Notes from a Muddy Writer:

You guys are such an inspiration! Your reviews, your subscriptions, everything! They truly make me happy. As such, your wishes are my command. ;)

And I'm so soooooooory if it took really long to post this one~ -bows-


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One's Happiness is Another's Sadness

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"It is sometimes essential for a husband and a wife to quarrel - they get to know each other better."

-Goethe

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'You may now read the tale.'

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Ryoma's rear end would certainly be on fire if he sat any longer on his damned chair! The others were busy discussing details about the marriage that, from what he understood, wouldn't be so grand after all (which kind of annoyed him although he didn't exactlyknow why).

"We need to be on low profile, dear," his mother explained to him, "Your marriage will surely cause a buzz among tennis fans."

"Not to mention, you'll break the hearts of the other pretty ladies who were hoping to be your wife," Nanjirou added, not even minding Ryoma's future wife was there, sitting across him.

"I-is that so?" Sakuno croaked, quite saddened by the fact.

"A-ah! Certainly not Sakuno-chan!" Nanjirou appeased. "You're much, much prettier!" He laughed nervously.

"Che," The prince looked sideways. He was apathetic.

The conversations continued around him. As he sat there, staring into oblivion with an annoyed look on his face, he caught a snippet of their conversation that interested him a little.

"So, what will you wear anyway my dear?" Rinko asked Sakuno in a sweet tone.

"H-ha? Oh, um… maybe just a simple white dress?" Sakuno answered the question with another question of her own.

"What?" Ryoma suddenly butted in; everyone looked at him, confused. "Just a simple white dress?"

"What do you want me to wear anyway?" Sakuno asked him innocently, with just a hint of annoyance. Ryoma was caught off guard.

"Why did her tone change? A little while ago, she was ready to kill me with her pointed looks now she's as innocent as possible?"

He cleared his throat. "I mean, being married to me is no simple matter."

"Obviously," Sakuno muttered under her breath although Ryoma heard her clearly. She looked away from Ryoma with an unreadable expression on her face. Something like apprehension probably.

'Oh yeah.' Ryoma remembered what he whispered to her in the hall. He wondered if that was still stuck in her mind. That thought made a smirk creep up to his face.

"So, I was hoping if you would wear something a bit more…"

"A bit more…?" She met his strong gaze.

'Dammit! What's the word?'

"Flashy?"

Sakuno gasped. "A-as in showy? You pervert!"

She grabbed the nearest thing, which unfortunately was a coffee mug, and threw it at him. Ryoma ducked in time to avoid the on-coming mug speeding towards him at one thousand miles per hour. The poor mug broke into many pieces behind him.

Sakuno wanted to grab another thing but Nanjirou stopped her, visibly amused. "I can see the magazines are starting to rub on you, Ryoma." He then went on to laugh hysterically. Ryoma's cheeks were tinted pink. He coughed awkwardly.

"No! Wait!" He held out his hands as some sort of shield. "That's not what I meant! I was hoping you could wear something simple yet elegant."

"Yes, yes," Sumire spoke, arms crossed across her chest.

"Yes indeed! I'll be happy to accompany you shopping, Sakuno-chan. A mother-in-law-daughter-in-law bonding!" Rinko exclaimed happily.

The future wife laughed nervously. "Oh. I might be causing you some inconvenience…um?"

"Oh. Come on now, you can call me 'Mom'."

"Mom," Sakuno repeated with such a grateful smile.

"By the way, the marriage will be a civil one," Nanjirou piped up.

Ryoma looked at him evenly and asked "Why?"

"Well, until you kids are reeeally sure of your feelings, we shan't proceed with a church wedding," Nanjirou answered.

Sakuno sighed as if the idea bothered her. It somewhat bothered Ryoma, too. But no, his resolve is firm. He still didn't like this wedding idea. His father was absolutely having the time of his life watching him suffer with this one.

"So, to start off your unhappi— err, your happiness, the new couple should buy new furniture."

"Really?" An unbelieving Sakuno asked with eyes that were gleaming with excitement.

"Of course, dear. We have also prepared a small apartment. Um, surely you don't mind right? I mean, it's just the two of you living together after all," Rinko said with a sheepish smile.

"Unless," Nanjirou had a really sly look on his face now, "you kids want to have kids which we don't mind. Eh, Ryoma?"

Sakuno blushed at the implication.

"Nanjirou! But it's true Sakuno-chan. We don't want to rush you but any time now would be good for grandchildren," Rinko winked at her as she blushed some more.

"But before the new couple go, I want to have a word with Ryoma. I also want to ask Sakuno-chan a question," Nanjirou waited for Sakuno to nod her permission.

"It's okay, um…" she started.

