6. Horror House of Romance
There's the rush; the booming excitement of the school populace as the school festival began. Food stalls lined up the pathway to the main building from the front gates, and every class had been busy putting up their booths. After the general performances from the higher years ended, booths were officially opened and since then, the sewing and props committee is frantic to provide the scarers their costumes. That day, Sakuno woke up late. It couldn't have been in the best timing since the headdress and masks were at home with her. So she rushed among the barrage of Seigaku students, non-students, and passersby at the front of the building in an attempt to reach their classroom as fast as she can. With a big bag in tow, she was about to step on the stairs to the third floor where their class is located when she trips.
"Oops!" Sakuno prepares herself for the fall, finding it too late to hold on to the railings. But then, she feels palms supporting her back with a soft grunt.
"Are you okay, Ryuzaki-san?" The twin-braided girl immediately reaches for a railing in support before looking back.
"Tachibana-san?" Hazel eyes meet with dark blue ones, and Sakuno instantly recognizes the girl with short, light brown hair, "T-Thank you for helping me!"
"Konnichiwa," Tachibana An chuckles, "You're still clumsy, Ryuzaki-san."
"Konnichiwa..." Sakuno could only look sheepish while giving a grateful smile, she couldn't deny the girl's words after all, "Are you here for the festival?"
"Un," Tachibana nods, "I'm actually trying to find Momoshiro-kun, since he was the one who invited me."
"Momo-senpai?" Sakuno says, contemplating, "The second years' classrooms are on the fourth floor..."
"I see..." Tachibana speeds up in her steps, "I'll have to go now. See you around in your class booth, Ryuzaki-san!"
"Hai!" Sakuno follows, "See you around!"
Tachibana is already out of her sight by the time she arrives at her floor. She briskly walks in the hallway, passing by other class booths before she arrives at theirs. Breathing heavily, she sees the class representative, Asahina, by the classroom door talking to Horio.
"Asahina-kun..!" she calls, showing her bag that contains parts of the costumes, "I'm sorry I'm late. Here are the masks and head accessories... Has everyone already finished putting on makeup?"
"Ah, thank you for bringing them, Ryuzaki," the class representative replies. Horio faces her with his zombie attire that consists of soiled and bloodied office clothes along with messy hair and dark makeup.
"Just in time, Ryuzaki!" Horio gets the bag from her and rummages through it to find his intended head accessory, "I was afraid I'd only look like a tired accountant without the butcher's knife headband on."
"Sakuno! You've arrived!" Tomoka approaches her excitedly. She's already in her pink zombie nurse uniform. Even if Tomoka's hair was still neatly tied in pigtails, she had stitches on her face makeup. "Why were you late?"
"I overslept..." Sakuno murmurs embarrassingly, reaching over to get the nurse cap from her bag that Horio just returned, "Anyway, here's your nurse cap to complete your look." She places it carefully atop her best friend's head.
"Thanks!" Tomoka smiles, "I'll help you distribute these accessories, okay?"
The girls split the contents before heading their own ways to give the accessories to the other scarers. With many spares appearing to remain inside the bag even if almost every costumed classmate gets one, the girls decide to distribute them to everyone. In the middle of it all, while Sakuno hands a koala ear headband to the class president, she notices a blur of motion in the corner of her vision. She tilts her head, taking a glance at the moving person.
He's sprinting. His dark green hair flails in the air, with amber eyes wide in rush. Sweat flecks his forehead as he breathes hard upon arriving at the front desk. "Sorry, I'm late." He utters to the class rep who only sighs, shaking his head.
"Echizen, you're late again," Asahina gives him a tired look, "Change into your costume, quickly."
"Hn." he grunts, effectively passing by Sakuno who turns to look at him worriedly. There is no one left inside their make-shift resting and changing station since the Horror House already opened. Ryoma appears lost, not knowing where his costume is. Wanting to help, Sakuno goes inside to rummage through the paper bags where they store the costumes.
"Ryoma-kun..." She fails to notice his visible flinch when she calls him. "Your costume is here... I just need to find it for a bit." He doesn't reply, silently watching her. In a minute, Sakuno pulls out the red and white costume.
