Hi! I am back with the new chapter. I am sorry for the late review. I just didn't know what to write next and I was pretty left out with the story. But I am back now with the next chapter. I hope it will worth though…

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Prince of Tennis and never will.

johanna – tee hee hee… malalaman mu din ang sagot sa chapter na to… salamat ng marami…

Chapter 8: The kiss, the Exchange Students and the Admirers

Chapter Summary: She fretted about everything. She thought that everything would be alright but she was totally wrong about it. It was actually the start of everything.

The silence was deafening at that very moment. Inside the dorm… in that room… between the two.

No one could utter a word. Both were just staring at each other's eyes. Both were on the floor, sitting and facing each other. One was with her hands on her lips as her eyes were still wide while the other one was just sitting there trying to process what had happened.

W-what just happened? Sakuno was the one to think first. Her face was blushing and there was no way she could hide it from him. It was impossible to deny the fact.

That Ryoma and her kissed a few seconds ago.

N-no way! D-did it really happen? W-what should I do? She secretly panicked at that. She tried to think of something else to ease the tense between them. Ryoma was just staring at her and she didn't know what he was thinking at that very moment. She scratched her head as she initiated;

"Y-you are stubborn. I—I told you to—"

"Ryuzaki."

"Hai!" She alerted when he suddenly said. She looked at him only to see him unreadable at that moment. The atmosphere was really tensed between them.

"Are you…"

Her eyes slowly widened when he started talking. She was awfully nervous now. She didn't know what he was about to say until he finished it;

"Are you a Bi?"

"Eh?!"

"Bi?"

Blink. Blink.

"…"

"Whaaaaaat?!"

"You kissed me, that's why," Ryoma casually said and then looked away scratching his cheek with his finger, "We're both men too."

"W-what are you saying?" She couldn't believe him, "I—I did not kiss you, y-you did!"

"You were the one who jumped on me," He looked at her and smirked, "I didn't expect that you would after all."

"Y-you—" Somehow, she sort of forgot the tension a while ago.

"I am not against a Bi but—"

"Ryoma-kun no baka!" She abruptly stood up not forgetting to grab the photo on the ground, "I am completely straight, maybe you are!"

"Hmmm."

"M-making fun of me like that," She said blushing in the process, "I am going to sleep." With that she immediately went to her bed and lied down, her back was facing him. After a few seconds, she felt him move to his own bed not missing to say a word;

"She looks like you, I am not bothered."

She was shocked when he said that. Was he trying to ease her? It was fine with him kissing a guy if it was him? But he didn't know that she was a girl. What if he knew it, how would he react to that? She blushed to the fullest. Without thinking, she touched her lips with her fingers;

I-it was my first kiss though. She thought as she shut her eyes tight. Her heart was beating really fast as she thought her next words. A-and I had my first kiss… with Ryoma-kun.

With that realization being stuck in her brain, she knew that sleep would betray her that night.

Next morning:

She was right, she couldn't sleep last night. She kept thinking about the kiss and she couldn't help but blush about it. Sitting up, she slowly looked at the other side of the bed.

…Only to see it unoccupied.

"Ryoma-kun left earlier?" She whispered to herself. Blinking twice, she couldn't help why Ryoma would get up early although, she was aware that he was not that early to get up. M-maybe he was bothered with the kiss as well.

Upon thinking that, the blush came to her once again. She needed to calm herself down or else her day would get distracted. She resolved herself about Ryoma practicing earlier that she expected. With that, she also fixed herself as well and readied herself for the morning practice.

Somewhere at the court:

He had been rallying for a couple of minutes now. Trying to calm himself over something, he aimed it to the wall. He could deny it to someone or something but he couldn't deny it to himself.

He was bothered by it after all.

It was his first time kissing someone… let alone a girl.

Well, he could consider himself lucky for the person that he accidentally kissed was a girl. A real girl to be exact… who was acting and disguising as a boy. Good thing he knew that she was a girl.

What if he didn't? How would he react to that? He didn't really know. Probably he would feel Goosebumps or something. So he felt relieved that he knew.

…That the person that he kissed was a girl.

But he was still bothered by it… because he kissed a girl even though it was only coincidental. He never felt something like that before.

The girl's lips were something… something that he liked to feel. Why was that? He didn't really know. He stopped from rallying at that time and stared at the ground. Gripping his racket real hard, he thought of something else.

