, realizing the state she was currently in, blushed fifty, or even sixty shades of red. Her eyes met the gaze of the little boy; they were sparkling, which somehow made her at ease.
"I don't think you're allowed to swim with her, dear." The mother dejectedly answered. Upon such an answer, the sparkle seen in the little boy's eyes slowly lost its life.
Blinking, Sakuno was about to open her mouth to interrupt – but remembered that she was instructed not to talk. Deep in her thoughts, she had inferred that maybe that was the real reason her bestfriend didn't accept the job. Tomoka can't even keep her mouth shut for a minute.
Going back, Sakuno saw that the woman was trying hard to comfort the little boy. When the woman looked back at her, she immediately pointed to the side. Following her finger, the mother smiled and crouched back down at her child. "Look there, Kou. We can at least take a picture of you and the mermaid. That's better than nothing, ne?" the mother invited with a soft, soothing voice. The glow in the little kid's eyes immediately came back. With a nod, they proceeded to take a picture with the mermaid.
She waved goodbye at the little boy, seemingly with her previous anxieties and insecurities as well. Maybe this wasn't as bad as she thought.
"Ne."
Sakuno's whole body froze as she immediately recognized the voice. Was she imagining things? It seemed so close by, but she knew she was a good two or three meters away from people – heck, she was surrounded by water, even by a metallic fence. She must be imagining things. There's no way in hell, as in no way he'd be here.
Sakuno heard and felt a splash near her – completely pulling her out of her thoughts. As the person emerged from the water, trickles accentuating his every assets that came to view – biceps, triceps, abs and that drop-dead gorgeous face, the young mermaid's eyes widened in realization. She must be getting insane, there's just no way: but those piercing golden orbs made all arguments futile.
Ryoma Echizen actually jumped in the water. Is actually beside her. In all his glory – all hot and irresistible. She can't fathom if she'd wish this was just a dream or not.
Spectators had been increasing as the time passed by. It seemed they thought a show was being held.
"Do these, help you swim faster than humans?" Ryoma asked as he played with her artificial fins.
Sakuno was feeling ticklish and embarrassed and confused. She was dreaming. Ryoma wouldn't show such interest like this. As law-abiding as she was, she just shook her head furiously, knowing that Ryoma would already get the picture. But upon looking back at him; it looked like he was not convinced.
"Lie." He murmured as he caressed her 'scales' from her fins and upwards.
"I'M TELLING THE TRUTH! MOU! RYOMA STOP IT! WHAT ARE YOU – KYAAA!"
Her words were stopped as Ryoma pulled her down the water. Sakuno can swim, but her legs were constrained right those moments that she ended up drowning.
This is just a dream! Wake up already, Sakuno!
Strong arms pulled her up and held her by the waist. "I've never heard of a mermaid that can't swim before."
"I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU! I'M NOT A MERMAID! Ryoma please, you have to go. The guards might see you." Sakuno managed to say in between her breaths. Trying hard not to blush at the close proximity she was in with her 4-year crush.
"The hell I care."
People have been piling up, Sakuno was feeling more anxious than ever. She knew Ryoma would get in trouble if he stayed. "Ryoma, you have to go. Or else I'll call the guards myself." She warned in a shaking tone.
"No."
"Please."
"Yadda."
"Onegaiiiiiii!"
"Marry me."
That did it. "GUARDS!"
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Hmmm… that didn't went well (I think lol.) :/ gommen for disappointments~ But pleassseee, lemme know your thoughts, do review desu w Happy Summer Min'na~