Chapter 7
It was finally Monday, class day. Sakuno woke up earlier than what Ryoma told her to prepare breakfast for the both of them, Japanese food of course, she wouldn't dare to break Ryoma's first rule Japanese food everyday. She cooked rice, miso soup, broiled fish and and tsukemono (or mixed vegetables), enough meal to suit his big appetite. She was fast and skilled in the kitchen, consuming only 20 minutes to prepare such meal. "I hope he'll like this,"
She had already set the table and foods but Ryoma wasn't down yet. "Mou, isn't he still not awake yet?" She went upstairs to check. She knocked at his door, but he didn't answer. "I have no choice then," slowly she turned the knob but stop halfway; she was blushing because of an unknown reason, "Mou…" she opened the door and stepped inside, eyes focused at the ground. "Anou, R-Ryoma-kun it's time to wake up." And she raised her head, only, and unexpectedly, to marvel at the sight of the sleeping prince. His arms were relaxed extending above his tilted head, his hair was disheveled but making him look cute, his shirt was barely unbuttoned; the blanket covered his waist to calf and the sunlight hits him, emphasizing his pale skin. His breathing was slow, as if savoring his moment of peace. Karupin, on the other hand, was sleeping as peacefully as his master at the foot of the bed.
Sakuno couldn't help but to blush harder, she shut her eyes closed. "A-Anou…RYOMA-KUN!"
"Meowww!" Poor Karupin, he scampered away from the room.
"Eh!" she shrieked. "Gomene!" as she trailed with her eyes the poor thing. She heaved a sigh and turned again to Ryoma. By that time, he was already awake, still on that same position, he was staring at her with eyes half-open due to sleepiness, he look indeed a lot cuter than before.
Kami, she wanted to explode now.
No Sakuno! Compose yourself! C'mon, you can't like that in front of him! "R-Ryoma-kun, breakfast is ready, p-please come down now or we'll be late for school." And she rushed to the door. Ryoma smirked. It is another interesting day with Ryuzaki. He cleaned himself and changed to uniform, and then he went down to the kitchen.
She was sitting right across from him, and both of them were eating in silence. Sakuno glanced discreetly at Ryoma for many times.
"Ryuzaki."
"H-Hai?"
"You didn't put any poison in my food, did you?"
"Eh! R-Ryoma-kun what are you saying? Of course not! Why would I do such thing!"
"Then why do you keep on throwing glances at me?" he smirked.
"Eto, a-anou, well I j-just want to know, how was the food?" she asked, hoping he'll reply positively.
Ryoma stared at her for a while. He put a mouthful of food in his mouth and chewed it slowly. Sakuno tensed up as he swallowed the food. And the he looked at her straight to the eyes.
"Edible enough."
"Is that all you can say?" she pouted. Ryoma was really disappointing.
"Gomen."
"Eh! Ryoma-kun you didn't need to be sorry! I just want your opinion about the food! That's all!" she said while waving her hands in front of her.
"That's actually my fault. I concentrated too much on you than on my food." His golden eyes were serious, looking intently at her. Her heart was racing rapidly. "Ano, let's hurry up. We'll be late for school." Ryoma smirked, another victory for him.
Seishun Gakuen University, how he missed this place. The fulfillment of his dreams began here. Friendship, hardship and victory, they all shared inside this sanctuary. He missed the feeling of being inside its courts, the roar of the crowds, even his nosy sempais, their dreadful club activities (courtesy of Inui's juices), their—
RYOMA-SAMA!" that was excluded on the count.
"Ohayo, Tomo-chan!" Sakuno greeted her best friend, as the said girl approached them at the school gates.
"Ohayo, Sakuno! Ohayo Ryoma-sama!" she said with a big, big smile plastered on her face.
"Hn." Ryoma replied as he walked past the two girls. "Sakuno, is it true? Ryoma-sama is in our class?" she asked Sakuno excitedly. "Yes it is." She cheerfully answered. "YATTA!" she threw her fist in the air. "Let's go Sakuno! I want to chat with him!"
"Echizen let's have a match later after class! I'll show you the moves and skills that I have developed with my 5 years of tennis experience!"
