Hmm.. hey! Well, thanks for your patience minna! :3 hehehe.. well anyway, thanks for your reviews too.! Hehehe :3 holidays at this time of the year, and that's probably why you haven't gotten chapter 8 yet. Anyway,

Cinpii > thanks for the review, i guess i'll try better, but i don't know, i'm not even 16 yet, i think i'd rather write like how i write now. Hahaha i guess i just have the maturity of a 13 year old girl. Oh and that is very true ) unlike some of the older writers, i am somehow, very young, but they never restricted me from writing anyway. So sorry if you don't like it, but that's all i can do.

NOTE : The 'Plastics' of Seishun Gakuen belong to me. Hahaha. Just wanted to spice up the story :) Oh, and please mind my language, swear words, you know, btch, and all. Make the 'Plastics' sound even worse than they are.

The rest>thanks for your reviews! wears a banner saying i-must-finish-this-in-a-night

Undine1 > well.. if you don't mind waiting, the next chapter? This one's really long. I THINK. Hehehe.. and yes, drama, and more drama, and that takes pages. But i promise you, next chapter! But, there will be characters from my previous fanfics. As in, the regulars' partners. For the partner-less, I'll just add someone. Besides, the whole team is going, and they're supposed to have a partner. I'm trying to keep this a straight fic, so no yaoi. Gomen to yaoi fans! Lol not like I have anything against it.. I enjoy reading yaoi fics, but this is supposed to be straight.. so yes.!

I better stop being Shinji and, onto the story for now. And as i said, i'd be taking characters from my previous fics, like 'Ice Cold Baby Girl', and Himawari, so if you haven't read it yet, you should either read it, or don't read this. oh, and they'll appear in the next chapter. I canNOT fit everything here : enjoy reading!

It was way past midnight, but the light in Ryoma's room was still shining brightly. Ryoma re-read his letter for what seemed to be the twentieth time.

Hey. It's Ryoma. Yea, pretty weird for me to write a letter right? Well, there's something I have to tell you, but I don't dare say it straight in your face, so I'm writing this down in black and white. Sorry if this seems so insincere, but I doubt I would be able to say anything if I had to tell this to you face to face.

As everyone knows, the school prom is coming soon, and you know my senpais, they're forcing me to go for it, and I definitely need to go.. and with a partner as well. So, could I please have the honour to escort you to the school prom? I'll be waiting for you as usual at the rooftop. Ja.

Ryoma Echizen

As Ryoma slipped the letter into an envelope, he thought of Sakuno's locker number. Besides, he needed to drop the note in a locker after all.

Say, was it 206 or 207? Ryoma thought in his mind. He had no whatsoever reason to memorize the girl's locker number anyway. I think it was 207. Ryoma scribbled the locker number on the envelope and placed it in his racket bag.

Now, time for some shut-eye..

"RYOMA! RYOMA! Time to wake up!" Nanako shouted from downstairs. No response. She stomped upstairs to the young boy's room and knocked the door gently, forcing herself to be gentle to Ryoma.

"Ryoma, it's time to wake up.." Nanako said. Ryoma grunted and covered his head with his pillow.

This time, Nanako whacked the door as hard as she could, and the hinges broke off. Nanjiroh was staring in awe.

"Ah, gomen uncle, I'll fix it up later today," Nanako said as she smiled at her uncle, hoping that her uncle wouldn't stare at her that way. Nanjiroh went downstairs and grunted. Not surprising for Nanako to break Ryoma's door. He's such a hardhead. Nanjiroh thought to himself while munching his breakfast.

Ryoma was fast asleep until he heard the door break off its hinges. He yawned, rubbed his eyes and stared closely at the door. It HAD broke off. Nanako had gone to take a pail of ice cold water, and before he knew it, he was drenched in water from the Antartic Ocean. His head was soaked in water, and so was his bed. I swear she does this to me everyday.

Trying not to be late for tennis practice that morning, Ryoma skipped breakfast and headed off to school. Before that, he needed to drop 'the' letter into Sakuno's locker. He'd want her to see it first thing in the morning ; so that he would get a reply during lunch at the rooftop. Ryoma slid the letter through the thin long slots in the locker numbered 207. Yawn, now to go for tennispractice..

