1. On the First Week of High School

Ryoma yawned for the umpteenth time that day. He had a hand propped to support his chin as he looked outside the sunny clear skies. The breeze from the window beside his seat was enough to make him even more sleepy. He lazily observed the sakura petals swaying with the wind as it slowly descended. The sounds of his classmates in the middle of their own introduction blurred in his ears as he remembered missing his breakfast that morning. By the time he flashed a look inside his classroom, he realized just how bored and hungry he was.

Thinking about it now, not much has changed since his middle school days. As a first year high school now, he still felt relatively the same. One would think that after winning the Nationals three years in a row would have sufficed his hunger for playing tennis, but it was the opposite. It was still tennis that he lived and breathe. And albeit the enjoyment on his third year dwindled a bit because of losing his senpai-tachi, this year... this year, they were all reunited and it was enough for him to look forward for the future matches that he would play.

"Ah! Sakuno! Your sweets are delicious as always!" the high-pitched voice of Osakada Tomoka filled his ears that it made him flinch.

Cut off from his reverie, Ryoma didn't notice when lunch break finally started. He unconsciously turned his head to look at the source of the noise. There was a commotion around the seat that was three desks away from his. His eyebrow quirked up, wondering what was happening. Around Ryuzaki Sakuno, who was seated at her desk was their classmates who looked eager to try the contents of the bento box that she had on her table. Aside from Osakada's voice that was loud enough for him to hear at his distance, he didn't quite catch the words of his clubmates Horio, Katsuo, and Kachiro as they conversed with Ryuzaki who could only shyly smile at the attention in her small space.

Not really particularly interested in meddling with other people's stuff, Ryoma stands up. On his mind, he was already making choices on the food he will buy at the cafeteria. He trudged on, making his way to the classroom's door. Stifling a yawn, he exits the room. Almost immediately though, he halts on his steps. He was barely away from his classroom when a girl he didn't recognize approached him.

Her blue hair was short, and she was blushing. She was staring at him expectantly, and he could see the traces of makeup on her face- a trend he wasn't exactly sure how would happen, considering the school's strict rules on makeup. It took all of his willpower to not simply walk away and ignore. He's already been in a scene similar to this for so many times than he could count. Since middle school, he's had a fair amount of love confessions than he could ever remember.

"Echizen-kun, can we talk by the rooftop?"

"Hn."

It was due to the countless pep talks of his peers and basic human decency taught to him by his mother that he agreed to follow. He had a faster pace that the girl had to follow him even as they ascended upstairs to the door for the rooftop. Ryoma wanted this affair to be over with as soon as possible. His stomach craved for lunch and he wouldn't want to waste the whole lunch break without eating anything. As the girl closed the rooftop door behind her, he saw how she tensed for a bit. There it is. He already anticipated the words that she said next.

"Echizen-kun, please go out with me!"

"I'm sorry." Like a well-rehearsed line that he was already used to give over time, Ryoma replied. There wasn't any particular tone in his voice. It was just what he plainly said. He isn't interested and the fact that he doesn't even know the girl didn't help. He waited for the girl to react, half-expecting her to flee away or cry, but she didn't. Instead, he was surprised at the question she asked.

"Is it because you're really dating Ryuzaki-san?"

His brows furrowed, processing the question. He should've seen this coming too. Almost half of the girls he rejected would ask him about Ryuzaki. And truthfully, he wasn't really appreciative that her name pops out on his personal affairs like this.

"How does Ryuzaki even relate to this?"

"Ie." He couldn't control the irate sound that his voice held. Ryoma hoped that the girl before him could take the hint that he was over this whole encounter.

Thankfully, she did. The moment the girl gave him a discreet nod in goodbye, he let out a small sigh. He decided to stall his time on the rooftop, figuring that it would be more awkward to descend the stairs with the girl he just rejected. When the rooftop door creaked open shortly after the girl's departure, he didn't expect to see Ryuzaki Sakuno.

His amber eyes widened a bit in surprise. For some reason, it felt strange to see her now. Just a moment ago, the unknown girl who confessed to him brought her up as a probable reason of his rejection. He didn't say anything. Instead, he quickly had his default indifferent expression back as he watched her. The ends of her brown braids moved ever so slightly at the spring's breeze.

"A-Ano, Ryoma-kun... Have you eaten yet?" Ryuzaki had a nervous smile on, her hands at the back of her body as if hiding something.

"Not yet." He grumbles.

"Eto..." Ryuzaki shows him a bento bag, "If you're okay with rice balls, I have some left here." She opens the bag that contained a thermos and two bento boxes. She approached him, giving him the uppermost box that contained three rice balls.

