Disclaimer: I don't own PoT, if I did, Sakuno wouldn't be a sloppy in playing tennis, and Inui doesn't have that weird glasses, only a weirder one ehihihi.
Credits/sources: William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet"
Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code"
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Previously…
"Hai!" she said as she took a glance at the sweater resting of the chair, her eyes soften as she gladly took it, and folded it neatly as she put in a neat paper bag, as she proceeded to the door and took a last glance to the house,she'll be home for dinner, her last dinner.
As her journey to the past will start as the sun rose tomorrow morning, the past, which holds her future, the future she barely even know, the present she thought was true, the present she would want to live with, but this is the present which she considered her fantasy, as tomorrow refuse to shine, the memories of her fantasy would still stay, until then she would have to face her challenge, like a tennis match.
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Chapter four: The Serpent's head
O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face!
Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?
Beautiful tyrant! fiend angelical!
Dove-feather'd raven! wolvish-ravening lamb!
Despised substance of divinest show!
Just opposite to what thou justly seem'st,
A damned saint, an honourable villain!
O nature, what hadst thou to do in hell,
When thou didst bower the spirit of a fiend
In moral paradise of such sweet flesh?
Was ever book containing such vile matter
So fairly bound? O that deceit should dwell
In such a gorgeous palace
!-JULiET (romeo and Juliet act III)
Friday
7:30am
Seishun Gakuen
2-A
The day started for the freshmen students like just another ordinary day,well, another boring day for Ryoma that is, specially English class, Feline orbs wandered inside the classroom, yeah so, Horio is blabbering about his two years tennis experience, and oh yeah, the stupid Prince Ryoma fansclub is now forming their commotion at the front door, and this sight could only have Ryoma roll his eyes once more, the banners they drew for him sucks even more, he's not that small is he? If only doesn't find everything too troublesome and boring to do, he torn their banner apart in front of their very face, the thought reminded him of his senpais…they ate his money dry yesterday, well at least he can rest assured that his reputation stays in place, and Ryuzaki's safety is sealed-His feline orbs stopped just right at her empty seat.
'Late….'
"Echizen Ryoma" The teacher shouted as she checked the class attendance
"Here." He answered coolly and yawned as his fansclub screamed once more.
"Will you girls go back to your classrooms or I'll tell your teacher to put you in detention." The teacher threatened, and she doesn't even know how thankful Ryoma is for that.
He sighed once more, not like he cares, but Ryuzaki is always early for school, that most of the class copies her assignment and sometimes shares her Bentos, the class attendance was almost done, how come he hasn't heard her name on the attendance.
"Sensei! Ryuzaki Sakuno wasn't on the list?!" Osakada Tomoka, Sakuno's trusted best friend shouted in confusion as she stood from her seat, okay, so she did the job Ryoma planned on doing thank you.
"Oh! Sumire-san told me she's not-." He teacher was about to announce the whole class about Sakuno's departure but as if on cue the door slid open to reveal a haggard girl with long braids.
"O-o-ohayo…g-gomen i-im late." She said apologetically as she muttered something at the teacher, as the teacher smiled and apologized at the girl, and let her proceed at her seat.
"Why're you late ne? Sakuno-chan?" Tomoka muttered beside her bestfriend.
"w-well I woke up late….i think." Sakuno said still doesn't know what to say.
Ryoma subconsciously felt relaxed when he saw Sakuno, at least he knows that she's safe from his fangirls, without any exaggerations, his fans club can kill if they want to, an that's what he's scared of, what if the girls were too obsessed with him they'd kill him for souvenir?! Heck he wont let that happen.
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Paris, France
Chateau Sangreal (Upstairs Dojo)
"She'll be here by tomorrow, wanna come pick her up at the airport?" Ochiba said as he took another sip from his brewed coffee.
"I'd suggest NO, its better as a surprise Sakurei…"Masaki said as he opposed his brother when her removed his fencing mask and get rid of the sweat forming in his forehead.
"Why that's unethical of my Masaki-jiisan, of course I'll come to see my dearest cousin." A girl with rosy pink tresses cerulean blue eyes and porcelain fair skin sat at the table in front of Ochiba surrounded by body guards and beside her were maids.
"Vernet," she called.
"What can I do for you m'lady?"Vernet said with a French accent.
"Make sure that the room of my cousin is neatly fixed, let's show her how happy we are to have her here…"she smiled at the butler.
"Yes m'lady" and with that he took his leave.
"Otousan will much likely leave her all his assets you know…"Ochiba said again.
"And definetly the 'Organization'" Masaki finished.
"And I won't let that happen…jiisan, and I know the council will feel the same…."she smirked as she stood up in front of the window, seeing a good view of Paris France from their beautiful Chateau.
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Seishun Gakuen
Japan
Tennis Court
And there they were again, the Prince Ryoma fansclub hacking the fences inside the court to take a good view at their Prince of Tennis, who just came back from abroad carrying with him the glory of Seishun Gakuen,and there he is again, winning another obvious battle against his Arai-senpai.
"Ne, senpai, I see you've been working on your endurance huh…"
"Yeah, I took Inui senpai's advice…and soon I'll beat you up twirp just you wait…"He said in between breaths.
"Mada mada dane…"as he smirked, yes that's Ryoma Echizen with gigantic ego
Ryoma sat beside Arai as he removed his hat and fixed his hair, as he took another glance around the court, searching for some certain girl who keeps on admiring his games, but failed seeing her, was she tired watching him play?
