Decided to do some speed updating. Thanks for the reviews! Dishing out Chapter 4!
Sitting, Waiting and Wishing: Chapter 4Ryoma slammed the door to his apartment with a loud bang and threw the keys violently onto the floor. Eiji traded an 'uh-oh' look with Momoshiro and entered, with Momoshiro closing the door softly.
"Did I say that you could come in?" Ryoma asked icily, glaring at them as he sat on the sofa.
"Nya Ryoma, you must understand that it's a public place! And it'll make matters worse and…"
"Shut up, Kikumaru-sempai." Ryoma cut in curtly. "Get out."
"Echizhen…"
"Momo-sempai, you too. Out." Ryoma looked straight at Momoshiro, his eyes betraying that faint glimmer of hurt and betrayal of his two seniors. He recomposed himself and got up, heading for the door and opening it.
"There, the door's open." Momoshiro and Eiji glanced at each other and headed for the door.
"Call us if you need anything nya…" The door slammed in Eiji's face before he could finish the sentence.
"Nya, what do we do now?" Momoshiro could only shake his head and sigh.
"I don't know."
"Sakuno?"
"Why did you hit him?" Fuji remained silent as they continued to cruise past the neighbourhood. "WHY did you hit him?" Sakuno asked again, her voice louder this time. Fuji let out a sigh, and stopped the car at the side of the road.
He looked at Sakuno, hands over the steering wheel. "He hit me first, in case you didn't notice, Sakuno."
"But you shouldn't have…" She protested before he cut her off again.
"You're still in love with him, aren't you?"
"No… I meant…" She floundered, "It's just that… it's not normal for you to hit anyone!" nor is it for Ryoma
Fuji looked at Sakuno, exasperated. "Let's drop this, shall we?" He looked weary and she nodded, letting him reeve up the engine again and continue their journey back.
Ryoma couldn't think. His brain had stopped functioning already. Ponta. Yes, he needed Ponta.
He opened the refrigerator and cursed when he realized there was no more Ponta. He looked in dismay at how empty it was.
"Great." He muttered under his breath. Normally, it was Sakuno who took care of the nitty gritty things, like buying the groceries. And of course his ponta. He slumped back into the sofa.
He was angry.
Angry that she had dumped him out of the blue and left without a word.
Angry that he had made a spectacle out of himself at the café, in front of her and Fuji.
Angry that Eiji and Momoshiro stopped him.
Angry that he had not socked Fuji harder.
Angry that Fuji had taken Sakuno away.
Yes, Ryoma was angry and his anger boiled inside him. "Damn it!" He yelled as he punched the sofa. Just then, his handphone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket with great annoyance.
"Ryoma! Where have you been!" His publicist screamed at him. "You have a charity match to play this Saturday! Have you forgotten? And you didn't turn up for your training today!"
"Oh bugger it. I'm busy." He snapped his phone shut and switched it off. Why couldn't people give him peace!
"I'll be out for a while. Meanwhile, you can take a look around. Feel free to make yourself comfortable." Fuji said and winked before he left the house. That left Sakuno practically the whole apartment to herself and it was not a bad prospect, especially after what had happened earlier in the morning.
She made herself a cup of coffee and sipped slowly as she walked around the apartment. There were a lot of photographs placed neatly in their frames, which was understandable since Fuji was a photographer by profession.
She saw a number of the Seigaku team as well as other people such as Saeki of Rokkaku Chu. She chanced upon a few candid shots of Yuuta and giggled. Then, she paused at a photograph.
She put her mug down and picked it up gingerly. It was a beautiful shot of a girl looking out at the sea, her face radiant and peaceful.
Sakuno surprised herself. She could hardly remember when the last time it had been since she had felt that way. She was either worried or anxious for Ryoma most of the time. She realized that she was seldom at peace with herself.
In Fuji's fine hand wrote, "Sakuno"
Ryoma had been away in the States then competing in the US Open and Sakuno had felt at a loss. She was only 16 then and being apart from her boyfriend was tearing her apart.
That was until Fuji came in and helped her cope with it, after noticing how dazed she looked in school.
"Have you been to the beach?"
"Ano…no." Fuji chuckled.
"Let's go then."
The beach had been wonderful. The sounds of the waves crashing over the rocks were soothing and the glow of the sunset bathed the entire beach. Sakuno had squealed with delight as she took off her socks and shoes, enjoying the coolness of the saltwater.