If there was a girl that he liked to kiss, he wouldn't mind her.

His eyes widened once again. He mentally shook his head. What was he thinking? He was not transferring into a pervert like his father, was he? There was no way that he could be like him.

"Stupid dad…" He uttered to himself. Just then, the morning bell announced the first class of the day, "Bummer."

In the class:

Everyone was looking at him at that moment, even the teacher. He didn't even flinch when he started walking towards his chair.

"What is it this time, Echizen?" The teacher said crossing his arms to his chest, "Trying to save a talking cat?"

"E?" He stopped from his tracks and looked at his teacher, "How'd you know?"

His classmates snickered at his answer making the teacher piss even more;

"Tom said that students kept picking on it." He said sitting on his chair.

"What?" The teacher asked afterwards, "Who's Tom?"

Ryoma closed his eyes before he talked, "The Talking cat."

The room was filled with laughter after he said that. The teacher had veins appeared on his head;

"ECHIZEN-SAN! STAND IN THE CORRIDOR WITH TWO BUCKETS OF WATER, NOW!"

He abruptly opened his eyes. After a series of staring at his teacher, he sighed and stood up.

"Sorry, I am late." Sakuno came running at the entrance of the room. Everyone shifted their attention to her.

"And what is you reason?"

Sakuno looked in the class and then to Ryoma who was standing. Blush immediately appeared to her face as she looked away from him and suddenly blurted words out without thinking;

"I helped a firefly to light up its light again?"

"…"

Ryoma stared at her and then faintly chuckled. The others had a delayed reaction and laughed at her lame excuse.

"RYUZAKI-SAN, YOU TOO!"

That made the two of them stood in the corridor the whole day.

xxx

Her heart was panicking at that very moment. It had been thirty minutes since they were punished but Ryoma didn't say a word at all. What worst was he had been sitting on the ground and probably sleeping with his hands on his chin as supporter. She slowly sat up too, dropping the two piles of water beside her just like what he did to his.

"Ne…"

She almost jumped when he suddenly talked, "I… I thought that you are asleep?"

"I was," He said then looked ahead, "I just woke up."

"I see." She agreed as she looked down. It was silent once again. She actually didn't know what to say after that. The scene that happened between them last night was slowly coming back to her. And she was with him. Mou, why am I stuck with him of all people?

"The kiss."

"W-Wha—" She immediately looked at him as blush was present to her, "What are you—"

"You are bothered by it." He said not looking at her.

She was speechless as she was able to look at him. Ryoma then, slowly looked at her and gave her a serious look.

"I am okay with it, so don't worry."

They just stared at each other. She was blushing but she didn't care anymore. Ryoma had seen her blushing for several times and she thought of getting used to it. His expression changed when he smirked and decided to say the words that she didn't expect;

"Don't tell me that you are falling for me now?"

"W-what?"

Ryoma sighed dejectedly as he looked down, "Geez, boys these days don't know whom to look," He teased her a little especially when he looked at her, "Don't mistake me for a girl, Cherry-chan."

She gasped as she realized what he was trying to pull. She leaned a little closer to him and ruffled his hair, "Stupid Ryoma-kun! Don't be so full of yourself!"

"Hey!" He reacted as he tried to get her out from his hair.

Sakuno was beginning to feel at ease. Now that Ryoma said that it was fine, she thought that it should be. That was nothing to worry about after all. Good thing that he was very understandable.

"You guys are so going to get it."

They both stopped from playing fun when they saw their teacher looking down at them, his veins were pretty big this time.

Sakuno and Ryoma looked at each other and silently sensed 'trouble' in their heads.

"Detention to you guys later."

They sweat dropped when he said that. Not really arguing with the teacher, they bowed their head and ended up replying;

"Hai…"

Two weeks later:

The people were very busy that very day. It was actually the day where they were going to welcome the exchanged students from different schools. Seigaku students were gathered at the hall where the meeting would be held. Ryoma and the others were just timidly looking around. Everyone was there, the tennis club, the basketball club, the football club, the drama and arts club and so and so forth.

The noise had died down when the principal went in front of the stage and grabbed hold of the mic.

"Listen everyone, today is the day that we are going to do something new for the first time," The principal said looking at them, "It's time that we should make a change and be acquaintance with fellow students. Let's share our freedom to enjoy the activities and the festivities for the following months."

