Love Impostor
RYOSAKU Lemony Squad Productions
Challenge No.13

Dear Sakuno,
We've been friends for so long, sharing precious moments of tears and laughter. I feel closer to you than anyone else. I enjoy the way you frown and shy away from my eyes when I call you Wobbly-hips. I just didn't know how to directly tell you the way I really feel. Instead, I tease you during our encounters. I confess that I've been sly in using Karupin as several excuses. You are always on my mind. I can't stop thinking about you. I want our relationship to be a step closer, and I hope you feel the same way because my heart is set on you, and only you. Daisuki. – Ryoma

Sakuno was on the verge of burying her reddened face into her shoe locker. Who had ever expected such a surprise to happen early morning at school? A love letter from Ryoma-kun? It must be a dream, she thought. She was confused. She wanted to squeal from joy. She then stood idle in front of her shoe locker, fantasizing in her own little world.

Dear Ryoma-kun,
I have such a great time with you no matter what we are doing. As long as you are around, even doing the most mundane activity is fun. I want to spend as much time with you as possible, together tasting your favorite grape-flavored Ponta. I want you to know that since the day we met, I've fallen deeply in love with you. – Sakuno

Ryoma's cat-eyes widened upon reading the signature on the letter he was holding. This was really something new. Wobbly-hips was making a bold move, he contemplated. He folded the letter back into its envelope and slipped it inside his school bag.

The two simultaneously took a big breath and walked a few steps backward. They had not noticed each other's presence until they bumped into each other's back. The shocked Sakuno flushed hard and dashed embarrassingly to her class. Ryoma, on the contrary, smirked and flamboyantly walked up the staircases.

In a corner, two sinister figures appeared without being noticed...

"Hey, Osakada , are you sure this is ok?" Horio whispered, with a preoccupied look.

"Daijoubu! Don't worry! At least it's better than doing nothing! I'm sick of their snail-like progress. It's been over two years!" Tomoka said, enjoying the recent moment from behind the scenes.

"But wouldn't they quickly know that the letters were... err... imposed?"

"Me knowing Sakuno, she'll be too shy to mention anything she read. On Ryoma's side, he's likely to keep things cool, pretending to ignore everything, haha!"

"So what should we do next?"

"Bling bling! We'll place another two tomorrow!" Tomoka grinned wickedly.

"Sigh, I knew I shouldn't have conspired with you," Horio lamented.

"Baka! Think about this – you'll have one less rival for the next Valentine's Day. Higher probability for a honmei choco!"

"Honmei choco~~" Horio's eyes sparkled, so absorbed in self-indulgence he followed whatever Tomoka commanded him to do...


Dear Sakuno,
Your smile is as bright as sunshine. Your sweet smell mesmerizes me whenever I get close to you... Alluring silky mahogany braids...

"Baka! Ryoma-sama would never write like that!" Tomoka smacked Horio with a folded stack of newspapers.

The poor dude frowned. It had taken a long time to create the content of the letter, nevermind imitating Ryoma's handwriting.

"Of course he would! I have two years of love letter writing experience!"

"Well then, Mr. Experienced, tell me how many successful responses you got after giving those letters."

"Errr... none so far..." Horio revealed.

"That means you FAIL!"

"So how's your letter on Ryuzaki's behalf?" Horio grabbed the pink sheet of paper from Tomoka. It read –


Dear Ryoma-sama -kun,
I love you, I love you lots!

"Mwahahahahah! Like she would write that!"

"Mou! Let's switch places then. You write for Sakuno-chan, I write for Ryoma-sama."

Hence the two conspirators spent most of their time, everyday of the week, on the rooftop forging love letters...

On the second day, Ryoma and Sakuno got their letters in their locker. The girl again flushed and madly dashed to a vanishing point. The boy, as expected, didn't loose his cool. Things went the same on the third day and the fourth...

"I don't see a meaning to this. It's getting boring." Horio felt exhausted.

"Tomorrow's should be last one. Here, look at these –" Tomoka pulled out two tickets. "Amusement park access for this coming Saturday. My last resort."

Friday after school, Ryoma and Sakuno read their respective letters:

Enclosed ticket to the amusement park. See you there at the entrance tomorrow, 10:00 a.m.

They gently closed their lockers and took a breath. They then turned around to face each other.

"Shall we go home together?" Ryoma said in a very natural tone.

"Hai!" Sakuno cheerfully responded. Her cheeks showed a tint of red.

On the way, Ryoma gazed at the secret trace of shadows behind them.

"Heh, our friends sure do care about us," he muttered.

"Did you say, something, Ryoma-kun?"

"Betsuni." He smiled and continued to walk together with the girl he liked, just as the letters said.

{owari}

"Tennis no Oujisama" is the property of Konomi Takeshi. All rights reserved for the original author. This fiction is for the purpose of fan amusement only. No infringement intended. If you wish to complain about Beriath's plots or writing technicalities, please contact her directly via beriath (at) yahoo (dot) com, or by using FFnet's review submission services.

Corny love letters powered by Professor Google.

Beta thanks to my aibou-chan, Cinpii. I got muses for writing this fic thanks to an impostor who recently wrote nasty reviews around the Ryosaku community. This person really made my day LOL.

Language notes:

Honmei choco is chocolate given on Valentine's day to someone whom the giver has romantic feelings for. This is often given to boyfriends, prospective boyfriends, young husbands etc. This is generally reciprocated on White day. (Wikipedia)

Betsuni means "nothing (special)".