Chapter 3
Sweet Talk

Word that Sakuno was in a wheelchair spread quickly throughout Seigaku. The news hadn't been much of a shock to everyone, considering that both the students and faculty were well aware of her klutziness. Everyone had their own assumption regarding her lack of poise. Some would say that her twin braids were the cause of her downfall, while there were others who perceived it to be hereditary. Although the people of Seigaku could tell that Sakuno's being in a wheelchair was nothing colossal – she was Ryuuzaki Sakuno after all – everyone still carried a dose of concern for the girl.

Well, there was an exception.

Seigaku's hailed tennis prince, Ryoma, took Sakuno's fall to the extremes. Throughout the days that had passed, he had been constantly haunted by 'the fact' that his coach's granddaughter was going to die of an incurable disease. When he gave in to his curiosity and researched more about the Spinocerebellar Degeneration Disease, the dread for the girl's dismal fate began to slowly sink in his stomach.

He hated it.

He hated that he was actually worried about her.

Even though it was natural to be distressed when one knows about a friend's near death, Ryoma begged to differ. He hated the feeling of being upset, more so if it had nothing to do with tennis. So he tried his very best to suppress the raw emotions Seigaku's pillar of support shouldn't have, even if it meant he had to deceive everyone, including her, that he knew nothing at all.

Things would undoubtedly be better if he pretended he had no idea that she was falling.

The wayward dance of the trees was every bit entrancing. It was late November, and the autumn breeze brought about the coolness that hung thick in the air. Positioned right beside the railings of the rooftop, she enjoyed the vast scenery of students flocking together as they talked about their Christmas plans. The tennis courts were also in her line of sight; the previous bubbling thrill she'd feel whenever the courts were in view was now replaced with an unexplainable sense of dismay.

"Ne, Kachiro, isn't it your birthday in the thirtieth?" Tomoka asked as she popped an onigiri in her mouth.

"Mm," Kachiro nodded with a smile, "I'm surprised you actually remember, Osakada."

"Where will you be celebrating it?" Katsuo asked as he too, turned to look at Kachiro.

But before Kachiro could answer, "Hey! Did you know the new rollercoaster in Tokyo Land is opening on the thirtieth?" Horio interjected, looking smug. "My dad's friend gave us free tickets!" he announced proudly, his chin tucked up in air. "It's really cool if you have lots of connections, ne? To get things for free—"

"Why don't we hang out in Tokyo Land on your birthday, Kachiro!" Katsuo suggested excitedly. "And maybe can try out that new rollercoaster!"

"Kya! Count me in! It's been a long time since I've been to the amusement park!" Tomoka chirped, her eyes twinkling. With a smile, she happily turned to Sakuno. "Ne, ne, Sakuno-chan? Aren't you excited—" she stopped short when her eyes fell upon her friend. Realization hit her like a boulder. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her eyes suddenly downcast.

Sakuno was kindly smiling at her, her face flushed red. "You can go without me, Tomo-chan. It's fine."

"I-I take back what I said, Kachiro! I think a night's-out at Kawamura-senpai's is better, ne?" Katsuo said hastily.

Kachiro nodded. "I don't mind that set-up. I think it'll actually be fun!"

Horio looked aghast, "What the hell!? What about my tickets—"

Tomoka shoved an onigiri inside Horio's mouth, and diverted her attention to her friend in the wheelchair, "We will go to Tokyo Land when Sakuno-chan's ankle heals."

Sakuno's lips thinned. "G-Guys... You don't have to do this."

"I'd prefer a quiet celebration for my sixteenth birthday, Ryuuzaki. Don't burden yourself with such worries." Kachiro smiled reassuringly.

Sakuno's forehead creased. "But..."

The ongoing conversation ceased when the rooftop door was abruptly swung open.

"Echizen!" the freshmen trio said in chorus.

"Ryoma-sama!" Tomoka gushed, with hearts flying in the air.

All Sakuno could do was stare at the lean boy, who currently had a vexed expression, by the doorway. He was glaring holes at the freshmen trio. Memories of what happened by the vending machine seeped inside her head, and instinctively, she directed her wheelchair towards the horizon once more to avoid having him look at her burning face. She found the resolve to avoid him at all costs in order to retain her remaining dignity.

He saw her turn her back on him from his peripheral vision. His eyes narrowed considerably. "Sensei's looking for you."

"Do you think this has something to do with the Sports Olympiad two weeks from now?" Katsuo wondered.

