Yo, minna! Hihii. I'm really sorry for the veeeery late update! Imagine, 5 months! xD It broke the record. xD School life is indeed fun, but tiring as well. But during my long absence, I'm happy to discover a lot of things—Vampire Knight (though I haven't finished or continued the manga yet), Kyo Kara Maoh, Naruto and Bleach updates, Prince of Tennis (mostly RyoSaku) fanarts, and especially, THE TWILIGHT SAGA.
Now, let's head out to the main plot of the story. If you wanna review the events at the previous chapters, kindly visit my profile. Or, just continue with the chapter. ^_^
Disclaimer: I do not own 'Prince of Tennis'. I could have married Ryoga and have a happy life with him if ever I did.
Sakuno's eyes widened when at last, she saw the person in front of him.
"K-Kin-chan?!"
Kintarou dazzlingly set his eyes on Sakuno, incredulity written all over his face. "S-Sakuno-chan?!"
The brunette gaped as an upcoming thought came across her mind. Is it true that… Kin-chan is my real Saviour-kun?
It gradually becomes cold now. Fuji mused as his feet brought him across the empty hallway of the house. He fixed his eyes on the ground with his head hung low as he listened to the batch of steps that he made with his feet, until when another batch of footsteps came by, thumping against the cold ground.
Fuji raised his head, only to see his former and younger team mate, Ryoma, coming nearer and nearer to him with his head hung low, his body all wet.
He turned around and called out, "Echizen…"
Ryoma snapped, as if he was caught off guard, his eyes looking straight ahead when he heard the calling. He regained his composure and said, "F-Fuji-sempai…"
Fuji flashed his usual smile and approached Ryoma. He touched a concerned hand on his kouhai's shoulder and said, "Ah, you're quite transparent, aren't you?"
The younger lad's eyebrows narrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I know that you already know what I mean," he paused as he looked at Ryoma seriously. "… it's about her…"
Ryoma was like snapped again after hearing Fuji's sudden statement. The so-called tensai was indeed, right. He already knew what Sakuno is up to—she's about to forget him. Forget him completely, as well as her hidden feelings.
"I know…" he murmured as he fixed his eyes on the ground.
Fuji's lips formed a slight grimace after seeing Ryoma's reactions. "You know what is happening," he halted as he placed his hand on his side. "...but it's obvious that you're having a hard time."
It was another intuition, but Fuji knew that he was on the right line when he saw Ryoma's facial expression—disturbed.
Wrinkles started to form on Ryoma's forehead.
He said that he'll never give up, right? But how could he if the person that he's fighting for had already ended in supporting him? How could he if she had already decided to stop everything?
Questions piled his mind like a mountain, with the idea of 'giving up' competing for the top spot.
"You know, Echizen…" The tensai said as he leaned against the wall of the corridor. "Once you start, you have to give all what you got."
Ryoma looked at him ponderingly. "W-what do you mean?"
Quite pleased because of Ryoma's retort, Fuji let out a soft chuckle before uttering his words. He knew that his former teammate was being bounded by curiosity.
"Echizen," he spoke, his blue eyes opening a fraction. "I think that changing clothes would be the best option before thinking about these matters." He responded with a gentle, brother-like voice.
"K-Kin-chan?" Sakuno stammered, her eyes watching the bedazzled guy in front of her with shock.
Knowing that he did something wrong in the current situation and that he screwed up from hiding behind a tree, Kintarou fixed his eyes at the bouquet of flower, thinking of what his next excuse would be.
"Sakuno-chan," he meekly called and outstretched his arm towards her, as if he was offering the flower to her. "Actually, this flower is-"
"I never thought that he's actually you…" she weakly uttered with a passive face, trying to hold back any of her strong emotions that yearned to burst inside her. "I thought that Saviour-kun was…" she paused, took the bouquet of flowers with her cold hands and hugged it dearly. "I thought that he was somebody else…"
Kintarou's lips formed a sly frown when he heard Sakuno's statement about her 'Saviour-kun'. Somebody else, huh… he thought, his heart filled with sadness especially after seeing how Sakuno brought the bouquet of flowers so close to her chest.
"I'm…" he said as he clenched his fists. "I'm really sorry…" he apologized and quickly made his exit, leaving the motionless lady alone under the endless-like rain.
As soon as Kintarou left, Sakuno laid her sight on the bouquet of flowers with her gloomy, brown eyes. She involuntarily leaned against the trunk of the tree, dropped the bouquet of flowers on the cold earth and covered her face with her wet hands. "I thought he was you, Ryoma-kun…"
She was very confused, and her deep, unfailing sobs would prove it.
Ryoma laid his body on his bed and fixed his eyes on the window ceiling as he watched the raindrops splatter on it. He could hear the gushing of rain through the diagonal gutters of the brown roof, and the rhythmic pattern that the raindrops make was easy to remember even though he didn't intend to do so.
There was something else. And it's visible on his face's features—it wasn't as nonchalant as before. It was crossed with something unusual, something odd.
It's obvious to him that he was confused—not because of the droplets of rain hitting the window ceiling, but because of the words that Fuji had told him earlier.
Once you start, you have to give all what you got.
With his arms crossed at his nape, Ryoma shifted to his right and continued on pondering about his conversation with Fuji a while ago. It's easy to understand, but hard to do.
"Ah, I want to sleep…" said a guy with a deep and manly voice.
Ryoma's pondering was suddenly led to a cut off after hearing the creaking of the wooden door together with the familiar voice of a certain person. He slowly tilted his head backwards to see the person who arrived, and somehow felt relieved when he knew that it was his roommate.
"Momo-sempai…" he murmured under his breath and turned to his left.
Momoshiro ran towards his own bed, plopped on it and smiled. "Ah, heaven!" he happily said as he moved his arms in an up-and-down motion.
Ryoma raised an eyebrow with a scowl on his face.
"Hey," Momoshiro called on as he sat up on his bed. "What's that eyebrow for?"
"Nothing," he nonchalantly said as he bent his arm and positioned his elbow atop his white pillow, with his hand supporting his chin. "It's just that," he paused and closed his cat-like eyes in a bored manner. "…you look like an idiot."
Momoshiro glared at Ryoma. "Look who's talking—a guy who doesn't have a sense of humor," he spoke tactlessly.
"By the way," Ryoma opened his eyes and looked at the window ceiling. "What happened to Yume?"
As soon as he finally registered in his mind what Ryoma was asking for, Momoshiro's lips grimaced. "About that..." he muttered while sitting properly on his bed.
Should we tell him even though we're not yet sure? He thought while staring at the ground.
Noticing the silence conquering the room's atmosphere, Ryoma averted his gaze from the window ceiling and saw Momoshiro's frown.
"Hn?" he demanded for an answer.
Momoshiro hung his head low, wrinkles forming on his forehead as he started to twiddle his fingers together. "After the fire outbreak, Yume-chan fainted…" he said carefully.
"Really?" Ryoma looked away and turned to his right once more. "What's her current condition?"
