Sorry I uploaded so slowly! I have good reasons. I have a concert coming and I have rehearsals till ten everyday! So yeah, forgive me.
Read, enjoy and review! :D
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Ryoma's fila cap. Ryoma's hairstyle and hair colour. Banner with large and decorated 'Go Ryoma' and 'We love you Ryoma' written on it. Shirt with the words 'Ryoma Echizen' and cartoonised Ryoma printed on it. There was a pin on the collar of the shirt with proud words 'fan of Echizen Ryoma'. Tennis rackets of Ryoma's favourite brand. Sport shoes Ryoma wore. Merchandise of chibi-size Ryoma hanging around pockets and phones. Life-sized posters of Ryoma.
Sakuno stared around uncomfortably. The people seating in the VIP seat were glaring at her.
These people must be Ryoma's hardcore fans. From top to bottom, every bit of them either looked like Ryoma, or were filled with Ryoma's pictures and 'I love Ryoma' words.
And Sakuno did not even have a single merchandise on her that proved her love for Ryoma.
She coughed uneasily. She had to get something somehow or she'll get killed.
"Hey, erm, where do you get those pins? It looked really nice." She asked, rather awkwardly, the person next to her who were not glaring at her so bitterly.
The person pointed at a shop nearby. Sakuno thanked her and went towards the shop.
That simple pin with a low-quality, pixalated picture of Ryoma costed $20. Sakuno stared at the price, mouth agape.
"Is there, anything cheaper?" Sakuno asked.
"This is $12." The shopkeeper threw a clip with small words of 'Echizen Ryoma' on it.
Sakuno sighed. "I'll take it." She bought it and pinned up her hair. Her eyes trailed to a can of drink.
"I'll take that too." She pointed at the Ponta.
She sat down, and tried hard to ignore the eyes of the hardcore fans.
"Ryoma!" "I love you!" "Do well, Ryoma!" "You rock, Ryoma!" The fans jumped up and started screaming and shouting when Ryoma arrived.
Ryoma walked towards the bench right in front of the VIP seats as his fans desperately tried to reach for him, hanging over the railing, piling over everyone, screaming like a maniac, blowing Ryoma kisses. Sakuno stood up too in order not to look so different, feeling disgusted at the barbaric actions of the previously elegant people.
Ryoma turned his head, which made his fans to go louder and crazier, thinking that Ryoma was looking at them. He looked around the audience frantically, searching for someone. Then, his eyes met Sakuno. The eye contact lasted for quite some time before Ryoma smiled and walked towards them.
"Oh my god Ryoma is coming here!" "My hair! Is my hair alright?" "Ryoma I love you!" The fans went insane as they increased their volume. How loud could they even get? Sakuno felt the gaze of Ryoma and blushed too, as Ryoma walked slowly towards her with a slight smile on his face. Her face flushed a deeper red when Ryoma stood directly in front of her, grabbing the Ponta on her hands.
"Can I have this?" He asked, tickling Sakuno with his breath.
Sakuno nodded. "It...It's for you specially."
"Thanks." He took the Ponta, opened it and poured it into his mouth, letting some excess water trickle down his face. "He's so hot..." "I'm going to melt..." "My heart..." "I wish he could just stand in front of me and drink this for the rest of my life." He smiled at the rest of the fans before turning to his bench.
The girl next to Sakuno fainted on her, giving Sakuno a shock.
Sakuno laid the girl gently on her seat, and sat down too.
Ryoma was really popular. The fans in the first match she saw in America was hardly comparable to this group of people. Ryoma was like a star, and every movement he do, it seemed like it was all rehearsed, all too great, too excellent, too perfect. Sakuno sighed. Ryoma was way too popular. She was starting to dread whatever date she was going to have with Ryoma.
"One set match, Echizen Ryoma to serve!"
Ryoma stood on the service line. He threw the ball up and hit it. The posture, and expressionless face, the way he grabbed the racket with his left hand, everything was so familiar. Sakuno smiled as she watched Ryoma played.
"1-0!"
"2-0!"
"2-1!"
"3-1!"
"3-2!"
"3-3!"
