Chapter 1: America
"Etou... Passport, visa, tickets, cellphone, map... Hmm... Ah! I should write down the directions this time carefully" Sakuno mumbled softly as she claps her hands, running, she hurriedly went to her drawer to look for her favorite small journal. " Maybe I need to write phone contacts as well" she said while writing all the important details in her book. "Ah! English Dictionary! I should bring this one too. Mou..." she pouted. "Why is so hard for me to study this subject" she sighed as she remember how good he was in that subject. "Yosh! I definitely bring this too. Hmmm. What else? Ah! Right! " She continuously runs back and forth to her room searching for whatever she needed to her travel.
"Sakuno don't forget to bring your-" Sumire stops from her words as she saw how busy her granddaughter was, she silently watches her grandchild, with smile crept on her face, amuse how her only grandchild seems very energetic and excited for her first travel abroad.
Who wouldn't thought that brat makes her only granddaughter so freaking happy like this? Sumire just shrugs that fact. In fact, she seems more delighted. As long as her granddaughter is happy, she's fine with it. Slowly, she closes her grandchild door knowing that she doesn't need to remind her of what to do. Maybe. This whole trip is a good idea.
Ryoma was staring blankly on his window, with tennis ball that he was holding on his one hand, as he kept busy himself from whatever good to stare outside.
Or not.
Ryoma's brows twitch as he remembered something. Yeah, it's been exactly two weeks, three days and 5 hours and yet until now he still didn't receive any reply from some brunette girl.
Does his letter come late in Japan? No. Totally not, at this very moment, he knows that his replied letter was already there. But from some reason, why does that pigtailed girl doesn't send any letters at him again?
Maybe she's just little busy?
Nope. Busy was never in the girl's dictionary. Ryoma's knew it very well. He knows no matter how busy that girl, she will find ways to reply on his letters. Infact, she constantly sending her letters almost a week, their doing it so for a year now. Exchanging letters and such. So, what's taking her so long?
Was she's upset?
As far as Ryoma's remembered he didn't do any wrong to her, after receiving her letter, he immediately took his reply to her despite of his busy schedule from schools and tournaments.
What's the hold up?
Is she's sick?
Worried crossed his handsome face.
'Should I call Momo senpai now to ask?'
The idea pop on his head right now, but he quickly shrugs.
Heck. What am I thinking?
Of course, no one knows about them exchanging letters for so long, except for his annoying father who kept teasing him whenever he received any letter for the certain girl.
Plus, he never sends letter for his senpais no matter how they bickered him, demanding to write for them occasionally.
Why should he do right?
There is no need for that, they all called for him every day, sending him emails from time to time as if he didn't know all of those things they bothered to shared.
And that makes him to wonder.
Why in the first-place exchanging letters for the certain girl if he could ask for her personal number? They can even exchange emails.
Less hassle, and the same time quicker. But the idea of her, sending some personally written letter was not bad it is, right? In fact, it feels like he is special.
But regardless of how special it was, her letter was way too late from now.
And why he's so desperately and eagerly wanting for her reply?
It's just 2 weeks, three days, 5 hours and 30 minutes late. Take note the time now.
So why he's too bothered by that?
Stupid Ryuuzaki. Ryoma grunted. Now, he really regret and think how stupid he was not asking for her personal number, calling her from time to time or even exchanging text message would be more efficient and quicker than exchanging letters.
"Yo seishounen!" His father, Nanjirou said opening his door widely.
"Do you even know how to knock?" Ryoma retorted.
"Oh! Why so grumpy brat?" His father teases. He beams from ear to ear. "It's your birthday! Stop sulking and enjoy your day" he said teasingly.
Oh great! Just great!
Ryoma grunted more, realizing the day today.
Great, isn't it?
He received a lots of happy birthday greetings from his parents, cousin, senpai-tachi's, including his classmates, and even fans.
Yet, from that certain girl
Never mind. She's always the first one who greet me, right?
Ryoma close his eyes. Not liking the sudden urge of feeling started to kick-in inside of him.
