AN: Nanja hoi hoi, minna-san, ogenki dess ka? Hora, I'm so happy coz I'm getting more and more readers reading this story, urushidess, and i heartily thanked all of you for reading and reviewing my story. Minna-san hontoni o yassashi dess!! This story is dedicated to all of you.
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own POT and JUBEI-CHAN
Review of Chappie 5
Sakuno eyes widen at first but she didn't push away. She felt safe and at least she had a senpai whose willing to offer her a shoulder to cry on.Without holding back, she let her tears flow freely and soaked Fuji's shirt.
Just as when Fuji's still holding Sakuno in his arms, Ryoma who was hiding himself behind one of the log witnessed scene too.
"Ryu...zaki...?" Ryoma hissed and stared blankly at the blue sky.
Chapter 6: Sakuno and Ryoma -the after-kiss effect!! Tomoka's weakness!!
"Fu...Fuji-senpai...sniff...sniff..." Sakuno whiffed. They had been staying at such position for quite sometimes. Fuji's still embracing Sakuno until she slowly regain her composure.
"Hm...what is it?" he asked and wnwrap Sakuno from his embrace.
"Your shirt are now all wet..." she blushed while wiping off remaining tears from her face.
"Well, it's alright...I was expecting you to say something more genuine" he chuckled resuming his usual facade. Sakuno was not aware of what Fuji means by genuine. Fuji noticed Sakuno's was a little befogged.
"I was actually expecting you to say that my shirt's stink!!" he let out a soft laughter when he recalled he had sweated profusingly during the game he had with Ryoma.
"Stink...?? Heh...I was not aware..." Sakuno stammered eyeing Fuji with disbelieve. 'Fuji-senpai...actually smells good!! Sakuno blushed furiously of what she had in her thoughts and her realization of how close she was now with Fuji.
"Hm...dou kai...seem's like your fever had not been recovered yet?" Fuji asked when he saw Sakuno's cheek turns red.
"Ah...dai...daijobu....I'm alright..." Sakuno looked away.
"If that's so, then we have get going already, the others might be still searching for you..." Fuji released Sakuno and slowly stood up gave Sakuno a hand to pull her up.
"Sa...let's go..." Fuji smiled warmly at her.
"Fuji...senpai, hai!!" Sakuno nodded, took his hand and quickly stood up. She flashed a genuine smile at him.
Both Fuji and Sakuno did not realized Ryoma was nearby them, as he had hide himself well. Ryoma watched the two of them taking another route to get out of the forest and meet the others. Ryoma let out a sigh.
"Ryuzaki...and...Fuji-senpai..." Ryoma mumbled. 'What am I doing here...Echizen Ryoma, naze (why), I've never felt like this before' he thought wearily and let out another sigh. Ryoma stood there blankly for a few minutes and gracially he walked left the forest.
On their way to the meeting place, Fuji and Sakuno bumped into Tezuka and Eiji. Both of them were relieved when the saw Fuji had finally found her.
"Nya...Sakuno-chan, yogatta...finally found you!!" Eiji exclaimed happily and gave a a bear hug.
"Ah...ano...Ki...Kikumaru-senpai..." Sakuno gasped for more air when Eiji hugged her so tight, nearly suffocated her.
"Ryuzaki, are you alright?" Tezuka asked with his usual austere tone. Sakuno regained her composure and diverted her gaze towards Tezuka.
"I...I'm fine..." Sakuno stammered when she recalled that Tezuka had warned her to be alert. She could tell that he's not very please to learn that she had stirred up another issue.
"Ryuzaki, when I told you to be careful, I was really warning you..." Tezuka exclaimed sternly.
"Tezuka??" Eiji furrowed his eyesbrow when he heard what Tezuka said.
"Hm...Tezuka, Mezurashi (Unusual)...you're losing your serenity" Fuji confided.
Tezuka closed his eyes for a little while, and heaved a sigh. He seem to had cool off after hearing Fuji's word.
"I'm so sorry, senpai...iie, no matter how many times I apologized, it won't undo things which had been done!!" Sakuno bowed and sincerely she apologized to Tezuka.
"Ryuzaki, eversince the incident yesterday, I believed that we had get ourselves involved yet we were not told how did you get yourself into this mess..." Tezuka explained.
