August 16, 2007 to August 20, 2007 (REFORMATTED May 1, 2010)

Disclaimers: I do not own any part whatsoever of Prince of Tennis and the wives of the regulars and such are Lifeless-heart's.
Summary: Echizen Ryoma is now married, and he is ready to have a kid with Ryuzaki Sakuno. But what happens when some things just go terribly wrong? And what's with this extra person? Enjoy! And don't forget to review please!

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Chapter Thirteen: Difficult Revelations
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"Okaa-san…don't leave me…don't leave me!"

Banging her fists onto the floor, she cried in despair as she observed her dead mother, who continued crying herself. The pain was too much; and she felt so lonely now without anyone to watch over her. Snatching the chain and unfolding it from her hand, the silver slithers shone brightly as the light reflected upon it. She clutched it tightly, her fingers trembling and her knuckles turning white, to the verge of breaking it apart.

"I promise, Okaa-san…that I will make him…"

I'm sorry, Raya, for being such a terrible mother.

"…suffer…"

It's not that simple.

"Forget it, Ryoma! I give up!" shouted Lyanstz Ritsuko from the bedroom wardrobe as she threw a bunch of hanged clothes onto their master bed while Echizen Ryoma came out of the bathroom half-naked as he wiped his hair dry with a white, fluffy towel. His eyes narrowed at the sight of his wife and he bluntly ordered, "No."

"What do you mean, 'no'?" Ritsuko bellowed in his ear, "I'm just wondering how anyone can become your wife if all you do is eat, sleep, bath, play tennis, play band, and drink countless cans of Ponta everyday!" She shoved her folded garments into one of her suitcases and locked it tight before latching another one open, "And you don't take us anywhere secluded or special when the two of us are alone. You just go and spend your own time wandering around when I have to watch over the kids!" Throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation, she sighed heavily before digging through the chest drawer as she flung her make up accessories into the other suitcase.

"Well," retaliated Ryoma as he placed on a clean shirt, "It's not my fault if you hate what I do. Playing tennis and publishing songs and performing concerts are what make up my life."

Ritsuko pointed a finger at him and fought back, "So I'm assuming that you don't have time for women?" He could only turn white and blank out, not realizing that. "Look Ryoma, you have a good heart and all that, but I'm just tired of your life. Your life revolves too much on tennis and music, and you just ignore your family. You've been working hard to save money for our children, but what about me?" She emphasized the last word as she slammed the other suitcase shut, and she proceeded to carry them off the bed.

"I'll make it up to you," he said gruffly, "Just wait."

"Is waiting all that I can do? You're making me wait every second, and I am sick and tired of it. I am grateful that you showed me a new light to my life, and I am very happy that I got to spend time with you, but those days are over." She neared the exit of their bedroom, and she turned to look back at her husband once more, "I'm sorry Ryoma, but our relationship is over. I already called a divorce of, and I'm taking the children with me. You can keep half of the money earned, though." Her hand pulled the door knob and the door opened with a click, and she sighed heavily before she expressed her finishing thoughts.

"I loved you once, but I will never again. Goodbye, Echizen Ryoma."

And the door closed with finality, and never again did Lyanstz Ritsuko appear through the doorway.

Soon, every member of the Lyanstz family moved to a different place from Japan, further away from Ritsuko's former husband. Divorced was called, and now Echizen was alone. At first, he thought he could handle the stress and pain. But after a week's worth, he was tired and weary, and he needed someone to rely on. Changing his clothes, he closed the front door behind him and proceeded to walk over to a certain place in order to settle things, unaware of what was to come…

At the Osakada Resident

"Tomo-chii, I'm going to out with Chouko-chan to have her tennis racket restrung!" called Hideki as he placed a coat around his ten year old daughter's body and opened the front door, "See you soon!"

"Hai!" called Tomoka as she hurried down the stairs to see her husband and oldest daughter go out, "I'll take care of Chika-chan at home!" And the door closed shut as Tomoka smiled at the two walking out onto the sidewalk.

"I wonder when Raya-chan is coming back from tennis practice…" thought aloud the housewife as she proceeded to make a quick supper in the kitchen when the doorbell rang.

"Ah, Raya-chan must be home!" ecstatically cried the woman as she hurried to open the door for her niece.

"Ray – Ryoma-sama?"

Standing firmly in front of the Osakada resident was a man plainly dressed and wearing a black leather coat. His hair swayed in the fierce wind, and under the collar of his jacket he muffled, "Osakada, you could at least let me in."

