Arigatou, Sakuno

Ok, I know that Ryoma was out of character, but I wants him to change a little of his characteristic (as he was too cold in his attitude). Hope that you all will understand that. And if you prefer me to write in other way rather than writing the story like a script, you can tell me and I will change it right away! Or I'll change it in this chapter. But I thank all of you for your reviews, please go on and enjoy the story.

Ryoma opens his eyes as he finishes his song, he looks at the clock: 10pm. He looks back at Sakuno, her eyes were still closed, she was not awake. Ryoma remembers the doctor's words.

"I have done my best to bring her back. Now all we can do is to wait. If she cannot manage to wake up at 10pm at night, sigh, we could not help her anymore..."

Ryoma drops his guitar and holds Sakuno's hand. Aya and the other regulars come into the room when they heard the sound of the guitar dropping onto the floor. All of them look at Ryoma and Sakuno.

"Ryoma..." Aya tries to say something but Tezuka stops her by placing his hand on his shoulder.

"It...It's just reach 10pm...Maybe she will awake after a while more...Sakuno? Sakuno, you hear me?" Ryoma places his hand on her face and rubs it gently.

All of them wait in silence. The time passes by slowly. After 30 minutes, Sakuno still hasn't awake. Ryoma looks at the device showing the rate of Sakuno's heartbeat, it was getting slower. Ryoma tighten his grip on her hand.

"Sakuno! Sakuno, wake up! Please open up your eyes! Sakuno!" said Ryoma as he shakes her arms gently. Tears start to form around his eyes.

The others look away or look on to the floor. Ryoma buries his head on his hands, which was holding onto Sakuno's right hand. Tears drops from his cheek and onto Sakuno's face. It was then Aya notices that the rate of Sakun's heartbeat starts to fasten.

"Ryoma, minna, look!" Aya points to the device and everyone looks at it.

Ryoma feels a small movement in his hands, follows by a soft, weak but sweet sound.

"R..Ryo..ma..kun..." Sakuno's eyes were half opened and tears rolls down her cheek.

"S..Sakuno?" Ryoma's eyes widen as he stares at Sakuno, with tears still rolling from his eyes.

Sakuno uses all her strength and raises her left hand and touches Ryoma's cheek. "I...heard you calling...for me...That's why I come back...Ryoma-kun...Why...are you crying?"

Ryoma cleans the tears from his eyes quickly. "Sakuno..."

Sakuno smiles weakly, "Urei..she..Ryoma-kun calls me by my name..."

Ryoma bends his head low, "Baka...Sakuno no baka..."

Everyone run to Ryoma and hugs him, and shout out their joy for him. (Which they forgotten that they are in the hospital)

Chapter 8: The Birthday Present and the Game

Ryoma and the others waited outside the room as the doctor check on Sakuno. After a while, the doctor comes out with a smile on his face.

"It's a miracle that she awakes from her coma. You must be a lucky young man. You can stay overnight with her if you want to, but it's late, so try to keep the volume down."

"Arigatou, Sensei." The doctor pats Ryoma's shoulder and walks off.

When Ryoma was about to go in, he went weak and the others managed to catch him before felling flat onto the floor.

"Ochibi, you must be tired now, go home and rest." Eiji said as he and Momoshiro support Ryoma to sit on the bench nearby.

Ryoma rubs his head, "But..."

"I will stay with her tonight. Listen to Eiji-kun and get some rest at home. I promise you that I'll look after her for you." Aya said as she pats Ryoma's head.

"Hm..." Ryoma stands up slowly while Eiji and Momoshiro support him by the arms. Tezuka walks towards them.

"The both of you bring Echizen back home while Aya and I look after Ryuusaki-san. The others may go back home too after a tiring day." Everyone nod their heads and walks off. Tezuka and Aya look at each other and went back into the room.

At Ryoma's house

Ryoma, Momoshiro and Eiji arrived at the Echizen resident.

"Ja, matta neh, Echizen!" Momoshiro pats his head.

"Ja, Ochibi!! Oh by the way, check your table when you go into your bedroom." The both of them walk away, leaving Ryoma thinking what did Eiji meant by that sentence.