"However...we'll not force you to tell us anything right now, if you're not ready..." Tezuka continued and noticed Ryoma was standing a few distance away from them, sipping a can of Ponta Grape.
The rest of them diverted their attention behind them when they heard Oishi's was calling them from a few distance away!! Kawamura, Momo, Kaidoh and Inui was together with him too.
"Minna..." Oishi bellowed as he ran towards Sakuno. Kawamura, Inui and Kaidoh followed, while Momo stood beside Ryoma giving him a bear hug.
"Oi...Echizen, how come you're here?? Why aren't you with them??" Momo asked playfully giving Ryoma another headlock.
"Bezuni (Nothing), Momo-senpai...hanase (let go), itai zu (it hurts)..." Ryoma struggled.
'Why should I interrupt, anyway she still have Fuji with her!' Ryoma thought while recalling the scene he saw in the forest.
"Oi...Echizen..." Momo noticed Ryoma's sudden mood swings and stop his teasing immediately.
On the other hand...
"Why are they here?" Tezuka asked Eiji and threw him a you-better-explain-or-else gaze.
"Nya...It's about Sakuno-chan, so I told Inui to inform them after the games over!! Ah hahaha..." Eiji let out a fake laughter.
"Ryuzaki-san, diajobu??" Both Oishi and Kawamura asked concernly. Kaidoh just remain his usual attitude.
"Hoi, hoi...Taka-kun, raketto...raketto (racket)!!" Eiji quickly rush over to Kawamura's side and pass him the racket.
"Hu...BURNING, hora, Ryuzaki, tell me where's that gakki, I'm going to beat him good, COME ON!!" the 180 degree-attitude-changed Kawamura bellowed.
"Kawamura...senpai....hontoni dai...daijobu dess!!" Sakuno shrugged.
"Hm...Ryuzaki-san, what action are you involving today?" Inui asked while getting ready his data book to record every possible event.
"Ne...Inui...Inui...did you know that Ochibi and Fuji had called off the game just to look for Sakuno-chan" Eji commented. Sakuno eyes widen and stared at Ryoma, who was still leaning his back against the tree.
'Ryoma-kun?? He was looking for me too?' her stare at Ryoma softened when she learned that Ryoma had beening looking for her. Ryoma noticed from distance that Sakuno was staring and him.
'Ryuzaki....' suddenly his pair of hazel orbs captured hers, he quickly turned away.
Oishi and Kaidoh was shocked to learn that their game was eventually called off.
"They did?" Inui raised his brow. He then shot a devilish grin at both Fuji and Ryoma.
"At the end Fuji was the one who found her!!" Eiji continued and gave Fuji a teasing glance.
"Nan demo nai desu, I'm only trying my luck!!" Fuji commented nonchalantly.
"Hm...hm...soshite??" Inui swiftly recorded down into his record book.
"And then...and then..." Eiji shrugged when Oishi pulled him away from Inui.
"Eiji....please stop that!! You'll caused embarrassment to Fuji and Ryuzaki-san!!" Oishi complained while pulling a now chibify Eiji (I like Eiji in chibi form, totemo kawai XD) away from Inui!!
"Embarrassment? Why should we be embarrass?" Fuji asked curiously.
"Heh...nothing big, just try to verify that if the ISSUE between you and Ryuzaki are accurate!" Inui remarked gently adjusting his spectacles and gave both Fuji and Ryuzaki an evil grin.
"Me and Sakuno-chan, what about us?" Fuji looked even more puzzled. He then turn his attention to Sakuno who are blushing furiously.
'Ara...the ISSUE thingy again, just like what Yuka-chan mentioned earlier...' Sakuno let out a sigh. Sakuno then gazed towards Fuji, both their eyes met. Sakuno looked away.
"Hm...interesting, I would like to know, what's the ISSUE thing all about!!" Fuji chuckled and resume his gaze to the others.
"So, besides me and Echizen, how's others doing?" Fuji asked with his usual tone.
"Nya...I was badly beaten by Tezuka!! He just don't know what is merciness!!" Eiji exclaimed still feeling a little pissed off about losing the game to Tezuka.
"Me and Kaidoh are having a great time, the games was fun!!" Oishi commented.
