SUMMARY: Sakuno's back. How can Ryoma also go back to his old world when Sakuno made a big changes in his life? Just for a mere 2 days, she had changed his life's perception.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Almost by Tamia


-8-

-8- CHAPTER EIGHT: Ordinary Day -8-

"He really did like you!"

-8-

"Ah – ! R-Ryoma-kun...!" Sakuno was shocked when she bumped her head against Ryoma. She was about to turn right when she bumped on him. She was rushing toward their class room for she thought she was late. But here came Ryoma. "G-gomen..." She bowed as her face got redder.

Ryuzaki...

It had been a week since the last time he saw her. He struggled restraining himself from throwing his arms around her. Just how he missed her so much. He wanted to hug her tightly. He had been reading her diary every night, reminiscing her thoughts – her feelings toward him.

Last week was his loneliest week. But gladly, he survived. This was the first time he ever see her again after he made a fake promise that he will go to their house.

He looked at her to see if she remembered what happened – if she remembered about her being under the love potion – if she remembered their memories together – if she remembered what she had done to him – if she remembered anything.

"I-is there a problem, Ryoma-kun?" Sakuno asked. She was worried for Ryoma's looking at her steadily. This was rare. It was as if he wanted to say something.

"N-nothing." He looked away. She doesn't remember anything.

"I-I'll be going then..." Sakuno said afterwards as she felt awkward.

"Hn." He said, dismayed for some reason. She's back. "It's nice to see you again." He smiled bitterly.

"Eh?" Sakuno went redder than ever after hearing Ryoma's words. She didn't expect that. This was the first time he gave her so much attention. Yes, that was so much for her. Her heart was jumping with happiness. "A-a-arigatou...!" She said as she bowed again and started to walk as fast as she could to hide her red face. Ryoma just made her heart beat faster again.

Ryoma sighed as he looked at Sakuno walking away.

He thought he forgot about her. He thought he forgot what happened between them. But he just thought so because all their memories together just came back when he saw her again.

Just how he wished she was still under the love spell.

He sighed again harshly and walk back to their classroom. He thought Sakuno was not attending their classes again today so he decided to go to the rooftop to take a nap. But he changed his mind. He got pretty excited going to the class after seeing Sakuno was back.

-888-

"Eh? L-love potion?" Sakuno was shocked after hearing Tomoka's story. She just said she had been under a love spell last week! And it was because of the bread Inui gave her that day.

"Here. Echizen asked me to give this to you – Special Bread." Inui handed her the bread wrapped in a paper bread bag.

"E-Eh?" Just by hearing Ryoma's name, Sakuno blushed instantly. Well, who wouldn't? Ryoma, her ultimate crush was giving her special bread! She wanted to float in the clouds because of happiness!

But on the other hand, it seemed unbelievable. Why would Ryoma gave her something? He didn't even notice her. And if he will, it was just nothing – and just once in a blue moon.

Inui saw a glint of Sakuno having a second thought.

"I also don't know why Echizen asked me to do this." He said. "Tsk, youths these days..." He sighed.

"I-is that so..." Sakuno blushed even more. Anything about Ryoma was really her weakness.

Inui's face brightened.

"Here." He put the bag on her hands. "He said he was the one who made that bread. This is really rare for him to make something like that so he said you should eat them all."

"E-eh?..." She blushed ten times more. Ryoma personally made the bread? The ever famous Echizen Ryoma made bread just for her? "T-tell him my thank you. And t-thank you for giving this to me, Inui-senpai."

"That's nothing." Inui answered when he remembered something. "Ah... Echizen also said that you should not share the bread to anyone else. It's only for you."

"Eh? W-why?" She just thought of sharing it to Tomoka-chan.

"I don't know. He just said so. If you share it, he'll get mad at you."

"O-okay."

"Yes. Since then, you never leave Ryoma-sama's side. We even thought that you two are going out." Tomoka grinned. "You just showed him how you love him."

"Mou..." Sakuno blushed even more. "What about Ryoma-kun? Maybe he hates me now..." Her face saddened just the thought of that. "I don't remember anything..." She remembered their encounter this morning. He never said anything.

"It's nice to see you again."

She blushed again. What happened between them?

"Don't worry," Tomoka patted her shoulder. "I think Ryoma-sama got used to your attitude last week. I'm really jealous of you, Sakuno-chan. You hugged Ryoma-sama. You hold his hands. You cling to his arms – hmm... what else? Kyaa! You're so lucky!"

"E-Eh? I-I-I – did all of that?" She had never been embarrassed like this before. She did what? She couldn't believe it! She didn't remember anything. How frustrating.

"Yes! You two are really cute together!" Tomoka smiled happily. "I'm so happy for you, Sakuno-chan." She hugged her best friend.

"Ne, Tomoka-chan... W-what was Ryoma's reaction? Maybe I got him annoyed..." Her face was really worried. Knowing Ryoma, he didn't have any temper when it came to this kind of things.

"He's so cute Sakuno-chan. It's really your lost you didn't see how cute he was!" Tomoka chuckled. "Don't worry, he's not mad or anything."

"But – "

"Sakuno-chan," someone interrupted their conversation.

"Eh? Satoru-san?" Sakuno was surprise to see him. He was one of their classmates.

