Hye! MitsukiJunko is back with the sequel of Crystal Teardrops as promised! After two months of hiatus, the story will continue until the end. I never realized that some of you really waited and Pmed me with the sequel. I gave you my word guys, I hope you like it. The mysteries will be revealed and the love will bloom. Find out everything in this continuation. Now I present to you… the first chapter of the sequel. Crystal Teardrops II: Only Teardrops.
TOMARE!
If this is the first time that you visited this chapter and not reading the prequel, I suggest that you should read that first to understand the story so far. Thank you very much... Bows deeply... ^_^
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Prince of Tennis and never will.
yana19 - Hi... I am back with the sequel. And you are welcome... ^_^
And thank you for the last review... I am glad that you like the Seigaku and Fudomine tandem, Momo and Kamio small fight, Momo and Ann short moments, Sakuno and Tomoka's little scene, Fuji's oh-so threat to Momo, Sumire and Sakuno's reunion and the RyoSaku sweet moments... tee hee hee... Now this is the continuation of the story... I hope you like it... Thank you very much...
Anon - Hey! ! ! I am back! ! ! I hope I can resurrect you with the sequel of the story. As promised this is the continuation of the story... and thank you for the motivation now I am all fired up to finish this story once and for all. But it will be for a while though... tee hee hee... ^_^
sweetgirl123 - Hi... this is the continuation of the story... I hope that you hindi ka na mabitin tee hee hee... This is what I promised... ^_^
and thank you for reading most of my stories... Nareplayan ko na sila di ba? Thank you once again... ^_^
johanna - hahahah... hindi ako sure dun... basta alamin na lang natin pareho... maraming salamat... Ito na ang simula ng karugtong... ^_^
Anonymous13 - you are very welcome... it's okay for me... as long as you inform me, it's enough for me... ^_^
Zuly - Hi... this is the continuation. I hope you saw this and currently reading my reply... I made it easier for the readers to find the sequel... Thank you very much... ^_^
Mending Tears reviews reply:
Anon - Hi... I am too eager to reply.. tee hee hee... please enjoy... ^_^
yana19 - it was a happy ending after all. And thank you very much. Tee hee hee... Who would've thought that Momo and Eiji could act 'upset' about that in front of him. And Him, for the first time believed it... tee hee hee.
Yep, Sumire has her own ways to tease them, hasn't she?
and the sequel is really here... thank you very much... And you will know his answer in this chapter... ^_^
guest - thank you very much... And Yeah, I updated Cherry Valentines today as well. You can check it out now... ^_^
Chapter 1: The Encounter
Chapter Summary: She missed everyone in the mansion as she shared their time with them. Two weeks passed and everything changed in that short span of time. He who had encountered someone that he didn't expect…
'Her tears continue to fall as clear as crystal'
~MitsukiJunko~
Her life went back to normal in the mansion. Even though her life was still in danger so the securities were tripled. She took the courage to ask her parents to invite Capella in her room at night, to keep her company in case of emergency. Somehow, her parents bought it. Capella was really small so the little boy could escape when she was in danger and easily inform her bodyguards about it. Capella was very happy about it and from that day, he never left her side.
Fakir and Ahiru were still doing their job. Just like Capella, they never had the chance to serve her during her stay in Memphis, Tennessee. They were just making it up for her, even though she didn't want them to do that.
She preferred to have them as her close friends in the mansion. But calling her a 'mistress' was still out of the picture for her. They still treated her as one of the high classes of the society. Being a Kitazawa was still an alien for her. For the past nine months, she was still adjusting to her new life.
…New routine, new clothes, new surroundings and atmosphere, a tutor and an instructor, bodyguards and protectors.
…A new fiancé.
Yeah, she was a member of a wealthy, noble family and having an arranged marriage was pretty common for them. But she didn't pay attention to it. And Christopher, her fiancé understood her intentions.
