Sanada fidgeted under the shade of a cherry blossom tree, rooted right next to the front gate. He patiently waited for her, thoughts swarming his mind. Earlier that morning Sanada has asked Jessica to meet him there after classes had ended, to talk, to clear things up. Sanada thought about leaving, that maybe she had ignored him and left already. Unsure, he took a step towards the front gates, about to leave. When suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder. He tensed up and turned to look.
It was Yukimura. "Damn it, Seiichi don't scare me like that!" Sanada scolded the ever smiling blue haired boy.
Yukimura laughed, "Just look at you, all this over a girl? Last time you were this anxious, I was in the hospital."
"She's not just a girl." Sanada replied through clenched teeth, clearly emphasizing each word. "And how could I not worry if you were in the hospital? Don't joke about such serious matters."
"I see, so what is she to you exactly?" Yukimura casually questioned. Sanada shot him a cold stare that meant drop it. So he did and left with Renji, who was strategizing with newly collected data. Sanada sighed and leaned his back against the tree. She's not coming he thought but he continued to wait. After 10 minutes, Jessica slammed through the doors of the school building. She saw him waiting and jogged up to him.
"Gomen Sanada-san" Jessica apologized profusely. "I was caught up with some work."
At first he was partially taken aback by the sudden formal greeting, "It's okay." He said but inside he was irritated that was waiting for her for at least 20 minutes.
"What is it that you wanted to talk about?" She ask in attempt to change the subject.
Sanada sighed, I have to say something eventually. "It's something I should have told you a long time ago." Jessica cocked her head to the side out of curiosity. "I-I'm..." he stuttered.
"What could make the strong fukubuchou act like this?" Niou gazed in awe of the sight before him. Marui laughed and snapped his gum. "Shhh!" Niou whispered from their hiding spot behind a bush to spy on Sanada and this mysterious girl.
"Let's walk home." Sanada offered, I can't do it, he thought. Still confused Jessica agreed and the two walked through the gates.
Niou and Marui jumped out from behind the bush. "What was he going to say?" Niou demanded.
"It was probably a love confession" Marui teased. Annoyed, Niou and Marui stalked home.
oOo
The rest of the walk home was awkward for Sanada and Jessica. All their conversations always trailed off and at most times nothing was being said at all. Sanada stood at the doorstep of Jessica's home, "You should come to our practice tomorrow." He offered.
She thought about it for a while before responding, "Sure, why not." With that she opened the door and swiftly walked in, "Bye, see you tomorrow." And shut the door before Sanada could retort anything else.
Absorbed in his own thoughts, he didn't realize his feet had taken him to the park. He stood in the meadow, gusts of wind blew, rustling the flora around. He stood, staring into the starry night. It wasn't that he had forgotten these memories, but instead he chose to bury them deep inside his mind. He wanted no recollection of the memories of happier times, but mainly he wanted to forget all the pain he had inflicted.
oOo
It was twelve years ago in Tokyo when he first met Jessica. She had moved in next door from America. Her mother went to introduce themselves to his parents, he stood next to my father's leg when she first approached him. Her pink curls flying everywhere in the wind, and certain glint in her eyes, she looked crazy.
"Hello!" She cheerily sang, "I'm Maiko Jessica, you can just call me Jessica." She stuck out her hand for him to shake.
Hm, Americans and their customs are weird. Why is she being so informal, I've only just met her. Thought to himself, "Hello, I'm Sanada Genichirou." He bowed politely like his grandfather had taught him. Jessica put her hand down when she realized he was not going to shake it.
"Let's be friends Sanada-san." She beamed expectantly.
"No." Was his blunt reply, he did not like people who were not disciplined and respectful.
She frowned, obviously displeased, "Why not?"
"Because I don't want to" he crossed his arms.
"Please?" She drew out the word and had to take another breath in between to finish the word. She clasped her hands together in a ball in front of her, as if begging.
Then her mother interrupted, "Let's go Jessica, it's time to go."
Jessica looked up to her mother's sweet face, "Already? Fine." She stuck out her bottom lip and pouted but skipped merrily alongside her mother. Sanada watched them leave, not caring.
The next day Jessica came by his house, inviting him to go play at the park with her. He declined. The next after that she wanted him to come along to the zoo. He rejected her. Even after that she requested him to eat ice cream with her. He finally gave in, thinking if he went this once she would stop asking. She didn't. If anything she was more persistent.