"Ah, hai, Ryoma-sama!" frantically said the female, half surprised and half excited as she hurried him inside the snuggled house and closed the door, rushing to the kitchen to prepare some green tea.

"Make yourself at home, R-ryoma-sama. I'll prepare some tea for you."

"Hn," he bluntly answered, and inwardly Tomoka squealed.

After a good few minutes of inspecting the Osakada's living room, he relaxed and sagged into the sofa, taking off his coat and laying it on the armchair. The female entered with a tray of two steaming cups of tea.

"Here you go, Ryoma-sama," said Tomoka as she offered him a warm cup of the liquid, and he accepted. Ryoma took a quick sip before setting it onto the glass table. He eyed his acquaintance with an unreadable expression and began the conversation, "Osakada, where's Sakuno?"

The woman looked nervously at her idol as she twitched nervously, twiddling her thumbs as she stared at her newly bought carpet. "Um, Sakuno is at…she's at…"

"I'm home!" burst a young woman as she flung the door open. She wore the same Seigaku High (eleventh grade) girls' uniform from many years ago, but replacing the short blue skirt was a pair of faded blue Capri. On her left shoulder hung her large tennis racket bag, and her pale blue visor was placed on tightly around her forehead, covering the sunlight from her eyes. The high ponytail on the back of her head was looped into one large braid and it swung playfully as she took one step at a time. Closing the door behind her, she took off her cap and wiped her sweaty forehead with the sleeve of her uniform. "Tomo-baa-chan, you can just leave the supper on the table…" Her voice trailed off when she saw her father sitting on the opposite sofa of her aunt's seated place. Echizen turned and faced his first daughter.

"Sakuno!" he exclaimed, his eyes widening.

"Papa!" happily cried Raya as she saw the figure of one of her long lost father.

"Huh?" both said at the same time, confused. Tomoka could only sigh in exasperation before gesturing her niece to take a seat and rest from after school tennis practice.

"Raya-chan, why don't you relax and change while I take your things to your room and prepare some tea and a snack for you?" offered her aunt, and she nodded. After changing into her favorite home clothes, Raya settled herself to sit opposite of her uncle.

"I'll leave you two alone to talk then, Ryoma-sama, Raya-chan," she said as she climbed upstairs, leaving the two sitting quietly, opposite of each other.

"Good evening, Ryoma-jii-chan," softly greeted the second year of Seigaku High, and he nodded in acknowledgement. "Good evening to you, Raya."

There was a heavy atmosphere between the pair, so that even Tomoka could feel it while serving her niece a cup of steaming green tea and an energy bar which were a favorite to Raya. She could only sweat drop at the two before mentally noting that it was to turn out this way as she took her leave elsewhere.

After what seemed hours, Echizen gathered his courage to speak out, "Um, Raya, is Sakuno home?"

That was a great shock to the teenager, a feeling of electric shocks burning her body to pieces. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and shook her head. "O-okaa-san is not here."

"Oh, is that so?" said Ryoma coolly as he blinked at her unusually, sensing something wrong, "Then I'll wait for her until she comes then, if you don't mind."

Once again, Raya felt the tingles and shudders throughout her entire body. Clenching her fists tightly, she murmured under her breath just loud enough for him to hear. "I don't mind, but Okaa-san isn't coming back."

"Hm?" he asked, quite confused. Yet another part of him worried that Sakuno might have already left him. She can get tired of waiting…che, women… "All right, then I'll come back later…" he said with finality, but something prevented him from moving. Turning his head, he laid his eyes on Raya to find her gripping his wrist tightly, her head hung low as the bangs showered over her eyes.

"Stay," she whispered quietly, and slowly and cautiously he took his seat again on the sofa, watching every moment she made as she released her grip around his wrist. He looked at her intently; the way she looked so down and depressed worried him greatly. Had he done something wrong?

"Okaa-san, she's…" Raya started, but could not bring herself to finish it. She struggled to find the words so that her uncle would understand and not faint from the shock. Tears were ready to spill out at any moment as she fought back, pursing her lips tightly. Her entire body began shaking all over, and at the verge of the cliff she couldn't take it anymore. She had to tell somebody; she hadn't told anyone of this news but the Osakada family since they were the second to witness this tragic incident. Her voice quivered greatly, and she managed to hoarsely finish her statement.

"…gone forever."

And she broke into tears as she buried her face in her hands, while Echizen could only gape at her confusingly. Dense as he was, it took him a while for him to understand what she really meant. Then he solemnly looked at Raya who was hiccupping as the water streamed down her face and dripped through the holes between the enclosed fingers.