"Yaddane." He said, boredom evident on his face. Sakuno chuckled as she watched them bombarded him.
"Eh?Nande? Heh! Down't tell me that you're afraid to be defeated by the great Satoshi Horio! There's nothing to worry, I'll hold back for you! Ha! Ha! Ha!" he laughed like an idiot.
"Horio-kun, you're way to full of yourself. You know you're going beyond impossibility." Kachiro sighed.
"That's something we can't change about him." Katsuo agreed.
"That's right! As if he already reached Ryoma-sama's level! What a moron!" Tomoka retorted.
"Nani!" Why do you always group on me?" Horio complained.
"Because we all agreed on the same real thing." Kachiro stated.
"Why you-!" and he chased after them outside the class room.
"Che." Ryoma propped one elbow and rested his chin on his hand. He was irritated by them. He heard someone giggling next to him. It was Sakuno.
"What?" he asked, with a slight hint of annoyance in his voice.
"It seems that they really missed Ryoma-kun." She smiled at him.
Ryoma smirked. "Heh, did Ryuzaki miss me too?"
Sakuno blushed. But there's no way that she'll let him win over her so she composed herself. "Maybe. Why? Did Ryoma-kun miss me while he was away?"
Ryoma smirked, looks like Ryuzaki is starting a fight and HE will never, ever going to lose. "No."
"As I thought." She forced herself not to show any signs of disappointment on her face and voice.
"Why should I,"
"Right. Why should you miss me? I am a nobody." She sounded almost hurt.
"Ah Sensei is coming!" one of the students shouted. All of the students went to their seats immediately. Ryoma gritted his teeth. Their conversation was left hanging in the air. He can see Sakuno in the corner of his eyes; she looked so… so… frustrated.
"Ryuzaki." He called out her name in a low but audible voice but she ignored him.
"Class, turn your book to page 45, Logarithms." Their sensei ordered.
Throughout the class, Ryoma observed Sakuno. She became too quiet and seemed to be distant. Looks like he need to speak with her at home, to clarify things and stuffs.
They walked home in silence. It was really bothersome for him. Usually, way back when they were junior high school, she'll start the conversation to make their walk enjoyable as she can.
They arrived at Ryoma's house, still no one was speaking. Sakuno headed to her room as Ryoma followed her with his eyes. He heaved a sigh. He knew nothing was wrong with his words; it was her who looked so down to herself. He went upstairs to his room and lay down on the bed.
"Meow."
"Karupin." He stroked its fur slowly with his hands. Karupin went down from the bed.
It got its toy in his bag. When Karupin jumped off of the bag, a tennis ball came rolling near him. He picked it up and saw a chibi form of him. He smirked. He got an idea.
Sakuno was in deep thought. She was sitting on the bed, thinking of what happened to them that morning at school. I am a nobody. That's right. Ryoma must be kidding when he said that he'll court her, he probably just want to make fun of her.
Knock. Knock. Knock. She was snapped out of her trance.
"Ryuzaki."
Slowly, she stood from the bed and opened the door. "Hai?" She stared at him.
"Let me in." he ordered her. She opened the door wide enough and he walked briskly towards her bed. He lay down as if it was his own. He closed his eyes. Sakuno let him be, but of course she was curious with him. She pulled the chair of the table beside the bed and got a book.
"Ne, Ryuzaki." She turned her head to him. He got something from his pocket, and presented to her two familiar tennis balls: one with a drawing of Ryoma's chibi form and another one with writings of National's No. 1. "I found this in my room. As I remember, a nobody gave this to me." Sakuno clenched her fist at the mention of the word 'nobody'. Why exactly is he doing this?
"If she's a nobody, then why do you still have those?" Sakuno asked solemnly.
"It's rare for anyone to remember a nobody, especially to me." He stated as-a-matter-of fact.
Sakuno's head jolted up. "What do you mean?"
Ryoma stared at her and then closed his eyes. Silence ensued. Sakuno saddened, and returned on the book.
"That nobody…" Ryoma suddenly said, eyes still closed.
"…is my special someone," he ended.
Sakuno's mouth agape.
Luvryosaku: Welcome back to me!1
