Chapter 3: there…
By: Imitation L
L's notes: This chapter is somewhat of a random chapter, I don't know why I wrote Ryoma the way he is, and he doesn't seem like someone who would DO that. But, who knows. I guess this is why OOC is in the summaries eh. But, I'm disappointed in the story because it's not coming out the way I WANTED. Originally wanted, notes from chapter one said that I had a story to tell. Well not anymore, it drained itself in the merging of the anime and my imagination. It's no more, maybe I'll try again. But I doubt you'll see much of MY story anymore. Oh wells…
Also, a mention of PONTA is available; I know you guys are all crazy Ponta fans. But in the manga series, wasn't PONTA known as FANTA? I bought FANTA the other day, the orange and grape flavored. When I was drinking the grape flavored one, I felt so, so close Ryoma I guess. I AM a rabid fan girl haha!
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A pair of slender hands reached through the sleeves of a flowered patterned blouse. On any girl, this particular piece of clothing would have look exaggerated. But on Sakuno, it looks perfect. The white background fabric brings out her innocence; the flowers cup her face, like a butterfly, sitting still in a garden.
"It looks great, Sakuno!" Tomoka clapped her hands, and her face was giving off a fairy-tale-like glitter smile.
She spun herself in front of the mirror, admiring her reflection with the blouse. It perfectly suited her than anyone else.
"Oh this looks too good to pass!" Tomo exclaimed. Admiring Sakuno in her adorable chemise.
"You're right. I do love this a lot." The auburn haired girl grinned. Everything about this seemed so perfect. Until Sakuno noticed something, the prices tag. "Uh oh..." A disappointed girl stood in front of the mirror. The little piece of white card showed a price of 5900 yen. (Approximately: 55.73USD) If Sakuno had noticed this pretty garment earlier, she would have purchased it - but not after a whole day of shopping with only a few notes and coins left in her purse.
"Let's see how much I have, maybe we can pool it together!?" Tomoka suggested and therefore the two girls stood behind counting change.
At the same moment, the generally-appraised as the handsome Prince of Tennis passed by the store window. He noticed two familiar faces: a girl who ignored, or rather despised him; and a girl who was the rabid president of his fan club. In such coincidential situation, it just made him smile. The curious Ryoma wanted to know what the girls were doing because their eyebrows shifted positions, as if they were doing a difficult Einstein mathematical question. The boy with the racquet approached the door.
Ryoma had never been in such fancy clothing store with a huge display of clothes racks after racks, showing the latest fashion. Magazines collages were plastered on a huge bulletin board, posters of chic models were cleverly designed as wallpapers, mirrors of various shapes and sizes complemented the changing rooms. All settings were arranged neatly like surprising color boxes at the rear side of the counter.
Ryoma cautiously approached the counter, setting down his Racquet. "What are they doing over there?" Although it seemed awkward asking such a question, the sales lady was delighted to answer the question of the cute capped boy.
"The long haired girl wants the blouse, but then she realized she doesn't have enough money. Now both of them are pooling their money together to see if they have enough." Yuki summarized the last twenty minutes, her nametag flared against the mirror.
Ryoma laughed quietly, of course that's what they're doing. What else do girls do except shop? The young prince stood there, still admiring Sakuno in her beautiful blouse. Ryoma then patted his rear pocket, feeling for his wallet, full of crippled cash and shiny plastic. The prince of tennis, having won many US championships ensured him enough pocket money to last till college. After two minutes of thought, he concluded.
She
wanted it.
He wanted her to have it.
He enjoyed seeing her in it.
So he will pay for it.
The capped boy reached for his wallet and took a shiny debt card. After living in the US for so many years, he understood that cash was too complicated to carry around. Even though it's different in Japan, he still kept this habit.
"I want to buy that dress for her." He signalized and handed the card to the sales lady, who giggled in disbelief for she had never seen such a cute gesture by such a young boy. "You're a very sweet gentleman! Is she your girlfriend?" She smiled endlessly.
"Don't tell her I paid for it, okay?" Ryoma snapped, ensuring that it wouldn't hurt his reputation for going soft on a girl.
"No problem!" The sales lady winked and showed her sealed lips as to follow his request.
Ryoma marched out of the store, and stopped at the nearest vending machine. Ah, refreshments -Ponta. He stuck both of his hands in his pockets, reaching for the coins specially reserved for buying drinks. A few coins dropped into the heavy machine that amazes foreigners.
Ryoma, without doubt, selected Grape Ponta. Then a can of 355 ML dropped out and the boy coulnd't wait to drench his thirst. He continued to walk down the busy streets of Harajuku, a regular teenage hangout, but it wasn't the place that Ryoma liked.
Block after blocks, streetlights, and few more vending machines, Ryoma arrived at the subway station, ready to go home after a day of good deeds.