Word had spread throughout the school even before school started that Ryoma would be taking one of the girls to the school prom. All the girls chatted excitedly as they daydreamed about dancing with Ryoma. Sakuno too thought about it, but decided against it. Besides, how could she be compared with the other prettier, and not to mention, 'plastic-er' girls?(A/N : Well, if you've seen the movie Mean Girls, you might just get what I mean. It's kind of a word I invented myself.. but :) hahaha.And, when I mean 'plastic-er' girls, I mean by those 'queen-bee' type of girls. Those who have the whole school bowing down at them. Every school has them, right? They're those snobbish girls who think that they're too pretty, gorgeous, and etc. to be excluded from everything.. in short form, super popular and, mind my language! btchy as well.)

Sakuno was nothing compared to them. They had dyed their hair blonde, and they painted their nails pink. Even though it was unacceptable in Seishun Gakuen, they had their way. They were three girls, namely Miko, Kazumi and Steffi. Steffi, their 'queen', was half Japanese half German. She was very smart, and sly as well. Somehow, Sakuno never saw eye to eye with Steffi. Steffi obviously had a thing for Ryoma, seeing the way she eyed him. She was downright evil. Unfortunately, Sakuno's locker was next to Steffi's. In short form, Sakuno had to bear Steffi's bragging everyday. Steffi was filthy rich, and she had ridiculed Sakuno and Tomoka countless of times since she first entered in second grade.

That morning, Sakuno sauntered to her locker after tennis practice in the morning. She had to face Steffi during tennis practice too ; and had to work with Steffi. Steffi was vice-president because she got many votes. She must have forced everyone to vote for her. No one dared defy her 'greatness'(A/N : She seems to be sounding very much like Atobe. No, actually. WORSE than him..). But she could never beat Sakuno, because Ryuzaki-sensei preferred her granddaughter to Steffi. As much as Steffi wanted to suck up to Ryuzaki-sensei, she never understood why Ryuzaki-sensei didn't treat her how the rest treated her. She was used to being the best, and being the queen, but with Ryuzaki-sensei, she was just a nobody.

Tomoka was chirping happily beside Sakuno, following her to her locker.

"Na, Sakuno-chan, probably Ryoma-sama will take you to the prom! Everyone says he will be taking someone.." Tomoka said happily. She was glad for the two. Despite her fanaticism over her Ryoma-sama, she felt that Sakuno was perfect for Ryoma. Besides, they both have affections towards one another.

"Dream on, girl. Ryoma will be inviting me, of course," Steffi bragged. Miko and Kazumi agreed in their girly/btchy way as their stared at their fingernails.

"Oh no! My nail! It's CHIPPED! What am I to do..!?" Kazumi whined.

"Oh my GOD! That's a code red! Code red!" Miko said loudly. A group of their followers came quickly with a nailclipper.

"We have no choice, Kazumi-san. Clip it, or it'll remain as it is," a girl said. Kazumi sighed deeply. "Alright then. Clip it."

As her nail fell onto the ground, the whole group of girls were fighting for the measly nail. Kazumi took out a nailfile and filed her nail.

"It's better than it being chipped," Kazumi said. The rest merely agreed.

Steffi snapped her fingers, and a whole horde of boys crowded around her like bees crowding over honey. She pointed to the locker, and soon the boys were having a catfight, seeing who has the honour to open Steffi's locker.

"You get to open my locker today, Yuuji-chan. Hayaku(faster), I can't be waiting all day."

"Here you go, Steffi-sama. Are?(as in, Japanese 'are', and not theEnglish'are'.)There's a letter there," Yuuji exclaimed. Steffi snatched it the instant Yuuji took the letter.

"These are my private matters, Yuuji. Off to your own work, everyone!"

"HAI, STEFFI-SAMA!" The boys said as they marched off to do their own daily tasks.

"That Steffi always has to cause a commotion.." Tomoka grumbled to Sakuno. Sakuno just shrugged. What could she do anyway?

"Oh. My. GOD. RYOMA ASKED ME TO THE SCHOOL PROM!" Steffi shrieked in delight. Miko and Kazumi were squealing in joy.

"Wait just a minute. Did he even SPEAK to you?" Tomoka queried, curious. This must have been a mistake. A terrible mistake.