"Here it is, Ryoma-kun." She hands the heap of clothes to him, along with the white-painted cat mask accessory of his costume. She gestures for him to go to the curtained makeshift changing area.
"...Sankyuu." She hears him mutter as she watches him disappear behind the curtains.
Sakuno is one of the main tailors for his costume, so she had long ago already imagined him in his costume. So in a way, it was still a surprise. Her breath hitches; doe eyes staring in wonder as Ryoma walks out of the changing area in his white and red yukata, cat mask carelessly placed atop his head, angling to the side. His dark green hair is still messy from his early run, but despite that, his undeniable visual still unchanged. If anything, it just made Sakuno's chest and stomach flutter. Her long-time crush on him just makes itself even more obvious-- blushing in admiration.
"Ah, Ryuzaki-san," She almost jumps in surprise when a hand touches her shoulder. She turns her head, to see the class representative looking at the tennis prince, "Can you help with the distribution of lunchboxes later?"
"Eh?"
"We're short-staffed at the festival's opening and I had to sit at the front desk, instead of attending the student council meeting," Asahina continues with a smile, leaning a bit so his face is near her ear, "So, I'll leave the receiving and distributing to you, okay?"
Sakuno can only step back, not really able to reply. The unsettling glint in the class rep's eyes makes her feel a bit guilty. After all, aside from Ryoma, she's late for the day too and therefore, troubled the class. She nods at the brown-haired boy, a small smile forming on her lips.
"S-Sure, Asahina-kun..." she immediately faces the tennis prince's direction, his expression in a puzzle.
"Echizen, it's already late to put on your makeup," the class rep adds, this time, looking at Ryoma, "You should get to your position now."
Ryoma scowls, looking away in his normal dismissive fashion. He passes by her, on his way to the door. Sakuno isn't sure why he suddenly sounds hostile. Is he really into his character and wanted to put on makeup?
"Ne, Ryuzaki," he halts on his steps to address her. He isn't facing her way, so all she can see is his back, "I'll be talking to you later." Then, he dashes towards their horror house.
Sakuno blinks, wondering what that is all about.
When after lunch came about, the horror house was a success. The queue of customers are getting longer, interested at Class 2's offered attraction. Most people were in it for the scare, a curious few about the horror house's bakeneko who would stare you down with his sanpaku gan, and the Ryoma-sama Fanclub who are interested in the said bakeneko's intimidating visuals. Nevertheless, it is a busy day for the scarers and everyone behind the horror house.
Sakuno stands outside the classroom with Tomoka and Horio, doing advertising and crowd control. It is nothing short of a miracle that the loudest-- and possibly archenemies of one another-- can manage to stay put and not get into any fuss for hours. But then again, considering the bustling business, weariness can be an attribute.
"Momo-chan-senpai and Tachibana's sister!" Tomoka gushes, much to Sakuno's surprise when she looks at where Tomoka and Horio waves.
Tachibana An and Momoshiro Takeshi wave back at them from the queue of the next batch of customers.
"Are you here to see our class booth?" Horio asks.
"Oh my gosh! Are you here on a date?" Tomoka's volume is a bit louder, making Momo blush. He gives a sideways glance to the girl beside him.
"We're not on a date," Tachibana chuckles with a dismissive hand, "I actually promised Ryuzaki-san that I would drop by here." She looks at Sakuno with a grin.
The dunk smash specialist winces a bit, eyes narrowing in dissatisfaction before sighing, "Your booth really looks exciting. Can we go inside already?"
"You seem excited with the Horror House, Momoshiro." Tachibana nudges her arm to his side with a chuckle.
"Hai hai..." Momoshiro grumbles while Tomoka and Horio sweat drops, "At least, I'll get to see and tease Echizen in a costume..."
Caught up in the moment, two of the three stationed outside the booth follow the sophomores. It is much to Sakuno's realization, a thing that can cause them a penalty from their class representative. So after asking a free classmate to watch over in front and hold their stations, she follows Horio and Tomoka who continue to accompany their Momo-senpai and Tachibana inside the booth.
The twin-braided girl goes inside the dark entrance of the booth, prop cobwebs dangling on the walls. Finally, inside, the view of blood-splattered walls, gray graves, abandoned wells, and scary dolls greeted her vision. Were it not for the fact that it is their own class' creation, Sakuno would easily be a target of their scare. Though it is generally dark, the creepy lighting set by the technical team made the booth's maze generally navigable . Alone, she walks the way, letting the distant, however loud voices of her friends lead her.