He tried to find his voice, but it seemed impossible. His Sakuno was gone forever, and she had left him just when he needed her. Now the world had come to an end. First he leaves his first lover, then his second lover leaves him, and then his first departs from the world. How worse could it get? It was his mistake, after all, to leave him for someone else who was in a weak state. All he wanted to do was to help her stand on her two feet again, but instead he ended up falling for her. What the heck – was that really the way to continue on with his life?

Now that both Sakuno and Ritsuko had departed from his life, the only thing he could was state the truth to his first daughter…and bring her back with him, no matter the consequences and hardships he would have to conquer. As he opened his mouth to speak, the grown teenager continued speaking as if in soliloquy.

"Okaa-san was lonely and depressed because Otou-san left her for someone else. She always described Otou-san as a kind and loving person, with a caring heart that hid beneath his cold features. But he left her, damn it! He left her, Ryoma-jii-chan!" Raya pounded her fists onto the glass table, nearly shattering it into pieces.

"What kind of person would do that? He even swore eternal love to her!" she cried through her tears, "And yet Okaa-san didn't mind at all. She always cared for others and not for herself! I loved her so much, and now I lost her!"

"Raya –"

"What kind of a daughter am I? I only used my own mother to have my own needs, and Okaa-san doesn't blame me because she's my mother and I'm her daughter. But I used her to achieve happiness, while she lives on her own happiness! It's not fair, it's just not! And just when stupid Otou-san left her, damn it!"

"Calm down –"

She was practically going into frenzy now, uncontrollable as she continued yelling hoarsely as if nonsense, "I'M THE WORST DAUGHTER THERE IS, BECAUSE I CAN'T EVEN SAVE MY OWN MOTHER FROM DEPRESSION. WHAT KIND OF A PERSON AM I IF I DON'T EVEN TAKE THE TIME TO LISTEN TO OKAA-SAN'S PROBLEMS?!" Tears continuously streamed and rolled down her cheeks, and Echizen finally stood from his seat and placed his hands firmly on the hiccupping girl, wiping away her tears with his fingers.

"Raya, calm down. Do you think Sakuno would really want to see you like this?" he inquired, raising a brow as he took out a handkerchief from his pocket and carefully dabbing it onto her red, puffy eyes and stained cheeks. Mentally smirking, he thought, She reminds me so much of Sakuno…

But now wasn't the time to think or say of such things. He had to say it now, or his chance to do so would slip away from his hands for the rest of his life. The time was now, and there was no turning back. He was going to say it, and say it straight to her face, no matter her reaction. He was ready for anything.

"Sa – Raya," he confidently said, clearing his throat. She slowly opened her eyes and directed her attention towards her uncle.

"There's something I need to tell you, because you seem confused about what your mother really wanted…" he began explaining, and she was quite puzzled at his statement. But she urged for her uncle to continue.

"The truth is…" She held her breath, waiting for all of it to come out. He had a weary look on his face, his head hung low as the bangs covered the sight of his feline golden-like eyes.

"I'm your idiotic father who left your mother for someone else…"

And her entire world shattered into a million pieces as if it were a mirror.

She took a step back, careful not to fall onto the couch, stunned. She couldn't believe it – no, she wouldn't believe it. One part of her was happy that she had found her long lost father at last, and another was angry for her father's actions. But she didn't know which to choose, which to act about, and which to feel. It was all too confusing and bewildering for her now; so much pressure had been placed onto her shoulders, she felt that she could break at any moment.

And one of them was now.

"N-no…" she stammered, shocked. She placed one of her hands over her mouth, gaping at her recently discovered father, who was all this time, her uncle. The truth was too much to take and handle as the truth; it would not register in her mind correctly.

Her eyes widened in disbelief as she shook her head nonstop. She felt as if she were being dragged into the burning and sizzling depths of Hell, and the sweet sound of her mother's voice suddenly rang in her ears.

I'm sorry for being such a terrible mother.

Realizing her truth, she snapped back into reality and with a deadly glare shot a glance at her "father", who was still in the same state as before, just like her Okaa-san. Raya shook her head, pushing away the sympathy which was building inside of her. Angrily narrowing her eyes, she furrowed her brows and pointed at her "father" with a shaking finger.

"I HATE YOU!"

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Owari
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A/N: Three more chapters, actually! Sorry if this chapter is a little shorter than the usual 8-10 pages... I made a change in my agenda, and so it'll be just a little longer before the ending… OH MY GOD MY OTHER STORIES! O-O Please review and give me any feedback! I am very happy to be criticized because there is always room for improvement. Arigatou!

Ja ne, and I do not own any part of Prince of Tennis!