"No, but it says so in this letter. Aw, he's writing this because he's shy to talk to me face to face.. how sweet.." Steffi cooed. She tossed the letter to Tomoka.

"Read it yourself, biatch. Let me know when you're convinced." Steffi said. It was the worst being Steffi's enemy.

Tomoka was reading the letter intently. It never mentioned Steffi's name at all. Maybe she wrote it herself.. but how could she forge his signature? Tomoka thought. She handed the letter back to Steffi and headed back to where Sakuno was. Sakuno was staring in awe at a corner of the school hallway. She had this blank expression on her pale face.

"So, Ryoma-kun did really ask Steffi to the dance, huh? I knew it. I knew it a long, long time ago. Why was I so dumb to even THINK that he would take me? I'm a big baka. Baka baka baka BAKA," Sakuno muttered to herself. She WAS starting to be like Shinji.

"Aw, come on, Sakuno-chan. I bet that was fake. Ryoma would NEVER ask that showoff Steffi to the dance. Besides, he never mentioned her name in the letter," Tomoka said, trying to comfort her best friend. During the toughest times, Sakuno stood strong and often fought against Steffi and winning, showing Tomoka that Steffi could be beaten. Sakuno would have never gotten involved in the whole Steffi thing ; it was all because of Tomoka herself who loved attention. And that was what Steffi loved too. Thus began the feud for popularity, especially in Ryoma's eyes. But the strong Sakuno never looked bad. In fact, Sakuno never said that anything was impossible.

"So what? I always thought I had a chance.. and then again, why do I think of such things?" Sakuno mumbled.

"No, Sakuno-chan! You DO have a chance. You still have a chance! Maybe Ryoma was forced to write that letter to Steffi.. why don't you ask him?"

Sakuno walked away from the crowd as she mumbled to herself. This is bad. VERY bad. What would Sakuno do? I guess this leaves me one thing : confront Ryoma-sama! Tomoka thought. She was going to get to the bottom of this.

There had been alot of chatter in the school about him asking a girl to the prom. Ryoma thought Sakuno would have been overjoyed by the thought of that, and subconsciously blabbed it to everyone. Ryoma frowned at the thought of everyone knowing that he asked Sakuno to the prom, but it was alright. It was Sakuno after all, and everything was absolutely alright. Somehow, Sakuno had been trying to avoid eye contact with him. She looked depressed. That was.. unlike Sakuno.

However, on the other hand, some other blonde girl who was constantly accompanied by a crowd of people was smiling so much at him. Are her lips glued like that, or what? Ryoma thought as she flashed him another one of her all-time smiles. Ryoma just turned away.

She's freaky. Hell freaky. Ryoma said to himself as he sweatdropped.

How could Ryoma-sama ask the worst girl in the universe to the prom? It is just UNACCEPTABLE! Steffi, of all people. STEFFI GUNDERBAND! Tomoka thought to herself. Ryoma never started a conversation in his life with that girl. How could he just suddenly ask her?

Ah! There he is. He better have an explanation ; or else, he is SO going to get it from me. Tomoka marched off to the boy, oblivious of everything. As she approached him, he stared. Why did she even insist on talking to him anyway? Ryoma was way too busy to have a chat with some random girl. The loud-mouthed girl. However, she was approaching him.

"Ryoma-sama. We need to have a chat," Tomoka said, her tone somewhat unlike what it normally was.

"Tch. Yada."

In a split second, Ryoma was drenched. Drenched in what seemed to be, ice cold orange juice. Darn, she was holding a glass of orange juice. Must be my unlucky day today.

"ECHIZEN RYOMA! You STOP right there!" Tomoka shrieked. This stirred up alot of attention. Sakuno rushed to Ryoma, and so did Steffi.

"Ryoma-kun, daijoubuka?(are you okay?)" Sakuno asked, taking out a packet of tissue and wiping her prince.

"Sakuno, stop acting so nice to him! He has no right to treat you like dirt! You've done so much for him, and he doesn't know how to appreciate you at all. Come on, people like him do not deserve someone as special as you!" Tomoka fumed.

