[Ryoma x Sakuno]

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Warning: This chapter has swearing in it...oops.

The office was silent. And when Ryoma meant silent, he meant silent. As in, the only noise was Kirai Sasamaki occasionally wincing as he got his nose attended to. Sumire, who had her intertwined fingers close to her lips, eyes horrifyingly focused on the mystery man. Sakuno sat on the chair in front of her, glaring at her feet as if they would grow wings and fly away. Ryoma was here for moral support. Haruka was with Momoshiro. And the silence was getting too thick that he was starting to hear his own heartbeat.

"So?" Sumire's eyes didn't flinch. Not even when more unexpected blood came dripping down his nose.

Ryoma was in more shock that Sakuno's father was here - in her grandmother's office - than seeing the actual injury itself. It was probably the first time in years Sakuno had met her father and she'd responded with a twist serve to the face. Not that he was expecting sunshine and rainbows considering how bitter she went when the subject of her father had been brought up - Ryoma had never seen his girlfriend so angry - but he wasn't expecting anything like this.

"So...I'm here." Kirai rubbed the back of his head. He had the same bangs as Sakuno, though they weren't identical copies. In a normal situation, Ryoma would never have guessed they were even related, "I figured you would be..." He paused for the right word.

"Happy? Overjoyed? Relieved?" Sumire raised an eyebrow. The kind which let you know you were walking into dangerous territories. "Is that what you were expecting?"

"Not from you, no." Then he glanced at Sakuno. Then he stared at the boy fiddling with his girlfriend's hair, running his hands through her scalp and cleaning up her poor excuse for a braid in a mellow silence, "Who are you?"

Ryoma didn't hesitate, "I'm her boyfriend."

"Since when?"

"Since a year-and-a-half."

"That's a awfully long time to be dating someone at your age."

Before Ryoma could say anything, Sakuno cut in with the harshest words he'd ever heard her say, "I also think it's none of your fucking business."

Sakuno swore.

Sakuno Ryuzaki had just sworn.

He couldn't have imagined it because Sumire looked as if she'd heard it too. With the sentence repeating through his head, Ryoma almost let out a laugh. Almost. But instead, he trailed a finger from her neck to her cheek in silent approval, and she'd reciprocated by tilting her head back to meet him. Kirai watched cautiously, probably trying to figure out Ryoma's hidden intention behind the admired stares and comforting words. He would be thinking for a while because Ryoma Echizen, as far as he knew, had none.

He had simply fallen for a clumsy, single-braided girl.

"Look, I know I'm not the best" Kirai was cut off before he'd even begun.

Sakuno twirled in her seat, face in shock as his words seeped deeper into the room. Knowing full well that Sakuno had many things to say, Sumire shut her eyes. Ready to listen.

"You dumped me on Obaa-Chan's doorstep and never came back. You placed the responsibility of handling a child on your dead wife's mother, rather than doing it yourself." She took a small step forward. Ryoma did too. "You disappear for eleven years and come back expecting forgiveness. You ridicule my boyfriend even though he's been there for me when you weren't. You talk as if none of that bothers you." Another step forward. Ryoma readied himself. "So no, you're not the "best." You're not even the worst. You're a pile of shit that everybody should step on -"

"Despite all things, I'm still your father Sakuno -"

Her eyes narrowed in a way which Ryoma would've done, "It's Ryuzaki to you."

Kirai shook his head, "Okay, Ryuzaki, I'm still your father. You're still my blood. I deserve -"

And that was when she lashed out. Again. Sakuno was fast, dashing towards Kirai with the intention of strangling him, but Ryoma was faster, wrapping his arms around her waist and dragging her close to him before she could do anything.

"You don't deserve anything!" She shrieked, fighting against his arms in an attempt to, at least, swipe his face.

Although there'd be great pleasure if he did, Ryoma couldn't let Sakuno go. If any further damage continued on Kirai Sasamaki, then Sakuno would find herself suspended. And the girl was too good - too innocent - for something like that. That's what he thought at least. It was like a switch had flipped. It was a side of Sakuno Ryoma had never seen before.

And he kind of liked it.

"Calm down." He soothed. "Look at me."

She whipped her head to meet his. Eyes full of wavering tears, she grabbed a fistful of his shirt and cried. Oh, how much he hated to see her cry. How much he hated what little he could do to cheer her up. Ryoma glared at her father, and just when his mouth opened, a little girl with two braided pigtails came running in. Eyes also brimmed with tears.

"Mummy! Daddy!"

"Haruka -" Ryoma humphed as Haruka wrapped herself around his leg - holding tight as if at any moment she'd be ripped away from him - crying into his school uniform.

