Notes from a Muddy Writer:

A LATE CHRISTMAS GREETINGS AND LATE NEW YEAR GREETINGS TO YOU GUYSSSSSSSSSSSS!

I just noticed that Sakuno does not attach any honorifics on Ryoma's name. Meh. I doubt she would ever in this story. Defiant Sakuno-chan is just the best! Besides, I think that her placing a suffix on his name would be like to 'girly' and cute. Not that I hate that.

And beeeecause I missed greeting Ryoma-kun a happy birthday due to an inconvenient reason—T.T— I shall greet him nooooow!

To Ryoma,

Thank you so much for being a muse, well both you and Sakuno of course! You guys are my OTP (hey, this looks like a man bending with a butt… O.O) since I was nine (I think)! –sigh- this must be love for you guys~ Hahaha… anyway, you'll probably stay 12 or probably 13 with the New Prince of Tennis out while I'll grow old. T.T Such is the life of a fangirl. LoL. Anyway, enjoy snuggling with Sakuno on this new chapter. And for my wish for you, I hope you get together with her. Hahaha…

Happy birthday, my dear Prince. 3

And also to Sakuno-chan (since I might not be able to update on her birthday on the 14th of January),

Thank you soooooooooo much for being a muse. Stay cute and pretty, my little klutzy dear!

Actions speak louder than words— cliché.


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Our Place

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"It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages."
― Friedrich Nietzsche

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'You may now read the tale.'

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A boyish chuckle came out of Ryoma's mouth while Sakuno's screaming had already died down. All was quiet.

"Stupid Ryoma!" Sakuno exclaimed. She was fuming and red.

"Wait for it…" Ryoma said. He looked like a predator then. Anticipation was clearly building up inside him. Sakuno cringed at the menacing look he wore as he inched closer to her.

"W-what are you doing?" Sakuno asked as she retreated farther back from the edge of the bed.

The situation was like calm before a storm. Silence passed before…

All Hades broke loose.

Ryoma started attacking Sakuno with tickles.

Tickle here, tickle there; she could only heartily laugh from all of it. Ryoma showed no mercy and continued his tickling attack.

"Ryoma!" Sakuno said in between laughs. "Stop," she laughed again, "it!"

But, no, he did not listen.

He waited until Sakuno was practically wheezing from laughing. Her stomach hurt from all the giggling.

Breathe in, breathe out was all she could do after Ryoma finally stopped tickling her.

'Well, what do we do now?' She thought as she sat back on the bed. She had taken the attack lying down.

An awkward silence enveloped them as they sat on the bed side by side.

On impulse, Ryoma took Sakuno's left hand into his. Electricity ran up and down her body again and her poor heart was pounding hard against her chest that it threatened to break out. She wanted to clutch her chest but was afraid that Ryoma might take it the wrong way.

'What with his perverted mind—'her train of thoughts was then interrupted by Ryoma.

"Sakuno…" he whispered sensually in her ears. His warm breath on her neck was all she felt. Blood rose to her face that Sakuno was pretty sure that Ryoma could see it.

She wondered why he was the only one who could make her feel that way: the electricity, the warm feeling of blood rising up to her face… all of it.

Why?

All of the sudden, their positions changed.

She was beneathhim.

Shock was all that Ryoma could see on her very red face. He smirked in amusement. She was always so easy to embarrass. The first time he saw her, he could not remove from his mind her gentle look, her fragile beauty. The second time he saw her, that was the time that he truly met her. He expected her to be as lady-like as she looked. But Sakuno wasn't anything like that. She was an independent spirit; she did what she thought was right but listened when it was needed. However, underneath it all, Ryoma found that she could be quite shy and hesitant.

Ryoma continued to stare at Sakuno. And even though it was only a few minutes, it seemed like eternity to him and her. The longer he stared at her, defiance grew more on her cute face. He was dumbfounded.

"What are you doing?" She cried out, struggling underneath him.

His smirk pulled on the corners of his lips. "Heh. I thought we are already married, in case you haven't noticed."