He rolled his eyes once more and gathered his things and decided to take a nap at the rooftop, what's the use of playing when Oishi senpai is not even looking at him, he kept his focus on Eiji and Momo's on-court debate.
'That was a rat…' he noted himself as he formed abstract figures on the clouds, he's been trying his best to take his favored nap, but again he's a failure, images of her flashes in his mind, yeah that was sick he knows, but he doesn't know either it just pops out like a mushroom over a sand castle.
"Crap that sand castle…" he muttered to no one in particular.
"R-Ryoma-kun, are y-you there?" the door knob suddenly creased as a small squeak from the door invaded his mind, that voice, he knew who that is, and personally, he was annoyed of that stutter, but that stutter is what he missed the most, though he won't say that out loud of course, and a big check on the fact that he doesn't want to admit that fact to himself.
With jolt he sat up, and looked at the door seeing her walk up to him.
"Did I disturb you, were you dreaming?" she muttered as tints of pink covered her cheeks like the usual.
"No, you didn't watch the practice."he said flatly as he fixed his hat once more, as he changed the topic, that was awful, Echizen Ryoma, dreaming of sand castles.
"o-oh, yeah, Obaachan called me, she told me to give this to you…" she said as she reached in her pockets to withdraw a ticket.
"Tezuka-senpai,Fuji-senpai and Inui-senpai are coming too, so i-I hope you would come…it's a c-celebration…" she knew celebration wasn't the right word, but that's the easiest word she could use not to arise suspicion from everyone.
"Ah…celebration, for what?" He asked, well sometimes Ryoma's naivety can be annoying or useful at chosen times, and it's the least of what Sakuno needs right now.
"I-I don't know."
"Mada mada dane…" how could someone celebrate without knowing what's to celebrate, but he hasn't been skating for a while so this will be fun, besides the whole team will be there, so this might be a reunion or something, the time he went in England was winter too, but he didn't had the chance to enjoy since he needed to practice for his matches.
Ryoma felt Sakuno tensed up with him, somehow she felt sad, its not like she's not used with him before, he felt once more-guilty.
"it's the Gemini…" he said referring to the clouds once more, as he rested his back on the wall and started forming abstract figures again, Sakuno smiled at him, how could he do that? Make her sad and make her happy at the same time…she would surely miss him a lot, a lot more than she knows, she rested her back at the wall and started watching the sunset with him.
"R-ryoma-kun?" she called as she fixed her gaze at the sky.
"hn."
"What if I leave…w-will you m-miss me?" she asked waiting for his reply but all she got was a tug at her lap as she almost leaped in shock, when she realized it was his head, he fell asleep.
This will stay in her treasure box forever, this memory…will stay with her, it's a wonder how things fall to place with a blink of an eye, and another second it ill be gone like it didn't even happened, and that's what she fears right now, what if he'll forget her…she couldn't take that, she's as good at numb it ever that happens.
He doesn't know why, but knowing she's around him now, he suddenly felt all his tiredness come rushing to him, from worrying about her, the tennis match, and the skating celebration tonight, the last thing he heard was her calling out his name, then his eyes felt heavy and his head felt numb.
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Her pink hair were softly scattered on her pillows as she stared at the ceiling, thoughts roamed in her mind like never before, her cerulean eyes were small as it started to envision the upcoming arrival of Ryuzaki Sakuno, her cousin from Japan.
'I wonder what she looks like….' She thought.
Ochiba and Masaki told her that she looks more like her father, Sakurei took one spare glance at her uncle's portrait hanging over the fireplace, he was quite good looking with his manly features, which makes his offspring a little bit more like him, she couldn't wait to see her, but for a fact that she knows, she doesn't like Sakuno, if it means taking the title away from her, specially the Organization, she knew perfectly well this is one drastic move from her grand father, a rookie or less, handling the Organization? He's probably crazy! Does he want Sakuno's head over his platter or he just wanted o piss Sakurei off, the company will falter if Sakuno were to handle it, besides she's older than Sakuno means that she's got stronger birth rights, and the thought of his Grand father naming Sakuno his heiress is an insult for her, she also knew that the Council is aware of Sakuno's arrival, and their impression was: "what does she know about leading a Yakuza Organization?"
She couldn't help but smirk, whatever it takes, the Organization will be hers, even if it takes her killing Sakuno, she will, she had been leading the Organization ever since she was fourteen, and she's got her first kill right after she was hailed as a member of the council, and nobody will stop her specially Sakuno, taking over the Akacho Corporation.
TBC…..
AN: I know nothing much happened here, expect the next chapter to be eventFULL, how far will Sakurei go? How bout the skating celebration? Oh no!! Sakuno doesn't know how to skate!! Ryoma Echizen to the rescue!! And no more camera for Momo and Eiji. Thanks for all the review, and please bear with me I don't have a beta-reader yet, SUGGESTIONS, are very most welcome to me!! And I'd be happy to entertain them. And most of all reviews!! It kinda boosts me up, so about the updating? I might update twice a month,depends on the feedbacks too… not so sure if its weekly or something but trust me its twice a month, Im college this school year for christs sake, and im just fifteen years of age, so its pressure!! So please bear with me,the twice a month update will be kept up with even in school days. sorry for the late update!! expect the next chapter by next week i promise!