A/N: Nyahahaha! It's almost ending! I think... Anyway, thank you for your support and I hope you like it till the end. Although, this must be a boring chapter... I don't have a lot of vocabulary in my head. Anyway, don't forget to RxR~

Disclaimer applies.

Chapter Eleven: Feelings

Ryoma leaned on the door to Sakuno's room. The words Sakuno said kept replaying in his mind.

I'm glad you're the one I fell in love with, Ryoma-kun.

Ryoma felt this indescribable feeling in his heart. His mouth turned into a smirk at first but quickly changed into a smile then he coughed a laugh. Ryoma slapped a hand on his face and thought, 'What the heck's wrong with me?'

Kintarou, who was walking by, noticed Ryoma leaning on Sakuno's door with a happy expression on his face. He tilted his head as he decided to ask him what's going on.

"Koshimae! What are you doing?" Kintarou shouted. Ryoma got surprised and immediately turned to Kintarou. Then he realized they were still outside Sakuno's room and he ran to Kintarou and covered his mouth with his hand as he dragged him away from the room. Sakuno might hear them and would wonder why he was still outside her room.

Kintarou deadpanned as he struggled. When he was free he shouted at Ryoma saying, "K-Koshimae! I'll behave now so don't rape me!"

Ryoma blankly stared at Kintarou. With a vein pop in his head, he smacked Kintarou on the head. Real hard.

"Ouch! What did you do that for?" Kintarou said while rubbing his head.

"Stop saying nonsensical things." Ryoma pointed out. "I wasn't trying to rape you. Not in a million years."

"I was just kidding. Anyway, you're the crazy one laughing by yourself outside Sa-chan's room." Kintarou said. Then he thought that something might have happened between them. Kintarou frowned at the thought. After being rejected by Sakuno, he still can't get over his love for her.

A thought flashed in Kintarou's mind and he seriously looked at Ryoma. Ryoma noticed this and questioningly looked at Kintarou.

"What?" Ryoma asked.

"Echizen... Now I get it." Kintarou seriously said. Ryoma gulped seeing Kintarou was serious about whatever he was thinking since his name was correctly said.

"You're a tsundere and when I'm with you, you're tsun tsun but when you're with Sa-chan, you're dere dere! Then when you're alone, you are a yandere!" Kintarou shouted his 'serious' statement.

Ryoma once again blankly stared at Kintarou. He walked away after deciding to ignore his stupidness. So much for thinking he was serious about it.

Kintarou ran after Ryoma shouting, "I was just kidding! Ahahaha!" while Ryoma continue to ignore him.

~xoxoxoxo~

A few days passed, Sakuno came out of the room of the head maid after receiving orders to go shopping, leaving the head maid with her mouth agape. It was the first time she heard Sakuno's voice and it was still a shock to her.

Sakuno smiled. She still wasn't used to using her voice but she always practice in a mirror how to converse with a person, sometimes with Tomoka's help. When Tomoka heard her voice for the first time, tears actually fell out of her eyes out of happiness. Then she hugged Sakuno, even almost choking her.

As she opened the front door of the mansion, Ryoma appeared behind her asking, "Where are you going?"

Sakuno turned around then blushed upon seeing him. She looked down as she answered, "S-Shopping."

Ever since that incident with Ryoma, she can't look straight at his face anymore. She just suddenly blurted out that she loves Ryoma but she doesn't know whether he heard her or not. She wished real bad that he didn't hear but she still doesn't know since Ryoma's been acting the same towards her all this time.

'Well, at least he's not ignoring me.' Sakuno thought to cheer herself up.

"Hn. I'll come with you." Ryoma said. Sakuno widened her eyes but still kept her gaze down.

"B-But, people would recognize you as the prince and it would be a lot of trouble." Sakuno stuttered.

"I'll wear a disguise." Ryoma said as he put up his hood over his head.

Ryoma then walked out the door and said, "Let's go."

~xoxoxoxo~

Ryoma and Sakuno walked side to side as they headed towards the marketplace. Sakuno kept a fair distance from Ryoma and tried hard to not look at him. Ryoma scratched his head and asked, "Are you avoiding me by any chance?"

Sakuno flinched as she stopped taking a step. Ryoma stopped as well and looked back at Sakuno.

"I-" Bump. Thud.

Sakuno was interrupted as she was bumped by someone and her and that someone fell to the ground.

Ryoma rushed to Sakuno's side and helped her up. They then looked at the person they bumped into.