The students shouted due to agreement while the others sweat dropped. Not all of them agreed to it but they couldn't do anything. They might think that they should enjoy the less class, less quiz for the following months instead.

"Let me welcome you guys, the school which stood up from being the unfortunate to fortunate one, our first guest," The principal pointed the first school, "Fudomine Junior High School!."

Students from the said school wearing black hooded jackets with the logo, black shirts, white shorts, and black warm-up pants were entering the stage. There were representing different clubs as they were holding different gears.

Seigaku students started to murmur as they were observing the school.

"They are pretty serious if you ask me." Ryoma heard Horio said his thoughts.

"I agree." Katsuo nodded.

"The second school is from Kanagawa prefecture. It is said to be the best school in the said location," The principal shifted his hand to another school, "Welcome them, Rikkaidai Junior high!"

Sakuno observed the tennis team of the school and then she noticed someone, a very tall guy with blue wavy hair. She blushed a little as she thought of something, He looks like a girl.

"They are pretty strong too." They heard other students commented.

"They say that the school is pretty famous for their tennis club," A student of them said.

Ryoma heard it and smirked, "Yarujan."

"The last but not the least was from the Kansai region," The Principal pointed out the last school to his right, "The farthest place from Tokyo that we ever invited, Shitenhouji!"

Sakuno then again explored the team on stage and her eyes fixed at one guy out there. Her eyes widened when she recognized the person. T-that's him! H-he was the guy that I bumped into a few weeks ago. She couldn't believe it.

The person that she met had begun searching the entire area and sort of looking for someone. When he spotted the person, he waved at him and surprisingly shouted at him;

"KOSHIMAE! ! !"

Everyone was shocked at the sudden call of attention. He was waving at a particular person at that moment and it was in the direction of them.

"LET'S PLAY! KOSHIMAE!"

"Who is he calling to?" Horio said looking at Kachiro. The latter just shrugged.

Ryoma on the other hand, had a sudden widened eye and then recovered as fast as he could. He pinned his hat down as he secretly cursed.

Sakuno saw his reaction and wondered. C-could it be… Her thought was cut when someone with the same uniform as him stopped him from making a commotion. Everyone sweat dropped when the person showed the boy his bandage arm and scared him out of it. Whatever his senior did was truly effective.

"Sorry about that," The principal continued, "In three months, they will be joining us in class. Join different clubs and activities and last but not the least, the festival itself."

Everyone murmured after that. The school was indeed crowded for three whole months but the others didn't mind. Meeting new students would be interesting to them.

"Enjoy the start of festival and win all the prizes there are!"

That was the cue as everyone shouted. The three guest schools joined in as well. Sakuno who was wondering about the festival and their competitions also joined in. Everyone thought that it would be a wonderful and exciting three months that was awaited them.

After the announcement:

Everyone went to their respective classes after that. Since it was the start of the festival months, classes were not as strict as before, although they had to study for the last exam of the week. The guest schools were being toured around the campus with the student council members. Since Oishi and Tezuka were a part of the council, they didn't have a choice but to cancel the practice and concentrate with the touring.

That lead them to do what they wanted to do that day.

"So what do you want to do now, Echizen?" Horio asked as they walked around the campus.

Ryoma yawned before he decided to reply, "Some place quiet, maybe?"

"The library?" Kachiro asked while Sakuno and Horio waited for him.

"Un."

"You're boring, you know?" Horio said narrowing his eyes at him.

"I volunteered." He shortly replied at him.

Sakuno was about to say something when she was being interrupted.

"Echizen. Cherry-chan!"

They looked at the last person who talked. They saw the dunk smasher and the acrobatic player running towards them.

"Momo-chan-senpai, Kikumaru-senpai." Sakuno greeted them as she bowed. The others followed as well.

"Where are you going, nya?"

"To the library." Horio answered him.

Ryoma shot a glare at him. And why are you going too? He thought but he didn't voice it out, "I'll volunteer today since there's no practice."

"Hmmm," Momo thought hard before he looked at Eiji, "Would it be nice to play a little?"

"But Momo-chin," Eiji interrupted, "The court is already occupied with the other tennis players."

"From the other schools?" Ryoma said.

"And it's too crowded to fit in?" Sakuno continued.

