A/N I have seen quite a number of fics like this, but I kept it as original as ever. So don't charge me for plagiarism, if you want, email me first. Excuse my bad grammar and lack of descriptions.
Disclaimer: If I were Takeshi Konomi, I would have made Atobe and Sanada dance tango.
He stood outside the church where she's getting married. She, Ryuuzaki Sakuno was getting married. But not to him. It was a month ago when he received the invitation. Her husband-to-be had even cordially asked him whether he wanted to be his best man. Of course, Ryoma rejected.
He shouldn't have come, but his conscience kept telling him that he should at least respect the man she was marrying to. The man was none other than his former senpai.
He trudged into the church sluggishly, still hesitating whether he should leave right now before he started showing emotions that he had never shown before. But still, he settled into the church. He picked the furthest seat from where she'll be standing. Where she'll be standing with another guy.
He was 30 minutes early, which was unusual for a guy like him. A guy who had always been late since young. A guy who had been reprimanded numerous times by his former buchou.
He, Echizen Ryoma was seldom early, especially occasions like this.
Not this early, never… Scratch the incident that happened 12 years ago when his senpai lied to him about the meeting time. It was supposed to be 10.30 but Momo-senpai had deliberately told him to come at 9.30.
Soon, he was joined by many others. A certain loud red head glomped him from behind, forcing him back into reality.
"Echizen-chan nyah!"
It was Kikumaru Eiji-senpai. Ryoma could recognize him almost everywhere. His loud voice and the suffix that he had always added on to his name since junior high. Eiji had never changed. Neither did he.
"Ochibi-chan! This is like a reunion for us nyah, the former tennis team of Seishun Gakuen!" Eiji said delightfully, "Honestly, I had always thought that you will be the one who will marry Sakuno-chan."
Ryoma did not answer that. That sentence would be true if he wasn't such a blockhead before. Old memories of Sakuno and him came back to his mind. Every bits of it pierced right through his heart like a knife.
He regretted for everything that he had done to hurt her. He regretted breaking her heart so many times. And he could not blame anybody for it. It was entirely his fault. And now she decided that she don't need him anymore.
If only I wasn't such a bastard before. If only…
"Ochibi-chan? Are you all right? You look kinda spaced out." Eiji inquired concernly.
"I am fine." And there he was, lying. But he wasn't such a good liar, or else Tezuka-buchou will never make him run laps because he was only 20 minutes late for training.
However, Eiji did not pursue further down into the matter because he had found some other people to bug.
"Oishi!" Eiji bounced excitedly towards the egg-head boy. Behind him was Inui, Kawamura, Momo and Kaidoh. All of them were wearing Tuxedo like Eiji and Ryoma did. Actually, Momo had worn a pink tuxedo which had gotten a fshuu from Kaidoh as his disapproval for Momo's clothing.
"Baka Mamushi! Who told you to wear your high school uniform?"
"At least I am better of than some sissy broom head boy who had worn a pink tuxedo. Fshuu…" Kaidoh hissed.
"What did you say, Mamushi?"
"Yaro!"
And the fight started. If Tezuka was around, he would have commanded both of them to run 100 laps around the church for being childish. But since he wasn't, the fight continued even after somebody handed Kawamura a tennis racket. Every guest in the vicinity shot them a who-had-invited-these-monkeys look.
However, that chaos did not even manage to lighten Ryoma's mood a tiny little bit. He was preoccupied with his own thoughts.
At 4 pm sharp. The wedding commenced. All of the guests had settled down, including all of them. Ryoma was now sitting at the front thanks to all his former senpai. The doors opened and Sakuno walked in carefully not to trip on her dress, accompanied by her father. She was smiling blissfully. There were tears of joy in her eyes, which were focusing on her future husband… Fuji Syuusuke
If only he hadn't hurt her, she would be smiling at him now…
Ryoma suddenly felt a pang of pain and jealousy, it hurts so much that it was constricting his chest. He wanted so much to leave at once. But he can't… Not until he talk to her. Not until he tell her his true feelings. His thoughts was interrupted by the pastor's firm and intelligible voice.
"Ryuuzaki Sakuno, do you accept Fuji Syuusuke as your husband?"
Ryoma saw this as his only ray of hope. Please say no! Please! If you do, I will make sure I will not hurt you ever again. So please! Ryoma prayed desperately in his head.
"I do." Sakuno's once small and tiny voice was loud and filled with determination. She was happy, she looked as if she could bounce up and down like the one and only Kikumaru Eiji.
The pastor nodded approvingly and then turned his attention to the public, "Anybody disagree to this marriage?"
Ryoma wanted so much to raise up his hand and shout 'I disagree!' But he was too busy wallowing with his own sorrow.
