Yo, minna-san! I'm really sorry to update so late! Eh! I have so many crazy schoolwork, and my classmates prove it by making me as their leader for super multiple times! Ah, I could feel my bones cracking. Lol! And about the DSL thing, haha! I already reformatted my computer and I don't need to worry! Just make sure that I will take care of this special tech! Nya! I'm really sorry to update so late I could feel your grates popping because of me. Oh no, not the potatoes!
Meow! I'm inviting everyone to join Imagination: Unleashed forums! It is a website, umm actually a forums site for anime fanfiction readers and writers like you! Join now, while you have time!
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis. I might have ruined their life if I do. Just kidding!
"Sakuno nee-chan, why can't you remember him?" she asked. Sakuno's eyes were full of gloom and tears quickly resided in it. Yume was shocked and hugged her nee-chan. "Sakuno nee-chan, don't be sad. I'm just here. Ryoma nii-chan is also here. Don't be sad."
Sakuno was full of glee when Yume said it to her. But why include Echizen-kun?
"Yume-chan, let's go back to the group now." Sakuno said with a smile on her face. Yume looked at Sakuno and said. "Hai! Sakuno nee-chan!"
"Eh, Sakuno, Yume, what took you two so long?" Tomoka asked to her co-managers. Yume smiled sheepishly and faced Tomoka. "Ehehe. Just picked some flowers!" she said.
Sakuno smiled. Yume's such a brave girl, ne?
"Anou Tomo-chan, where are the others?" Sakuno asked when she didn't saw any single track of her sempai-tachi. Only three of them were left inside the lobby. Tomoka placed her hands on her hips. "Sakuno, they headed their way towards the forest." She explained.
"Towards the forest?" Sakuno wondered, her eyes blinked several times.
"Yap, towards the forest. Look." Tomoka said and showed Sakuno the paper scheduler. Sakuno placed her finger on her lips and looked at it. "Aah, so they are at the south east forest?" she asked. Tomoka and Yume nodded.
"Let's go." Tomoka said and started walking away. Yume and Sakuno followed Tomoka with a glint of smile featured on their faces.
"Eh? Echizen?" Momoshiro wondered when he didn't found any tracks of his former kouhai. He looked around him, but saw nothing instead. He turned to his red haired sempai and asked, "Oi Kikumaru-sempai, did you saw Echizen? I think he was missing…" Momoshiro interrogated.
Kikumaru shook his head. "Now that you mentioned…"
"Neko nii-chan!" Yume called and ran towards Kikumaru. Kikumaru blinked several times. "Neko nii-chan?" he wondered. Yume nodded gleefully and smiled. "Ne-ko nii-chan…" she said in syllables.
Kikumaru's lips formed a wide green. "Neko nii-chan! Kawaii!!!" he squealed.
"Anou, minna!" Sakuno called on with Tomoka. Both of them walked towards their sempai-tachi, while attention was garnered around them. "We have the snacks here!" Tomoka shouted, making Momo and Eiji almost jump for joy.
"Snacks!" the both of them ran towards Tomoka and Sakuno. Momoshiro opened the picnic basket and quickly searched for the sandwich. "Nya! I'm sure Sakuno-chan did half of these!" Eiji commented. Sakuno blushed for the sudden compliment. "Anou, that's nothing.' She said and smiled faintly.
Sakuno laid a very big picnic mattress at the grass and everyone gathered to sit on it. Her sempai-tachi sat around the big basket, and started chatting about each other. Yume sat beside Sakuno, who was seated in front of Tezuka.
Yume noticed Tezuka's stoic and cold face and wondered. "Hey!" she pointed out. The noisy ambience under the cherry blossom tree was cut off, and all of their attention was focused on the little girl who was pointing out her finger to their former captain.
She noticed the sudden point of attention on her. Yume withdrew her hand and smiled sheepishly at the tall captain of Seigaku tennis club. "Ahehe. I was just… wondering why you are not…even smiling...Hehe…"
Tezuka raised an eyebrow.
"Yes I said I was only joking! Ahaha! I'm not trying to utter any word here!!!! Ehehehe!" Yume quickly said and waved her hands in a no-sign. Tezuka wondered inside him. What is this little girl really in-to?
Yume stood up, snatched Tezuka's eyeglasses and wore it. "Ah! Four Eyed Nii-chan!" she said enthusiastically. All of them snickered.
