Chapter 14: Reconciliation
Warning: This chapter may be rather...dramatic. I seem to have a flair for soap opera scenes :P
The swimming race proved to be a fierce competition, since the first prize was highly coveted, but eventually Ryoma, Naruto, Kaidoh, Neji, Lee, and several others made it to the finals. Eiji did well in the beginning, but his stamina failed him in the end. Momo, who had ate too much food, got a stomachache and had to drop out in the middle of the race.
"Well done, Kaidoh." Inui said. "Running every day has improved your stamina to a maximum of 43 percent."
"I will prove to you that a hard-worker can beat a genius through endless training!" Lee said to Neji.
"I am SO going to get that ramen coupon!" Naruto shouted.
Sakuno wondered where Ryoma was. She longed to go find him, as she was wont to do at most tennis matches, but she knew she couldn't speak to him. After debating the idea for a while, she decided to write down "Ganbatte!" on a piece of paper, show it to him, and walk away. There's no harm in there, right?
"Hey Sakuno, where are you going?" Tomoka said.
Sakuno jerked. A pink flush spread over her face. An inept liar, she admitted, "Uh, I just thought I want to wish Ryoma-kun good luck."
"Oh!" Tomoka grinned. She leaned close and whispered, "Make sure to give me all the dirty details later, okay?"
"Tomo-chan!"
"Ha, just kidding. Now hurry!" Tomoka gave her a playful push on the back.
Sakuno walked around the water park, careful to avoid puddles or water guns. It wasn't before long that she lost sense of direction, and stood still for a while, trying to figure out which way she should go.
Now, Ryoma happened to be lounging under a big tree and downing a can of Ponta. With people like Lee and Naruto around, he wanted some peace and quiet before the final race. He saw Sakuno not far away, a piece of paper clutched in her hand, looking like she was lost.
He considered going out and extending help to her. But he remembered, from what Inui told him, there was some crazy wacky reason that Sakuno chose not to talk to him, and Ryoma wasn't interested in starting a conversation that turns out to be his own monologue.
But on the other hand, what if she really was lost? What if she met some pervert in the park? Considering the cute, pale blue swimsuit she was wearing, and those damn annoying braids that demanded attention, Ryoma felt sure that Sakuno would be picked up, sooner or later. And he sure didn't want that to happen.
Ryoma got up slowly and headed towards the girl. He felt a slight movement on the ground. Startled, he looked up and saw a big flagpole put against a low wall, was shaken by the movement and teetering, in the direction of Sakuno. A second later, it began to fall.
Horrified, Ryoma leaped forward to push Sakuno out of the way. His hands touched her shoulders--a heavy weight struck his back--and he knew no more.
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If Neji were here, he might say it was destiny.
Sakuno didn't know how it happened. One moment she was standing still, the next moment she was pushed onto the ground. She felt a warm body lying on top of hers and someone's hair tickling her neck, but when she asked that person to move, there was no response.
A few people passing by noticed Sakuno's plight, and came over to help her. When the dead weight on her was finally lifted off, Sakuno let out a shriek.
"Ryoma-kun!"
"I saw what happened," a witness told her. "A minor earthquake just occurred, causing that flagpole to fall, and this boy pushed you out of the way, but he got hit instead. Is he all right?"
Sakuno couldn't believe the story, but there was an unconscious Ryoma as evidence.
She didn't feel like leaving Ryoma there, so she pulled out her cell phone and dialed Fuji's number. Of all her senpai-tachi, Fuji was the closest one to her. He was always kind and gentle to her, and sometimes even helped her with homework.
While Sakuno waited for Fuji and the others to come, she felt very miserable. It seemed that since Ryoma entered her life, she has never stopped causing him trouble. First giving him wrong directions, second relying on him to save her, and now he took a blow for her. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she didn't bother to hold them back.
Ryoma stirred, and opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a hazy image of Sakuno crying silently. He tried to sit up, but sharp pains in his back seared through him, and he couldn't help letting out a grunt of agony.
"Oh! Does it hurt much?" Sakuno said.
"No." Ryoma said, though his helpless state said otherwise.
