Title: Orange Days

Summary: These are the days Ryoma like the most.

History: I am really inspired with the song: Orange by Yui Horie, Kugimiya Rie and Kitamura Eri while reading 'To Catch a Falling Star'. Plus, the word Orange just kicked my butt as I remember the word Orange Days from my new fic: L.O.V.E. U. RyoSaku is not only called as the Ponta Pair but as Orange Pair as well (well, in my case).

Author's Note: Enjoy reading. Well, this is not a part of L.O.V.E. U. It's a new story. Gonna thank Isis-chan for supporting me amidst of my grammatical errors. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis. God, this sucks.

---

Let's pick those oranges falling from the sky!

Sakuno fluttered her eyes open. She fell asleep... at the rooftop. Soon, she began to realize why she was there - waiting for Ryoma.

She was supposed to give the bento she made for him. And rooftop is, well, their meeting place. She could vividly remember the time when she asked him that she'll bring him lunch boxes. It was her promise.

Though of course, Ryoma was always like that. After finishing his lunch, he would just stand up and muttered a brief thanks before leaving. That was all.

Sakuno evenly thought that she could talk to Ryoma during such. But her clumsiness and continuous stuttering would lead her to some, "Ryuzaki, you need to attend some Language class."

That was utterly awful... from the person you liked the most. Sometimes, she wanted to hide her small face from Tomoka's pigtails whenever they passed into the Tennis courts.

Her sempai-tachi would used to whistle and tease her about her and Ryoma. She would glance to the boy only to find him appear to be... I-don't-care.

Let's jump today and tomorrow, reaching for the sun shining brightly above us!

"I think he is not coming. That's not odd, anyway." she sighed as she stood up. She leaned her body against the wall as she pushed up her knees upward. "But well,"

She bent down and placed the bento to the ground. "Possibility takes that he would drop by here."

She felt like she sounds Inui-sempai now. Haha.

She glanced at the green fence across her. The wind blew hard, letting her hair flow with its whistle. She slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I love you."

"...too."

Sakuno's eyes widened. She whirled around and to her surprise, it was...

---

"Tomo-chan!" Sakuno pouted, blushing deeply.

"You clumsy girl! If I weren't able to find you... you might have already jumped behind that fence!" she continued laughing heartily. "But well, it surprised me when you said those precious words!"

Sakuno's head dropped low. "Yeah. I'm an idiot, right?"

Tomoka grinned sheepishly as she placed a hand on Sakuno's back, patting it. "Now, not that Sakuno. I am proud that you're already brave enough to say those."

Sakuno smiled shyly, "Well... at least, no one's there, right?"

Tomoka nodded, still smiling.

Suddenly, Sakuno stopped walking. "Tomo-chan. I better stop this."

The other girl blinked, "Stop what?"

Sakuno looked at her, her eyes glistening with small tears residing on her eyes' cantus, "If you're not the one who heard it and if it was... him, I am wondering how he would respond to it."

Tomoka nodded as she placed a pensive finger under her chin, "Well, Sakuno... you see, Ryoma-sama is always like that. Maybe, he was still a kid to understand what it to love is."

---

"Hey Echizen, you ditched Ruuzaki-chan today?" Momoshiro taunted at Ryoma.

"Itaii, sempai." The boy winced.

"Nyah, Ochibi! How mean!" Eiji appeared behind them. "You're too mean!"

"There's 100.4% possibility that Echizen doesn't like Ryuuzaki Sakuno."

"You're making it up, Inui. Stop manipulating people's emotions. If Ryuuzaki-chan hears you, we don't know what will happen."

"Are you suspecting that my data are incorrect, Oishi?"

"Well, as we all know... Echizen is the kind of guy who doesn't know what love means." Fuji smiled.

"Poor Ryuuzaki-chan, after all this time, Echizen seemed to be unfaithful." Kawamura frowned.

"Nyah! Taka-chan is correct! Ochibi is unfaithful!" Eiji slightly punched Ryoma.

"Fssh. I don't think he is."

"But come to think of it, Echizen doesn't have any commitment and the likes to Ryuuzaki-chan, right?" Fuji looked at Inui.

"Except for tennis practices." Inui continued jotting down in his notebook.

Suddenly, Horio appeared behind them whose busy talking with the other freshmen, "Saa... I don't expect a lot for the activities later."

