Hi! I am back with the new chapter! I don't know what to say so… on with the story…
On the contrary, I had to say something. I really HATE my job now. I really can't access the Fanfiction site for six days, hear that, SIX days(Well, minus the weekend of course). I can only check my profile when I am about to post an update, just like today. I am frustrated. I can't see your reviews and I can't even review my own newly updated chapters for the week. I feel sad, I can't read other fics as well. As in everything (I have to visit a different site because of that and there are not much RyoSaku fic there… sigh… I read mangas instead…)
It's my birthday (Yesterday actually, today's Junko Minagawa-san's birthday 22nd of November PHT) and this is the gift that I get. Sigh... so much for the present... sorry... guys... I really want to be motivated after all.
DISCLAIMER: I do not the Prince of tennis and never will.
johanna – hahaha… ganun… iba iba talaga ang mga reactions nyo… but I likey… tee hee hee… salamat. Next chappie na po… ^_^
sweetangel – Indeed. It was a great convincing words from his teammates plus a kouhai… tee hee hee… I am glad that you like that… ^_^
Tee hee hee… it Is actually his big day—err—week. The rest… you'll know sooner or later…
I agree with you at Eiji's part. His intentions are definitely pure and clean. He should fight for her… Tama ka… sa simbahan din ang tuloy nyan… tee hee hee…
Thank you for supporting my fics… Next chapter is up now… ^_^
Yumi014 – Hi… it's okay… I am glad that you leave a review every time you are free… That is enough for me.
Yeah, it is sad, really. Milfie is actually an illegitimate daughter of Jones and Mary, Chris' parents making her his half-sister. So yeah, it's the status alright, definitely annoying.
Actually, I am more HayaNagi than that pairing. It was a request from a reader so I don't mind making it for her. I agree with you too. I prefer the reverse harem than the normal harem (Well, can you call that a normal one?) I watched until the second season. I don't know I just like the anime because of Parody and the moments between Hayate and Nagi… that's all.
Thank you… very much… This is the new chapter by the way.
And thank you for the link, I've seen the videos on Youtube... It was nice… tee hee hee… I can't believe Ryoma would say those things like going out for a movie… with a girl… tee hee hee… I am squealing… I am going to look for the link that you gave me thank you once again… ^_^
Anonymous13 – Chris had his way I guess. Maybe he hasn't found one yet, he has been focusing to one girl and unfortunately it has to be Sakuno. Definitely, it's his family. And Eiji's lovelife is at stake too. You'll know some in the next chapter… Thank you very much… ^_^
Chapter 14: After Effects
Chapter Summary: She thought that everything was fine but she was wrong… Definitely wrong.
Ahiru was putting the little heir to sleep. She was given the task for the parents of the child had something to do that night. She was a little happy that Capella was beginning to accept his parents. At first, he was doubting a little about them but being the obedient kid, it wasn't that hard for him.
She couldn't help but feel a little jealous about it.
Capella's family was increasing into three.
"Ahiru…"
From the glass wall, she saw Fakir faintly knocking on it, avoiding for the little boy to wake up. After fixing the little boy's bed, she slowly made her way to the door and opened it, "Fakir-san, what are you—"
She was cut and shocked at the same time when Fakir pulled her closer to him and gave her a surprise kiss on the lips. She wasn't prepared at that and she couldn't stop blushing. Fakir only let her go when he was satisfied. She gripped his shirt hard as she looked down, still blushing in the process;
"I—I am still in the middle of my work, you know."
"So do I," The knight said as he pulled her even more making her heart panic, "That's why I could only sneak up like this."
Gasping in the process, she comically hit him on the shoulder, "B-baka! S-stop doing this, you are making me nervous."
"By the way," Fakir started suddenly getting serious towards her, "I've been meaning to ask you this. You said that your former master was really nice and kind? Who was this former master of yours?"