"Four eyed Nii-chan? As in four eyed elder brother?" Momoshiro and Eiji chuckled together, but still trying to stop their laughs or else Tezuka will make them run laps in the wrong time.
"Ryuzaki-san, where are the drinks?" Oishi and Kawamura asked. Sakuno's backbone beamed. "Ah! I forgot the drinks! Wait, I'll go and bring it!" she energetically said and stood up.
"Ryuzaki-san.." Fuji called on. Sakuno turned around and looked at her former sempai. "What is it, Fuji-sempai?" she asked.
"That is the right road." He said and pointed the west road. Sakuno smiled and bowed in front of Fuji. "Arigato, sempai!" she said and walked towards the west road.
"Fshuu… Fuji-sempai, why tell her the wrong direction?" Kaidoh hissed from behind and asked his sempai.
"In every mischief, there it will come. The nice time spent with your savior." Fuji said and flashed a sadistic smile.
Minutes had already passed but Sakuno can't find her way back to the rest house. Her feet stomped fast as well as her wandering heart, bringing each step a difficult feeling to explain. Her foot were like destined to go at other places which even she don't even now, except for the person who first discovered the certain place.
"S-Sugoi!" Sakuno's eyes widened in amazement when she saw a garden full of cherry blossom and palm trees, where the air freely danced along the wind as well as the birds who hummed, the neat grass field brushing through the tips of her sandals. The gentle wind brushed her face, which made her eyes close and her will to feel the serenity of the said ambience. She walked around the grass field with her eyes likely closed, because of the assurance of her conscious mind that she is the only person inside the mystic and beautiful garden.
She walked around, her feet traveling into an unknown destination, which she dearly hoped that could bring her back to her beloved memories.
"I wonder if I also felt this feeling before." She whispered to herself and walked around the garden. She walked and walked, focusing on the cloudy skies and the way how her hand ran through her hair tips. "This is such a wonderful garden, indeed-!"
Sakuno raised the pitch of her voice when she tripped on something. She lost her balance, but-
"What are you doing here?" Ryoma exactly caught her body inside his arms, making a faint embrace which warmed her whole body. Sakuno had a hang-over- she doesn't know what to do! What if she releases herself and stands up, or stays in his arms and act like nothing happened? What choice would be chosen better?
Sakuno's cheeks flushed deep red. She quickly stood up even if something doesn't want her to, and turned her back on him. "Echizen-kun!" she hardly said and fixed her hair.
Ryoma blinked several times. "What?"
Doesn't she mean that she's still angry with me… Ryoma thought of and leaned on the trunk of the cherry blossom tree, which freely released its desire to scatter her petals at the images residing under her. Sakuno looked at the sky with a different expression inside her chocolaty eyes. Her anxiety about the colorful sky and serenity of the garden resided at the reflections of her eyes.
"So beautiful." She whispered unto the air.
Ryoma was accidentally caught by the abysmal like expression inside her eyes. "You're beautiful." He mumbled.
Sakuno looked behind her, her eyes focused on Ryoma. "What is that?"
Ryoma want to eat his words back. Kami-sama, what did he just said?
"I said…err, the scattering petals are beautiful." Ryoma quickly said and tugged the brim of his white Fila cap.
"Ah." Sakuno hummed. She bent her head and leaned at the same trunk. "Echizen-kun, thank you…" she whispered.
Ryoma felt the warmth of their colliding shoulders, as well as the warmth of the rising blood on his cheeks. His jacket rubbed at her knitted bolero, the wind brushing their hair. "Ryuzaki?"
"If you didn't made a promise, maybe I'm still discouraged by now, and wasn't able to remember the other things that I'm able to remember now." Sakuno said meekly, her head starting to comfort itself on the corner of Ryoma's shoulder and neck. "Arigatou, Ryoma-kun…"
Ryoma's eyes widened. She called him Ryoma-kun. Must it be-?
"Ah, just like before, she was just sleeping." Ryoma smirked. He brushed the bangs which try to cover her sleeping eyes, his other hand trailed on her waist.
"Ryuzaki. How long will your heart make me wait?" Ryoma sadly said, while her silent breathe came across his neck.
"Never." Her lips involuntarily spoke and made a whisper, which was only heard by the wind alone.
"Aaah, once again, Sakuno is late!" Tomoka grunted and pinched Yume's cheeks.
"Itei…." Yume protested.
