Chapter 14

Disclaimer- I do not own prince of tennis or any of its characters

"Sakuno… what was all that about?"

"Ryoma…. We….. we… need to talk!" said Sakuno not looking in his direction.

"Yeah? What's wrong?" Ryoma said as he went and sat beside Sakuno but she distanced herself from him and Ryoma noticed that quietly

There was utter silence for next ten minutes. No one spoke a word nor did they look at each other.

Sakuno composed herself, let out a sigh and said "you need to go Ryoma!"

"where?" he asked

"you need to go away from here, from me!" she said with a stern face

"but why?"

"why? Ryoma… did you forget why you came to London in the first place?"

And that when it hit Ryoma! The Exhibition. So many things were happening in his life that he totally forgot what is initial purpose was.

Ryoma got and up and ran his fingers through his hair…

"I am already prepared,,, it will be a piece of cake!" he said and he was about to kiss Sakuno but she backed off.

"See, that….. That is what I am talking about…..you're too over confident and full of yourself. This is not some ordinary match Ryoma! This is the match that is going to decide who you are going to be in the future!... you can't just be cool with it !"

"That's none of your concern….. Anyway… this is what you wanted right? You wanted us? I will be there Sakuno! I chose you over Tennis!" he said with anger

"you think I begged you for your attention? You think I planned it all along…. I mean.. .. wh..wh..? "

"What were you before I came to London?... you were a messed up girl… you got drunk everyday… you hanged around with random boys and you were lost! you were just a girl who wanted attention from everyone… and look where it got you!"

"SHUT UP!" Sakuno screamed at him

Ryoma looked at her with shock. He just realized what he has done. He said things that had definitely hurt Sakuno.

" I was like that beac….. be….because of you…." She said and she started crying.

They had this argument before and both of them had apologized to each other but it had come back again.

Ryoma went to Sakuno and wiped her tears away and whispered a sorry into her ear.

"its ..ok….ok…okay! What's done is done…" she said as wiped her own tears.

There was again a silence and again Sakuno broke it

"You need to go…. Leave…. Just go!" she said and this time she looked him in the eyes.

"Sakuno… I am sorry…. I said it out of anger…."

"No! It's not because of that…. I just….. I can't have you here….I am sorry Ryoma! But leave now!" she said

"SAKUNO!" Ryoma shouted.

"Don't you…. Understand that I need my own space for once in my life?" she retorted back to him

Ryoma was stunned. He was frozen in his place and he could feel his heart breaking

"JUST LEAVE RYOMA!" she shouted this time and Ryoma was angry

"FINE! I'll and I am very sorry your highness for taking good care of you! And I also want to tell you that this… US … it's OVER!" he said and he flung outside the room.

Anger took control of Ryoma. He was just very pissed.

He took out his mobile and called his manager….

"Hi… sorry.. For ignoring your calls all this week, I am coming for practice in twenty minutes…."

Sakuno was crying and she was crying hard. She broke his heart this time. She purposely brought the past which was forgiven and forgotten so that he would leave her.

As soon Ryoma left the room Kagome came inside. Kagome closed the door and drew the curtain in the room.

"i…. i…. I did something very wrong" Sakuno told her and she was crying her heart out.

"Oh Sakuno!" Kagome said and she hugged her tightly.

The crowds were going wild. Ryoma stood in the locker room changing into his gear. He wore his favorite white cap and he his lucky Red racket.

Ryoma felt his phone vibrating and he picked it up and answered it

"Ryoma!... Best of luck my son! I know you can win it!" Said Nanjiro Echizen.

"hn..." was Ryoma's reply.

"Hello! Ryoma darling! Play fare and square okay... remember it's just a game!" said Rinko

"hn…"

"oy! Ryoma! Beat that guy's ass!" Shouted Ryoma at the phone.

"Hn…."

And then Ryoma ended the call. Ryoma was confident. He was sure he can win this match but he felt something missing…or to be more specific someone missing.

"Sakuno…" Ryoma muttered under his breath.

"Sir… your match is about to start" said a boy

Ryoma nodded and followed him to the court.

When Ryoma entered the court he was blinded by the sunlight and he quickly covered his eyes. He could hear the crowd cheering. It was not much of a big gathering but still, there were people and especially girls cheering for him and they have heard a lot about him in local daily newspapers as the son of the great Samurai and him known as Prince of Tennis in Japan.

Ryoma smirked. It was time to play.

His Eyes wandered in the crowd looking for a certain someone. A girl, with long auburn hair, most probably platted. But she could not be found.

"forget about her! It's your time to play Ryoma!" He said to himself.

The opponent was from the country where the match was being played.

"best of luck little boy!" he said with a grin

Ryoma didn't reply.

His opponent served first.