In a few minutes, she finds herself between the two pathways that lead to a dead-end and to the exit. She can still hear Horio and Tomoka's loud banter over the semi-darkness. Sakuno walks to one of the paths, having faith in her hearing. Passing by an old well along a small shack with a bored amber-eyed bakeneko, her feet temporarily stops in recognition.
The tennis prince is looking straight-ahead, appearing to be unaware of the girl's presence since she's yet to pass his line of vision. She would've approached him immediately if not for the fact that she has a mission, going inside the horror house. So, the twin-braided girl continues her trek, purposefully ignoring the boy in order to not get distracted.
She doesn't dare look at the attractions nor let the jumpiness in her pour out. With some of her more mischievous classmates trying to prank her on the way, she keeps the calmest demeanor that her easily rattled nature could muster. All she wants is to find her two classmates who are supposed to stand with her in front of the booth as they should. But arriving at the exit isn't within her plans. It's too late for her to figure out now that she definitely made a mistake since none of Tomoka and Horio-- or even An and their Momo-senpai situated in the exit.
With a disappointed sigh, Sakuno goes back to the grim booth in another attempt to locate them. But only within a few turns, she finds herself lost this time, falling prey to her usual horrible sense of direction. Eyebrows furrow in confusion, she walks while silently muttering to herself how impossible it is that she found her way out and can't even find the right way in going back inside.
"Let me guess... you're lost again."
The monotonous voice that she certainly recognizes as Ryoma's made her look to the way of the old well where he lazily sits. He isn't that far-- considering the cramped space of two classrooms converted into a small horror booth-- so it's a surprise that Sakuno doesn't immediately realize that she's walking in his area.
Somehow, having him there and seeing her obvious display of terrible directions for what seems like the hundredth time, can never fail to elicit an embarrassed reaction from her. Her cheeks flush in shame, looking down at her feet. The fact that it has been a while ever since she's been alone with the cat-eyed boy doesn't exactly help. Her unrequited feelings only became a bit dormant over the time of avoiding him due to their circumstances. Sakuno really would prefer it that way, but due to the developments of last month, what she thought was only an ember left of her crush, didn't really die out.
"H-Hai..." She's standing in front of him again, her stuttering around him made the situation even more awkward.
Ryoma didn't say anything more, making her feel a heavy air of tension. She's unsure whether it's from her imagination-- the tense silence over his not replying and her mouth being too nervous around him to talk. Miraculously, the thick air drops when the sound of people approaching manages to reach their ears. Both look at the semi-dark pathway where the voices come from.
"Ah! Where's Echizen? I haven't seen him yet."
"Momo-chan-senpai, I know his area is certainly around here so you'll get to see him for sure!"
"I must say that your booth is pretty good... It certainly felt a bit creepy at times."
"I didn't know you had good taste, Tachibana's sister! I'm telling you it's because..."
And as it dawns on Sakuno that it is the people she's looking for-- hearing the voice of their Momo-senpai first, then Horio's bragging, An's satisfied comment, and Tomoka's loud reaction-- she feels relief, attempting to take a step to approach them. She looks at Ryoma, a dissatisfied expression plastering his features while he faces the way where the approaching people would soon come out.
"I-It looks like they want to see you. Ryoma-kun..." she comments, and she notices his grimace while looking away, "A-Anyway, I need to go with everyone--"
"Ryuzaki..."
She feels a firm hold in her hand that jolts her into darkness.
In a few moments, Tomoka, Horio, An, and Tachibana passes by that certain area with the old well, unable to realize the twin-braided girl and the tennis prince's disappearance from the view.
"Why are we hid--"
His amber eyes almost appear to glow under the dim lighting at the small space inside the shack. As he places his index finger before his closed lips, Sakuno pauses and resumes to ask in a hushed voice, "...Why are we hiding, Ryoma-kun?"
He meets her eye, letting a few seconds pass before looking again at the small peephole on the wall that oversees the outside. Ryoma shrugs, "I can't let Momo-senpai see me like this... He'll drag everyone in the club to bother me here."
