DISCLAIMER: I don't own the prince of tennis.
CHAPTER FIVE:
It was awkward after the lunch with Ryoma earlier. Sakuno can't seem to meet his eyes anymore and it seems like Ryoma felt the same too. So after that they do what they normally do in school as if nothing happened.
'Sigh I wish I could talk to Ryoma-kun normally tomorrow but I just can't seem to look at him anymore without remembering his gaze to me at the rooftop. It looks so tender. Mou Sakuno you're thinking too much about it!' Sakuno thought shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts.
"Ne, Sakuno-chan! Let's go home together!" Tomoka said more liked screamed at her bestfriend.
There had been an emergency meeting for all the teachers in Seigaku that's why everyone was already allowed to go home.
"Oi Osakada you're so loud you're making my ears bleed!" Horio shouted at Tomoka.
"Look who's talking? Your nosier than me and don't shout at me I'm not deaf!" Tomoka retorted raising her voice louder. Horio being a prideful brat keep arguing with her and each time their voice keep getting louder making their classmates cringe at their voice and just left the classroom.
"Osakada-san, Horio-kun please stop arguing already." Katsuo said as he and Katchiro tries to stop the two from arguing.
"Tomo-chan..." Sakuno said and smiled at the scene in front of her no matter how stupid it seems, she'll definitely miss this.
Ryoma looked at the two bickering idiots they just don't seem to grow up for the past three years. He sighed. 'Tch. This is getting really annoying.'
Before he can say anything his gaze turns to Sakuno. She has those far-off look at her face and for a small fraction of time he saw something at her face which seems like longing and regret but it happens so fast he couldn't be certain.
"Why you unibrow head how dare you say I'm fat?" Tomoka screamed making Ryoma's attention returns to the 'two bickering idiots'.
'Better leave this classroom before they make me deaf.' Ryoma thought as he stands up from his chair gaining the attention of 'everyone' in their class. (There was only the six of them left :3)
"I'll go ahead. Ja." He monotonously said and left the classroom for their tennis practice. Even without their coach he would not allow the team to slack off.
"Oi Echizen wait up!" Horio called up and run to catch Ryoma but not without glaring again to Tomoka. Katsuo and Katchiro following behind him, muttering their goodbyes to the two lass.
"The nerve of that guy! Ne Sakuno am I fat?" Tomoka asked with her eyes almost tearing up. They are now walking back home with Tomoka still rumbling about her 'fight' earlier.
Sakuno chuckled before saying "Of course not Tomo-chan you're the sexiest girl I have ever met" before chuckling again.
"Mou! You're teasing me Sakuno!" Tomoka said but nevertheless smile a sly smile.
"You know Sakuno I think I never really says this to you before but you're really SEXY" Tomoka said liking the way how Sakuno blush 'time for payback' Tomoka thought and face Sakuno.
"I mean c'mon just look at that curve of your body." Tomoka said emphasizing her point by using her hand to make the shape of an hourglass in the air.
"And that! Since when did that became big?" Tomoka said and pointed at Sakuno's chest. "but then again your grandma also have big chest you might have inherit it from her." Tomoka said and burst out laughing seeing Sakuno's face.
"Tomo-chan!" Sakuno said her face the color of a real tomato.
RYUZAKI RESIDENCE
Sakuno stretched her arms and sat up from her chair. She has been doing her assignments for hours now and she had finally finished it.
"Finally it's done." Sakuno said as she stretched and looked at her alarm clock.
'4:18pm' the clock read
"Hmm,it's still early to prepare dinner." Sakuno thought out loud when suddenly— "MOU! I forgot to go shopping for dinner! BAKA Sakuno how could you forget that!" Sakuno screamed as she gets her purse on the top of her study table and rushed outside to go to the supermarket.
ECHIZEN RESIDENCE
"Tadaima" Ryoma monotonously said as he open the door of their house.
"Meow" Karupin mewled as he run to his master. Ryoma smiled and patted Karupin's head.
"Welcome home Ryoma-san." Nanako greeted from the kitchen door holding a bowl. "Dinner might take long tonight so you might want to take a bath first Ryoma-san." Nanako said and went back to the kitchen to prepare dinner but not before Ryoma nodded and went upstair.
Ryoma feel relaxed after having a nice warm bath. He went downstairs a towel still hanging from his neck, to grab a bottle of milk. When he opened the fridge he scowled, there was no milk.
"Ahaha gomen Ryoma-san but Uncle already drink the last bottle of milk a while ago." Nanako said when she saw Ryoma scowled and as to prove her point Nanjiroh appeared on the doorframe holding the almost empty bottle of milk and drink it in front of Ryoma.
"Uwahh nothing beats the taste of milk after a nice warm bath hohoho better luck next time shounen hohoho."Nanjiroh said and laugh at the irritated look of Ryoma. Man he'll never get tired of teasing his son.
"Che stupid Oyaji just you wait I'll get my revenge on you." Ryoma said and smirked devilishly. "I wonder what will kaa-san do if I tell her about the unused drawer." Ryoma thought out loud and almost laugh at the horrified expression of his father.
"You-you, ho-how did you find out about that?" Nanjiroh stammered. He was sure no one would know about the old drawer and the magazines he hide there.
"Heh, better luck next time oyaji." Roma said with a smirk. As he run for the door.
"Why you brat!"
"I'll just go for a walk. Ja." Ryoma quickly closed the door before his father could catch him.