A beautiful blush crept out to her face again. Ryoma leaned in while she squealed her protest. He continued doing so until their faces were merely an inch apart. Sakuno stared at Ryoma as he did what he did. His face was so near that Sakuno could not help but blush madly. She felt her entire face heating up in embarrassment. Surprisingly, the distance only made her admire his boyish charms—or was it manly charms?

'No wonder…' She thought. His perfect face was unblemished and chiseled that unconsciously, her hand went out to touch it. She could well see his unique cat-like golden eyes widened in shock that snapped Sakuno out of her trance. She immediately retreated… when Ryoma's hand took hold of hers.

"G-gomen…" she began. "I didn't know what—"Her sentence was cut-off when Ryoma suddenly began closing what little distance of their faces had. Sakuno's heart pounded strongly against her chest that she was afraid Ryoma would feel it, what with their current position. She closed her eyes, waiting to feel something on her lips. Even if they were forced to this (well, Ryoma probably was the one thinking that since she kind of agreed with the whole thing even though it was ridiculous to her), Sakuno still wanted to feel loved.

Something… while they were in their current position: he on top of her.

The thought made Sakuno snap out of whatever she was currently thinking. It was highly inappropriate. There they were, two strangers who most probably thought of the best way to get rid of one another the first time they met, almost kissing? Impossible!

'I'm married to him, am I not?' She tried to reason.

Too late.

For when she opened her eyes, Ryoma had already pulled back. Sakuno found that she had to suppress a pout. She most definitely did not want to be taken wrongly: that she loved the whole thing.

Ryoma chuckled at her innocence.

"Yeah, yeah…" He muttered as he let her go.

Sakuno then gathered her knees and hugged them closer to her body. "Don't ever come near me again!" But in all honesty, she was disappointed he did not continue his assault.

'What am I thinking!' She silently berated herself. She couldn't allow herself to be swept away with his actions. But darn it all, it was hard.

"Yeah, yeah. I get it," he said as he propped the pillow.

"Y-you do?" Sakuno's head peeked out, a pout on her lips. Ryoma took one look at it then looked away.

"'Course." He still refused to see her with a cute pout. He would feel his self-control slipping away if he saw something like that. And he couldn't yet. It was too soon.

"Well then." Sakuno was being mean at the moment for she took the pillow as Ryoma was about to lay on it. His head fell with a dull thud on the soft silky bed sheets. He deadpanned on her.

"We'll sleep separately."

He looked at her with a bored expression. "And why is that?"

"We'll divide the bed in half."

"Like with a saw? Right now? At this hour of the night?"

Sarcasm.

Yet, she did not answer. Sakuno went on placing long pillows that were covered in silvery and soft pink pillow cases. They marked Ryoma's side of the bed and her side of the bed.

"There," spoke Sakuno as she approved of her work.

"Seriously?" Ryoma propped himself up on one elbow.

"Yeah. In this way, no…" cue Sakuno to blush.

"No what?" An amused smirk was now playing on Ryoma's lips that made Sakuno blush even more.

"No unexpected things happen. I don't trust you even with these pillows dividing us."

"Ouch," he stated nonchalantly.

"Well, good night." Her voice had finality as she settled down on her side of the bed. She clicked her lamp off.

No response from him and that bugged Sakuno until sleep finally came.

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Even with Sakuno's lamp turned off, Ryoma could not sleep. He stayed still on the bed. Well, hisside of the bed that was.

Minutes passed and he grew no sleepier. In fact he seemed to be more awake. There was also that feeling of missing something. It escalated as the night wore on.

Finally he could not stop himself and sat right up on the bed. He glanced down Sakuno and saw that she was sleeping.

'Orpretendingto be asleep.'

Minutes passed while he continued to stare at her religiously. He lost count of time until he was sure that Sakuno was really asleep.

She seemed so peaceful, with her eyes closed like that. She looked innocent, no trace of that fiery side of her. Her steady breathing, the even rise and fall of her chest, was like therapy to him too. It was the only sound in the room but he enjoyed it. Her lips were also slightly parted in an enticing way.