"Yo. Mind telling you my birthday present?" Nanjirou said, one finger on his ear. For some reason, he become serious in an instant.
Ryoma glared at his father.
"Ryoma, Kevin is on the line" Rinko, his mother called his attention "Anata, I told you to call Ryoma right?" She looks at her husband.
"Right, Saa... Saa... Go and get that call from that brat" His voice becomes less serious again, he grins playfully as he rings his arms on Ryoma's head.
"Quit it oyaji!" Ryoma grunted in annoyance.
"Alright. You two stops it, Kevin is waiting on the line" Rinko said.
"Hai... Hai" Nanjirou answered.
Ryoma walks pass by them wearing his annoyed look on his face.
Rinko giggled seeing how grumpy her son was, while Nanjirou winks on her, they exchange meaningful glances before staring back on their son.
'Ryoma-kun'
Sakuno mumbled as she holds her bag little bit hard. Their arrival was announced minutes earlier, as soon as she saw the plane slowly touching the ground her face blushed with tinted red as her lips form with a delicate smile.
She can't help but to be more excited each second's pass, yes, finally she can able to see him again in person.
"Sakuno-chan!"
Sakuno smiled brightly, she saw Nanako, not from a far waving at her.
"Nanako-nechan!" She runs excitedly on her front.
"Welcome... How's the flight?" Nanako asked as she help her with her luggage.
"It's fine. Though I'm little scared since it's my first time" Sakuno answered blushed was evident on her face.
Nanako smiled at her. She notices how Sakuno looks around, seems looking for particular someone.
"Saa.. he's not here. It's a surprise for him, remember?" Nanako said while winking at her
Sakuno blushed further.
"Maybe at this moment he was playing with his friends, auntie Rinko asks his friends to do so... So, shall we go now?"
"Un"
.
.
.
"Sakuno-chan! Can you wait me here? I'll just got something there" Nanako points a building not far from where they are. But Nanako didn't move an inch she stared at Sakuno hesitantly if it's really a good idea to leave her here for a while.
"Un" Sakuno nodded her head. "I'll be fine here Nanako-neechan, don't worry about me"
"Are you sure? Right! Come with me then, it's better than leaving you here" she insists.
"I-ie that's fine, I'll be fine here"
"Demo—are you sure?" Nanako said "Gomen Sakuno-chan, I just really need to get those things with my classmate, I didn't mean us to be side tracked"
"It's nothing really"
"Okay... please wait me here I'll be right back fast, please don't go any far kay? And don't entertain strangers" Nanako continuously said with her pointing finger raising.
"Un" Sakuno sweat drop, as her head continuously nodding.
"Right! I'll be right back in a second"
But seconds turn minutes and an hour, Sakuno started to feel unease.
'Mou.. I really can't hold it right now. I really need to pee. But Nanako-neechan might back any later, what should I do? I can't hold it anymore.
Sakuno looks around hoping to find a nearest powder room in the area.
'I am not gonna lost here, right? Maybe I should need to remember this place for me not to lost track.'
Sakuno stood up wearing a determined look on her face as she decided to find powder room in the area
"Yosh! We can do it Sakuno! I will be back before Nanako-neechan came back"
Or maybe not.
Sakuno keeps walking aimlessly as she keeps searching for where she was left by Nanako.
"Mou. I remember this is the path I take earlier!"
Ryoma blinks, not once but twice and thrice.
'okay. Am I dreaming or what'
He blinks once again, trying to refocus himself from sorts of daydreaming in the middle of day
But the person in his front is not lying.
Sakuno keeps looking from right to left trying to remember or at least recalled her way back.
Ryoma smirk, as he watches the girl who looks helplessly at the same moment, he pins his hat down as he close the distance, they have by pulling one of her braided twin hairs.
"Itte.."
"Lost again Ryuuzaki?"
Sakuno's eyes widened in surprise. Yes, she's not mistaking it. Slowly she looks at her back seeing him standing at her back, with one of his hands on his pocket, wearing his signature smirk. His golden eyes met hers.