Sakuno was walking back home, two bags of grocery in both of her hands and a relieved smile on her face.
"That was close, good thing I managed to catch the last bus or else I'll be home late to prepare dinner." Sakuno mumbled to herself.
'The sky is starting to get darker' Sakuno thought as she looked up at the sky and remembered the news earlier today that there will be an upcoming storm.
'I better go home quickly before rain starts.' And with that thought Sakuno walked quickly thinking maybe she can use the shortcut Tomoka told her since it's starting to get really dark but she remembered saying it to her oba-chan and her grandma tell her not to go there unless she's with someone 'cause it's pretty dangerous for someone like her. Sakuno was weighing her options when a thunder flash and that all it take for Sakuno to make up her decision and walked quickly to the shortcut alley.
A few minutes later
'Mou I shouldn't have gone here.' Sakuno thought as she looked at her surroundings. She is lost. Again.
Sakuno tried to go back but she can't seem to find where she came and the place she's at is starting to freak her out. She can hear some rustling from the bushes and the winds didn't help to soothe her panic it made it even worse. And from where she is she can see some group of men at one alley that keep looking at her. She becomes more nervous when three from the group of men seems to walk towards her.
She tried to looked unafraid but the look of the guys make her want to cry and run like a baby to her grandma. The guys are just about 2 yards away from her and she walked quickly but it seems that the guys are walking after her in a much faster pace than her. She can feel the guys' eyes boring at the back of her and she can feel that they too close to her now.
"Hey-" one man said and grab Sakuno's arm and twisted Sakuno so she's now face to face with the three guys.
"Are you lost little girl?" Another man said and smile slyly at her. She smelled alcohol when the guy spoke and figured that they're drunk making Sakuno scared.
"A-ano I c-can f-find my way h-home. S-so p-please let g-go of me." Sakuno stuttered trying to shake of the arm of the man who grabbed her.
"OH come on little girl we can take you home." Man number two cooed at her and Sakuno can feel her tears starting to form but she pushed it back. Crying won't help her now. She tries to speak again and shake the hand of the guy holding her.
"P-please l-let me go."
"Don't be scared now little girl we won't hurt you." The third man said as the other starts to snicker.
"That's right little girl we won't hurt you if you'll be a good girl." The man holding her said and start to touch Sakuno's face when-
"Three losers ganging up on a girl che how stupid." A voice said making Sakuno want to cry for once again she'll be saved by her prince.
Ryoma scowled at the sight in front of him. Sakuno grabbed by a low life guy trying to touch her with his filthy hands was enough to make his blood boiled.
"Don't try to get yourself into this." Man number three sneer at him but Ryoma glared back.
"Let go of her, else you want yourself hurt." Ryoma warned evenly but you can also hear the anger at his voice.
"Why you!" Man number three run to Ryoma attempting to punch him but with Ryoma's quick reflex he avoided it easily and lay a punch on the stomach of the guy making the guy groaned and crouching on the ground.
"I think I hit too hard." Ryoma mumbled as he flexed his fingers. Training for tennis everyday makes him stronger both inside and outside of the court.
He looked, more like glared at the other two and prepared himself when man number two run to him. The man is more agile than the other one but not fast enough for Ryoma as he punched the guy squarely on the face. Making the man step backward as he hold his nose giving Ryoma a chance to lay another punch, this time on his stomach sending him to ground like the first one.
"Two down one to go." Ryoma said as the guy holding Sakuno seems to realized that they mess with the wrong guy as he started to run and the two guy run after him but not without glaring at Ryoma.
"Will get you for this next time." Man number two said before running off.
"Pathetic." Ryoma scoffed and look at Sakuno.
Sakuno realizing she's out of trouble let herself cry as she slid down the ground. Her whole body was shaking.
Ryoma approached her anger still emanating from him."Stupid!" Ryoma yelled at Sakuno.
"How can you be so careless? Going into this wrecked place! What if I didn't come huh? Will you be able to protect yourself? You stupid girl! Damn it!" Ryoma yelled at the crying Sakuno. He can't help it. Damn it! He was furious. She's been so close at getting herself raped and it's all because of her stupidity. Coming into this place all alone. What if he came late she could already been-. His thought was cut off when he heard her speak.
"I-Im sob so-sorry sob p-please d-don't be m-mad R-ryoma-kun sob." Sakuno said in between her crying. Ryoma heaved a sigh calming himself down.
"Get up." He ordered when she didn't get up he heaved her up himself. He realized she was shaking so he hold her up by her shoulders unless she fall down again.
"Just don't be so careless next time." Ryoma said gently making Sakuno looked up at him and he smiled. "It's over now." He said and Sakuno flung herself at him crying, making him stepped backward a bit due to the impact.
"R-ryoma-kun I w-was so s-scared." Sakuno said crying as she burrowed her face onto Ryoma's chest.
"Me too." Ryoma whispered as he hug Sakuno backed, burrowing his face into Sakuno's tresses. "You...(he inhaled her scent)...you make me so worried." He whispered tenderly as he hugs Sakuno tighter.
Sakuno suddenly feel warm and smile at Ryoma's 'confession' and hug him tighter feeling safe in Ryoma's protective arms.
A/N: AAhhcchhoooo! sorry for that, I think i'm gonna have a fever... MOU! T^T Well at least I managed to finish another chapter! ^_^ hope you like it. it's raining here right now and our class was suspended giving me time to update this chapter... I wont promise a quick update again cause college is really tough but please still leave a review for me it'll make me warm hehe :3...