"Ryoma!" Sakuno called, catching up with her classmate, "you forgot this," she said, handing over the book he'd left on his desk.
"Thanks," Ryoma said, taking the book and giving her a brief smile that made her heart beat a little faster.
"Um…" She started, but Ryoma's eyes were now focused behind her, the colour draining from his face. Confused, Sakuno looked before her and saw Tezuka-buchou walking towards them.
"Echizen, Ryuuzaki," he greeted them as he walked past, not stopping.
Ryoma's jaw clenched. "He's going to do something noble," he muttered to himself, sounding thoroughly disgusted. He turned back to Sakuno, "I've got to go, thanks for the book." And then he hurried away to fall into step with Tezuka-buchou.
Sakuno was thoroughly confused now. What was so wrong with Tezuka-buchou doing something noble? She knew she shouldn't follow them, but the temptation to was so strong. Maybe she should go back and get Tomo-chan, but if she did then she'd never find where Ryoma and Tezuka-buchou had gone…. and it wasn't like she was stalking them if she just happened to be walking in the same direction, right?
Steeling herself, she set off after them, getting close enough that she could hear anything they were saying, but not too close as to look suspicious. Not that it mattered, neither Ryoma nor Tezuka-buchou were talking, seemingly locked in a silent battle as Tezuka-buchou tried to ignore Ryoma and Ryoma tried to get his attention by staring intently at him.
She assumed this must be some kind of tennis thing, normal people would just talk to each other.
After ten minutes of walking around the school, in which, Sakuno guessed, Tezuka-buchou was trying to shake Ryoma off, they arrived at the student council room.
Sakuno's heart sunk, if they went in and shut the door, there was no way she could overhear their conversation. She hung back as the two boys went in, Ryoma shutting the door behind him, too engrossed in silently attempting to get Tezuka-buchou's attention that he didn't notice that he hadn't shut the door properly.
She let out a sigh of relief and then realised with a stab of anxiety that she was now going to have to eavesdrop if she wanted to know why Ryoma had been so upset. Tentatively, she edged forwards, her heart beating in her ears. The longer she took the more likely she was to miss something.
"Echizen," Tezuka-buchou said, sounding utterly resigned.
"No!" Ryoma snapped, so loudly Sakuno was sure more of the corridor could hear him. "I'm not letting you leave me just because a girl talked to me!" Tezuka must have opened his mouth to say something as there was a pause. What he was going to say, however, was drowned out by Ryoma. "I don't care that you're two years older than me! Stop treating this as something that's wrong." His voice quietened at that and he sounded more bitter.
Sakuno's mind was spinning- Ryoma and Tezuka-buchou were together? They were dating? Every interaction she'd had with Ryoma flew through her mind and, no matter how she looked at them, they'd never really indicated any interest in dating her.
She felt empty inside as the silence from the student council room started to be replaced with noises that were definitely not talking. She didn't think she could cope with hearing whatever Ryoma and Tezuka-buchou were doing together. Slowly, she walked back to the classroom, her mind filled with images of Ryoma being held by Tezuka-buchou, holding his hand… kissing him.
"What's wrong?" Tomo-chan asked, instantly seeing through the fake smile she's tried to put on her face.
"I-" Sakuno started and then realised outing Ryoma to her best friend who- no matter how much Sakuno loved her- was a terrible gossip and very loud was a terrible thing to do. "It's nothing," she said, "I just tripped over in the hall."
"You didn't hurt yourself?" Tomo-chan asked, immediately on her feet.
"I'm fine," Sakuno assure her, seeing her best friend's concern soothing her heart. It wasn't as if she'd had any claim on Ryoma and as long as he was happy then that was all that should matter, right?
She felt tears springing to her eyes, it still hurt, no matter what she told herself.
"Come on," Tomo-chan said, taking her hand and guiding her to the bathroom. Once inside, Sakuno threw her arms around Tomo-chan and cried her eyes out. Tomo-chan just held her, patting her back soothingly.
She felt a lot better after they left the bathroom. Better enough to give Ryoma- whose hair, she noted, looked ruffled up- a small, watery smile as they reentered the classroom.