chapter 4
disclaimer- i do own pot or any of its characters.
warning- may contain reference to sexual content or smoking or alcoholic constumption. if you do not like it...do not read and in no way author encourages all these habits. its a person's choice \m/
sakuno's pov
'I can't believe you are working for RYOMA!' shouted Ann in the phone. Well I should have figured that if I told Tomoka, the whole world will know about it.
'I know right? Isn't she a sly girl hiding it from us! God Sakuno… I am so jealous of you right now!' Tomoka said, she was on the con-call too.
'So…. How is he? And when are planning to seduce him?' Ann asked and I blushed furiously. I was in the tennis courts and Ryoma was playing. He didn't mind me coming this time and he apologised again for his behaviour. I had nothing else to do but I am not planning on to stay here the whole day. Melissa and Jenna made me download an app in my mobile which would help me navigate throughout the city. So I was planning to go shopping and since Ryoma paid me well and I am sure I would not get so many opportunities to even come to New York hassle free, so why not shop till I drop?
'Tell me why I am in this conversation again?' Kintaro said from the other line.
'Yeah, why is the pig face also there in the con call?' Tomoka said with irritation and I giggled.
'Who you calling pig face you loud mouthed bitch?' Kintaro replied
'What did you say you annoying peace of shit?'
'You heard me you …..'
'STOP it you two and listen up' Ann shouted and I giggled again. Ryoma looked at me curiously with the corner of his eyes for a few seconds and went back to his training. It made me feel uneasy
'So that day I and Momoshiro went out on a date to celebrate our anniversary…..' Ann continued 'and it was just so perfect and while going home he was all nervous and all and I thought he is hiding something from me and we got into this huge fight and then he did something I didn't expect at all…I mean at least not while we are still twenty two ….' Oh my god! I knew where this conversation was going and I couldn't believe it
'Oh my god Ann!' I said standing up and Ryoma stopped his training and looked at me
'Yes, you got it right, he PROPOSED!' Ann shouted in the phone, followed by me and Tomoka screeching at the top of our lungs.
'Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!' Tomoka kept repeating in the phone.
'Jeez, you girls scream so much, anyways Ann…I am so happy for you! Congratulations!' Kintaro said.
Ryoma heard me screaming and he looked at me with a weird expression. I gave him a sympathetic look hoping he would understand it wasn't something serious or wrong, just a girl gossip.
'Sakunooooooooooo, will you design my wedding dress?' Ann asked me through the phone.
I was utterly shocked. Ann was really ready to risk the best of her life by telling me to design the most important thing that would make her day? An amateur who is not even recognised as a fashion designer yet!
'What a wonderful idea Ann! Sakuno would totally make like the best dress ever' Tomoka said and I didn't know what happened to me but tears started spill form my eyes. I was crying with happiness. Finally someone actually recognised me for the hard work I have done and even though luck wasn't by my side since the day I graduated fashion school. Someone even though she was my best friend really wanted me design a wedding dress. It like a HUGE deal!
'Sakuno….are you crying?' Kintaro asked
'No…' I said softly crying and laughing at the same time
'So? Is that a yes Sakuno?' Ann asked
'Are you sure Ann…? I mean you could actually get your dress done from a professional designer and I would completely understand if you do…'
'Oh Sakuno! Shut up will you? You wedding dress designs are perfect and not even if Vera Wang offered to give me a dress for free would change my mind…'
I cried more and I just couldn't stop it. After so many days I felt like someone valued me for the things I do.
"are you alright?' Ryoma asked me with concern. I was so lost in the phone conversation that I never realised he was standing in front of me.
'Oh my god... That WAS RYOMA WASN'T IT?' Tomoka shouted and I started blushing.
"What's wrong Sakuno? Any problem back home?" he asked me I just nodded my head sideways and wiped my tears and gave him a reassuring smile.
'Awwww… he cares about her! How cute!' Ann shouted on the phone.
'Yuck! I am out of here…..' Kintaro said and cut his phone.
'I better be going too… talk to you later girls…' I said while looking at Ryoma still a little bit of blush in my cheeks with tear stains.
'DON'T YOU DARE HANG UP THE PHO-', Tomoka shouted but I already cut the line.
Ryoma looked at me with raised eyebrows and I smiled at him again.
"Wanna go out for lunch?" I asked him picking up the bad. "I will pay this time…all thanks to you!"
He gave me smirk which I took it as yes.
