cookiiex: Eww, it's been more than a year Dx Don't kill me. :D It's not yuri, not yuri, not yuri. Just really close friends okay? 'Kay.

I Pray To You
Authoress: cookiiex
Chapter FOUR: Smile

"S-Sakuno?" I nodded.

I guess I could understand why she was so surprised. It's not everyday your best friend, who is supposed to be half way around the world, suddenly appears in front of you. In your school's uniform, no less. But honestly, could she stop looking like a fish?

"You know, a hug would be great right about..."

"OHMYGOD! SAKUNO!"

Oof.

"..now."

Good God. I never thought I would miss her voice.


"When'd you get back?" Tomoka asked, arm around her friend's shoulder. It has been too damn long since she came back to Japan. Sure, she saw her last summer, but still! Sakuno was here more than half her life. A constant till the day she left.

Sakuno sipped on her milk carton. She had her thinking face on. Tomoka's eyes narrowed. She haven't seen that face since elementary school. 'Did Sakuno..'

"About yesterday, around five. I guess. Hmm.. Well whatever." Sakuno turned to Tomoka. "How's life, buddy? Still screaming after what's-his-face?" Sakuno smirked. Tomoka looked shoocked at her companion.

"What the.. Sakuno..?" Now that Tomoka took a good look at Sakuno, she noticed quite a difference.

"What's wrong, Tomo-chan?" Atleast she still had her compassion.

"Why is your hair down?" Sakuno then reached for a handful of her long, silky, auburn hair. She then looked back at her pigtailed friend with the warmest smile. A smile Tomoka haven't seen in years. Not even when Sakuno was with her and Ann.

And there was that twinkle in her eyes. A twinkle that Tomoka was sure wasn't their before.

A mischevious twinkle.

Letting go of her hair, Sakuno takes a hold of Tomoka's hand. "This, Tomo-chan, is the beautiful feeling called freedom."

Tomoka blinks. Sakuno smiles happily at her friend. Seeing this, Tomoka jumped her friend to the ground, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. Sakuno looked fondly at her friend. She pats her back reassuringly, a thing in the past that they both used to do when the other cried. Sakuno feels the 'This brings back memories..'

"..Why are you crying, Tomo-chan?"

Tomoka looked up at her with tears streaming down her face. "I'm so sorry, Sakuno! It's all my fault! I wasn't strong enough to help you back then!" She sobbed on Sakuno's shoulder, drenching her new uniform. But it didn't matter.

Not one bit.

Tomoka felt slim arms engulf her. She looks up through the blur of the tears, she could slightly make out the wide smile on Sakuno's face. Sakuno was smiling that smile again. This was real! That little Sakuno from back then was back.

"It's not your fault, Tomo-chan. Mama was never nice to me anyway."Sakuno pulls her friend closer. "And you were the only who would be my friend at the time. Thank you." And Tomoka feels a light peck on her cheeks.

"You're my bestfriend, Sakuno." A smile.

A giggle. "And you're mine, Tomo-chan."

The two look at each other before breaking out into a fit of laughter.

Tomoka slung a arm around Sakuno's shoulders. "So Ann has no chance huh, Sakuno."

"..Now, Tomo-chan. Don't be mean." Tomoka didn't even need to look to know Sakuno had a full fledge pout on her face. She just laughed it off at Sakuno's expense. It was then that the school bell rang and a crowd of students crowded into the school entrance.

"Hey Tomo-chan."

"What?"

"Who were those people you were with before you dragged me here?"

"... Oh, crap."


After Tomoka had dragged the mysterious girl away, Katsuo, Horio, Kachiro and Ryoma were left at the front entrance of the school. They concluded it was stupid to just stand there cluelessly so they opted to go to tennis practice. Which was what they were supposed to go to anyway- but that's besides the point.

Now they sat in their noisy classroom. The students around them were chattering about something. Most probably something exciting by the way they were buzzing about it. The four boys haven't seen the classroom this lively since.. the beginning of the year. Which was about two months ago.

They sat at their seats, waiting for the teacher to arrive. But Horio, who they new had an uncontrollable urge to know everything, went over to the student next to him and extracted the desire piece of gossip out of him.

"Oi, Kyosuke! What's the chatter about?" Said boy turned with an excitied smile on his face.

"They say there's a new student coming in today. Some of the boys from 2-C said they saw a unfamiliar, hot girl with Tomoka in the courtyard today." Horio nodded slowly before murmuring a 'thanks' and walked back to his friends. Kachiro and Katsuo looked at him expectantly while Ryoma gave him his usual bored look.

"Well, it seems we have a new student coming in."

Kachiro nodded in understanding. "So it should be that girl with Osakada- chan, right?"

Horio nodded. "Yeah. Most definitely. I wonder who she is though."

Katsuo looked at them with a questioning look. "Don't you guys think she was familiar? I keep getting that feeling like we've seen here before." Horio slammed his hands on the desk.

"You too?! I got the same feeling! And Osakada knew who she was, so there is a chance we might know her right?!"

"Sakuno."

The three boys looked astonished at Ryoma. This was one of those rare times where he would give his two cents in their group conversations. And it wasn't even about school or tennis.

Kachiro blinked. "Uh.. what?"