Ahiru didn't expect that from him. It was true that she told everyone about Meyers as her current master before the incident even happened. She didn't even know that the culprit was actually him for Meyers kept looking for Ouka because she thought that her best friend only dumped her and only wanted to have her back… in pleasure. But they never knew who her real master was. She looked at him and replied;
"My master who was really kind to me was…" She said staring straight at him, "Someone who took care of my current master, his stepfather."
"His step father?"
"Master Mikage was married to my master's mother after she was abandoned," She nodded, "His step father was really kind and nice to me. From that time, his step father didn't know the background of my master's status. He wasn't the type who minded someone's business so he never bothered knowing about it. And as for me, I never asked him about it. But when he died, he left me to my current master's care and everything changed. He started flirting with Ouka-sama but he was never noticed by her… and then the rest was history…"
"It's clear to me now," Fakir said leaning on the wall, "It's been tough for you."
"F-Fakir-san… The past is past, I'll forget everything aside from my former master and what Ouka-sama did to me," She smiled at him, "I owe my life to them."
"Heh," He closed his eyes after a few seconds of staring at her, "You seemed to be forgetting someone here."
Ahiru was shocked when he said that. She looked down as she blushed while saying her next words, "I… I owe my whole life to you… Fakir-san."
Fakir grabbed her head and leaned his forehead to hers, "You should be."
Ahiru was panicking at that moment. Not taking it anymore, she immediately distanced herself from him, "W-well, we still need to work. S-so go back to your post before Capella-kun wakes up with our noise."
"Hai, hai," He said looking all stoic all the time, "I'll see you later." He said but not until he pulled her to another kiss that lasted for seconds before leaving her stun there.
Ahiru on the other hand, was still recovering at the event. Fakir did change a lot. He was a snob before and he didn't even pay attention to the likes of her. But when he knew her secret, he didn't leave her side… let alone protected her all the time. She gently touched her lips that he had just kissed twice that night. Her heart was beating fast. She had given herself to him and trusted him with all her heart.
That was how much she loved the knight.
Three Days later, Manga Publishing Company:
Milfie's 'step' parents were about to leave tomorrow morning after checking the final preparations for the company and the upcoming birthday of Chris at the end of the month. Being the illegitimate child, she wanted them to be proud of her so she would do anything for them. She had tried her best to be a reliable daughter to them.
But…
At that moment, she just didn't know if she could follow them this time.
"A-arranged Marriage?"
Jones Finsbury seriously stared at his daughter before continuing, "It's about time that you should have yours. You will be meeting your future husband on the day of your brother's birthday."
"B-but—"
"Why Milfuelle?" Mary said this time, "Do you have a problem with us about choosing you a fiancé?"
She was shocked to see her stepmother's stare. It was something that she mustn't object. Biting her lower lip, she looked down as she gripped her hands tight before replying to her words, "N-nothing… mother…"
"Good," She said tapping the girl's shoulder, "Don't disappoint me and definitely don't disappoint your future husband when you meet him."
"…Hai…" Her parents were telling her something but she couldn't understand them anymore. She didn't want to anyway. Even though she agreed, she didn't want an arranged marriage. But she couldn't object them. She just didn't have the courage to do so. Her mind was in turmoil and she couldn't think of anything but of one person at that moment.
Eiji-kun…
Kitazawa Mansion:
"Nee-chan!" Capella ran to her when he saw her in the garden. The boy was wearing a royal blue-collared suit that paired with a pair of black shoes.
Sakuno smiled and stood up at the same time. Capella hugged her knees when he reached her. She couldn't help but giggle at him, "Where are your parents?"
Capella grinned at her question, "Which of them are you talking about?"
She giggled more at his little joke, "Both of them."
"Well," The boy said as he thought of his parents, "Mom and Dad are talking to your Mom and Dad while Mama and Papa are being instructed to go to the town for a mission."