"Oishi-senpai...thank you for guiding me, I've learned alot today!!" Kaidoh remarked.
"Eh...Mamushi, so you had lost to Oishi-senpai at the end!!" Momo teased Kaidoh devilishly.
"Shh....urusai, your mouth stinks, huso gakki!!" Kaidoh retaliated while watching Momo's came closer to him.
"Er...Nani, you're trying to pick a fight eh..." Momo hissed clenching his fist into a ball.
"Futari de, run 20 laps around the court, now!!" Tezuka bellowed.
"Er...bucho...but training time's over!! Besides, I'm not the one who started this, it's that stupid snake brat!!" Momo complained.
"Shh....don't point fingers to others!! You're the one who pick on me first!!"
"30 laps" Tezuka continued. The rest of them sweatdropped. Tezuka would still remains strict even after practice's over.
"Hm...senpai tachi...mada mada dane!!" Ryoma muttered and savoured the last sip of Ponta Grape from the can.
Meanwhile...
Honk
Honk
Ryuzaki-sensei's toddled and slowly drove her car towards Tomoka. She had spotted Tomoka when she's on her way back home.
"Osakada!!" she called and stopped the car beside Tomoka.
"Ar...ara, Sakuno-chan's granny, konnichiwa!!" Tomoka waved and bowed.
"Hora, quick, get in the car, I'll give you a ride!!" Ryuzaki-sensei gestured and Tomoka bowed another time and get into the car.
"Hm...Sakuno's not with you today?" the Seigaku's coach asked when she didn't see Sakuno with Tomoka.
"Er...I've not seen her since she left the court during Ryoma-sama's match!" Tomoka sighed.
"Is that so??" Ryuzaki-sensei noticed that Tomoka was not as energetic as her usual self.
On their way, they had a few conversation, some about the team and the upcoming competition, others about Sakuno and her school work.
"Here we are!! Osakada, take care!!" Ryuzaki parked her car in front of the Osakada's resident and gave her pat on her shoulder.
"Ryuzaki-sensei, thanks for ride!!" Osakada quickly get off the car and thanked the coach.
"It's okay, besides, I still have to thank you for taking care of Sakuno last night!!" Ryuzaki-sensei waved and thanked Tomoka. Tomoka batted her eyes and stared at Ryuzaku-sensei.
"Last night??" Tomoka asked curiously. Just before Tomoka wanted to make things clear, Ryuzaki-sensei had already left her place.
'Sakuno-chan was not with me last night...why, is she hiding something from her granny? Not only that, she's been acting really weird since this morning!' Tomoka thought profoundly.
"Sakuno-chan, what's wrong with you? Why you're not sharing anything with me anymore?" Tomoka let out another sigh and slowly walk into her house.
Back to the regulars and Sakuno-chan...
"30 laps..." Tezuka ordered sternly.
"Bucho?!" both Momo and Kaidoh pleaded in unison. When the looked at Tezuka's stern face they knew he really meant it!! They gave up and run towards the court, before their bucho increase the punishment.
"Ryuzaki..." Tezuka suddenly called out giving Sakuno a shock.
"Ha...hai!!" Sakuno answered. 'Why is he calling me...is he going to ask me to run laps too?' Sakuno thought and her face suddenly turns pale.
"It's quite late already!! Do you need anyone to walk you back home?" Tezuka asked with his stern look sticking on his face.
"Yeah...no prob...Ochibi can walk you back home!!" Eiji quickly exclaimed and ran over to where Ryoma stood and pulled him to join the group.
"Kikumaru senpai...??" Sakuno shrugged when she heard what Eiji declared.
"Good suggestion, Eiji!!" Oishi commented.
"Hm...it's not a bad idea afterall" Fuji chuckled noticing Sakuno slightly shrugged.
'Doushiyo...Mou... Ryuzaki Sakuno, everything will be fine!!' Sakuno shook off her worries and covince herself to act as natural as possible.
"Nan zyo?" Ryoma asked nonchalantly.
"Oh...Ochibi, you're going to escort our lovely Ohime, Sakuno-chan back home and protect her from any danger, with your life!!" Eiji declared with a faked baritone.