"Sankyuu." Ryoma reluctantly accepts, concluding that accepting Ryuzaki's food would mean that he didn't have to expend effort on going to the cafeteria. He sits on the rooftop's floor, comfortably eating a rice ball. He chewed on the food, recalling how she never really made any bad-tasting dish. In so far over the numerous times that he's eaten her food since middle school, the taste could even compare to his mother's. Though being a person of few words as he was, he didn't really think of telling her.

Meanwhile, she sits on the floor across him too. It was then that she takes out the thermos and the last bento box inside the bag. She unwraps the box to reveal brightly colored macaroons neatly arranged. The contents of the thermos was poured on a cup that she placed in front of him along with the box of sweets.

"Ryoma-kun... I have some macaroons and tea too if you'd like." she offers, chuckling softly at her next words. "I didn't expect that you haven't eaten lunch yet, so it was a good thing that I have some rice balls left too."

"Hn."

Just then, Ryuzaki stands up. She smoothed her uniform.

"Where are you going?" Ryoma looks up to her, giving a quizzical look.Was she leaving?

"I-I don't want to disturb you while eating," she explains, "Besides, I was planning to finish my English homework this break."

He found her answer ridiculous. While it was true that he dislikes disturbance, he was still in awe that she would consider herself as such. Silly girl. Eating Ryuzaki's food all alone somehow didn't sit quite well with him.

"I'll help you with the homework," he nonchalantly states, patting the floor on his side in a gesture for her to sit, "It would leave a bad taste if I eat these all alone."

"Oh." She blinked, caught off guard by his proposition. Ryuzaki nods, a slight blush on her cheeks as she resumed the empty space beside him, "I-It's okay, I guess..."

"Even if we finished the English homework, you should still memorize the vocabulary words I highlighted in your book." Ryoma's stern voice was something that she wasn't used to being directed at her. After all, when he was giving her tennis lessons, he would sound either bored, mischievous, or just plain informative. With his one look at her English skills, she already felt so judged. At first, he readily made fun of her. But over time, his brows would furrow in confusion over her work, and she would ultimately deduce that he probably wondered how she even passed English in middle school.

"Mou..." Sakuno pouts while nodding in response to the boy who promised to help her during lunch break.

"I didn't realize that you needed more help in English than in tennis." He bluntly states as he stands up from his chair, "Mada mada dane, Ryuzaki."

"Hai..." she internally weeps comically, "Thanks for helping me, Ryoma-kun..."

"Betsuni. I'll have to go to the tennis club now."

The prince of tennis waved his hand in dismissal before finally making his way outside the library. As he promised during lunch break, he stayed with her after class dismissal in order to help her with her homework. Fortunately, there were not many students that day in the library so she didn't feel that shy hanging around him alone to study. Having thought that somehow, her day was full of Ryoma-related events made her heart race. She wished that her face didn't look red as she recalled the events during lunch break.

Sakuno wasn't sure whether it was surprising or pitiful that over the three years that she harbored this crush on Echizen Ryoma, small things such as having interactions with him could make her feel so excited. When he asked her to stay on the rooftop earlier, she was surprised. Granted, she could confidently say that they are more than acquaintances now; though at times, she couldn't help but feel that despite the time she spent around him, their relationship didn't really evolve the way she wished it to be. He was still the same boy from their first year in middle school with the exception of his height that was significantly taller and his tennis skills that only became even better.

When everyone, as soon as they reached the final year of their middle school until high school talked about dates and relationships, acting around like adults, Sakuno couldn't seem to move on. Her 12 year old crush on the tennis prince only blossomed over the years, leaving her unable to really look at anyone beside him in a romantic light. Even Horio, Kachiro, Katsuo, and Tomoka have all gone out with someone, and all she did was wait for the boy who didn't seem to have the slightest hint of romance.

But she's used to it now— waiting, maybe even for nothing. Sometimes, she gets the idea that when the boy she loved finally falls in love, and it was not to her, she would totally understand. Ryoma is the type to know what he likes or not right away. Sakuno only wished that by then, hopefully, her feelings already faded away.

She sighed, suddenly feeling down in the process of reminiscing. Shaking her head to rid of her depressing thoughts, she immediately started gathering her things. Tomoka was supposed to meet with her on the courts to cheer, so she really needed to hurry. Glancing at the huge wall clock situated on the top-most of the wall over the bookshelves, Sakuno realized how late it already was. Doing her homework unexpectedly took a while and she felt guilty that he may have been late at practice too because of her.

"Mou... I have to return the favor, somehow." She murmured while she slung her bag on her shoulders. The girl made a beeline for the exit as she hoped that her best friend wouldn't wait for too long.

"Ryuzaki-san?"

She turns her head to see who called her. "Mori-san?"