Ryoma's heart sank as the pastor announced that Fuji and Sakuno are now husband and wife. He wanted so much to run up, grab her, shook her and remind her that the only one she love was him, Echizen Ryoma! Oblivious to her, that two words that escaped her lips so easily and fluently had shattered him. He cursed her for not giving him a chance. He despised her for being ignorant. He detest her for making him this pathetic.
If only she knew, she will regret it forever.
He was on his top when he saw those two kissing. His fist was shaking and his lips was quivering. No no! This isn't happening! This is just a plain nightmare! There is no way that Sakuno can be kissing another guy when she only love him! No! This is all WRONG!
Many people cried, happy for the bride and the groom. Including his senpai, the bridesmaid, Sakuno's best friend, who was now being comforted by the best man, Tezuka-buchou. But why can't he be happy for her? Shouldn't he be happy that she would not be annoying him forever with her 'Ryoma-kun!'
He loathed her. Ryuuzaki Sakuno, that name will remain engraved in his memories forever. He hated hated hated hated hated her so much that he wanted to rip her to pieces. But he can't, because he love her. And now she's married before he could even tell her his real feelings. He didn't stand a chance anymore.
When the wedding ended, Ryoma found himself being dragged away by his seniors. They skidded right in front of Fuji and Sakuno to congratulate them. Greetings were exchanged and soon, Ryoma found that it was his turn to speak.
He did not know what to say to Fuji.
So instead, he turned to Sakuno. Not daring to look into her eyes, he muttered "You're beautiful."
She's beautiful, Ryoma had meant it. She's the angel from his nightmare.
"Thank you." She simply replied.
He walked away, leaving her to chat with the rest of the people.
It was months later whenhe met her again.
"Hei." He greeted her.
Recognising the voice, Sakuno turned and beamed, "Hi!"
"So how are you doing?" Ryoma said, trying to start a conversation.
"Fine," She shrugged emphatically, "Syuusukeis really nice to me."
An awkward silence were shared between the two adults.
"I think I should get going, I have to prepare dinner," Sakuno was about to walk away when Ryoma mustered up all his courage, and said, "I love you."
Sakuno's head swivelled towards Ryoma, "What?"
"If only I could turn back time, I would be the one making you happy." It must had taken all his dignity to confess to her his true feelings. Ryoma had expected that she would start crying. But he was wrong.
"Too late, Ryoma-kun… You pushed me away like a dirt all those times I confessed to you." Sakuno shook her head disbelievingly at him.
"I am sorry…"
Memories of that moment came back to him. He still remembered, until now.
It was 8 years ago when she ran up to him. "Ryoma-kun!" She panted, catching her breath.
"What?" Ryoma had asked, irritated. He was in a rush, he was almost late for his meeting.
"Ryoma-kun! I really do love you! All along I tried to ignore that feeling but soon I realized that I could no longer deny it." Sakuno paused, "I am madly in love with you."
Now Ryoma was angry. Not only she had wasted his time, she had told him something that he was not even interested to hear. He snapped at her, "Look here, Ryuuzaki. I am not trying to hurt you or anything but you're really annoying. Just give up, I will never return your feelings." And he walked away, leaving her alone, crying. Her tears mingling with the rain. Her sobs was barely audible in the pouring rain.
And Ryoma didn't care.
A few months later, Ryoma heard that Sakuno started going out with the tennis prodigy. He was glad at first, until he realised his feelings towards her.
If only he had told her his feelings earlier
"If sorry could cure everything, there would be no war in this world." Sakuno fumed, "Do you think you can understand how I was feeling all those times you rejected me?
I do. Because I am feeling that way as well.
"The only man I love now is Syuusuke. Don't even think of breaking us up!"
Ryoma closed his eyes. The words resounding in his hazy consciousness violently tore up his heart.
Does she know that she's breaking him up? Is she sorry for that?
Ryoma could not take it anymore. All the emotions that he had kept to himself since the beginning of the wedding welled up inside of him. Nearly unable to breathe, the drops of his torn away feelings
fell onto the palm of his hand.
He cried.
Sakuno was shocked. She took a step back, whispering "Ry… Ryoma-kun?" She had never expected this. She had never imagined that she would be seeing him crying. She never thought that tears would flow so easily down the boy with the golden eye.
"Sorry." Ryoma tried to wipe the tears in his eyes, to no avail. It just kept on flowing. He had never cry since the day Karupin had died 10 years ago. Crying makes one's soul weak. That's why he never cried. That's why he used to despise people like Sakuno who could do nothing but cry.
He ran, he did not want anybody to see him cry, especially not her.
It started raining just like many years ago.
If only I could turn back time, I wouldn't haverejected you at that time.
A/N: This story is editted by my cousin. Give him some credits. Some lines are alsotaken from Ryoma's song 'Crying sky' And as I have said, if your story is similar to mine, please email me first before reporting. So far the only story I had read that's quite similar was 'I'm sorry' by koinux but I really didn't copy anything from her. Reviews would be much appreciated. Iwill editthis after I come back from China.