Spreading his arms as he relaxed himself on the bed, Momoshiro stared at the brown ceiling of the room. "We're planning to take her to the hospital, but because of the rain, we're not able to go. We left her at Tezuka's room instead," he explained and gave out a sigh.
Because of Momoshiro's statement, Ryoma had the reason to reflect about what happened within that day—it started with a normal routine, but ended with an unexpected event. Why did these kinds of things happen to their camping trip?
Ryoma covered himself with his white blanket. He relaxed his arms at his sides and thought of something.
I think I should pay a visit to the kid tomorrow…
The dark clouds hung ominously in the gray sky. A rumble of thunder gradually sounded from a distance, and as if taking it as a sign, the rain started to fall like small beads of pearls. Behind the gloomy rain clouds, the sun still rose, struggling to break through the grayness. Slowly, however, several rays broke through the cloud barrier and shone brightly to welcome a new day.
A ray of sunshine pierced through the clear window, revealing a young woman's reflection.
She held herself with a calm stillness, her thoughts obviously far away. Her brown eyes showed signs of sadness—what's bothering her? Was it the ray of light that suddenly broke through after a night of rainfall, or was it because of the incident that happened yesterday?
It's visible that she was not bothered by the ray of light, since she's not staring at it anyway. She was staring at space. She was not bothered by anything else, except for one thing.
It was her choice—her verdict, her evaluation.
Did I choose the right decision? Sakuno asked to herself while her mind was being gushed with a couple of questions. Her eyebrows furrowed as she hugged herself with a tint of despair and anxiety. I'm afraid…
A gush of questions mixed with different emotions started to fill her mind as she debated with her inner self. My memories were already regained, and I already know who Saviour-kun is, right? But… why do I feel so empty?
The brunette gave out a deep sigh, with her brown eyes closed in sadness. She turned around her and opened her eyes, only to see the wooden door shut closed before her. Her cold hands clasped together, her sandaled feet walking towards the said door.
These things… I should clear this out… Sakuno thought as she reached for the silver doorknob with her trembling hands. Her heart beat faster as she made her decision to open the door; she felt it thump heavily against her ribcage.
Inch by inch, her cold hands drew nearer to the knob. But wait, why was she so nervous? She was just about to clear things, right?
The answer came when someone knocked on the door.
Sakuno withdrew her hand and doubted if she would open the wooden door or not. She could feel it. She could sense it—the weird sensation that she always feel whenever Ryoma comes nearer to her.
Could it be him? Sakuno's heart thumped faster at the thought. She could sense the warmth rising at her cheeks, spreading to tint them a rosy shade of pink. Her hand reached the door knob, with a silent wish about 'him knocking on the door' singing in her mind.
She was about to turn the knob open until someone made his action first.
"H-Hey…" came a voice from behind the door, which sounded so hesitant.
Sakuno's vibrant thoughts suddenly drew to an end after hearing the voice of the person from the door. The warmth that she felt a while ago, as well as the fast beating of her heart… they were all… gone.
Her hands reached the door knob and unwillingly opened the door widely. She looked at the ground with the usual emotionless face that she had before—her thoughts seemed to be out of the world again.
"K-Kintarou…" she mumbled, trying hard not to meet his eyes. I can't call him in the same manner I usually do… she gloomed; the despondent sadness stabbed her heart a couple of times. She couldn't keep this any longer. She must put an end to this. And she really should, or at least, clear the situations immediately in an assertive way.
The face of a poignant man resembled Kintarou's current features after he heard her call his name in a different manner. He tried to subdue the surge of confusion hitting his heart, his eyebrows narrowing as he did so. "We need to talk."
Sakuno raised her head and looked at him sharply. She met the eyes that somewhat looks like Ryoma's, but not as significant as his.
Ryoma's eyes were more and more meaningful to her.
The brunette pierced her bedazzled gaze from him, whilst she untouched her hand from the silver knob.
"Okay…" was her meek response.
"W-What… is this?" Ryoma murmured under his breath. His eyes were justly closed, but after feeling a few things that troubled his deep and slumber sleep, his eyes finally lightened up, which he was very unwilling to do so.
He clenched his jaw together. Damn it…
First, it was because of a ray of yellow light that beamed through his window, which suddenly ran towards his forehead and soon blinded his half-opened eyes. Second, the inharmonious sound of the pentatonic alarm clock beside his bed started to irritate his ears.
What time is it? He asked to himself.
He was about to sit up on his bed when suddenly, he felt 'something heavy' that was placed over his stomach. Since his eyes were only opened by a fraction, he couldn't see the object that kept on pressurizing his stomach. Because of that, he was only able to raise his left arm, and with that he groped the object with his hand.
Ryoma's forehead creased, his features stretching to a grimace. "W-what?" he blurted out when he felt the soft and furry texture of the said object. And more to that…
He could feel it breathing.
With that, his lips started to form a smile, the wrinkles on his forehead started to disappear. "Karupin…" he muttered as he stroked the snow-like fur of his Himalayan cat with his both hands.
"Meow…"
"Meow…"
Ryoma's eyes shot open when he thought that he just heard two cat purrs at the same time. He rubbed his eyes with the both of his hands, sat up on his bed and leaned against the wall.
Two Himalayan cats? He asked to himself as he turned off the annoying clock by the side of his bed.
The two of them purred once more, with Karupin still lying on her belly.
Ryoma gazed upon the cats, a smirk tugging his lips. He set his feet on the cold floor, outstretched his arms as he let a yawn escape from his mouth. After doing so, his eyes were already fixed at the shining window, trying to register some things – things that he was about to do in that day - in his mind.
He looked through the window with his usual frown, his hands stuffed inside his side pockets. I should pay a visit to Yume today… he thought passively as he walked towards the bathroom lazily.
After a few minutes, Ryoma was already changed to his usual clothes – black pants with a long-sleeved blue shirt. His cold hand cupped the doorknob, turned it open, and he exited from the room. He dragged his sandaled feet through the empty hallways of the rest house, and soon reached the front door of Tezuka's room.
Ryoma pulled down his sleeve and knocked on the door. "Buchou…"
Much to his dismay, no one answered his calling. His eyebrows furrowed and his forehead creased; his patience started to run out. He twisted the knob and entered the room without permission.
"Oi-"
"Hm?" a girl who was currently making the bed hummed, her large, mahogany eyes staring at him. Her lips curved to a pleasant, jolly smile.
"Ah! Ryoma nii-chan!" Yume gleefully jumped in joy, and immediately ran and gave him a quick hug. "Ryoma nii-chan! How're you?"
Upon seeing the little girl's merriment, his passive reaction soon changed. A relieved sigh escaped from his lips as he bent on his knees, and he brushed her brunette hair like an elder brother. "I think I'm the one who should ask that."
A glint of sadness hinted in her eyes, but was immediately replaced by a pushed smile. "Eh? How did you say so? I'm fine! Indeed!" she said with a huge grin on her face.
"Hn." Ryoma smirked, his hand gently tapping against her head.
Yume pouted like a three-year-old kid as she pointed Ryoma's nose with her index finger. "Hmp! You don't believe that? I can show you!"