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"Gomen, Sakuno... I know how much you want the blouse..." Tomoka stashed the coins and bills back into her purse. She patted her friend on the shoulder. It seemed silly to get upset over one blouse. But in the world of teenaged girls, according to their shopping logic, this blouse could disappear any time, snatched by another alert shopper.
Ironically, Sakuno comforted her friend back, "It's okay Tomo~chan! We still had a really fun day!" It was her turn to pat her friend's shoulders.
And there approached the sales lady to interrupt their conversation.
"Would you like me to wrap the blouse for you? Or you would prefer to wear it out?" She politely asked.
"I'm sorry... I'm afraid I can't buy this today..." Sakuno said apologetically, with a disappointed smile.
"Well, indeed someone came in a few minutes ago and had it paid already for you!" The sales lady grinned, remembering the boy with a cool expression, yet had a warm heart.
"Eh? Really?" Tomoka exclaimed. The sales lady nodded happily. She understood the relationship between the boy and the girl, and was more than delighted to be the cupid.
"Hai! So please come to the counter when you're ready, and I will wrap it up for you." Yuki left the two girls with an evil sly smile. They were excited, curious, and somewhat frightened. Just what kind of stranger would pay for the over flowery blouse.
"Thank you so much." The sales girl jiggled her earrings; her fingers ran across the wrapping paper and folded everything into a neat package. The endearing polka dotted tissue paper enclosed a convinced tennis prodigy's "love plan" to a charming girl.
"Thank you." Sakuno blushed as she bended down to reach for the store bag. Noticing some red beside it, a tennis racquet. A tennis racquet, where the end reads "R"
Sakuno's hands trembled reaching for the racquet, realizing whose' racquet it is. Understanding that someone like Ryoma would never go to a store like this, Sakuno questioned the possibilities why he was here. Never did she dare to believe that he was the one who bought the blouse for her.
"I think this is Echizen's racquet." Sakuno caught up to her breath and said casually.
"Eh? RYOMA-SAMA?" Tomo grabbed the racquet and held it close to her heart. "It still feels warm. I wonder why it's here."
The girl's hands cling onto the store's bag. Her heart skipped a beat, trying to distract herself from landing on the conclusion that it was Ryoma, who had bought her the blouse, but every clue seemed to have pointed itself that way.
It was relieving to know that Tomo didn't even think that way. Instead, she only thought that perhaps Ryoma was there with her mother.
"You're right, Tomo-chan. Let's return the racquet back to Echizen on Monday." Sakuno grabbed the racquet, without detecting how much Tomo wanted to carry it.
That night, Sakuno went to sleep with feelings of anxiety, confusion, and most of all, curiosity. Her hands reached down to touch the smooth plastic of a certain someone's tennis racquet. It sat quietly beside her bed; Sakuno stroked its neck as if it's a cat.
Even if he did leave his racquet, it doesn't mean anything... And even if he did pay for it, why did he? IS he going to say anything tomorrow? When we have...English together?
She shifted positions many times through out the night, still not being able to fall asleep.
But eventually, Sakuno drifted off into a land of dreams.
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"Ohayou Gozaimase! Yoshikawa Sensei." Sakuno bowed respectfully and took her seat next to the mysterious tennis player. Who haven't arrived yet?
Already, Sakuno began to feel uneasy. Questions popped up here and there, weighing their values in her head, some possibilities were immediately dismissed. Nevertheless, a few continued to bother her. He usually isn't late is he, but why do I even care if he's late? He's just an arrogant boy that happens to sit beside me, nothing, nothing at all. Her mind was filled; there is no space to put English verbs or vocabulary.
Ten minutes passed, then twenty, the seat beside Sakuno remained cold, the hard metal chair seemed distant and heart broken.
This particular English student's mind strolled out of class, although her hands moved in motion, copying down notes. Her mind wasn't moving with it. No matter how much she tried, these thoughts couldn't' be brushed away.
CHAPTER 3 ENDThanks for all the WONDERFUL reviews, I enjoy reading reviews, then I can learn how to improve my future writings.
Hm, having reading this chapter over again, the plot is a little weird, it doesn't follow up or have any common sense, it's random and falls out of place sometimes. But this might be one of those "bad chapters" in a certain fic. But I hope to improve for the next chapter ^_^;
To: beriath: Thanks for your words, they were very encouraging! TO your previous comment about English classes, I believe, after a certain grade in Japan, you have to learn Japanese language. Like, learning French or Spanish. At least that's what I think ^__^;
Ohayou Gozaimase = Good Morning
Gomen = sorry
Ponta = A brand of drinks Ryoma enjoys drinking; his favorite is the grape flavor.
Harajuku = A popular shopping area in Japan, where teenagers showed off their street clothing.
Why am I reposting this chapter again? I took all of the "edits" Beriath-san made in the reviews and replaced the original; her wording was so much better. I hope you don't mind me using them. Thank you ^_^