Without meaning to, he took the pillows that divided them. After which he settled back on his pillow but this time, he pulled Sakuno closer to his body. He enjoyed the warmth. Her warmth. It was like warm milk that helped him fall sound asleep.

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Chicken…with rice.

Fluffy omelet.

Someone's stomach just grumbled in hunger. Until Ryoma realized it was his.

With still unopened eyes, he wildly searched the bed for her presence. It was a fruitless search. Ryoma opened one eye to confirm his suspicions. Sakuno was nowhere to be found.

"Hn…?"

Ryoma lazily sat up on the bed. He slowly blinked his amber eyes to get rid of the haziness. Afterwards, he unknowingly stared into the blank space.

The Echizen Ryoma was never a morning person.

However the delicious scent of the eggs revived his seemingly dead body. They sent him up on his feet. Soon he was dashing downstairs and towards the source of the mouth-watering aromas: the kitchen.

The sight that greeted him made Ryoma feel a lot of things at once. Things he couldn't even articulate it into words. Yet, one thing was sure. Everything was perfect.

Sakuno, being there in the kitchen, probably cooking their breakfast, looked like a normal housewife. The perfect normal housewife for him. If he could have only printed the picture straight out of his mind, Ryoma would have. When reality suddenly bonked him in the head.

It was only a staged life. On his part, at least. He was just trying to go with the flow.

"And it's my father's entertainment," he added.

"Oh!"

He blinked then focused his gaze on her.

"Good morning!" Sakuno greeted him with the most sincere, happiest smile she had ever given him. In her mitt-covered hands was the omurice she had been making: chicken rice wrapped in omelet.

Ryoma would have just stood there with mouth hanging wide and watering if Sakuno hadn't took both of his hands and directed him to a seat. She had taken off her mitts then.

Even that he did not feel. Nothing. Only the numbness from everything he had witnessed was overwhelming.

"Ryoma-kun? Ryoma-kun." Sakuno was now gently shaking him.

Ryoma realized that he was just staring at his plate, devoid of any emotions.

"Oh. Sorry. Itadakimasu." He picked his chopsticks up but was still hesitant to take a bite out of the food. Sakuno winced at his hesitancy.

'Perhaps he has decided it would taste bad?'

Her brown eyes were droopy from worry but her strong will kept a brave smile on her face. Time was spilling away but not a single bite was taken from Ryoma'somurice. She gathered up her courage to ask, "What's wrong Ryoma-kun?"

Perking up, he looked into her eyes. "It's just… I never get to eat Japanese food." At that point Ryoma took his first bite.

A smile crossed Sakuno's lips before taking a bite of her omurice too. The slight droop around her eyes was disappearing too.

The entire eating was done in silence. Not a sound of words but of chopsticks clanging against the ceramic plates. Putting away the used dishes was done quietly as well. Ryoma went on clearing up the table, sweeping the floor for fallen crumbs while Sakuno washed everything.

They were two bodies but they seem to know what the other lacked, what the other one needed. They understood each other even without words. Synchronized; two bodies moving as one.

After everything was done, they sat back around the dining table. Sakuno already had a pen and paper in hand.

"Let's get this straight."

Ryoma eyed her evenly. "We need to have ground rules." Sakuno nodded her agreement.

"First—"the husband began yet the wife held up her hand.

"No touching," Sakuno stated calmly, but she was turning red.

Confusion etched itself upon the features of Ryoma. "What's that suppose to mean?"

No response. He sighed dramatically. "Look, if we want things to be clear, you got to—"

"…except if we have to appear publicly." Then she added in a whisper, "which is highly impossible."

Sakuno returned to watch Ryoma. He was smirking.

"Next, expect neither intimacy nor fidelity."

Sakuno's mind abruptly stopped working. Was she hearing him correctly? "What?" She, too, was now confused and angry. 'How dare he!'

"Didn't we just vow to—"

A small hiss emitted from Ryoma's mouth. "Don't drag the wedding into this. Remember, my stupid oyaji wanted this marriage, not me. Basically, I still should have my own life. And you, you should go back to your own."

Her head was spinning as she tried to see the logic. None. What Ryoma said was highly illogical, considering that he was an intelligent tennis player. "What's that supposed to mean?"