"I...I see." Sakuno lets out a strained smile in acknowledgment. She understands very well just how much their senpai-tachi could go to lengths just to tease the tennis prince. The girl looks around the cramped space behind the shabby shack prop of their horror house. It was surprising how the two of them could fit in there, albeit her fairly small distance with the boy. For some reason, the creepy music hasn't been playing in the background anymore. And amid the silence, Sakuno repeatedly tries to drown the sounds of her erratic heartbeats by ignorance.
"As if I would let myself be seen," she hears him grumble under his breath, "Baka senpai-tachi." He removes the white mask in his head and uses it to fan himself. He plops on the ground across her, back against the wall. His red and white costume's large sleeves sway as he moves his hand, his whole demeanor appearing to relax.
But even with his earlier statement, Sakuno couldn't help but feel confused. Even with her heart beating uncontrollably and the invisible—thanks to the dim light-- flush of her cheeks, she can't help but ask, "But why am I hiding too..?"
Ryoma raises an eyebrow as if telling her that the answer is obvious. Yet, Sakuno couldn't understand. Eventually realizing the girl's questioning glance, the tennis prince replies.
"You were about to call them, right?" he sighs, "If they rushed in to see you, they would find me too."
Sakuno still feels skeptical, prompting her to attempt another question but she turns quiet when Ryoma continues speaking.
"Besides, I told you I wanted to talk about something."
His furrowing brows are unusual; his sharp eyes refusing to look at her. She couldn't see the way he gulped, as if mustering the right words to say. If the twin-braided girl didn't know the boy for a whole three years, she could just easily assume that he's somehow awkward. But awkward isn't really one of the things that one could describe Echizen Ryoma, so she goes ahead to dismiss the subtle nuances as she starts to overthink what it could be that he wants to talk about.
" Did he hate the costume that I made for him?" she starts to think, ideas bouncing off.
" Is this about that English test that I didn't pass even though he basically taught it to me the day before?"
" Did he realize that I was staring at him too much?"
" Am I bothering him too much?"
"A-Are you angry at me for letting you become a scarer?" Sakuno breathes, coming to the conclusion that he still would have been pissed about that affair. If he was angry at Horio enough to play a match with him, then why won't he hate her for putting him in that situation? She pouts, guiltily saying, "I really am sorry!"
"..Huh?" He flashes her an incredulous look, "What are you even talking about, Ryuzaki?"
"Eh?" her doe-eyes widen in surprise, "D-Didn't you want to talk about that time?"
Ryoma blinks for a second, assessing the situation. In studying the girl's ridiculous conclusion, his lips curl into a rare smile before chuckling softly.
"Mada mada dane." She heard him say in between his laughs, and Ryuzaki isn't sure whether her heart stopped beating or it just basically melted.
The view of the normally cocky prince in a light-hearted laugh is enough to send an ache in her chest. The fact that seeing him that way is scarce, and probably-- she'd like to think-- not a lot of people get to see him like that, sends her heart in a painful flutter. Wasn't she supposed to get over him now?
In an attempt to calm her fluster, she looks down. Her fingers playfully interlace in distraction as she mumbles shyly, "T-Then what is it you wanted to talk about?"
Sakuno fails to see how Ryoma looks at her turned down head, the amusement from earlier fading away. He clears his throat, going back to his indifferent facade.
"Inui-senpai has come up with an interesting fact..." he starts, making his tone as neutral as he normally does, "Something about..." he pauses, mouth open yet unable to utter the words love and interest as easy as it should.
At his loss of words, Sakuno looks up to stare at him curiously.
"...Something about..." he repeats in false confidence, sitting up straight. Luckily in dim light, the faint blush of shame at the question he's been meaning to ask isn't noticeable. He ruffles his dark green hair, stroking it while staring back at her, "About your lov--"
The booming of scary background music filled the room again, making both of the students inside the shack aware of the activities happening outside their small space-- some giggles, terrified screams, and some footsteps passing. It occurred to them that they still had a horror house to do. Ryoma sighs in annoyance, as he was interrupted. With a glower, he looks by the peephole, only to meet a pair of cerulean blue eyes staring back at him.