"Ouch! Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." The girl looked up and the three of them gaped.

"YOU!" They all pointed at each other. Apparently, it was Kotoha they just bumped into.

Kotoha stood up by herself and removed the dirt on her clothes. She then crossed her arms as she said, "What? Going on a date?"

"N-No. We're just shopping." Sakuno immediately denied.

Kotoha widened her eyes and commented, "Oh, you can talk now? That was surprising."

"What are you doing here?" Ryoma butted in.

Kotoha looked at him skeptically.

"I'm not allowed to be here? As far as I could remember, anyone can be here since this is a public place. Not your house."

Ryoma glared. Kotoha glared. Sakuno shrunk into the background.

Kotoha stopped glaring and sighed making Ryoma and Sakuno look at her questioningly.

"Anyway, I'm done chasing after you. I already found a guy more handsome and sexier than you!" Kotoha pointed at Ryoma, which made Ryoma glare at her again, and laughed evilly. Sakuno sweatdropped. It seems Kotoha's attitude changed big time.

Sakuno's brain then connected what Kotoha just said. She has a different guy now? Boyfriend? Sakuno widened her eyes and held Kotoha's hands which shocked Kotoha and Ryoma.

"Congratulations!" Sakuno said.

Kotoha blushed, "W-What are you saying? Are you that happy that you can have that guy for yourself?" She said as she tried to remove her hands from Sakuno's grasp. But Sakuno held them tightly.

"No. I'm just happy that you found your happiness." Sakuno said.

Kotoha blushed again then said, "W-Well, thank you then."

"What kind of guy is he?" Sakuno asked, still holding on to Kotoha. Kotoha slightly backed away thinking, 'What's with this girl? Acting like she's a close friend of mine. I hurt her haven't I? Why would she befriend someone who hurt her?'

Kotoha stopped thinking and smiled, "His name is Oshitari Yuushi. I was actually attracted to his friend at first but his friend doesn't seem interested in me and rejected me but Oshitari-san cheered me up. That's why I fell for him."

'Maybe it's just her personality. She's just a kind and forgiving person.' Kotoha concluded.

Sakuno nodded, "Guys who cheer up girls are the best." It seems that Sakuno hangs out with Tomoka too much making her talkative.

Kotoha agreed, "That's right. They look so cool!"

Ryoma stared at the scene in front of him with a bored look but his brain was thinking, 'What the heck just happened? Tsk. Girls.' while shrugging and shaking his head.

Ryoma couldn't take the girl talk anymore right in front of his eyes so he held Sakuno's hand and dragged her away from Kotoha.

"Let's go already."

Kotoha vein popped as she shouted at Ryoma, "Hey! That's rude you know! We were in the middle of talking!"

Ryoma looked straight ahead and ignored her. Sakuno looked back at Kotoha with an apologetic face and Kotoha just sighed. When Ryoma and Sakuno were out of view, Kotoha smiled sadly. Seeing Sakuno's kindness, she felt guilty of all the harsh things she did to her. She didn't even get to say sorry. But even without saying it, it seems Sakuno already forgave her.

~xoxoxoxo~

Ryoma and Sakuno continued heading to the marketplace. Unknown to them, they were still holding hands. They were too busy with their own thoughts. Ryoma thinking what Sakuno was about to answer before getting interrupted by the annoying Kotoha. Sakuno thinking about the awkward moment and silence being alone with Ryoma.

They snapped out of their thoughts when they heard some people giggling and whispering, "Look at that couple, they're so cute. Are they on their first date?"

They then finally noticed that they were still holding hands and immediately let go. Sakuno blushed while Ryoma just looked away.

"So, what was your answer earlier?" Ryoma started.

Sakuno looked down. To tell the truth, she wasn't sure what she was gonna answer back then. She opened her mouth thinking that an answer might come out but...

"HEEEY!"

Ryoma and Sakuno flinched again and looked to where the voice was coming from. Ryoma deadpanned.

"Koshimaeee! Sa-chaaaan! How dare you leave me all alone?" Kintarou shouted running towards them. Ryoma grabbed Sakuno's hands and said, "Let's run."

"Eh?" Sakuno muttered but before asking why, she got dragged by Ryoma. Kintarou blinked at them and shouted, "You won't get away from meeeee!"

Kintarou ran faster and was gonna catch up to the two. Ryoma thought of something. Sakuno can't keep up with his pace leaving Ryoma no choice but to carry her. And he did making Sakuno blush and Kintarou gape as he tripped due to the shock.