"I see," She nodded as she remembered Ahiru telling her that they would go to the town for today. Fakir volunteered to come just to be sure of her personal maid's safety. Hinagiku was accompanying her for a while and was standing not far from her, "You are pretty lucky having two parents, don't you know that?"
Capella blushed when she said that. Sakuno thought that he was really cute when he reacted like that, "B-but you are my big sister, meaning that they are your parents too."
"A-ah, you are right." She remembered as she smiled at him but then she was shocked when Capella leaned away from her and said.
"No! You are not my big sister!" Capella said as his blush never left his face, "I am your second boyfriend, remember?"
Sakuno couldn't help but blush as well. Ever since she brought up that boyfriend thingy, Capella never stopped fusing about it. If he was the same age as the person that she really admired, her heart would really confuse her to no end. And it would be a problem for her when that really happened. But the little boy's expression was really cute that she couldn't help it. She bent down and hugged him, not missing to kiss his cheek;
"Of course, you are," She said hugging him more, "M-my… my second boyfriend is really cute!"
"N-nee-chan!" He said. Despite the blush, he tried to go away from her, "I—I can't breathe."
Sakuno ignored his complains and just hugged him. She only let go when Hinagiku called for them to have a little breakfast that morning. Capella joined in and she even invited Hinagiku for that. And being the mistress that she was very rare to accept that she was one, she would take no for an answer.
One week later:
She visited Chris in his room after lunch that day. Chris was just reading a book at that time. Just like what happened to her before, Chris was able to recover fast from the wound that he received from a gunshot a month before. He only had a rehab for a week for him to be able to walk again. The technology that her family had was very modern and since they were very influenced to the others, they would be taken as the first priority than the others… unfortunately for Sakuno that she didn't want it that way.
It wasn't her decision to interfere anyway.
When he saw her entering the room, he put the book on the table and stood up, "Sakuno," He gave her a peck on her cheek making her blush in the process, "Do you need something?"
"I—I just want to check up on you." She said as she sat on a chair.
Chris walked to the window and stared outside, "I am not that disabled you know. No need to check up on me everyday."
"B-but you are not going out of this room very often."
"I have lots of things to do." He said not looking back at her.
"Lots of things?" She tilted her head to the left, "What are they?"
Chris didn't reply to her question. He stared at the scene outside. He let out a sigh before he decided to answer her question still not looking at her;
"I just couldn't do anything for you?"
"W-what?"
"When you were in danger it was always him who saved you."
Sakuno stood up when she knew where the conversation was going to, "B-but you were there as well—"
"And waited to be shot?!" He looked at her this time, "What a nice performance I did there!"
"C-Chris-kun!"
"I almost put you in danger when I did that. And that friend of yours did show me how his tennis could protect you," He looked down and gritted his teeth, "I felt stupid… and useless."
"D-don't say that!" She said as she leaned closer to him, "I… I was really thankful that you were… although, I feared for you when you got shot. I—I was really worried about you."
"…"
"I was scared. I saw everyone back then… W-what if something bad happened to anyone of you," She looked down before she continued, "I… would definitely blame myself forever."
"…"
"And it was all because of me…"
"Sakuno…"
She looked at him and gave him a weary smile, "But still… I was really glad that none of you got hurt. Thank you for being alive."
Chris immediately hugged her making the girl blush and gasp in the process. The girl was totally speechless when he did that.
"Why is it so easy for you to understand anything?"
"C-Chris-kun?"
"I wish that I was the one who you met first."
"W-what do you mean?"
"I love you Sakuno," He whispered to her ear making her gasp for the second time that day, "I really do."
Sakuno didn't know what to reply. She could sense how sincere he was when he said that. No wonder that her mind was totally confused.
"You'll be with me, right?" He asked still whispering to her eyes, "You'll learn to love me too."
