Disclaimer: I do not own POT

Chapter 30: Genichiro Sanada

"… so he means he unwillingly likes her and retrospectively he hates her for it. Interesting."

Jackal noted his friend one of the 3 demons of Rikkai Dai. What can he say? There is another demon about to tell his story…

"TELL ME WHO'S DATING SAKUNO!"

Jackal turned around to see Momoshiro shaking Eiji for an answer when Tezuka grabbed Momoshiro by the collar of his shirt and said

"He is in no state. Leave him alone."

Momoshiro whined

"I wanted to know!"

"Chiz… Mada mada dane. If you looked carefully in each story, you'll get an idea."

"I am so curious! What if it's…"

Momoshiro cast an eye onto Atobe Keigo who is staring out the window with a loopy smile.

"Or worse…"

Momoshiro cast an eye to Kaidoh who seemed to be staring at the rug unmoving.

"Just focus on the stories, I think Echizen is right. If you look carefully and then you will see it. "

Shishido Ryou seemed to see the bigger picture. It was almost morning… It seemed like everyone is worried as well. Wasn't she on the flight that crashed?

"Let's just focus on Genichiro, I will call Ryuuzaki sensei."

Tezuka walked out of the room and Genichiro looked at Atobe with a slight unhappy look on his face as he said

"I want to tell her, she's mine."

"?!"

Genichiro Sanada was 10 at the time, he was practicing his Kendo vigorously. His grandfather had been rather strict on his training and he valued the training.

"Genichiro! Your grandfather is calling you."

"Yes!"

Genichiro quickly wiped his face from sweat and then he dashed out of the room. He was surprised that his grandfather would call him in the middle of his training. His grandfather usually respects training time. When he arrived in front of his grandfather, it seems that there was someone there. A small girl about 7 years old, she sat there looking out the window and watching the bamboo collect water and deposited into the fountain. Beside her was an older woman with a lot of spirits. She and his grandfather were talking energetically. One could even say that they were the only ones happy.

"Ah! Genichiro! Come here."

Genichiro obeyed as he sat beside his grandfather. He noted the 7-year-old girl looked paler than him but her eyes were large brown eyes. The deep and warm brown of course.

"This is my good old friend Sumire Ryuuzaki and her granddaughter Sakuno Ryuuzaki."

Genichiro bowed at the two of them politely and introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Genichiro Sanada."

For the first time they were all speaking, Sakuno turned to look at Genichiro. She had wide curious eyes but she seemed very meek. She bowed deeply back.

"Nice to meet you. Your grandson is wonderful Gen'emon-san. I am very happy to say this is a good idea."

What was a good idea? Genichirou looked at his grandfather asking for clarity and his grandfather dropped a large one.

"Well, we were talking about you and Sakuno to marry in the future!"

He laughed and so did Sumire. But he could see Sakuno's eyes widened as much as he did. Did the two of them just said marriage? That is a very formal business! He needs a strong woman like him, well principled! He has to have that kind of woman in the future… not this weak meek little girl.

"You two should go outside and get to know each other for now. You will be in each other's lives for a lot longer than you think."

Genichiro wanted to say no, but he couldn't. He respected his grandfather's decisions and he can't say no… so he stood up and said

"Follow me."

Sakuno waited for a moment and then headed out with him. Sakuno was shorter than him and had her hair in two pigtails. At least she was cooperative. Genichiro had no idea where to take her, so he took her to the dojo where he practiced.

"I don't know where else to take you."

Sakuno merely nodded and she walked towards the corner and she sat down. Genichiro had seen some girls in his 10 years. Some girls would pester him to play house with them or play dolls or play on the playground. He was often forced to do what he did not want. When he does anything he liked, no one else wanted to do it with him. He picked up his kendo sword and began to swing again and practice his stances. Sakuno seemed to watch. She was quiet and had not made a sound all this time.

It was peaceful with his swings and Sakuno sat there. It was only an hour later did Genichiro noted soft breathing. He saw that Sakuno had laid down sleeping. She had sat there quietly and not made a sound and now slept. She slept so defencelessly. How is this girl going to survive? He looked around and found a dry towel… he picked it up and covered her a little and she seemed at ease by this. Sakuno instinctively reached out and grabbed the hand that tucked her in.

Genichiro was taken aback that her hand can still be smaller than his. Fragile. Small. Weak… But he obliged a small pat on her hand as he said

"Fine. If you are going to be my future, you need to become stronger."

Sakuno seemed to respond to him while sleeping as she sighed and smiled. Genichiro had to admit, she had a sweet smile at least. He went back to practicing and swinging his kendo sword. But he heard some noise outside, some kids from outside came in to play in the dojo area. He opened the door and cast them a scary look he learned from his grandfather as he said

"Quieter. Someone is resting here."