"No way! Koshimae! Don't kidnap Sa-chan from me!" Kintarou whined.

~xoxoxoxo~

Ryoma stopped running when he found that Kintarou wasn't following anymore. He panted as he thought, 'Why do we keep getting interrupted?'

"Uhm, Ryoma-kun? Why did we have to run away from Kintarou-kun?" Sakuno asked.

Ryoma stared at Sakuno which made her blush and look down.

"I wanted to talk with you privately."

Sakuno blushed redder and fiddled with the basket she was carrying.

"Uhm, the head maid might get mad at me for taking too long."

"I'll persuade her to let you off the hook."

Sakuno bit her lower lip. Ryoma continued to stare at Sakuno's bowed face.

"So you really are avoiding me." Ryoma whispered. Sakuno closed her eyes as she thought, 'No, that's wrong.'

"Or maybe you're bothered about whether I heard you or not back then."

At this, Sakuno widened her eyes.

'Did he hear what I said? Did he?' Sakuno thought over and over again as tears started to form in the corner of her eyes. She was thinking what to do if she get scolded? Get rejected? Should she run away? Never to come back?

Ryoma saw Sakuno tensed as soon as he said that and realized that that was her problem. He patted her head. Sakuno looked up at Ryoma immediately. He noticed the tears forming and wiped them away with his thumb.

"Look, I don't know how to say this but..." Ryoma paused as he reached for his pocket. He then took Sakuno's left hand and slipped a ring on her ring finger. Sakuno gasped and turned to look at Ryoma.

"I heard what you said. This may not be the right place for this but would it be all right for you to be my fiancee?" Ryoma said while scratching his cheek. Geez, they were in a public place for heaven's sake. Good thing the people were busy with their own lives and wasn't minding them.

Sakuno opened her mouth but no words came out. She continued to stare dumbfoundedly at the ring.

"If you're asking why, it's because I need one or my mom will kill me." Ryoma said. Sakuno looked down, 'That's all? Am I being used?'

"That's not all." Ryoma continued, cutting off Sakuno's thoughts making her look back at his face, "Because... you're the only one who accepts me for who I am, not for what I am."

Sakuno blushed as she held her hand with the ring, feeling the ring on it.

"Am I enough? I'm just a maid. I'm even lower than a normal person. Won't it ruin your reputation? Choosing a maid?" Sakuno asked, her voice shaking.

"I don't care what others say. As long as they don't bother us." Ryoma said while placing his hand on Sakuno's cheek. He leaned closer to Sakuno's face and asked again, "Will you accept me?"

Sakuno bowed her head but with Ryoma's hand on her cheek, he made her look at him again. Sakuno blushed and opened her mouth but no words came out once again. Her mouth quivered.

Ryoma leaned back his head away from Sakuno's and asked, "Should I give you more time?"

Sakuno immediately said, "No! I-I... I accept."

Ryoma blinked. A smile then formed on his face and he leaned closer to Sakuno's face again. But this time, their lips met. Sakuno blushed, unsure of what to do. Finally, she closed her eyes, feeling comfortable now and kissed him back.

When Ryoma pulled away, he sweatdropped as he looked around. People were staring at them. Sakuno wanted to faint right then and there with all the attention she was receiving.

Ryoma noticed this and decided to tease his new fiancee. He pulled back his hood showing his face to the public and announced, "I am Echizen Ryoma, prince of Seigaku kingdom and this is the person I chose to be with. Please give us your blessings."

Sakuno plus the people gasped at Ryoma's announcement. A short silence followed after his speech then a clap was heard. They all looked to the person who clapped and to Ryoma and Sakuno's surprise, it was Kintarou.

"Congratulations, you two!" Kintarou shouted.

The others followed his example and clapped all the while shouting congratulations to them. A person owning a flower shop gave them a bouquet of white roses.

The flower shop owner explained the meaning of the white rose.

"A white rose means eternal love, silence or innocence, virtue, purity, secrecy, humility, reverence. We wish you eternal happiness."

End

A/N again: ... When I first started writing, I didn't expect that it would end... wtf... I just got the white rose meaning from wikipedia by the way. And also, the idea of KotohaxOshitari was from the pair puri books. In words for the two corner for Yuushi and Kenya. Read it to see xD It was just a small hint. Seriously though, it ended? I'm speechless... Thanks for everyone's support! See you all in my other or next fics!