DISCLAIMER: I Do Not Own Prince Of Tennis!
A/N: Yes, I do know that I do not focus on the main pairing in this fic that much, Ryoma/Sakuno actually, but there are some things that needs to be addressed before I go on with all the fluff-ness factor… (since I do know that fluff isn't exactly my forte… I'm more of the angst writer, but since I have no idea how to make angst out of tennis…). I assure that if I "finish" those "things", I can finally move on to RyoSaku. (Now I am wondering how long will this fic be… mumbles off) But thank you for reminding me of that! Hearts and kisses to those who reviewed my fic! MWAH!
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Chapter 20
Faint
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Seigaku had now left the grounds of Daidouji and was off to their own homes. Sakuno looked back at the school, with the silhouette of her friend waving at her; she waved back. Her eyes now glanced to the person walking before them; she wondered why he let the girl stay in the grounds…
"Don't bother trying to accompany me home." Tatsue said, looking up at the tennis buchou, "I'm to wait for Natsume-buchou tonight… she's the only one who knows where I stay."
Tezuka lifted a brow. Tatsue took notice of it and looked away, "Err… I got lost the last time I tried to go home alone… she's the only one who knows the shortcut."
"Does she know about it?" asked Oishi, looking worried. (Yeah we all know that he was born a worrier…). Tatsue nodded.
"She'll probably stand up in the middle of their discussion and leave the room, then race downstairs clumsily-" Seigaku sweatdropped "- and most probably be coming…"
True enough, the kendo buchou was running from the main hall. She halted as if looking for them, and as she spotted them, she ran to them.
"I'm sorry! Kitami-chan's… oh, you're still here, thank goodness…" she took a deep breath and smiled awkwardly at Tezuka, "I'm sorry for not saying it earlier, Kitami-chan would be staying here for a while… sorry for bothering you!"
"Betsuni." Tezuka replied indifferently. He turned to his teammates and said that they will leave already. (Ayashi mental note (along with the medusa-like hair): DIE, TEZUKA, DIE!)
Sakuno waved at Tatsue, who waved back at her. She noted that Tatsue stuck a tongue out at Ryoma (Tatsue to Ryoma: BEH!) who ignored her. She smiled sheepishly at her friend's antics, but then noticed that Ryoma was looking at HER. Sakuno blushed. She was saved by their senpai who chided on Ryoma for some obscure reason.
END FLASHBACK
Sakuno sighed. It was a weird day, not to mention tiring, but there were things she understood about the kendo club…
"You're lost in thought again." Muttered Ryoma, who was walking with her, their senpais walking just before them. Sakuno blushed again.
"Ah… I'm sorry." She apologized. Ryoma raised a brow.
"For what?" he returned into his stoic mode, though of course, we all know as of the recent reactions he's had when Sakuno's around…
Sakuno dropped her head low and heaved her shoulders up, in such a manner that expressed a rather… disturbing amount of low self-confidence. (We know that there's this big gloomy cloud over Sakuno by this time, along with the wind that is worthy of Sakuragi Hanamichi…)
"S-Saku-" All of a sudden, without prior warning whatsoever, Momoshiro jumped between them and meowed, "Mo-Momoshiro-senpai?" Ryoma stepped back.
"What are you two whispering about, huh?" he asked in such a manner that even though of course it wasn't that malicious, but still offered the certainty that there is in fact something fishy going on (you know the "grin" must be there! YES! There must be that this-is-not-a-malicious-smile-I-swear-smile!). Ryoma paled and Sakuno furrowed her brows in utter and desperate confusion.
"It's nothing…" Ryoma kept his cool just when he thought he was about to lose it.
Momoshiro shrugged and went on his business, which was for the time being, bother, well, not really, but something like that…
"Oi, Sakuno-chan, how's your tennis going anyway?" Momoshiro asked. Sakuno answered politely as she usually does so; Ryoma felt his own lips carve a frown, though if it was evident, he knew nothing; he really shouldn't be bothered by such. Really.
