Feelings hoped to be received
written by: alice望.
February 14, is the day when most girls are fuming about. Filling the stores here and the malls there just to buy one single thing, chocolate. Yes chocolate, why? What's so important on that day specifically? "Valentine's Day" also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. Apparently before that day came- a certain maiden with hair colored in auburn and styled in a twin-tail braid, confused whether to make handmade chocolate or not. Late in midnight time, she's still up standing there on the kitchen staring with a complicated expression at those ingredients she brought, including a heart-shaped chocolate wrapped in simple bluish design and a cyan ribbon on top that she bought.
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"What should I do..? Should I just make one? I mean-.. It's easy to make chocolate but.. comparing it with an already brought chocolate that came from the mall might be better.. experts made those of course so.." sighed the girl and placed both of her hands on her hips side to side "Maybe.. yeah.. I should just go with the chocolate from the mall..!" clasped both of her hands slightly smiling.
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Morning came, birds were chirping delightfully and the sun was shining brightly outskirts of town. Clear and serene blue skies were seen but seems that the maiden's thought isn't as clear as the sky would be. Wearing her usual uniform and her trademark hairstyle everything was normal, except she was carrying two small bags of red and yellow pattern design. Her thoughts were clouded not moving an inch from where she was standing and not noticing the students passing by her as she was thinking 'why did I just make a handmade chocolate..?' the girl who was paralyzed there like a statue is named Sakuno Ryuzaki, a shy- caring yet a kind-hearted person. She's a student of Seigaku Highschool and the granddaughter of Sumire Ryuzaki, which was the coach of a sports team called "tennis".
And on that same team- there was certainly someone that Sakuno had eyes for ever since then, the freshman and one of the regulars of Seigaku Tennis Club namely Ryoma Echizen. A skilled person in tennis which most of the people look up to the school, he has this cool glamour aura seemingly uninterested in everything except tennis- his favorite drink ponta and his lovingly feline cat. 'w-what am I being nervous for..? I'm just gonna give Ryoma-kun a friendship chocolate..! Yes- just a giving a friendly chocolate' even though she was saying that in her thoughts, she actually wanted to give him chocolate that's not something about "friendship" yet more of like letting him know her feeling.. confession? Perhaps- but her character wouldn't let her that, she was too timid and awfully shy about it.
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She also had a bunch of chocolates inside her shoulder bag for everyone she's close with or made friends, friendship chocolate for them- .. so there's no need to think about anything else when giving chocolate to him as well. But.. why does she feel that her chocolate wasn't just for a "friend" when giving it to the prince of tennis?
While she was on a deep thought, a red-headed lad spotted her there standing like a scarecrow and decided to speed up his pace leaving the person he was with, and within a second he called out waving his hand "Hi~ (with an American accent) Sakuno-chan~!" that snapped her out of trance wonderland and turned around- as he suddenly then hugged her.
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"Nya~ why are you just standing here? You'll be late for class you know!" energetically he said.
"K-ki-kikumaru-senpai!" said the startled girl.
"Eeh~ isn't this Echizen's little girlfriend?" abruptly a young man said.
"E-eh?! Th-that's-.. me and R-ryoma-kun are just friends Momo-senpai!" Sakuno's face flushed reacting to Momo's words which made both of the lad's chuckle. "aah young love, young love~" the spiked black-haired guy swayed side to side mimicking a swaying leaf.
Eiji then noticed that Sakuno was holding two bags, and because he was such a nosy-minding-others-business he peaked on the widely opened bag and saw two different wrappings inside, "hmm-nya.." acting like a kitty he then poked those bags "are all those for our little o'chibi?"
"Eh?" – "Really?" Momo too joined in and saw that she indeed was carrying bags containing wrappers that they both know very well what's beneath those cutely wrappings, he whistled in a teasing tone "man Echizen's so lucky"
Her face beamed in straight-up red blushes, yet again was startled by Eiji and Momo's actions, and by reflex, she holds those bags close to her tightly looking at her two senpais who are also looking at her with their smirk. "i-.. uh- i- we-well-.. uhm-.. I-its not that..!" trying so hard to reject their taunting, but because of her stuttering words that you couldn't get what she's trying to say and her face that was all red- it was all in vain.