"Can I talk to you?" He asked then looked at Tomoka. "...alone."

"Hmf? What is it that you're going to talk about?" Tomoka's eyebrows were as high as the bright sun this noon. She didn't like his tone – although he spoke kindly. "I'm Sakuno-chan's best friend. I will still find out what you will say to her. So you can say it in front of me." She said, annoyed.

"But – " The guy brushed his nape with shyness.

"What is it, Satoru-san?" Sakuno asked.

"Ah..." Satoru looked at her, blushing. "Here..." He handed her a piece of folded paper.

"Eh? Don't tell me – it's a love letter?" Tomoka cried in astonishment. "You like Sakuno-chan?"

"T-Tomoka-chan...!" Sakuno slightly blushed and cupped Tomoka's big mouth. Almost everyone on the cafeteria turned to their direction because of her loud voice.

Satoru blushed even more as he looked down.

"I'll be waiting for your answer." He bowed to Sakuno and went away.

-888-

Sakuno,

I like you. Please go out with me.

- Satoru -

"EH?" Tomoka's loud voice again. "He really did like you!" Tomoka clenched her teeth, she was really irritated.

"Mou... what will I do?" Sakuno didn't know what to do. This was the first time a guy confessed to her.

"Dump him." Tomoka answered quickly.

Sakuno looked at her with a worried face. Her eyes were full of questions.

"You should dump him!" Tomoka said firmly. "I like Ryoma-sama for you and not him."

"T-Tomoka-chan...!" Sakuno blushed. Her best friend was so straight forward. "How?" She sighed.

"Tell him right away that you already like someone else."

-888-

"S-Satoru-san...!" Sakuno took a deep breath and continued. "G-Gomen, I – "

"It's okay." Satoru cut her words. "I'll wait for you." He said and smiled bitterly because he knew what she would say – reject him. "I know you and Echizen are... yeah... together. But I won't give up. Not until you two are married."

"Eh..." Sakuno's face became red again. What was he talking about? She and Ryoma were... together? She will clear this thing to him. He was thinking that she and Ryoma were going out. "R-Ryoma-kun – "

"Yes?"

She and Satoru turned their faces to the one who spoke.

"R-R-Ryoma-kun...!" Sakuno blushed even more. Why was he here in times like this? Her knees felt powerless.

"What are you doing here?" Ryoma asked, almost glaring at Satoru. They were at the back of their building. He couldn't help but think unnecessary things (not dirty things) – especially Sakuno was involved.

"Echizen, I'm sorry." Satoru bowed in front of him then look into his eyes seriously. "But I won't hold back."

Ryoma's eyebrows rose. He was confused.

Satoru walked away before Sakuno and Ryoma could ever react.

What did he say? Ryoma asked himself.

"R-Ryoma-kun... G-gomen..." Sakuno started. She just remembered about the love potion thing. "About last week..."

Ryoma's shocked again.

So she remembered?

He just felt his heart enlightened. He forgot about Satoru instantly.

"Hn." He answered, satisfied. Just how he wanted to jump up and down because of happiness. But he didn't. He stayed composed and looked at her. He was restricting his lips from forming a smile.

"Y-you see... Tomoka-chan told me everything... and... I-I'm really sorry to c-cause you t-troubles last week..." She started explaining. "I didn't know what happened... I didn't remember anything..." Sakuno's face saddened. She didn't know how to explain to Ryoma how sorry she was.

You know the feeling of falling from the highest building and you crashed your head because of the strong impact? That was how Ryoma felt after hearing Sakuno's words.

His face became sour.

"Hn." Ryoma said harshly – to shut her up. "You really caused troubles a lot." He said as he walked away, his heart was sulking. But he will never show it to anyone – especially to Sakuno.

Sakuno looked down and bit her lower lip. Just like what she thought – Ryoma was angry.

-888-

PANTS. PANTS.

Ryoma really exhausted himself in playing tennis. He went to one of his favorite place in practicing – where the machine was his opponent.

It was really a pain for him that he couldn't forget Sakuno. He couldn't take her out of his system – out of his world. He was really frustrated as he hit the tennis ball with all of his strength.

He never got in peace for Sakuno's memories were still stocked on his mind – clearly.

It was his Inui-senpai's fault. Just how he hated Inui in getting him in this kind of problem. He didn't know how to solve this – love problem. Of all the problem he encountered, this was the worst and the hardest.

He hit the ball as if he was aiming to hit Inui's face. Thanks to him, he couldn't live without Sakuno anymore. He couldn't think of a world where Sakuno was not there anymore.

PANTS. PANTS.

He was sweating a lot now. But he will never stop.

I missed the times that we almost shared
I miss the love that was almost there
I miss the times that we use to be together
You seem to be the perfect one for me
You're all that I ever wanted
And you're my everything yes its true
Girl it's hard to be close to you
My love
I know it may sound crazy
But I'm in love with you

-8- -8- -8-

MEANWHILE...

"Mou... Where did I last place my diary?" Sakuno was finished looking all around her room for her diary. She couldn't find it. She sat on her bed sadly. She lost it. She was sure she always placed it on her special drawer (where there's a lock). But she couldn't find it there.


A/N: The story had just begun... I guessed. :p

By the way, I re edited the last chapter (adding some words and one entry of Sakuno's diary) and I changed the summary ;)