Ryoma's smirk suddenly turned to a grin. "Bring it, kid…"
"Yume-chan, here are your medicines…" a familiar voice came from the left side of the room. It was Oishi, who approached them with his hands occupied by a silver tray. Above the tray was a glass of clear water and an orange bottle.
Oishi halted when he noticed Ryoma's presence. He gave out a friendly smile and a slight bow before he had the tray placed above the end table beside the bed. "Good morning, Echizen…"
Ryoma stood up and gave out a slight bow. His eyes were fixed on Yume's image, who was currently drinking the medicine. "I think we should talk…"
"Yume-chan," Oishi called and gave out a smile. "Will you please put this on the end table inside my room?" he asked and handed another glass of water to her.
The little girl nodded with her lips pursed in a smile. "Hmmkay."
As soon as Yume was out of the room, Ryoma took the chance and sat on the bed with the arms of eagerness embracing him; but still, his features imposed a calm expression.
Oishi took the seat beside the end table and heaved a deep sigh, his eyebrows furrowed together. "You want to know what happened to her, right?" he asked directly, his eyes stained with anxiety.
Ryoma nodded.
Another sigh escaped from his lips as a new set of creases started to form on his forehead. "Yume-chan…" he started. "I think she has leukemia…"
A few seconds of silence passed by.
Ryoma cleared his throat, his eyebrows pulling together. "What?!" His cold hands, though unwillingly, fisted.
"Calm down," Oishi said as his eyes tend to focus on him. "It was just… a hypothesis. We should not stick to that."
A simple nod from Ryoma made Oishi sigh in relief.
"I'm going now…" Ryoma told him impatiently, and his mouth smashed together. He stood up with a deep heave; his feet trudged toward the wooden door.
He was just about to twist the doorknob when Yume had it opened. His cat-like eyes were quite disturbed as soon as he saw her innocent and angel-like figure.
"Mou…" Yume pouted. "You're going now?" she asked with her hands on her waists.
Ryoma let out a smirk slip out of his pursed lips as he placed a gentle hand over the girl's head. "See you." He said without even looking back at her.
"Hmmkay."
And the door shut closed behind him shortly after he left the peaceful room. He ambled through the empty hallway of the rest house and thought of the problems that ought to be resolved.
The silent ambience that loomed around him reminded him of the pain that was building in his chest—a kind of pain that started to throb and grow even larger.
It sure was disturbing, especially when the realization struck him hard. His eyebrows furrowed, and even if it was too late for him to notice, he was barely breathing.
She had decided to cut everything off. And she was no ordinary person. She was something insignificant before, but now, why was that that she was the most important thing in his life now? Realizing that it was too late, and that a few people were like packing their bags to leave him?
He leaned against the end of the yellow wall of the hallway and closed his eyes. Why was he acting like he was the most ill-ed person in the world, that his doctor had already left him? Where was the remedy to this kind of insanity?
But… was he even insane?
No. The only thing that made him think of this matter was that he let things affect him more than he did before. When he was still in his younger years, he was nonchalant. But now, he was concerned. It was not only about him and her. There were a few more figures—the red haired guy named Kintarou, as well as the little brunette known as Yume.
Ryoma groaned.
He wanted to put an end to this confusion—to this obliterating feeling in his chest as well as the pain that pounded his head, as if a hammer kept on pounding a nail of problems in it.
He pressed his fingers firmly against the temples of his forehead. He should take it slowly, or else he would really get insane. He needed something to disturb his thoughts. He needed something that would distract him for sure.
"K-Kintarou…" a voice of his familiarity sounded from not so far. "I'm… I'm so…"
As soon as Ryoma heard the gentle voice of hers, his eyes shot open and his feet furtively sprinted towards the door. With that, he realized that the distance between his place and from the backyard was not so far away. He saw the door near-by, and his right hand groped for the doorknob. He opened it shrewdly as his cat-like eyes peeked outside.
A hesitant voice toned low. "S-Sakuno-chan…"
Ryoma cleared his throat. Who knew that the distraction that he needed was the same thing that made his mind squeeze from an unexpected and excruciating discomfort?
Sakuno hung her head low, her gloomy brown eyes fixed on the ground. "About… about last night," she said quite indecisively.
"A-ah…" Kintarou felt the twinge of guilt that started to eat him. His eyebrows scrunched up when he felt his stomach turning because of the blame.
Before even opening a mouth in front of her, Kintarou pondered on the thoughts that kept on disturbing him since last night. I should tell her the truth, or else… or else it might burden her more if ever she knew that it wasn't me…
He snorted as he faced her courageously. "That thing…"
Sakuno flinched due to his sudden statement. She gave out a nod and looked at him anxiously.
"S-Sakuno-chan… actually," he started to speak, but it was as if the proper words that he should use were scattered around his brain, or maybe, outside of it.
The brunette pierced her gaze from the lad, and she set her feet against the ground with more poise. Unbeknownst to him, the tears started to dwell in the corners of her eyes. She found it elusive to look at him again when she knew that she have to say everything what she should tell.
Kintarou shook his head. "Actually, it wasn't me who-"
"I'm very sorry, Kintarou…" she bowed sharply in front of him, and the crystal tears that dwelled in her eyes were suddenly blinked away.
It was as if the words that he was trying to find were already gone when he saw the brunette's sudden actions.
"Huh?" he wondered with a blank face.
Sakuno kept her head low as she had spoken to him. "I think… I think I offended you…"
Kintarou cringed when he heard her clear statement, his blank face filled with deep anxiety. "N-no.. but-" he cut off his statement when he saw her walking forward to him. He shut his eyes firmly—was she going to slap him?
"Kin-chan…"
With his eyes that widened in surprise, Kintarou could feel the warmth that started to rise in his cheeks. He did not expect it, and he never did. It sure was odd to see Ryuzaki Sakuno pulling him into an embrace.
"I'm sorry that I did not believe in you at first… I'm very… sorry…" she apologized between her sobs.
"But-"
"It was my fault, Kin-chan… please... please let me… let me show how… how I felt about it…" she stated sweetly, as if her words were coated in strawberry syrup. Her hands were locked behind him and her body was too close to him, like there was no any key to it. But, what were the things seen crawling through her cheeks?
Were those tears emitted by joy, or by suffering?
Kintarou wrapped his warm arms around her and he whispered his cordial words beneath her ears. "It's… okay… I'm here…"
Sakuno buried her face on his rigid shoulders. Her lips fought for a smile, but it seemed like her features would not allow any hint of happiness slip through it.
Ryoma's face was pained, and his hands balled into fists. Did he just hear everything right?
He could feel it building up—a mixture of anxiety, anger, sadness and guilt started to roar within him. Was he going to lose in this fight? Would his anger completely take him over? Would the guilt eat him whole at once? And the sadness… was it going to ease?
The hole in his chest was being traced by the ghost of his old self. He knew it—if he just took things as casual as before, he wouldn't get hurt so badly. If he was just as dense as before and prove to the world that he was disinterested, it wouldn't get to this point.