"Thank you, Ryoma-kun." Sakuno said softly. Even if Motoko is nearby, she didn't care now. "But...but why did you have to hurt yourself so bad?"
"Baka." Ryoma closed his eyes. "If I didn't do that, you'd be hurt."
Sakuno was touched. Her eyes grew very soft, and she started to smooth out the hair on Ryoma's forehead, causing the latter blush. If it weren't for the spasms of pain, he would have enjoyed the attention (But he'd NEVER admit that, not even if threatened with Inui juice).
In fact, if anyone saw them right now, they would assume the two were a couple, though it was kind of weird that a couple would choose to sit on the ground when there were plenty of benches nearby. One of Motoko's kouhais saw them and hurried off to inform her president.
Soon the regulars arrived with medical assistance in the park, and Ryoma was borne off to the emergency room. While Ryoma was being examined by the doctor, Sakuno and the regulars waited outside.
"Don't worry, Sakuno-chan." Momo said, seeing the little girl was really unhappy. "Echizen is much stronger than you think! It'll take more than a small flagpole to break his bones!"
"It's just like a romance novel!" Eiji said. "The hero goes out of his way to save the heroine!"
"This shows that Echizen cares a lot for you, Sakuno-chan," Fuji smiled.
"If you feel so sorry for him, you can make his bentos for a month." Kawamura suggested.
"I don't think that making bentos is enough." Sakuno said. She bowed her head. "Besides, Ryoma-kun doesn't like my cooking. He says it's 'mada mada dane.'"
"Did he?" Fuji said, opening his eyes. "But the one you made for me was simply delicious!"
"When did Sakuno make bentos for you?" Inui asked. "I have no data on that."
"She sometimes does, after our practice matches." Fuji said. At times like this, he didn't feel like joking. And Inui can easily find out the truth himself.
The doctor appeared, and informed them that there was no bones broken, but Ryoma would have to rest a few days. No violent physical activity, please. Which meant that he would have to forfeit the swimming race.
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"Minagawa-senpai! Minagawa-senpai!"
"What?"
"I--I just saw--"
"Saw what? Don't tell me it's--"
"Ryuzaki Sakuno is talking to our Prince!"
"WHAT? How dare she!"
"And not only that, the--the Prince is lying in her lap, and she is stroking his hair, it looks like she has seduced him successfully!"
"Unbelievable. Unpardonable. Unacceptable! She has breached every single rule of the fanclub and much more!"
"What shall we do, Minagawa-senpai?"
"Let us confront her tomorrow. Ryuzaki might be smiling today--but she will be crying tomorrow."
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While such drama was going on, the final race had finished.
"And now I proclaim the winner is--Uchiha Sasuke!"
High-pitched shrieks and screams filled the air as a handsome dark-haired boy went up to receive his prize--the coveted 10000-yen coupon. Despite being pleased at obtaining the first prize, he wore a bored look that was uncannily similar to Ryoma's.
"Oh my god! Sasuke is so cool!" Ino cried.
Sakura gave her a cold look. "Ino, so you like him too?"
"Duh. Who can resist such manly charms? I'm going to find out which school he goes to!"
"Then in the future, we shall be rivals." Sakura undid a pink ribbon in her hair and gave it to Ino, who was dumbfounded.
"Sakura, how could you?"
"Second-place--Uzumaki Naruto!"
"YES!" Naruto jumped up. "Ramen coupons for me!"
However, the second prize turned out to be a large expensive Shogi board game. Naruto's face fell at the sight of the box. Being the loud-mouthed noisy boy who could never sit still, board games are more like a torture to him.
"Hah? But I don't even know how to play!" He whined. "Please, can I exchange it for ramen coupons?"
Unfortunately, his request was refused.
"Oy, Naruto. If you don't want that Shogi game, can you give it to me?" A boy with a pineapple haircut said.
"Sure, Shikamaru! But isn't Shogi the most troublesome thing ever?"
"Board games are never troublesome." Shikamaru replied.
Neji and Kaidoh looked like they wanted to drown themselves in the deepest pool available. Neji received a beautiful makeup kit, while Kaidoh got an enormous cuddly Pikachu stuffed toy.