The girl named Mori Akane stood before her Mori, aside from being a member of the tennis club was also quite popular among her fellow first years. She's pretty, her short blue hair framing her small face perfectly. She's also kind, and Sakuno actually talked to her for a bit on the tennis club's freshmen member orientation.

"Is there something wrong?" She can't help but ask, seeing how Mori's eyes seemed to be puffy from crying. She had a sad, hopeful look on her face and Sakuno can't help but wonder what happened and why did she call for her.

"Can we talk for a moment, Ryuzaki-san?"

"Un," she nods with concern, hoping that this won't take too long, "What is it, Mori-san?"

"Eto..." Mori starts, "I saw you take the stairs to the rooftop during lunch earlier... I know that Echizen-kun was at the roof top that time too. By any chance, are you two dating?"

"Eh?" Sakuno's mouth gaped at her straightforward question. Her face tinted red as she waved her hands in denial, "W-Why would you ask that?"

"I confessed my feelings for Echizen-kun earlier and when I asked him if that's because you two are dating, he didn't really answer my question." This time, in eagerness, Mori steps forward, eyes fixed on her.

Feeling flustered and cornered, all Sakuno could do was think of taking a step backward to maintain distance. And she did, though her foot slipped from the library door's short elevated platform to the ground, twisting her ankle.

"Ah!" As pain shot up on her foot, Sakuno could only wince in pain. In surprise, she lost her balance, falling on her rear.

"Ryuzaki-san?" Mori, momentarily shocked at what happened, crouched to her in worry, "Are you okay?"

The injured girl nods, even if she felt like crying over the pain. Mori gave her a hand as she tried to stand up.

"Sakuno?"

The two girls turned their heads to see an approaching Osakada Tomoka who looked puzzled, "What happened?" Her gaze darted to Sakuno and then to Mori, whom she was surprised to see.

"I accidentally twisted my ankle, Tomo-chan," Sakuno smiles weakly, "Did you wait long? Gomen."

Tomoka shakes her head, helping Mori to carry her friend, "Sakuno, it's okay. Let's just get you to help!"

"I'm really sorry, Ryuzaki-san!" Mori apologizes profusely, "I'll help you to the infirmary. I hope the nurse is still there."

Ryoma wasn't really in the best mood. After arriving late at practice, he was punished to run twenty laps. Since the ranking tournament is yet to start, being it's still the first week of his first year high school, that also meant that he didn't really regain his regular status back right away. Like most freshmen, all he did was basic training again, despite his experience. After joining the other freshmen in cleaning up the courts, he found himself inside the club room. With some of his senpais waiting outside, wanting to hang out after school, he hastily changed out of his practice clothes.

"Oi, Echizen, change quickly!" He could hear the booming voice of his Momoshiro-senpai outside.

"That's right, o-chibi! Let's grab some burgers!" His Eiji-senpai added, not really losing any of his energy despite the strenuous practice.

"Hai, hai..." Ryoma grumbled, in the middle of putting on his white inner shirt.

"Ne, Momo-chin... What do you think happened to Ryuzaki-chan and Osakada-chan?" the acrobat specialist suddenly brought up.

"I actually saw Osakada-chan earlier," Momo replies, "She told me that Ryuzaki-chan was coming too. But then, she left too and didn't come back."

"Oh? I wonder what happened." Eiji mused.

The club room door opened to reveal Ryoma in his school uniform. Just like his senpais, he had his tennis bag slung on his shoulder.

"What do you think happened, Echizen?" Momo asks him, "You're classmates with them right?"

"Beats me," the tennis prince shrugs, "They probably already went home or something."

"Oy, why do you seem indifferent?" Eiji gives the freshman a headlock, "That's Ryuzaki-chan, your girlfriend that we're talking about!"

"I-Itai! Let go, Eiji-senpai..." Ryoma protests, "Ryuzaki isn't my girlfriend."

"Oh? What is o-chibi saying, Momo?" without letting Ryoma's neck go, Eiji turns to look at Momoshiro, "Are you saying three years and o-chibi still hasn't made the move? Poor Ryuzaki-chan!"

"Well, Eiji-senpai," Momo shakes his head in disappointment, "Echizen still seems to be hopeless about things outside tennis."

What do his senpais know?

"Che." Ryoma finally succeeded in his struggle to break apart from his red-headed senpai's hold. He adjusted his hat, looking annoyed, "Let's just go eat some burgers."

The three of them started the trek to the burger joint that they frequent. Before leaving the tennis club's area, Ryoma unconsciously looked over on the other side of the fences. It was the first time this week that Ryuzaki didn't drop by to watch practice. He could only assume that she did go home early to study the English materials that he specifically instructed her to focus on. Upon remembering her flushed, embarrassed face when he was helping her, he inwardly smirked.

"Mada mada dane, Ryuzaki."