"4-3!"
"4-4!"
"4-5!"
"5-5!"
"6-5!"
"6-6! Tiebreak!"
12 matched in a row, and more to come. Sakuno clutched on her skirt. Three years separating herself from the tennis world, this was the fiercest match she had ever seen. The opponent was strong, and Ryoma... Ryoma was playing so desperately. The adrenaline, the abnormal fast heartbeat, the unconscious prayer that she would mutter under her breath every time Ryoma seemed to be losing, those feelings that she had whenever she watched Ryoma played tennis aroused again, first time in these three years.
Ryoma slumped onto his bench, and poured water on himself. His hands trailed to his face as he massaged his templed with his eyes squeezed shut.
"Ryoma-kun..." Sakuno bit her lips. She raised her voice and shouted. "Ryoma-kun, gambatte!"
The spectators were all shouting and screaming, drowning out Sakuno's voice. Did Ryoma hear it? But Ryoma had smiled slightly right after she cheered, so he must have heard it, right? Please tell me he heard it.
Ryoma stood up tiredly, walking to the service line slowly, with water dripping down, marking the trail of his route.
...
"Game, Echizen Ryoma! 7-6!"
The umpire announced as everyone jumped up and cheered. Sakuno was overjoyed, and joined in the cheers.
Ryoma walked indifferently towards the bench.
"Great job, Ryoma!" The bench coach neared him, but Ryoma cut him off.
Sakuno's smile faded as she saw Ryoma collasped onto his coach, fainting.
"Ryoma-kun!"
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Jennifer sat outside the room, legs crossed in 15 degrees, hands put nicely on the right thigh, back stiffened to a certain height that would allow the chest to seem bigger. This was the posture that she had learnt from her mother.
Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, with a few locks hanging behind her ears. She was taught to put on make-up wherever she went, and to replace glasses with contact lenses at all times when outside. The cloths she wore were tight, so that it would show off her curve. The collar was extremely low, and the skirt was extremely short.
Jennifer smiled in a seductive way at a certain male passerby walking by.
Always smile in this manner whenever someone passes, different kind of smile for different kind of people you meet.
The passerby stared at her, and decided to leave instantly.
She sighed. Nowadays males are just so timid. Take the boy in the room being checked by a private doctor for example. He was so resistant towards her, and would not do anything no matter how much body flesh she showed him. Saying something about having a girlfriend in Japan already. What a coward.
And that certain coward had to be a exceptionally charming Asian boy with irresistably cute character and a wonderful lips to play with. It's such a waste.
Jennifer turned her head. The brown hair girl was still here, standing patiently, waiting for Ryoma.
She brought her here because she was sitting on the number one seat on the VIP seat, which were usually reserved for people that were invited. So she figured that she had to bring this girl along too, since it was possible that Ryoma had invited her over.
The girl had been staring at her for quite some time, in an expression she herself could not decipher. Was it jealousy over her beauty? Or was it gratitude that she brought her here, to this private clinic of the team's.
"What's your name, darling?" She asked finally.
The girl jerked her head up in shock. She seemed to be thinking about something real hard, and now she's pulled back to the reality.
"I...I'm Sakuno. Ryuzaki Sakuno." She stammered.
"You shouldn't stammer, darling, it will look bad." Jennifer adviced. "Anyway what relationship do you have with Ryoma? He hardly invites anybody over to watch him."
Sakuno blushed. "I...I was his classmate three years ago before he came to America..."
"I told you not to stammer, did I?" Jennifer said. "So, are you his girlfriend?"
Sakuno's face turned into a deeper shade of red. "N...no! We're...we're just classmates..."
Jennifer shook her head. This girl stammers too much!
The doctor came out of the room. Jennifer stood up slowly, careful not to ruin her beautiful posture.
"Doctor is he alright?" The girl rushed towards the doctor in such an unsophisticated manner. "What happened to him? Is he okay? He's not dying is he? He just fainted like that just after his match! He looked okay before the match though, what's wrong with him?"
Jennifer put her hand on Sakuno's shoulder in the most glamorous way possible, shutting her up. "Don't talk so much, Sakuno, let the doctor talk first."
