A/N: I am currently listening to SHINee's song Replay (also known as Noona is so pretty) and Christian Bautista's She Could Be. My SHINee addiction is increasing by minute. Oh well, enjoy. By the way, there were a few characters I tag here from the anime, Black Blood Brothers.

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It was Sunday. And Ryoma just came from a tennis practice at Inui's house.

This certain sempai has always been dragging the team in his house so that he could make more data about them. Though he obviously hated it when he heard him murmuring weird things about them, it would be helpful if he would just get all along with his 'studies'. It was for their own sake in the other place.

But of course, it would be really hard to make Ryoma Echizen to deal with these kinds of situations. But because of the ever present Inui's Juice (with some weird, long names) – the boy had to or else he'll die.

The 15 year old boy was currently listening to certain Korean boy band's songs, with a big headset on his ears, as he walked back home.

Syuusuke Fuji lend him SHINee's first main album. Of course, he was not really interested with Korean music but the fact that he was currently studying Korean language – he thought it might serve as a big help if he would start listening (or even watching) Korean-related stuffs.

Next month, he'll be leaving Japan to attend Korean National Tennis Tournament. He heard there will be a lot of good players out there and it would be a great experience if he would broaden up his horizons with his tennis skills by playing against new more tennis players. His agenda was just plain tennis, that's it.

On his way home, he passed by a new coffee shop. He glanced at the new stuffs featured by the stall.

He went inside, his hands on his pockets, and chose to sit at the very corner of the room.

"Welcome!" a voice called out but he ignored it.

The calm ambiance welcomed him as he opened the door of the shop. Coffee aromas, may be it bitter or sweetened, made the room's smell more refreshing. He felt like the caffeine is starting to enter his nose and raved his larynx until it endlessly devoured his pneumonic reactions. It was unbelievably soothing.

He looked at his CD player and pressed few more keys and managed to find the song Fuji recommended him. He closed his eyes as the slow rock tuned song entered his ears. The smell of the room and the song playing beneath his ears were too less for his likings. But it was okay as long as it relaxed him.

Suddenly, he felt light touch on his hand. He opened his eyes and adjusted his cap. A shadow of a girl with long wavy hair was covering the light from the ceiling. He put down his headset and looked at the familiar lad.

"Anou, Ryoma-kun…"

"What?" he asked abruptly.

"Etou, here's your water. Are going to order anything?" Sakuno Ryuuzaki put down the glass of water and hugged the tray on her chest.

"You're working here?" the boy looked at her, eyebrow raised.

Sakuno nodded as she handed him the shop's menu. "Yes, I am working here during weekends. I need to put more effort for my part time job, that's why."

"Ah…" He stared at it like forever has been hoping to stop the time for the two of them. "I want Ponta."

"Eh?" Sakuno nearly flinched. "Etou… Ryoma-kun, we don't have drinks in can here. This is a coffee shop and not a vending machine."

The boy inwardly grunted. "I'll order Latte, then."

The girl nodded as she quickly pulled out her small notebook and pen, now starting to write notes. As she finished, she looked at Ryoma and smiled, "Etou… any side dishes, sir?"

"Huh?"

Sakuno flushed as she realized that Ryoma was already staring at her (though it was just because of plain curiosity), "Uh… like cakes, cookies and the likes."

"Oh." Ryoma looked back at the menu.

The young girl smiled. It has been 3 years since Ryoma and she have been friends. Though she's still harbouring feelings for the boy, she's pretty happy that they call each other as friends. She's satisfied, at least.

"I want banana cake."

Sakuno immediately nodded and wrote on her notebook. She looked at him, smiling (as always) and said, "Okay, I'll be right back after a few minutes." And she bowed.

Ryoma just looked at her – Sakuno had really grown up. His stupid sempais had always been teasing him that he's an X-man for being single. But most of the times, they would ask him how was his relationship with Sakuno Ryuuzaki.

Of course, they were friends. Just friends, that's all – what a stupid question. But it seemed that they wanted more though it was just like that. But if he would just think about it, his so-called friend was another beauty.

Sakuno was one of the girls his classmates had been wishing to date with. He was just completely ignoring the fuss. But now, he suddenly thought why the girl hasn't chosen any man to date with yet. Was it because, she's an X-woman? Okay, how stupid.

But now that he realized it, he noticed that he was now watching her – they were alone at the shop. And there was Sakuno, the ever present friend of him, was in the kitchen, preparing for his orders.

"Neh." He broke the silence.

"Hai?" she answered not looking at him, still seemed to be busy in the kitchen.

"Betsuni." He frowned as he leaned on his back bringing back his headset on his ears.

After a few minutes, he felt the door opened. He glanced at the shop's entrance and saw an older woman walking to the counter. He adjusted the volume low.

"Sakuno-chan, thank you for watching the shop for me. I knew that it is your rest day today and I am sorry to be a bother." The woman placed down her bag as she bowed down.

"It's okay Katsuragi-san. How's Kotaro-kun in the hospital?" Sakuno held up the tray, now ready to serve Ryoma's order, smiling.

"He's okay now, he was already in PACU but Jiro's still worried." She touched her pale face. Her eye bags became the ultimate evidence that she's already too stressed.

Sakuno's face softened, "I know you can do it, Katsuragi-san. You just have to believe to Kotaro-kun. I know he's a strong kid." She smiled.

The lad just nodded.

Ryoma Echizen was just watching them, totally curious from what he had heard from their conversation. He was about to maximize the volume of his player when he saw Sakuno standing in front of him.