"I hope you didn't forget giving us senpais a chocolate.." the energetic red-headed lad said with a sarcastically sad tune.
Hoping to change the subject, Sakuno then unfastened the zipper of her shoulder bag and held out two different kinds of wrappings in a rectangular shape, slowly handing it as she looks at them with a shy expression "a-actually.. I brought chocolates for everyone.." Yes, she was this thoughtful that she volunteered herself in giving her friends chocolates in Valentine's Day.
The two young men slightly widen their eyes seeing the cutely wrapped rectangular chocolate being presented to them, then Eiji proceeded to hug her tightly giving gratitude to Sakuno's appreciation to them "Yay! yay! I got my 4th chocolate in Valentine's Day!" braggingly he said while taking the chocolate and swayed it up high as his fingers were forming a V-sign, "thanks Sakuno-chan!"
Momo as well took the wrapped chocolate, "thought you'd forget about us, ah~ Echizen's so lucky to have you" he teased yet again ruffling Sakuno's hair.
"I-I told you senpais that m-me and Ryoma-kun a-aren't like that..!" her flustered face remains to look down as she was getting squished by Eiji's hug and Momo's pats on her head.
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Amidst through their chatter, the bell suddenly rang loudly and was heard by the students who were still roaming around rush inside the school- they knew that they'll be late if they weren't there in their classroom in time. The two lad and the colleen heard the bell as well from outside as the three immediately rushed to get inside the school as well, after that Sakuno was able to say goodbyes to them due to the separation of their classrooms. Relieved that the bell saved her from two of her teasingly senpais- thankfully, she arrived just in time hurrying to sit on her seat.
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"ah-! Ohayou Sakuno-chan!" shouted the dark brown-haired girl with a pigtail hairstyle, she waved her hand at Sakuno with a bright active smile.
"O-ohayou Tomo-chan..!" she replied with shyness, then took a glance at her two small bags hidden on her desk 'I'll give this to Ryoma-kun when I have the chance..' carrying her shoulder bag and opened it again, there stored a bunch of chocolates wrapped in a different color with a paper glued on as each name were written 'I'll also give these to all the regulars and others.!' smiled to herself, placing her bag to side closing it.
Not knowing that there was someone peering her just the seat behind, that unknown person was looking at her with a confused look.
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The bell chimed again, lunch had finally come- this was Sakuno's chance to give all the chocolates to them- first she went to Fuji who was wandering around the tennis court, he was quite happy that she even had the time to give him a bar of chocolate.. so he patted Sakuno's head and thanked her, at the same time Sakuno was happily smiling that Fuji accepted her friendship chocolate. Now unto her next target which is Inui who was with Kaido and Takahashi- an odd trio pairing.. she was lucky that they've group so she wouldn't have to look for them one by one, Sakuno then handed all three of them her chocolate along her face making a shy face yet smiling- Inui's face remained the same as he thanked her.. Takahashi was blushing slightly and thanked her with his shy tone, as for Kaido.. he was a bit stiff yet he too thanked Sakuno for the chocolate.
The colleen spotted Oishi carrying a basket of tennis balls with the trio of freshmen named Kachiro, Horio, and Katsuo who're also carrying a basket of tennis balls. She approached them and gave each of her chocolate with different patterns and spiral designs, Oishi thanked Sakuno giving her a smile- as well as Kachiro and Katsuo, yet Horio was crying tears saying thank you to her over and over again. Based on his reaction- he didn't get a single chocolate this Valentine's Day which made the maiden giggle.. she said multiple "you're welcome" and off she goes to her next target. Today's target is in difficult mode since she would be giving it to Seigaku's tennis club captain, none other than the stoic and whom people respect the most- Tezuka Kunimitsu. She found herself in front of his classroom door, gulping, and slowly opened it.. Luckily no creaking sound was made- unfortunately, this was noticed by someone inside.
