Title: Loveless

Summary: The most upsetting end is not having the chance to get her back. "Yeah, it's painful…I guess."

Warning: Not beta-ed

A/N: This story was inspired by Yamashita Tomohisa's song 'Loveless'. Gah~ I feel like crying XD I suggest you listen to the song while reading. :)

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"Ryo-Ryoma-kun?"' the woman tried to smile but the tears that fell from her eyes betrayed her.

He didn't question her sudden request. It wasn't because he didn't want to fix things and it wasn't because he didn't care, he just…didn't know how to respond. She was crying hard on his chest as she held his black coat tightly as if she would never let go but she was saying the exact opposite words.

Surprisingly, it didn't felt bad though it didn't felt right either. But whatever it was, he wouldn't dare to stop her. Probably because even before she spoke the words, with her eyes casted down as her lips slightly quivered, he had already known what would come.

His hands reached for hers to pry it away from his jacket, "If you badly want me to let you go, do that when I'm not looking," he said as he reached for his pocket. "Here," he added, offering her a handkerchief.

Sakuno, in turn, nodded and took the handkerchief from his hand, using it to wipe her tear-streaked face, "Will you be okay?"

Ryoma didn't know whether he should laugh or cry. She asked for a breakup and was expecting that he would be fine. The irony of the situation just amuses him. "I'll be fine," he replied and tapped her arm reassuringly.

"T-Take care," she said as she enclosed her hands atop his cold ones, the usual blush present whenever she does something bold but embarrassing move with him.

"You should," he replied and gently pushed her hand away. "Go inside, you might get cold," he smirked and turned around, scratching the back of his head as he forced his feet to drag him forward.

"Ryoma-kun!" she called.

He wouldn't deny the fact that he desperately wanted to turn around that time. As ditzy as the girl was, she might just be confused and might reconsider the thought. But he wouldn't dare risk it; if he did, he probably wouldn't want to turn away anymore.

He raised a hand, indicating his farewell, dropping it almost immediately as he found himself lost in the crowd.

0.0

"Echizen! Echizen!" the familiar voice of his former senpai and current best friend shouted as he instantaneously banged the door of his hotel room.

Momoshiro just knew when to get irritating.

"What?" he said with a frown as he opened the door.

"Come on, you need me today, might as well let me in," he grinned and entered the place even before Ryoma could have said more.

"No food, no food," the older man muttered as he rummaged through every rack of the tennis prince's fridge. "You won't eat because she broke up with you last week," he said trying to put a humor in the situation as he turned to face Ryoma who was leaning on the counter.

"That's stupid," Ryoma answered as he motioned for the couch.

"Yeah, you are," Momoshiro laughed and joined him. "The room is messy and you smell bad. You scream the image of a heartbroken guy," he tapped his companion. "Don't worry. You'll definitely find someone…someday. By the way, did you ask her what's wrong?"

"Whatever," he replied with a low groan, his eyes staring at the ceiling.

"Listen, Echizen. If you won't know, you'll repeat the same mistake all over again," Momoshiro said slowly as if explaining a very complicated thing to an imbecile.

"That's great," Ryoma replied sarcastically.

Momoshiro almost scoffed at his sardonic remarks, "I don't really understand you," he shook his head. "If you won't move on then you shouldn't have let her go."

"Hn," Ryoma replied as if considering the thought.

"Don't 'hn' me Echizen," with a sigh, Momoshiro got a tennis ball lying messily on the floor and tossed it up. "Say…does it hurt?" he asked although slightly hesitant.

For a while, Ryoma just glanced his way, not armed with any response.

"Don't take it the bad way," the other man waved his hands. "I'm just curious."

"Yeah, it's painful…I guess," Ryoma shrugged.

Momoshiro laughed at his blunt yet sudden honest reply, "Did she make you cry?"

"What kind of question is that?"Ryoma raised a brow and grabbed the opened can of Ponta that lied along with the garbage filled glass table.

"As I said, I'm curious," Momoshiro said as Ryoma chugged the remaining contents of the drink.

"No, she didn't," he sighed and slump deeper on the lounger.

"Really," he just knew he shouldn't have asked; he wouldn't believe it in the end. "She's getting married after two weeks. Quite fast, isn't she?"

"Aa, she sent me an invitation," he gave out wry laugh.

"What will you do?" Momoshiro asked as he glanced sideward to study the prince's expression. Surprisingly, it was blank.

"I'll make her regret it," Ryoma said with unadulterated honesty.

With this, the spiky-haired man slapped a hand on Ryoma's back, "Stupid, don't make her cry because you did."

"That was meant to be a joke," Ryoma spoke with a cough as he rubbed his chest.

Momoshiro could only blink, "You look so serious back then."

"I wasn't," Ryoma sighed and stood up as he grabbed his tennis racket that seemed to be the only thing tidy inside his room. "How about a game?" he challenged.

0.0

"Echizen-san, a lot of people has been intrigued with your love life. It has been a rumor that you have never dated even once?"

Certainly he did, but informing the media of it would merely attract more attention. More attention just meant more questions to be raised. He had already more than enough. Although his manager had been encouraging him countless of times to date women as the media had been incessant of spreading news about his questionable masculinity, he had declined the offers. After two years, he had been contented by avoiding the mention of the said topic.

"How about the recent rumor that you and Ericka-san went to New York together?"

Ericka sounded so foreign to him. Maybe he had forgotten about it.

If he was alone, he would have just smirked at them or say 'mada, mada, dane' and leave, but the media should be thankful that his manager was present to answer all the inquiries that could possibly come out from their mouths. His manager may be a nagger but he really is useful…sometimes.

"Nana-chan confirmed us that the two of you went for a coffee together," another reporter asked.

They indeed had coffee together but… with his manager and an endorser. He remembered her quite well. She had been repeating her name all throughout her sentences that it made a slight impression on him. She perhaps purposely didn't explain to the media every detail to get more attention.

"I am there when the two of them had coffee," he heard his manager, Hagane, explain. "It's for an endorsement."

Another reporter raised a hand, "Can Echizen-san answer this question?"

Hagane looked at Ryoma's way when the boy answered with a nod.

"My source told me you dated a girl named Ryuuzaki," Ryoma's fist clenched at the sudden mention of her name. He must be thankful that he had the table to keep it away from the scrutinizing gaze of the media.

She glanced up and eyed him from her round spectacles, "She broke up with you."

It wasn't a question but a statement.

"Excuse me but this is kind of perso—"

Hagane tried to intrude but the reporter raised a palm to stop him and replied, "Echizen-san agreed to answer my question."

"But—"

"What's your question?" Ryoma asked.

"Is it true?"

"No," he said, his eyes void of expression. "She's just my tennis coach," he smirked.

The woman looked confused for a while but uttered a "Thank you" nonetheless and sat down, practically not satisfied with how her supposed-to-be appalling scoop went. As soon as she settled down on her seat, Hagane sent signals to the staffs that the pres-conference was about to close.

"Thank you everyone for coming tonight," Hagane spoke as both he and Ryoma bowed to take their leave. "That was a nice retort, Ryoma," Hagane whispered as they went backstage.

"Aa…sou," was the only reply his manager got as the tennis prince went ahead towards his limo.

~End

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A/N: Yow, everyone! How was it? XD Sorry if the story was short and lacking proper explanation, describing how our very own Echizen Ryoma would be after a breakup was the main goal of the story. I also apologize if there were grammar mistakes; this story was not edited by any of my betas. So yeah…I really hope you enjoyed reading :) Tell me what you think?