Disclaimer: Nothing in POT belongs to me. All OoC-ness, OCs, events, situations, venues and tournaments are just figments of my imagination.
CAUTION: Most of the plotlines in these stories won't be following the original storyline from manga, anime or movie!
"xxxxx" Conversation
'xxxxx' Thoughts
xxxxxxx Flashback
The Prince For Sakuno
1) The Stoic Prince
It was the first day of high school for her when he saw her again. He could see she has grown into an unassuming beauty. As usual, she was unaware of her own attractiveness which drew adoring gazes of many pubescent boys in Seishun High School.
Two weeks later, he and the other Regulars became her bodyguards. It wasn't because Ryuzaki-sensei requested their help to protect her granddaughter from unwanted attentions. It was the fury rising up from within whenever boys approached her based on some excuses.
Two months later, he realized he couldn't keep his eyes and mind off her. Her gentle smile, her lovely heart-shaped face and her long wavy brunette hair made him think of angels. When she wasn't there, he felt emptiness and heaviness of heart. But when she's beside him giving him her sunny smile, he felt warmth and his heart soaring like an eagle.
After another month, he was certain tennis was no longer the sole focus of his life. He needed her to be the most important person in his life besides his own family. However, being the stoic person that he was, he didn't know what to do. So, he kept quiet and watched over her with yearning.
The next month, he received a shock after an afternoon club practise. Fuji informed him and the other Regulars that he was going out with her. He just said, "Yudan sezu ni ikou!" and quickly left the club house. For the next 2 hours he ran himself ragged for his own cowardice.
Another month later, the news of their break-up circulated all over the school. That afternoon, Fuji sought him out to have a chat. She had finally realized there was someone special in her heart and it wasn't Fuji. His piercing blue eyes glowered at him as he warned him, "If you hurt her, I'll hurt you."
The next day, he searched for her and found her alone on the rooftop. He ignored the nervousness in his knees and approached her. Looking into her eyes filled with caution and longing, he somehow knew she felt the same way about him the way he felt about her. "Ryuzaki Sakuno, I like you. Please go out with me."
Her eyes turned wet with tears even as she nodded. He found his legs moved towards her and his arms wrapped around her lightly. She felt so right in his arms.
Within 2 days, the whole school knew he was dating her. His fanatic fans tried to drive her away but he made sure she was never harmed. Before long, everyone knew he's the fiercest boyfriend in school and no one messed around with him or his girlfriend.
A month after they became a couple, they shared their first kiss under a tree when the moon-lit sky opened to shower them with a light rain. They didn't mind the wetness because they only had eyes for each other.
She showed the first public display of affection by jumping into his sweaty arms and gave him a congratulatory kiss on his cheek after he had won the Singles 1 match to secure the National Championship for Seishun High School. The Regulars laughed and snickered at the blush on his cheek. Though the Regulars from other schools watched them with interest, he didn't care about them. He just accepted her greeting with a quick peek on her lips silencing her and the onlookers.
A month before graduation, he told her of his plans to study and play professional tennis in Germany. She gave him her full support and said she would wait for him. He surprised her with a promise ring, telling her in his firmest tone he wanted her to be his permanently now and in the future. Her blush and her gentle kiss on his lips prompted him to slip the ring unto her slender ring finger.
On his graduation day, the third years were treated to a luncheon by their underclassmen at Kawamura Sushi House. Even in the midst of chattering and laughter, there was a hint of sadness. He gripped her hands under the table and gave her a reassuring smile. She smiled back and started to enjoy the sumptuous lunch. He leaned over to whisper into her ears, "We have tonight." Her blush was her only answer.
That evening, he took her out on a date. They watched a movie, had ramen for dinner and got ice-cream for dessert. Finally he brought her home. She invited him in for some tea and he accepted. She barely shut the door when he knelt in front of her in the hallway. "Please make me a happy man and marry me, Sakuno." By the time his plane took off for Germany, a diamond ring rested on her ring finger together with the promise ring.
For the next two years, he kept in touch with her through phone, email and webcam. He endured loneliness and insecurity knowing she was far away and exposed to the attention of other men. Knowing she would be with him soon kept him sane in Berlin. Despite his demanding studies, rigorous training and exhaustive participation in competitions, he still went home twice a year to visit his family and especially her. He felt blessed for their love for each other stayed strong.
A day before her graduation, she opened the door to find him standing in front of the Ryuzakis' house with a soft smile and a luggage at his feet.
"Tadaima."
With happy tears, she hugged him tightly, "Okaerinasai!"
Her smile was the brightest one among the graduates. Her classmates were stunned with disbelief when the ex-Buchou of their famed tennis club and the first Japanese tennis player to win a Grand Slam was introduced to them as her fiancé.
He couldn't believe she did it. She had studied hard for the past 2 years and became fluent in German. Furthermore, she was also accepted into a prestige culinary school in Berlin. She had always wanted to be a pastry chef and to open her own bakery one day. However, her grandmother refused to let her go until they were officially married. She was backed by his parents and grandfather. He just nodded with agreement and satisfaction. It was exactly what he wanted anyway.
A month later, he watched with abated breath as she glided gracefully down the aisle escorted by her grandmother. She was beautiful like an angel, floating toward him. His best man, Fuji nudged his side to remind him to accept her hands from Ryuzaki-sensei. He couldn't remember the rest of the ceremony except saying the words, "I do!" and sliding that wedding band on her gloved ring finger. Finally, they were husband and wife.
Two hours later, his breath was taken away again by another vision of beauty dressed in a silk dark red kimono embroidered with sakura flowers and cranes with her hair held up with accessories. She was an elegant Japanese woman meeting her groom who wore his formal montsuki kimono. They demurely underwent the traditional Japanese wedding ceremony, witnessed by family and friends.
At the reception, they took turns thanking their family and friends for being there. For the next hour or so, their family and friends embarrassed them with videos, photos and tales of their courting days as well as school days. All in all, everyone agreed the couple was well-matched.
Finally, they were escorted by a large send-off party at the airport. Once they were seated and had put on their seat belts, he turned to her, "Happy, Tezuka Sakuno?"
"Hai. Becoming Mrs. Tezuka Kunitmitsu will always be the happiest day of my life."
They soon changed their mind when another person appeared in their lives nine months later.
…. The End of Chapter 1 …
