WARNING: This is not the 4th chapter. This is my first version of chapter 3, then decided to change it to what was posted here :p

Anyway, I just want to share it to you guys since I don't want it to be just a waste..:D

-000-

When Ryoma woke up, all he could think was Ryuzaki – and her date with Horio today.

Crap.

He got up and decided to play tennis in his favourite place. He planned to play the whole day to avoid thinking about crazy things.

"Where are you going this early?" Nanjirou asked when he saw Ryoma wearing his shoes.

Ryoma stood and looked at his Oyaji. "Practice." And with that, he left. Nanjiro just shrugged his shoulders.

-000-

He was sure he was heading the right way to the place where he wanted to play tennis. But subconsciously, without realizing, his feet dragged him to the cinema. And he was also surprised himself that he was really standing in front of the cinema.

What am I doing here? He looked around and he saw Horio walking toward the cinema. Crap.

He walked out of the front and moved to the side. He was looking at Horio, making sure that he didn't see him when he bumped into someone.

"Oh, g-gomena – " Sakuno was shocked when she saw Ryoma.

Sakuno's shock was just half of what Ryoma felt. He felt stupid.

"R-Ryoma-kun…." Sakuno composed herself and asked him. "W-What are you doing here?" Her heart was beating faster.

Ryoma remained silent. He looked at her like it was the first time he met her. He noticed that she was wearing a simple dress. Nothing special. But she was so cute. Some strands of her hair were caressing her cheeks that made her even cuter.

He was so calm in the outside but he was nervous in the inside. He didn't know why he was feeling nervous when he didn't even do anything wrong.

Ani, it's wrong to be here.

He looked back where Horio might be and when he saw him waiting in front of the cinema with two tickets in his hand, he gritted his teeth and without a second thought, he grabbed Sakuno's wrist and they walked out of the cinema.

"R-Ryoma-kun…!" Sakuno was almost running while Ryoma's steps were big. They stopped at the park nearby.

Sakuno was panting. She was confused by Ryoma's actions. She looked at him, asking. He looked like he was mad at something.

He sat on the bench and looked down. "Don't go." He said without looking at her.

"Eh?" Did she hear him right?

He stood up and faced her. He had never thought that he would be desperate as much as he was right now. He was not even in a match. "Don't go there." Just by thinking Sakuno having a date with Horio made him feel like he got a punch in the stomach. His heart was like squeezed firmly and he felt like he was going to tear up. It was the first time he felt it. This feeling was new to him.

Sakuno began to worry. His face was so serious. She had never seen Ryoma acted like he was right now.

She didn't know what to say. She was speechless. She hadn't even recovered from what happened yesterday and here he was again. He made another shocking thing to her.

They both fell silent for a moment. Then the sound of Sakuno's mobile phone broke their silence.

She looked at it and saw that Horio was calling her. She answered it.

"H-hello?" Her voice almost didn't even come out.

"Where are you? I'm here in front of the cinema." Horio's voice was a little worried.

"I…umm…" Sakuno looked at Ryoma who was just looking at her. She felt conscious. "I…" She swallowed hard. She couldn't concentrate when Ryoma was looking! She turned her back and focused on Horio. "S-something came up. I'll call you later." She dropped the call and held her phone tightly, as if her life was depended on it. She took a deep breath and faced Ryoma again.

"Ryoma-kun…" She started and swallowed. Actually, she still didn't know what to say.

"Do you like me or not?" He asked all of a sudden, without a warning.

"Eh?" She blushed. Oh my…what is he saying…! Her heart had never been calmed since she saw him and now it was beating more wildly.

"Yes or no then I'll leave." He said, still as serious as ever.

Sakuno couldn't answer him. What would she tell him? If she'd say no then she will just make a lie to him and to herself. If she'd say yes then it's as good as confessing her feelings!

"Well…I…" She took another deep breath.

She remembered Tomoka and their conversation last night.

"You should confess!"

Oh my…help me Kami…

She took a very deep breath and closed her eyes tightly. Whatever the outcome might be, she'll accept it.

"I like you…!" She blurted out.

Ryoma's eyes grew wide. He was a bit shock but happy. A smile formed in the corner of his lips.

"Good." He said and patted her shoulder. She yelped when she felt his hand on her shoulder. It was the first time Ryoma smiled at her and her heart did a summersault.

His smiling face became serious all of a sudden when he remembered something.

"Call horio and tell him you won't be coming."

"Eh?" She had totally forgotten about Horio! She quickly dialled his number and in the first ring, he answered.

"Yes? Where are you now?"

"I-I-m sorry…I can't go with you right now." She was a little guilty for making Horio wait for her a little longer.

"What?" Horio was silent for a moment. Then, "it's okay. Maybe next time?" He made his voice a little happier.

"U-un…" She answered and ended the call.

What now? The atmosphere was awkward for both of them.

"Go home and take a rest." Ryoma broke their silence.

"Eh? Ah…h-hai…" She felt a little disappointed. "G-goodbye…" She turned and walked away slowly.

"Ryuzaki," Ryoma called and she stopped and turned to him. "About you liking me… don't you ever give up." And with that, he smiled at her.

Her disappointment had vanished in an instant and she smiled at him. "H-hai…"

-000-

"KYAAAAAAAAAA!" Sakuno put the phone away from her ear when Tomoka screamed. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!"

"Tomoka-chan…" Sakuno was blushing furiously. She just told her best friend about what happened this morning.

"So, are you two going out now?" She asked excitedly.

"Eh? I – I don't know…"

"What? Why? He confessed right?"

She didn't answer. She was a little confused. Ryoma didn't even confess to her! She just realized that she was the only one who confessed!

"I really don't know… He didn't say he likes me." She started to recall what happened earlier.

"Well, even if he didn't say it, his words and actions confessed. Right?" Tomoka's voice was still full of happiness. "I can't wait for Monday!"

"Mou…"

-000-

MONDAY…in their classroom…

"Horio, what happened?" Katchiro and Katsuo were so eager to hear about what happened last Saturday.

Horio sighed of frustration. "Nothing happened." He was sad.

"What?"

Why?"

"She didn't come."

"Eh? I thought she said yes to your invitation?"

"Yes. But she said something came up."

Ryoma who was just sitting on their side was just listening to them. A smirk formed on the corner of his lips. Just by thinking of seeing Sakuno today made his mood great.

And speaking of Sakuno, she and Tomoka just entered their room. Their eyes met and he saw her smiled and bowed at him shyly.

He nodded for a response.

And those gestures didn't hide from the Trio. They looked at Ryoma confusedly.

-000-

If this was the third chapter, I don't know exactly what will happen next so I decided to change it and make their love story longer :D