Hey everyone, so yeah. I first thought that this fic was a dead end, but I still wish to continue both stories, the revised and unrevised versions both. I kinda feel bad for not posting such a long time, but things tend to come up and I keep writing stories so much that I tend to forget about the unfinished ones. I know this chchapter's a bit rushed, but I still hope you'll like it.
When I wake up I can only think about Takuto and his parents. I quickly go through my daily routine before I run towards school.
"Calm down." Momo smiles as he grabs my arm to stop me from running.
"Momo-kun? Why are you stopping me?" I ask him.
"Just walk with us." Momo says as he points at Echizen.
"Fine." I sigh in defeat and walk to school with the two guys.
"What are you so worked up about anyway?" Momo asks me.
"Uhm, well." I sigh as I can't find myself capable of telling them.
We soon meet up with Alicia and Serah and I take that as my cue to run over to the two girls and head to school with them.
"What's her problem?" Echizen wonders softly as Momo seems too deep in thought.
After school I head towards the courts and decide to gather more intel on our team. After I've seen most of them play I exchange my info with Inui, Oishi and Tezuka. After that they decide that I should just watch all of their matches. I decline and my being a manager is put to a stop too. I still train with them, but they all seem really focused on the upcoming tournaments.
I keep watching them every day after school from the moment I have quit being their manager and I find that they've improved quite a bit.
A whole year passes by with me just watching them and Sakuno growing a bit closer to me. She's been asking me for advice since halfway through the last year. I have helped her out ever since and she's now made it into the girls regulars team. I couldn't me more proud, except that I still worry a lot.
Time skip to third year:
Miria-chan, could you please help me?" Sakuno asks me.
"Sure, it's about that guy in your class?" I ask her.
"Y-y-yes." She answers me.
"Sure, but first you must gain some self confidence." I explain to her and so we start to sing together with my band.
About a month later we perform in the school during the party for the second and third graders.
"That felt amazing." Sakuno states in joy.
"Sure did, that's why I enjoy singing so much." I entrust her.
"Do you think I can tell him now?" Sakuno asks me.
"You'd better hurry, he might be taken later." I wink at her, so she leaves to ask Ryoma her question.
"Ryoma-kun, would you. Uhm. I really like you, so. Would you please date me?" She asks him.
"I don't know." Ryoma replies as he looks at me through the crowd, while he doesn't understand the strange feeling he has.
"Miria-san." Sakuno says in disappointment as I come and stand next to her.
"Don't worry, he'll give you an answer. Maybe he's shocked from surprise." I say as I shrug my shoulders.
"Hey, you okay?" Ryoga asks me as he stands next to me.
"What brings you here?" I ask him.
"I heard that Chibi-suke has some issues, so I decided to try and help him out." Ryoga replies.
"So, you will leave me AND my size alone?" I ask him with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm afraid so." Ryoga answers me.
"You are either seriously ill or someone in your family likes someone in my family very much." I think out loud.
"Sort of, probably." Ryoga shrugs it off.
"Then I will leave you and your little brother alone." I state before I walk off.
Ryoma talked about it with both Ryoga and Nanako, but only Nanako's explanation seemed right to Ryoma. She had told him that it was love and everything else she described was the same as he felt it. The only thing he, Ryoma, still had to do was tell her how he felt about her.
"Hey, Sakuno, come over!" I yell at her as I wave frantically.
"Thanks, are you sure about this?" Sakuno asks me.
"She's always sure." Alicia and Serah state in unison.
"Can I talk to you?" Ryoma asks as he looks at the floor.
"Talk to whom?" Serah asks him.
"Miria." Ryoma mutters.
"Sure, let's talk." I smile at him.
"Private." Ryoma mutters.
"Sorry girls, I'll be back soon." I tell them as I let Ryoma lead me to his empty classroom.
"So, what's up?" I ask him.
"Cat got your tongue?" I ask him as he remains silent.
