Ryoma: Hey! What kind of author are you? You don't even update for two months?!
mikan: (sobbing) I'm so sorry! I've got writers block and then I became busy because of school.
ryoma: what kind of excuse is that? you should be able to write even if you're busy.
mikan: I can't because . . . . . . . I got lazy!!! WAAAAAH! T.T
ryoma: NANI?!
mikan: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!! I'm a bad author!!
ryoma: hey, stop crying! what are a crybaby?
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Disclaimer: I don't own PoT if I do I will make Ryoma more nicer to Sakuno (and even to me).
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"A moment from the past"
Chapter 3: What?! She likes me?
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Ring!!!
Lunchtime came, the most awaited time of every student. Many were going to the cafeteria to eat lunch but some stayed in their classroom. Some went outside to have a good a view while eating. But none of these places were the destination of these two first year girls 'cause they are going to the tennis courts.
"Ne, Sakuno. Are you really alright? Do you want to go to the infirmary?" asked by a girl who has her hair in two pigtails.
"I'm alright, Tomo-chan. You don't have to worry." answered by a girl who has braided twin hair.
"Hey you're telling me not to worry but just a while ago in class, I can say that you're having so much pain! What kind of friend am I if I will not worry about you?" she told her best friend as if giving her a lecture.
"Gomen, Tomo-chan if I hurt your feelings. It's just that, I don't want others to worry about me."
Tomoka noticed that Sakuno's face saddened. It always hurts her every time she sees her best friend sad.
"Let's forget about that, Sakuno! Let's just hurry to the tennis courts so that we can cheer our Ryoma-sama!" the loud-mouthed girl said/yell.
---------------
Ryoutaro was standing outside the fence of the tennis courts. He was not watching the practice. He's just staring to a woman. She's wearing a pink jacket and a pink jogging pants and she had her hair in ponytail. It looks that she's in mid 50's. (A/N: I guess so.)
'You're going to explain everything to me, old hag!'
Ryoutaro was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a sweet and gentle voice called him.
"Nakajima-kun!"
He looked where the voice came from and he saw the sweet and gentle Sakuno. Sakuno walked near him with Tomoka by her side.
"Anou . . . .arigatou gozaimasu!" (bows)
"For what?" asked by a shocked Ryoutaro.
"For what you did a while ago in class. I wasn't put in detention because of you." she answered softly.
"I see . . . . . Is that only? 'Cause I have something to do."
"Hai-" "Hey!"
Both Sakuno and Ryoutaro looked at the mad Tomoka.
"Are you saying that you're just wasting you're time talking to Sakuno?! For your information, Sakuno will never waste her precious time just to thank an arrogant guy like you! It is just a coincidence that we see you here. We are really here to cheer our Ryoma-sama!" Tomoka was really, really mad. She will not let anyone talk like that to her best friend.
"T-Tomo-chan!" Sakuno tried to calm down her best friend. She knows that her best friend is always protective of her but because Tomo-chan had a very loud voice many students were looking at them.
"Ryoma-sama?!"
"Are you finished?" he asked as if he didn't care about what the loud-mouthed had said. He turned his back to them but to their surprise he is not walking.
Ryoutaro faced Sakuno again and show her one of his genuine smile.
"Oh, by the way . . . . . . . you're welcome."Then he leaves.
Meanwhile:
Our Prince of Tennis is busy drinking his favorite ponta when two of his senpais appear beside him.
"Hey Echizen! Is that Ryuzaki-chan?" Momo asked with a grin on his face.
"Nya, Ochibi! It IS Ryizaki-chan! And he's talking to a guy!" Eiji exclaimed.
Ryoma almost spit out what his drinking because of shock. (A/N: Ryoma was shocked because his senpais just suddenly appeared; it is not because of what they said.)
"Kikumaru-senpai! Momo-senpai!"
"Look at them, Echizen! They're talking very sweetly at each other." Momo pointed to two figures. He was like a child pointing to a candy stall and asking his mother to buy him some.
"Nya! Ochibi, aren't you jealous?"