So easy for him to say all of those as if it didn't matter. As if she did not have any feelings. Sakuno tried to imagine Ryoma answering all of the reporters' questions with another woman beside him.

It hurt.

'No. It shouldn't hurt,' she thought. She only agreed to this stupid marriage for her grandma. No more, no less. Besides, she already promised herself. Perhaps if she could find someone to replace Ryoma's place as her husband then she could file a divorce and such…

But why did his words affect her so much?

Trying to keep a cool face, Sakuno continued on.

"Then, uh, we should divide the bed." Sakuno, with her pen and paper, was scribbling down the rules they made. Her hand trembled as she wrote 'expect…neither intimacy nor fidelity'.

"Why?" Ryoma inquired with a dangerous hint in his voice. She lifted her head up. "Because—"

That's when Sakuno's phone began ringing. His eyes narrowed at the sight of her answering it. Ryoma considered the person on the other line as an intruder. And that was unforgivable.

He sighed. He couldn't understand himself anymore. He was just irrational and illogical with Sakuno. One moment ago he said to expect no intimacy or fidelity whatsoever. Now, he was feeling anger seeping through his skin as he saw Sakuno answer the phone.

Not trusting himself anymore, he stood up before what he was doing could register in his mind. Sakuno's eyes followed his movements and her face clearly asked the question, "What are you doing?"

"…okay. Bye." She pressed a button and flipped her phone close.

"Clean this place up." Then, he spun on his heels and exited the room.

"Ryoma, w-wait!"

He heard sound of a chair being pushed aside. He looked back at her, his face grim and said, "You can have no one else but me."

Ryoma left next, leaving Sakuno alone and utterly confused.


Replies:

Let's get on with the merry reviews~~~ =D

Rachel- Waaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Thank you so much for the reviews~ And I'm really sorry if this update was a little… okay, a whole lot LATE. :D Hope it was worth it. ;)

TheBearsDoodle- Oh stop it you! –smiles like crazy at your review!- I'm flattered. But seriously, there are a lot of other writers/authors out there than write a gazillion times better than I do. T.T I wish I could write like them too! Thank you very much! 3

yukina-chan15- Yukina-chaaaaaaaaaaaan! Thank you for the continued support! Hehehehe… And I hope this chapter like satisfied you or something~ I love Every Heart by BoA too!

0202- Wazzup dude! Hahaha… I really really wish you like this update! But, I'm kind of stuck for the next chapter. T.T Help?

ulquihime7980- Shhhhhhh… that's our little secret! Hahahahaha… how come you guessed it right? Or was it too obvious? Lol.

DearestELFriend- Yaaaaaaaaaaaay! They're legally married! Woot! Woot! Thanks for the review! However, I'm really stuck with Akaya's part. So, any ideas to help me? Want would you want to happen? ;)

Shizurei- Awwwwwwwww~ Thank you! And thank goodness the pace is slow so we could somewhat see that both Ryoma and Sakuno grows into together little by little~

Notes from a Muddy Writer:

Okaaaaaay! I admit that Ryoma is now the one utterly irregular here. Please note that he is quite sorting out his 'feelings'. He does not know whether to act based on his feelings alone or if he should act according to what he had said. Gaaaaah! Actions speak louder than words.

I saw another post from Did you know?

Here's the content:

Einstein presented his first wife with a list of rules, one of which "expect neither intimacy nor fidelity".

I count myself lucky to find this post because I now had a line for Ryoma! Hahaha! It's a bit of a coincidence too because I thought of the rules thingy (even though a lot of movies, T.V. shows, etc. have done that idea .) way before I've seen this particular post. I do not claim it a true though. But there is a possibility. It's a fun idea though. :D

And also, since I'm REALLY stuck with Kirihara's part, the next chapter might be REALLY REALLY late. Any ideas, help regarding that chapter is GREATLY appreciated.

Thank you so much guys for the patience and continued support for this story~

Preview for Chapter 7:

And since I'm stuck, there's no preview yet. T.T Might be edited in the future~