Chapter 5! Hope you enjoy! I'll try update every few days, but this one is a bit late from school and stuff, not to mention a little shorter… sorry! :/
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PM'S, REVIEW'S AND VOTES!
VOTING STILL OPEN
Ruka yawned, blinking away the sleep from her eyes. It didn't work too well since she almost fell back asleep again, her eyes drooping and her head lowering down onto her desk.
She'd almost fallen asleep again when, "Puri." A voice came from next to her ear, startling her. "I'm awake, I'm awake. I swear!" she said, straightening her back abruptly. She looked around to see that the teacher wasn't even here yet, nor were many of the students. Her mum had to drop her off early to work on a case, and so there Ruka was, in her first period class of the day; English, with one and a half hours until school even started!
Whoever had scared her was trying to muffle its laugh, but it didn't work too well as Ruka turned around, and the silverette cracked up laughing. "N-Niou-senpai?!" Ruka exclaimed, "What are you even doing here?"
When Niou finally supressed his giggles, he turned and looked at her straight in the eye, "Sorry." He gave a quick bow before running out of the classroom, leaving an extremely confused Ruka behind.
"Since when were you close with Niou-sama?" A snarky voice came from the back of the room. Ruka hadn't noticed they were there earlier, but she wasn't sure if she could deal with vicious fan girls right at that moment. At that moment, she yearned for the comfort of her bed and the warmth of her doona.
"So, are you?" The girl walked up to her with her friends and asked again, slamming her hands down onto the desk. "N-no. I don't even know why he said sorry." Ruka stuttered. "Che, Niou-sama never says sorry to anyone. So what's so special about you? You're a disabled fat pig who thinks only about herself. Potato chips? (Refer to chapter 2) Hah. Do you even know how fattening they are?" The girl glared at her, ruining the pretty features on her face. No doubt she'd find a boyfriend is she wasn't so obsessed with a certain Rikkai regular.
Ruka kept quiet, not so much stunned, but more like unsure of what to say. She was disabled, yes. But at least she wasn't one to starve herself. She finally came up with, "I don't know about you, but I'm happy the way I am. And just before was the only time I've ever spoken to Niou-senpai." She smiled, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to drop something off at the library."
Ruka picked up her bag and left the room quickly. Not actually needing to go to the library, she wandered around for a while, trying to avoid the tennis courts. Personally, she didn't want to be around Sanada too much, since he seemed to dislike her, and fan girls were always around there anyway.
After a while, she found herself in the middle of a corridor, facing the stairwell that lead to the rooftop. She hoped it was secluded and looked around for a way up; luckily, she spotted a ramp not too far away.
She slowly pushed her way up and smiled when she finally came face to face with the rooftop door. Creaking the door open the slightest, she took a peek to see if anyone was there. Instead of students, she saw rows of pots placed around the roof.
Opening the door even wider, she went through and widened her eyes. Not only had the plants been tended to, each pot contained a different plant in a variety of shapes and colours, all with a small label attached to each pot.
She made her way through the rows of flora, breathing in the fresh scents. She stopped in front of a particular flower. Her favourite: the skyflower. The edges of the petals were tinted in a pearly light blue, and then the centre of each petal was the perfect shade of light indigo.
The flower had intrigued her when she first encountered it, not only was it beautiful, it also gave off a calm and happy vibe. That's why it's her favourite flower.
She looked past the fence and saw the view of the tennis courts. She saw pairs scattered all over the courts playing matches against each other. She smiled, ignoring the slight pang in her chest. They all looked so serious, running around the court and returning the ball back to its respective side. 'Is it like this for you too Ryoma?' she thought, before drifting off into another world where she saw Ryoma and herself rallying with each other, laughing and helping to develop new moves.
After a while, she snapped out of her daydream and came back into reality. Her eyes were still directed to the courts and the realized that the members had already packed up and left.
Quickly checking her watch, she muttered something incoherent and left the roof top. Unfortunately, the corridors were now crowded with students, not to mention her classroom just happened to be on the other side of the school. "I'm going to be late…" she muttered.
Her arms were getting tired after having to wheel herself so far in such a short amount of time when she felt a small push to her back. Her wheelchair was now moving by itself and she stared at its wheels as if it were magic for it to move without her pushing it.
"Yo." A cheery voice sliced through the air, then the popping of gum sounded after. "Echizen –san right?" the voice said again when Ruka didn't say anything. She merely nodded and whispered thanks.
Truth be told, she did recognise that voice, after all it was usually this red-headed boy shouting through the corridors during school to other regulars. Everyone seemed to ignore it though, so she took initiative and did the same. She was grateful that Marui-senpai had spotted her, but did she really want the wrath of not only Niou-senpai's, but also Marui's fan girls too now?