Also her life was not safe. Someone was targeting her because of the possible wealth that she was going to inherit when she turned eighteen. She was the rightful heiress after all for she was a Kitazawa in legal papers. Someone wanted to claim that wealth from her which she wasn't intending to have in the first place. If she could decline that fortune, things would get easier for her.
But the person behind the pursuit wouldn't want that. They wanted her dead for non-evidence.
Her life was complicated as it already was. She hoped that everything would turn out okay.
Morning, Sunday;
"Game, Set and Match, Echizen Ryoma!"
"Look! Onee-chan," Capella pointed the T.V screen at her, "Ponta-onii-chan won his match."
"Yeah, I'm seeing it, Capella-kun," She rested her chin to her folded knees and smiled, "He's cool as always." She stared at the screen as the tennis prodigy was being interviewed at that moment. He was sweating a lot because of the game. The game was pretty tough for him. He didn't win the straight sets unlike what he did for one to four rounds, quarter and the semifinals round. He played five sets at the final round winning him at the fifth set with the tiebreak match.
It was indeed hard for him but it was worth it. He won another title like in Australian Open. He was really great in her eyes.
"Nee-chan!" Capella called as he jumped on her making her scream due to shock. Her scream wasn't audible outside so no one could hear it. She lost balance as she fell back on the bed bringing Capella along with her.
"Mou! Capella-kun," She chuckled. Capella was on top of her and actually grinning at her, "Don't jump on me like that."
"But you are not listening to me," He pouted making him look cute in her eyes, "I want to play tennis with him some time."
She looked at him and smiled afterwards, "We can practice if you want."
"But I want onii-chan," He said looking straight at her eyes, "Don't you want to see him again?"
"O-of course I do," She blushed when she replied to the boy's direct question, "But he's busy you know."
Capella was still on top of her observing her appearance and for some reason, he blushed. Sakuno noticed his sudden blush and touched his cheek;
"What's wrong? Why are you red?"
"N-nee-chan," He said as he hugged her there, "Y-you know… if I am really ponta-onii-chan's age. I'll definitely fight for you too but I am too young to do that."
"What do you mean?" She held his arm.
"I love you because…" he blushed even more as he buried his face to her neck, "But I cannot love you as big guys do."
Realizing what Capella had said to her, she blushed as well. Seriously, what would kids witness these days and even Capella was able to say something like that? The kid had the ability to realize the value of life at such age. He could even differentiate the kind of love that one had. If he wasn't wearing a tattered dress, he would've mistaken for a noble as well. Capella was ahead of her if situations could look at it. Smiling, she assisted Capella and herself to sit up straight once again. She pinched his cheek making him look funny.
"Seriously, Capella-kun," She started as she closed her eyes while smiling at him, "No matter what I also love you. And probably you are right. If you are older as him, you are probably going to be his rival."
"Riiiiiilllly?" He asked.
"Un." She said but she became gloomy after that, "But you are not so it is impossible."
Capella pouted, "No fair."
Staring at him, she couldn't take it but laugh at his expression. She hugged him because of that, "You are so cute. Don't you know that? You could be my second boyfriend if you like." With that she kissed his cheek making the boy to blush even more.
"S-second," He said as he recovered from the kiss, "I—I don't mind that but… who's your first boyfriend? Is it going to be Chris-sama or Ponta-onii-chan?"
She flinched when he asked that. She wasn't prepared for that question. Letting him go from her hug, she simply replied, "W-well, there's only one boyfriend that I would like to have."
"...Which of them you like?"
She thought for a while. She wanted him but she didn't know if it was the right thing to say. Instead, she leaned closer to the boy and asked him instead;
"Who do you think that I should choose?"
"Hmmm," He put his hand to his chin as if thinking and then he cheekily looked back at her, "Ponta-onii-chan!"
She flinched when he said that. Capella was grinning at her making her blush in the process. She didn't answer him after that. Instead, she slowly hugged the boy and whispered to his ear, "Thank you, Capella-kun."
