Author's Note: Here it is! I'm going to apologize for this short chapter. I'm still thinking this through so please bear with me. And I'm sorry that Ryoma isn't mentioned that much in the last chapter and here too.

daisuke1122: Thank you for your review. I really appreciated it and nearly cried while reading it. I promise I'll make Ryoma's life miserable in this...hahahahahaha. I hope that Fuji's sadistic thoughts will come to me (because we fantasize him as our sibling..hahahahaha).

Sakuno nudged the young man beside her to awake him from his nap. Ryota jolted awake. Sleepy cerulean eyes welcome her brown ones.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Not that long, come on we're here." She smiled warmly at him as the cab stopped in front of her apartment. As soon as they got out of the cab, Ryota headed to the back of the cab to get his luggage from the trunk where he got help from the driver. As they stood outside her apartment, Ryota reached out to intertwine his hands with Sakuno's. He sighed and looked at Sakuno's apartment, nostalgia coming to him.

"It's still the same." He said with wonder.

"Come on inside, you must be tired from your long flight." Sakuno said with a smile as she lightly tugged his hand forward. He dragged his suitcase and walked towards the front door.

"I told you, I want to spend this day with you." The green haired young men said with a smile then brush his nose against hers adoringly.

"Anou, I don't think that will happen today." The lass said a bit nervously.

"And why is that?"

The auburn haired girl put her keys on the keyhole and twisted it to unlock the door. She opened it completely to reveal their friends waiting for them. Party poppers surprised both of them.

"WELCOME HOME RYOTA-KUN!" the green haired boy was stunned. He did not expect everyone to be there.

"Minna! Arigatou!" He said truthfully. He then turned to Sakuno and whispered on her ear. "I thought I told you to keep this a secret from everyone." He pouted, which Sakuno finds really cute.

"Well, they happen to saw that particular e-mail that you sent me weeks ago telling that you're coming home because I accidentally left my laptop open." She fidgeted a bit. She's feeling guilty that she couldn't keep the boy's request.

"Ne, chibikou (1)! I've missed you!" Eiji jumped to hug Ryota.

"Me too, aniki!" Ryota said as he hugged him back. Seven other young men made their way to Ryota to welcome him home too. He received hugs, smile, tap on the shoulder, smack on his back, some gave him just a nod which he understood perfectly and one bombard him with questions so that he can add information to his green notebook.

"Ryota!" The voice of the retired Seigaku tennis coach called his name softly. He make his way to her. She holds the young man at arm's length as if checking him for injuries. "Okaeri."

"Tadaima, Obaa-san." He said emotionally as he encircled his arms around Sumire.

Sakuno looked at the scene with tears rolling down her cheeks. She was really happy at the moment seeing two of the most important person in her life interact like that.

"Oi Ryota! Your girlfriend's crying." Momoshiro said teasingly as he taps Ryota's upperback to fully call his attention.

"Maybe she's jealous that you're hugging her grandma." The red head said that drew laughter from everyone.

"What are you saying Eiji-nii-san? Of course not!" The auburn haired girl brushes her tears away with her fingers.

"Enough of that, let's all eat now." Sumire said as she led everyone to Sakuno's kitched where a mini buffet was served. Ryota made his way to his girlfriend, hugged her and rested his chin at the top of her head.

"I didn't know that you're that happy about me coming home that your tears of joy are overflowing." He said chuckling as he pulled out from the hug holding her at arm's length, and flash her his beautiful smile. She couldn't do anything but chuckle as well because it was partially true.

"Yes, I am." She nodded. Sakuno grabbed his hand. "As much as I'd like to tell you how happy I am, our friends are waiting for you to join them, and I know how much you missed my cooking more than me." The young lady said laughing softly at her small joke as he drags Ryota to where everyone is.

Everyone talked happily, enjoying whatever topic somebody brought up. From the tasty feast, present happenings on everyone inside the room such as latest achievement/s, work, new and old hobbies and many more. Sakuno's living room was filled with laughter and joy, something she has not experienced since the man beside her with cerulean eyes left 7 years ago and just come to Japan to visit her once every year for 3-5 days. Although they had fun on those short time that they had together, it's nowhere close to what she is experiencing now that everyone is here.