"C-Chris-kun… I-I…"
Chris leaned away and stared at her. Sakuno was really blushing at that moment. His eyes were intensely looking at her. Her eyes widened when he was slowly leaning closer to her face. She held her breath when she saw his face drawing closer to hers. But she felt pain and her heart was restricting for some reason. Before he could kiss her, she quickly turned her face away from him and pushed him away;
"I… I am sorry." She said as she waited for his reply. When she received nothing, she looked at him only to be surprised. Chris was not looking at her anymore and his face was unreadable at that moment. She bit her lower lip as she walked a few steps backward, "I… I am really sorry. T-truly I am." She immediately turned and walked away from that room leaning a stunned blonde boy there.
She closed her eyes as she held her tears to fall down. She realized how much Chris loved her and that was what making everything hard for her. She couldn't love the blonde boy back for she was still in love with him. She thought of telling Chris about her real feelings at that moment but when she saw his unreadable expression, she didn't have the guts to tell him at all.
She just couldn't break the boy's heart any further.
Saturday:
He invited Milfie to have a dinner date that evening. He couldn't stop looking at his girlfriend at that very moment. She was indeed cute at her pink dress. No matter which angle he looked, she was really cute.
"Kawaii, nya…"
Milfie blinked as she shyly looked at him, "W-what is it?"
Eiji slowly reached for his head and scratched it, "Gomen, I couldn't help myself," He blushed as he looked away, "You really are cute."
Milfie blushed as he said that. She bit her lower lip as she tried not to reply at it.
"W-well, I want to take you somewhere else," He said as he stood up and offered her his hand, "Shall we go there?"
She blushed when he said that and looked at his hand. She nodded before she took his hand and allowed him to pull her away from that restaurant.
xxx
"Good thing that my teammates didn't spy on us today." Eiji said as they walked to their destination.
"E-eh?!" She curiously looked at him, "W-what do you mean?"
Eiji looked at her and replied, "Well, those teammates of mine are pretty sneaky when like this happens to one of us," He scratched a finger under his nose as he smiled, "We often do this to Ochibi and Ryuzaki-chii before."
"R-really?"
"Un," He nodded as he closed his eyes, "We're pretty weird, aren't we?"
Milfie closed her eyes as well, "W-weird for your own good, I guess."
He opened his eyes after that and looked ahead, "Ah, we're here."
Milfie stared ahead as well. She couldn't help a smile as she saw what was lie ahead. It was the beautiful scene of Seigaku below them. The lights at night were pretty nice. She leaned on the bar in front of them as she stared at the beautiful scene;
"Kire…" She blushed as she said that. She wasn't aware that Eiji was looking at her.
"I am glad that you like it, Milfie-chan," He said as he too stared at the view, "I knew that you would love this place so I thought of showing this to you."
He knew that Milfie enjoyed the night and so he was. He was with the person that he vowed to protect with whatever happened. He wished that they could stay like that forever.
"Eiji-kun…"
She said still looking at the view. Eiji looked at her. Her expressions were at ease but he could sense that something was odd. He didn't have the time to ask her when she faced him and wrapped her arms to his neck before she gave him a long and lasting kiss.
Eiji was surprised when she did that but he responded to her kiss when he recovered.
"Thank you for everything, Eiji-kun." Milfie smiled at him.
Her smile was odd for him and he knew that something was wrong. She surprised him once again when she distanced herself away from him and continued;
"I need to go now," She waved a hand closing her eyes in the process, "I'll see you soon, ne?"
The acrobatic player thought that something was really odd. Before she could walk away, he grabbed her hand as she turned around;
"Milfie-chan, what's wrong?" He said with a serious tone in his voice.
Milfie paused for a while before she decided to talk, "W-what are you talking about?"
He narrowed his eyes as he voiced out his thoughts, "The kiss… didn't I tell you that don't do that again? You were doing it… just like the first time?"
"…"
"Something's wrong, isn't it?"
"…"
"Why is it… that you're…" He started as he gripped her hand that he was holding, "Going away… from me?"
