Hi there! I am back… I am sorry for the late reply… I guess the updates of this fic will be monthly but it depends on my free time. Well, anyway this is the new chapter… Thank you very much… ^_^

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

Johanna - maraming salamat… tee hee hee… well, ito na nga ung next chapter na hinihintay mu… salamat uli… ^_^

Panda musume – thank you for loving my stories tee hee hee… I am ready glad that you do. Well, you know that soon…? Tee hee hee… well, the next chapter is up now… Thank you very much… ^_^

Chapter 9: Super Ultra Great Delicious Festival!

Chapter Summary: The festival was all set in the school. Everyone was preparing for it and not a typical girl could be left behind with the said event.

She was frozen, stunned, petrified and stiffened at her location. There was just a jungle—err—boy with leopard attire was glomping at her at that moment telling everyone that he liked her.

Not knowing that the girl he had met and the one that he was hugging was the same person.

She didn't know what to do. She panicked but she had to act cool or else they would become suspicious. Thinking of something to escape from the exchange student's grip, she grabbed his arm and tried to remove it from her;

"Let go of me, baka!"

"Kawaii… urya!" He brushed his own cheek to her making her wide eye.

She was utterly shocked as she held a shriek. Good thing that she remembered about being a boy because if she reacted at first, they would suspect about it. But she couldn't stop herself from blushing. The boy was just brushing his cheek against her, drawing her closer to his body.

Waahh, someone help me! I am doomed!

As if her silent prayer was answered, Momo and Ryoma separated them apart. Momo held the boy while Ryoma pulled her closer to him.

"Hey, you're freaking him out." Momo said.

The boy looked at them and pouted, placing his hands at the back of his head, "You guys are no fun," He then looked at Ryoma and her, "How come koshimae can play with bishounen-chan when I can't?"

"B-bishounen… chan?" Sakuno couldn't believe what she was repeating.

"Koshimae?" Momo and Eiji said at the same time. Then Momo looked at him, "Why is he calling you 'Koshimae'? I heard that at the conference a while ago. Do you know him Echizen?"

"No." He shortly replied.

"AH! Hidoi na, koshimae," He approached him causing Sakuno to hide at Ryoma's back, afraid of being glomped by surprise with the boy in front of them, "How come you forget about me?"

Ryoma just closed his eyes and grunted. He was not planning to answer that.

"I don't want to be mean but," Horio said cutting the tense between them, "Who are you anyway?"

He looked at Horio and grinned at him. He walked closer to him and shook hands making the later flinch at his sudden action, "Touyama Kintarou, Anjou yoroshuu!"

Horio sweat dropped, "N-nice to meet you too."

Sakuno just looked at him but she flinched when he looked at her and in an instant, he was in front of her once again, grabbing her hands in the process;

"What's your name, bishounen-chan?"

She sweat dropped as she tried to escape, "R-Ryuzaki desu, Jerry Ryuzaki."

"Ah!" Kintarou chided as he leaned closer to her, "You look like her! She's cute."

"Did you by any chance meet his sister?" Eiji asked him this time.

Sakuno remembered about the time and didn't waste to reason out, "T-that's right, Touyama-kun, y-you must've met my sister back then. Our friends often told us that we look like twins." She closed her eyes sweating drop on the process.

Kintarou just leaned at her and making her shriek once more. He had just hugged her once again, "Kawaii desu! Urya! I want to borrow you from koshimae!"

They were about to separate them when someone called Kintarou's attention;

"You would've released him now if I were you Kin-chan."

Kintarou turned around and immediately went at Sakuno's back much to her surprise, "Eep, Shiraishi…"

A tall guy walked closer to him and showing his bandaged arm to Kintarou, "And I told you to stay put. You are embarrassing me." He smiled but it was filled with warnings as the other looked at him.

Kintarou had immediately transferred to Ryoma's back when he saw him unwrapping his bandage, "D-don't do that, Shiraishi. I promise I'll behave," He then nudged Ryoma to his shoulder, "Ne, Koshimae, that's poisonous, make him stop."

Ryoma narrowed his eyes as he tried to get away from him. Poisonous? What the heck was he talking about?

"Koshimae?" The guy called Shirashi asked, "You must be Echizen Ryoma that our Kintarou was talking about?"

His attention caught him. He didn't reply but he gave him an understanding look. The guy extended his hand to him and smiled;

"Shiraishi, Kuranosuke Shiraishi, Captain of Shitenhouji tennis club," He said looking at him, "Nice to meet you, Echizen."