"Ryoma, Mr Ben from the sports company called… it seems they are sponsoring the Australian open and they want you to promote their company… so would it be okay for just an appearance in one of their advertisements? They know how you are not so people person so they just going to take some shots of you playing tennis and you don't even need to say anything… and I don't think you can refuse… all the participants of the open are up to it…" I told him while we were eating lunch.
He looked at me with an irritated look but then he sighed and said okay.
"And also…the press conference to confirm that you are representing Japan in the Australian open…"
"Schedule it next week… in Japan… my parents have invited me home. Can you call my mother and tell her about when we are coming there…" he said disinterested.
"What do you mean…we?" I asked him almost choking on my food.
"My mother wants you there too…" he said with a poker face.
Ryoma's mother wants to meet me? But why? I was just his assistant and not his girlfriend or something! And why didn't say anything against it… he should have tried to convince his mother that there is no reason for me to go to their place! I mean…. Would that even be appropriate in first place...?
"Mother is stubborn as hell... she won't listen and she knows your grandmother well… so she wants to meet you…" he said eating his food.
I looked at him and smiled a little bit… she knew my grandmother…that's why she invited me. Pfft… I got tensed and nervous for no reason.
"What is my schedule after this…?" Ryoma asked me and I took out the small diary in which I noted everything down.
"Oh… hm… nothing much… I guess you can go back to training … you are free today…" I replied.
"Hn… what are you planning to do?" he asked me finished with his lunch.
"I was planning to go for shopping…" I replied finished with my lunch too.
"Alone?"
I nodded.
"No…. I will come with you... The city isn't safe…" he said with a stern expression.
"It's okay Ryoma… I don't want to bother you….." I said blushing a little.
"Mada Mada Dane Ryuzaki… come... Where do you want to start first?" he said getting up the table.
"Hold up Ryoma! I need to pay the bill first…" I said getting up but he just looked at me and with his eyes told me to come with him.
"I already took care of it..." and he walked off. What the HELL…. I was planning to pay for lunch!
OH MY GOD! New York was like a dream come true. We went through different stores and I practically am going to shop till I drop.
I got these cute halter neck, boat neck, crop top, deep v neck tops…etc. From different stores and I bought like a huge load of dresses. Some were just too plain summer dresses and some were just too sexy which I wouldn't dare. Yes I know I am fashion designer but I feel very insecure when it comes to my body. I didn't exactly have the supermodel figure nor do I have plum huge breast or butt like all the other girls did. My body was straight… slightly curve-ish in the hips and my legs were too thin and long. The only thing I was proud of was my hair. My mother had long hair and that why I grew my hair, kind of felt like I had a connection with her. Okay now I was in the dressing room trying on this beautiful baby pink baby doll dress that had a think white belt just below my waist line.
"You guys saw that cute guy outside?" one of the girls in the other dressing room said. He voice was so high pitched that even though if she tried to talk softly, she would fail miserably.
"Yeah... Such handsome hunk…. Have you seen those eyes… I felt like kissing him there and taking him home with me…" some other girl replied. Wow… horny much?
"I wonder who that plain ugly chick with him is. I can't believe he would settle for a girl like her…" some other girl said and I felt kind of sad. I am not absolutely sure they were talking about me and Ryoma but I had a feeling that there was a ninety percent chance they were talking about us.
"Maybe he pities her and that's why agreed to go out on a date…" one girl said.
"Or maybe he is just using her for casual sex?"
"Or she is using him…. I can see he is rich and the way she dresses up I bet she can't even afford clothes from this store…. Bitch is using him for the money…." And that kind of pissed me off. How dare they talk about me like that without even knowing anything about me?
"Have you seen her hair? Who keeps such long hair and she has plated it… at least flaunt it out girl…. Man… and she isn't that special…I bet if I wear one of those dresses that flaunts my chest… he would fall head over heels for me…."
"Bitch…. Back off I saw him first... He is mine!" And I didn't bother listening to their conversation after that.
I felt very insecure and they were kind of right. I was not that pretty and maybe there is a reason why I haven't had a boyfriend yet. Yes two three guys asked me out but they would never bother going out with me after first date. I kind of felt alone. I would see so many couples sitting in the park and holding hand, or the guy getting of his car and rushing to the other side to open the door for his girlfriend or I have witnessed like more than fifteen proposals in public areas and I always wished that I had that. I wished that someone one would look me into the eyes and tell me I am beautiful, compliment me once in a while, buy me gifts and take me out on romantic dates or you know make me feel like I am the only girl in the world. Looking at the love Tomoka and Horio, Ann and Momoshiro, Melissa and Jenna share makes me just so jealous. I want what they have. I want that love.