"Eiji-kun…"
"Tell me Milfie-chan…"
Silence erupted between them. The wind blew after that and it was starting to feel cold. It took minutes before she answered;
"You are right, Eiji-kun…"
The acrobatic player's eyes widened when she said that.
"I am going away."
"Milfie-chan," He said as he looked at her back, "You are going back, right?"
"I am sorry…" She said as she slowly shook her head, "L-let's end this…"
"What?!"
"I…" She said as he sensed that she was having a hard time saying her next words;
"I am going to meet my future fiancé on my step brother's birthday party in two weeks."
Silence came back between them. No one was able to say another word to each other. The night that was previously beautiful for them turned out to be dull in the end.
The Next Day:
It was his finals match that she was watching at that very moment. Capella was not there for he was with his parents at that moment. She was previously troubled because of what happened between Chris and her but it was temporarily forgotten when she watched the tennis prodigy's final match serving for the last set. Like at Wimbledon, he had the same set of five but this time it was his advantage.
Ryoma had taken the victory from that very moment, earning him his first grand slam title in the U.S. Open. That made it his third grand slam title in history. The court rejoiced for his win and she couldn't help but to smile at him.
He was smirking at that time despite the tiredness and fatigue that he was feeling at that moment.
"Ryoma-kun…" She whispered as she placed her chin to her folded knees.
Later on, he was being interviewed by a reporter in the court live. She listened to the coverage.
'Congratulations on winning today, Mr. Echizen,' the reporter said in English. She could understand English much for her tutor was really eager to teach her. She thought of thanking her tutor for teaching her then, 'Today is definitely a lucky day for you.'
'Yes, it is.'
She giggled at his lack of words. Ryoma was just being Ryoma. As far as she could remember, he hated being interviewed. But good thing he was still answering the reporter's questions.
'How was the match today?'
'Tough but I won. He was a pretty good player though.'
'I knew you would say that,' The reporter sweat dropped, 'So any inspiration that you won today?'
She saw him flinch a little but it was not really noticeable. She was a little surprised when Ryoma stared at the camera like… he was actually looking at her. Her heart couldn't stop beating panicky at that moment.
'So who's this person? Someone special, I guess?'
'…She's my tennis.'
Her eyes widened when he said that. He was still staring intensely at the camera like he was tearing that line until he could see her.
'Your tennis?'
Ryoma nodded still looking at it, 'She'll always be in my left side.'
'Woah, was that an indirect confession? Your left side? You mean your heart?'
She was blushing really hard. Her heart was really noisy at that time. She clasped her hands in front of her… near her chest. Her eyes were still widened as she stared at the screen in front of her. She wasn't imagining it. How could she miss it? How could she miss his message all the time? How could she not know about the meaning of her being his tennis? It was all clear to her now.
Ryoma was in love with her.
The boy that she was admiring for a long time was in love with her after all. She should've known that when he first kissed her last Christmas Eve. How could she be so dense about it and to think that it was only her who was loving him alone. It was so stupid of her to think of that.
She was filled with her thoughts that she wasn't able to concentrate with the rest of the interview and just watched him leave the court after it. Then, she made a decision to herself as well.
She was going to tell her parents about it. With that determination, she immediately stood up and went to her door. She twisted the doorknob and opened it.
…Only to be shocked.
Her fiancé was standing at her door, still unreadable as she looked at him. She almost forgot about him because of what happened between them.
"C-Chris-kun…"
"Where are you going?" He said letting himself inside the room and closed the door behind them, "Why are you in such a hurry?
She looked away as she walked backwards, "I—I need to talk to my parents."
"Why?" He said walking closer to her.
She couldn't answer him that very moment. She was panicking. Chris was different at that moment and the fear that she had for him before was suddenly reviving inside her.
"Why Sakuno?" He repeated, "Do you want to convince them to call off our engagement?"
