The Biggest Ferris Wheel

Disclaimer: Gomen,I forgot this on the first part, but really, I DO NOT own Prince of Tennis. I am merely a fan.

a/n: This is not a oneshot. LOL… the third chappie to my third fanfic. Please enjoy!

Summary: A new transfer student, a girl who excels in Tennis, a Ryoma in love, and a heartbroken Sakuno.


THE PAST (Sakuno's Perspective)

Sakuno ran as fast as she can. She can't hold her tears any longer.

When she reached her room, her cries and screams escaped from her lips. She doesn't want to cry, but what can she do? The man she loved for the first time broke up with her. Worst, there's no one there to comfort her.

Her phone rang. It was Tomoka, her loyal bestfriend. She composed herself before answering the phone.

"Sakuno…" for the first time, she heard her bestfriend's voice in a soft level. "Did he do it?"

Hearing her soft voice, she cried again. This time, without reservations. How did she end up getting hurt this much? It really started that day.

Ever since he came back from America, she had seldom seen him. In their tennis matches, at some subjects in class… those were the only times she could see him. They never talked to each other like before. He had grown into a distinguished tennis prodigy. Someone who has a bright future ahead. Apparently, they've grown apart.

She had always wanted to come up to him and talk to him like before. But somehow, he seemed to be so far. If her cheering him on during his matches doesn't reach him in the past, how much more would it be now?

It was the weekend of the second week of school in her third year. She didn't expect that she would bump into the person she was dying to talk to again.

"Gomenasai!" she bowed down immediately. The person who caught her has just came out of a restaurant.

"Your hair is too long." He commented. Sakuno's hair is still the same as before.

"R-Ryoma-kun…!" Sakuno exclaimed. She was so happy. "Wah, it's been a while."

"Hn." He replied.

Sakuno smiled to herself. He's the same old Ryoma-kun, after all.

"What are you doing here?" Sakuno asked. She somehow managed not to stutter anymore.

"I was eating." His reply made Sakuno blush.

'Sakuno no baka!' she mentally berated herself.

She chuckled to hide her embarrassment.

"Ano… I'm going now. I need to meet Obachan in the movie theatre in less than five minutes." Sakuno said, before leaving. "Ja ne, Ryoma-kun."

"Chotto!" He called out.

Sakuno turned around. "Hai?"

"The way to the theatre… it's this way." He said, pointing to the opposite direction. "I'll take you there."

She blushed intensely. She felt so embarrassed. Blame it on her inability to remember directions.

"Arigatou." She said, scratching her head. "I am still navigationally-challenged even though I'm already this age."

"Hn." They walked towards the place without striking up any conversation.

Not long afterwards, they were standing in front of the theatre house.

"Ne, where's Obachan?" Sakuno wondered. "She should be earlier than me."

"I'll wait with you until Ryuzaki-sensei comes around." He offered.

A minute passed. Two. No, make that five. Still, no signs of her grandmother.

"Mou!" Sakuno muttered, "The movie is already starting."

"Why don't you go inside first?" he questioned.

"I can't. I have with me our tickets. If I go inside first, Obachan can't enter lest she buy another one."

Then, her cellphone rang. It was her Obachan.

"Obachan, where are you?" she immediately question the person on the line. "The movie is starting already. Mou! You know I've been wanting to watch this."

"Gomen, Sakuno." Her grandmother apologized. "I can't accompany you right now. The principal called for a meeting for all faculty and staff. If you want, call Tomoka and ask her to accompany you. I just can't come today. Gomen, ne?"

"Hai. I understand." She replied gloomily. They bid each other farewell.

"Looks like I have to go home now." Sakuno sadly smiled. "Obachan called to say that she can't leave her office right now."

"Why don't you go watch the movie? You've got the tickets anyway."

"It would be dark by the moment the movie finishes." She explained. She shuddered at the thought. "It's dangerous to get lost at night, given my lost sense of direction. It would be better if I can ask Tomo-chan to come here, but she's on a date with Kaidoh-senpai."

Kaidoh-senpai and Tomoka have been together for almost a year now.

"Mou! What a waste." Sakuno heavily sighed, looking at the tickets in her hands. 'If only I can go home by myself at night!'

"Let me see." Ryoma took a ticket from her hand and looked at it for a while. It was a love story film. "Let's go. You wouldn't mind me using this other ticket, right?"

He started to walk inside. It took a while before it registered in Sakuno's head coz she was sure that Ryoma isn't the type to watch love stories.

"Hai!"

The movie was interesting. She admired how the love of the couple survived through all obstacles. Especially the girl, who harbored a one-sided love at first.