But I guess that's never happening. I might be forever alone, become a librarian and adopt a lot of cats and stay in the part of the city where not much people visit or just shift away from the city.
"Sakuno. Are you done?" I heard a knock in the door. It was Ryoma. He has interrupted me from my thoughts and I didn't even realise I had been crying. Guess what the girls said about me actually got me huh?
"Yeah... I will be there in ten minutes..." I said with a low tone trying to hide how I pathetic I was feeling right now and trying to sound as sweet as possible.
I looked at myself in the mirror. I have cried a lot today. Shopping hasn't been going just the way I thought it would be. The dress looked good on me but I felt like I didn't deserve the dress. I really loved it but I wasn't in the mood to feel pretty and beautiful. I was in the mood to just go to my room sleep and eat some ice cream. Yeah who cares if I put on some extra weight? It's not like I have to impress someone… at least food can be the companion I always wanted.
I changed back into my clothes and walked outside where I saw Ryoma was surrounded by three blonde busty ladies wearing clothes that hardly covered themselves. Maybe if I wear what they were wearing and put some excessive make up then he would recognise me? But Ryoma was annoyed and I could see he was getting irritated. He ignored them with cool and came walking to me when he saw I came out of the changing room.
"Come lets just buy that dress" he said taking the dress from my hands.
"No its okay Ryoma.. I am not buying it…can we go back to the hotel?" I told him with a small smile. I could see the three ladies looking at me with a glare and I felt more insecure. Ryoma saw where I was looking and he looked back and gave that ladies a frown and looked again at me.
"We are buying it…" he said and he walked to the cashier with the dress in his hand.
"No Ryoma... it's alright... Can we PLEASE go back to the hotel?" I asked him with pleads hoping that he would understand I was literally begging him to take me back.
Ryoma ignored me and he asked one of the lady who works in that shop to find matching heels for that dress. Before I could deny, the lady quickly took me the shoe section and gave me these baby pink sling back heels with thin black vine designs on them. They were indeed perfect for the dress. She quickly packed them once she found the right size for me and she took me back to Ryoma who was waiting for us in the billing counter.
While I passed the three blonde ladies who looked like there were ready to kill me…I heard them whispering "told ya she was in for the money!" And this kind of ticked me off. I wanted to reply back to them saying it was none of their business and before I could,
"Mind your business will ya?" Ryoma told them giving them the coldest stare which even I have never seen in my life. The blondes look terrified and walked out of the store and I noticed in the end they bought nothing.
Ryoma bought me that dress and the heels and before he could play I stopped him and I gave them my card instead. I gave him a small smile and said thank you. He didn't reply and walked casually out of the store holding half of the shopping bags and I took hold of the other half.
"A…a party?" I asked Melissa on the phone. I was now in my hotel room trying on the different dresses and shoes that I got today sending pictures of me wearing them to Tomoka and Ann who were honestly speaking…very jealous!
'Yeah Sakuno… I want you and Ryoma to go for it… I already called Ryoma and convinced him somehow! I can't go because of the baby and Jenna doesn't want to go if I go… but we have these passes and I don't want them to go a waste…. So will ya pleaseeeeeeeeeee? Do it for this pregnant woman?'
Melissa sure has a way of convincing people. I can't believe she used the pregnant card on me!
"I think... I guess If Ryoma doesn't mind…then…" I said
'Awesomeeee! Okay get ready and wear something sexy will ya?' She said and she cut the phone. I sighed, everybody wanted me to seduce Ryoma but I am one hundred percent sure no way in hell that is happening.
Ryoma's pov.
I came to Sakuno's room to pick her up. Stupid Melissa using the pregnant card on me and convincing me and Sakuno to go to some stupid party. I really hated when she does this. I bet she is trying to set up me and Sakuno. She did this before with one of her Italian cousins but that girl kind of freaked out that she is actually going out with the prince of tennis and she fainted before we even got to the place. Girls are so troublesome. Whichever girl I have met had either treated me as if I am a guy who would just bang them because they wear such stupid clothes or they would treat me as if I agreed to be their sugar daddy and ask me buy them such stupid stuff. Nobody treated me as if I was normal human being. Except my mother, my cousin, Melissa (and surprisingly Jenna) and Sakuno.