He jumps back in shock, chills on his skin from the goosebumps at the sight of his creepy senpai. Still unaware of what Ryoma saw, Sakuno stiffens in fright.
"Found you."
Fuji opens the small door that serves as the entrance and exit with his usual smile. He has a hand on his camera, but he didn't dare to take a photo of his first-year kouhai who currently glares daggers at him. His vision wanders to Ryuzaki Sakuno who still sat with wide eyes on the side. The photographer laughs innocently, "Did I scare you two?"
"F-Fuji-senpai!" Sakuno could only reply, taken aback at the senior's sudden appearance. His face filled with mirth, along the lighting made her understand why the tennis prince could really find him creepy. With a sweat-drop, she turns to face Ryoma who's still clearly pissed.
"Osakada-chan was worried when you weren't by your post at the front, Ryuzaki-chan," the brown-haired senpai says, "She thought you followed them here and couldn't find your way back."
"Mou..." the girl pouts, embarrassed at how everyone could easily think that she could get lost inside their own school.
Ryoma stands up, ignoring Fuji as he passes by the small door to the outside. The girl slowly follows, and the third year gives way. She's currently dusting her uniform while Ryoma stretches his arms before sitting at the edge of the well.
"Still, I was a bit surprised to see Ryuzaki-chan with Echizen in that cramped space," Fuji further comments, "Ryuzaki-chan really likes Echizen, ne?"
Eyes wide as saucers at the genius' nonchalant statement, Sakuno's face immediately reddens up to the tips of her ears. She can't believe how their Fuji-senpai could just say that out of nowhere. Was she really that obvious all this time? Sakuno refused to look at Ryoma's way, contemplating if she should just run away in shame.
"I... I...Fuji-senpai," Sakuno struggled to reply, thinking of how she could possibly get out of the situation.
"Eh?" Fuji looks at her almost teary eyes, absolutely flushed and flabbergasted. With his sadistic tendencies, he normally would've found the situation amusing. But seeing the girl's reaction, he realizes how his comment may have been too far. He turns to Ryoma before looking back at the twin-braided girl.
"Ah," he attempts to fix, "Of course I didn't mean it in a romantic perspective..."
Though of course, Fuji Syuusuke couldn't really pass up the opportunity to meddle and observe their youngest Regular and former coach's granddaughter's dynamics even for a little. He decides to add up, living up to his reputation.
"After all, Ryuzaki-chan only sees Echizen as a friend, ne?"
The two first years' ears perk up at tensai's question. Both heard the question, but they had different thoughts about the matter. For some reason, at the moment, they were so sure that it's important-- no matter what the girl would answer.
For Ryoma, it was simply the easiest way to confirm whether what his Inui-senpai wrote in his notebook is true without him ever asking Ryuzaki directly. So of course, in curiosity, he keeps his ears peeled. Though in all honesty, he couldn't really know what he will do with that information. While he normally wouldn't care if it was any other girl who liked him, he figured that maybe because it is Ryuzaki-- a person he keeps close, that he feels like he has to know.
For Sakuno, it is far-fetched in comparison to the tennis prince's. Fuji's question is way harder to answer with her long-time unrequited love being around to hear every word that she would utter. Her heart pounded against her chest, unable to decide whether she should just be honest and just get over it. Her mind flashes back to the past three years of development she had with the prince. How it was amazing, to still be able to interact with him the way friends do. That despite her insecurities and attempts at distancing herself from him, not once did she ever see that he actively avoided her.
It made her feel guilty, all of a sudden. The childishness within her of letting herself be this silly over a crush.
"O-Of course..." She denies it in a small voice, biting her lip. And then, before rushing in a dash to stay anywhere but there, she gives a smile to Fuji first, and then, to the tennis prince who only seemed to appear indifferent.
A/N:
Hello everyone! It's been a while. Hehe. I've been super busy with my review school and work these days that I could only write so little. How's the chapter? We're almost in the middle of the story, and I hope you all still stick with it.
I still don't know the specifics of when my next updates would be, but I would really try to update my stories or post new one shots once in a month or two. Please, look forward to them.
Also, I got a new beta-reader! She uses the name hanshiz, and has been really kind to edit my stuff. So, do expect that I would reupload edited versions of the past chapters soon.
Thank you for reading!