"This is the stupidest race I've ever been to." Neji said.
Kaidoh hissed in agreement.
Sakuno felt horrible. If she hadn't been so stupid, Ryoma might have won the 10000-yen coupon. Even though he didn't seem to be much affected, Sakuno still couldn't shake off her guilt.
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Sakuno stared at her table morosely. Ryoma was in school, but he had to sit straight in his chair. Once he got tired and leaned back, but he immediately resumed his position when his back touched the back of his chair. Tomoka noticed this and went to the school nurse to get a cushion for him.
A fist pounded on her table. Startled, Sakuno looked up into two burning eyes--her nemesis, Minagawa Motoko.
"Come out." Motoko said coldly.
"You have no right to refuse." Another girl called Minami said. She is vice-president of Prince Ryoma fanclub, and it was her that saw Sakuno nursing Ryoma at Chiba.
"Sakuno!" Tomoka said, alarmed. "Hey, where are you taking her?"
Tomoka was pushed aside, as a group of girls half-shoved, half-carried Sakuno outside. They reached the fourth-floor corridor, which was generally unused unless for specific purposes like student brawls.
"So, Ryuzaki." Motoko folded her hands and stared at the little girl. "What do you have to say now?"
"Huh? I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't you deny it!" Minami stepped forward, her eyes flashing. "I saw you with Ryoma yesterday in Chiba Water Wonderland. You should be ashamed of yourself!"
A girl pulled Sakuno's braids, and she cried out in pain.
"I admit I talked to Ryoma-kun, but he was injured! I had to ask him how he felt."
"Yeah, right." Another girl gave Sakuno a hard shove, causing the latter fall on the ground. "Because he saved you and got himself injured, he had to forfeit the race!"
Sakuno could not deny this. Furthermore, what power did she have against a group of jealous fangirls?
Motoko clicked her fingers, and two girls came up, carrying a huge, stinking trash can.
"Empty the contents on her." Motoko ordered. "Let's see if our Prince will still save her if she's covered in trash."
Sakuno struggled hard, but both of her arms were pinned to her sides. Even when she moved her head, it hurt because another girl was holding onto her braids.
Just at this pivotal moment--
"Ne," A voice came from behind the girls. "What is going on here?"
The Prince Ryoma fangirls halted. Ryoma had arrived with Tomoka and Inui behind him. His clear eyes roved over them, and finally rested on Sakuno.
"Sakuno!" Tomoka gasped, and ran over to her best friend. "I tried to find Ryoma-sama as fast as I can, and Inui-senpai helped me. Daijoubu desu ka?"
Sakuno shook her head. She was still trembling slightly from her fright.
Ryoma walked over to her and faced the girls. "Why are you doing this?"
The girls looked at each other, terrified. Motoko stepped forward.
"Please Ryoma, I know you must be angry, but I didn't start this. She did."
"What do you mean?"
"Ryuzaki made a bet with me. She said if she lost to me in the tryout, she would stop talking to you. But yesterday, at Chiba, Minami saw that she spoke to you."
"Excuse me," Inui's voice reached them. "There is a slight error; my data says that it was Minagawa suggested the bet--thirty-six days, eight hours, and forty-three minutes ago, by the way."
"Thank you, Inui-senpai." Ryoma said. He turned to Motoko again. "So what you said is, Ryuzaki cannot talk to me because she lost to you?"
"She broke her promise." Motoko said, folding her arms. "So we had no choice but punish her."
"She didn't."
There was a brief silence. Even Sakuno couldn't believe her ears.
"But she lost to me!" Motoko shouted. "You all saw the game; she passed out in the end! I won the game, fair and sqaure!"
"I know. But the bet didn't say that I can't talk to her."
Motoko's eyes grew bigger. So did Sakuno's. The fangirls looked at each other. As much as they hated to see this, their prince seemed determined to protect Sakuno.
"Besides," Inui cut in. "Even if Sakuno is forbidden to talk, there's no reason why she shouldn't speak, chat, discuss, gab, jabber, banter, or engage in a conversation with Echizen."
By this time, a substantial crowd had gathered around, including the Seigaku regulars.