Capella thought why she had said that but he only shrugged it off. He only tapped her back as a form of comfort. Capella was really fun to be with. Good thing that the boy was able to sleep by her side. Because of the boy, she wouldn't feel alone at night anymore.
Later on:
"Y-you called me dad, mom?" She asked as she entered the conference room. Her parents were sitting on their chairs at the long table but they were not alone there. From her father's side, there was an average girl with pink, long hair. Her expression was unreadable as she looked at her. When she approached the table, she bowed at them.
"Yeah," Reinja nodded, "We want you to meet someone."
Sakuno looked at the girl beside him. The girl gave her a tiny smile as she nodded. She can smile after all. But who is she?
Reina gestured her hand to the girl as if she read her mind, "Sakuno, we want you to meet Hinagiku Katsura. She will be your self-defense instructor."
Blinking twice, she leaned further at them, "S-self-defense instructor?"
Reinja nodded, "We decided that you should learn how to defend yourself at times. The Katsuras is a family friend of ours just like how we trust the Fuji family," The lord looked at the pink haired girl, "This is our daughter, Kitazawa Sakuno."
Hinagiku stood up and bowed in front of her, "Pleased to meet you, mistress."
Sakuno sweat dropped because of the formality. She raised her hands in front of her, "p-pleased to meet you too, H-hinagiku-san."
"Hinagiku will be your female bodyguard as well. She will teach you the basic of self-defense." Reinja said making the two of them to seat.
"H-hai… I understand." She looked down after that. Somehow, she thought that she really needed that. But the question was, could she do it? She didn't know yet.
Reina stood up which was followed by Reinja, "Well, we will be going then. We have some business meeting to attend to. Make sure that you will not leave the mansion unless you will go with Meyers or Drosselmeye." Reinja informed her.
"Hai."
"We will come home as soon as we can, sweetie," Reina said giving her a kiss on the cheek and a tight hug, "You can read books in the library if you are bored."
Reinja walked to her and also gave her a peck on her head, "Take care of yourself then."
"Hai." She blushed when they did that to her. Their warmth was something that she couldn't replace. There were times that she missed her real parents' warmth but them giving her enough comfort was enough for her longing. She felt that she was being hugged by the two sets of parents. Soon after, her parents left the mansion.
xxx
"We will start your training tomorrow morning, mistress." Hinagiku said as they walked on their way to the library.
"O-ok." She said as she looked down. She was shocked when the pink-haired girl stopped from walking and tipped her chin up. Looking at the non-expressive reaction of the girl, she blinked twice, "H-Hinagiku-san?"
"You should wear a tough expression especially when you walk," She reminded her, "Don't look down. You don't know what's ahead of you."
"R-right, got it." She said nodding in the process.
Hinagiku distanced herself from her and continued to walk away, "Do not show your weakness to the other people."
"Hai."
"Learn to fight and always… always do not let your guard down."
"Ha—eh?"
The self-defense girl looked back at her, "What's the matter?"
"Y-your last phrase… it reminded me of someone," She smiled as she remembered a certain tennis prodigy like him, "He always tells the exact words to his teams."
"Mistress?"
"Gomen," She smiled at her, "I was just thinking of my old friends way back at Seigaku."
"I see," She shrugged as she continued walking, "Let's go, mistress."
She didn't reply but she walked together with her.
xxx
"Konnichiwa, Sakuno-sama, Hinagiku-san." Hayate greeted the both of them as they reached the library. For some reason, the butler was in front of the door of the library. Sakuno approached him and smiled;
"Konnichiwa Hayate-san. You knew each other?" She asked as she looked at the girl. She flinched a little when Hinagiku's expression changed.
Hinagiku was sort of… blushing.
Hayate nodded as he smiled at Hinagiku, "We're childhood friends, you see."
"Hontou? That's great!" She looked at the both of them and then to Hinagiku, "I knew I could get along with you, Hinagiku-san."