"Domo." He just nodded a little and shook hands with him. Somehow, he felt thrilled meeting another tennis player aside from his school.

Shiraishi then looked behind him and Kintarou, "And you must be?"

She flinched when she saw him looking at her. She immediately bowed to him, "R-Ryuzaki Jerry desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!"

"Hmmm, Ryuzaki-chan ei?" He smirked this time, "Ecstacy."

Everyone sweat dropped for the umpteenth time and then silence was erupted between them but not until someone talked.

"Shiraishi-san," Eiji thought to himself but they could hear him mumbling, "Shiraishi…" He repeated and even Shiraishi was looking at him now, "Ah!" He reacted as he pointed at the latter, "Are you related to Akira Shiraishi?"

"Akira… Shiraishi?" Shiraishi blinked twice but shook his head later, "No… I am sorry but who's that?"

Eiji leaned in to him as his eyes sparkled, "He's a beautiful boy and the lead vocal of a band and the boyfriend of a handsome girl who is the lead guitarist of the band."

"What?"

"I am talking about MIzuki Sakurazaka, the most handsome girlfriend of Akira Shiraishi!"

Everyone narrowed his eyes as Kintarou and Shiraishi were totally speechless.

"He's talking about it." Horio had monotonously said.

"Yep, yep," Kachiro agreed nodding his head in the process, "Poor Shiraishi-san."

"Totally." Momo agreed to the both.

Sakuno and Ryoma sweat dropped and somehow they knew what Eiji was talking about. Katsuo was just giving the two exchange students an apologetic look. Good thing that Shiraishi understood the whole thing but Kintarou seemed to be enjoying the conversation with Eiji. And who wouldn't.

They just discovered the thing that they had in common. Later on, Eiji had started introducing the others to them.

"Momoshiro Takeshi," Eiji said pointing at Momo and then pointing to himself, "Eiji Kikumaru," And pointed at the three last, "The freshmen trio," Making the trio sweat drop, "Nice to meet you too. What are we missing now?"

Shiraishi chuckled at Eiji's comment, "Gomen, I was just looking for my kouhai because we still need to tour your campus but he ran off somewhere and got separated from our team."

"I see," Momo said looking at him, "I hope you enjoy your tour here."

Before Shiraishi could respond, Kintarou beat him to it, "Ne, ne, bishounen-chan, why don't you tour me around?"

"Eh?" She was rather shocked for the favor.

"Kin-chan…" Shiraishi called as he walked closer, "We have the third year as guidelines so don't bother him."

"B-but Shiraishi, I want to be with him." Kintarou pleaded.

"Cut it already," Ryoma said not taking his naughtiness anymore, "He's not obliged to tour you around. Let's go, Ryuzaki." With that he started to walk away from them making everyone follow his movement with their eyes. Sakuno bowed in front of them and said;

"I… I am sorry Touyama-kun. Maybe some other time." With that she followed Ryoma who continued walking his way to the library.

"Well, we will go now as well," Shiraishi called towing Kintarou to his collar, "See you soon in the court."

"Hai…" Momo said looking at them. Kintarou was wailing but Shiraishi was ignoring his rants, "See you soon."

"This festival is… weird," Eiji said as he followed what he was doing, "But it is interesting all the same. I can't wait for the events to come."

The rest agreed to Eiji. They were definitely excited about the event that was going to be held for three months.

After a few minutes:

She continued walking to her designated place. She wanted to make things clear.

About the love letter that she received a few moments before. She didn't want to cause any problems and having a relationship with someone that she didn't know might be a bad idea for her. She was not going to take the risk at all.

She still wanted to stay in Seigaku and she was beginning to like the school.

Reaching her destination, she looked around the rooftop. Then she knew she found him. He was the only person there, much to her bewilderment. She took a deep breath and walked towards the guy. Sensing that she was walking closer to him, he looked at her way.

"R-Ryuzaki-san!" The boy started sensing the shock of seeing her there, "I—I am not really expecting that you would come and see me here."

"You asked me to come here, so I did." She had the time to look at him. Well, the guy was blushing probably because she was looking at him. She couldn't help but blush as well. He had a blue hair and a bit tall. His eyes were pretty fierce but she wasn't worried about it. She had the instinct that the guy in front of her was a second year student.

He scratched his head as he looked away, blush was still present to him, "I guess I did," He then looked at her and bowed, "My name's Ikeda, Masaya Ikeda. And I really like you Ryuzaki-san!"

