Impromptu
by: RoyaleDeuce
Disclaimer: TeniPuri is not mine.
Warning: Beware of cheese. Slight OOC-ness at the end. I think.
"Good morning, Echizen!"
A tiny grunt escaped from his lips as he shifted in his seat, not really directing the sound as a response to his classmate who shrugged after being completely ignored by him.
Echizen Ryoma was never a morning person.
Especially mornings after a game.
His head comfortably lolled on his school desk, the searing pain on his neck when he woke up that morning wasn't so bothersome anymore. For the past ten minutes of slouching, the pain tingling all over his body, on the other hand, was what kept him grumpier every passing moment. He didn't want to sit up straight though; he wanted a nap.
Peering at the wall clock with half-lidded eyes, the boy realized that he still had a few more minutes to spare before homeroom began.
And so, disregarding the idle chatters in the classroom and not giving a care in the world, Echizen Ryoma plopped his head on his arms in attempts to shut everything else and be in peaceful slumber.
"Good morning, Tomo-chan!"
Ryoma's ears perked up at the familiar voice.
"Good morning, Sakuno-chan!"
Ryoma grunted and shifted in his position on top of the table, greatly bothered. He was supposed to take a nap, not listen to Ryuzaki Sakuno's exchange with anyone else.
"Did you have a great weekend?"
Ryoma positioned his head to the right, unable to keep himself from taking a small peek at the two conversing girls talking oh-so-loudly beside him. Can't they see he was sleeping? Well... not really. He was trying to sleep.
He saw the braided auburn-head flush and lean in closer to her curious best friend.
Futile gestures of keeping anything from him. He had perfect hearing.
"It was Ryoma-kun's game yesterday..."
Ryoma couldn't help but snap both his eyes open. Luckily he still had his arms to prevent letting anyone know that he wasn't sleeping, but actually taking interest in someone's conversation. It had him quite taken aback that he was actually eavesdropping. Now that's a first.
Ryoma snorted softly. Heh... I have a right to hear anything about me... he reasoned out to himself pathetically. Digging his head a bit deeper, but slanting it more to his right gave him a better view of the two girls without giving too much away.
"Really?! Kya! Too bad I wasn't able to go..." Tomoka whined loudly before Sakuno shushed her up and glanced at his direction nervously. "Did he win?" she asked in a softer voice after being calmed down by her friend.
Of course.
"Of course," Sakuno voiced out his exact thought with pride.
Ryoma looked at the beet red Sakuno curiously as she appeared to be contemplating on expounding further to the expectant Tomoka. Well, he too was expectant for more of the on-going conversation. He actually wanted to hear more with what the old hag's granddaughter thought about him.
"Did he notice you this time?" Tomoka suddenly spoke up.
Ryoma's eyebrows crunched at the sudden question.
"Same as always..." was Sakuno's soft answer, her face slightly crestfallen.
Ryoma didn't know what to take from that.
Deciding to finally break away from the conversation he wasn't supposed to be listening to, he burrowed deeper in his arms as he tried once again to fall asleep. This time, he successfully managed to clear his mind and block any sound to enter his ears. His headache was starting to be a serious nuisance, and to take a nap would be the best option. As his eyes gradually fluttered close, the last thing he heard was:
"...finish the English Report?"
English Report... Ryoma thought as he fell more and more into the state of unconsciousness. English Report... English Report...
His head instantly shot up.
Dear Lord. Now this was definitely a first.
Echizen Ryoma does not forget homeworks. Most especially in English, the subject wherein in he does not, must not, and will not fail.
He carefully rubbed the side of his head to soothe the growing headache. English was their first subject and it was impossible to create a report within the limited span of a twenty-minute homeroom time. Counting that the report was on someone he admired. How in the world would he construct even a simple sentence when he completely had no idea who he admired?
Nanjiroh would never be a candidate when all he could think about was his father's fetish for porn-magazines.
In truth, Ryoma could not even think properly thanks to his annoying headache and sour mood.
How could he forget?
"...the report is 20 percent of our final grade."
Holy Crap.
Desperate times calls for desperate measures. He was going to be resourceful. Though how exactly?
…he had no idea.
Spending the entire weekend in front of her desktop probably had done something to her eyes. Rummaging through the piles of paper in her plastic folder for the past two minutes, Sakuno was sure that she would have found her English report by now.