"Waaa Sakuno-chan," Kintarou childishly started, "Stop crying…" he said as he wiped the tears away from Sakuno's woozy eyes.
A flash of smile traced upon her cunning lips when the face that she had been assuming from Kintarou finally showed up. "Thanks," she chuckled out. "Thanks a lot for being there, Kintarou…" she said sweetly, dropping the honorific from his name.
Rejected and abandoned—that was what Ryoma felt at the current time. He thought that he was betrayed by the most important person to him.
The image of her departure flashed back again.
G-Gomen, Ryoma-kun. But I think, if we continue on doing this, you'll get even much more hurt… I know you did everything you can but…it ends here.
The pain. It stung his soul.
Was he going to draw the endpoint to all of the remaining hopes that he had, and give up on her just like that? Was he going to let Sakuno continue living in a world of lies, where she did not know any truth about her real Saviour, the one who sentimentalizes her a lot? And all in the world, forget him for the second time?!
Instead of sinking in hopelessness, Ryoma's eyes burned in determination to 'do what is ought to do'. He knew it—he would never let her be hurt by that man.
Ryoma cleared his throat and hesitated for a while if he should interrupt Sakuno and Kintarou's little lovey-dovey under his tree and tell her that he was her Saviour-kun, but his feet betrayed any movements.
It was as if his feet were attached on the ground with super glue.
He hesitated for a while, until an upcoming thought entered his mind.
Maybe I should work on my vocals. He thought smartly. If you could not use your feet to reach someone, why don't you use your mouth?
A witty smirk crossed his lips as he started to cup his mouth with both hands. He knew it—there's nothing hard enough for a person who's willing to take the risk.
"Ryuzaki-"
"Ryuzaki-san! Kintarou-san! Lunch is ready!" Horio shouted out with his hands cupping his mouth. His loud voice interrupted Ryoma in his mid-sentence.
Kintarou and Sakuno almost jumped when they heard Horio's calling, and their cheeks started to flush.
With his eyebrows furrowed and his forehead creased, Ryoma glowered at Horio intensely.
When Horio noticed Ryoma, he couldn't help but sweat heavily. Why was he staring at him as if he did something wrong?
The long eye-browed man pushed a smile as his hand scratched the back of his head. "Ehehe… I didn't know that you're there, Echizen…"
Horio's amplified-like voice reached Sakuno's ears. The brunette gasped, and her eyes started to search for his figure.
Ryoma glared at Horio for some more, but stopped when he felt a different intensity hit him. His eyes averted its piercing stare from Horio, and focused at something else.
And their eyes met each other.
There was an emotion that overcame the atmosphere.
Pain. It was only pain.
Why of all things in the earth that he would see, why these?
The startled face of hers, her disturbed brown eyes, her arms wrapped around the other guy. What in the world was the reason why Ryoma should see all of these?
Was it because of the distraction that he needed a while ago? Or was he just being a paranoid?
"Sakuno-chan," Kintarou said as he pulled Sakuno by the elbow, causing her to avert her gaze from him. "Let's go now…"
Sakuno looked at Kintarou with a surprised feature.
Ryoma looked away from her with a smirk playing on his lips.
That's only for now. He thought.
The noontime, which was supposed to be sunny just like the other days, turned out to be so dark and cold, where else every creature alive underneath the odd weather might think it's already night.
If it wasn't for the long fluorescent light which was immediately switched on as soon as the members of the one-week camping trip went inside the dining room, the dining room might have been darker than outside.
It's raining… again. Sakuno thought discreetly, with her index finger tracing the mist off the window in front of her.
Dark-gray clouds hovered from the skies, and showered the green field with its indisputable pearl-like rain. Thin sheets of gray mist rose from the cold earth.
Sakuno closed her brown eyes and started to concentrate. I should do this well… she thought, pertaining to the fact that she should show her real feelings towards her Saviour-kun, whom she had recently known in the image of Kintarou.
"Sakuno-chan, are you okay?"
A sigh escaped from her lips. That is… if I can…
"Sakuno-chan? Sakuno!"
The brunette let out a gasp when she felt a warm hand that touched her shoulder. She turned around with confused eyes as her mind started to guess who prodded her.
Sakuno's forehead creased.
There, before her, he stood with weakening knees. His face was padded with lips in a firm line, his brown eyes focused on hers, and his red hair that outlined the shape of his features. "What's wrong?"
The heat that he was emitting towards her felt comfortable against her cold and fair skin. She could feel her lips twist to a bleak frown.
"Sakuno-chan?" he asked once more, but she did not respond.
"Hey! What's happening to you, Sakuno-chan?" he beamed at her by shaking her shoulders with his both hands.
Sakuno, who seemed to be already snapped to reality, blinked several times at Kintarou. "K-Kintarou-kun…"
Her eyes roamed around the four-cornered room. Confusion struck her when she saw the people around her looking at her, which left her eyebrows furrowed and her forehead creased.
"Are you okay, Sakuno?" Sumire, her grandmother, asked in concern.
Sakuno's lips were pursed to a straight line, and her roaming eyes were now stuck on the floor. "Y-yes…" she answered timidly.
Unbeknownst to her was that another set of eyes was scrutinizing her disturbed features. His brows were forming folds on his forehead, and his lips were kept on a scowl.
Ryoma stared at Sakuno with anxiety. What's happening to her? He thought, anxious.
An old and husky voice came to interrupt Ryoma's deep pondering. "Before we eat our lunch," Sumire had said, "I wanted to tell you a few announcements."
The people inside the room turned their attention towards the older Ryuzaki.
"Today is our sixth day here inside the Ryuzaki rest-house. Since it seems like that the weather is 'not with us', we will not continue any outdoor activities, especially Tennis." Sumire started with her hands positioned on her hips.
Kikumaru, as well as the others, responded with a groan.
"Now," Sumire distracted once more when she heard their grunting, "Because of the postponed activities, we will start to arrange and fix our things today in order for us to depart tomorrow without any sidetracks."
Oishi raised his hand. "Sensei,"
Sumire turned her sight towards Oishi. "What is it?"
"What time are we going to leave tomorrow?" he asked.
"We are supposed to leave tomorrow night, but because of Yume's condition, I thought that we should leave by noon, so as to give her a check up the day after tomorrow." The old woman answered.
"Thanks," Oishi said, and then turned around to sit on his chair.
Yume gave out a pout before Oishi and spoke with a croaky voice, "Mou, you shouldn't have said that…"
Hearing Yume's statement, Tezuka had his hand placed over the girl's head. "It's okay," he said.
"That's all for today," Sumire shouted, and then sighed. "You may now eat your lunch."
"Itadakimasu!"
As soon as she got over with her lunch, Sakuno took the glass of water in front of her and gulped down the water immediately. She wiped the remains of the sticky rice that surrounded her mouth away with her blue handkerchief, and then she stood up on her both feet.
"Where are you going?" Tomoka asked with one of her brows raised.
Sakuno just forced out a smile and trudged from the dining room.