I wonder if she is alright. She was crying when she was on the phone talking with her friends and when she was in the dressing room I heard a few sobs. I guess people can hurt her easily. I do not like it when a girl cries in front of me. My mother knowing this, would pretend to cry or be sad when she wanted me to do something like that day she forced me come home before I go to Australian open and she was very specific to bring Sakuno. Melissa and mother are close and it seems Melissa hinted my mother that Sakuno might be her future daughter in law and my mother happy that she wasn't just some girl who was behind my fame and fortune. She said she knows Sakuno much better than he does and she finds that kind of weird. His mother was after his life to settle down and for god sake he was just twenty two. I don't want to be in a serious relationship. I don't want something like Momoshiro had. He had called me today saying that he was engaged to his long-time girlfriend and he wanted to be his best man. I was happy for him but I don't understand how he was ready to commit his whole life with a girl. I believe love is for losers and how could just fall in love? I still find that feeling alien to me and I mean… you could have affections for someone but how can you so indulged in it that you are ready to bring someone in your life and let them know each and everything about you? Momoshiro says one day a time will come when I find 'the girl' but I believe that's never going to happen with me. I don't think there would be any girl who would give me the symptoms that Momoshiro told me about.
"Ryoma!" Sakuno shouted as she opened the door. My heart started beating fast when I saw what she was wearing. She was wearing that same baby pink dress that she bought at the store today and she paired it up with some heels. She let her hair flow and she looked so pretty that I just couldn't take my eyes of her. She also wore something in her hair, matching her dress and a little bit of pink lip gloss on her lips. When my eyes landed on her lips I just wanted to kiss her. I just wanted to know how she tasted.
"Uh… Ryoma…" she said blushing a little bit. That's when I realised I have been staring. I cleared my throat and just backed up a little bit.
"You are looking okay…" I told her and I regretted it immediately. She looked beautiful, not just okay! Why the heel would I say that. I kept my cool and didn't want to show her that how stupid I felt when I told her that. She looked a little disappointed but she still gave me a small smile. I hate when she does that. She pretends like everything is alright even if it isn't and she doesn't want anyone to know how bad she feels inside. She always has the fake façade trying to reassure people she is okay.
"Let's go Ryoma…" she said pulling my hand as went to the elevator.
It was like a high school party. Everybody was drunk, people were dancing like there is no tomorrow and the DJ trying his best to keep the music pumped up. I thought Ryuzaki might have been scared and would have asked me to take her back to the hotel but instead she was actually happy and excited. I looked at there with blank expression.
"I am going to get myself something to drink..." she said and she walked off to the bar.
"Wait. Ryuzaki..." I called out for her and before I could follow her some girl literally surrounded me and asked me to dance with them, how troublesome.
Sakuno's pov
This party was so hip and happening. Tomoka and Ann would be so jealous.
"Can I have rum with coke please?" I asked the bartender and he nodded.
"What is a beautiful girl like you doing at a party like this?" I knew that voice was familiar and when I turned around to see who it was
"Henry!" I said and he gave me the most charming smile.
"You look so pretty Sakuno! All the time..." he said taking my hand and kissing it. I blushed a little and gave him a smile. I sat down again the bar and he sat down with me.
"So…What are you doing here?" I asked him taking a sip of the drink I ordered.
"I was invited… what about you?"
"I came with Ryoma…" I said
"Where is he?" he asked me curiously. My eyes wandered around the room looking for Ryoma and I saw him sitting in the corner with girl surrounding him and talking to him seductively. I got jealous. Yes I admit I was jealous. Those girls were so perfect for a guy like him and a girl like me could never have him.
"Sakunoooo…" henry said distracting me from my thoughts. I think he knows I like Ryoma and he gave me smile when he saw on whom my eyes were fixed on.
I drank my drink in one gulp and ordered for shots.
"Woah! Slow down Sakuno… drinking isn't going to get his attention…" he said with a sly smirk.
I didn't listen I had three more shots. I gave him a sheepish look and I smiled. I get drunk pretty fast and I can't hold my drink for that long.
"Want to dance?" I asked him getting up from my seat and he nodded with a smirk. If my heart wasn't set out on Ryoma I would have made out with this guy any day.