Ryoma saw the ball racing towards him and he was about to hit when Sakuno suddenly appeared in his mind and he lost all concentration and he missed it.

"fifteen – zero" said the referee.

Ryoma shook his head abruptly and cursed under his breath while his opponent has a victory smirk.

Opponent served again and again Ryoma missed it. It went on until the first set was won by his opponent.

Ryoma clutched his chest and he was tired. Today was defiantly not his day.

They changed sides and now it was Ryoma chance to serve

Ryoma threw the ball in air and he hit it giving his best shot.

"FAULT!" shouted the referee

Ryoma grinned with frustration.

He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. He silenced himself but all he could think of was Sakuno. He wanted her. She was essential for his game today.

Ryoma then suddenly could hear someone shouting his name. Millions of girls were shouting his name but this voice was recognizable

Having a idea of who it might be Ryoma's eyes shot open and he searched the crowd for the source of the sound.

And after vain searching he spotted the girl, the one he needed, sitting in the 2 nd row, in a wheel chair and shouting his name out.

Both their eyes met, and for Ryoma there was no one else but her.

"YOU CAN DO IT!" She shouted.

Ryoma nodded at her and he turned back at his opponent.

The ball flew in the air by him and Smack, a power serve!

His opponent couldn't return it.

"Fifteen zero!" Shouted the referee.

One more serve and one more miss by his opponent.

And then the real matches begin. Ryoma won the second set.

"you are going down!" his opponent shouted but he knew that is not going to happen. His opponent was using all the tactics in the book trying to scare Ryoma but Ryoma was hard and determined and cannot be fooled that easily.

"Mada Mada Dane!" he replied and he knew his opponent wouldn't understand it so he said "You still have long ways to go!" with a classic smirk.

The final set had started and Sakuno had closed her eyes and she was praying to god!

"Please let him win the match...please!"

And Sakuno's prayers were answered. He won!

Ryoma shouted a 'yeah' and the crowd went wild.

He went inside the locker room and his manager was taking care of the screaming fans.

He sat in the room and tried to recapitulate what happened. He had won and from now on. He can represent his country in the Wimbledon, French open, Australian open Etc! he was thrilled.

He was so excited that he almost forgot someone.

"Sakuno." he said and opened the door, only to be bombarded by his fans.

After half an hour of controlling the fans, he searched for Sakuno and she couldn't be found.

He went back to his hotel in disappointment and when he reached the room, he found a letter…

Dear Ryoma,

I am sorry I had to leave so soon…. The doctor said I can't overstress myself. You played very well Ryoma and I knew you could win this. I am sorry Ryoma for that day. I went out of line but I knew that was the only way to bring you here today…. Make our country proud and hope you keep winning like this more and more in the future…

Take care.

Sakuno

"Flight b23 to Japan, passengers are requested to go through security check" was announced in the airport. Hearing that it was his flight, Ryoma got up from the café and now he was headed towards the security check

Yesterday he had won a match and today he was supposed to go home. He wanted to see Sakuno for the last time and he went to the hospital but he learned that she has got discharged yesterday and he went to her house or houses and he found out that she was nowhere nor was her family.

He has to meet her, for the last time. His heart ached for her.

Ryoma was about to go the line and his wandered off in all direction until, he spotted a girl. he stopped in his tracks and looked at that girl.

She was wearing a pink dress which he knew he had given it to her, with her hair platted into one. She smiling at him with teary eyes, sitting in a wheel chair,

No sooner did he see her then he started running towards her.

"Sakuno…" he said as he touched her cheeks and wiping away the tears. Sakuno caught on to his arm and she stood up.

Ryoma supported her and helped her to balance herself.

"I couldn't…. I couldn't…. I couldn't let you go without saying a good bye" she said. When Ryoma heard those words he kissed her.

She kissed him back and he slowly wrapped his arms around her small waist bringing her closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and she opened her mouth for him giving her full access to his mouth.

They broke apart after sometime and Ryoma asked her "come with me Sakuno"

Sakuno smiled and she traced his lips with his hands.

"I can't" she said

"why not?" he asked her

"you still have lots do and so do i…. we can't start out happily ever after, not now" she said with teary eyes with her hands on his cheeks.

Ryoma felt a tear escape his eye, and he was shocked to know that he was crying.

"But… I won yesterday because of you…. What if I can't win the next match… what if…?" He started mumbling but Sakuno shushed him

"I will always be there, in here" she said as she pointed to his chest.

He was about to say something when Sakuno hugged him tightly and then she said

"Remember…. I will always love you" and she kissed him again.

I think I am going to end it like this. At least this time they separated in good terms.

This chapter marks the end of 2nd part of being 20 year olds.

Hehehe! Sorry for late update

And again I bed and also plead!

Do read and review!