Day after day after day she came by, sometimes refusing to take 'no' as an answer. From this rough start, it was ridiculous to believe the two became best of friends. Over time, when Jessica learned of Sanada's lure to tennis, she would do whatever to please him. All she wanted was to see the nearly nonexistent smile form on his face again.
They grew close, like siblings or twins. Or even one soul separated in two. Jessica began to call Sanada by a nickname she came up with, 'Gen-kun'. Though she liked to joke occasionally and teasingly call him 'Samurai'. While Sanada started to refer to her as, 'Sica', (of course only when they were alone) short and sweet. (Just like her Sanada liked to think)
Sanada jumped on the offer when Jessica suggested they learn tennis together. He was not a prodigy, but his determination made him rise above the rest. As sweet as Jessica could be, she was also extremely competitive. She would not fall behind, here her persistence was her best quality. They trained hard together, each pushing the other to improve more. Sanada and Jessica worked in that way, they balanced each other out. Unfortunately, as Sanada progressed Jessica fell further behind.
One day while the two were resting beside the street courts, Sanada inquired, "Is your hair naturally that color?" As he tugged on a braid in her hair.
Jessica giggled at the question, "Hai. Isn't it pretty? Sakura flowers are my favorite."
"So whenever I see Sakura blossoms, I will think of you." He said.
"Good thing they're everywhere then, so you'll never forget me ne?" She beamed back.
"I could never forget you anyway." He hid his face which was sure to be pinker than her hair. "Why did you move here?" He ventured.
She cocked her head to the side in deep thought, "I don't really remember my daddy, but we lived in America, that's where daddy was from. Except..." She frowned, concentrating hard, "Mommy came home one day from a place called 'Hospital' and told me my daddy moved to a happier place, called Heaven. He's not coming back." She added, "And mommy was originally from here, so she came back home."
"Oh...I see" Sanada looked at the ground.
"Yup but that's okay, as long as I have you it's going to all be okay." She smiled a toothy smile, "Let's promise to stick together." The two locked pinkies and made a vow.
Not long after Yukimura joined their pact and the three played their way to recognition. Yukimura had always been a fragile boy, dainty like a doll. Though he looked frail, his tennis was unbreakable.
The day before Sanada left he spent alone with Jessica. "Sica," He started, "Let's not play tennis today. Let's do something more fun." Jessica did not oppose. The day was memorable, they did everything of Sanada's interest, partially to Jessica's insisting. Visited a kendo museum, watched a historical play, and saw calligraphy art on display. It was highly enjoyable for Sanada and for Jessica too seeing that he had appreciated the day.
Before parting ways at their houses, they sat together in their front yards, stargazing.
"Sica," Sanada whispered.
"Nani?" Jessica replied back.
"There's something I have to tell you." He paused, "I-I'm..." I can't tell her, after all the fun today it will make her sad. He thought to himself, he peered over in her direction. She was staring into the shimmering night sky and turned to return his look, and smiled. He stood up, brushed off his pants and looked into the sky. "I never wanted to be your friend, I never considered you one. I don't need you any longer." Those words, they grew to define her. Her shock was not hard to see even in the dark.
"N-Nani?" She stammered, thinking she might have misheard him. Her powder blue eyes searching for his hazel ones, but never found them. Her eyes stung as water flowed down her rosy cheeks. He did not reply, only turned his back to her and walked out of her life forever without a trace. Until now.
It did not hurt Jessica nearly as much when Yukimura left, but a stab to an already broken heart. She suffered from her terrible losses. Tezuka and Fuji were nice enough, and growing up her only friends. She did not like the idea of getting close to anyone else ever again, they would only leave her worse than she had started. Though whenever she needed someone to lean on, Tezuka was always there for her. Just being in his presence she felt calmer, safer.
oOo
Sanada clenched his hands into fists, his nails digging into his palm. He knew he had messed up, and pretty badly. Failure was never an option for him nonetheless. He would fix this, and Jessica would know his true reasons for the things he had done. All he wanted more than ever now was her uplifting aura, the one that would cheer him up when he had lost. The one that had always been (at times annoyingly) at his side, and most of all her hand entwined in his.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Disclaimer: Unfortunately Prince of Tennis does not belong to me, and if it did, it would not be as popular as it is now. TT_TT
Author's Notes: Arigato for reading! :D My all my followers and favorites, you guys make me so happy I could die peacefully. Please review or rant, constructive criticism is highly appreciated! Revised and little edits made to the story plot.