Seeing Sakuno's sudden act, Kikumaru enthusiastically sat beside Ryoma. "Nya, O'chibi…"
Ryoma, who was about to swallow the last spoon of his rice, turned his attention to his senior and gave him a 'what' look.
Kikumaru spoke in a childish manner. "Where do you think Ryuzaki-san is going?"
"I don't know," he shrugged.
"Mmm-mmm... Really?" Momoshiro jumped into the picture, with grains of rice scattered around his lips.
"How and why should I know?" Ryoma replied icily, and then looked at his silver spoon. "And please, Momo-sempai…"
"Hmm?" Momoshiro, as well as Kikumaru, looked at Ryoma wonderingly.
Ryoma's eyebrows twitched. "Swallow your own spoon."
"Pfft-" Kikumaru puffed with his hands covering his mouth. "Momo, you big fat stomach…"
Ryoma got on to his feet, chugged a glass of water, and then walked towards the sliding door of the dining room.
"Hey, hey!" Momoshiro called out. "Where're you going?" he managed to utter despite of his stuffed mouth.
The dark-green haired lad nonchalantly waved his hand and then headed out.
"Nevermind," Kikumaru playfully said, his hands drew nearer at Ryoma's food. "Let's just eat his Sushi!"
Momoshiro flashed a grin. "Why not?"
And the two of them gobbled Ryoma's innocent sushis.
The sound of the creaking door and the click of the light switch—both sounds made sense in Sakuno's mind when she stood in front of the frame of the door, with her hand gradually opening the wooden opening of the basement room.
She stepped inside the crypt by the doorway and scrutinized the small room with her searching eyes—the four corners were covered with cobwebs, which were the only things that you could call 'decorations' because of their odd and patterned shapes. The paintings on the walls were about to fade from bright yellow to white, and the once tiled floor of the said room already had cracks formed at some of its edges. She could still remember the last time when she went here—it was still the same.
Her eyes continued to roam around until she found what she was looking for—an opened large box.
Sakuno took a few breaths as she slowly walked towards the brown object. She bent down, and now that she was on her knees, she leaned closer into the box as her hands enthusiastically dug on the pile of her old stuffs. It was as if her hands have minds of their own. She shoved away the dresses that topped the box, and had them laid on the cold floor.
She took out 3 sets of shoes; each had their own colors, and five other things that she did not even mind to define at all.
The brunette stopped shoving her old objects away when she saw the four things that were previously topped by her old clothes. She saw that the tennis ball and the picture frame that she left inside the box was still there, which were both tucked beneath two other photo-albums. Her hands, which were still groping inside the box, felt a treasure box-like case, and when she did, she saw a small, pink envelope.
Bounded with curiosity, Sakuno lifted the small, pink jewellry box, as well as the envelope with her coldening hands.
Unexpectedly, her lips curved to a smile when she saw the insides of the box through the glass lid of its cover. She automatically dropped the pink envelope on her lap, and continued to marvel about the box.
She carefully opened the jewellry box with her hands, and much to her surprise, she saw her old jewellery sets in it, still at its good condition. She reached a pair of pearled earrings, and scrutinized it with her good eyes.
And then, she dropped the pair of her earrings when she noticed a little but familiar object enclosed in a small plastic. She lifted it with her right hand, and took a look in it.
Suddenly, Sakuno beamed in excitement when she knew what it was. She quickly took off the lid of the plastic, and took out the said object.
"This is my old hair clip!" she fervently glorified to herself. "I remember how much I lovingly used this inside the school campus and… outside of it…" she murmured, recalling the days in her middle school. Her index finger traced the outline of the flower of the clip, wondering why it had already faded its violet color. A faint smile touched her lips, as tears started to peek from her eyes.
Before she could even manage to remember more about the history of her hairclip (which she always wore whenever Seigaku have matches), Sakuno placed her hair ornament back to the chest. She dropped it inside the box, where she found the photo-albums.
Sakuno reached out for the photo-albums, and when she lifted it up, the photo-frame, the tennis ball and the the pink envelope rolled on the floor.
Scared that she might grab the attention of the other members of the house, Sakuno immediately disregarded the photo-albums and left it on the floor as she came near towards her old, messed up things. She picked up the photo frame and the tennis ball, as a new thought that caused her another fold of pain stung her heart.
Her hands held the objects firmly as she scrutinized them with her both hands. With her eyes tightly shut closed, Sakuno's hands trembled, and the tears that dwelled in her eyes rolled down on her cheeks—the tears that she cried out dropped on the picture frame, as well as on the tennis ball.
Together with the regret that she also feared, Sakuno embraced the picture frame and the tennis ball tenderly against her heaving chest. "It's a bad decision… a very bad decision…" she chanted underneath her puckered lips.
Sakuno leaned against the nearest wall, with the picture frame and the tennis ball sprawled on the floor. The reason for her sobs was painful—she could not even raise a finger to open the pink envelope, now that she knew that it was her letter for Ryoma that caused her unwanted amnesia.
"Ryoma-kun…" she whimpered. "I shouldn't have done this to you…"
Her face landed on her palm. "B-But… you're not Saviour-kun, Ryoma-kun… how come that it's not you?"
And then suddenly, after uttering 'Saviour-kun', Sakuno's body arched up.
Her eyebrows furrowed as she wiped the tears away from her eyes and cheeks. "I… I want to know everything!" she said with a determined smile.
"But before everything else, I should help at the kitchen for the last time." She smiled, and then wore the hairclip. She slid the pink envelope inside her pocket, with her free hand carrying the jewellry box, picture frame and the tennis ball, and thought that she must place them inside her room before heading towards the kitchen.
Sakuno stood up, with the new layer of courage covering her heart.
"There…"
Ryoma crossed his arms against his chest after he laid down his big, black suitcase on the floor. The black suitcase was widely opened, exposing some of his unused clothes. His eyes shifted towards the bed beside him, which was topped with used clothes, a couple of dried towels, and some of his hygienic tools.
He semi-knelt to close the suitcase, stood up, and then sauntered towards the bed together with it. He settled his used clothes inside a plastic before he placed it inside the suitcase.
I'm almost done. Ryoma thought to himself as he placed the plastic inside the suitcase. He took out two sets of clothes—one for the evening and one for tomorrow morning—and a white towel as well.
Suddenly, Ryoma's eyes focused outside the window. His eyebrows scrunched up, which caused the wrinkles that formed on his forehead. It's still raining, he almost murmured, and then he got on his heels.
Ryoma turned the doorknob open with the clothes settled for evening tucked underneath his armpit. He walked in the hallways of the rest house with such nonchalance bore inside his chest, as his other hand swayed on his side.
After not so many minutes, Ryoma finally reached his destination—a bathing area that is located inside the rest house.
At the dressing area, Ryoma took off his garments quickly and then, hurried towards the actual bathtub, where he dipped himself in the hot water.
He leaned against the wall as flashbacks about his freshmen days in that rest house flooded in his mind once more. This was the place where his co-regulars took a bath together while having a fun time.