"Senpai...are you trying to tease me?!" Ryoma asked with a you-must-be-joking tone.
"Echizen..." Tezuka walks towards Ryoma. Ryoma turned towards Tezuka and look plainly at him.
"We'll leave Ryuzaki to you...please send her back home" Tezuka requested assiduously. Ryoma nodded and turned to face Sakuno.
'Ryoma-kun...' Sakuno somehow felt a little at ease when Ryoma had agreed to walk with her, yet somehow another part of her are still struggling her mix emotion about Ryoma...about the kiss.
"If that's so!! Ryuzaki....let's go!!" Ryoma ordered.
"Oh...hai...." Sakuno shrugged and quickly bowed to her senpais. Just before she was about to leave with Ryoma.
"Sakuno-chan..." Fuji called out softly.
"Fuji-senpai?" Ryuzaki blinked and turn to her Fuji.
"Please take care" Fuji said and gave her a peck on her cheek. The others, especially Ryoma couldn't believe of what they had just witness. Fuji, the tennis pro, giving Sakuno, the coach's granddaughter a peck!!
"Hm...another new data about the ISSUE. Progression...Fuji kissed Ryuzaki-san, in public!!" Inui muttered while scribbling his data book. Just when Eiji wanted to peek at Inui's data book, Inui quickly close it up and gave Fuji another devilish grin.
"Fu...Fuji-senpai?" Sakuno shrugged while covering the part of the cheek where Fuji had kissed.
'Ma...ma, Sakuno, it was nothing compared to the one which Ryoma had given you! So don't make a fool of yourself!!' Sakuno regained her composure and gave him a warm smile. Ryoma was a little annoyed and he walked away without telling Sakuno.
"Hai...and senpai tachi...thanks for taking care of me!! Please take care too!!" Sakuno noticed Ryoma was about to leave and she thanked her senpais and quickly rush and walk beside Ryoma.
Few minutes after sending Ryoma and Sakuno's off, Eiji quickly gave Fuji a bear hug.
"Nya...I knew it...I knew it, the ISSUE thingy is true!!" Eiji laughed and make fun of Fuji. The others just stare there blankly, except Tezuka.
"Ryuzaki...Sakuno..." Tezuka whimpered.
Meanwhile...
Ryoma and Sakuno had not been talking eversince they left their school.
"An...Ano, Ryoma-kun..." Sakuno tried to break the silence.
"..." Ryoma did not answer her.
"Ryoma-kun?" Sakuno called again.'What happened? Did I said something that enraged him??' Sakuno thought worriedly.
"Ryuzaki..." Ryoma finally called her name.
"Hm...Hai..." Sakuno replied shyly.
"Is it allright if you'll go back later?" Ryoma asked while not looking at Sakuno.
"Go back later? It's okay, is there anything that I can help?" Sakuno asked curiously. This is the first time that Ryoma had eventually asked for her companionship.
"There's a place I wanted to bring you to!! Just follow me" Ryoma said nonchalantly.
Few minutes later they reached a temple. The temple where Ryoma used to practice tennis with his father, Echizen Nanjiroh.
"A temple??" Sakuno stared at the old building infront of her.
"Koi..." Ryoma ordered. Sakuno nodded and followed. Soon they were at the backyard of the temple. Sakuno spotted a ruined wall stood tall at the backyard.
"Ryoma-kun?" Sakuno eyes widen when she saw Ryoma's holding his racket and pass it to her.
"I just want to check your form!" Ryoma remarked nonchalantly.
"My form??" Sakuno asked curiously then she took the racket and nodded blankly.
'Mou...Sakuno, this isn't the first time that Ryoma-kun had wanted to check your form!! Sakuno Ryuzaki, ganbatte kudasai!!' Sakuno thought inwardly and stood facing the wall.
Ryoma sat himself on the bench while staring at Sakuno's back.
'Long hair...wobbly knees, thought I've told her to shorten her hair once!!' Ryoma thought and let out sigh. 'Yappari, that's not much progression after all!!'
He watched Sakuno's slim hand tossing the ball into the air whereas the other in a ready mode to swing the racket.
Ryoma noticed that Sakuno did not hit the ball hard, she's doing it slow. Her grip and the way she hit the ball had slight improvement compared to last time when he checked her form.
