Chapter 8: Bad Day
Sakuno walked-no, skipped-into tennis club with Ann the next day. She had just gotten back an English quiz which she thought she had bombed, but had actually not done that badly, so despite some of the recent heartbreaking events in her life, she actually was in quite a good mood.
"The dance is tonight! I can't wait!" said Ann happily.
"Yeah, it should be fun. Though I'm sure you have more reasons than I do for thinking it would be fun...something to do with a certain second-year at our school..." Sakuno grinned evilly. Ann's visage immediately colored and she smacked Sakuno on the forehead.
"Itai! Stop doing that!" Sakuno rubbed her forehead and suddenly slapped Ann on the shoulder. The two proceeded to have a playful "sissy-fight" when the arrival of two Rikkadai third-years suddenly captured their attention.
Much to their surprise, Sanada Genichirou was walking into the courts with a girl hanging onto his neck piggyback style.
The very fact that a female human being was in that close of a proximity to him was alarming enough. But the real shock? It was Moriyama Kimiko.
Whoa there.
Wait a sec.
WHAAAAAAAT?
After getting over the initial earthquake of shock, Sakuno and Ann ran over to where their friend was standing with her new boyfriend. Sakuno could not express her astonishment in words. "No way. Don't tell me you two are a couple right now."
Before Sanada could reply, however, Yukimura Seiichi walked over to where they were and gave Sakuno and Ann a grin. "Oh, it's quite a nice story actually. Sanada had to tutor Kimiko here in math, and then she tried to give him chocolates on Valentine's Day, but he...shall we say...accidentally shooed her away. And then he got a clue and made it up to her on White Day. It took quite a while for us to knock some sense into this baka's head." (A/N: See Hime-chan's other story "The Empress" for details!)
Now it was time for the aftershock of the earthquake. Ann and Sakuno stared at the couple, wondering how two people who had utterly despised one another could suddenly get together, and they both sweatdropped.
"Well," Ann said finally. "At least Sanada-senpai did get a clue." She turned and gave Ryoma, who was watching them (Sakuno, actually) intently, a glare and continued, "Not like an idiot freshman I know who goes to Seigaku."
Angry though she was at Ryoma, Sakuno blushed crimson and averted her eyes, knowing full well that Ryoma could hear everything they were talking about. He didn't seem to care, though, never taking his eyes off Sakuno.
"What'd Echizen do now?" whispered Yukimura, sounding exasperated but actually looking slightly amused.
"What hasn't he done?" sighed An.
"Sakuno, care to elaborate?" Kimiko asked.
"It's nothing." Sakuno shook her head. Hey, I'm not lying. There is nothing going on.
Kimiko let go of Sanada's neck and jumped down to the ground. Grabbing Sakuno by the arm and pulling her a couple feet away, she opened her mouth to interrogate her friend, but was interrupted by a shrill whistle.
"All right!" the coach bellowed out. "Everyone gather round!"
Sakuno heaved a sigh of relief. Phew, I'm saved. Gently detaching Kimiko's grasp on her arm, she moved over towards the coach, taking advantage of the flow of people to avoid the imminent questioning.
Kimiko hissed in frustration at the mob between her and Sakuno. She opened her mouth again to yell her friend's name, but Ann caught her elbow. Kimiko turned and gave Ann a questioning look.
Ann shook her head. "Let her go. She's had a rough week."
Kimiko paused, feeling slightly guilty at her almost-attack on Sakuno. However, a few seconds later, her eyes gleamed and she turned to Ann again, this time with a puppy-dog pout and eyes.
"So..." she began, and Ann had a bad feeling she knew what was coming. "Can you tell me?" Kimiko begged; Ann stopped herself from facepalming.
"All right, all right. Now stop giving me that face, girl."
"Yay!"
Ann gave her a look. "Really? I'm going to tell you Sakuno's sad story and your reaction is 'Yay'? You gossip girl!"
"You know what I mean." Kimiko punched her in the arm, but her eyes followed Sakuno, clearly worried about the other girl. "I hope she's OK..."
"She'll be all right. Come on, we have to go." Ann nudged Kimiko over to the rest of the crowd, as the club practice began.
