DISCLAIMER: TAKESHI KONOMI IS THE GENIUS, NOT ME. ))):

Ryoma never expected what he saw. Sakuno was clad in a white cotton tee and long white pants. Her slender figure was the first thing that he noticed. Her hair fell softly past her shoulders, strands of it blocking her face. She brought nothing with her except a cell phone. Ryoma scowled. He wanted no interruptions when he spent time with her.

"Are you sure those are pajamas?" Ryoma asked cheekily. Sakuno rolled her eyes before replying, "are you sure THOSE are?"

Ryoma glanced down at his attire. With his tennis shirt and tennis shorts still on, Ryoma looked ready to play just about anyone. His hair was all messy, and stench of sweat was reeking off him. Wait, I slept in THIS! In sakuno's BED! Oh shit, I hope she doesn't find out.

"And you slept on my bed? In this?"

Damn.

"Well, you can't help it. Just won wimbledon you know." He winked at her and she smiled.

"I'm happy for you Ryoma. Really I am." He flashed a thankful grin. Then noticing that they had been talking in the door way he invited her in. She accepted the offer and took in the luxurious surroundings of his Deluxe Suite. It was about ten times more majestic than her Suite.

"I could get used to this!" She cried, absorbing the fridge, the flat screen TV, and the king size bed that could easily fit all the players in Liverpool.

"What? This?" Ryoma swept an arm at the magnificent grandeur of his room. "I wanted a simple room. They refused. Said that they had to serve me with their best." Sakuno shrugged her shoulders. "I guess this is what the rich and the famous are used to."

Me? Rich and famous? But there's no point if I can't share my wealth and fame with. I want to share it with you, Sakuno.

Ryoma was staring at her, wishing that he had something to say that would not pass him off as a complete idiot. He wanted to tell her how he felt, but the words would not come out.

"Ryoma, stop staring at me like that. It's scaring me." Ryoma smirked. "Sorry." And he climbed onto his bed. Sakuno sat beside him and an awkward silence soon followed. He continued to stare.

"Stop it!" Sakuno pushed Ryoma and soon his body was falling off the bed. His fast, tennis reactions soon kicked in and his legs shot out from beneath him to steady himself.

"You stop it first!" He pushed her and since reporters don't really have fast reactions, Sakuno landed on her butt.

"Owww…" Sakuno groaned in agony. Ryoma laughed at clambered clumsily to her side on the floor. Then together, they stared at the ceiling.

"That crack right there… looks like a pig." Sakuno suddenly said.

"And that one… Looks like my grandma." Ryoma joked. Sakuno laughed.

"And that one… Might just look like Fuji-senpai!" She pointed to a crack in the ceiling. The both of them promised never to tell Fuji about it.

"You wanna go for a walk?" Ryoma questioned.

"In this? You must be mad." Sakuno brought his attention to her light clothing. Ryoma got up and pulled a jacket out of his closet.

"Here, wear this. The weather isn't too chilly. There's a park nearby. If you get cold, then…. It proves you're really lousy." He said sheepishly. Sakuno grabbed the jacket from him and gave him another push. "But you're still pretty strong." He added, rubbing his arm.

The famous Londsa park was just outside the hotel, a big, spacious park filled with life and vibrancy. Little animals scrambled about the place, bringing a childish charm to it. Couples loved to go there for walks, benches were all over the place. Families of all sizes enjoyed bonding time together there. Little kids could run all over the place with getting a scratch. It was known for its natural safety, its breezy location and the way it drew people to go have a stroll. Of course, this was what Londsa Park was known for… In the day. At night, the park took a full 180 degree turn and everything changed. At night was when the robbers, the rapists, the paedophiles and the murderers stepped into the light beaming down from the high lampposts and did what they were best at. Countless cases were reported at the park. Most of them happened after 12am. Like a rapist case of a woman raped by a man, dressed in complete black. Another was a murder case, a man was found dead among the bushes, the thorns cutting into his body. Maggots were crawling all over him, and the killer was never found. After several cases, most couples and individuals, even families, knew not to go to the park after 12am. But, of course, when you have a top world tennis player and a reporter intern together, in a foreign country, things are bound to go wrong.

Ryoma and Sakuno stepped out of the hotel doors. The wind blew against them and Sakuno wrapped the jacket around her even more tightly. They walked down the steps and began their walk to Londsa Park. Behind them, the doorman looked in their direction. Then he checked the time. Shaking his head, he prayed silently for their safety.

12.15am. Peak hour.