"No." Ryoma mutters.
"Why are you so nervous?" I ask him calmly.
"I don't really know how to say this." Ryoma stutters a little.
"You start with the first word and eventually end with the last word. But my lame joking aside, just explain it." I tell him.
"Well, I have talked with Nanako and Ryoga. Nanako told me that this feeling I keep having around this girl, actually means that I love her." Ryoma says with more spaces than I deem necessary.
"So, who is it?" I ask him, but then the bell rings. A sign of lunch being over.
"Tell me next time, okay?" I ask him, to which I receive a short nod.
"So, what was it about?" Serah asks me after the last class.
"Something about him being in love with someone, but the bell rang before he could tell me with whom." I explain.
"We have a situation, come quickly." Kaidoh instructs me.
"Momo and Echizen?" I ask him and boy does Kaidoh's nod mean much to me.
"Knock it off you two!" I yell at them.
"Echizen's in l-o-v-e." Momo teases Echizen.
"And you don't love An?" I ask sarcastically.
"That's different!" Momo yells at me.
"One hundred laps around the courts." I instruct him.
"Thanks, senpai." Echizen mutters.
"Fifty for you." I instruct him.
"But senpai!" Ryoma tries, but I cut him off.
"Seventy."
"Aren't you a bit TOO strict with him?" Alicia asks me.
"Maybe, but it's better than giving him false hope." I state as I turn to the other members.
"What will you do if he loves you?" The girls ask me.
"Nothing." I reply as I look at the members as they practice.
"What do you mean?" Sakuno asks me.
"I can't ever date him, not if I want to live my own life." I reply her as I smile a tad sad.
"Why?" Sakuno asks me.
"It's complicated." I reply before I walk over to the new freshmen.
"Are you really going to stop singing after you graduate?" Sakuno asks me as she stands next to me again.
"Yes, I am." I reply with a sigh.
"Why are you going to stop?" Sakuno asks me.
"Because I made a promise with my mom. I'd get to do what I want until I graduate here, but in return I'll have to become a pro tennis player." I answer her.
"Can't you just bail on that promise?" Sakuno asks me.
"I don't know, but right now this is the only way for me." I tell her as I look at the progress the boys are making.
"Will you enter the sing-off this year?" Sakuno asks.
"Yes, I will." I tell her.
"Let's do our best together." Sakuno smiles at me.
"Why don't you sing at least one song by yourself?" I ask her.
"No way, I'd be way too shy." Sakuno replies.
"Don't worry, I've got you covered." I tell her.
"Thanks." She replies as she looks at Echizen.
"No problem." I tell her just before coach Ryuzaki calls off the training.
On the big day I sing to my heart's content, until Sakuno gets her song announced. Sakuno freezes straight away, so I start singing the second voice a little. Sakuno catches up to my idea and sings the rest of the song beautifully. Meanwhile, Echizen only has eyes for me.
"You were great, Miria-san." Sakuno tells me.
"You were great too." I smile at her as Alicia and Serah walk in.
"Miria, you were. You were great." Ryoma stutters as he walks in.
"What did you think of Sakuno?" I ask him.
"She was pretty good, but." Ryoma starts, but I cut him off.
"She was SO nervous, though she really has a nice voice." I state as I look Ryoma in the eye.
"Can we. You know. Talk?" Ryoma asks unsurely.
"Sure, why don't you girls start celebrating. I'll be there soon." I smile at them.
"This is about you being in love, right?" I ask him as I lean against a wall.
"Yes." Ryoma answers me.
"So, who is it?" I ask him as I cut to the chase.
"Do you remember when we first met?" Ryoma asks me.
"Yeah, you were playing at the US Open and my mom and I were watching. You looked so pissed off, while I just wanted to run from all of it. You play much more of a game then back then. It's like you really love tennis, not just the idea of beating an opponent." I tell him.
