Disclaimer:Prince of Tennis belongs to someone else... :)

Author's Note: (05-11-14) Hi! XD So this is actually an edited version. This fanfic was written 6 yrs ago and because there are still some people who read, I thought that maybe I should correct some mistakes my 6yrs younger self did not notice/did not care to correct, although I still might have missed some things. hehe.. thanks for reading this and reviews will still and always make me happy.

Chapter 1: Beauty and the Best

It's been 7 years since he went to Japan to study there and play tennis for his school. It's been 7 years since she studied in Seigaku and started cheering in those tournaments. It's been 7 years when they met in the train. Those are the days of their youth. After graduating from Seigaku, they have parted their ways and did what the future beholds for them.

Now, Ryoma Echizen is a popular professional tennis player in America. He's also known not only for his good tennis skills but also for his good looks. After he graduated in Seigaku, he went back to America. As a student, he really did not want to be professional. He just really wanted to defeat his father. But as times passed, he realized that he wanted to be a professional. He trained hard there just to be a better tennis player. But now that he's the best one, he sometimes wishes he's not. He really hates when fans and the media follow him wherever he goes, bothering even his personal life.

While Sakuno Ryuzaki, the shy, kind and stuttering but cute granddaughter of Sumire is now a beauty queen. She's still shy and kind but she has more confidence in her now and became smarter. She studied in a university and after graduating from her course, Culinary Arts, she was persuaded to audition in a search where Japan's representative for the Ms. Universe pageant will be chosen, with her best friend Tomoko as her manager. After all, she has won many beauty contests in her school. And because of her beauty and brains, she was picked by the judges. Actually, she has just won the Ms. Universe title last night.

Ryoma has a two-storey house with beautifully landscaped gardens around it and a tennis court at the back. His property is surrounded by high walls so that reporters or fans won't be able to just break in. Only a few people know about his house but he still needs to be careful. It's the only place where he has his privacy.

He was sitting on the sofa watching the morning news that Monday morning.

"20 years old Ms. Japan Sakuno Ryuzak…"

Kring…

Kring…

Kring…

Startled, Ryoma answered the phone. "Hello."

"Ryoma, you must go to Mr. Smith's house this afternoon, around 1 p.m. He has something to tell you. Bye," the man on the phone told Ryoma.

"Bye."

Mr. Smith is Ryoma's coach and manager for three years while the man who called Ryoma is Horio, Mr. Smith's assistant for three years and Ryoma's classmate back in Seigaku. Horio happened to be the coach's assistant before he discovered Ryoma. Horio was just vacationing in America when he met Mr. Smith who is a known tennis trainer. Horio idolized him and when he learned that he needs an assistant, he offered his service, confident with his "9 years of tennis experience". Then after a month, Mr. Smith discovered Ryoma and concentrates on training him until Ryoma became the best tennis player and Horio still his faithful assistant. It is also through Horio that Ryoma was able to contact his teammates in Seigaku tennis club twice or thrice a year, because of his busy schedule.

It must have something to do with that endorsement something…He thought. He went back to watching.

"…updates about the Ms. Universe pageant after the commercial," the reporter on the T.V said. The photo of the newly crowned Ms. Universe was showed on the screen but only for a few seconds.

Ryoma was struck. "It can't be…"

Sakuno. It looks like her. I also heard her name… But it can't be. She's so timid. She can't even talk to me straight, how else in the front of so many people... Why do I care…? I must stop thinking about her. I have stopped thinking about her.

Ryoma turned off the TV, stood up and went to his bedroom to get ready for his meeting with Mr. Smith.