Disclaimer: I don't own POT.

AN: ahh!~ spur of the moment thing again. My writing urges are sooo unpredictable.

CHAPTER TWO

She sat on the edge of the long glass table; Sakuno knew her life would shift with a good three sixty degrees when her grandmother died.

It was three days after high school graduation when Sumire's illness had been diagnosed. By those times, Sakuno couldn't really comprehend what Neurocysticercosis(1) meant, but the doctors made it clear that the worms in her Obaachan's brain are inoperable, simply because the worms had already attached themselves in major nerves that doctors didn't want to gamble on surgery. Sakuno didn't know what to do,she knew nothing about her sickness, she felt so helpless.

Senpai-tachi's made sure to be present at least once a week in the hospital to show some moral support, Sumire knew it wasn't for her, but for Sakuno instead. Fuji once offered to have Sakuno stay with him since she doesn't have any relatives that they knew off, Tezuka offered the same thing, but Sakuno declined politely.

Sakuno knew she had a lot of things to think about, she's going to college, but she doesn't have the time to prepare for the exams or even fix up her admission papers, it's the least of the matters right now. All she wanted to do was to stay beside her grandmother and hope for a miracle.

She'd been hospitalized for a month; her body's getting weaker and weaker. The hospital bills are getting way out of hand, Sakuno's depression is getting worse. She's been crying all night outside the ICU, all throughout those nights, she wished he was there, her supposed friend who disappeared right after graduation to pursue his career. Wishing his calmness would rub off on her, but the thought made things worse, she had sent him a couple of emails and letters but she got no response from his behalf.

Thinking that maybe he would like to see what his former coach's going through and maybe hers as well. She felt so lost, like a cat in some alley, but he used to drag her back to her senses with his comments, right now- she'd really need one from him so badly.

She was scared, but the thought of knowing nothing about the sickness made her feel helpless. Sakuno didn't know what to do- what decision to make, should she convince the doctors to operate in hopes for it to be successful when she knows nothing about it?

It took her another set of sleepless nights, the same thought going through her head. The surgery's the only hope she's got, it's the only shot. She'll leave everything else in the hands of Kami, but if it is the last resort, then shall be it. Screw doctors fees.

When she convinced the doctor to at least try and took the gamble to have her grandmother into surgery, she stayed outside for eight long hours, half of that she spent crying.

Fuji had been with her throughout her restlessness like and older brother who keeps her knees straight and strong enough to stand on. She hadn't been sleeping well, the bags in her eyes told him so, and she's been dependent on the caffeine. The day after the surgery, she was asked to stay home and rest, Fuji expected her to be this reluctant, so he told her that he'll stay for the day and take care of Ryuzaki-sensei.

The night she went back to the hospital, she found him there on the bedside reading a book. Sakuno felt somehow relieved that he kept his word, sensing her presence; Fuji smiled and reassured her about the surgery.

Three days later, things had gotten worse. Sumire was in a coma, Sakuno went frantic. Thankfully her proxy-brother Fuji was there to keep her on her toes, she was in denial, and Sakuno knew her Obaachan will be gone soon, but she didn't want to accept it.

The event that she dreaded the most came one morning, her world shattered into tiny pieces. Sakuno knew she's alone. After the burial, Sakuno stayed at Tomoka's dormitory for a couple of days, she just can't manage to sleep alone in her ghastly house.

Before she realized it, Sakuno had been taken into her father's custody much to her surprise. It seems that her Obaachan had fixed things for her before she passed away.

Sakuno had long accepted that she is indeed an illegitimate child, a child from a mistress. Her father's family refused to accept her as their own, until her wife died leaving with no heir to continue the family legacy, leaving her to be the only unsuitable choice.

Her new grandmother had agreed to take her custody, but refused to allow her to carry the name until she deemed worthy of it.

It's been three years since she left from Japan, Himiko Kikuchi (her grandmother) didn't want her to study in Japan, Sakuno understood…they wanted to keep her under profile until she's something who's worth to carry their name in public. She was sent out of the country against her will, but she was left with no choice to begin with, it's a barter of goods. All that matters to her now is that she can study medicine and graduate for college.

Sakuno felt jaded to say the least, there's this heavy burden waiting for her in Japan after she graduates and earned her Physician License. Kyouya (her father), visits her once a month when business trips permits him so, he told her that their business focuses more on the medical field and that her grandmother's expectations from her are very high, which didn't help her one bit.

Today's January fourteenth. Her 21st birthday, and for the first time, She's celebrating it alone in her spacious apartment. Sakuno had settled for a smaller one, but Kyouya insisted to get this apartment for her, saying that she'll be staying here in Boston for quite a while and that she should be comfortable in her living space. She didn't argue, but somehow, Sakuno thought her Otousama took it overboard; he bought a penthouse, with a high ceiling and utmost modernized.

Living by herself somehow made her feel independent in more ways than one- cooking your own meals, doing your laundry, doing your grocery, and the sorts. It's a good thing she's trained domestically, Thanks to her Obaachan; although the only dishes she cooks are mostly Japanese she's trying to learn how to cook western foods.

She's receiving emails regularly on a weekly basis from the former Ichinen Trio, and Fuji as well. The latter was giving her pointers about fetal circulation, since Sakuno despises Cardio. Knowing full well that Fuji had graduated two years ago and is about to take his Residency Exam next month, Sakuno merely took pointers from him since he's been practicing on the same field earlier. She preferred to hear from experiences rather than just relying on her textbooks, It's also a good thing Fuji Syuusuke plans to specialize Cardiology, which would be Sakuno's hell bent subject.