She had known that confession from the letter but hearing it personally was a different story. She was utterly shocked and she didn't know what to do. The guy in front of her just personally confessed to her. How would a person react to that?

"Ryuzaki-san?"

She flinched when he called her name once again. He was still blushing but his eyes were showing him the determination that he had. She secretly panicked and she knew that it wasn't good.

"G-gomen," She said looking away from his eyes, "I can't like you back."

"Is it because you already have someone?"

"Eh?" She looked back at him as she was surprised at the question.

"You have someone you like, haven't you?"

"Y-yeah, I have," She gave him a weird smile as she walked a step backward. The guy was walking closer to her, "Who's this guy then?"

"What?" She frowned.

"Who's your boyfriend?"

"B-boyfriend?" She twitched as he asked her that. I-isn't it the other way around? I am a guy here, for goodness sake!

"Who is he Ryuzaki-san?" He said walking closer to her than before.

"That would be me."

Both of them looked at the last person. They were both shocked as they recognized the person standing in front of them. Ikeda stood straight and bowed while Sakuno was utterly speechless gaping in front of them.

"You're not giving him a hard time, aren't you, Ikeda-san?"

Ikeda flinched as he bowed continuously at him, "I-ie, gomenasai, I—I didn't know that it was you who's Ryuzaki-san's boyfriend. I am sorry again. I won't bother him anymore," He stood straight once again and looked straight at his eyes;

"Fuji-senpai."

Sakuno immediately recovered and went to Fuji grabbing his arm in the process, "T-that's right. He's my boyfriend and you can see that," She laughed ridiculously after that making Ikeda frown in the process, "…I am sorry." She immediately replied after the short period of silence.

"I-ie, it's okay," Ikeda bowed once again as Fuji nodded, "I'll take my leave now. G-good luck on your relationship." The former quickly ran off from the rooftop leaving the two of them behind. Sakuno was able to breathe after that little commotion. She then looked at him and smiled;

"A-arigatou, senpai," She said blushing in the process, "t-that was awkward though."

"Saa… I wonder about that," Fuji said looking at her, "this will not be over if you ask me."

"What do you mean?" She blinked twice.

Fuji just smiled at her before he looked ahead, "He would probably spread the rumor about us."

"Eh?"

"Sorry, Cherry-chan but," He said leaning closer to her and brushed his index finger to her nose, "You have to stick to me for the meantime."

She blushed. Blinked. Held breath. Eyes widened… Screamed…

"E-EEEEHHH!"

At least in a manly way.

Tennis Club:

It was just Seigaku tennis club regulars and members only that were exclusively gathering around the court and Sumire was calling their attention for an announcement. They were attentively listening to her for the meantime.

And for once, Sakuno tried to forget the current situation that she was in… with Fuji's unforgettable words.

"We had decided what to do this festival," Sumire started as they look at everyone there, regulars or not, "For a month, we will be having an entertainment right at this court."

Everyone murmured as they looked at each other. Momo was the one to ask her;

"What sort of entertainment, sensei?"

Sumire looked at him before she looked at Tezuka and nodded, "A band."

"A band?" Everyone repeated and began murmuring once again.

"But I don't know how to play instruments." Eiji said scratching his head with his hands.

"You can improvise though," Sumire said catching their attention once again, "You don't have to play just because you don't know how to play. You can do your thing."

"Hmmm," Fuji said thinking something deep and then voiced it out to them, "You mean we can form a band without playing the real thing."

Tezuka answered for her, "You have your choice. Make this band unique in your own way," He explained and then looked at the others, "You can form a band and play with real instruments or if you know how to play then do that as well. Make this normal band into an extraordinary one."

"Sounds interesting," Inui said scribbling something in his notebook, "With that information, we could also use our rackets as props too."

"As I've said earlier, you can improvise anything," Sumire said nodding in the process, "The stage will be built at court A so the other courts will be played by other tennis players. We will have some tennis tournaments as well."

"That's would be great," Ryoma stoically commented, "I am not interested at forming a band after all."

"There is a special prize for those who will join the entertainment," Sumire smirked and looked at Ryoma, "If a band wins, the committee will choose a member from the winning band and will be rewarded a wish."

"A wish?"

Sumire nodded, "Any wish of that person will do well, except for money of course and anything that is impossible to be granted."

"But why only a member of the winning band? Why not everyone in the band?" Momo asked Sumire.

"Well, the committee will just pick one in the band and just like in a game, they would pick the most valuable player," Sumire explained, "It depends if the winner would share it to the band."

"Hmmm, that winner should have a heart then," Momo grinned, "But I'll go with the prize. I am in!"