"Yeah, I heard that Ryuuzaki-chan was chosen to sing that song. I wonder if she knew how to sing." Kachiro said.

"But it must be something we should look forward especially it is some co-curricular acivities here in our school." Katsuo smiled at them.

As the trio left, the entire Seigaku members (except for Tezuka) were speechless.

"We forgot, today is the Confession day, right?" Momo spoke out.

"Yes, according to my data. It is some Valentines-like day here in our school." he paused as he scanned the other pages of his notes, "There will be chosen students who will sing and then during that, the boys will give something to the girl they like. Chocolates, flowers and the likes were forbidden."

"And oh, those students who will sing will be paired with the best guy in our campus." Oishi scratched his head.

"That made me remembered when Tezuka and Fuji were paired with some cute girls." Eiji giggled.

"What happened to them?" Momo can't imagine Tezuka being paired.

"Well, Tezuka left first because he needed to finish a lot of things in the Student Council while Fuji and his partner just stared with each other till the game ends." Kawamura merely laughed.

"Haha! That's awful Fuji-sempai!" Momo broke into laughter.

"Fssh. As if you're going to be chosen."

"What did you say Mamushi?!"

And as the two second year regular started bickering, Inui adjusted his glasses, "Well, for this year. Only Fuji around our team was chosen."

"Aw... that sucks, right Ochibi?" Eiji taunted at the small boy.

Fuji smiled, "Luck goes everywhere, right Echizen?"

"Don't care." Ryoma adjusted his cap.

---

"Tomo-chan..."

"What is it Sakuno?"

"This dress," she walked out from the curtains, "...is somewhat..."

"Sugoi Sakuno! You looked so beautiful! Can't imagine that you've reached here so far."

Sakuno merely smiled, her eyebrows twitching, "I don't know if I would take that as a compliment or an insult."

Tomoka posed in front of her with victory sign on her fingers and laughed. Sakuno giggled a bit but suddenly she fell silent.

"Why Sakuno? Something mattered?" Tomoka asked, confused with her sudden mood swing.

"I don't know" she paused; she felt her heart pounding so fast. "Perhaps, I am just nervous?"

---

And as the commotion began…

Fuji, who was already in his tuxedo while holding a white rose, was at the back stage when accidentally, Ryoma passed by…

"Hey Echizen." Fuji called.

Ryoma turned his head and went to his sempai, "What is it?"

"Can you hold this for a minute? I'm going to tie my shoe lace." He pointed his shoe lace.

"Okay." He held the flower from Fuji.

An as Fuji bent down, the speaker had already appeared in this stage. "Ladies and Gentlemen!" he paused, "Ryuuzaki Sakuno for the song Orange!"

Claps were heard from the audience. Soon, Sakuno appeared and began singing. And during the introductory part, the curtains on the other side of the stage opened.

There was Ryoma, standing while holding a white rose.

"Wow! This is unexpected! Ryoma Echizen of the freshmen is paired with Ryuuzaki-chan!"

Ryoma, on the other hand, looked down and realized that Fuji was already gone. Crap. He ditched me.

"RYOMA-SAMA!!!" weary voices aired from the crowd, it must be his fangirls.

Suddenly, a bunch of students, regarding of year level, run towards the stage, Ryoma looked at Sakuno, "Ryuuzaki! Run!"

And there, the reason why the student council doesn't want to choose Ryoma Echizen is because, Inui's calculations predicted that these scenes will be possible. And on Fuji's side – you must already know that he loves seeing people to suffer.

---

Sakuno sighed as she leaned her head back to the fence. "Ryoma-kun, are you alright?" she looked at the boy who was full of bruises.

"What do you think?" he responded abruptly.

The girl dropped her head low. "Sorry." She muttered softly.

"Here." He handed her an orange as he placed back the ice bag in his forehead.

Sakuno's eyes widened. "This…"

Flashback…

"R-ryoma-kun! I'm so sorry! The lunch I made for you were already eaten by Obaa-chan!" she bowed before him.

Ryoma looked away.

"Anou… I just decided to give this to you!" she handed him an orange.

"Orange?"

"Yes! Anou… I'm making up my mess next time!"

"Okay."

End of flashback…

"I'm making up next time too, Ryuuzaki." He smirked.

END

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How sweet! Did you enjoy reading? :D

RUCHICHAN