"Ryoma-kun" she mumbled, and before she could think, she di es on his arms, encircling her hands to his neck as she started talking nonstop. Making his golden eyes wide in a sudden move.
"Ryoma-kun! I was so scared! I thought I am not going to see you! I promised Nanako-neechan to stay on that bench.. but... but .. Mou.. I was about to call baa chan! But then I realized my phone is dead! I forgot to charge! Moouu." she sniffs small tears forming her hazel eyes "Maybe Nanako-neechan is looking on me!"
'Nanako-neechan?'
Ryoma suddenly remembered his father's words earlier. A smirk form in his face as the girl keeps mumbling on how scared she was, how she tried herself to find the way back and so. slowly, he encircled his arms on her tiny waist.
"Ne, what are you going to do without me" he smirks, he heard him sniffs once more before realizing their closeness now.
"Gomen Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno blushed, her fingers fidgeting as she looks embarrassed on her sudden action. "I was- rreally scared, that's why"
"Heh.. " Ryoma said as he realized something, he put both of his hand on his pocket.
"Anou.. etou .. I came here to s-surprise you," she said her words becomes weaker and weaker. "Nanjiro-san told that I could stay with your house, Baa chan said it's fine. Since you know, I win third place on the tennis tournament ... And this is myl little reward from.. And besides I wanted to greet you in person, Happy Birthday Ryoma-kun!. " She said smiling so sweetly to him, her eyes were both close.
Ryoma was bit surprise from it, yet his gaze becomes warm, as if something warm touches his heart for that moment.
"Thank you"
Sakuno was busy staring at the river in her front, one hand leaning on the brick of the bridge while the other hand was busy supporting her hair that's been dancing on the wind.
Three days had passed already. It's a best experience for her, going here and meet Ryoma again. Definitely, she enjoys her stay with him.
Sakuno met his friends, luckily, they all speak Japanese so communication is not hard for her part, they were all friendly and jolly. She enjoys their company so much.
Together with Ryoma's friends, they visit many places in New York, they tour her around. They also visit Ryoma's school, much more on Sakuno's delight, she found out that Ryoma and his friends were in the same class. Earning a nonstop teasing on how Ryoma acted during class.
'Ryoma-kun is still Ryoma-kun huh'
She giggled on that thought.
Of course, she already handed her gift to him, it was a handmade scarf she knitted for the boy, on the same night she celebrated her first Christmas with the Echizen family, which gather a nonstop teasing for Ryoma's father, Nanjirou.
Ryoma, on the other hand, was quietly staring at her, wondering, since when this certain braided pigtail girl become so much means to her.
Yeah, though how much he wanted to deny that fact, most especially to his father.
How much he wanted to think that it's all because she's his former coach grand daughter
Or because she's so clumsy, klutz or navigationally-challenge that's why she needed to be watch.
Since when he started noticing her?
Since when it's so hard to address her as his friend?
The reason why he can't answer anyone whenever they wonder 'whom she is to him'
The only reason why his own brain denied the fact that they are just friends.
Because deep down to him, he knows, he clearly knows
That he likes the girl more than just his friend.
Since when? Was it started during their first time they met?
Or when they started exchanging letters?
Or during the times she silently supporting him in U17 camp?
Or even before that.
He doesn't know, he clearly doesn't know.
But one thing is for sure
This time...
He will make sure…
"Neh, Ryuuzaki"
"Hmm?" Sakuno look at the tennis prodigy.
"Once we see each other again, I want to tell you something" Ryoma said, his golden eyes are determined.
Sakuno just stared at him wondering.
"So, be ready" He smirked, his famous smirked she known for a long time.
For unknown reason, as if she find his words understandable. She nodded her head.
"Un"
There is a silent moment for them both, contented as they both staring to each other.
"Until next time then" Ryoma smirked.
Sakuno smiled on him, a reassuring smiled that's she will patiently waiting until that time.