"I heard something like that from my dad. He said some girl saw right through my playing style. I don't really know you, but. Well. I like you. As more, than a friend." Ryoma confesses.
"Why?" Is all I can bring myself to say.
"I just do." Ryoma replies as he shrugs his shoulders.
"I can't. I can NOT love you, don't you get it?" I shout at him as I turn around to leave.
"Wait." Ryoma says as he grabs my arm.
"Why? Why can't you love me?" Ryoma asks me.
"I have my reasons, as much as you have yours. I'm sorry." I answer him honestly before I run away from him.
"What did he say?" The three girls ask me.
"Nothing much." I lie to them as Ryoma walks our way.
"Ryoma-kun, have you thought about it?" Sakuno asks him.
"Fine." Ryoma grunts as I look away from them.
"What's wrong?" Sakuno asks him while Serah and Alicia stand on her side.
"Like you'd care!" Ryoma shouts at them.
"How dare you shout at them!" I yell at him as I lose my patience with him.
"They are my friends. More than I could ever ask. So don't you dare act like it's their fault." I lecture him before I head home, towards my mother.
"Is she really going?" Serah asks Alicia.
"I'm afraid so." Alicia answers Serah.
"Going where?" Sakuno asks the two.
"To her mother." Both reply simultaneously.
"I want you to learn figure skating." My mom informs me as I enter the house.
"Why?" I ask her.
"Because Raoul is the best figure skater ever and since we're married I want you to learn about it and join competitions." My mother instructs me.
"Raoul must be quite the guy." I lie to her before I walk towards my room.
"You'll start training tomorrow." Mom calls out to me.
"Great." I mutter to myself as I stare at the ceiling.
"You should try to find yourself a good looking partner." My mom tells me as she brings me a glass of milk.
"I don't know, mom." I reply unsurely.
"How come?" She asks me.
"Some boy at school confessed to me, so I turned him down." I begin my story.
"What boy?" She asks me.
"That kid of the Samurai." I tell her.
"Then you've done great. You should date a figure skater, like Ryan Hammster." My mom states before she walks to the door.
"What should I do?" I whisper to myself as I let my tears flow freely.
I keep thinking about what mom said and I wish I hadn't come home at all. I even wish I hadn't rejected Ryoma, but I'll have to learn to live with that. I cry until I finally fall asleep that night.
"Last night was great." Sakuno tells us.
"Why's that?" Serah asks her.
"Ryoma-kun took me out for dinner." Sakuno reminisces.
"So, how was your mom?" Alicia asks me.
"Mood swing. She's dating a figure skater, so that's supposed to be my new life goal." I reply indifferently.
"And now you have to find one too." Ally says knowingly.
"Not really, she wants to hook me up with some dude named Ryan Hammster." I reply.
"Morning, Sakuno." Ryoma greets her as he walks towards us.
"Do you want to let her rule your life?" Serah decides to ask as Sakuno greets Ryoma.
"No, I don't. After graduating, I think I'll go travel for a while." I answer Serah.
"Is something wrong, Ryoma-kun?" Sakuno asks him as he stares at me.
"No." Ryoma answers her distantly.
"I'm so glad that you decided to be my boyfriend." Sakuno states her happiness.
"I just don't know what to do anymore." I say as I look at the blue sky.
"When will you just get over it and live your life by yourself?" Alicia asks me in anger.
"Ryoga?" Both Echizen and I say in unison.
"Hey squirt, you okay?" Ryoga asks me.
"You're such an ass, but I guess that comes with being too tall for your own good." I reply in anger.
"You know each other?" Echizen and the others ask us.
"She's my little sister." Ryoga smirks.
"Liar." I accuse him.
"We met back in England, when I…" I cut myself off, now is not the time to tell Ryoga.
"Was crying in the park." Ryoga smiles at me.
"So that's where you were." Alicia and Serah laugh about it.
"You were running away from home." I accuse him.
"That's true, but I came back." Ryoga replies.