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"who's there?" a cold voice asked as he looked to the door that's half-open, with no other options- Sakuno gave herself out and smiled sheepishly to the captain, "a-ano.. uhm.." his intimidating aura made the poor little girl stutter in fear, silent went after. Tezuka turned the page of his notebook and started writing, "you can leave the stuff on top of the teacher's desk, I'll come pick it up after" this time, his voice was a bit soft yet the cold tone still remains.
Knowing that things would get awkward if she stays long she braced herself placing her wrapped rectangular chocolate on the teacher's desk and said "ano..! Ha-happy Valentine's Day Buchou..!" and with that, she sprinted away with a flustered face. 'I-I did it..!' her eyes were like swirling, as expected of the captain- although he didn't do anything, his dominating presence can make any normal people like her be stunned or be paralyzed.
Finally- her second to the last target. Her best friend Osakada Tomoka, the person who interacted with her in the morning. She spotted her giving chocolates to some other senpais, Sakuno approached her "tomo-chan!" she called out catching the pigtail's attention, "ah- Sakuno-chan! Good timing I was about to find you"
"eh? Me too!" they both chuckled as well as handing out their present for each other, Tomoka had a red and pink design of rose as her wrapping shaped in a circle while Sakuno had a rectangular shape wrapped in simple white color with a yellow ribbon.
"Happy Valentine's Day Tomo-chan!" she smiled warmly, "Happy Valentine's Day too Sakuno!" Tomoka smiled as well as they exchanged gifts, Sakuno still had one more person to give her gift with so they bid their goodbyes- turns out Tomoka too had one final present to give someone as well.
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Sakuno tried to find the last remaining person she really wanted to give this Valentines' Day, she searched room by room- the rooftop and even the backyard of the school. Unfortunately, he wasn't there.. she let out a sigh 'mou.. where could Ryoma-kun be..?' she was about to lose hope when a sudden hint of realization hit her 'the tennis court! Of course- all the regulars are there preparing for the Regional Level!' happily giggled upon herself and jogged heading to the court, and- because of her "sense of direction" it took her a while to reach the court, when she finally did.. all of the regulars were now packing their stuff and carried their bags. Sakuno was desperately finding a certain someone, and that someone can't be found there. She hadn't given her chocolate to him yet because she saved the best for the last, Momoshiro and Eiji were chatting and laughing 'till they spotted her looking side to side seemingly wanting to find a person.
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"Sakuno-chan! What're you doing here?" asked Momo successfully gaining the maiden's attention and looking in their direction shyly waving, "I-I was.. u-umm.." fidgeting her fingers from her back slightly looking to the side.
Of course, Momo as well as Eiji knew exactly what she wants here- they really just like to tease them especially Ryoma. The red-headed lad naming Eiji pointed to the left side of the court, "O'chibi passed there not long ago" giving Sakuno a go-get-that-o'chibi-of-ours look which made Sakuno suddenly blush looking at them with a complex face, she then looked down.
"I-.. I see.. goodbye senpais..!" sprinting away from them, while the two were then plastered with an evil grin, "you know what I'm thinking Eiji-senpai?" glanced to the side with a smirk "Nya~! Operation: let's peek on them- is a go!"
Before the two could even go to follow Sakuno, there was another spectator from behind them and touched their shoulders "saa.. what's the event supposed to be? Hmm? Momoshiro and Eiji?" the prodigy of Seigaku regular named Fuji Shusuke smiled at them.
"Nya!" – "Wo-woah! Don't scare us like that Fuji-senpai.." Momo sighed while Eiji was standing there like a surprised cat, he shook it off then straight up informing Fuji about Sakuno and Ryoma's 'very romantic' situation, "so- me and Momo are about to take a look at them!" vibrantly Eiji said itching to go now.