Suddenly, Ryoma shook his head and relaxed once more against the cool texture of the tub. This was not a good time for flashbacks. This was just for fun, that somehow, he had a peaceful moment inside the house.
Ryoma shut his eyes calmly, letting his mind float wherever it pleased. He broadened his arms out wide, spanning the lip of the tub with his long limbs.
At last… after a few days of restlessness, here I am, relaxing myself to my happiness's content. He thought smugly, a smirk spreading on his features.
He let his mind float again until…
"HORA! E-CHI-ZEN!" Seven voices called out in unison as their heads floated above the water, their faces glued with an excited smile.
Ryoma's eyes widened and his arms stiffened at his both sides. "S-Sempai-tachi!"
In front of him were Kikumaru and Momoshiro, who wore huge grins as they began to splash water to each other. Kaidoh was at the corner; somewhat murmuring to himself how noisy it could get with all of them inside the bathing area. Inui was at the opposite corner, with a huge mask that covered his face. When Ryoma turned to his right, there was Fuji, Oishi and…Tezuka?
Ryoma's shocked expression turned to his usual scowl. His eyes roamed around the room, and noticed that someone is missing.
"Where is Kawamura-sempai?" he asked bluntly.
Fuji smiled at him and said, "Getting the shampoo and the soap. We're out of stock."
I wonder where the managers are…
Kawamura ambled towards the kitchen and called out, "Ryuzaki-san? Osakada-san?"
"Coming!" Tomoka responded with a high-pitched voice, the sound of her footsteps sounding against the concrete ground of the room. She entered the kitchen with a smile and asked, "What is it, Kawamura-sempai?"
A relieved sigh lit up Kawamura's features to a smile. "May I ask," he started. "Where is the last stock of shampoo?"
Tomoka propped her chin above her hand and talked in a speculative manner. "Umm, I'm not the one who's assigned to assemble the hygienic materials… I think it's already settled somewhere…Don't you have your own stock of shampoo?"
Kawamura scratched the back of his head. "We already finished it off. The bottle is already empty." And then, he looked up to the ceiling. "Do we still need the soap? Hmm…"
Tomoka's eyebrows twitched at the plurals. They're sharing the same shampoo?
"Kawamura-sempai, where are you going to use it? Personal use, or-"
"We're having a get-together inside the bathe house…." He cut her off with embarrassment spelled on his face.
Not a few seconds after, Kawamura and Tomoka heard a clicking sound that came from the kitchen's cupboard. They turned their sight on it, and smiled when they saw the one who was holding a shampoo bottle.
Sakuno saved the night.
The brunette flashed a kind smile at the two of them and said, "Is this what you're looking for, Kawamura-sempai?"
Kawamura responded with a smile, totally forgetting about the soap as he took the bottle of shampoo from her hand. "Thank you, Ryuzaki-san!" he gratefully replied, and then immediately left out.
"I thought Kawamura-sempai needs soap?" Tomoka wondered idly.
Sakuno's eyebrows scrunched up. "He does? Hmm… I'll follow him." She volunteered as she took a small box of soap. She took a few steps ahead, not even thinking where she's heading out. She barely noticed.
After a number of minutes…
"Hmm," Sakuno hummed as she walked through the hallway. "Where am I even going? Where can I find Kawamura-sempai?"
We're having a get-together inside the bathe house…
The brunette's head snapped up. "B-bathe house?!" she murmured nervously.
Her brown irises searched through the hallway, thinking of where to find the bathe house. She was quite sure that it was somewhere near the eastern part of the house.
"Aah, stop splashing the water, Momo!" a voice of familiarity came from another part of the hallway.
Sakuno followed where the voice was leading her—she was sure that it was Kikumaru's voice, and if Kawamura meant that it was a get-together, so they should be together. She held the soap box tightly, and thought that her last task as a manager for the night would be finally finished.
With a smile worn on her lips, Sakuno inched her closed fist near to the door, and knew that once she had passed the box, the day is over.
She knocked on the room lightly, but no one answered. Maybe the room inside was too noisy, and barely heard her knock.
Until she realized that she's been eavesdropping on eight different voices of male, with one of them outstanding all.
"I bet you're thinking of something else, Echizen…"
"We are now having a simple get-together. Let us celebrate this rare occasion as we content ourselves." Tezuka stated in his captain-like voice.
But unfortunately…
"Fssshhuuuu… you're so noisy, te-me!" Kaidoh yelled at Momoshiro with a closed fist in front of him.
Momoshiro laughed a mischievous laugh at his former-teammate and yelled back, "You should know how to mingle, Mamushi!"
"Oi, you guys, stop that…" Oishi entered the picture.
No one was listening, just like those days.
The atmosphere inside the room was never slightest far-away from the atmosphere that they had back in their Junior High days. With Momoshiro and Kaidoh who started to argue with each other, Oishi would jump into the scene and try to stop the argument. Kikumaru would follow behind, and then tease Oishi. Kawamura was shouting 'burning'. Inui, Fuji and Tezuka were the ones who were always left behind, together with Ryoma, who was always found with a blank face.
Fuji smiled at the scene in front of him and said, "Aah, those days. It was as if nothing had changed. Ne, Echizen?"
Ryoma's blank face turned to a scowl, and gave out a simple nod. By this time, he was watching how Momoshiro turns Kaidoh down with his impish grin, with Kikumaru and Oishi either cheering or stopping them.
The tensai giggled. "I bet you're thinking of something else, Echizen."
Everything inside the bathe house went silent when they heard Fuji's silent statement.
"Aah, about that matter…" Kikumaru grinned at him. "O'chibi is thinking of Ryuzaki-san again!"
Ryoma glowered at him. Kikumaru's grin turned wider, while at the same time, beads of sweat trickled at his forehead.
"By the way, Echizen…" It was Momoshiro's voice. "Have you ever thought of what to do if ever everything about that 'matter' gets… worse?"
The man on the hot seat looked at him wonderingly.
"Worse," Momoshiro cleared his throat. "I mean, if nothing else happens about her memory?"
Ryoma simply looked on the ceiling, trying to conceal his vast care about that matter. "I don't know…"
Kikumaru whined. "Waah, O'chibi! What kind of answer is that?"
"What if…what if Ryuzaki-san had already regained her memories? Don't you think that she had already regained them?" Momoshiro asked bluntly.
Fuji's turquoise eyes scrutinized the room, and wondered when he saw a silhouette.
Was that… Ryuzaki-san? He thought when the image suddenly flinched after Momoshiro's statement. His eyebrows furrowed.
Seven heads listened as they waited for Ryoma's answer.
Ryoma knew it—this was the main purpose of the 'get-together'.
"I…" Ryoma said through unmoving lips, with the six of the seven heads getting nearer to him. His eyes transferred to the ceiling, and then to the water. "I will…"
-KNOCK! KNOCK!
The seven heads that were listening to him shifted their focus towards the door. There, they also saw the molded silhouette, which they easily assumed as a woman.
"Soap…" the silhouette spoke.