It's only Wednesday for kami's sake.
They were a few rooms away from their own when Ruka decided to speak, "Marui-senpai, thanks, but you can stop here and go in first…" she said, hoping Marui wouldn't be as dense as her twin and catch on.
He stopped pushing her and seemed to almost agree immediately, before walking on ahead and entering the class room first.
Ruka watched him disappear through the door and smiled. She was happy that someone had actually taken the time to help her. She'd have to treat him later as thanks.
Moments later, Ruka took it as her cue to enter the dreaded class room herself. "Sorry I'm late… There was something in the way of the ramp to get here so I had to ask for help." She bowed, her hair swishing along and curtaining her face. "Ah, it's fine, just take a seat. We're about to have a pop quiz anyway."
"EH?!" the class exclaimed, gears turning in their minds, trying to think of everything and anything English they'd learnt before.
Ruka nodded and went to take her seat next to Niou-senpai, suddenly remembering her confusion towards him before class. She kept quiet though and took out a pen to write with as the teacher handed her a slip of paper filled with questions in English.
She answered them quickly before placing her pen back down and resting her head on the table. She stifled a yawn as the teacher came by to collect her sheet. Her eye's felt droopy and she blinked a couple of times, trying to get rid of her blurry vision.
Although desperately trying to stay awake, she fell asleep nonetheless.
Marui looked over to her sleeping form and smiled in the slightest, 'she smelt like blue berries…' he thought.
Niou wondered. He wanted to know more, no, everything about this girl. She… intrigued him.
xxx
Ruka sat in the living room quietly, waiting for her brother to return home, late. She'd fallen asleep in most of her classes, even Chemistry. Luckily, the teachers let her off, after seeing the dark bags under her eyes and paler-than-usual skin.
She flipped open her phone and dialled Ryoma's number, it rung for a while before he picked up.
"Yo! Echizen's girlfriend?" someone called. This obviously wasn't Ryoma, Ruka realized. So who could her anti-social brother possibly have befriended?
"Ah. Hello? Is Ryo-kun there?" she asked.
"Not at the moment. Do you need me to pass on a message- *crackling* Nya? O'chibi's girlfriend?" a new voice- childish- sounded, "Oi! Senpai! Give back the phone!" the original voice called, and then a softer voice in the background also cut in.
"Eiji, don't go poking around in other peoples things. Gomen, gomen! Saa, Echizen-kun is capable of having a girlfriend? Hn? But my data says he is 98% incapable of having one. Demo—Momo-senpai! Uh-oh… What are you doing with my phone? Well, someone called and we were… curious? Who? The ID said 'Ruka loves chips!' Che." (Hope this is totally NOT confusing.)
The voices over the phone kept changing, and Ruka stifled her giggle. Who knew Ryoma could make such interesting friends?
She placed her phone back to her ear and heard rustling, before a "Ru?"
"Nii-san! When are you coming home?"
-Silence-
"Tadaima." A familiar voice called, almost giving Ruka a heart attack. She quickly ended the call and turned around to see Ryoma padding into the room, heavier footsteps in tow. "Ojamashimasu." A tall boy with violet eyes and spiky black hair stepped into the room.
"Ru, did you change your name in my phone again?" he asked in English, narrowing his eyes.
"What's so bad about chips?" she pouted back, "Anyway, you finally made some friends." She continued, flashing a glance at her brother's companion.
"Echizen Ruka. Douzo." She introduced. "Eh? Momoshiro Takeshi. But you can call me Momo-chan." He gave a quick bow, "So, this whole time, the 'Ruka loves chips' girl was your sister!?" He now exclaimed. Loudly.
Ruka winced slightly at his chosen volume of speech. Now that Momo was over, she and Ryoma wouldn't have time for a private conversation. Instead of hanging around the two, she excused herself. "Well, Momo-senpai, make yourself at home. Come past my room if you need anything."
Ryoma nodded and Ruka exited to her room.
xxx
Ruka pushed herself off her wheelchair and landed on the ground with a light 'thump.' Now she lay there, sprawled on her bedroom floor.
She army crawled over to her bag and took out her books. Having slept in Chemistry, who knows how far behind she was now.
She cracked open her textbook when her phone buzzed next to her pencil. She picked in u gingerly and opened it to see an unread message.
From: Unknown
To: Echizen Ruka
Hello? Is this Echizen-san?
She clicked the reply button.
From: Echizen Ruka
To: Unknown
I'm sorry, but who is this?
Another message popped up almost instantly.
From: Unknown
To: Echizen Ruka
As your lab partner, I have taken it into my hands that you have a copy of the notes whenever you're unwell in class or absent. Please check your school e-mail for the notes.