"Well, since Rinko asked you to call her Mom, I guess you should call me Dad too."

"Okay Dad," she beamed at him that surprised Nanjirou a little.

"I was wondering Sakuno-chan whether you wanted to have a proposal."

"O-oh… um, I don't think Ryoma would—"

"If you would like to have a marriage proposal, then fine I'll do it," The words that Ryoma blurted out were ones that he regretted as soon as they left him. 'Just what is happening to me?'

"Well, that settles it. Need to talk to Ryoma on how he will do it."

"Now go. We shall see you two off," Sumire once again after what seemed to be like a long time for Ryoma.

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Sakuno walked side by side with his handsome future husband. She didn't like to admit to herself but she felt a little giddy. As if she was still a school girl.

"Would you please look to where you are going?" His voice was full of annoyance as dragged her out of a lamp post's way.

"Thank you."

"Che," he mumbled and then he continued walking. "Why are you so distracted anyway?"

"Huh? Hmmm, I'm thinking of possible designs for the apartment."

'And that thing you just told me when we met…' Sakuno wanted to add. Her eyes showed her sadness that Ryoma did not fail to notice.

Lag. That was him. He was also at war with himself. The great Ryoma Echizen was debating whether to console the girl beside him or not. Of course, he couldn'tsimply do that because of what he said earlier… still.

"Why would you bother yourself with that?" He asked quietly.

"I guess it's just the same as me asking you why you bother with tennis."

That made Ryoma stop.

"Why? What's wrong?" Sakuno placed a hand on his shoulders. She almost visibly shuddered as she touched his tough and broad shoulders. It took all of her willpower not to.

"Hn," he resumed walking. 'Remember the threat. Remember the threat. Remember the damned threat!'

He momentarily closed his eyes to clear his mind. As he opened them, he said "I'm going home," without waiting for her answer.

"Wait!" She ran after him but Sakuno stopped dead in her tracks for her efforts would be futile.

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Peace: such a short but deep word. It could mean anything to anyone. To Sakuno, peace meant walking up and down the aisles of a furniture shop that contained any interior designer's dreams. However, not this time.

'I…'

She tried to focus on getting something on the top shelf in the decorations section.

'…have a little secret for you.' He sarcastically whispered in her ears.

The first time she heard it Sakuno was eager to know.

'When it's just the two of us…'His smirk was now clearer, bigger.

She stopped midway from getting her desired item.

'No matter how beautiful our married life will get…'

Her hands were now trembling. A salesman asked her if she alright but his words were lost in Sakuno's thoughts.

'I will never fall in love with you.'


Replies:

Now, on to the replies to my beloved reviewers:

Jaz-147- Thank you for loving this! And I'm happy that you love the character I gave Sakuno here! Hopefully I don't butcher that in the upcoming chapters since I'm pretty good at butchering things. :p

Yukina-chan15- weeeeeeeeeee! Thank you for your review! Yeah, Ryoma-kun's sure is arrogant. *meanie Ryoma-kun*

Enma20- Hearing that someone approves of Sakuno's strong character relieves meeeeeeeee! I'm crossing my fingers that I'll stick with it!

Guest- K-kirihaya and T-tooyama? B-both of them? *nosebleed* Hai! I'll find some way to make it happen for you my dear gray-faced reviewer! Your wish is my command!

Ryosaku12- Awwwwwwwww! –wipes tears from my eyes- T-thank you! Really. 'Proud of her having a backbone'… loooooooool… that cracked me up! And I'm please to know that you love the preview thing-y. Will be doing more of that in the future!

Ulquihime7980- YAAAAAAY! You like Sa-chan having a backbone. Seriously, she has one all the time. ;)

0202- Wow! That was so cool! It's the first time I got anyone commenting on how I write. *feels* Thank you for this! Seriously, I wish I could hug you right now. But in the mean time… CYBERHUUUUUUUUUG! –huggles-

2lazy2createAnAc- Sure! Your wish is my command!

guestof9302012- Yo! I updated haven't I? Sorry if it took long!

lechat23- Thanks for the review~ I hope to keep you interested in this little fic of mine!

Notes from a Muddy Writer:

I warn you guys… this is the start of a rollercoaster rideeeeeeee! Things will become a little bit different starting here. And with a little luck, you won't abandon me. Please stick with me until the end.

And thank you to my beta-reader(s)!

If anything comes up, I'll update this chapter.

Preview for Chapter 4:

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It Started with a…

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"You know it's never fifty-fifty in a marriage. It's always seventy-thirty, or sixty-forty. Someone falls in love first. Someone puts someone else up on a pedestal. Someone works very hard to keep things rolling smoothly; someone else sails along for the ride."
Jodi Picoult, Mercy

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