"Making Ryoma jealous, aren't you?" he whispered in my ears as we reached the dance floor. I blushed as he put his hand on my waist and pulled me closer to him and he made me dance so sexy. I was enjoying it and losing myself to the music. It has been a really long time since I just lose control of what's going to happen next.
Ryoma's pov
He was dancing with her and I didn't like that. I wanted to walk over there and pull her away from him but who was I to do that? She could dance with who eve she wants and flirt with whoever she wants. But I couldn't take my eyes of her. She was probably drunk because I have never seen her so free and loose and it was like she was literally swaying with the music. Man, if it wasn't for these annoying girls I would have taken her out. I saw the way he was looking at her. There was lust in his eyes which no one could miss. He was smiling and he looked at me with the corner of his eyes and gave me a smirk. That bastard! Sakuno would never settle for a guy like him. He was just so full of himself. Then he pulled her closer to his body and she wrapped her hands around his neck. She gave him a seductive look. What the hell! Sakuno cannot give that look to him, she can only give it to me. I couldn't understand why I was feeling or thinking like this but I just couldn't sit there. So I got up and walked up to the dancing couple ignoring the wines coming from the stupid girls around me.
"Sakuno... Time to go home..." I told her as I separated both of them.
"Awwww… so soon?" she said with a small pout. Yup she was high.
"But… we were having fun weren't we Sakuno?" the other ugly guy said with a smirk on his face.
"Yeahh…" she said with a flushed face. Her reaction pissed me off more.
"time to go…" I said biting my lips and I took her hand roughly and took her outside the club. I heard the ugly pig face laugh behind us and he shouted a good bye to Sakuno and she shouted back. God! This was getting on my nerves.
"can we walk back to the hotel instead of catching a taxi?" she said while looking at her feet. Is she crazy? It was late in the night and she wanted to walk? "I don't know… I just don't want to go by taxi" she said still looking at her feet. I sighed and then nodded at her.
She smiled and she smiled the brightest that it actually made me blush. She entangled her arms with mine and she started walking pulling me with her. I knew Sakuno was drunk and she would probably not remember this tomorrow morning.
"You are so handsome Ryoma, no wonder girls fall for you…" she said with a blush
"Hn…" I replied knowing it was her drunk side talking
"Do you like those girls Ryoma?"
"No…"
"I mean why you wouldn't, they have the perfect curves and could satisfy any man, they know how to seduce a guy and also know how to make a guy fall head over heels with them…"
"So…?"
"So…my question is what type of girl you like…" and I was going to reply to her but she interrupted me, "I bet she should have a perfect hour glass figure with good sense of humour and she should be as smart as you. And I also bet she should be good in tennis and she can actually make you talk more than two words at a time…" she said and she giggled.
I was about to reply too again but she didn't let me speak…
"Unlike me of course… those girls in the dressing room were right… I am just too plain and ugly… I would never be pretty or sexy like those girls… no wonder I am single and never had a boyfriend or even never been kissed. No guy looks at me and finds me beautiful… guess I am going to be alone for the rest of my life huh Ryoma?" she said with a smile.
I was shocked. I couldn't believe Ryuzaki never dated nor she never kissed anyone. I can't believe she thinks so poor of herself and compared herself to one of those wanna-bes and I surely can't believe she thinks she isn't beautiful. Honestly speaking… I think she is most beautiful girl I have ever seen. She always put herself first before other and she was so naïve, she doesn't even know what's right or wrong. She has been so patient with me and her assuring smiles even when she is sad is one the most beautiful thing ever. She never dressed to impress and the simplicity makes her more elegant. I don't know if I am falling for her but as another human being, a loyal companion I think she is so wrong about herself.
I didn't know what happened to me that moment.
I stopped walking and she looked me with a surprise.
I pulled her closer to me so that our faces were just inches apart and our breaths mingled.
I cupped her cheek and she kept blinking oblivious to what I was about to do next.
I leaned down and I kissed her. Her eyes were open at first and but then she closed it slowly.
I brought my hands around her hips and pulled her closer to me and she put her hands around my neck doing the same. I gave her a light squeeze which startled her and she opened her mouth.
Our tongues battled for dominance but in the end I won and she let out a small moan.
I don't know how long we stood there kissing each other but I knew one thing for sure,
It was so worth it!
anddddd! i am done with this chapter.
i hope you guys like the character development and i hope i havent rushed it made me totally out of character.
i thank you so much for reviews..it encouraged me write more...
untill next time
have a nice day!
0202