Everyone inside the room was frozen when they heard the voice of the woman, except for Ryoma who stood up and said in a nonchalant voice, "I'll get it." He got out of the water, and then wrapped his bottom with a clean, white towel.
The silhouette knocked once more.
"Here, here," he lazily muttered as he groped for the handle of the sliding door. And then, he turned to his former teammates. "What else can I do if she does not want to tell us?" he said firmly, and then opened the door.
Everything was set in slow motion.
As soon as they saw the familiar brunette hair, Momoshiro and the others gawked with surprised faces. They reached out to Ryoma, who was currently facing the brunette with closed eyes.
"E-CHI-ZEEEEEN!" They called out in loud voices, their words in perfect harmony. Kikumaru's arms reached the nearest toward Ryoma, and as soon as he was 'there', he thought of tugging Ryoma's hand.
Ryoma looked at his back and saw the commotion. His eyes widened not because of shock, but because of bewilderment.
What are they doing? He thought.
Kikumaru, who was just an inch away from Ryoma's hand, tugged something different—it was Ryoma's only white, comfy towel, for heaven's sake!
Sakuno stared at Ryoma for a long moment. Her face flushed red; she cleared her throat, as the rapid thrumming of her own heart beat against her chest lingered in her ears.
Ryoma-kun's…body… His chest was bare… and he has… abs… his waist was slender, as well as his long legs. She thought as her curiosity led her to the observation of his body.
Ryoma looked at her in confusion. What was she doing here?
W-What was… that? Sakuno wondered when she saw something that her eyes were still forbidden to see.
Ryoma, who was suddenly curious by her expression, looked at where Sakuno's gaze was locked.
And then, both of them blushed more than you can ever imagine.
Sakuno held the soap box with her perspiring hands. She hung her head as low as she could, with her eyes firmly shut.
"I… I'm s-sorry, E-Echizen-kun! I d-did not m-mean to—" she stammered as she apologized, bowing as many times as she was capable of. And when she could not stand any longer, she covered her face with both of her palms and then, left immediately.
As soon as she left, Ryoma quickly slid the sliding door closed in front of him.
The people behind him felt the electricity going up and down through their spine, especially Kikumaru, who was still holding the white towel. Unlike the others, Tezuka just looked behind him, trying to avert Ryoma's gaze as he turned around to face them.
Kikumaru grinned sheepishly with narrowing eyebrows and said in a low, pleading tone, "O-O'chibi…"
He did not respond.
"E-Echizen?" the others followed.
No response? Again.
"Echizen, you will forgive us, right?" they asked in unison, a very, huge, hopeful grin plastered on their faces.
"You," Ryoma started, his head hung low.
They gulped, and then turned to Kikumaru quickly, their index fingers pointing to his direction. Kikumaru made a befuddled face and pointed his own nose. "Me?"
Ryoma smirked.
Sheepish looks lit up to a true smile, until…
"You'll eventually… die." He mocked, and then jumped on the tub to splash water at everyone.
"'Ryousuke said to me in a flat tone, 'Don't move'. I flinched when his cold hand touched my jaw, his face coming nearer as I cringed once more. Not a second after, my eyes gave up and leaned closer to him, my lips an inch apart from him. It was a second of eternity, until someone opened the door. It was Kirota. 'Stay away from her, stealer!' he shouted.'"
"Maah, I can't read…"
With his stomach lied flat on the bed and his head buried on the pillow, Kintarou released his hold from the thick manga that he was urging himself to read a while ago. It fell open to the ground, leaving a clattering sound in his ears.
Really, why should I push myself in reading something that is closely related to my current situation? Kintarou asked himself, his eyes fixed at his small luggage. He pouted, and then answered his own question. Of course, if I don't read this, I won't be able to read any other manga. He thought childishly, remembering that he only brought rmantic-themed mangas with himself in the camping trip.
Every manga that was in his luggage was all themed with drama, with romance as the top genre. He thought that this camping trip might be a chance for him, which made him bring those categorized mangas—mangas that imposed a love-triangle.
If ever this thing did not happen, he would not have to lie to her whilst reading the mangas which made the hair on his arms rise, as if he had goosebumps. If ever he did not have to read those comic strips, then the conscience would not be killing him now.
He buried his face on the pillow again. "Why, oh why, oh whyyyyy…." He whined.
"No," a panting, female voice came through his opened door. "No way, I just saw… what?!"
Kintarou raised his head from being buried when he heard the familiar voice that came near his door. S-Sakuno-chan? He thought, and his tan-colored face turned darker.
Even though he was unwilling to do so, Kintarou darted out from his room, and much to his surprise, she was already in front of him—Sakuno was staring at him, with tears dwelling in her chocolaty eyes.
Kintarou stared back at her. Did she just see a Loch Ness monster at his face?
He shook the thought off from his head, and got back to his own business.
"What is it, Sakuno-chan? Did something bad happen?" he asked, quite mystified.
Sakuno averted her stare from him and placed her palms on her face again. Her teeth rattled as she told him, "M-monsteeer…"
The red-haired lad broke into a grin. "Monster? Where?" Was she telling him the truth? That his fantasies might be actually… true?
Her teeth continued to rattle. "In between… the… the-"
"The what?" he motivated.
Sakuno's head turned blank. "Legs."
"What?"
"Legs."
"Legs?"
The brunette nodded, and out of no time, she suddenly collapsed, the soap box slid from her perspiring hands, leaving it unattended on the floor. It was a good thing that Kintarou have nice reflexes, so before Sakuno could fall flat on the floor, he caught him exactly in his arms.
"Sa-chan? Sa-chan?" he patted her cheek.
Kintarou gulped. What's happening? He mentally panicked, and then brought her in his room. He shoved away his mangas with his feet (good thing that he did not lose his balance), and there he laid Sakuno.
He cleared his throat once more, as he reflected on Sakuno's words before.
Monster between the legs? What does that mean? He marvelled, and then looked at her again. This time, her eyebrows were narrowing, and her cheeks were flaming red. "Sakuno-chan?"
Sakuno's eyes fluttered open, beads of sweat rolling from her forehead. Her eyes were searching in the small room, until she found the worrying eyes of Kintarou.
She felt a jolt running in her spine, and then she sat up, causing her head to bump at the cupboard just a few centimetres above her head. "Ouch!" she winced in pain, and soon, noticed the red-haired boy. "Kintarou-kun?" she murmured, her hand rubbing her head lightly.
Kintarou's anxiety was replaced with a smile after he took a relieved sigh. "Thank goodness, Sa-chan!" he said happily. "Ne, ne, where was the monster?"
It was Sakuno's turn to gulp this time.
"Sakuno-chan?" Kintarou asked warily when he noticed that Sakuno was staring at space. "What's happening to you? Do you want me to take you to Ryuzaki-sensei? You look… tired, and flushed."
Another shade of red nested in her cheeks. "N-No," she disagreed in a weak tone, her eyes roaming somewhere else on order to find and excuse so that she'll hurry to her room.
Luckily, her eyes saw his luggage. "I need to… pack for tomorrow."