The kids scampered away and Genichiro continued his practice.

"Sakuno-chan! Sakuno-chan!"

A voice called for her, Sakuno seemed to be sound asleep so Genichiro came out and sees her grandmother looking for her.

"She's over here."

"Oh! She's asleep… Thank you for taking care of her. She is a very meek girl. I had often hope that someday, she will find someone who could guard her as you have today."

"She needs to learn to protect herself someday. I can't always protect her."

Genichiro stated because he felt that way. She needs to become stronger. To this, Sumire Ryuuzaki laughed boisterously as she said

"Well said. I know she's in good hands. Sakuno-chan! Wake up."

Sakuno slowly stirred and she rubbed her eyes of sleep and looked at her grandmother.

"Can you walk Sakuno-chan?"

She nodded and then she got up. She slowly walked and then she saw Genichiro and instead of straight to her grandmother, she walked towards him and hugged Genichiro. That made Genichiro freeze in shock. She was a small soft girl hugging a boy.

"Thank… thank you for the towel…and…and you were co…cool swinging the bamboo sword."

Sakuno released him and let a meek smile and left. Genichiro slumped onto the ground. His face flushed red. WHO SAID SHE WAS MEEK?! What kind of western thank you is this? Who taught her that? That was a sneak attack because his heart raced like… that girl is dangerous.

"HAHAHAHA"

Gen'emon laughed as Genichiro told him about the girl and how she was weak and she is often smiling and then hugging random children. She was not suitable for him.

"I heard from Sumire that at one point, she had a good friend who was from England and taught her a lot about England customs."

"…"

Genichiro hoped that was a girl because there will be another conversation. Gen'emon could tell his grandchild is concerned and he patted his grandchild on the head and said

"You need to understand Genichiro, no one is born strong, they learn and they can change. You have the rest of your lives to figure this out. Don't be too quick to judge. If you still don't like her in 10 years, we can talk again."

Genichiro wondered if 10 years, instead of arguing he'd just give up. No. As his grandfather said. If he wants her to change, he needs to make sure she does. He has 10 years to try anyway.

"Piggie! Pigtails! You have pig's tails tied to your head!"

A girl sobbed as she was being pulled on by her braids and by bigger boys. Suddenly a bamboo sword came up and smacked the hands and the boys leaped back.

"You leave my girl alone!"

Genichiro and Sakuno had known each other for 3 weeks now. She often watched him train and she doesn't sleep anymore. She watches with fascination and she always smiles even when he pulls a scary look. She seemed to know he had no ill intentions. But today, Genichiro saw her crying for the first time and something in Genichiro snapped.

"Or what?"

Genichiro noted that three boys were his age and one of them were slightly taller. Genichiro glared at them

"Nothing. You leave her alone or I have to protect her."

"Step aside!"

They try to hit him and Sakuno. Genichiro kept her behind him as he charged too. Bamboo sword lifted. Sakuno watched as the boys tried everything. They threw rocks and Genichiro blocked them with his kendo sword he managed to knock one of them down and he was looking at the other when the third boy came from behind him.

"Gen-kun!"

Sakuno cried out and Genichiro managed to knock the second kid off and turned around to see the third kid bowled down by Sakuno ramming her entire body into him. Sakuno who was meek and shy… always hiding behind him when she was scared. She ran straight into the third kid. The biggest one and all to protect him.

"Get off me! Pig!'

He grabbed Sakuno's arm and yanked her away from him and Sakuno landed on her face and scraped her knee. Genichiro was incensed, he used his entire might to hit the child with his bamboo sword and finally, the three boys ran away.

"Sakuno-chan!"

He quickly went towards her and Sakuno looked up with tears in her eyes. He looked at her wounds and then cried out

"BAKA! Why did you do that? You were not strong enough!"

Sakuno whimpered a little and Genichiro felt his anger evaporating. Such a small, meek, and delicate girl used her entire body to ram into the boy. She was not weak. He patted the sand off her skirt and said

"But you were very brave. But you can't rely on bravery alone. You need to become stronger. From now on, you will have to train with me. No buts! You are going to be my wife in the future, you need to be stronger."

Sakuno looked at Genichiro's outstretched hand and she took his hand and nodded.

"Okay. To be Gen-kun's wife… I will work hard."

She stated that. Simple things made them happy. That made them happy.

"Let's go. I carry you. You can't walk like this…"

"But you are bruised."

Sakuno noted some bruises and injuries but he said

"You're my wife, so I need to take care of you."

Sakuno smiled shyly and climbed up onto his back. They went back to Genichiro's place and his grandfather saw them and went livid.