"You know, the protagonist's best friend was really heroic." Sakuno happily recollected as they were outside the theatre house. Ryoma had offered to walk her home.

"Hn."

"But in reality, it really doesn't always go that way." Sakuno said smiling. "The bridge would sometimes end up with nothing."

"Hn."

Same old Ryoma who wouldn't say what's on his mind. Well, she doesn't mind. Just then something caught her sight. It was an amusement park. Specifically saying, it was the Ferris wheel that caught her attention. It was adorned with bulbs with a variety of color. It was the biggest Ferris wheel she has seen so far.

"Sugoi! Look, Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno pointed at it.

"Wanna ride?" He asked Sakuno. Her face lit up. Of course! Who wouldn't?

"You're taking me for a ride?" She repeated. Instead of answering her, he walked towards the place.

He was the one who bought the ticket. Maybe in compensation for the movie ticket.

Sakuno was delighted. She was staring outside, looking at the beautiful view outside the window to her heart's content.

"Ne, Sakuno ---wait, I can call you Sakuno, right?" He said without looking at her. From looking out of the window, Sakuno directed her gaze towards Ryoma.

"Eh?" Sakuno was flustered. The guy she loves most wants to call her on a first-name basis? And not just any man, but THE Ryoma Echizen? "O-Of course."

"Be my girlfriend."

"N-Nani?!" she was shocked. She sure heard it correctly, right?"Are you kidding, Ryoma-kun?"

"I'm not kidding." His voice shows his seriousness, though he didn't look at her. "Drop the honorifics and be my girlfriend."

Silence.

Did the sky just fall?

Did the earth crumbled?

Silence.

What to do? What to do? What to do?

She wasn't ready for this. In fact, she didn't hope for this to happen anymore. They, technically speaking, had long parted ways. What is Ryoma-kun thinking?

The ride ended in silence. Sakuno did not talk to him the entire way. She was hoping she would tell her why she wanted her to be his girlfriend. Like he loves her, perhaps?

They arrived at the Ryuzaki residence without talking. But before he could turn around to go, Sakuno spoke.

"Ryoma-kun, arigatou gozaimashita."

"Hn." He turned around.

"Ano… about what you said earlier… you're not kidding, right?" She just wants to confirm it… for the third time.

"Hai." He replied, in his usual demeanor. She sighed deeply. Yoshi! This is an opportunity given by Heaven. Let's make the most of it.

'Even if he didn't tell you he loves you? Or the least, he likes you?' her inner voice called out but she dismissed it immediately.

"I've made a decision." She said, her heart pumping wildly. "Hai. I'm willing to be your girlfriend"

She smiled at him. He smiled back at her

"Domo." He said, then walked away.

'Is that it?' confusion started brewing inside her. 'He just walked away?'

The day onwards was somewhat blissful, though. Tomoka was the one most overjoyed. Being the president of his fanclub, she instructed all the members to give way to Sakuno since she, according to her, deserves Ryoma-kun.

Every morning, Sakuno would wait for him at the school gate to greet him a good morning. They would walk together inside. Same thing happens every after school. She waits until his tennis practice finishes and he walks her home. Since, he's the buchou he's usually the last person to go home.

She stopped calling him Ryoma-kun. Just plain Ryoma. At first, she was so embarrassed, but later on, she got used to it.

Every lunch, Sakuno would provide his obento. They would eat together at the rooftop. Though he didn't compliment her cooking, she's still happy coz she didn't hear the usual 'Mada Mada Dane' or 'Isn't it harder to make something awful?'. With Tomoka's help, Sakuno knew well what Ryoma likes and dislikes.

They would also go out sometimes. Either to just loiter around the amusement park or meet up with his senpai-tachi at the tennis courts. But even if they were already in their second month, he didn't tell her those three words. She didn't hear him say 'I love you', even once.

One day, Sakuno was informed that her grandmother, Ryuzaki-sensei, was rushed to the hospital. She fainted while coaching the tennis club. She immediately rushed to her side. Even though she knew already that her grandmother is okay, she decided to watch over her until the next day.

The following day, Tomoka asked to meet her at a restaurant.

"Sakuno, over here!" Tomoka waved at her as she was entering.

"Why did you ask me to go out today, Tomo-chan?" she asked her friend. "Obachan is in the hospital, I must take care of her."

"Sakuno, Ryuzaki-sensei is not that sick. She's just stressed out." Her friend reasoned. "Anyway, I have bad news for you. Bad news about Ryoma-sama."

"Eh?" Sakuno reacted. "What about him?"

"You know, one of our classmates have seen Ryoma-sama and Aoi Masaki talking. You know, that girl whom they refer to as the Seigaku's Princess of Tennis."