"Well said, Inui-senpai!" Momo and Kaidoh said at the same time, and for once, did not glare at each other.
"Tennis should not be a tool to breed hatred." Fuji said. His blue eyes were 100 percent serious, and there was no trace of his usual smile on his face now.
"You girls should be the ones to be ashamed nya!" Eiji cried. "How could you be so cruel to our poor Sakuno-chan! Inui should treat you all to his latest concotion!"
"Apologize." Tezuka said.
No one dares to disobey the formidable tennis captain, not even presidents of tennis prince fanclubs.
"I--I'm sorry." Motoko said sullenly.
"Un." Seeing Motoko bowing low, with the Seigaku regulars looking contemptuously at her, Sakuno suddenly felt sorry for the senpai.
"I forgive you," Sakuno said. "Even though what you did to me--it wasn't nice--but I can understand a little. People can have--very different attitudes when they like someone. Next time when you like someone, I hope you will go up and talk to him yourself, instead of forbidding others to talk."
She paused for breath, and was surprised when everyone started clapping, even including a few girls in the Prince Ryoma fan club.
"Well said, Sakuno!" Momo and Kaidoh said, and this time they glared at each other. Both of them felt it was too much to be in sync for a second time in one day.
"Ne, Echizen," Fuji nudged the boy. "You know what, I'm feeling that Sakuno-chan is too good for you."
Instinctively, Ryoma moved a little forward, shielding Sakuno. "Shut up."
Motoko, defeated and deflated, pushed her way through the crowd and ran away. Her minions began to disperse as well, and the regulars, after patting Sakuno on the head and telling her everything was all right now, left as well. It might be coincidence, or perhaps it was deliberate, but in the end, Sakuno and Ryoma were left alone in the corridor.
"Well," Sakuno found it such a relief to be talking to him again. "Lunch break is almost over, so perhaps we'd better--"
"Baka." he said.
"Huh?"
"Why did you agree to such a stupid thing?"
Sakuno blinked. "Because--Minagawa-senpai said she'd do something to me if I didn't agree. And besides," her voice dropped low. ", I thought you wouldn't mind. I know that I am a bother to you."
"Bother?" Ryoma opened his eyes wide.
"Hai." Sakuno bowed her head. "I--I am always causing you trouble. From the first time I gave you wrong directions--"
"Baka." Ryoma tugged the end of his cap. "I'd rather have you being a bother than having you not talk to me."
"Eh?" Were her ears malfunctioning?
"Never mind." He started to walk, and suddenly turned. "And I'm glad that you're back--Sakuno."
It was the first time he said her name in her presence. Not even the bell that signalled lunch break sounded sweeter. Warmness flooded through her, like she just drank a big cup of hot chocolate.
Sakuno smiled.
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The school festival soon arrived. Every class was in a flurry of excitement, busy preparing their assigned stall. Colourful signs were erected, banners stretched over the corridors, flyers stuck on windows and walls, and some students dressed up in costume. Savory smells emanated from food stalls, music blared from some, and all bubbled with incessant chatter.
"I hear that Class B is building a haunted house!" Katsuo reported. "I wonder if it will really be scary?"
"Class C is having a teddy bear theme!" Tomoka said. "I hear they're going to sell handmade bears, teddy bear keyrings, stickers, magnets...isn't that cute? We should totally go and see what it's like!"
"Ino-senpai told me their class is going to sell red-bean cakes and green tea cookies, and they will be wearing kimonos." Sakuno said.
"I hear Class D has a fortune-telling booth." Horio said.
"Anyway," Kachiro said, ", does anyone know what the tennis club is doing?"
"Thanks for reminding us, Kachiro!" Tomoka shouted. "Let's sign up for the earliest shift, Sakuno, so we can go and see what they are up to!"
While Sakuno was attending the stall, Okayasu Kairi appeared.
"Hey, Sakuno-chan!"
Sakuno dropped a pair of chopsticks. "Okayasu-kun?"
"I told you I would come!" Kairi wagged his finger at her. "Ooh...look at those onigiri!I just knew you are a superb cook, Sakuno-chan!"
