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Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis! I swear!

The End of Summer

Each and every one of Sakuno's friends knew that the end of summer means that it will be her transfer to Rikkai Dai. To their surprise at the end of summer, Ryuzaki-sensei was also planning on retiring so that they can move somewhere closer to Sakuno's new school. At that very last day of summer break, her friends gathered at Seigaku to give her a surprise going away party, but most of them noted that it wasn't a 'going away party' since she won't be leaving them in a manner that some brat did. Momo was one of the people who said such, and even renamed it as a transferring-to-another-school party.

They all had fun in the party, especially Sakuno. She felt like she was really loved and appreciated. But before the party ended the girls started to cry. They knew that they won't be able to see each other at a regular basis, so they offered Sakuno their messages, mostly about taking care of her own self and the stuff. Even Fuji had a message for her, which went like this: "Be wary of Kirihara Akaya."

When he finished, all of Sakuno's guests looked at him (Well, he was right!). But then, he gave a soft laugh and said, "All of us here in Seigaku just want you take good care of yourself."

'That sure was memorable, though.' Sakuno thought. The party didn't stay up too late since everybody has classes the following day. It was a tearful goodbye yet she has to accept it in part of her decision.

When she and her grandmother got to their new home, which they furnished during the summer, she entered her new bedroom and slumped to her bed. Tears started to flow from her eyes which she tried to stop and she was able to. She encouraged herself saying, "My eyes will look puffy if I continue on crying. I can't let my new classmates think I'm weird or something."

So, she tried to sleep so that she will be able to wake up early tomorrow for school.

The First Day of Sakuno's Academic Life on Rikkai Dai

"Thank Kami-sama I'm right on time!" she panted as she got to her new classroom. She got lost you see (Oh, not again!). The room was already filled with students just like her and she's having mixed emotions right now- a healthy amount of excitement and fright (fright of stuttering in front of everyone).

Half of her day had gone smoothly and it's lunch break now. She still has no friends since she was too shy to talk to anybody. Then a girl approached her and asked her if they can have lunch together and she agreed to do so. They went to the rooftop to eat their lunch. They were happily chatting with each other when a group of male senior high students approached the two of them. The both of them had already finished eating when the company came. They felt that they have to go back to their room but the group stopped them.

"W-What is it t-that you want?" she said shyly but she didn't lose the eye contact with the group's leader.

"We were planning on cutting classes. We were just wondering if you want to come?" he closed in on her, keeping the eye contact. Sakuno was trying her best to look strong; she was a third year junior high student after all.

"No." she spoke with all of the courage she has and continued, "I-If you will e-excuse us, w-we b-better get going." She took her new friend's hand and started to walk to the exit when somebody blocked their way.

"So you're trying to act brave, huh?" one of the boys said then their leader chuckled. "You'll have to come with us or else will use force!" when she was about to grab Sakuno, some voice came from the roof of the exit.

Whoever was there, he spoke, "Here I was, finally able to find a good sleeping spot and somebody wrecks my peaceful time." The person got down from where he was and lo and behold it was a boy with seaweed-like hair and frightening emerald eyes.

The other students got scared, somehow this guy struck fear into their souls and if they tried to mess with him they're good as dead. Thus, they quickly scurried off without doing harm to anybody.

The boy turned around only to give a pissed look. The other girl got scared and ran away while the brown headed girl stayed. "T-Thank you for scaring them away, Kirihara-senpai." She gave him a soft smile and bowed down.

Their savior just scowled at her and said, "You're starting to get on my nerves, you twerp!" then he lightly bonked the head of the girl. He went on to get back to his class, though there was still a lot of time before the lunch break ends. She decided that it was time to go back as well; she still has to check up on her friend who got scared by Kirihara.

She was serenely walking in the corridor when another boy, who came from the stairs that was to her left, collided with her.

"Ow…" he moaned as his behind made contact with the floor. Sakuno got up and dusted away whatever was stuck on her and picked up her bento box. All that time the boy was staring at her, not even thinking to move. She turned to him and offered him a helping hand in case he couldn't stand up.

"No, no, it's okay!" he quickly stood up revealing himself to be a lot taller than Sakuno.

After a few moments, Sakuno realized who he was! "You're that guy from before…" she said as her hand fell to her side.

"You remember me?" The boy said as he pointed his index finger at himself.

"Yes, you're that bouncy and energetic guy with stunning magenta hair, if I remember correctly." She replied.

All of a sudden the person to whom she was talking with jumped at her and hugged her. "I'm so happy that I got to see you by coincidence!" Sakuno was trying her hardest to get away from him. He was invading her private space, and besides they don't know each other yet!

"Oh, I almost forgot! My name's Marui Bunta and I'm Rikkai's genius vollyist!" he said while posing with a V sign on his fingers. "So, what's your name?" he was so eager to know her name that Sakuno couldn't run away by hiding her face by bowing.

"Anou… My n-name's Sakuno, Ryuzaki Sakuno." She was still bowing to hide her red-tinted cheeks. He squealed in delight and hugged her again, and then he remembered why he was venturing into the junior high building.

He pushed her away and looked seriously at her eyes, "By chance did you see a guy with tousled black hair and scary green eyes?" he cocked his head sideways while trying to look child-like.