'My lab partner?' she thought, 'Ah… Yanagi-senpai.' She remembered. She fiddled with her phone for a while, saving his number before replying.
From: Echizen Ruka
To: Yanagi Renji
Thanks, Yanagi-senpai. See you tomorrow.
xxx
Momo and Ryoma sat outside, watching the last rays of sun disappear into darkness.
"Ne, she pretty." Momo 'casually' commented. "You like her?" Ryoma's eyes flashed.
"No! Nononono!" Momo was all but too quick to deny.
"Mada mada dane."
The pair lapsed into an awkward silence before Momo had to stick his nose in.
"So, I was wondering, did your sister get into an accident or?" he refrained himself from continuing the question.
"Don't ask me." A sharp reply came.
"I-I see." Momo frowned, realizing something, "wait, how come she doesn't come to Seigaku?"
"No ramps." Another short reply was given, "let's play." Ryoma picked up his racket and tennis ball, motioning for his senpai to follow.
"Smooth or rough?" Momo asked.
"Smooth."
He twirled his racket. "Smooth it is. Self-judge right?"
"Hn."
They moved to their respective sides and started rallying.
Little did they notice a girl smiling brightly at them from her bedroom window as they played.
xxx
Ryoma knocked on his little sister's door, before waiting for a reply. "Yea?" the voice barely drifted through the already thin walls of the house.
"Dinner's ready. Momo-senpai left a while ago already."
"I'm not hungry."
Ryoma sighed and opened the door. "Ru, tell me what's—" he stopped mid-sentence as he looked around her normally pristine room. Except it was now filled with pocky boxes and chip wrappers.
He quickly closed the door when he also caught sight of her currently trying to pull herself back into her wheelchair, something she didn't like people to see, since there was no other way to get back on without it looking awfully awkward.
His sharp eyes also managed to catch sight of the edge of her old forest green racket, which had been shoved under the bed. "At least come and have a few bites." He called, before walking away.
He reached the kitchen and sat down mumbling something along the lines of, "She's not too hungry, but she said she'll try and eat a little."
Nanjiro just grunted and Rinko sighed, knowing how light her daughter had become since she picked her up at the psychiatrists in Kanagawa.
Ruka came out of her room not too soon after. She smiled and looked at Rinko, "It looks delicious as usual 'kaa-san. Itadakimasu."
She picked up her chopsticks and started eating quickly; shovelling food into her mouth like there was no tomorrow. After finishing her meal in a record time of about 5 minutes, she cleaned up the table and went back to hole up in her room again. Ryoma couldn't help but notice she was paler, even more so than this morning.
At least her appetite was still like his bottomless pit anyway. He inwardly smirked. 'Liar, you were starving.' He thought.
He finished his own meal and gulped down his tea, heading back to his own room like his twin had.
Picking up his neglected phone, he saw several new messages, all of which were from Kikumaru-senpai, Fuji-senpai and Momo-senpai.
To: Ryoma Echizen
From: Fuji Syuusuke
Saa, I look forward to meeting your girlfriend.
To: Ryoma Echizen
From: Kikumaru Eiji
Nya! How come you didn't tell me you had a girlfriend? :( Oh well, I got Momo to send me a pic. :)
To: Ryoma Echizen
From: Momoshiro Takeshi
I may have leaked a photo of your sister, but isn't it funny to watch all the senpai's think you've got a girlfriend? Please don't kill me. ;P
To: Ryoma Echizen
From: Fuji Syuusuke
She's looks like you. What was her name again? Inui wants to know.
To: Ryoma Echizen
From: Fuji Syuusuke
Is she actually your girlfriend or not? You two look alike. See?
(Let's just say he sent a pic of the pic he got from Momo and his own pic of Ryoma and edited it so it was a double frame photo showing all the similarities.)
Ryoma sighed as he read them all, then chucked his phone onto his bed. He picked up his tennis racket again before walking into the living room where his Oyaji was openly flicking through a magazine.
"Ne, Oyaji. One set."
"Not now Ryoma." *giggles*
"Che. Pervert."
"Language, Ryoma."
"Mada mada dane." Ryoma said, walking off. His dad opened his mouth to complain, but realised his youngest son was already gone.
Ryoma was about to enter his room again when the door flung open from Ruka's room.
She looked at him with happiness in her eyes. "Ryoga-nii is on the phone."
She held out the portable landline to him. He nodded and took it, pressing it to his ear. "Nii-san?" he asked.
"Chibi?" came the deep voice on the other line, "I'm coming back in two months."
I'm not sure why, but I feel as though this chapter isn't really to the best of my standards... and I'm really sorry. Especially since this is quite a late update.
R&R