"Me too!" The others almost said at the same time. Sakuno was just smiling and at the same time looking at her grandmother. It seemed that Ryoma became quiet once again after that and who would thought what his mind was at that very moment.

But having this entertainment would bring anyone together in this festival.

Later on:

In the end, Ryoma joined the band together with Sakuno, Momo, Eiji and Horio while Fuji, Katsuo, Kawamura, Inui, Kachiro and Kaidoh formed their own group. The other formed their bands as well and being a regular was not the issue here. Arai made his own band as well. Tezuka and Oishi couldn't join the entertainment event for they were a part of the council and were one of the judges at the said event.

Everyone had been oriented at the festival for the months. The first month would be exclusively for the students inside the school, exchanged or not. There would be booths and games all through the campus and would continue until the third month. The main event for the first month was the class' special performance. Each class would be competing with the other classes and would be receiving prizes at the end of the month. The exchanged students could join a certain activity if they felt like joining. The second month would be the club's entertainment. Every club would be participating at the event. People from outside could enter the school with passes that was coming from the students inside. The exchange students would be watching them and they could play at the said clubs that they were belonged to. And like the first month, prizes would be given at the end of the month. The third month was the most interesting part. There would be marathon, fun activities and tournaments that held and was exclusively dedicated for the exchange students. The marathon would be held on the second to the last day of the event the exchange students were recommended to join. Thus, the last day of the event was the night party to conclude the event.

The freshmen's class was having a mixed role play while the second year class was having a magic show and the third year class was having a butler café. The contest was competing with the same theme and the best class would be awarded at the end of the month. The year level was not an exemption to the rule. As everyone prepared for the upcoming festival, lessons and exams were lied down for their performance would be their grade for that term.

Everyone was excited. Or so she thought.

Tennis Club:

"Koshimae!" Kintarou shouted outside the fence.

Ryoma had just finished packing his bag and was about to leave the court. He ignored the jungle boy's voice as he walked passed him but the latter just jumped on him from behind.

"Where's bishounen-chan?" Kintarou asked choking him to his grip.

"Let go of me!" He said trying to free from his grip.

"Not until you tell where he is!" He said weighing himself to the boy.

Ryoma was about to retort when someone did it for him.

"Kin-chan, what did I tell you about leaving my side?"

Kintarou flinched when he heard the voice. Ryoma looked behind them as soon as Kintarou jumped from his back and fled a few distance away from them. He recognized the person right away from earlier on but he was with the other two that he didn't know.

"Sorrry about that," He said as he looked at Kintarou peeking at them, "I think my kouhai is going to bug you for a while."

He looked away as he narrowed his eyes, "He's already a pain."

"But I can see that you two are really close, ne?" The other person talked.

Ryoma looked at the person. He had a blue hair and blue eyes. He looked a girl to be exact. He was with someone but he was not looking at him, he was looking elsewhere. His had a raven hair that looked like seaweed plaits and black eyes. Judging from Inui's data, he gathered all the tennis players from the three schools and he knew that these guys in front of him were tennis players as well, it was also for the duffel bags that they carried. He was about to look at where the seaweed guy was looking at when someone talked.

"Ryoma-kun, Momo-senpai and Eiji-senpai said that we need to—"

"Bishounen-chan!" Kintarou called and hurriedly made his way from nowhere and was about to glomp at her.

Sakuno was shocked as she punched the poor boy due to panic.

They saw what she did and sweat drop in the process. Ryoma just pinned his hat down and smirked.

"G-gomenasai, Touyama-kun!" She said trying to help him up, "Don't scare me like that."

"Ryuzaki," Ryoma called out to her, "What were you saying?"

"Ah, yeah," She said and faced him after she help Kintarou up, "Senpai-tachi said that we need to talk about what we should sing for our band."

He then nodded and then walked ahead not forgetting to bow at the three exchange students. Sakuno did the same as well. She blushed a little when she stared at the blue-haired boy that looked like a girl and was taken aback when her eyes went to the other guy.

The guy had a furious expression that was coming from his eyes and she didn't know why. She immediately looked away as she excused herself to them.

"Well, I hope you all like your stay." She was able to say her words before she followed him.

"Shiraishi…" Kintarou pouted as he looked at his captain, "I want to follow them."

Shiraishi looked at him, "I thought that you want to have a match with him."

"I know… but, but..."

Shiraishi looked at him and shook his head. He was about to say something when someone tapped his shoulder.

