Resounding cheers and applause surrounded a certain left-handed boy as he wiped his brow of perspiration to the calling of the final score of 7-6 from the umpire.

"This won't ever happen again, Echizen," an extremely disgruntled Kirihara Akaya muttered, while reaching out for the customary after-match handshake.

"Hnnnn… Mada mada dane." Echizen Ryoma smirked and adjusted his trademark Fila cap before bringing his own hand up to meet the one Kirihara offered…

… Only to find one very annoyed Rikkai ace shooting looks of daggers at him.

"It's just a joke, don't be so serious!"

—————-

From the other side of that metal fence, Ryuuzaki Sakuno watched the exchange between Kirihara and Ryoma with a troubled look in her eyes. She didn't understand what was wrong with herself.

I should be glad that Ryoma-kun won his match against Kirihara-san… So why am I feeling this way…?

"..uno! Sakuno!"

A familiar boisterous voice jolted her out of her thoughts and Sakuno swerved around to face the source of that voice: Osakada Tomoka, her best friend.

"Ne, Sakuno, what's wrong? Don't you want to go congratulate Ryoma-kun on his win?" Tomoka questioned.

Despite her boisterous appearance, Tomoka was actually a very good friend. She knew Sakuno was a very timid person and was constantly worried that her friend might get bulllied by people bigger than her. More than once, it was Tomoka's loud and outspoken presence that stopped people from picking on Sakuno.

Trying to dispel her morbid thoughts, Sakuno forced a smile on her face and attempted to reassure her friend. "Gomen, Tomo-chan! I was just thinking about some minor stuff! I'm a little thirsty, why don't you go congratulate Ryoma-kun first, while I go get something to drink?"

Tomoka cast a doubtful look at Sakuno before agreeing, "Don't take too long, Sakuno!" And skipped off to the crowded area where the other Seigaku regulars were already congratulating Ryoma.

As soon as Tomoka's back was towards her, the smile vanished from Sakuno's face and it returned to that previous forlorn look. After a few more moments spent in silence, she turned and started walking in the direction of the vending machines.

———- FLASHBACK ———–

It was another win added to Ryoma's record of victories. As usual, his teammates and supporters crowded around him to congratulate him and compliment him on a match well-played.

With Tomoka by her side, the two of them made their way to the center of the crowd, where Ryoma stood. Alright, so it was more of Tomoka elbowing her way through and Sakuno following the path her friend cleared for the both of them, but that didn't matter, did it?

"Ryoma-sama!!!" Called an over-enthusiastic Tomoka, her loud voice successfully catching Ryoma's attention. He watched with a detached look as his two fellow first year supporters approached.

"Congratulations, Ryoma-sama!!"

"…doumo."

Acknowledged with how he always thanked the people who offered congratulations, before his attention turned to the voice that was heard next.

"Ano.. Ano ne, Ryoma-kun.The matchCongr-"

Before the soft voice could finish what its owner intended to say, some unidentified person's emphatic well wishes interrupted the interaction.

Sakuno could only watch helplessly as a senpai walked between her and Ryoma and started talking to him.

———- END FLASHBACK ———–

Among that sea of faces, it was no wonder that Sakuno's didn't stand out.

It wasn't as if she didn't try her best to squeeze her way to Ryoma's side. It wasn't as if she didn't try her best to look into Ryoma's face and express her happiness at his victory. And it wasn't as if she didn't try her best to stop being so shy.

Yet no matter how hard I try, my voice never seems to reach Ryoma-kun…

Without her knowledge, her own legs had already brought her to the benches a few metres away from the vending machines. She sat on the benches heavily, seemingly wanting to vent her frustrations on the innocent benches. Sakuno's small hands held bunches of her blue school skirt in a death grip.

I'm as bad at tennis as Ryoma-kun is as good at it… Ryoma-kun has so many admirers and he's so well-known in Japan and America. He's like a sparkling gem while I feel so… So small. It's… It's almost as if we are from two different worlds, where I don't exist in his at all and he doesn't know my existence… A, are… This moisture on my hands…

Her right hand reached up to her face and felt similar moisture on her cheeks.

I'm… I'm crying…?

—————–

"Ne, ne, RYOMA-SAMA!!"