She was shocked when he asked that. Chris thought about that as well. She wasn't expecting that from him.
"Do you really love that guy?"
"C-Chris-kun," She was able to say, "I—I—"
"Tell me Sakuno!" He surprising grabbed her shoulder, "Tell me!"
She was speechless as she looked at his furious eyes.
"Tell me!"
"Yes!"
Everything was fast for her. Chris had pushed her down on the bed and deeply kissed her there. She was really shocked when he did that. She struggled but the blonde guy wasn't even budging from his position.
"C-Chris-kun stop!" She was able to say when he kissed her on the neck. She gasped when she felt his hand to her thigh, "Y-yamete!"
"If you cannot love me, I'll make you!" He coldly said to her still his face was still unreadable, "I'll make you forget that stupid tennis player." With that he leaned down once again and kissed her fully on the lips.
She was shocked when Chris was doing that. She was terrified at his actions. He was pretty strong as he kissed her there. She closed her eyes and tried to struggle.
And wishing that she could convince him before it was too late for her.
2Am:
He went to the mansion like before. Sneaking at the secret passage and went to the balcony. He couldn't wait to see her after the victory that he had last night. He knew that the girl saw his interview that time.
And he knew that she understood what he had said at that very moment. Sakuno had an idea. But still he wanted to tell her… and he would tell her today. He finally reached her room and just like before, her room was dim lighted. But he knew that she was awake.
He yanked his phone and called her and watched from the glass door. It was ringing for a couple of minutes but she wasn't answering. He wondered about that. He called three times before he decided to send her a message.
'If you don't see me in a minute I'll break your glass window.'
It wasn't a treat but that would be the only way to make the girl go out of her room. From that time, he knew that something was wrong and he was going to find out what it was. Not long before, he could see her moving near the glass window. He couldn't stop but smile a little.
She was wearing her night robe at that moment but she wasn't looking at him. She slowly looked and sadly smiled at him. What shocked him was she shook her head to him, telling him not to see her. He knew that something was wrong. He returned from being stoic and yanked something from his pocket. He stared at her before he did a pitcher's position with a tennis ball in his hand waiting for it to throw a fast speed ahead of him.
Seeing what he was planning to do, she flailed her hands and immediately walked closer to the glass door and went outside;
"R-Ryoma-kun, I—I told you not to—"
"What are you saying? Something's wrong, isn't it?"
"N-no nothing's wrong?" She said as she looked away, "J-just stop… seeing me like this… anymore."
Ryoma couldn't get where she was getting at, "Do you want me to visit you at daylight?"
"N-no, t-that's not it," She said as she was having a hard time saying her words, "D-don't see… me anymore."
It took a few seconds for him to realize what she was saying, "Why are you saying that?"
She looked down as she continued her words, "It's not a good image… for someone who's getting married."
"What?!"
"I am getting married, Ryoma-kun." She said slowly looking up to face him. Her face was normal like it was trying to be normal. He was totally shocked when she said that. He couldn't retaliate what she was saying, especially her next words that made his eyes wide;
"I am… marrying Chris-kun."
Done! Who wants to kill Chris now? Colorful words are welcome but please don't say it to me or else you will never know the next chapter… Okay, there were uncleared scenes here. Find out what really happened between Chris and Sakuno in the next chapter and why Sakuno was marrying Chris now. Just when she had just discovered Ryoma's feelings towards her… sigh…
Jumping into conclusions? Hmmm… okay… you can guess I think.
Got what Ryoma meant there? Tee hee hee...
Your thoughts please… Motivate me… and you'll know the real reason… thanks…
I forgot about Mikage, sorry... - Mikage Celestine was a friend of Teito Klein from the anime called '07-ghost'. To make the story short, he was killed by Ayanami and was being reincarnated as fyulong (a pink dragon). I do not own the anime or the manga... not ever.
Btw, 'Special Events' is updated now thanks... ^_^
Next Chapter: Liars Lie