Calm down... breathe in... breathe out... it's not nice to panic... she thought as she shut her eyes for a few moments to compose herself.
After two-days straight of hard work on the paper, she assured herself that she would be getting an acceptable grade. Passing, would have been fine. But zero was a big no-no. She couldn't afford to flunk anything or else she'll have to feel the wrath of Sumire.
"Is there something wrong, Sakuno-chan?"
Sakuno managed to show a tiny smile at the concerned Tomoka. "Yeah... Erm... I'm just, well... looking for my English report."
Tomoka's eyes widened. "Don't tell me you lost it?!" Sakuno flinched. "Where did you last put your report, Sakuno-chan?"
Sakuno pondered for a moment... then officially panicked when she remembered that she left it right on top of her desk right after showing it to Tomoka and before going to the restroom.
"I-I just left it on top of my table!" she squeaked frantically. "Mou... I worked so hard for that!"
"Do you have your name on it?"
"Uhm... no actually..."
"Sakuno-chan!"
Just when Tomoka was about to shout to the entire class to look for Sakuno's homework, the classroom doors slid open, revealing their English teacher. Sakuno could feel her heartbeat thump wildly for being indecisive of what to do and in nervousness of what would become of her that day. The class was unexpectedly quiet, which only added to the dreadful atmosphere Sakuno was in at the moment.
I don't want to fail...
"Good morning, class."
"Good morning!"
"Everyone take out your English reports."
Sakuno bit her lower lip in sheer worry as she watched all her classmates fumble through their things and grab their papers. She received Tomoka's concerned glance and responded with an unsure smile.
Sakuno decided that she couldn't just sit there and do nothing. Her choices were to either inform the teacher to ask for an extension, or simply cram her report right there and then. The first option was enough to scare her to wits end. She was never a pro in convincing people to her advantage. The second option, on the other hand, was truly impossible. Ryuzaki Sakuno sucked in English and to come up with a report in a snap of a finger would merely indicate that the Apocalypse was coming.
Not me... not me... not me... Sakuno prayed as she watched the English teacher's gaze roam from face to face. Then it landed on her. A smile graced her teacher's face.
Sakuno gulped.
"Ryuzaki, I want to hear your report..."
Immediately grabbing her plastic envelope to feign a search in desperation, she pathetically said, "U-Uhm... I-I'm still looking for it. C-Can I skip?"
Luckily, the teacher wasn't much of a bully and grinned at the fidgeting Sakuno. "Alright." Then her head snapped to a different direction, obviously finding another victim. "How 'bout you Mr. Echizen? Would you be so kind enough to help Ms. Ryuzaki and take her place to speak first?"
Without second thoughts, the said boy wordlessly stood up from his seat and approached the spot in front of the whole class. As he passed by her seat though, her heart couldn't help but flutter excitedly when he glanced her way for a fleeting moment. Ryoma's golden orbs gazing at her (which was not so often), was something she could stare right back at for the rest of the day.
Everyone's attention was directed in front by the time Ryoma settled himself. The boy had always been the student with top marks in the subject and had the best accent of the language. It was a pleasure for everyone whenever they heard Echizen Ryoma speak in front. On reports anyway, but never when the boy was utterly cocky and unbearable.
Ryoma's eyebrows knotted.
Grammatical errors... Sakuno thought automatically, immediately identifying Ryoma's usual reaction whenever he encountered something off. Remembering that it was his own report Ryoma had in his hands, it was Sakuno's turn to knot her eyebrows in confusion. Echizen Ryoma never had grammatical errors.
"He is someone I see every day in school, someone I have always looked up to in everything he does..." Ryoma started slowly, uncertainty found in his voice which was plain as day.
Maybe he's revising some mistakes on the spot... Sakuno thought as she watched a scowl form on the boy's face. She returned to her plastic folder a moment later to search for her report again. Currently, she owed the boy for taking up her place in being the first speaker.
"He is one of the Seigaku tennis regulars, and I believe that he has the greatest potential among them. Despite all that he had experienced in the start, he had reigned as a victor in the end. Mainly because he stops at nothing to reach his goal. "
Ryoma's eyebrows crunched differently this time.
