Disclaimer- ONCE AGAIN, wish it was, sadly is not. ):
Standing before him was Ryuzaki Sakuno, her brown hair falling softly past her shoulders. Her big, expressive eyes stared Ryoma and he could feel her looking right through him. His heart felt a pang of guilt, for not letting her know how he felt a few years ago.
"Ryoma Echizen? My name's-"
"Ryuzaki Sakuno."
"Hmm, impressive memory, Ryoma-kun. And I'd thought you'd forgotten all about poor little me." Sakuno flashed a cheeky grin. That girl that used to blush at everything and anything, stammer like crazy and run away at almost anything scary.
"Why are you here?" Ryoma tried to remain his cool but it was hard.
"I'm a journalist intern Ryoma. I've come to interview you. You will grant me this favour, won't you?"
"I'll think about it."
Suddenly, Sakuno's face was madly flushed with excitement.
"No, you won't. Quick! Come with me!" Sakuno grabbed Ryoma's hand, and he felt it tingle where she was holding it. Sakuno dragged Ryoma into the lift. She pressed the button 12 and the lift began its journey. Ryoma was filled with curiosity as the very excited Sakuno eyed the door. The door slowly opened and Sakuno flew out. Sliding her keycard into the slot, the light blinked green. She slammed the door open, almost breaking it. Her hotel room. Not bad, a suite. Ryoma thought. But he had a deluxe suite. The drapes were pulled back and the room was full of sunlight. The tv was turned on, tuned to the sports channel. Ryoma watched a replay of his match with his Fuji-senpai blaring on the tv. A sports magazine lay open on the bed. And a bra draped across the couch. Ryoma smirked, then cleared all the lust from his head and made himself comfortable on the bed. Sakuno was in a corner, digging at her suitcase. Her skirt had traveled her legs as she bent over her bag in frustration. Ryoma noticed her long, slender legs.
"Where is it!" Sakuno cried out in utter frustration. Suddenly she pulled out a bright, gleaming object. Her face was pouring with sweat, which Ryoma found amusing as she had only been at it for 5 minutes. If he sweated that much every 5 minutes, he'd drown after a match.
"Look! Ryoma! Aren't you proud of me?" She showed him a trophy. On it was engraved:
Ladies Open
1st
Ryoma felt a sense of satisfaction, all his training her hadn't gone to waste.
"Not bad. I guess my training you had worked after all."
"No, I think I managed this on my own." Sakuno boasted. Ryoma gave her a light push and gloated. "Without me, you wouldn't have made it at all."
Sakuno pushed him back, and as they were on the bed, soon a minor pillow fight erupted. But Ryoma made sure not to be too rough, seeing Sakuno's fragile frame. How she won that competition, I'll never know. He thought.
"COME ON, RYOMA! GIVE ME YOUR BEST SHOT!" Sakuno shouted, face beaming. That confidence , that aura. Ryoma was so attracted.
"Sakuno, I think if I gave you my "best shot" you'd die of- OOF!" Sakuno tackled Ryoma and they both landed on the bed, engulfed in laughter. Suddenly Sakuno sat up and stared at Ryoma.
"What's wrong?"
"This isn't like you. It isn't like you to be enjoying yourself at something like this."
Ryoma noticed that it was true. If he were pillow fighting with someone else, he'd call them childish and walk away. But with Sakuno, it seemed his old self simply… evaporated.
"mada mada dane. Do you not like it?" He turned to Sakuno's frowning face. A smile began to form.
"No, I love it." And with that, she got off the bed and walked towards her suitcase again. This character of mine will only be reserved for you, then. Ryoma smiled to himself as he watched her dig in her suitcase.
"But… It's time for work." Sakuno said. Okay, maybe only when we're pillow fighting. How Sakuno still managed to affect him even when her character changed amazed him. Sakuno pulled out a notebook and a pair of spectacles. She slipped the specs on and Ryoma laughed.
"Stop laughing, it isn't funny." Sakuno said.
"Sorry, you look… like a professor/flamingo." Ryoma finished. Sakuno frowned and opened up her notebook.
"First and foremost, one of the most common questions. What's your secret to success?"
"And one of the most common answers. Hardwork, determination, all that jazz." Sakuno smiled at his answer. Typical Ryoma.
"And… okay! So how do you feel about winning wimbledon?"
"Happy, of course. But I just wish it wasn't my Senpai that I had to beat." That was it, no explanation given. Sakuno decided not to dive further. A few more light questions about tennis, then it went a bit deeper.
"Your love life… Active? Inactive?"
"Well, maybe. maybe not. What do you think?" Ryoma smirked.
"I think yes. So tell me, Ryoma, who's this lucky lady?" Sakuno had a kind of… anticipating, hopeful face.
"Well, she doesn't know. But I'd love to tell her. The rest is confidential." Ryoma leaned back into his chair. Sakuno's face fell. For a moment, she hoped that he'd say "Sakuno, it's you." Ryoma watched disappointment surge into her expressive face.
"Oh. I see." A few more questions about his lifestyle, maybe about his future competitions. Then it was time to go.
"Anyway, I have to go chase after another sportsman now. This took longer than I thought. Make yourself comfortable if you want, I'll be going then." Sakuno shoved her notebook and specs into a shoulder bag and then left the room. Ryoma, still sitting in his chair, was disappointed that she didn't stay and spend the rest of the day with him. He watched her walk out and hoped that she'd turn around and say a goodbye. But there was nothing. Her character changed after that question about the "lucky lady".
However, he never told her that that lucky lady had just had breathed the same air as him.