She breathed in deeply and admired the sunset. Just at the very moment, she had felt so contented, so peaceful, so happy.
So happy being there.
"Oh, I see you enjoy this picture too. It's my favourite too." With a start, Sakuno turned to see Fuji smiling at her. She hurriedly replaced it.
"Gomen nasai."
"It's okay. I bought some groceries. Would you want to fix dinner together?" Fuji asked pleasantly. Sakuno nodded happily.
"Now there, you're smiling again. You had such a long face earlier. Come on." Fuji walked to wards the kitchen. And Sakuno stood there dumbfounded.
Since when had she stopped smiling? Since when had she felt so happy just by preparing dinner?
Was it her or was it Fuji? No, it was impossible.
There's a saying that feelings do develop without one noticing it. It sneaks upon you like a thief in the night, catching you unaware when you're most vulnerable.
Whenever Ryoma went away on long trips and Sakuno found herself pining for her loved one, Fuji would always be there to help her with the agony of waiting. She did not know why Fuji would bother to help, but assumed that it was probably Fuji acting as a caring sempai.
In a way, she was right.
But no matter what, Fuji made things a little easier and bearable. And somehow, she found herself enjoying Fuji's company. Sure, Eiji and Momoshiro often tagged along but she was just happy to be with him.
It was a different kind of happiness when she was Ryoma. Somehow, throughout the years, the blissful feeling of being with Ryoma had slowly changed, to what she could not give an answer to now.
Ryoma sat on the couch, still thinking. It had been a good 11 years since Sakuno first entered his life and it was undeniable that he had never stopped loving her since then.
But maybe she was right? Maybe he was being too selfish. No, scrap that. He WAS selfish. Selfish and foolish to make a girl he loved do deeply wait so long for him, holding onto nothing but a stupid 925 silver ring.
It was not even a diamond ring.
But that was the beautiful thing about Sakuno. She never asked for anything else. Her face lit up wherever he gave a grunt of appreciation when she cooked dinner for him or when he came back from another match.
She was happy and contented to see him and be with him.
But men are idiots and only when a thing is taken away from them then do they realize the importance of it.
Sakuno had become a constant in Ryoma's life that he expected her to be there as and when he needed her. But now that she had walked away, Ryoma found himself at a loss. He couldn't even drink a can of Ponta when he needed it most.
And so, Ryoma being Ryoma decided there and then he wanted Sakuno back.
And the only way to do so was to challenge Fuji for it, in the only way he knew of.
Tennis.
But first, he needed Ponta.
Fuji cut the celery into neat pieces and put them aside. "Eh, Fuji-san? Perhaps you should leave the cooking to me."
"That wouldn't be nice."
"I insist!"
"Let's do it together, shall we?" Fuji asked and Sakuno could only nod in agreement. She washed her hands and quickly got to task by slicing the carrots first. They were making stew and Fuji went to check on the chicken stock.
Maybe it was the way how her hands deftly cut the vegetables but Fuji paused for a while as he stopped to look at her.
Sure, Fuji had dated a number of girls but they were either interested in his looks, money or fame. Eiji had often bugged him why he still did not have a steady girlfriend and Fuji could only shrug and smile.
"I love women. If it's only one, it'll only be woman."
"Nya Fuji! You have to settle down somehow!"
In truth, however, he just simply could not find anyone who could fit in the mould of Sakuno. Subconsciously, he measured every girl he dated up to the standards of Sakuno. The shy, sweet-looking girl of Seigaku High who stammered and blushed at every sentence.
The girl who had captured both his and Ryoma's heart.
"Fuji-san, could you pass me the pepper?" Sakuno asked and Fuji gladly obliged. He opened the larder and took out the bottle.
"Here you go." He smiled and as she reached out to take the bottle from him, the tips of their fingers touched. Momentarily, the room froze as they realized the contact they had.
Neither moved. Was it because neither wanted that moment to end?
Sakuno moved her hand away when the doorbell rang suddenly. Her face was slightly flushed and she started to mix the ingredients vigorously.
"I'll get the door." Fuji said as normally as he could and she nodded, without looking at him. He went to the door and opened it and his eyes widened in surprise. He smiled.
"Hello Fuji." The deep voice greeted.
"I see you're finally back, Tezuka."
Reviews are highly appreciated! If the story is progressing too slowly, I do apologize. But I have to set the necessary groundwork for the preceding chapters so do bear with me. (Yes! I do have the ending worked out already!) Enjoy!