Plain weird... Sakuno thought automatically once again, identifying another of Ryoma's usual 'English reactions'. The boy seemingly having a hard time in his report was bothering Sakuno for some reasons. Firstly, because Echizen Ryoma breezed through everything in the subject (and what different was it now), and secondly, because the words that were coming out of the boy's mouth was disturbingly similar to hers. Though on a better-constructed and better-sounding way.
"....he is the meteor that crossed my darkened skies, the light that burst forth to embrace me in radiance and brilliance. His facade is cold and distant, but the mere presence of him by my side, the short glimpses he shoots my way or the times he says my name is enough to rekindle the inner-passions I have..."
Sakuno's head snapped up from her search. Did she hear what she thought she just heard?
"...I have always watched him in the sidelines, hoping, always hoping that he would notice me one day..."
Sakuno was practically gaping at the boy.
She could feel the warmth creep on her face, completely aware she was a tomato-head at the moment. She locked her gaze on her fidgeting hands. How she wished she could be swallowed up by the ground that instant.
"...even if he doesn't notice me or is completely unaware of my existence, he would always serve as my inspiration..."
Sakuno had the sudden urge to faint. She never thought that the boy would know of her long-time affections through an English report! Heck, she was completely clueless why Echizen Ryoma had her report in the first place! No wonder the boy seemed to be changing a lot from the text. True, that the words Ryoma was using were far, far better than her original report, but the essence of her expository was clearly evident no matter how he beautified the words.
Ryoma-kun just borrowed my paper... literally taking my place as first speaker and read my report. Sakuno thought to comfort herself, vehemently refusing to believe that the boy had actually had the audacity to steal her homework. There must be a logical explanation for this...
"...my inspiration to become more proficient in tennis, or if that's too much to hope for, to at least become better for the benefit of myself and for him to finally notice me..."
Sakuno mustered enough courage to raise her head and glance at Echizen Ryoma who was finishing the last parts of her report. She was quite taken aback when she realized that Ryoma didn't seem to be fazed by what he was reading (not counting his expected reaction on her horrible grammar). By gosh, he was reading straight from what she had kept to herself for so long! How dense could the boy be?
"...I would always love him..."
Claps were heard from the entire room as a cocky grin appeared on the boy's face. Did she just see a wave of relief cross his face?
After facing the dilemma of what to do, she realized that she would be the one called next. She better do something about it now or else face the wrath of Sumire. Besides, what Echizen Ryoma recited in class was her paper. Not his. It was alright if the teacher had to take back the perfect score of the report (considering Ryoma's numerous editing in it), but just so long she submitted something and had rightfully claimed that everything Ryoma said was hers.
Just when Sakuno was about to raise her hand, the English teacher spoke up.
"Excellent work, Echizen! As expected!" the teacher complimented happily. More claps erupted in the room as Ryoma handed the paper to elder. "Though I am curious... who is this person?" she asked curiously, a twinkle oddly present in her eyes.
Ryoma was unsure of what to say.
"Hmm?" the teacher urged on with a sly grin. "Mr. Echizen?"
"I believe I had accomplished what you asked me to do, sensei..." Ryoma muttered uncomfortably under the scrutiny of the teacher. "Besides, it is already hinted in it..."
The grin of the teacher widened. "Well, Mr. Echizen, believe it or not, but the person indicated in this report is hinted to be you," Echizen's eyes widened involuntarily. "And as far as I can remember, I clearly stated that there would be no such report as self-admiration..."
Sakuno shifted in her seat restlessly.
The smile on the teacher's face immediately turned upside down. "Is this your report, Echizen?"
Ryoma remained silent.
"Also, I have to add that your report would be more believable if you were pertaining to a girl... Having such bottled-up feelings for a boy would be a misapprehension of your gender, I believe."
Ryoma scowled at this.
Just when he was about to retort something back to the teacher, which would be who-knows-what and might only bring him further trouble, someone cut in the teacher-student conversation happening in front of the whole class.
"That would be my report, sensei."
All heads turned to a red-faced Ryuzaki Sakuno.
Ryoma's eyes widened at the revelation.
"Well, well..." the teacher started as she gestured for Sakuno to approach them. "It seems like someone's in big trouble."
Ryoma was too stunned to respond to the English teacher's words, his eyes currently fixed on the blushing auburn-head.