Once every week, she calls her bestfriend, it costs a lot for long distance call. But it was worth it, hearing Tomoka brag about her latest spring collection design for their monthly project is quite a feat. Sakuno knew her bestfriend fits the Fashion Design course very well.

Sakuno had long wished to be like her mother, a doctor. A Cardiologist-Surgeon to be exact, she had long read her diaries and found interest in it, but Sakuno will choose a different specialty though- Neurology, the Chairwoman had told her to specialize the said field after her Post Grad Internship . It wasn't her first choice though, but it should be done nonetheless.

It's a tough job to maintain a pleasing grade in Harvard School of Medicine. During her first year, Sakuno has yet to adjust her study habits which sent her staggering sleepless during examinations- she never knew that it is humanly possible to read three hardbound books in two nights before the examination proper.

Sakuno admits she wasn't a topnotch student, at the very least she made it into the top twenty. Besides, having a chance to study in such a prestigious school must not go to waste at all costs, she will take full advantage of the chance.

She had long accepted her failure for sports, but at the very least she had proved to herself that she's good at something- studying. Although whenever she watched his matches on T.V Sakuno couldn't help but feel sorry for herself, but then again it was Echizen Ryoma, the Tennis Prince born to dominate the courts as he does now.

Sakuno couldn't be anymore proud,he was her friend before he became who he is now. Sakuno had seen him rise to stardom, and no she wasn't anything in the sorts of bitterness because of his absence during her Obaachan's death. Death is something inevitable, the time is up the essence. Even if he was there, Ryoma's just a human- not a God, he's just as much busy…and she couldn't blame him for that, he's got a life to live.

But that's all there is to it, she had matured to a point to realize these facts, and had come to accept that whatever she had for the prodigy was nothing but a pointless childish fairytale that'll never happen, somehow her time alone in Boston made her realize this as well- Sakuno's merely a spectator and a fan of his exceptional tennis skills. Nothing more and nothing less.

Snow fell freely from morning sky, it was cold. Winter in Boston is colder than it was in Japan, another mistake that she did was she didn't even bother to research about the climate in Boston and packed only a couple of her winter gear in her suitcase, and that was early December.

Taking her keys from the table, she decided to get some coffee, and maybe some breakfast before heading to the grocery, it's Sunday after all. No school, maybe she would just buy some stuff at the grocery for a feast and watch some TV, and maybe she'd drop by at school and pick up her pre-grad picture, Kyouya had been looking forward to it for months now.

Two more weeks before graduation, Sakuno couldn't explain how she felt, the butterflies in her stomach's getting wilder as days pass by. She had spent years to earn her degree, All she's about to do now is prepare for the Licensure Exams.

As ordered by her Obaasama herself, she'll continue her internship in Japan. Sakuno knew that her grandmother wants her to learn the ways of their industry during training, but in Sakuno's preference, she would rather like to finish her internship in Massachusetts instead, but things are irrevocable now- the Chairwoman is the law. If Sakuno could pilot her life, she would choose to stay here, work in a hospital and put up her own clinic, and live peacefully- But she knew it wouldn't happen the moment she was taken in her father's custody.

It's a good thing that her father taught her how to drive while he visited, Sakuno declined about having a car. She said something about 'exercise', well, that was when she didn't have any idea how big Harvard is, she wouldn't let her father know that the car he left her with had a dent- well…make it a lot of dents, she's bad at parallel parking.

Fixing her long auburn locks in a messy fro; Sakuno headed for the door and grabbed her coat and her tote bag from the sofa. Making sure she locked the door, she headed for the elevator.

Revving up the engine, Sakuno took her phone from her pocket- she smiled; Tomoka surely would never forget her birthday. She made a mental note to check her mail locker when she get back, Fuji-senpai constantly send her packages for her birthday and it's always accompanied with Tomoka's own.

Hey! Grlfrnd! We'll drop over at your place tonyt!

Chelsea's exastic to hav sum of your jpnese cookin, hbd! See you tonight! 3

Btw!~ __ I bought a lot of DVD's yesterday, let's watch em all nyt!

Msg. Fr: Cheska

Sakuno giggled; well it's weird to have met the twins. Strawberry blonde twins who's very optimistic about Japanese culture.

'I guess I'll be cooking Nabe for tonight.'

TZUZUKU

(DEFINITION OF TERMS)

(1) Neurocysticercosis

-It's an illness wherein worms (Taenia Solium) were found on the brain. Mode of Transmission would be fecal oral of contaminated pork (argh! Bad memory…sorry Sir Sherwin! You must be ashamed of me!).

In Ryuzaki Sumire's case, the worms had attached themselves in crumple that it makes them difficult to remove without damaging the brain. (it happens, but rarely, most cases were found on Africa.)

(Microbiology and Parasitology isn't my thing really…forgive my ignorance, or rather my shameful memory. T___T)

(END) if there are some more terms in the story that you didn't get, please do tell and i'd gladly explain them.

I appreciate all the you very much, I'd love to hear from you guys again.prelim exams are coming up, so I have to update before I can't.
I just have to get this chapter out before anything 's purely on Sakuno's POV I have finished five chapters! Wow!
NEXT UPDATE WILL BE on DECEMBER 23. :)) Christmas Gift for please review

And, about the update schedule...it will be twice a month.
(or more...i want to update as frequent as possible.)

NOTE: whenever i describe Sakuno's face, i kind of see her as BoA. (just the face okay, so you guys better watch BoA's Eat You Up (B Version) Video!!)