"W-what are you saying, mistress?" Hinagiku leaned away from her, "I am just your mere instructor and nothing else."
She leaned back at her, smiled while eyes closed, "I will not believe that."
"W-what?" Hinagiku sweat dropped as she couldn't retaliate her words.
Sakuno leaned away as she open her eyes and looked at Hayate, "I would like to read books all day, Hayate-san. You wouldn't mind that, would you?"
"Of course not, mistress," Hayate said as he opened the door to the library, "Take your time reading inside."
Sakuno welcomed the library with delight. It was definitely big and elegant. Why didn't she ask for the place during her first months of stay in the mansion? There was no doubt that she would not get bored reading interesting stories in the library. She was very thankful of her grandmother of making her a bookworm if she needed to. She walked inside the library but the two didn't follow her.
"Enjoy spending your time here, mistress," Hayate said bowing to her, "I'll go get Fakir-san to guard on you."
"Ummm, Ahiru-chan will be fine," She said as she checked one of the shelves, "F-fakir-san is pretty busy doing his job today."
"Okay then."
"I-is the mistress always like this?" Hinagiku whispered to Hayate.
Hayate smiled back at her, "Yeah, so get used to it."
She stared at Sakuno who had found a book that she was going to read that day. Later on, she realized how close she was to the butler. Immediately, she leaned away and looked at a different direction. Hayate noticed that and smiled instead. The butler closed the door of the library giving her the privacy to read.
"I better go and get Ahiru-san to accompany her." Hayate smiled before starting to walk away.
Hinagiku panicked a little and followed him, "I-I'll go with you." With that they went together to find Sakuno's personal maid.
Night:
Capella was already asleep that night. She was fondly looking at the boy during his sleep. Her eyes softened as she leaned down to give him a kiss on the forehead, "You sleep like a log, Capella-kun." She giggled as she brushed his hair.
She was about to settle herself beside the boy when her phone rang. She was not supposed to be surprised but she still did.
He was calling her.
A blush appeared on her face before answering the call, 'H-hello.'
'Were you waiting for my call that you answered not for long?'
'B-baka!' She whispered as she gripped her phone hard, 'Y-you've been doing this s-so I kind of expecting that you would.'
'Heh… Is that so?'
'Ummm… c-congratulations on winning the French Open,' She announced looking at the sleeping boy, 'Ryoma-kun.'
'Thanks.'
'W-well, thank you for calling me tonight.'
'What are you waiting for then?'
'E-eh?'
'See me already. Don't make me wait here for another minute.'
Her eyes widened when he said that. C-could it be? She carefully got off of the bed not to wake Capella up and walked to the veranda. She looked around and she wasn't mistaken.
He was actually there. Ryoma was standing at the autumn tree, holding his phone to his ear while intently looking at her.
'You're so slow, come out already.'
Blinking twice, she mentally panicked, 'Hai, just give me a second.' With that she ended the call and carefully opened the sliding door. I-is my evening gown okay? H-he's the only person who sees me in this outfit aside from my parents, Ahiru-chan and Capella-kun. Mou! Why am I panicking like this? She tried to put her thoughts away as she sneakily walked her way to the tree. Ryoma was actually leaning on the tree by the moment she approached it. Ryoma looked at her making her blush even more.
"S-seriously, Ryoma-kun. Y-you should stop sneaking at night like this," She said when she walked closer to him, "You're only making me wor-" Her words were cut when the boy grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer to him… and hugging her in the process, "R-r-ryoma-kun! W-what are you doing?!"
"You don't have to worry about me."
"B-but?" She blushed as she felt him brushing her loosened hair.
"You can sneak up on me, if you prefer that way."
"S-stop teasing me!" She retorted at him but she responded on his hug, "T-this is pretty dangerous, you know."
"Che," Ryoma retorted, "I don't know the exact definition of danger."