"Oh," Kintarou suddenly frowned.
Sakuno smiled meekly at him and apologized, "Sorry, Kintarou-kun. I think I really have to go now." She said as she threw her legs at the side of the bed.
Kintarou held her arm and offered, "I'll help you with that."
The brunette smiled at him and mouthed a simple "Thank you" at him.
As soon as her feet touched the ground and when her balance betrayed her, everything around her went fast.
"A-ah-!"
Ryoma was walking around the hallway as he dried his hair with a damp towel—a different towel than he had before. Good thing that Fuji brought two towels at once.
While he was trudging the empty hallway of the rest house, he noticed a small carton-like box that was sprawled on the floor. It was positioned in front of someone else's room, and it made him wonder.
Was that the soap box that Sakuno was holding a while ago? He moved closer to the box.
"I'll help you with that."
"Thank you."
Ryoma's eyebrows twitched. I think I've heard those voices a while ago. He believed, and then neared towards the room with curious feet.
"A-ah-!"
Good. The door was open. He peeked inside, trying to prove if his assumptions were true—if it were Sakuno and Kintarou.
His eyes widened in shock at the scene in front of him.
Sakuno was lying flatly on the brown-tiled floor, with Kintarou on the top of her side. They were facing at each other with shocked expressions—eyes enlarging and cheeks were infested by red.
Ryoma's hands turned into fists when he saw everything, especially the almost-centimeter gap between their faces.
"Wrong room, owari." Ryoma unwillingly apologized with a scowl. Wrong room, sorry.
Before he could even do something out of his control, which was never his attitude, Ryoma pushed his coldness and reluctance together, and continued to his room.
"Echizen-kun!" he heard her call out, but he was too annoyed to look back. Better work with his unfinished job, anyway—packing bags.
Something was… different. It was the thing that broke through.
Sakuno turned her head towards the door, and her sudden action made Kintarou look at the door, too.
There was Ryoma, standing stiffly beside the door.
She could feel the new batch of red infesting her cheeks. She could feel the lump in her throat, as well as the dwelling tears in her eyes.
"Wrong room, owari."
She knew that she owed him an explanation, but after the second that she looked at him, he turned frigid towards her, and left without any other words.
"Echizen-kun!" was everything that she could muster.
When Sakuno looked towards the door, Kintarou followed her gaze.
There was his rival, Koshimae, standing beside the door.
He gulped again.
"Wrong room, owari."
There's no way that Ryousuke, Kirota, and Aira—the characters on a love triangle from the manga that he was reading—could be actually true!
And then, he heard Sakuno shout 'Echizen-kun!', as if she owed him an explanation.
There he was again—in his blue room, with his black suitcase sprawled on the floor.
Ryoma neared towards his big luggage, and as fast as he could, he slid his recently used clothes inside the plastic, and in to the black bag.
When he was finished zipping his suitcase closed, he laid on his bed, a low groan escaping from his lips.
What he just saw was true. Well, what else would he expect, now that as far as Ryuzaki had known, Kintarou was her Saviour-kun. Was it even befuddling that they were doing something in his room? No. Except of the fact that Ryuzaki was not that kind of girl.
He groaned again, his hand covering his eyes in hesitation. What the hell was happening to him?!
Translation: There's no way that Ryuzaki could be that fast, as well as Kintarou.
Another groan.
Next Translation: Ryuzaki should not be doing that thing, or Kintarou should not be doing that to her.
Now, it was just a scowl.
Was he jealous?
"Dammit," he spitted out with a bleak smirk.
His 'translations' continued to swarm his head, until someone knocked on the door.
Ryoma lazily walked towards the door, and his hand reached out to its knob. He put on his mask of nonchalance, leaned against the wall near the door and opened it.
"Sorry for the disturbance, Echizen-kun," Sakuno's meek voice called from the other side.
A scowl replaced his nonchalance. Great, now she's here to explain everything that shouldn't be explained.
"What?" Ryoma responded unwillingly, walked towards his suitcase and opened it, leaving the door opened as well.
He could hear Sakuno's moans. "Umm… w-what have you s-seen?" she asked, stuttering.
"Nothing," he lied, and turned his back to her.
Sakuno clutched her hands together. "E-Echizen-kun!"
Ryoma replied icily and said, "I'm packing my bags. Why don't you just pack yours?"
Her eyes turned apologetic. "B-But-" she insisted.
But Ryoma reprimanded and told her in a clear, smoldering voice, "Leave me alone."
Sakuno threw her hands on her sides. "RYOMA-KUN!" she managed to choke out, tears cornering her eyes.
Ryoma's eyebrows furrowed, the creases on his forehead starting to form. "What do you want?!"
The tears that she held escaped. "Ryoma-kun," she whimpered, and Ryoma looked at her. "YOU'RE SO BAD! YOU DID NOT EVEN CHANGE! YOU ARE AS DENSE AS BEFORE, AND YOU NEVER BECAME GOOD EVEN THE SMALLEST AND TINIEST BIT! YOU'RE SO RUDE, RYOMA-KUN! I HATE YOU!"
And then, she closed the door firmly with her tears continuing to roll down.
"Kh," Ryoma choked out, and a mischievous smirk crept in his features. He walked towards the door, where he heard Sakuno's sobs. Sure, he has something to do.
He opened the door, with Sakuno stumbling on the floor.
Sakuno stared at him with widening and confused eyes; her tears stopped flowing, and her wet hands clasped together.
Ryoma knelt down, looked at her priceless facial expression with his smirk, and then neared his face towards her ear.
"What if I ask you," he started, his breath tickling her ear. "What have you seen a while ago?"
Sakuno's face flushed, and the image of the monster that she had seen flashed in her mind. She cringed.
Ryoma smirked, and his grin grew even wider. His hands caught her cheeks, and whispered in front of her, "Now tell me, Sa-Ku-No."
With his soft breath touching her face, Sakuno could not help anything but look at him with scrunched up eyebrows—as if she was telling him to either have pity and let go of his grasp, or kiss her. "R-Ryoma-kun… p-please…"
The lad could not stop the overflowing joy that came from his teasing, as well as from her soft moan. He smashed his lips together, but in a fraction of a second, flashed his gleaming teeth again. "What if I don't want to stop?"
Ryoma exhaled.
He started to lessen the gap between his mischievous features and her blushing face.
A/N: Oh guys, please forgive me. I promise not to do this looong absence again. If ever I do, you're free to brick and shot me. But now, it's a time for celebration! Hahaha! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR, MINNA! –glompage- But it means that the 2nd year of this story is also nearing, which means that I should really hurry up. Don't worry, guys. Just shot and brick me, okay?
I sincerely wanted to give my thanks to EVERYONE, who kept on supporting the story. Hit me in the head. It's hard to gain motivation, yet it is too easy to get lost. REALLY, THANKS. I've been reading the reviews for almost 5 months.
I seriously love you, guys. xD
(Plug in: Please read 'A Little Bit Longer') :) I'm waiting for reviews and –gets shot-
Ja'ne, minna!
rookie-chan