Ryoma walks up the stairs to his room. When he was in, he saw a small rectangular present wrapped in a blue and silver wrapping paper. And under it was a card. Ryoma opens up the present and finds out that it was a photo frame with the design of some tennis related stuffs. In the photo frame, is a photo of him and the regulars. It was a photo taken when Oishi ask them to go and climb the mountain and watch the sunset (it was in the episode before Tezuka went to Germany). Ryoma puts down the photo frame on the table and opens the envelope. When he sees the front page, it was then he remembers that it was his birthday today. He sits on his bed as he reads the birthday card.

To Echizen Ryoma:

Happy Birthday, Ryoma!! Have you seen your present? Wasn't it cute? All of us have been thinking what to buy for you, so we have chosen to buy you a photo frame. We spent 4 hours to find this frame; all of us were so tired after running here and there. I have made this card for you; hope you like the present and card we gave to you.

From: Minashiro Aya

Ryoma smiles as he continues reading the things which the regulars wrote on the card.

Echizen! Happy Birthday!! You are a big boy now, must learn how to take care of yourself and your future wife too!! HAHAHAHA!!!! By: Momoshiro Takeshi

"Momo-chan senpai no baka!" Ryoma said as he has a blush on his face.

Hoi! Hoi! Happy Birthday, Ochibi-chan!! Do you like your present? You better be, we were searching for it for 4 hours!!! Non-stop by the way!! Haha! Just kidding, we just hope that you like the frame and keep it with you always. By the way, when I saw you felling asleep beside Ryuusaki-chan, you looked so CUTE!!!!! By: Kikumaru Eiji

"Damn it, they saw me in my sleeping form..." Ryoma blush more when he read the last sentence.

Ometeto, Echizen! You are older now. Hope that you like the present. I just wish you to be happy in your life, with Ryuusaki-san. By: Oishi Syuichiro

"I will, Oishi-senpai." Ryoma takes the frame from the table.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ECHIZEN!! REMEMBER TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH US AT MY SUSHI SHOP!!!! YOSHA!! BURNING!!!!!! By: Takashi Kawamura

"I wonder did the pen he used spoilt, as he was in his Burning mode." Ryoma continues the next person.

SShhh...............................Happy Birthday............ By: Kaidou Kaoru

"Just like usual, Kaidou-senpai don't talk much." Ryoma laugh a bit and continues.

Ya, Echizen. Happy Birthday. Actually I was thinking of making a new version of "Inui Juice" for you as a birthday present, but the others beat me up whenever I say it. Hmm...Maybe I'll bring it along and let you drink it tomorrow. You will love it. By: Sadaharu Inui

"Shimatta...must I really drink it tomorrow? I can't imagine the colour of the juice. I'm gonna to dead!" Ryoma sweat drops as he remembers the previous "Inui Juice" he had drank. He erases the thought and continues reading the card.

Happy Birthday, Echizen. You like your present? By the way, I have my own present for you. Open the back cover of the frame and you will find another photo. I took it by chance, so I think that you would want it. Hehe... By: Fuji Syuusuke

Ryoma did as what Fuji said; he takes out the photo from the back. He flips it over and it was actually a photo of him and Sakuno talking together. Ryoma blush and smiles as puts the frame and the photo on his laps. "Arigatou, Fuji-senpai."

Ometeto. The older you get, the more things you will encounter and learn. Next give up when you have problems, all of us will be there to help and give you our support. Just remember this. By: Tezuka Kunimitsu

WISH YOU AND SAKUNO LIVE HAPPILY TOGETHER EVER AFTER!!!

"They talk like me and Sakuno are marring each other. Any way, it all thanks to them." Ryoma smiles as he places the photo frame and the card on the table nicely.

Ryoma yawns as he lazily climbs onto his bed and sleep through the night.

Next Morning (at the hospital)

At 10.30am, Ryoma went to the hospital and visits Sakuno. When he went in, Sakuno was talking to Aya.

"Ryoma-kun, ohayo." Sakuno smiles at him with a bit redness on her cheek.

"Ohayo, Ryoma" Aya moves towards Ryoma and pats his cap.

"Itai su...Are you feeling better?" Ryoma say as he moves to the side of the bed.

"H..Hai! My legs are still very pain." Sakuno can't help blushing when Ryoma talks to him after all the things that have happened.

"Souda. Karupin miss you very much, that's why I brought him along." Ryoma puts down his tennis bag slowly and Karupin reveals itself from the bag when Ryoma opens it.