At the mention of tennis, she felt her guts twisted. She had long given up on tennis. It was a difficult decision. No one, except Tomoka, her grandmother and the girl's tennis club's coach and captain, knew the story.


FLASHBACK

It was raining hard that night. She just finished from practicing tennis at school and she's running late for home. She was so happy that night coz she knew that she had improved already.

In her flustered state, she didn't notice that she would bump into a person. That person was drunk and suddenly started hollering at her. She was so scared. She asked forgiveness many times but the drunk person grabbed her arms. She tried to escape but the man's grip was so tight, it was as if her bones are going to break.

When she was finally able to escape the man, she ran and ran. She didn't know where she was going. The road was slippery plus the fact that she was scared and clumsy, she slipped on the rain. What she didn't expect was what happened next. When she tried to grab on to the nearest thing that would supposedly help her maintain her balance, those things fell. They were heavy metal rods. Fortunately, the rods didn't fall on her entirely. The street rails that separated the road from the sidewalk stopped the heavy rods to fall on top of her. Unfortunately, one rod, smaller than the others, fell on her dominant wrist. She cried in pain. Passersby helped her that night. They advised her to go to the nearest hospital but she insisted on going home.

END OF FLASHBACK

She gave up on tennis not because she got tired of it. She gave it up because she can't play anymore. If her wrist is given any more stress, she will deem it useless for the rest of her life.

"What about it?" She asked her. "They were just talking, right?"

"But, Sakuno, everybody at school knows that Masaki likes Ryoma-sama. And there was a rumor before that Ryoma-sama likes her, too. Aren't you bothered?"

"Why should I? I'm his girlfriend, right?" she smiled.

"Souka!" Tomoka snapped her fingers happily. "As long as Ryoma-sama loves you and you love him back, then nothing can separate you two!"

Hearing those words, her mood dampened. Love? She's not even sure if the guy likes her!

"What's wrong, Sakuno?" her friend asked upon seeing her expression.

"Tomo-chan… a-ano…" she decided to tell her friend everything. "…Ryoma… H-he never really did tell me whether he either likes me or love me…"

"Nani?!" Tomo-chan squeaked. Sakuno signaled her to lower her voice. "What do you mean?"

"He didn't say anything about his feelings towards me ever since we dated. Not even once." She explained everything to her, what's happening in their relationship and what her insight about it is.

"Hmm…" Tomoka seemed to be in great thought. "Judging from Ryoma-sama's character, he really ain't the type to go lovey-dovey, you know. Don't worry, he likes you. Why would he ask you out if that's not the case, right?"

Sakuno cheered up.

"You're right." Sakuno said. She suddenly felt the urge to use the bathroom. "Excuse me, I'll just go to the powder room."

When she returned, she wondered why Tomoka was sitting on her seat. She motioned for Sakuno to sit beside her and keep quiet.

"I'm breaking up with Sakuno this weekend." It was Ryoma. They were on the table next to them. They were separated by a flower box.

'Eh?!' her mind screamed. Her eyes widened.

"Nani?!" The owner of the voice seemed to be Momochan-senpai. "Why? Did Masaki-chan confessed her love for you already?"

'Masaki?' her thoughts were ringing an alarming bell. Tomoka exchanged glances with her. 'What's going on?'

"Wouldn't you be too cruel? Ryuzaki-sensei is in the hospital right now!" Momochan-senpai said, after Ryoma confirmed his question.

"I don't have a choice." Ryoma said, there's frustration in his voice. "It's better if I end it now or else everything might get messed up again. I do feel that it would be cruel, but what can I do? Aoi confessed already. When I asked Sakuno out, I was thinking that if Aoi would feel threatened she would have the courage to confess to me. I just need someone who could be my girlfriend but won't be all over me. I was thinking that this girl will do. If Aoi confesses, I'll stop lying to Sakuno. But, I did not lie to her technically."

'He used me?!' Sakuno's eyes started to sting.

"Wow." Momo-senpai, mocked him. "The man of few words spoke a hundred. The Ice Prince's mask melted. The Prince of Tennis, a great strategist, got messed up."

'What the hell is going on?!' her mind was shouting. She was shivering from the anger that had started to build up.

"You sucked man." Momo-senpai continued. "You sucked at this. As I've said before, I won't help you. This is a mess only you can clean up. Man, whatever happened to you?"

Momo-senpai left after lecturing Ryoma. After five minutes, Ryoma left the restaurant.

Sakuno's tears did not flow that time. Tomo-chan held her friend's hands as if giving her strength.

"This girl will do… huh?" Sakuno had never felt so offended and hurt in her entire life.