It was a close match but not close enough. You lost the match to Shiraishi Kuranosuke, the first match in your career you had ever lost. At the end you approached the net and shook his hand, he gripped it tight "Your tennis is beautiful. That was close, you could have beaten me." "But I didn't, and it was your game. You are really good." he smiled "That was the best game I have played though, play me again?" you nodded, for sure. Though you walked off the court with a smile, when you got off you felt the world shrink and go dark around you. You went to put your head under some water to cool off, but even so it was not the kind of help you wanted. Tennis had never really meant so much to you before, but this game was especially heartbreaking. You shut off the water and watched as the water droplets drip off your hair, thinking about if you had actually tried your hardest from the beginning, would you have won? A soft towel draped over your head and soft hands tried to dry your hair "You're going to get a cold like this, its the middle of summer, too much cold water is never good." You reached up and grabbed her hands, they were soft as always "What are you doing?" you asked "trying to comfort you, I know I'm not very good at it, because I have always been on the receiving end of Syusuke's comfort." "Thats right, you're not very good at it. If you want to be useful, you could at least lend me a shoulder." She was confused "My shoulder? For what? Can't I at least cry?" she wrapped your arms around your neck and allowed your forehead to rest on top of her shoulder "You can cry as much as you want, I'll be here to shield you so none of the guys make fun of you. But cry, I'll be here." You didn't cry, or maybe you did, you didn't remember. All you knew was how your hands wrapped around Ryoko's waist and how comforting her warmth was.

After the game, Seigaku had beaten Shitenhoji and it seemed your loss in the game was insignificant, even though your pride was deeply wounded. Shiraishi told you he would help you to become better and even agreed to a rematch anytime, but in return he just wanted you to be good to his sister and take care of her. You agreed to his conditions and said goodbye to the best and biggest rivals you had ever known. To keep your promise to Shiraishi, you knew you had to ask Ryoko for forgiveness. You spotted her about to get in the car with Atobe, but when she saw you, you stopped and turned to Atobe, they exchanged a few words and he got in the car and left without her. She came over "Looks like you want to take me home, thats fine with me." You laughed "I never said that, but since you don't have a ride now, I guess you can come with me." At first she didn't follow, but then you grabbed her hand "Hold my hand so you don't get lost." She tried to say a good comeback, but instead, she sealed her lips and smiled, following you. You took the train back to Tokyo, and around this time of day, it wasn't really crowded and there were many seats open, but Ryoko wanted to stand, so you stood with her. "Ryoko, do you wonder, what it would be like if we had still dated?" she shot you a look "Whats the meaning of that question? Are you trying to get back together with me?" You turned away, acting offended "Why would I want to do that, its just a question!" "Then good, because you're the one who broke up with me in the first place." she mumbled and pouted "But still, even if its a stupid question, will you answer it for me?" she looked you in the eyes and a smile spread across her lips "So Syusuke still thinks of me like that, I'm very happy. But it would have never worked out." "Why not?" you asked. "I'm leaving tomorrow, I'm going away for a long time, to Europe to dance. Many great ballet companies have invited me overseas to learn and train because of the Atobe company, its a great thing, and I'm going to go. Tonight, is my last night in Japan." "When will you be back?" you asked, she shrugged "Probably not for some time now, because I still have a lot to learn about ballet, maybe it'll take five years, maybe even fifteen years, but no matter how long I won't stop." She turned to you "And so I won't ask you to wait for me." "But what if I wanted to?" she looked confused, "And why would you want to?" "Because, I love you, and I love your dream, and I want you to be happy and pursue that dream, and I want to see that smile on your face, even if its only in papers, I want to see it." "How can that be love? Text messages and emails, meeting through newspaper articles, that doesn't sound like love to me." You smiled and pulled her close to you "It is love, its the love of the best kind."

You bent down and pressed your lips against her smile, and you kissed your girl you loved, holding her for a long time, long enough to last you a million years of loneliness.