"I bet sensei needs me for the championships! Heh, I have the skills unlike some people," Horio huffed with a grin.

Kachiro and Katsuo merely shook their heads in disbelief as Tomoka threw a random rice ball at the uni-browed boy for his arrogance. Under the lowered brim of his cap, Ryoma watched Sakuno stiffen.

"She also told me to tell you that she'll ask buchou to give you laps if you don't go now," he muttered nonchalantly.

"What?!" the freshmen trio cried, immediately gathering their things and standing up. "See you later, Osakada, Ryuuzaki!" they waved and rushed right inside the building.

When Sakuno whirled her wheelchair back towards the doorway, gold met chocolate brown for a brief moment before he turned around and left the rooftop.

KRING KRING

"I-I'm really sorry, Tomo-chan..."

"No worries, Sakuno-chan, no worries! I'm a big girl!"

The lunch bell just went off, and History class was up next. Both Sakuno and Tomoka were currently situated in the staircase of the first floor; the former doing her best to be less of a burden as the latter struggled to support her friend in the flight of steps.

First step. Second step. Third step—

"O-Ow!"

Tomoka instantly stopped in her tracks and worriedly turned to Sakuno, "I-Is it hurting? Your ankle?"

Sakuno turned a light shade of pink before shaking her head, "Y-You're stepping on my hair, Tomo-chan."

"I'm so sorry!" Tomoka cried and quickly removed her feet from Sakuno's braid. And it was in her haste that she lost her balance, with her friend's arm still securely wound around her neck. They were about to topple down the long flight of stairs when a pair of arms appeared out of the blue and brought Sakuno and Tomoka back on their feet.

"Are you alright?"

Both girls' eyes widened when they saw who saved them from having broken limbs, "F-Fuji-senpai!"

He smiled warmly, still not letting go of his hold on Sakuno. "Need some help?"

Sakuno turned a deep crimson when he kneeled in front of her while facing the staircase and gestured for her to attach herself behind him. "O-Oh, I don't want to be a bother, senpai—"

"Ryuuzaki," Fuji looked over his shoulder with cerulean orbs exposed in the open. "Do you want to fall again?"

Sakuno shook her head.

"Then trust me. You're not a bother," he smiled softly, small crinkles forming at the sides of his now closed eyes. When the girl still looked reluctant, he added, "Think about Osakada," he looked at Tomoka, who was presently trying her best to suppress her giggles.

"What! Fuji-senpai, are you trying to say that Sakuno's a burden? She would never be a burden to me!"

"Both of you almost fell awhile ago," Fuji reasoned out patiently, causing Sakuno to blush in embarrassment, "You wouldn't want to have Osakada in a wheel chair too, would you?"

It all happened so quickly.

He was on his way to English class when he caught sight of Ryuuzaki and Osakada struggling to climb the flight of stairs. He thought it was rather foolish, how Ryuuzaki would constantly apologize about her condition when it was blatant the people around her were very much willing to help her out in her predicament. Shouldn't she be thanking them instead, rather than causing more trouble by bombarding them with continuous apologies and a frown on her face?

It bothered him, why he chose to watch in the shadows instead of going on his merry way to English class.

It wasn't like he was worried about Ryuuzaki. It was because he didn't want to Seigaku's coach to be on-leave when they were in the heart of tournaments. Once Ryuuzaki gets herself hospitalized, their sensei would undoubtedly run to her side and abandon everything else. True, Sakuno's hospitalization was inevitable all due to her incurable disease. However, the Seigaku team need not be in such a pickle that soon.

After seeing Osakada lose her balance with Ryuuzaki in tow, he was about to make a run for it and catch both girls when he was beaten by someone unexpected.

"You're too slow, Echizen," was Fuji's words as he ran past him towards the staircase.

Fuji-senpai, his eyes narrowed when the Seigaku tennis genius said something that made Ryuuzaki blush.

Seeing that they did not require his help any longer, he turned around and headed for English class.

He decided that indeed, the girl was undeniably prone to falling.

Foolish Ryuuzaki.

"You need to rest, Sakuno."

"But—"

"I believe I am very much capable of washing the dishes."

"Obaa-chan—"

"Rest."

It was around seven thirty in the evening when Sakuno was sent to bed. The fact that was she was absolutely useless in the household distressed her. Not to mention the liability her friends held whenever she was around. Although Tomoka and the others appeared unperturbed at her need of assistance, their sacrifices troubled her.