"What if we go now and find Echizen and Ryuzaki-san?" Oishi suggested. Fuji smiled sadistically. "See, Kaidoh. Things happen so fast that we should know how to value them. Intriguers might come all along in every place and every time they want." The scary tensai spoke.
Kaidoh hissed. Fuji-sempai is indeed scary.
"Ahihi! If that's so, something might already happen to them!" Momoshiro squealed and dragged Kikumaru behind. Kikumaru's eyes were like letter X because of the certain event. "Kee! Things go even without planning!"
"Echizen?" Kawamura wondered when he saw Ryoma coming. He was wearing his white shirt, and his normal get-a, except for the red jacket he always wear.
"Ochibi?!" "Echizen?!" Momoshiro and Eiji's eyes widened like dinner plates. "So it means you...Eh??? ehhh????!!!!" the two pointed Ryoma suspiciously.
"Sempai-tachi seems like they don't even want to see me." Ryoma sighed and continued on walking. "Eh! If you're here, where is Ryuzaki-san?" Momoshiro asked, his fists shown in front of Ryoma. "Why didn't you took an opportunity???!!!" Ryoma's sempai-tachi wants to kick his head.
"Opportunity?" Ryoma repeated. The two nodded.
Ryoma smirked. "I have lots of it." He said and walked out, remembering the time when Sakuno sat beside him under the cherry blossom tree.
"Ochibi said that he have lots of it?" Kikumaru wondered. Momoshiro raised an eyebrow. "What did he meant by that???"
"Minna, let's find Sakuno nee-chan!" Yume said worriedly, remembering that her Sakuno nee-chan is missing. She ran towards Ryoma and pulled his ear.
"Ryoma nii-chan, do you know where Sakuno nee-chan is?" she asked in a form of whisper. Ryoma looked at her and nodded. "So does it means that you were with here lately?" she asked once more. Ryoma stood up and smirked.
"I don't know." He said cockily. Yume had her cheeks blown and started tugging Ryoma's shoulder again and again. "Ryoma nii-chan!" she squealed.
"I think we shouldn't stay any longer." Tezuka said while fixing his eyeglasses. Fuji nodded. "Yes. And I think Echizen didn't want to waste time so he came back quickly." He said creepily.
Ryoma's sweat dropped. His sempai is terrible.
"But what about Sakuno-chan?" Kikumaru asked. "Are you trying to say that we should leave now, Tezuka?" he protested.
"There are 99 percent that Ryuzaki-san will go back to the cabin safely because this is not a forest area with wild animals in it." Inui calculated while adjusting his gleaming glasses.
"Ah, are you sure?" Oishi asked in anxiety.
"Sakuno will be." Tomoka said in assurance. The former Seigaku regulars looked at her and sighed. "If that's what Sakuno-chan's bestfriend said." Kikumaru said.
"Yosh! Let's go!" Tomoka energetically punched the air with her fist, hitting Momo on his right cheek. "AW!" Momoshiro reacted and bent down. All of them laughed on what happened, while Momoshiro was merely blushing in embarrassment.
"Ahh, Porcupine nii-chan hates to be laughed by people." Yume placed her index finger on her chin and teased the elder person in front of her.
"You frantic brat!" Momoshiro bent down and pinched Yume's face.
"Iteeei!!!! Porcupine nii-chan!" Yume protested. "Let me go, porcupine nii-chaaaan!"
"No! Unless you're going to call me Momo-chan or Momo nii-chan!" he smiled evilly.
Yume glared at Momoshiro sharply. "Come here I'm going to tell you something!" she said. Momoshiro let go of her and bent down. Yume reached Momoshiro's left ear and…
"BA-KA!" Yume shouted inside his ear.
"AAAAH!" Momoshiro protested. The atmosphere was filled with such humor, bringing new laughs and experience to them.
"Ah. So, we are going to walk towards our destination so we will be related on each place." Oishi explained while reading the scheduler. Yume and Tomoka nodded. "And she said that we really should be! Because so many things had been added and changed inside and outside the rest house, like the additional rooms, and the larger area of Ryuzaki property." Tomoka said.
"But where did Ryuzaki-sensei got all of the money to do these changes?" Momoshiro asked, while stuffing some snacks inside his mouth.
"Maybe Ryuzaki-sensei earned and saved all of the money that Ryuzaki-san had given to her, so she will be able to put it in good use." Fuji said while observing and taking pictures at each spots of his beloved Mother Nature.
