Sakuno sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror. It had been a long time since she let her hair down. But it was for a special occasion. One of her grandma's friends' daughter was getting married. She twirled in her light blue dress. It complimented her figure well.
Just then her bedroom door opened and Sumire entered grinning at her granddaughter. "Don't you look good?" she said.
Sakuno smiled. "Not bad yourself."
"Well, hurry up and come down or we're gonna be late." Sumire said.
"I thought it was fashionable to be late." Sakuno said.
"Not for a wedding." Sumire said as she retreated back.
Sakuno put on her heels as she walked down the stairs.
She took one more glance at the mirror. For some reason she felt insecure. Wait, she always feels insecure. Well, who can blame introverts?
"Finally, Sakuno. Great the Echizens are here." Sumire said looking through the window.
Sakuno stared at Sumire, "Did...did u just say Echizen?
"Yes, why?"
"Echizen as in Echizen," her eyes grew wide.
"Who else could it be?" Sumire asked.
Sakuno gulped. "Echizen as in Ryoma echizen?"
"Well, yeah..." Sumire asked, "Why do you looked so shocked."
"Why are they here?"
"Umm... we're going with them to the wedding, remember?...Sakuno I'm pretty sure I told you about this." Sumire said crossing her arms.
"No, you dint. If you did I would have definitely have remembered it. Especially in this case."
Sumire sighed. "This is why you should listen to what people are saying once in a while."
"Honestly, I could do with a little less people around me."
"Sakuno... you're becoming a sociopath " sumire said as she went to open the door as the door bell rang.
"Never hurt anyone...wait, where are you going!? Sakuno exclaimed.
"To open the door",
"NO!...you can't." Sakuno said as she pulled Sumire back. "I can't go to the wedding. Tell them I'm sick or I have amnesia..Anything Please!"
"Sakuno, you're over-reacting, now let me go." Sumire pulled herself up and opened the door.
Oh shit. Sakuno thought as she immediately turned around to walk back up to her room. but, she was stopped by -"Sakuno, is that you? My you've grown. The last time I saw you, you were just a baby."
Sakuno turned awkwardly a and smiled nervously. You can do this. "uhh...Well a lot can happen in sixteen years."
"Doesn't she look just lovely, Nanjiro" Mrs. Echizen said as she walked closer to give Sakuno a hug.
"Umm...yeah" Nanjiro said with a fake smile.
Well, he's completely bored. This isn't so bad. seems nice and Mr. Echizen doesn't care which is good considering the fact that means less communication. Sakuno thought. But her moment of relief was over in a second as soon as she saw Ryoma standing in front of the door. A bored look lingering on his face.
This is bad. I can't do this. Not with my crush of four years standing in front of me. Gah!
Sakuno was trying really hard not to blush. Thankfully, everyone started to leave so she dint have to say anything. But she noticed that Ryoma eyed her up to down. Yet, he dint say anything. Not like that was a problem anyway.
The ride to the church was absolutely boring. Nanjiro and Sumire kept on fighting about something. As usual she kept quiet, just looking out of the window. Barely listening to what they were saying.
As soon as they reached the church, Sakuno was fast to find her friends, and move along. Stay away from him. C'mon Sakuno you have to get over hmi, he's never going to feel the same way. She felt a pang in her chest but that was reality.
Soon everyone started moving into the church. Sakuno watched with a smile as she saw the bride and groom standing there together. She looked around her and saw that everyone was with their family. She missed her mom and dad. But they were always touring and on business trips. Infact that was why she came to live with her grand mom, she grew tired of travelling.
The smile suddenly vanished from her face. She suddenly felt the room stuffy even thought it was huge and not that packed. Without anyone noticing she left the church and went and sat on one of the benches outside. There was no one around. Sakuno took deep breaths. She took of her heels, tied up her hair in a messy bun and sat cross-legged. She looked up to the sky and sighed.
She closed her eyes until she felt movement behind her. She turned around and saw the person she was least expecting.
"Ryoma?" she asked.
"Ryoma?" he said in his voice that she loved. "Since when did you drop the -kun? He said with a smirk.
Sakuno felt herself blush. "Sorry...I kind of...forgot."
"Hmm." he looked at her with his usual condescending look. At least that's how she felt it was.
He plopped down on the bench next to her and closed his eyes like he was asleep.
He looked so cute, she thought.
"Don't you know it's rude to stare." Ryoma said.
Sakuno gasped. She blushed at being caught. "Do y-you wan-t s-something?" she asked. Shit, I'm stammering.
"What would I possibly want?" he asked.
Sakuno just felt stupid at asking so she turned to look up at the sky.
"Ne, Ryuuzaki...you like me don't you?" Ryoma asked casually.
Sakuno suddenly turned awkwardly. "what?" she blushed ten shades of red.
"I saw you looking at me when I was talking with that other chick. Figured you were jealous." he explained.
Sakuno stared at him unbelievingly. He knows. He finally knows. So wait he came all the way here to talk about this? Does he like me?
"Well, don't bother to, I want to concentrate only on tennis, now"
At this point, Ryoma opened his eyes and smirked at her flushed face. Somehow, she always manages to amuse him. "Mada mada dane Ryuzaki" He said as he got up and left.
Wait, he just got up and left. She looked at his retreating back. That was it? He really dint like her.
She should have felt sad and she did. But she felt kind of lighter. Like a whole burden was taken off her shoulders. He knew now, so it dint matter anymore. Atleast he knew. Infact Sakuno was kind of happy even though it hurts. She let out a little laugh which made Ryoma turn to look at her. The laugh soon turned into a fit of giggles. When she looked at Ryoma's confused face, she couldn't help it. She was laughing hard.
It might have seemed paranoid but she felt relieved. As she calmed down she noticed the frown on Ryoma's face.
"I'm sorry..."she said as she smiled up to him. "It came out at the spur of the moment."
"I figured you probably went mad after getting rejected." Ryoma said. Frowning still. He turned to leave.
"Wait," he heard her voice. "You're probably right about being mad. I was that into you."
Ryoma raised an eyebrow. He couldn't imagine Ryuzaki being so...open.
Well , Sakuno thought Since he know, I don't have to hold back anymore.
"It's just that I want to say it myself. I am completely in love with you. Utterly saturated. For four years. And I've being thinking all this time that I wasn't ever good enough for you. It does hurt being rejected but I'll live." Sakuno said light-heartedly.
"I'm sorry." Ryoma said. He felt a little sympathetic but all he cared about was tennis. Right?
Besides, she would get someone better. She was really pretty..wait, what? Did I just compliment someone?
Sakuno looked straight into his eyes. She grinned. Cute, Ryoma , Ryoma mentally face-palmed himself.
"I dint think the Great Ryoma Echizen could apologize which you shouldn't because it's not your fault. But I'd still like a favor. "
Ryoma raised an eyebrow. Well, he did just reject her so..."fine"
"Great" Sakuno said "Just stand absolutely still."
Which he did. She walked up to him. Her face just millimeters away from his. She held Ryoma's cheeks and pulled him in for a kiss. It was a short sweet kiss.
Ryoma dint know what to do. He just stared wide-eyed at her. As she pulled away, she whispered "I still like you."
She took two steps back and gave him an overwhelming smile. "But, I won't trouble you with that. Just act like that never happened. So...friends?"
Ryoma looked at her. How can this be sakuno? Did she just kiss me?
He immediately snapped out of his gaze. he cleared his throat.
"Friends" he said as he held out a hand which Sakuno gladly took.