Ryoma looked over, the bored look present. "Sakuno. That's what Tomoka shouted out."

Katsuo layed his head in the palms of his hands. "There's only one Sakuno I know. Ryuzaki Sakuno." Then it dawned them.

"No way! It can't be the Coach's grand-!"

"Horio-kun, calm down. Class has begun, take a seat." Before them was their teacher with Tomoka coming through the door. He motioned for Tomoka to take her seat, which she obliged to.

The teacher, cleared his voice before reaching for the slighty bigger piece of chalk on the desk. He wrote something on the board before turning to face his students. He smiles fondly at his class before he started his announcement.

"Now class, I'm sure you know, but we are have a new student coming into the class. I know it's been two months since school has started and everyone has their little group of friends, but please welcome her with open arms." He motioned to the door. " You may come in now, Ms. Ryuzaki."

The entire class (well, except Ryoma and Tomoka) looked on as the door slid open. In walked a pretty girl of 5 feet 6 inches. The ichinen trio noted down how the girl from this morning had long flowing hair where as now it was in two loose braids. She had on the required uniform, with her bow made, and black socks and the required white slippers on. With her white and pick checkered shoulder bag in hand, she smiled and bowed to the class.

She turned to and gave a customary bow. He smiled and told her, if she didn't mind, to give a self introduction.

"Hello fellow classmates. My name is Ryuzaki Sakuno and I just transfered here from Paris. I used to go to Seishun Middle School. I hope we have a good year together." With a smile, she bowed once again. "Please take care of me this year."

The class started clapping and she got back up and looked at her teacher with a questioning gaze. was still contemplating where she should sit. There were about four places she could possibly sit. But in the morning he did see Tomoka and her get all buddy-buddy. Might as well make her feel at home.

"Please take a seat next to Osakada-san. I'm sure you know who she is." Sakuno caught his little wink in her direction. She had a feeling she'll like this teacher.

She walked down the isle and she could already see some familiar faces.

'Horio-kun still looks the same. Well atleast now he has two eyebrows. And that's .. Katsuo-kun. His hair! Oh my, it grew out a lot. Ah, Kachiro-kun looks a great deal taller!' As she neared her desk, she saw him.

There behind her desk sat a young man with black hair, the natural green highlights showing from the rays of the sun. He looked at her with those bored, feline- like, amber eyes. A cold hard stare. Despite his stare, Sakuno smiled lightly and mouthed out 'Yoroshiku' before taking her seat.

Though it could've been her imagination, she faintly heard him say something.

"Mada mada dane, Ryuzaki."


"I still can't believe you came back for real."

Sakuno looked at Tomoka with a confused gaze before popping another chicken katsu into her mouth. The first five periods of the day had been, more or less, uneventful to Sakuno. Excluding the few encounters of students coming up to her and asking her questions, she had been mostly conversating with Tomoka, Kachiro, Katsuo, and, unfortunately, Horio. With Ryoma's occasional remarks. They had talked about old times and what Sakuno had missed during their last two years of middle school.

Sakuno had learned that, surprisingly, Horio had became a regular his last year of middle school. Katsuo had also won awards in cook-offs. Kachiro also became an avid animal rights activist, as did Kaidoh-sempai, or so Tomoka says.

"Gee, Tomo-chan. It's nice to know you have a lot of fate in me."

Her friend laughed sheepishly before swiftly stealing some salmon from Sakuno's bento. "Teehee. Sakuno, you know I love you but after four years, you do give up hope." Tomoka sensed the awkward topic and quickly changed it. "But, as long as you're back, wee have nothing to worry about, ne?" And with that she happily continued eating.

Sakuno smiled at the childishness. It was refreshing to be in the company of Tomoka.

Sakuno stopped eating to see a bunch of people heading in their direction. She elbowed Tomoka in arm. Tomoka looked at her, irritated to be stop in her moment of indulging.

"You didn't invite them over did you?" Sakuno pointed towards the loud crowd of people moving towards them.

Tomoka squinted to get a good look at who would be joining them. It took a moment to register who it was but when she did, she just looked back at her lunch.

"I didn't tell them anything. Chances are Horio went and blabbed, as usual. I didn't think he would spill the beans this fast." Tomoka suddenly stopped and placed her chopsticks and bento down. She motioned to her hair. "Ne, Sakuno. Is my hair okay?"

Sakuno examined her for a minute before giving her the okay. "Why do you ask Tomo-chan."

".. It's nothing, Sakuno. Just curious" Although it was slight, Sakuno caught the little tint of pink on Tomoka's cheeks. Inner Sakuno smirked.

'Oh, how intersting.'

Before Sakuno could start her merciless teasing, she felt a heavy weight jump on her.

"NYA~ She's so cute, now~!"

"Eiji! Calm down, you'll kill her!"

"Kikumau, 10 laps when we get back." Hearing the threat (or promise?), Eiji quickly let go of the strangle hold he had on Sakuno. Her breathing became ragged as she tried to control her breathing. Once in control again she nodded at Tezuka.

"Thanks, Mitsu-nii."

That was followed by an awkward silence.

.. That was broken when a roar of laughter broke out.

TBC..

cookiiex: Well that's all I can get out for now :D Did you enjoy it?