Though Sakuno was not looking at Ryoma, but she somehow felt that Ryoma was staring at her. His stares had made her feel very awkward.
"The kiss..." Ryoma whispered, his tone was slightly changed.
"I know, you were not asleep back then when I kissed you!!" Ryoma declared nonchalantly.
"Huh..." Sakuno quickly turned back and stare at him like an atomic bomb fell and hit her head. She missed the ball that she was suppose to hit. It flew passed her and aimed towards Ryoma. Ryoma skillfully dodged and catch the ball with his hand.
"Just..now...what did you said?" Sakuno stammered.
"I said, you were not asleep when I kissed you!!" Ryoma repeated, his face slightly flushed.
"So...you...you realized..." Sakuno looked away, avoiding his stare.
"Then...why, you know that I was not asleep, why you still....kiss...me?" Sakuno asked, her voice trembles.
"I wanted to know too! I'm confuse, Ryuzaki...I shouldn't have, but i did!! I was just following my own instinct" Ryoma replied.
"You're confused? Your instinct?" Sakuno hissed. 'Is that all!! I would be happy if you told me that you like me!!' Sakuno thought sadly.
"Ryuzaki?" Ryoma eyes widen when he noticed tears slowly fell from Sakuno's face.
"Ryoma-kun no baka!!" Sakuno threw Ryoma's racket away and ran away.
"Ryuzaki??" Ryoma bellowed and chased after her.
To Tomoka's scene...
'Sakuno-chan, why aren't you telling me anything?' Tomoka rested her back against her bedside and thought wearily, staring at the picture of her and Sakuno. It was taken by Shiba-san. Tomoka recalled back then they were so closed to each other.
"Sakuno...doshite...I want to know more about you! Why you won't let me know anything" Tomoka hold her body tighter and she began to weep.
'Osakada Tomoka....' an eerie voice hissed.
'Osakada Tomoka....' the voice called again.
"Da...dare...papa?" Tomoka quickly wiped her tears and asked anxiously when she saw black shadow slowly immersing from her window.
"What....what...??" Tomoka had a shock of her life when she saw the shadow slowly turning into a man's figure.
"She'll be your enemy!! Lend me your power!!" the dark shadow whispered.
"What...do...you...want!!" Tomoka shrugged.
"Don't deny, I know you hated her. She cheated on you, she's not your friend!! Come...join me, I'll give you power, the power to eliminate Yagyu Jubei!!" the man laughed hysterically.
"Ya...Yagyu Jubei...yada...yada....iiya..." Tomoka let out a horrified scream.
TBC....
Sakuno found out that Ryoma was confuse when he kissed her. Will Ryoma be able to get hold of Sakuno? What will he say to her? What's Fuji point of view towards Sakuno? Tomoka, being possessed by spirit of grudges, will she be saved? Please continue reading my next chapter.
AN: Minna-san, sorry for keeping you all waiting, omatta he, gomen!! Actually, this story is kinda messy...yes...still messy!! Anyway, I promised more romance and more actions coming up! So please bear with me!! And also please review my story!! Onegai...shimass!!
Thank you notes for reviewers:
zazabeans-chan: Hai, you're so good and thanks for your encouragement. I'll work hard.
hannah-chan: hee...hee, you're right, without good reflexes, you might get your fingers chopped off...ah..haha...LOL just kidding, and thanks for reviews. PS: Hee...hee...I wrecked my mind just to think of how to save Fuji-senpais cactus.
Magy-chan: Hi, thank you, i'm so happy too!! Please do support me till the end and hee...hee...I'm quite sloppy sometimes.
Other dedications:
anime-obsession260, zhu-zhu, koori no tenshi, glitterfairy, Sourapplegreen, Kiralacus, the Eiji Cat, abc and Sakuya-chan.
Minna, thank you!! I'm continuing just because of all your support!! I'll work hard. Till next chapter!!
Preview: Chapter 7 - The Tennis vs Love Philosophy, Tomoka's Attack
Part:
"Love??"
"In tennis, love means zero...nothing!!"
Note: Phrases taken from the latest movie, Wimbledon.
Part:
"Sakuno...give me the lovely eye-patch"
"Tomoka?"