"You two should know better! I expected Genichiro to know better! What were you two up to? You shouldn't get into fights!"

Genichiro merely sat there and took the anger but Sakuno for the first time… first time for Genichiro to hear Sakuno who was so soft-spoken and stutters, she was so clear

"It's not Gen-kun's fault! He came to rescue me from bullies! You can't yell at Gen-kun!"

Sakuno was so clear in her words. Genichiro's eyes widened as he had never seen her like this. Maybe he was wrong after all… Maybe Sakuno has got what it takes to become a Sanada. She spoke to the one person the Sanada family is scared of arguing with. But her outburst made his grandfather laugh.

"You are so much like Sumire Ryuuzaki, she had that kind of spunk as well. I used to have a crush on your grandmother before you know? You are exactly splitting image of her."

Sakuno was surprised by his words, but no one is more surprised that Genichiro. His grandfather liked her grandmother? However, Genichiro would never admit this to Sakuno but, that got his heart accelerating. His grandfather wasn't wrong to say that it was very pretty. He found Sakuno pretty too when she spoke that way.

3 years later, Sakuno trains weekly with Genichiro on Kendo. But their passions have changed to tennis, but Genichiro still trains her.

"Hya!"

"You still move so slowly Sakuno-san."

Sakuno smiled at him, she knew his heart was in the right place. Genichiro still hated that she smiles at him. He realized he had one weakness or two, depending on how you see them. 1. That he tends to go soft when she smiles at him. 2. When she cries, he'd do anything to get her to stop.

"Gen-kun is sharp as always…"

"You need to discipline yourself. You are going to start your first year in middle school. Remember that you should always be prepared and be confident."

"…I…I will try… but… it's a relief that I am going to Seigaku… be…because my grandmother will be there. Another one of my friends will be there too."

"Who?"

"A…A senpai at my school."

"I see…"

"Gen-kun, do you remember when grandma and your grandpa told us that they were kidding 3 years ago?"

"…"

Genichiro remembered that day. At the end of the 1st year, Genichiro was ready to accept her as his bride in the future and he mentioned this to his grandfather, his grandfather laughed as he said

"I was kidding. You were in a phase where girls were yuck to befriend. So I figured if I said she is your fiancée you would not turn her away."

Genichiro will never tell a soul that after that conversation, he went back to his room to cry. He was tricked by his grandfather, but what was worse is that now… Sakuno isn't his wife. But… okay… try to be friends. Okay. Friends. That was how Genichiro tried to look at it.

"Hya—AHH!"

Genichiro caught Sakuno in his arms as he tries to stabilize her. His heart raced and his eyes locked onto her beautiful eyes and the way it crinkled when she smiled.

"Thank you…"

Friends. What a laugh. No way. Not when he had only looked at 1 girl for 3 years. He learned friends with girls, he knows how that should feel like. But it never feels that way with her. Every time they brush elbows or hands, his heart accelerates. Her tears are the only ones that make him confused and rushing around like a headless chicken. When she smiles, her smile is the only thing that makes him smile even when he has a bad day.

His grandfather said the right thing. Things can always change, who says she wouldn't marry him, come to the end of high school? He has 3 more years to convince her that he is the one for her at the end of the day.

"Ryuuzaki."

"Ah! Te…Tezuka senp…pai."

Her stutter was back in full force. Genichiro looked up to see a boy his age, wearing spectacles and he had a tennis racquet on his shoulder as he looked at Sakuno and said

"Ryuuzaki, sensei has asked me to come and get you."

"O…Okay! Bye Gen-kun!"

She quickly puts on her shoes and walked to Tezuka's side. He seemed to be walking and Sakuno seemed to walk beside him. They said nothing but Genichiro felt annoyed. Growing annoyance. Sakuno is his future, but another boy is walking her home. Who is this? Tezuka? If he is a second-year like him… then they will meet at the tennis courts. Genichiro will use this to serve to show Sakuno his potential.

When Genichiro finally had a chance to battle Tezuka he was impressed. This man was a worthy opponent. A rival worth fighting with. But while he was there at Seigaku Middle school, he noted another rival. Echizen is a diamond in the rough. His talent is raw and there is a lot of potential but most disconcerting of it all, Sakuno was right there cheering for Echizen. Over 1 year, he noted more and more people interested in Sakuno. Genichiro felt like the 3 years ahead, is a long battle. But they do not have what he has.

"Gen-kun!"

She noticed him, she smiled and waved at him. He smiled at her. These people do not have 3 years of history with her. She accepted to be his wife once 3 years ago… there is no telling that she would not agree again.

To be continued…

SnowRider 14 signing out.