"Jealous? Why would I be?" Ryoma asked, not getting the point of what his two senpais are talking about.
"What kind of question is that? That guy may get Ryuzaki-chan away from you!" – Momo
"Nya! Do you know what does that mean, Ochibi? Ryuzaki-chan may not like you anymore! Oops - !" Eiji covered his mouth because he had just spill out about someone's secret feelings.
"What?! Ryuzaki likes me?" Ryoma asked, not believing what his senpai had just said.
"Umm . . . . . yeah, but we thought you already know that because it is too obvious." Momo answered a bit nervous.
Their discussion was disturbed when their stoic captain called them.
"Echizen! Momo! Eiji! Run 10 laps!"
"Demo – "
"15 laps!"
"HAI!"
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The tennis practice was already over. Sumire was inside her office doing some paper works. She's busy thinking about her grand daughter who was going home alone today.
'I hope Sakuno is fine going home alone. Why am I worrying so much? She's big enough already – '
Suddenly, she remembers something, something very important about Sakuno.
"It is already seven years, huh?"
Knock
Knock
"Come in."
Ryoutaro enter the room, making Sumire stand up in surprise.
"It can't be! Why are you here?!"
Sumire cannot believe what she is seeing right now. She didn't even think that this day will come, this day that she had to see the figure in front of her again.
"Why aren't you glad to see me again, old hag?" he walked closer to her table and stopped when he's already in front of her.
"You're still the same, the same arrogant boy seven years ago." The shocked expression at the older woman face was replaced by a calm one.
"I know."
Silence enveloped the two of them. Both of then were thinking about a certain person. The silence was gone when Sumire spoke.
"Sakuno . . . . . did she see you already?" she asked, afraid of what will be his answer.
"Yes, we're classmates." There was a hint of sadness in his voice. He didn't even dare to look at the older woman in front of him.
"I see."
She sits down and massages her temples.
"Answer me, old hag! Why it is that Sakuno doesn't know me?!"
". . . . . . ."
"Old hag!!" he yells, as if begging her to answer his question.
"Did you really want to know why?" she asked although she already knew his answer.
"Heck, yeah!" He looked at the older woman with eagerness visible in his jet black eyes. The older woman cannot do anything but to sigh.
" - sigh - Ok. I know I cannot do anything to change your mind but before I start, will you please sit down first."
Sumire pointed to a seat beside Ryoutaro. The younger lad looked at the seat beside him and sat down. He looked back to the older woman in front of him still having the same expression he had a while ago.
"When you left seven years ago . . . . . . . . . . ."
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Sakuno is walking nervously. She just kept on looking at the ground and didn't even dare to look forward. She can't even believe that this is actually happening. She would surely think that this is just a dream but unfortunately for her it is not. She even pinched her arms three times but this is reality! And this reality is that her beloved prince is actually walking beside her and this is not an ordinary walk because he is actually walking her home!!!
Flashback:
A brunette is already walking near the Seigaku gates when someone called her.
"Oi! Ryuzaki-chan!"
The said girl looked up to where the voice came from.
"Momo-senpai! Ryoma –kun! D-did you need something?"
Momo and Ryoma walked toward the brunette. Ryoma keeps an expressionless face with his two hands on his pocket.
"We're you going home alone today?" Momo curiously asked.
"Hai."
"Where is that loud–mouthed friend of yours?"
"Do you mean Tomo-chan?" Sakuno corrected her senpai.
"Yeah. That's right." He answered joyfully.
"She already went home. She still has to take care hero siblings." She gently told her senpai.
"How about 'Baa-chan?"
"Coach is still in her office doing some paperwork's."
They look to were the voice came from and to their surprise they saw the smiling Fuji (as usual) and the data man Inui.
"Inui-senpai! Fuji-senpai! Since when the two of you were you listening to us?" asked by a surprise Momo.
Inui fixed his glasses and answer: "Just when you asked Ryuzaki-chan about coach."
"Do you mind to tell us guys, what you are talking about?" Fuji asked in a sadistic way having a you'll – regret – it – when – you – don't – tell – it – to – me smile.