"Er, Okayasu." Tomoka cleared her throat. She liked Kairi, but Sakuno is her best friend. When she learned of the bet, Tomoka was more than determined to make sure NOTHING would go against Sakuno's rocky relationship with Ryoma. "Thanks for coming and supporting our stall, but Sakuno belongs to another person now."
Kairi stared, and then began laughing.
"Eh? What's so funny?" Tomoka demanded.
"I already have a girlfriend."
"A girlfriend?"
"Yeah. Momo-chan is the cutest girl in the world!"
"MOMO-CHAN?" Tomoka, Sakuno, and the freshman trio cried. When did Momo-senpai--it cannot be--the world is coming to an end--
Kairi disappeared for a while, and when he returned, he had his arm round a tall, tanned girl with long peach-coloured hair.
"Hah? If you had a girlfriend, why did you still come to our school festival?"
"Well, Sakuno-chan is my friend." Kairi brushed back a lock of his hair. "And I thought I'd better let Sakuno-chan's senpai-tachi know that I have no more intentions, so they won't plot and kill me. Speaking of them, aren't they around? They seem to have a sense stronger than wild animals when I get five feet within you."
Sakuno told him that the regulars had some other activity to attend to.
"I see," Kairi said. "Anyway, Momo-chan, want something to eat?"
"Un." The girl named Momo said, and both of them shared a smile.
Sakuno smiled as she bustled around, handing out onigiri and sushi and miso soup. She was truly happy for Kairi; she always felt sorry for him ever since she refused him.
Their sushi stall turned out to be a big success, thanks to Sakuno's expert cooking. The bad thing is, even though Tomoka managed to squeeze in an early shift, she ended up helping until noon, since the stall was so busy. The good thing is, their supplies ran out quickly and had to close early, so the class were free to explore other stalls.
Sakuno wanted to go and say hello to her female senpai-tachi before seeking her big brothers.
"Hi, Sakuno!" Ino said. She looked very pretty in a kimono patterned with peach blossoms, and her hair done up in silver chopsticks. "Do you want some red-bean cakes or green tea cookies?"
"I'll have a box, thank you." Sakuno replied. "Do you know where I can find the boys' club, Ino-senpai?"
Ino produced a flyer and gave it to her. When Tomoka and Sakuno read the contents, the latter promptly dropped the plate of cookies she was carrying.
"No. Way." Tomoka said.
"I'm sure it's gonna be fun!" Ino said, winking. "I'll be finished in twenty minutes, so I'll also be there. See you later!"
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By the time Tomoka, Sakuno, and the freshman trio arrived at the auditorium, they beheld an extremely long queue. Everyone held a flyer, and were talking at the top of their voices.
"Hurry up!" someone called. "Tickets are 500 yen each! If you don't hurry, they'd all be sold out!"
Kachiro was reading from the flyer. "Do you want to see your favorite Seigaku player on stage? Do you want to see them sing, dance, and act? Welcome to the one and only school play consisting of Seigaku's National tennis champions! All proceeds will be donated to a foundation for the victims of the Southeast Asia tsunami disaster."
"A brilliant stroke of financial genius," Tsunade said, her hands on her hips. "Our principal knew that money would pour in by marketing the boy regulars, and they can't come up with a good reason to refuse a good cause."
"Anyone got a video camera?" Tomoka kept asking.
Sakuno was hugely amused. So this was why Ryoma seemed like a deflated balloon. She also saw Motoko and her minions walking around, each of them carrying a string of stuffed toys that looked like--
"Prince Ryoma plushies for sale!" Motoko shouted. "All proceeds will be donated as well!"
"She hasn't given up yet?" Tomoka said.
"That girl freaks me out." Horio said, shivering.
Finally, when they entered the auditorium and settled in their seats, they saw a huge banner hanging over the stage, titled "The Zany Teni-Puri Family."
The curtains parted, revealing Oishi, who was wearing an apron and holding a saucepan. Tomoka nearly fell off her chair in shock.
"Konnichiwa, I am Shuuko." Oishi said, amidst screams from his fanclub. "I am the mother of the family." He forced a smile, all the while thinking desperately, "This is not shameful! It's all for the poor, suffering people in Indonesia!"