"You m-mean Kirihara-senpai? He just left." She pointed at the direction where Akaya went, which earned her a kiss on her cheek (she could hear the shrieks of a lot of fangirls, or was it just her imagination?) which made her blush like a tomato.

"I'll see you around then!" his voice faded as he ran to where Kirihara went so as to catch up to him. Sakuno just held her cheek that was kissed by her senpai.

'I just got kissed…' she thought.

In the courts, Marui was ever energetic and it was enigmatic. Even Sanada got freaked-out.

"What the hell's going on with you, Marui!?" Niou shook him hoping that by doing so he could bring him back to normal.

"Stop that, Niou. He'll just get dizzy." His doubles partner told him and he did so. Marui plopped to the ground feeling dizzy. "See? I told you." The gentleman sure was right. The one who plopped to the ground tried to stand on his two feet but he was too dizzy. He started mumbling things which made the others freak out even more.

"What was that, Marui-senpai?" Kirihara approached him upon hearing his mumbles. He listened closely as it got clearer as his sight was returning to normal.

"My angel's over there!" he shouted which temporarily deafened poor Akaya! Everyone followed where his finger was pointing. It pointed to two girls who were strolling outside the courts, one with brown, twin-braided hair.

"That's…" Yukimura and Jackal recognized her by her hair. Kirihara looked at Sakuno as well.

'So she really transferred here.' He thought. He wanted to go back to practice when his Niou-senpai put an arm on his shoulder.

"You sure do look enthusiastic today, huh?" he said teasingly which pissed Kirihara. His kouhai removed his arm and returned to practice. "Eh? You're quite shy to face her. Poor dude." He said while pitying the kid.

Marui dropped his racket and approached Sakuno. Sakuno's friend was surprised that she was acquainted with the famous Marui Bunta. She got attacked by a hug and her attacker was so happy to see her.

"Can you come to practice tomorrow and watch me flaunt my skills?" Marui asked her and he looked like he wouldn't take no for an answer, so she didn't have a choice.

"Hai…" she said which earned her another hug. Her friend was actually shocked by what she heard. Marui waved goodbye to them as he returned to the courts. Her friend said that Marui-senpai wasn't interested in any girl in Rikkai. Upon hearing this, she was red as an apple.

Kirihara just watched from a distance, wishing he had the 'chumminess' of his senpai. He sighed and returned to his practice which was somehow off.

With his actions a while ago, Marui got punishment from Sanada but he didn't care. He can endure all this so that his 'angel' could see him exhibit his skills. As he was running faster than usual, Renji was observing him and jotting some notes at the same time.

"This will be very interesting." His look looked sinister at every angle. "Ryuzaki Sakuno, huh?" then he closed his notebook and went back to practice.

When Sakuno got home, she quickly changed her clothes and asked her grandma for permission to go and buy things at the convenience store. As her grandma affirmed, she got out and bought some stuff for making muffins.

As she got home she paced through the corridor and into the kitchen.

"What are you going to do, Sakuno?" she heard her and replied, "I'll be baking some muffins!" she shouted so her grandmother could hear her.

"The muffins are for whom?"

She didn't know what to say so she said, "For some of my new friends, Baa-san!" and she proceeded to baking.

The Next Day

She grabbed the bag in which she put the muffins she baked last night and hurried off to school. Of course she did not forget to say goodbye to her granny.

Her classes went on very smoothly and she almost forgot about what she promised her senpai yesterday.

"Oh my gosh! I almost forgot about that!" so she ran as fast as she could to the courts. When she was close, she saw a boy with vibrant red hair who was, uh, a little down. She quietly closed in to one of her senpai's and planned to give him the muffins as a sign of thanks.

She tapped Kirihara's shoulder and offered the muffins. "P-Please have these as a s-sign of my thanks for yesterday." Whew! She didn't stutter that much, thank Kami-sama!

"And these are?" he opened the paper bag that contained the muffins and said, "Thanks! I was actually hungry you know!" so he tried one and commented on it. "Hey this stuff is good!"

She was so happy with her senpai's comments that she nearly shouted, "Really?" but then she realized that she has so she quieted down and bowed.

Her 'Really?' reached Marui's ears and he was able recognize the voice. He turned around with a grin on his face and looked around where that beautiful sound came from. "Aha! There you are!" then he saw Akaya eating something, and he was close to his angel! So, he rushed into them and said, "I thought you weren't coming! But you did!" then he saw that what Kirihara was eating was muffins.

He motioned to the muffins and asked his kouhai, "Who baked this?" he took one and examined it.

"She baked them." Kirihara replied as he pointed a finger at Sakuno. Marui trusted the muffin and ate it since it came from his angel. The regulars approached them and asked to have one of the muffins and ate their own.

"This is good! Wow!" Yukimura delighted at the yummy taste of the muffin and so did the others (too bad Sanada wasn't around).

"What's wrong with you, Marui?" Niou inquired as Marui stared at the ground (he already ate his muffin, the whole of it).

Everybody was worried. Nobody else got the reaction and everyone was sure that there was no poison on the muffins.

Really, what happened to him?

Cliff-hanger, yay! Don't worry, i'll be encoding the next chapter first thing in the morning. Please try to check everyday this weekend up to monday this coming week because i might update everyday. I said i might. There, read and review!