"Aah. So oba-chan was planning to do that?" Yume spoke and tucked her chin above Tezuka's head.
"Ne Yume-chan! Why are you sitting on bucho's shoulder?" Eiji and Tomoka asked in amazement. "And how did you even got there? Bucho is a tall person!"
"That's easy. I asked Four eyed nii-chan to carry me on his shoulder." Yume asked frankly. People around them widened their eyes like dinner plates.
Eiji smiled sheepishly. "So Tezuka, can you carry me on your back?? Please…" he teased.
"Eiji, you have the choice to run in laps." Tezuka said directly. Eiji's spine thrilled. "Ah I said I was not even saying anything!" he waved his hands in a no-sign.
"Ah! Sugoi!" Momoshiro and the others amazed in awe when they saw a clear stream of river. Momoshiro quickly pulled his pants upwards and walked on the said stream of river.
"This is amazing! I can feel such purity! Ah, and young love!" Momoshiro said and glared a teasing look at Ryoma. "Mada mada dane, Momo-sempai."
"Oi te-me, don't get any longer or else the purity you were saying will be gone easily. Fshuu…" Kaidoh hissed. Momoshiro formed a fist in front of Kaidoh and grunted. "Rrrg, just admit that you don't want to go here because you know that the water will become color black!" Momoshiro started.
"What?! Do you want to pick a fight with me?!" Kaidoh also formed a fist in front of Momo.
"Bring it on!" Momoshiro bravely said.
"You said it!" Kaidoh answered back. The two started exchanging glares and shouts at each other.
"Eh, four eyed nii-chan, are there any stories about a porcupine and a snake that always argue and fight with each other?" Yume sighed.
"Just tell us that you can't go here!" Momoshiro said and walked farther from the place that he was standing on.
"Shut up, you bastard!" Kaidoh grunted and was to pull up his pants when…
"Wah!" Momoshiro slipped on a rock and sat on the water, and then he felt that the water is almost on his chest when he did. He quickly stood up and got back to the group. "Eh! The water is going even more deeply at that part!" Momoshiro complained.
Tomoka and Yume began reading the description of the said river. "They told here that that river even goes much deeper after almost 15 steps." They said. "And a person who is under the height of a teenager like a person in 19 years of age will drown if he or she sat on the cold water, which can result to suffocation." They continued.
"Aah. So it means that Yume is not allowed to walk even further. She might get slipped and be suffocated under the waters." Momoshiro said while picking his bag and pulling out his extra clothes.
"If that's the case, then Sakuno is also not permitted on going here." Tomoka said, remembering the height of Sakuno. "Sakuno only looks like an 18 year old."
"Aah." All of them sighed.
"By the way…" Kawamura butted in. "Do you think Ryuzaki-san is fine?"
"Sa-chan…"
"Ah?" Sakuno rubbed her eyes with her left hand as a ray of midday sunlight visited her eyes, the wind still comforting the princess. "Where… Where am I?"
"Sakuno-chan, you are here in the garden." Kintarou said and lend her a hand. Sakuno took his hand, and when she stood up, she felt a light kind of weight that was compressed on her feet. She looked at it, and saw a red bloated-like jacket. She picked it up and wondered. "Whose jacket is this?" she asked to herself. She looked at the skies, as a cherry blossom leaf touched her white cheeks.
I said…err, the scattering petals are beautiful.
"Ah!" Sakuno's mind flashbacked at what happened lately. She was with Echizen, and the last thing she only remembered is when she laid on the trunk of tree and felt her heavy eyes covering her sight. She doesn't know, but when she was done fixing the red jacket, she quickly hugged it and felt like she did it before.
"Sakuno-chan, whose jacket is that?" Kintarou asked. Sakuno shook her head and smiled. "I recently remembered that this jacket is mine." She said and pulled out a quick smile, as she hugged the jacket closely to her chest.
"Let's go back to the cabin."
The front door was widely opened, welcoming the persons who were about to enter. The rays of light reflected at each opened glass window, letting the wind to come inside the house, blowing the white curtains.
"Ah! We're back!" Momoshiro sighed and quickly took the seat inside the lobby. He looked at the clock and read that it is already 3:30 in the afternoon when they came back.