The only people that keep her company was the old tennis team of Seigaku that her grandmother coaches before, a girl named Osakada Tomoka, that claimed that she is her best friend, and 3 boys her age named Horio, Katsuo and Kachiro. All of them were new faces to her 7 years ago when she was lying in her hospital bed because of her accident. The doctor said she had amnesia. She feels frustrated knowing that she can't remember a thing even the old lady that slept beside her bed every night that she sometimes heard sobbing in the middle of the night.

But they didn't give up on her, especially Ryota. Ryota never left her side when she was in the hospital despite the fact that he is a patient there as well because of some scratches and wounds that she caused when she shoved him out of the street to save him. Well that's what he told her. Having Ryota by her side is like having a personal nurse. He was very attentive to some of her needs (because they are still on the opposite sex). Nonetheless, he always made sure that Sakuno will not be alone if her grandma is out to sort something on the hospital or her work. He was very comfortable to be around with, always tending to her with a smile, he said that it is payback since he is the one at fault of her injuries.

Sure everyone helped in their own ways as well. The tennis team acted as her brothers and spent time with her as much as possible. Sharing stories of them when they were in school, how much she cheered for everyone in tennis practice especially the tennis matches. The trios were kind to her as well. Horio-kun always boasts about his tennis experiences, Kachiro-kun at Katsuo-kun just listened to whatever their friend is saying and supported him and they made her laugh. She can see that they are true friends. Then there's Osakada-chan who's very talkative and a little loud, but Sakuno noticed that Tomoka really do care about her perhaps like a sister. She always tells stories of them together: what they usually talk about, what they usually do together. But all of them that visited and shared stories of her past mentioned one name that they are all worried about Sakuno not remembering: ECHIZEN RYOMA.

"Tadaima" Ryoma announced bluntly as he close the door behind him. Silence welcomed him. He walked around their house and can only find his Himalayan cat lying in his uncovered bed. "Karupin" he called his cat softly, Karupin bolted upright from sleeping and jumped to his master. A small smile crept on Ryoma's face as he brush the fur of his pet. "Where is everybody Karupin?" Karupin just meowed at his master's inquiry. Ryoma put Karupin down as he heard the sound of the bell of the temple. He smirked at himself because he knew who he will find. He made his way to the temple and saw an old man lying on his side, flipping pages of a "magazine" with its foot in the air tied on the pole that he uses to bang the large bell. He slowly made his way to his father. "Oyaji…" Ryoma said. The Samurai turned to look and be welcomed with those cat-like eyes that his son has. Ryoma smirked as surprise can be clearly seen on his father's face.

"OH! Seishounen…Why are you here? I didn't know that you are that excited to come home after winning the Grand Slam. Are you here to rub it in? I'm not interested." The old man said as he returns his attention back to his perverted magazines.

"I'm here to beat you." Ryoma said with confidence.

"Really?" Nanjirou said with smugness in his voice. He stood up on his feet and stretched his arms, bends his waist on both sides and looked back at his son and smirk. "That sounds like a challenge." The two male stared at each other before their attention drew to a screech of a woman.

"RYOMA! Is that you son?" Ryoma turned to look at his mother who is in tears. Nanjirou, be reflex, picked up his magazine and hid it inside his yukata. She ran towards her son to lock him into a ferocious hug. "Why didn't you tell you're coming home?"

"It's not a big deal mom…" the young man said boredom reflected in his eyes.

"Of course it is, you've been away for so long for your passion. Congratulations by the way! And because of that, I'm cooking your favorite Japanese foods." Rinko said caressing her son's face that is now a head taller than her. "Anata…"(2) she said not even looking at her husband. "What is that you're hiding? Is that what I think it is?" she said annoyed tone seeping from her as she also glared at the old man.

"What are you saying Rinko? O-o-of course not!" he said defensively, quick on his toes, he ran as fast as he could away from his wife and son.

"OI OYAJI!" Ryoma called out to his father.

"Let him be son, come on, let's go inside." Rinko said as she headed back to their house.

Ryoma looked at where his father has taken off. It is the same route where the Ryuuzaki's live. He didn't return just to defeat his father in tennis but to see the only girl that has caught his interest.

'I wonder if she's at home. Maybe I should come by and visit Ryuuzaki-sensei to see her.' Ryoma thought as he headed to their house as well.

NOTES:

(1) Chibikou – has the same meaning as ochibi. It means a small person

(2) Anata – it directly translates as "You", but some uses it as "Darling"

How was it? please give this story a review. That will help me think of something. Thank you!