"This is your report then, Ryuzaki?"
Sakuno's blush intensified when she realized that Ryoma was staring at her openly. "Y-Yes..."
The teacher then turned to the all-the-while-silent Ryoma, who for some reasons, was still staring at the fidgety Sakuno. "This just confirms everything. You will be asked to meet me for detention later for having no English report and stealing a classmate's—"
"A-Actually... sensei..." Sakuno started, causing the teacher to face her again. "I-I asked Ryoma-kun to read my report for me from the start..."
Ryoma's eyes widened again, his gaze on the blushing Sakuno more intense.
"Is this true, Echizen?" the teacher asked interested, a different kind of twinkle in her eyes this time.
Sakuno turned to Ryoma with a shy smile.
There was silence.
"Yes," Ryoma muttered lowly after a long period of thinking.
"So where is your report then?"
Sakuno looked at the poker-faced tennis prince worried, well aware that Ryoma had nothing to present as his report. Why else would he grab someone's random paper, right? Sakuno inferred that the boy was really desperate... but it was wrong of course. Whatever personal reason Ryoma had for doing such, Sakuno didn't know, but she was willing to give him a second chance.
It was hard not to forgive someone you really like after all... well, for her anyway.
Plus from the boy's shocked reaction of her being the owner of the report, she assumed that he had no idea whom he victimized; too bad that his first attempt of actually borrowing someone's homework backfired horridly.
Without any response, Ryoma merely walked back to the spot where he read Sakuno's report, now prepared to say his own. Before starting, he turned to the grinning teacher. "Can it be oral?"
The teacher nodded.
And without further ado, Echizen Ryoma began saying heaps of fluent English with some words Sakuno wasn't even familiar with. Looking at the English teacher, she was now genuinely impressed with everything Ryoma was saying while glancing at her several times for unknown reasons.
Ryoma turned to Sakuno after a few more moments of talking in front. Sakuno blushed instantly at the sudden spotlight shared with her.
"I am proud to be the meteor of her darkened skies, the light that burst forth to embrace her in radiance and brilliance. It may be that I am cold and distant, but I am flattered that my mere presence can rekindle the inner-passions she has..."
Despite Ryoma being poker-faced, Sakuno could feel the conviction in his speech.
"I am aware that she had always watched me from the sidelines, hoping, always hoping that I would notice her one day. But little does she know that I was only waiting for the perfect time to tell her that I had always noticed her, and had always appreciated everything she has done for me. The support and care she had showered me, the blushes and smiles that only I am privileged to bring out of her is something I truly like about this girl. Ryuzaki Sakuno is the girl I admire."
Ryoma smirked cockily causing Sakuno's heart to race like wild horses.
"I love her... and had always had."
Wolf-whistles and claps erupted in the room as Ryoma approached the frozen-in-place auburn-head.
"Excellent speech and well said!" the teacher said with a smile, looking at Ryoma with swelling pride, clapping herself. "It seems like you're free from any trouble today, Echizen! No rules broken!"
Turning her back from the class for a moment to grade Sakuno and Ryoma's reports, the two teens currently standing in front of the class took time to regard each other: Sakuno, all-fidgety and unsure of what to do next while Ryoma, smirking at the red-faced girl as if expecting her to say something with what he just did.
When Sakuno remained rooted on the spot, still avoiding the tennis prince's gaze, Ryoma took several steps towards the girl and breathed her name, "Sakuno..."
When the said girl's head snapped up, what happened next took her by surprise.
Sakuno's eyes widened at the feeling of Ryoma's lips in contact with hers for the briefest of moment. The feel of it was feathery light and soft, that it sent shivers to run down her spine at the sudden intimacy.
Ryoma pulled away and said with a smirk, "Mada mada dane, Ryuzaki... my speech is still better than yours." Before Sakuno could say something, he leaned down for another kiss, this time more heart-tingling.
Wolf-whistles and claps sounded throughout the room.
Just when the teacher finished recording the grade and was curious with the sudden noise of the class, she turned around, only to find Ryoma and Sakuno have a heated exchange of affection.
"And I thought no rules broken! Echizen! Ryuzaki! No PDA! Detention in my room later!"
A/N: How was it? Bad? Good? Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it! (:))
[Edited]