The doctor, oh my, he's really handsome, and really muscular.
"He's okay, don't worry. He has fainted due to over-exhuastion. Is his opponent a really good one?"
Jennifer nodded. "This is the semifinals."
"No wonder. Well, give him some rest, and if you find it necessary, I can issue a medical certificate requesting for postponement of matches."
Jennifer curled her mouth in a shape years of experience told her most males will fall for it. "Thank you. You are one really thoughtful doctor. Wish every doctor is like you." She said as she neared him, putting her hand on the doctor's chest.
"So, can I go in and see him now?" Sakuno asked impaiently, popping in between them.
Damn that girl, cutting into my fun moments. "Go in, go in, don't come out until I tell you to." Jennifer said, shooing Sakuno away.
She pulled on the shirt of the doctor playfully. "I want to know more about you. I'm Jennifer."
The doctor wrapped his arms around her waist. This is one good man that really know how to play. "I'm Shane."
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"Ryoma-kun!" Some really high pitched voice exclaimed.
Ryoma jerked his head up. Oh it's Sakuno. For a moment Ryoma feared that it was his manager.
"Ryuzaki, why are you here?" He asked.
"Your manager brought me here." She said, sitting herself on the chair next to Ryoma. "Are you okay? You fainted after your match, I was so worried."
Ryoma nodded slightly, trying not to move his head too much. "I'm alright." He smiled. "But I won, didn't I, that's what matter."
Sakuno nodded, and stared at her hands. They remained in silence, like they always do. Ryoma sighed. Time to speak up if he wants this relationship to work.
"So, erm..." Ryoma said, breaking the silence. What should he say? "Was the match...entertaining?"
Sakuno nodded. "Yeah, very entertaining."
Silence.
"Are you still playing tennis in school?" Ryoma spoke up again.
"...No. Not at school. B...but I do try to play at every free time I have."
"Why?"
"What?" Sakuno looked up.
Ryoma repeated his question. "Why are you not playing in school anymore? You quit the club?"
Sakuno averted her eyes uncomfortably. "Yeah, I...I was focusing on studying...so..."
"But you have a great potential in tennis, you know that?"
"I...I do?" Sakuno looked up again with disbelief. She had always been so clumsy and all, she had thought that tennis was not a thing for her, and yet Ryoma...
"How could you throw the talent away just for studying...math?" Ryoma said incredulously, annoyed.
"I..." Sakuno blushed. "I wanted to...study in America."
"What for?"
"I...wanted to...see you..." Sakuno said, going softer and softer every word.
So it's true! Sakuno came to America to see him! Ryoma smiled, kind of relived.
"Mada mada dane."
Sakuno jerked her head up. It has been a long time since he said his signature phrase, after Jennifer had warned him about angering the other tennis pros.
"You should have waited for me. I would have come to Japan to find you after my contract."
Sakuno averted her head, staring at her hands, as she said, embarrassed. "I...couldn't wait anymore..."
Ryoma gazed at Sakuno as she slowly turned red.
"You needn't wait anymore. We're officially going out coming weekend." Ryoma said decisively.
"Officially?" Sakuno said, shocked. "B...but...it's not official, I mean...it's not even my decision."
"Too bad, dump Kevin that loser if you need to, we are downright official now."
"What? I..." Sakuno was lost for words. How could Ryoma just say this in such a demanding manner? Who is he to order he? She sulked for the next ten minutes, with Ryoma smirking at her.
"You okay?"
"Hn?"
"Your head, it looks stiff."
"A bit of headache, that's all."
"You sure? The doctor said it's due to over-exhaustion. Are you...is the training very hard?"
Ryoma smiled assuringly. "It's not." It is. Very very very very very hard.
"Hello." Jennifer popped her head into the room. "Hey, Doctor says Ryoma needs rest, Sakuno please leave now, thank you." She left immediately. That girl had her button loose.
"I'll leave now." Sakuno stood up. "Bye."
"I'll pick you up at your dorm."
"Oh, okay, bye."
She turned and left.
Now what is he going to do this weekend?
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