"Exactly!" Momo and Eiji both said at the same time.

"Say, that's why there is no class today," Katsuo said placing his hands to his head, "The president in each class and the student council members are escorting the transfer students… with their club activities."

"Seems like it," Kachiro said, "We could meet them tomorrow during class, I guess."

"What about you, senpai-tachi? What are you planning to do?" Horio asked them.

"Maybe I could give my parents a call and tell them the current events."

"I could call my sisters as well, I kinda miss them," Eiji decided and then looked at Sakuno, "What about you, Cherry-chan?"

"M-me?" She asked pointing to herself. She looked at them and to her surprise, even Ryoma was even looking at her. She moved her eyes randomly as she replied, "I guess, I'll stay in the dorm and study instead."

"Eeeeh…" Momo reacted, "You are not going to join Echizen?"

"I don't want to bother Ryoma-kun," She said reasoning to them, "I also like to concentrate with my studies to keep up."

"If you say so…" Momo said, "There's so much to do huh?"

xxx

They went inside the building and to their lockers to place and gather something. They went in since they were together.

Sakuno also did the same thing. She removed her indoor shoes and was about to place it in her locker but when she opened her locker door, a surprise welcomed her.

From her locker, she saw a box and a letter. She secretly panicked as she stared at it. Her friends were nearby and she didn't want to make a commotion about it. She made a quick movement as she closed the door but because of that, something went off.

Somehow, the letter that was resting on top of the box moved and swiftly flew out of the door before she completely closed it. Her eyes widened when she saw it drop on the floor. Before she could get it, somehow did it for her. Another shock was visible on her face when she recognized who picked it for her.

"R-Ryoma-kun!" She panicky said as she blushed really hard.

"What's this?" Ryoma said flipping the letter in his hand, "Ryuzaki Jerry…" He muttered mentioning her 'name' that was written on the letter. He also noticed some hearts that covered the side of the letter. What wondered him was the letter was pink.

"G-give me that, Ryoma-kun!" She said as she tried to reach it but Momo got it from him before her.

"Hmmm," He observed the letter as Sakuno was trying to reach for it, "It's a love letter."

"Really?" Eiji said peeking at the letter, "I want to see it, nya!"

"S-senpai!" Sakuno was definitely surprised. Even she was shocked at the letter. It was her first time receiving a love letter since she entered the school, "I—I don't even know that letter."

"Then why are you trying to get it from me?" Momo teased.

"B-because it's not yours!" She said as she shouted.

Momo shook his head as he finally gave her the letter, "So young, so young."

She pouted when she received the letter. Because of her reaction, the boys around her blushed at certain degrees. Ryoma hid his under the cap.

"Cherry-chan," Kachiro said easing the tense around them, "C-could it be… it's from your admirer?"

"Eh?" She looked at him before she looked at the letter, "Impossible?"

"It is possible," Horio said, "Do you remember the boy from another class before?" He looked at Kachiro and Katsuo before he continued, "That boy confessed to him."

"Right." The two both nodded.

"Someone confessed to Cherry-chan?" Momo couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"II data."

They looked at the last person who talked. They sweat dropped when Eiji mimicked Inui's moves and position, even the notebook, the pen and the glasses. He looked at them and wondered, "What is it?"

"Mada mada dane, senpai." Ryoma taunted as he smirked away.

"Ochibi. That's mean!"

"I rejected him, alright!" She defended herself to them. It wasn't actually the first time. There were times that some of the boys had started to look for her and when they had the chance to be alone with her, they confessed their love hoping that she would agree. She was beginning to get paranoid at the confessions that she received over the past weeks. It would be okay if they knew that she was a girl. But they didn't.

They thought that she was a boy and having a relationship with the same gender was okay for them.

She didn't feel like reciprocating one of them. First, she was a bit worried that if they discovered her identity, her stay in Seigaku would no longer be available. She was not ready for entering a relationship yet.

Unless…

If her 'roommate' would surprisingly do all those things, she wouldn't mind at all.

Her eyes widened when she thought that. She shook her head really hard just to get rid of that stupid thought. Why would she think of him that way? It was impossible. Definitely impossible.

"Well, seems like Echizen's not the only one getting admirers now." Momo shrugged as if he casually said it.

Ryoma glared at him, "Don't even start with it."