"Here's your order, sir." She bent down as she placed down the tray on the table. "Your café Latte and your banana cake, do you need anything more?"

Ryoma shook his head as he took the tea cup. "No, thanks."

Sakuno smiled and turned on her back, it was the exact time when Ryoma peeked at the corner of his eyes. "She's pretty today." He murmured as he watched her long, brown hair trailing down on her back.

He closed his eyes as he remembered how she had looked and smiled at him a while ago.

Her brown-coloured orbs seemed to glisten as it reflected his own image as he looked on it. Those pale pink lips that curved up whenever she looked at him were utterly attracting.

He suddenly felt the rush of blood streaming on his face. He felt so hot. Maybe, it was just because of the coffee? Yeah, it must be and it should be. There's no way a Ryoma Echizen blushed with just those. Now, he had to curse those crazy hormones his father has driven him.

He shook his head. Usoi.

"Sakuno-chan, there's a phone call for you." Mimiko Katsuragi handed to the phone to Sakuno as the girl went up to the counter.

"Yes?" the little girl brought up the phone on her ears. "Oh, okay. Okay. Okay, I'll go. Bye."

Mimiko smiled at her. Sakuno nodded as she got her coat. "Katsuragi-san, I am going to see him."

"Okay. Be safe. Bye."

"Bye."

---

Ryoma got up from his seat. He pulled out his purse from his jacket as he went to the counter.

Mimiko smiled at him.

He handed her his bills. "Keep the change." He murmured as he placed his hands on his pockets. He went to the door and run through the streets.

The woman closed her eyes as she collect the boy's bills when suddenly, "Eh?! Oi! You paid less than your bills!" she dashed off to the door but realized that the boy was already gone. "What the heck!"

---

Ryoma secretly praised Tezuka for giving him laps during practices. Now, he had to find Sakuno. He don't have any idea where she had gone and whom she's going to meet with.

What he had heard was just: him. And by just hearing it, a foreign feeling was starting to rip his ego out.

Sakuno.

Sakuno.

Sakuno.

The name started to repeat inside his mind, the sound of her soft voice rigging his fast breathing.

Suddenly, he saw a familiar man walking behind him. He was wearing those familiar pair of green glasses. He knew this man. He quickly side stepped behind the nearest wall. He peered behind as he tried to eavesdrop in their conversation. He must admit that it was his first time to do such (though he already started doing it a while ago, still – he's under the denial stage).

But he was curious. The feeling that was currently harbouring him now seemed to be unrevealing – he can't understand what is happening.

"Good afternoon, Ryuuzaki-chan." The young lad called out.

"Ah. Inui-sempai, good afternoon too." Sakuno greeted him.

"Here's the list of the possible part time jobs you requested from me yesterday." He handed her a folder. "I've calculated that there's a 79.67% chance that you're going to take the job listed on the 31st page." his eyeglasses flashed in an instant.

Sakuno sweat dropped, "Don't you think you overdo it, sempai?"

Inui smirked. "Do you doubt that my data are incorrect? Well, I already reserved a special deluxe of Inui juice. It's…"

Suddenly, a hand grabbed Sakuno's wrist and pulled her away even before Inui pulled out anything or whatever that is.

---

Sakuno was panting heavily. Her hands were shaking furiously. Her knees were trembling out of nervousness.

She tried to push her body away from that someone who caught her a while ago. She glanced and saw Ryoma's face.

Her eyes widened, "R-ryoma-kun?" she stammered.

He was HUGGING her. She was in his arms. This would be the closest contact she had been with him. Uh, no… scratch that – with any man in her whole life. So close… that she could barely his breath sounds.

"Che." He frowned as he turned her around, now facing him.

Sakuno blushed so hard. Oh my…

"I-I have to say something…" the latter looked away.

"Eh?"

Ryoma closed his eyes. Like hell he would let this chance passed. He doesn't know why but he felt like he badly wanted to say Sakuno that… she's beautiful. She's so beautiful.

"Uh… Today…"

"Today?" she tilted her head to her side.

"Omoi wa…"

"Atashi no?"

He breathed in and out and looked at her. "Omoi wa… Ki-ki…"

"Ki?"

Ryoma sighed. "Omoi wa kire–"

The latter's sentence was cut when a loud voice came in.

"Hoi! Catch that boy" Mimiko pointed Ryoma to the police. "Sakuno! Stay away from that guy! I knew it, you're a pervert too! You've been staring at Sakuno a while ago when we were still at the café! How dare you! You didn't even pay the right amount you have to!"

"Eh?" Sakuno tilted her head.

And from that, Ryoma swear to himself that from them on, he'll ignore his father's crazy hormones, uh no… his own hormones. Crazy hormones – note that. And that's a promise.

But still… Sakuno is so pretty.

---

Inui smirked. "I knew it. There's a 97% chance that this will happen again."

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Author's Last Note: X-man is a pun that my Clinical Professor threw during our pre-orientation in OR (Operating Room) – he was actually referring to homosexuals. Anyway, I don't intend this to hurt anyone and the likes. PACU stands for Post-anaesthetic Care Unit, formerly known as Recovery room.

And the Japanese conversation between Sakuno and Ryoma:

"Omoi wa…" – "You are…"

"Atashi no?" – "I am?"

He breathed in and out and looked at her. "Omoi wa… Ki-ki…" – "You are beau…"

"Ki?" – "Beau–?"

Ryoma sighed. "Omoi was kire–" – "You are beauti–"

Anyway. I hope you enjoy reading… Thanks.