Momo shivered for a moment and then suddenly an idea popped in his mind.
He whispers something in the tensai's ears and for a moment Fuji revealed his turquoise eyes and then closes it again.
On the other hand, Inui not hearing what Momo had whispered to Fuji, already know what's happening. Only our two freshmen here don't have an idea though our beloved prince already has a bad feeling about this.
Fuji looked at the brunette. His looks were some kind of scary being a sadist he is.
"Wouldn't it be dangerous for a lady like you to walk alone?"
Sakuno slightly blushed 'cause this is the fist time that someone has addressed her as a lady.
"I – I can take care of myself, Fuji-senpai." She timidly answered.
"Ryuzaki-chan you know there is 61.84751% that you will be robbed, 55.704291% kidnapped and 93.19635480268103% raped if you walk home alone." explained by the data man Inui.
Sakuno gulped at what she heard. She doesn't even have a single idea that those things may happen to her but what can she do? Of course, she doesn't want those things to happen to her but she doesn't have anyone to accompany her.
"Hey! I have an idea!" Momo burst out. "Why don't Echizen accompany you?" He looked at the said brat and in return the said brat glared at him.
"Why does it have to be me? Why don't you do it, senpai? After all it is your idea." Ryoma demanded.
"Me?? . . . . . . . . . . . . Ah! I remember! I have something to do. Sorry Echizen, I can't so you have to do it. Bye!" Then he sped off.
"Damn. He just escaped." Ryoma muttered.
Fuji tapped the shoulder of Ryoma, making the lad looked up at him.
"Well, we'll be going now Echizen. Take care of Ryuzaki-chan,ne." Then the two older teens went away leaving our dear Sakuno and our prince Ryoma alone.
"Anou . . . . . Ryoma-kun, you don't have to accompany me if you don't want to." Sakuno told her beloved prince. It is very obvious for Sakuno that Ryoma doesn't really want to accompany her and even though she really wants Ryoma to walk her home, she cannot push Ryoma to do something he doesn't want to do.
Sakuno looked at Ryoma to see him already walking to the direction of Sakuno's house. Ryoma paused and look back at the brunette who is watching him.
"Come on. It will be dark soon."
Sakuno blinked twice but after seeing her prince waiting for her to start walking, she hurriedly went towards his side with a soft "Hai."
End of Flashback
Sakuno sighed for the umpteenth time. Beyond her knowledge a pair of golden cat-like eyes was secretly taking glance at her.
Ryoma doesn't know why his companion is always sighing. He knows that he doesn't care about it but why is he thinking about it? Suddenly, he remembers the conversation he had with his two senpais during lunchtime.
'So what if she likes me? It doesn't matter to me but . . . . . . . . . . why do I feel happy? Why is my heart beating so much?'
Ryoma doesn't understand what he's feeling. He only wants to think about tennis and no other things. He was lost in his thoughts when Sakuno called him.
"Ryoma-kun."
The said lad stopped when he heard his name being called.
Sakuno blushed for a moment when she saw that Ryoma looked at her.
"Anou, we're already here."
Ryoma looked at the two-storey house and realized that he's been lost in his thoughts for some quiet time.
" I guess I have to leave now." He nonchalantly said.
Sakuno just nodded in agreement. She lowered her head and said "Arigatou".
Ryoma looked at her for a moment and then he turns his back to her and said: "You're welcome."
Sakuno looked up in surprise but she only saw the fading figure of her prince. She smiled and happily entered her house.
- To be continued . . . . .
A/N: This is it for the third chap! I hope you like it. I'm waiting for all your reviews and sorry if I cut the scene between Ryoutaro and coach ryuzaki 'cause I got lazy to explain it all but don't worry I'm gonna explain everything about Sakuno and Ryoutaro's past in the next chap.
And btw Happy Valentines! and it would be great for me if you'll gonna send me reviews as a valentine present (hehehehe).
I also like to thank all those readers who send me reviews in my second chap. Arigatou gozaimasu!! I really appreciate it!
And for buMbL3b33, I will try not to make them OOC.