She leaned away from him, "I-I told you to stop it! Learn to take care of yourself."
"Danger is nothing," He said as he was intensely looking at her, "If it means of seeing you like this."
She blushed when he said that. She held her breath when he touched her cheek.
"I prefer this way."
Their surroundings were deafening to their ears but they didn't mind it. The cool breeze of the night felt chills within their bodies but their warmth was killing it so it was fine for them. She couldn't find the right words to say. Ryoma was stubborn as she knew him after all these years. She knew that he wasn't going to listen to anything that she would say. If he wanted to do something, he would definitely do it. She appreciated his effort of seeing her that night, despite that the time was very unusual for them. Smiling at him, she said the words that he was expecting from her;
"I… I am very glad that you came to see me," She looked down as she continued, "I… I wanted to see you too."
Silence welcomed them. Ryoma didn't reply to her words but she knew that he was smiling at that time. But then, she knew that it was already too late.
…Too late.
Changing her countenance, she looked up and narrowly looked at his eyes, "But you have to go home now, if you don't want me to worry about you."
Ryoma frowned at her when she said that. She wanted to laugh at his expression but she only held it.
"I mean now."
The boy sighed after that, "Mataku, just when I just arrived here and you wanted me to go home."
"There are other times Ryoma-kun," She smiled at him, "You need to rest too."
He inserted his hands in his pocket as he started walking away, "Maybe you are right. I heard you call my name for several times and I got to see you tonight. So I guess it's fine."
Her heart beat faster when he said that. Somehow, Ryoma was starting to express himself to her. He wasn't expressive like that. But now he was… and she witnessed some of them most of the time. Ryoma started to walk away from her;
"Ja."
She watched him walk away from her. Gripping her hands to her sides, she felt that something was missing. When she realized what it was, her eyes widened and blush appeared again on her cheek. But she missed him and she knew that he did too, even though he didn't say it in front of her. With a decision that she built that moment, she slowly walked to catch up to him.
"R-ryoma-kun." She called him. Ryoma turned around and she used that chance to grab his arms and tiptoed. Closing her eyes in the process, she placed her lips to his and gave him a long-lasting chaste kiss… with blush was still present on her face. She knew that he was surprised at her sudden action but he calmed down when she felt his hands wrapping around her waist and responded to her kiss. Her heart couldn't take it so she needed to break the kiss. She looked away as she couldn't look at his eyes;
"Y-you told me… t-that you would give me a proper one when you get back," her hands gripped on his shirt as they trembled, "B-but you seemed to forget it."
"…"
"…"
"Heh, I did not."
"E-eh?" Curiously, she looked at him only to see him smirking back at her. She blushed even more when he leaned closer to her and gave her a peck on the nose.
"I was just testing you and you passed it."
If her face was red at first, she felt that her whole body was red now. Her heart wasn't going to stop beating really fast, "What?!"
"I can finally leave now. I already received my charm for my next match."
"M-mou! Ryoma-kun."
He shortly hugged her after that, "I'll be careful so go back to your room now."
She nodded as she calmed down a little.
"I'll see you soon, Sakuno."
Happy about hearing her name from him, she closed her eyes, "Hai." They leaned away at the same time after that.
He started to walk away and when he was out of her sight, she quickly went back to her room and finally settled herself to her bed. Because of what happened that night, her inspiration became stronger to overcome all the obstacles and hardships in her life. She knew that she could do everything that came to her.
Meanwhile:
He snuck out just like before. He was really thankful to Capella that he was able to see the girl in that get up. But he had to be careful not to be found out. The secret passage wasn't monitored from the securities of the mansion and if anyone found out about it, Sakuno's life would be in danger. That was why he took all the possible risk to keep that secret always a secret.
Besides, that was the only way he could see the girl whenever he wanted to. And he would not waste that chance given to him.