"Oh..? Is that so" his sadistic smile suddenly lit up which made Eiji and Momo be startled a bit "I have a camera ready you see, it's good to capture Echizen's moments you know?" he mused with yet again his casual face.
Now it was Eiji's face that lit up "oOh! O'chibi's never gonna know what's hitting him!" jumping relentlessly "I'd want a copy of that after Fuji-senpai" snickered Momo thinking he had now the upper hand between Echizen and him if he would an embarrassing picture of his.
All three were oozing a dark intent which made the black aura visible laughing as if they were about to curse someone, "there's a very high chance that they're talking about Echizen" adjusting his glasses while holding his note, the data freak of the regular team- Inui Sadaharu, "fssh.. even that idiot is involved" Kaido added staring at those three especially glaring at Momoshiro- he's one and only rival in Seigaku.
"eh? What're they going to do with Echizen?" interrupted Takahashi with curios look, a hand then was placed on his shoulder- Taka looked behind him seeing Oishi leaning his head from left to right in motion, "knowing Eiji- it definitely would be something not good.. so let's not butt in" – "what about Fuji?" all three of them were instantly quiet and gave Taka a look don't-even-ask, seeing this the shy nature of a person Takahashi didn't question any further.
Going back to the maiden who tripped by a small rock on the road, "eek-!" leaking out a cute voice "ouch.." moaned groggily, as sounds of moving bushes were heard. She glanced on the nearest bush beside her.. seeing that it wasn't moving she just ignored it- until.. "ah-! The chocolate!" quickly then glanced on her mini bag seeing that her chocolates was unharmed- she sighed in relief.. standing up removing the dusts of her skirt continued on searching for Ryoma.
Behind that bush.. "be careful Eiji-senpai! Sakuno-chan almost caught us-" scolding quietly the red-headed young man beside him who was uncomfortable of their position, "don't blame me okay! There was something pricking me.." Eiji shot back while Fuji who's beside him as well was reviewing his camera "I caught it in time- Echizen might like it" he smiled.
After taking some corner here and there, Sakuno found herself leaning on the tree breathing in and out.. "gee.. where even is Ryoma-kun..?" thanks to her bad sense of direction, she's now sweating and was about to take her handkerchief out to wipe it without noticing someone's presence...
"what do you want from me?" these cool mannered words.. this voice that allures her, she knew whom they belong to- she looked to the side of the tree and beneath there she saw a young boy her age with messy dark green hair covering his face with his white-capped hat "Ryo-ryoma-kun..!" her eyes widen in surprise.
"u-umm.. I was uhm.." just merely by his presence Sakuno can't stop being fidgety around him, even her cheeks were blushing red 'wh-what're you doing Sa-sakuno?! Hurry up and gi-give it to him..!' even her thoughts were distorted and is not helping her, she was holding the small bag to her chest- inside of it was two chocolates of different kinds of wrapping. She decided that she would give both chocolates to him instead of just pinpointing which is which.
Ryoma placed his cap on his side and got up sitting down to lean his back on the tree, "hn?" glanced at Sakuno, as he was gazing at her he noticed a bag the maiden was holding "that.. what's in it?" bluntly said as he pointed leaving the twin-braided girl astounded still her pink tint of blush didn't disappear, instead, it was redder as every loud beat of her heart kept rampaging inside her chest.
"e-eh.. um- th-this is.. for you.." Sakuno can't help but look to the side avoiding his face, she was too embarrassed to even look.
On the other hand, the dark green-haired shounen stood up sliding both his hands on each pocket observing her clearer face to face. "heh.. it's for me? How come you're gripping on it tightly as if you don't want to let it go?" he added a teasingly tone of his voice which the maiden reacts with a flinch, exactly what he thought and was amused.