"Sakuno nee-chaaan!" Yume called on. She already ran upstairs and downstairs, but didn't found any tracks of her called sister. She approached Ryoma and quickly tugged his shoulder. "Ryoma nii-chan! Sakuno nee-chan isn't here yet… It's almost seven hours of waiting." Yume was about to cry. Ryoma narrowed his eyebrows upon looking outside the glass window.
I think I shouldn't have left her at the tree garden. He thought of kicking his own head for feeling so guilty of himself.
"Nya! Sakuno-chan!!!! You're here!" Kikumaru ran towards Sakuno, grabbed her hand and quickly shook it. Sakuno smiled sheepishly. "Kikumaru-sempai…"
"Good thing you two were safe." Oishi and Inui greeted. "There are 79 percent that it was KINTAROU who found Ryuzaki-san." Inui said, emphasizing Kintarou's name.
"Aha." Fuji chuckled faintly. "I think the opportunity that Echizen was saying lately was shifted to the other guy." He said with a smile.
Three ears widened when they heard their own names.
"Eh, I think I should go now. Ja, Sa-chan!" Kintarou said lively to Sakuno and started walking out.
"Anou, Kin-chan! Arigato!" Sakuno thanked and bowed. Kintarou made a peace sign, a quick and cute smile and got out.
"Yihee! Ryuzaki-san, found two kinds of love life, eh?" Momoshiro teased and bumped Sakuno's shoulder. Sakuno blushed and waved a no-sign. "I think Momo-sempai is talking about his own life!" she said quickly. "No. We are talking about your life! Ahehe!"
I think I shouldn't have left her. Yes I shouldn't have. Ryoma thought of.
"75 percent that someone is in great jealousy by now." Inui said, his eyeglasses gleaming.
"Eh?" Ryoma was sweat dropped once more.
"To know if that calculation is true, we should test it." Inui said, as a creepy feature came across his face. Ryoma knew that he is in trouble.
"I-I'm going upstairs now. See you." Ryoma stuffed his other hand inside his pocket, the other one tugging the brim of his cap.
"Wait." Inui stopped, because he already predicted that many of them already know what he is planning to do. "The one who leaves shall drink my Hyper Remix Revised Jumping Inui Juice Edition. This will make you jump for almost 12 hours." He threatened.
-CLUNK
All of them cleared their throats.
"Okay! 5 year old kids are not included! See you, guys-" Yume cut off her words when Inui spoke.
"Everyone should participate in the game." Inui smirked.
"The objectives of this game are very simple. You should pick a number inside this bowl, and you should sit according to the number that you picked. The game will start after Number 1 picks another number inside the bowl. Number 1 will let the person he picked to choose either 'Truth' or 'Dare'. After answering, they will exchange seats. And the whole game continues until 2 players remain." Inui explained. "And the one who loses at those two persons will drink my Juice. Wanna try?" Inui smirked as his glasses gleamed.
Everyone are arranged at their corresponding circular seats.
Momo sat beside Tezuka, who was beside Kawamura, next was Yume, and then there was Eiji. Next to Eiji was Kaidoh, and then there was Ryoma, who sat beside the always-smiling Fuji. After Fuji was Inui, and then it was Tomoka, who sat beside Oishi, and was Sakuno. They sat in a circular formation, which means Sakuno sat beside Momoshiro.
What will happen after Momoshiro picks a number? You've got to check it out.
A/N: Minna! I'm really sorry for the very very very late update! Just please, don't throw the potatoes, okay? I'm busy with my studies, and heck. Math is cool, I only realized it after answering some problems. And school is such a hussle. Grumbles. Anyway, things get so happy!
To Matoki, I also love writing that eight chapter. It does sting. To KenRik, hmm, about not liking Yume? Ah! That's normal and is okay! Ahehe. If there are any problems, just tell it to me, okay? To Ryoma-sama, thanks for the compliment. Ahehe. To Shenhui, I can't imagine Sakuno's outburst at first but I realized that it is cute and I loved it! Haha. To Sakuno-chan, there are also rumors about the second season of GA, but let us keep our fingers crossed. To haiezel/freaky-chan, haha! You too should keep up the good work! To CGOMN, haha! I love that! Booya! To seru-chan, eh, I can't find any picture of Horio. Haha but I'm going to do it when I have time. To Jomai, haha! Thanks for the short reviews.
Well, that's all for now, minna! I'm really sorry for the late updates! Please tell me if I'm getting on your nerves!
And please, visit my homepage and profile and then join at our IU fanfiction contest!
Ja'ne!
rookie-chan