"Allow me to introduce my family," Oishi continued. "This is our mischievous eldest son, Ryoma." The spotlight moved to a very grumpy boy reading a comic book.
"Ryoma-kun..." Sakuno said.
"Our tomboy daughter, Momoko."
"MOMOKO?" The freshman trio said together.
The audience all became round-eyed at the sight of Momo dressed in a cute red frock, cuddling a teddy bear, and sporting two pigtails.
Horio did fall off his chair.
"And our cu--cute youngest son, Kaoru."
They beheld Kaidoh sitting on the ground, wearing green overalls, and--shaking a rattle.
"Oh my god! Kaidoh-senpai is SO cute!" A freshman girl shrieked.
"Grandpa and grandma."
The spotlight revealed Tezuka scowling in a grey yukata and leaning on a cane, while Fuji seemed quite at ease in a white kimono and sandals.
"Fuji-senpai actually looks great in woman's clothes." Tomoka whispered.
"And my dar--darling husband, Sadaharu-san."
Inui was dressed in a green suit and grey necktie. There was a slight smile on his face.
"Those are the seven people in our family," Oishi continued. His voice was stronger now, having spoken so many lines.
A loud meowing noise could be heard, and Eiji cartwheeled onto the stage, dressed in an adorable cat suit, complete with a long tail and cat ears.
"Gomen! I forgot our pet, Kikumaru." Oishi said.
"Meow!" Eiji cried, showing his "paws." He seemed to be the only one who was genuinely enjoying himself.
The next half hour kept the audience rolling in their seats with laughter. The tennis club was famous around the school (Ryoma alone has an impressive fan base), and seeing the boys being abnormally goofy for a while was pure comedy. Sakuno didn't know which scene was the best--Ryoma and "Momoko" skipping rope together, Kaidoh riding on an adorable little green tricycle, Fuji and Oishi trying face masks in a department store, Tezuka tending pots of plants, Inui going to work in suit and tie and carrying a briefcase, Kawamura delivering sushi and brandishing a racket at the same time, or Eiji performing gymnastics round the house and meowing all the time.
Sakuno had never enjoyed a play so much, and her intimacy with the tennis club doubled the fun. She laughed so hard at one scene that the tears came, and she had to get out her handkerchief to wipe them away.
When the play came to an end, the regulars were greeted with a standing ovation.
"Their acting sucked." Tsunade said, who was sitting behind Sakuno.
"Tsunade-buchou!" Shizune said. "They have sacrificed their dignity and entertained us, and also raised money for charity!"
"All right, all right. Pity that most of them are graduating this year. I could use a good laugh sometimes."
Sakuno blanched at the last sentence. She was aware that most of her big brothers will be graduating soon, but she always tried to put the thought far away in her mind. Now that someone voiced it, loud and clear, the inevitable finally sank in. Since Seigaku did not have a senior high school, it was likely that today would be one of the last times she would see the regulars all together.
The tears came again, though this time, they were precipitated for an entirely different reason.
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A/N: As I've forewarned, this chapter is kind of dramatic, but in my opinion, not impossible. First, Japan gets loads of earthquakes every year. Second, many shoujo manga depict individuals being threatened/ostracized/assaulted by a group (Tsukushi Makino in Hana Yori Dango is a good example). Third, this is my fanfiction, so I can do whatever I like with it :P
If nothing unexpected springs into my head, there's only one more chapter to go, and an epilogue (sobs). No more new crossovers, except for two more Furuba characters. I guess it's kind of complicated with so many crossover characters, but it is fun, isn't it?
Cutie Blossom: No, Kagura is the pig. Motoko is president of Yuki's fanclub. ruuka: I've done my best to keep Ryoma IC, but he's got to change for Ryo/Saku to happen. FadingHearts: Hehe, torturing Tezuka is just too fun. BusyPerson: Yup, Jiraiya and Nanjiroh go together well, don't they? And kudos for pointing out the graduation; it's one of the reasons why this story is coming to an end. fenris: Inui only told him that Sakuno, for some reason, cannot talk to him, but it's only until Motoko went after Sakuno that Ryoma knew the whole thing.