After he fixed the door to the entrance, he sighed really hard thinking that everything went fine that night. He stood up and walked ahead. But just as he looked ahead of him an unexpected person was standing a few feet away from him.
The person he wanted to see last. No, scratch that, he never wanted to see the person standing in front of him. He was shocked but he didn't show it. It was easy to hide his expression. He was the master of unreadable ones after all.
"What are you doing here?" The person said to him.
He was panicking inside. He feared that the person found out about the secret passage that he fixed a while ago. He needed to do something, "Breathing some fresh air. I cannot breathe fresh air now since you are blocking it."
"Stop playing dumb here. You came here to see my fiancée, weren't you?"
Facing the other side of the wall where Sakuno was, "What are you going to do if I did, Llyodie? Cut her hair like before?"
"What? And stop calling me that." He was pissing him, "Don't you know that you are making things complicated here?"
"I don't know… it still depends on how you see things now," He glared at him this time, "But I won't let you hurt her like before."
"You bastard," He gritted his teeth to calm his head down and when he did, he stood straight and inserted his hands in his pocket, "For a guy, you do dangerous things like this for her and it is definitely crazy. You really love her, don't you?"
That was the unexpected question that was coming from the blonde guy. The area was dark and quiet but they could still see each other's faces. His expression remained serious and intact as he looked at the blonde boy.
"So what if I am?"
The blonde boy reacted at his words probably he wasn't expecting that from him at all. Chris' eyes became fierce as he stared at him. Seeing that he wasn't going to reply, he continued;
"All this time, the person that she has loved would be me," He smirked this time as he looked at him, "Don't you think that I have the possibility of winning her back?"
He saw how Chris gripped his hands to his side. But he wouldn't let him speak until he was finished with his litany;
"No, that was wrong," He said getting serious at his last words, "I am going to retrieve… what is originally mine."
Silence surfaced the both of them before Chris wickedly laugh. Ryoma stoically stared at him.
"That was an inspiring words you got there. If Sakuno heard everything you said, she would be flattered, but," He cut as he glared back at him, "Dream on, tennis boy. How can you surpass my own power? I'll have her when I turn 18. Just wait and see."
"…"
"Be sure that you will have wonderful memories with her before that happens."
"Memories will no longer be one when it comes to us. I've known her for long and she does with me. You should dream on, not me." With that he started walking away from him. He didn't want to spend the time any longer with the so proud blonde boy with him. It was annoying if he would ask.
"You are so full of yourself!" Chris shouted a little, "Your feelings will be useless for she'll be marrying me someday!"
He stopped from walking and looked at his shoulder giving him the cold look, "Hmm, I wonder about that. The British surname doesn't fit her at all."
"What did you say?"
"There's only one surname that fits her," He raised a hand as he continued walking away from him, "And that surname, someday, I wouldn't mind giving it to her."
He could hear Chris grunting and it wasn't like him. He wasn't acting like a noble guy at that moment. He smirked for the small 'victory' that he had a while ago. If that guy did something terrible to Sakuno after that night, he wouldn't hesitate to make a commotion and definitely take the girl away with his own 'power'.
And this time, he would not hold back and do nothing at all.
Done! How was the comeback fic? It was just the first chapter and the heated encounter was… heated? Tee hee hee… a lot of events and unexpected situations will come in the future. So… if you continue reading this… I will be honored. Let me hear your thoughts… Thank you very much.
The first chapter was long because of the replies... but it's worth it, I guess...? ^_^
Vocab:
Hinagiku Katsura – A character from the anime called 'Hayate no Gotoku' or 'Hayate the Combat Butler'. She's actually the president of the student council where Nagi studies. And like the Sanze'nin girl, she's also in love with Hayate. I do not own the anime or the character. Zero-related.
Treats anyone? Cherry Valentines is updated as well. And for those who haven't seen the ending of Mending Tears, the sequel of Earning Tears please feel free to drop by. Thank you very much… ^_^
Next chapter: The Danger behind the Comfort Zone