Ryoma flinched inwardly as that all-too-familiar voice reached his ears yet again. He sighed inaudibly before altering his line of vision to the direction of that voice.

… She's alone?

Ryoma reflexively searched the sides of the girl for that familiar sight, to no avail. "Ne, Ryoma-sama? What are you looking at?" Tomoka asked with a puzzled look, when she noticed Ryoma's abnormality.

"Heh, who else could Echizen be looking for, other than the baasan's precious granddaughter?" A cheeky voice chimed.

"Momo-senpai!"

"Maa, maa, it's just a joke," Momoshiro held his hands up in mock surrender, at his kouhai's glare. He could recognise a warning when he heard one.

"Oh, if it's Sakuno that you're looking for, she went to get a drink. She said she would come after that!"

Hnnn. She's not entirely useless after all.

After staying a few minutes more conversing with his seniors, Ryoma excused himself, saying that he needed a Fanta to dispel the ungodly afternoon heat. His Seigaku regular jersey slung over his shoulder in an untidy fashion, he made his way slowly to the vending machines. He didn't understand why but it felt amiss that that shy girl wasn't there to congratulate him.

Like how she did, after every match.

As expected, he spotted that figure he had been searching for a few moments ago seated at the benches. She hadn't seen him yet. He stopped in his tracks and remained in the shadows of the trees, observing her quietly.

She sat straight, though her head was down. Her hands were holding… No, gripping would be a better choice of words. Yes, she was gripping her skirt. He wondered what she was thinking about. Continuing to observe her quietly, Ryoma remained at the same position.

After a few minutes where she didn't make any move, Ryoma started to take a step towards her when suddenly, her hand moved towards her face. At that same moment, she raised her head a little and Ryoma could see light that was reflecting off something on her face.

Wet trails of tears… What could she be crying about…? What is she thinking about…?

When the girl continued to be lost in her own world, Ryoma decided that he ought to get that Fanta after all.

—————–

Sakuno literally jumped a foot in the air when something was shoved in front of her face.

Her head snapped up and her large brown eyes met another amber-brown pair that was filled with slight amusement at her reaction.

"Want some?" Ryoma offered Sakuno the opened can of Fanta again.

"Mm… Thank you…" Not knowing how to react, Sakuno could only accept the canned drink from Ryoma, after a quick wipe of the remnants of the tears on her face. After which, Ryoma plopped down onto the bench beside her.

When she noticed that the drink had already been open, she became slightly confused, "A, ano ne, Ryoma-kun, the drink is already open…"

"So?"

"Ehh?? … So, so…" Sakuno sputtered, at a loss for words.

Well, I can't possibly say that it's like an indirect kiss if I drink from the same can, can I?

As soon as that thought came to mind, a deep red started spreading across her cheeks. Ryoma watched again with hidden amusement as Sakuno shook her head quickly, trying to clear her thoughts, and then take a tiny sip from the can. The two of them sat in companionable silence until Ryoma spoke.

"Ryuuzaki."

"Y-yes?"

"For always coming to watch my matches, arigatou."

Sakuno's heart skipped a beat and her eyes widened in surprise.

"For always cheering silently and praying for me during the matches, arigatou."

He, he knows! He noticed!

"For always taking the time to congratulate me after the matches, arigatou."

Uncontrollably, that stinging sensation once again assaulted her pretty eyes as they fell again into another companionable silence. After a few quiet sniffles, this time, it was Sakuno who broke the silence.

"… Ryoma-kun?"

At the sound of Sakuno's voice, Ryoma turned to look at her lazily.

"… Congratulations on today's match."

As he looked at Sakuno's downcast side profile, Ryoma felt something tugging upwards at his lips.

"… Arigatou."

Although Sakuno didn't see it, the smile was genuine, not a smirk like what Ryoma always showed to others.

Very small, but still a smile.

———————— THE END ——————————

Translation:

Mada mada dane (Ryoma's trademark phrase): You still have lots more to learn.
Gomen: Sorry
Doumo: Thanks
Baasan: Old lady (referring to Ryuuzaki-sensei, in this context)

A/N: 'Doumo' was used instead of 'Thanks' in order to emphasise the contrast between the way Ryoma thanked Sakuno and the way he thanked everyone else.