They continued on walking; Ryoma diverted his attention to his other sepais… which were… Kaidoh-senpai, Inui-senpai, Oishi-fukubuchou, Fuji-senpai and Tezuka-buchou… which didn't help in any way. Ryoma sighed; he then heard the loquacious laughter from Momoshiro and a slightly giggling Sakuno.
He felt his chest like it was being pricked by something when he saw Sakuno being "harassed" (which consisted of teasing, cajoling, nudging) by his senpai (Momoshiro) and didn't seem to be fuzzed about it, the fact that he was getting such close proximity without getting Sakuno all riled up and talking to her… unlike whenever, he, Ryoma would talk to Sakuno, she'd stutter or make him feel that he was an outsider or something. Somehow, Ryoma hated this feeling of…
"Hahahaha!" Momoshiro laughed after he just told a joke to Sakuno who, even though rather uncomfortable, laughed with him. Ryoma just couldn't shake the feeling of enviousness of Sakuno and Momoshiro's "relationship" (well, at least to him… but isn't it the other way around? Shouldn't be Sakuno be jealous of Momoshiro and Ryoma's relationship?).
"And yeah, one time, Mamushi-"
Okay, he's had it!
Ryoma had once again, for the second time that day, snatched away Sakuno from possible "enemies". (snigger)
"Oi! Echizen!" Momoshiro shouted as Ryoma continued to walk away from them, dragging Sakuno along with him. Inui grinned. "Just make sure you bring Sakuno-chan to Ryuzaki-sensei's house!" shouted Momoshiro, with that triumphant trickster look on his face.
Holy crap! I've been tricked! Ryoma thought. But it was too late anyway, Seigaku had already left them (yeah, and they waved too!) and they did seem to be much more accomplished that when they won against Hyoutei… (ahem).
"Looks like I have no choice…" muttered Ryoma, feeling a little helpless of the situation. Sakuno looked at him with her undoubtedly brown eyes, a slight feeling of something… horrible had just weighed his stomach down as he saw her eyes. She took away her hand from his clutch.
"I see…" Sakuno smiled weakly, Ryoma couldn't help but blush, "You don't have to accompany me home, Ryoma-kun." She said, the blush on Ryoma's face turned into something like… black lines drooped along his paled face; "If you're just doing this because our senpai forced you-"
"I-It's not that" Sakuno took a step back. She… heard him stutter… loudly too!
It was one of those moments that you'd want to record it, but apparently your mobile phone wasn't that new that you actually regret not buying that camera mobile phone. Thank god for memories.
It was odd, but it seemed like Ryoma had intentionally and instantly pulled his cap down for some unknown reason. (But I do believe you know why…)
Sakuno's hand was once again enveloped by his; it was odd, it seemed like whenever they were alone together, Ryoma would almost always… take her hand with his… as if… as if…
Sakuno felt her soul leave her.
"S-Sakuno!"
That was the last word that Sakuno heard before fainting.
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"Uh…." Sakuno groaned. She didn't feel any kind of pain… oh, she was in something fluffy and… She rolled to her side and slowly opened her eyes. She was in her own room.
But how the heck did she get back? If she fainted… then Ryoma might've brought her to their home! But… maybe he just called her grandmother and told the place where they were… or probably called his senpai-tachi which was rather a lot more convenient...
The door opened. Ryuzaki-sensei came inside; she seemed like she had just cooked something. According to Sakuno's senses, she had just cooked something like…
"Fried chicken, Sakuno?"
I knew it. Sakuno thought; so, her grandmother wasn't the best cook, but at least she could cook a little.
"No, I'm not really hungry…" she pushed back some strands of hair our of her cheeks.
"Ryoma dropped you here last night." Said Sumire in a rather nonchalant fashion, but she was looking at Sakuno a little; "He looked flustered. The boy obviously had no idea why you lost consciousness… and neither do I."
Sakuno stopped. Did her grandmother just say that she was brought back to her house by Ryoma?
She blushed furiously at the thought… and once again, fainted.
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A/N: Such a short chapter… well, I'm sort of busy with my studies that I apparently have no time… but I'll try to write chapters for MotH. So please, enjoy!