"Your real father drank himself to death." Ryoga continues.
I turn around and walk away with my rage towards Ryoga.
"Man, that Ryoga should learn some manners already." I mutter to myself as I stand on a bridge, watching the water.
"Who am I anyway?" I question myself as I look at my reflection in the water.
"You okay?" Momo asks me as he comes standing next to me.
"Not really." I answer him truthfully.
"Why don't you tell me? It might make you feel better." Momo suggests.
"Well, I ran into this guy today. He told my friends that I'm his sister, which I am not. The thing is, he said that my real father drank himself to death." I tell him.
"So, Kitara is your father right? Even if he isn't your biological father, would you not still feel that Kitara-san is your real father?" Momo asks me.
"I suppose you're right, but it just makes me wonder who I am and what I should do." I answer him.
"That depends on who you want to be. Do you want to be the person you are now, or do you want to change? And if you want to change, just do it. Go see the world, figure out what YOU want to do." Momo answers my hidden question.
"Did you know that I turned him down?" I ask Momo.
"Turned who down?" Momo asks me.
"I turned Echizen down, when he confessed to me. I thought it would be for the best, but… I don't know." I tell him honestly.
"Wow, so that's why he's with Sakuno." Momo says understanding.
"I don't know, but it makes me kinda." I pause as I search for the right word.
"Jealous?" Momo asks me.
"I guess so, but it's too late to tell him now." I say as tears well up in my eyes.
"I don't think it's too late, unless you really want Sakuno to be happy." Momo states thoughtfully.
"You've really changed." I tell him, which earns me a confused look from Momo.
"Maybe I should just go travel now, while I don't have my degree yet. I could study while traveling and still get my degree while doing so." I voice my thoughts.
"Miri!" Alicia calls out from somewhere in the distance.
"Miria-san!" Sakuno shouts from a different direction.
"They'd miss you way too much." Momo grins at me.
"Only the girls, though." I reply with a smile of my own.
"No, that's where you're wrong. I'm sure even Eiji, Oishi, Fuji, Viper and Inui are searching for you by now." Momo grins even wider.
"Let me guess, they came to you and you started up a scouting group?" I say.
"You probably won't believe me, but Echizen came running towards the courts asking for our help. He left Sakuno standing where she was and he decided that you might get yourself into something stupid." Momo informs me.
"You're right, I don't believe you." I say as I hear Momo's cell phone ring.
"Yes. Oh hey Echizen. Calm down will you." Momo starts and hands me his phone.
"No way." I whisper as I try to hand it back to him.
"Just do it." Momo commands me.
"What's going on?" Echizen asks from the other side of the line.
Momo whispers something and pulls me towards the street courts.
"Will you let go of me!" I shout at him, just as we arrive and Momo let's go of me. Unfortunately in front of Ryoma.
"I was worried." Ryoma says softly.
"I'll leave the two of you alone." Momo says before he walks away.
"I just needed some space." I tell Ryoma as I look at the street under my feet.
"You can tell me everything." Ryoma offers.
"Like what? I can't tell you why I turned you down and I can't tell you how I feel." I yell in frustration.
"You can." Ryoma whispers in my ear as he hugs me. I break out in tears and he decides to call the others to say that I'm alright while he guides me to his place.
"You can stay at my place, at least until you're okay." Ryoma says as he guides me in after we took our shoes off.
"Hey, Ryoma. Are you staying for dinner?" A girl asks me.
"She is, Nanako." Ryoma tells me.
"Aren't you the daughter of that woman that tried to hit on uncle Nanjiro?" Nanako asks me.
"Nanako." Ryoma warns her.
"It's okay, I know that she does those things. I just hate it." I whisper as I cry in silence.
"Let's go to my room." Ryoma whispers to me before he leads me to his room.
"So, what happened?" Ryoma asks me as he sits down on the floor.
"The whole story?" I ask him.
"Please." Ryoma nods.