Fuji-senpai was late for class and had to do extra homework to make up for the discussion he missed. Tomoka and she were late too, but Tomoka's declaration that she was her guardian throughout this 'ordeal' allowed the teachers to cut them some slack. However, this did not mean that they weren't going to get a sound lecture from their History teacher who strongly emphasized that even if everyone was ready to extend their help to her, she shouldn't disregard the sacrifices and consequences that followed after.

A sudden knock on the door broke Sakuno from her thoughts. The girl was taken aback when she saw the person standing by her doorway.

"Tomo-chan?"

"Sakuno-chan!" Tomoka cried, running towards her friend at top speed with a huge paper bag in hand. "I'm sleeping over tonight!"

"Eh? Really?"

Tomoka nodded and immediately plopped herself in Sakuno's bed. "Say, Sakuno-chan. Are you tired?"

Sakuno shook her head, "No."

Tomoka's grin widened, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, "Good." Then she opened the paper bag and brought out a make-up kit, a set of dvds, a plastic full of sweets, and a large container of strawberry ice cream.

Sakuno smiled when she realized Tomoka was doing all this to cheer her up.

"Well, shall we start with the ice cream?

"Mm!" Thank you, Tomo-chan.

There was something different about her the next day.

"Ryuuzaki doesn't wear braids anymore?" Kachiro piped in that morning.

He lowered the brim of his cap in order to discretely scrutinize Ryuuzaki. Indeed, the girl had gotten over her childish braids and now wore her hair in a high ponytail. He concluded that this had something to do with her fall alongside Osakada yesterday.

"Way to state the obvious, Kachiro!" Horio said with a huff. "I heard from Kikumaru-senpai that Ryuuzaki would have sported another injury if it weren't for Fuji-senpai," he was evidently proud of divulging such information.

"Really?" chorused both Kachiro and Katsuo, interested.

As Horio went on and on about more things regarding Ryuuzaki — Ryoma was so sure half of what he was saying were made up — he soon became lost in thought.

Although he had been successful in acting like there was nothing wrong with Ryuuzaki for the past week, he could never deny to himself that there was really something wrong with her. It was disturbing to see everyone act so casual, so clueless, around her when she was going to die.

Perhaps running away from the truth was a bad idea.

Because no matter how many times he pushed away thoughts about her, he still could not help but picture himself catching her whenever she falls.

"Are you sure about this, Ryuuzaki? I can take your place if you want."

Sakuno shook her head. With the smile she plastered on her face, the boy knew she had decided and no measure of convincing can swerve her from it.

"Alright," the boy conceded with a sigh. "I'll tell Osakada then." And with that, the boy exited the room and left Sakuno to finish her cleaning duty.

The girl was adamant to make herself less of a burden and more of a helping hand despite her present handicap. All thanks to Tomoka, Sakuno felt much better and was able to strengthen her crumbling resolve to get through this trial with a smile on her face.

Ten minutes passed, and Sakuno was halfway done. It was only when she finished erasing the blackboard when Sakuno realized she wasn't alone. She was stunned at the identity of her unexpected visitor leaning by the back wall of the room.

"Heh, I didn't know it was possible to clean while in a wheelchair."

Ryoma detached himself from the wall and began walking towards the still shocked Ryuuzaki. He stopped when he was a meter away from the girl, but his eyes never left her burning face. It took several more seconds before Ryoma diverted his gaze away from Sakuno and directed it towards the pile of crumpled paper in the corner.

"But you're still mada mada dane," he smirked. He looked back at Sakuno.

The girl currently bore a resemblance to a tomato.

He stared shamelessly.

Sakuno turned even redder.

Silence.

"Why are you alone?" Ryoma asked all of a sudden, his tone indifferent.

It bewildered him why the girl merely turned fifty shades of red but had not uttered a single word. Moreover, it bothered him how talkative he appeared at the moment. Was Ryuuzaki still embarrassed about what happened by the vending machine that she wouldn't talk to him?

Well, not that he cared.

His eyes were a fraction wider when Sakuno pointed at her throat.

"You can't talk?" he whispered, unable to hide his surprise.

Sakuno nodded shyly.

It got worse. He involuntarily balled his fists.

"You're dying." It wasn't a question.

Sakuno's mouth hung open at the boy's uncalled for declaration. Hah?

A/N: LOL, Ryoma. You're making a big fool out of yourself! I apologize for the dramatic mood in the first part. It couldn't be helped, I guess. And what happened to Sakuno? Anyone who nails it will get cookies! Well, read the next chap to find out what happens next. Reviews make me update faster. (:))