"K..Karupin?! Ryoma-kun, you brought him in?" She asks as Ryoma places Karupin in her arms and sits on the chair besides Aya.

"SShh...I know you miss him so I sneak him into the hospital by letting it hiding in my bag. Where's Bucou, I thought that he was with you, Aya." Ryoma asks while looking around the room for Tezuka.

"He went to buy some food for us. Hm...he should be back by now..."

It was then, the door opens and Tezuka comes in, followed by the other regulars. Fuji walks towards the vase places on the desktop and replaces the flower.

"Ryuusaki-san, how are you feeling?" Fuji smiles at her.

"D..Daijoubu des! Minna, arigatou." Sakuno blushes as she looks at all of them.

"Ochibi, we found a tennis court at the garden at the back of the hospital. Wanna go and play?" Eiji asks Ryoma as he hangs his arm around his neck.

"But, Sakuno is..." All of them look at Sakuno, which makes her nervous.

"It's alright; I also want to see Ryoma-kun plays tennis. I can sit on the wheelchair." Sakuno said as she points to a wheelchair at the corner of the room.

Ryoma moves the wheelchair to the side of the bed and Aya helps Sakuno to sit on it. When they are ready, they push the wheelchair and move towards the tennis court.

When arrived at the tennis court

"It was really a surprise that there is a tennis court at the hospital's garden." Momoshiro said as he looks at the court.

"Who will play first?" Kawamura asks as all of them put down their tennis bag.

"Echizen. Aya. Both of you will play first." Tezuka said as he looks at the both of them.

"Eh? Ore? It's alright with me, how bout you, Ryoma?" Aya looks from Tezuka to Ryoma, who was taking out his racket.

"Anything..." Ryoma reply as he and Aya moves to the court and get into their position.

"This gonna be interesting..." Fuji smirks as he rubs his chin.

"Ikei! Ochibi!!" Eiji cheers and Momoshiro shouted, "If you lose, you will give Ryuusaki-chan a kiss!!"

"Eh?! Sou...Sou na!!" Sakuno starts to panic; Momoshiro looks at her and said, "Jou dan, jou dan."

"This will give me a good data on Aya-san's data." Inui said as he starts scribbling on his data book.

"I'll be the umpire. Echizen to serve." Oishi said as he sits on the umpire chair.

Ryoma throws the ball up and hit his usual serve: Twist Serve! Aya dodges when the ball bounces towards her. She looks from the ball to Ryoma.

"15 Love!!" Oishi shouts.

"Heh... So this is your Twist Serve...you use your right hand to serve instead of your left hand. Omoshiroi..." Aya smirks as she waits for the next serve.

Ryoma serves the ball with Twist Serve again, but this time Aya manages to hit it back. When Ryoma was about to hit the ball back, he realizes that the shot was strong and heavy. He uses more strength to hit it back, Aya returns it with an easy swing. When he tries to hit it back again, he couldn't as it was too strong. His racket was sent flying out from his hand and the ball hits the ground with a lound "thump". Ryoma looks at Aya who was smiling at him.

"15 All!!" Oishi shouts.

"Gome, I use too much strength." Aya said as she swings her racket.

After 5 minutes, Ryoma wins the first game. Both of them change court.

"Nanda...I thought that Aya-chan was strong but seems like she's not." Momoshiro said as he places his arm behind his head.

"Iie, look." Fuji said and all of them look at Aya as she changes from her right hand to her left hand.

"Left-hander? She is the same as Ochibi and Tezuka?"

"Not only that, look closely at her eyes."

Aya's eyes was not the usual green eyes which was the same as Tezuka, it was now the colour of ruby, even darker.

"Looks like she was not serious at first." Fuji opens his blue eyes as he looks at Tezuka, who was standing besides him.

"Aya is the only person whereby I can't even win a score, when she gets serious."

"EH?!" Everyone was shock and look back to the match.

Oishi heard it too; he continues the game, "Aya to serve!!"

"Get ready now, Ryoma. Because you will not get to win another score from me." Aya said as she prepares to serve.

"We will see." Ryoma smirks as he gets ready.

Aya hits the ball, it lands on the ground and bounces towards Ryoma. When he wants to hit it back, the ball disappears...

So what will be the end of the game? This story will end soon, I hope that you all like it. By the way, the song Ryoma sang is "Futari". That song is so romantic, I can't believe it that he sang that song (Based on his personality I mean).