"o-oh here..!" immediately she handed him the bag bowing her head facing the ground hiding how flustered she is, while Ryoma couldn't help but smirk- on the contrary, he took the heart-shaped one wrapped in white and pink design, "too cute" his bored expression came once again 'where have I seen this again..?' he thought as scanned his gift front to back "and your hair is too long" he added still eyes glued on what his holding.
"mou.. Ryoma-kun tte ba.." murmured Sakuno "my hair is irrelevant here..!" she protested with a small pout forming on her lips, Ryoma glanced at her pouting lips for a bit intrigued on her actions, he blinked once as his eyes were then back to the gift. "Ne, can I open this now?" he asked now looking at her.
"uh- mm..!" she nodded, the lad then sat down opening the wrapped gift as she sat beside him although distancing herself a few centimeters. Ryoma finished removing the wrapper off, he was now holding a bar of heart-shaped chocolate on his hands- without any further ado he bit the top side of the heart, "hn.. bitter chocolate huh"
'bitter chocolate..? Did I make a mistake yesterday?!' Sakuno was now having an inner panic, 'is it because I stirred it too much..? Oh no..' until the young boy said "my type of taste" licking the upper part of his lip, this time he munching a larger part of the chocolate. She then looked beside her with a surprised face seeing that Ryoma- one of Seigaku's prodigy, is now eating her mistake chocolate.
'I thought Ryoma-kun liked sweet things.. is the ponta grape bitter..?' she thought- that was her preference on making her chocolate, the ponta Ryoma liked, even though she hadn't tasted it herself. 'well.. I guess I discovered something new about Ryoma-kun' unknowingly she smiled cheerily, he caught sight of this as a slight blush formed on his cheeks. Immediately glancing unto his side as he continued on eating the chocolate.
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The sunset's rays covered each corner and each place, Sakuno smiled unto herself as she looked at the sun which will now settle down, the fresh breeze of the wind flowed past them feeling the chilly feeling- Sakuno's twin braid hair was swaying up and down like the moving waves of the sea upon seeing this, the cat-like amber eyes of Ryoma were watching her.. mesmerized by the scene he was seeing, almost like he was enchanted.. a faint grin formed at his face as he now was watching the sunset setting down. He grabbed his white fila cap placing it on his lap while comfortably sitting on the soft cow grass 'the view here is nice' he thought to himself.
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CLICK, the sound of the camera taking a shot were to be heard on one of the bushes. "nice one Fuji-senpai!" Eiji whispered softly with enthusiasm "damn that Echizen, being so smooth! I'm so proud" cried Momo wiping his nose with a tissue.
"that Echizen.. he only received Sakuno's chocolate while he was ignoring all others" Fuji said as he opens both of his eyes letting his cerulean eyes to be seen as he was grinning, Eiji and Momo just stared at him for a few seconds as then sparkles were forming on their eyes "then that means-" Momo started "that our o'chibi is-!" said Eiji completing half of Momoshiro's sentence, "he might be" Fuji stated finishing the sentence as he closed his eyes back forming his usual smile.
"way to go Echizen!" – "hoi hoi! Everyone needs to know about this!" – "even if he denies there's proof of it" Soft teasing of whistles and cheers were given to both Ryoma and Sakuno by their senpais who's been stalking them for a while now still were hiding in the bushes.
'I've noticed them for a while now, the bushes were clearly moving- I also saw a red hair there.. a spiked black hair and the gleam of a camera lens, they've been so obvious.. stupid senpai-tachis.. what're they even up to? Don't they even have something else better to do other than peeping at people?' Ryoma thought staring at the bush that's been OPENLY moving with a slight irritation.
Meanwhile, Sakuno was still on her happy train thoughts of wonderland sitting beside to the boy he likes whom received her homemade chocolate of love. Her smile didn't waver, instead it was plastered still as she admires the orange color of he skies that surrounds the sun as it was about to be down. 'Happy Valentines Day Ryoma-kun..!' she chuckled lightly as a faint pink of blush were on her cheeks.
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HAPPY VALENTINES' DAY!