"Pooh, you're just jealous, Osakada. Jealous of the fact that Ryoma did NOT ask that friend of yours to the prom, and decided to ask me, which would have obviously been his choice. Why, who wouldn't want to go to the prom with the beautiful me?" Steffi scoffed, wiping the sticky orange liquid off Ryoma's jet black hair.

Oh no. Since when did I ask her to the prom? Die. No wonder she was smiling so much at me! She thought that I ASKED her to the prom? In her dreams! Ryoma thought to himself. He threw Steffi a 'you-must-be-mad' look and shoved her off.

"I didn't even ask you to the prom," Ryoma said in his calm and composed tone.

"Oh, come on, Ryoma-chan! Don't be shy, I've got it her in black and white!" Steffi laughed, waving a piece of paper in front of him. Her two companions agreed in unison.

Oh NO. Did I even write to her? Oh. OH. She's Sakuno's locker neighbour. And I.. slipped that letter in her locker. Ryoma thought. He smacked his head, and went off to the boy's washroom. This is one big dream. A nightmare. I'll just drench my face, and I'll be back in bed..

What Ryoma thought was absolutely wrong. It was a living nightmare, especially with that Steffi girl clinging onto him like glue. He had made Sakuno sad, and Tomoka was staring daggers at him. What can I do? Ryoma thought. This was the first time he felt so helpless.

"Um.. Steffi, right?"

"Oh, YES! What do you need from me, Ryoma? I can give you a light kiss on your ear, or maybe, if you want things hotter.."

"Leave me alone."

"What did you just say? REPEAT THOSE WORDS, if you dare." Steffi was fuming. No one dared defy her. No one could defy her. She was the greatest! No, not even the great Ryoma could. That was unacceptable.

"Leave me alone, I tell you! I never even intended to ask you to the prom. I just forgot Sakuno's locker number and mixed it up with yours, and then came this huge mistake. Just leave me alone, can't you?" Steffi released her grip on Ryoma. She was in deep shock. No one rejected her offers. No one dared say such words to her. He walked off, in his own demeanour.NOTE : I follow the British spelling, fyi. hehehe

"Ryoma Echizen. You are SO going to pay for this!" Steffi exclaimed vengefully. He couldn't reject her and get away with it. But when those words slipped out of her mouth, he had already left.

Now, he definitely cleared things up with Steffi. Now, Sakuno. Where was she? He tried looking for her, he asked where she was, but no one seemed to know.

Maybe she left for home. Maybe.. maybe she went to the tennis courts. Ryoma thought as a million possibilities of where Sakuno could be flashed in his mind. Maybe.. maybe she was at the rooftop. Say, I haven't checked whether Sakuno was there. Perhaps she would be there.

Ryoma was right. Sniffing away in the corner of that open void was none other than Sakuno. She sobbed quietly at the corner of the rooftop. At least no one could see her in such misery, she thought. But she was wrong. Standing right behind her was none other than Ryoma, the last person in the world that she wanted to see.

Why is he here? Why.. why? Why wouldn't he just let me figure out my life by myself? Why does he have to mess up with my life everytime? The questions never stopped. Sakuno stood, and screamed. She was living a screwed-up life, even more screwed-up than arithmetic, or even a love triangle. All she ever wanted was for Ryoma to show out his hidden affections for her. It was that simple. Why did it have to be so complicating?

"Sakuno, if you don't mind, could I please have a moment with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Could I explain myself?"

"Go ahead. I'm listening," Sakuno said, sniffing. He handed her a tissue, and she forced herself to smile. She couldn't look bad in front of Ryoma.

"All I wanted to do, is to ask you to the prom. It was that simple.. but.. I just thought the words couldn't come out from my lips. So I decided to pen it down. Write everything in a piece of paper, and slot it in your locker. Life was simple like that. But.. I made a major mistake. Instead of slipping it into your locker, I slipped it into that girl's locker. I'm sorry, Sakuno. But, may I still have the honour to be your escort to the prom?" Ryoma explained, stretching his hand out to help his princess.

Sakuno smiled and took his hand. With the other hand, she brushed off tears. Tears of joy.

"Ready whenever you are, Ryoma."

Sorry minna, cliffhangers. i never stop adding cliffhangers at the end of every chapter. Probably the next chapter will be its last.. because this has been dragging on for a long, long time. Anyway, owari for now! And, hope you enjoyed reading!