"Ne, Cherry-chan, why don't read it, nya?" Eiji said leaning closer towards her.

"E-eh?" She blinked twice as she hugged the letter. She was about to protest when the acrobatic player suddenly grabbed it and opened it without her permission, "Senpai!"

"Dear Ryuzaki-san," Eiji started jumping far from the rest. Sakuno tried to reach him. She was already blushing, "When I first saw you, I thought that you were an angel. Maybe you are, because I have fallen in love with you the next day. Please don't get me wrong, my intentions for you are clear. Please meet me at the rooftop after class today."

The trio plus Momo were just refraining themselves from laughing while Ryoma raised a brow. Someone thought that she was an angel? That person was weird indeed.

"Your secret admirer."

Sakuno was stunned when she heard everything what the letter's content. Her face was really red as she looked down. Everyone looked at her and could see how… cute she was. They ended up blushing.

"Ummm Cherry-chan," Momo said hesitating whether he would say his words or not, but decided to do the former, "If you keep blushing like that, we will really think that you are a girl."

Sakuno became alerted and looked at them. Trying to recover from the sudden shock, she faced them, "Baka! I am a boy!" She gritted her teeth and showed that she was angry, "Grrrr!" At least she did her best at showing them. She grabbed the letter from Eiji and walked ahead, "I'll show this guy that he messed up with the wrong guy."

Everyone snickered when they saw her react that way. Well, Ryoma was the only one there who knew her gender. But he couldn't believe that she could act like that. They watched her leave the corridor but just as she turned to a corner, she bumped into someone and everyone saw it.

Everyone witnessed how she almost fell on the ground if it was not for the guy who bumped her. The guy's arm had quickly grabbed her arm to bring her balance back. Everything was really fast.

Sakuno looked at her savior. Her thought of thanking the guy who bumped her was put to halt when she looked at him.

"Wow, you are pretty light," The guy said looking at her with full curiosity, "…for a boy?"

"E-eh…" She only looked at him and blushed at the same time. She hadn't recovered from the letter and then the guy that she met a month ago was actually standing in front of her.

The guy blinked twice as he observed her, "You know what? You look familiar…"

"W-what?" She looked away to avoid his stare. She also avoided the stare her friends were giving them, "Ummm..." She became panicky when the guy looked closer to her face. Ryoma saw what he was trying to do. He was about to approach them when the newcomer surprised everyone.

"URYA!" He shouted grabbing her both to her shoulder, "You look like her!"

"Hey!" Momo said trying to catch up too.

"Are you her twin or something? But you are cute and she is cute too. I wanted to see her again but I couldn't see her anymore. I don't know where she lives," The guy had started ranting his thoughts still keeping her to her shoulder, "But you are here, so it is fine!"

"Let him go, jungle boy." Ryoma suddenly butted in surprising everyone around him. The truth was he was getting pissed at the scene that he was seeing and the never ending ranting of the boy in front of them.

"Koshimae!" He said as he looked at him but he still didn't let go of her, "I've been looking all over for you. I didn't know that you are friends with this cute boy here."

The rest looked between Ryoma and the new guy. Their faces were covered with curiosity but no one let out their thoughts.

"E-excuse me. C-can you let—" Sakuno tried to speak after a few seconds of silence but she was awfully shocked when the boy suddenly hugged her.

Everyone was shocked at the sudden movement of the newcomer. Sakuno was too surprised to speak up as well. And they weren't recovered from it especially when the boy continued talking;

"You wouldn't mind if I spend time with him?" The boy said as he looked at the widened eyes of the people in front of them, especially the amber eyes one, "I think I like him."

Silence erupted between them. Sakuno was rather speechless but not in her mind.

Obaa-chan, I am in a pinch! Help me! ! !

Done! How was this chapter? I guess you do know who the guy was here... tee hee hee... Sorry that it took long for me to update. This month is going to be a busy month for me but I promise that I'll do my best to update this as possible. So I thank you for the people who are still supporting this fic. Domo…

I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Tell me your thoughts. Thank you… ^_^

Talking Tom (Cat)– You know this game right. Tom is actually your pet cat that responds to your touch and repeats everything you say in a funny voice. You can actually 'bully' the cat and it will react to you… Tee hee hee…

I do not own the game and never will…

Next chapter: Super Ultra Great Delicious Festival!