Great.

Now he had two crying girls, unable to cheer either of them up. He picked Haruka up and wiped the tears away with his sleeve, while simultaneously patting Sakuno's head, making sure she didn't make any surprise attacks.

"Now, why are you crying?"

"Be - Because you had left me."

"Never." At her hiccup, he kissed the top of her nose. "Just because you don't see me, doesn't mean I'm not there. Just call my name and I'll come running."

It was the most cheesiest thing he'd ever said. But what else could be done in a situation like this?

"You have a child?"

Ryoma ignored him, focusing instead on the little girl in his arms, bit by bit gaining her rosy cheeks and perky smile, "Thank you, daddy."

"You're welcome."

Minutes later, when Sakuno had been safely escorted to the nurse with Tomoka and Ryoma was settled in class with a sleeping Haruka under his desk, Kirai sat in the office alone with Sumire, glaring at his feet as if they would grow wings and fly away. Sumire, all the while, never moved her gaze from him.

"Where have you been, Kirai?" She asked.

He was reluctant to answer, "Away."

"And you return because...?"

"I wanted to see her." But it was clear that the feeling wasn't reciprocated, "That boy who was with her, what was his name?"

"Ryoma Echizen."

Heard the last name before, he was sure of it. Disliked the boy though. There was something about him, about they way he glared at him, the way he composed himself, the way he comforted Sakuno as if he was the only one who understood her that irritated him. Kirai never expected to have a boy entangled in a mix. Or a little girl, for that matter.

"And the child..."

"Haruka. Not by blood. They're simply taking care of the girl."

Odd. Sumire seemed to have seen the confusion on his face as she quickly explained, "The child confused them for her mother and father. Despite efforts, she's adamant that they're her parents. Nothing we can do about that."

Silence.

"You seem awfully calm."

"Sakuno is doing all the talking for me." Sumire sneered. "There's nothing to say that she hasn't - or won't - already. Be prepared for the very worst, Kirai. You will see hell fire."

Knowing it was his clue to leave, he got up from his seat. But before he opened the door, Kirai turned, "I want to apologise to you. For leaving you with her to take care of. For not coming to Sakura's funeral." At the name of her daughter, Sumire sat up. But Kirai had nothing else to say.

Sakuno was fuming.

She could barely sit still with how aggravated she was. Even at the nurse, Tomoka had to calm her down so she would finally get some rest. Even then, Sakuno had only slept for two hours. Anger, frustration and irrationality was bumbling high inside for her to feel any kind of exhaustion. Now, walking from one side of the tennis court to the other, Sakuno thought of inhumane curses and wonderful punches she could throw at Sasamaki. Make him cry. Make him bleed.

Make him feel sorry for what he's done, is doing or will do in the future.

"Ryuzaki, you need to sit down." Momoshiro said, treading careful steps to the flames of anger surrounding Sakuno's body, "You've been walking around this court for an hour now."

It was true. School had ended and it was only the tennis club, along with other supporters, on the school grounds. Even with the chance of going home, Sakuno remained. Pacing from one side to the other, prepared to meet the worst of the worst.

"Saku-chan," Eiji whispered, appearing beside Momoshiro, "I'm worried for you."

And one by one, other members of the team began voicing their concerns. Inui had mentioned the probability of breaking her hand if she planned on punching him in the face, Fuji noted that with Haruka here it would not set a good example, Tezuka simply gave her the cold, stern look, expecting obedience. She was grateful but it was all in vain. That man deserved the worst of punishments.

"Don't be stupid, Sakuno."

At the harsh judgement in his tone, Sakuno stopped. Ryoma, despite having Haruka huddled tightly around his leg, narrowed his eyes at her, feet braced apart, "Whatever you're planning will not help the situation. You're digging yourself a hole."

Her anger was on levels far too high for her to even think about her words, "Shut up, Ryoma."

"Don't be stupid."

"I won't. I've thought this through."

"In anger."

"That doesn't matter."

"Anger makes you blind, Sakuno."

Sakuno spun to face him. In the action her braid went undone and her wavy brown hair moved to frame her face. Sakuno could see how Ryoma looked at her, and with that alone, she felt herself waver. His expression spoke bounds of what they'd ever said to each other. His emotions were crystal clear. Ryoma walked over when he knew she'd calmed down and placed a quick kiss on her head. Sakuno peeled Haruka off his legs and cradled her until she was comfortable again.

And they were almost there - almost to the gate - when he appeared.

Sakuno's anger bubbled. But before she could do anything, Ryoma stepped in front of her and punched a clean cut to Kirai's face.

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