Hi minna-san! Okay, I know I'm still writing Always, but I just couldn't resist putting this in! I got this idea just last night and I pretty much converted it into a one-shot. Don't worry though, chapter six of Always is on its way! Okay, I won't bore you anymore with my chatter.

This is anonymous, so I want you guys to guess who the persons behind the story are. (The girl talking isn't Miyuki, though. And no, this is also not Sakuno. Nor Tomoko.)

HOPE YOU HAVE FUN READING!!!

On with the story!


Everyday, my eyes wander around the crowd, looking for your trademark smirk and those golden brown eyes.

I hate it when I do that, why am I searching for you anyway?

Why am I searching for you when I know you don't like me the way I like you?

Why does my heart beat fast and hard whenever you come close?

I see you in school, though I know you barely see me. I see you when you practice with your teammates. I know you don't see me. Up in a tree, sketching, taking pictures, and listening to music, I would never interest you.

What captivated me about you is your personality. How you strive to become the best in whatever you do. I remember the day when I first saw you, I got lost in that maze you call your eyes.

I have lost all hope that you would like me back, as soon as I saw you. How would an ace tennis player like you fall in love with a nobody like me?

I see those girls that hang around you, too you know, one in particular.

It's obvious she likes you isn't it? I'm not jealous, oh no, I'm not shallow. Besides, I know you will never be mine.

What annoys me is that this girl is changing everything about herself to impress you. She's playing tennis, not for herself, but for you. Shouldn't you play tennis because you want to? Shouldn't you play because of yourself?

What this girl is doing is incredibly shallow. I know, because I have done this before, and risked total humiliation.

All in all, she would do a lot better if she just would face the truth.

She's going to crash and burn if she plays because she wants to impress someone.

I tried to help her once, tried to make her see her senses, but all she did was shout at me and tell me what the hell did I know.

This hurt me. I only had tried to help. I had been through this stage, where I had done everything to impress you. I'd gotten over it, as soon as I opened my heart to the truth.

I will never be able to reach you...

I started playing tennis when I got over you. You know what? I actually had fun, and I won my first unofficial tennis match 6-2.

The boy I beat was surprised, since he had always managed to flatten me 6-0, what with him being known as the power player of Seigaku. He told me he never knew that I was this strong. I merely nodded and smiled. I knew the reason why I won.

I had stopped playing for you, and started playing for myself.

I continued playing tennis with my friends who encouraged me. We would have practice matched every so often. I loved those days when I would simply forget you and concentrate on beating the heck out of my friends.

Then, one day, someone confessed to me. Can you believe it?

Yes, he confessed. To be true, I was shocked.

He said he had been watching me all those days when I was watching you. He loved me, he said, because I was special. Because I had gotten over you, without holding a grudge, and because I had been willing to start tennis all over again. He tole me I was beautiful. I laughed at that, and he only smiled teasingly, showing me his camera which was filled with pictures of a beautiful girl.

I asked him who she was, and he laughed. He said it was me. I didn't believe him at first, but I saw the shirt the girl was wearing, her habit of biting her lip, and the familiar purple headphones she always wore.

This girl was me.

My confessor was patient. He waited for my answer. I smiled and accepted it.

He always was the best; he would joke around me and shower me with love. My days were filled with love, jokes, laughs, and acceptance. All of his friends, a.k.a. you and your teammates, became my close friends. Even you, though I never got a chance to talk to you that much.

It was always me and him, sometimes we would play pranks with his best friend, sometimes, we would go to our secret place and take pictures.

We would watch sunsets over that hill, day after day.

And yet, I still can't bring myself to hate you, much to his amusement. I didn't love you as I used to.

And yet, I will never regret, always treasure that day when I got lost in your maze.


Ryoma's hands shook. He clutched the letter that he had found deep inside his tennis bag. Before she had become his senpai's girl, she had returned Ryoma's feelings after all. His heart ached just thinking of what could have been, what might have been, and what should have been.


I admit that wasn't my best fic. Anyways, just had to let that out! Please review and tell me what you think. If you guys think this stinks, I am officially deleting it. HOPE YOU HAD FUN READING!!!

Jingle bells....

The bathroom smells...

Like stale urine

And someone plays somewhere far

The music of a tambourine.

HEY!

Hehe...