"I guess you should give your kouhai a chance. Just give him some limits of what to do and what not to do."

He looked at the person who talked last. He was the Rikkaidai Captain, Seiichi Yukimura and they had just met a few hours ago. They planned to explore the campus together since the others were also busy doing their things as well. His other member, Kirihara Akaya, the ace of Rikkaidai had silently followed them. He sighed a he looked at his kouhai;

"I guess I am spoiling you that much," Shiraishi said, "Be back in an hour."

Kintarou's face enlightened as he started to jump, "Arigatou Shiraishi," With that he went to the direction where the other two went, "I'll be back in an hour, I promise!"

Later on, at the rooftop:

He didn't want to discuss the whole thing. But he had no choice. He wanted to complain but they just wouldn't listen. His role from their class was already pissing him off and there was no way that it would be repeating with the band that they were forming at that moment.

…To add that, there was also an outsider within the group.

…Kintarou, clinging to him and Sakuno all the time.

"So, we will cross-dress?" Momo and Horio couldn't believe what they were saying.

Eiji excitingly nodded, "Don't worry we will not dress to the fullest, let's just act to be like that."

"B-but senpai," Sakuno tried to protest, "I—I don't think that's—"

"Tsk, tsk," Eiji said raising a finger in front of her, "I thought of a costume for you Cherry-chan and you will not hold back," He grinned at her this time, "I bet that you will look like a girl at that get up."

"You seemed to be prepared at all this senpai?" Momo said sweat dropping in the process, "I don't think I can do this either."

"You cannot back out on this too, Momo-chin," Eiji said warning his kouhai, "If you want to win, we will cross-dress and that includes you, Ochibi."

"Yadda!" Ryoma quickly replied.

""Come on, Ochibi," Eiji said trying to convince him, "It will be an exciting band. Imagine, ourselves dress like girls… just like from the handsome girls from—"

"Blaue Rosen!" Kintarou shouted completing Eiji's words.

"Ping pong!" Eiji gave him a thumps up.

The rest sighed at their childish antics.

"What are we going to sing then?" Horio asked the others.

"We will sing English songs of course." Eiji answered.

"English?" Momo wondered as he looked at his senpai, "What English songs?"

"Hmmm, I am still thinking," The acrobatic player closed his eyes and thought, "I know!" He immediately reacted making everyone flinch.

"What is it?" Sakuno asked him this time.

The 'leader' of the band grinned at her and took a deep breath and;

"C-A-N-D-Y! Filling up the empty jar, say Candy Crush! Candy Crush!"

"Senpai…" Momo and Ryoma narrowed their eyes at said the same time, "That's a game."

"And it's not even English." Horio caught up.

"Or maybe this one," Eiji suggested as he took a deep breath before Sakuno and Horio could stop him, "M-I-NI-O-N! Laughs are weighing in the car, hey Minion Rush! Minion Rush!"

"SENPAI!" The four of them shouted at the same time.

"Gomen, gomen," Eiji laughed after that, "Can't help it, nya!"

"Mataku, senpai." Momo shook his head. They thought that Eiji was done with his parody but they were wrong when he started to sing another one.

"No eating here tonight, no eating here tonight," He mimicked as he played with his racket, "No, no, no eating here tonight, you're on a DIET!"

"Ore ga kaero." Ryoma murmured as he started walking out from the rooftop. Sakuno followed him behind. Momo and Horio started to laugh because of Eiji's antics and even Kintarou was joining him with singing.

They didn't notice that their two freshmen had already left the place.

Later on:

"I hope that this festival will turn out fine." Sakuno said as they walked on their way back to their dorm.

Ryoma didn't say anything but he acknowledged her words. Sakuno sighed when she realized that she was going not to receive a reply from him. She could understand though. She knew that he was pressured of all events that were going to happen for the upcoming two months. She hoped that everything would really turn out fine.

"Cherry-chan."

They looked ahead to the person who called her. Her eyes had immediately widened when she saw the tensai standing and smiling at the both of them.

Crap.

She had completely forgotten about the situation between them. She was silently thankful that no one had noticed them yet or it would really awkward during the festival.

"You know, we should make plans for our upcoming date at the end of this month." Fuji said approaching the two of them.

Ryoma was a little surprised but he didn't show that much but Sakuno was really shocked about it.

"W-what are you saying, senpai?" Sakuno panic as she tried to reason out, "I can't go on a date with you… I—I have a girlfriend you know."

"Hmmm," Ryoma reacted as he looked at her way, "Are you by any chance a two-timer?"

"What!" She suddenly reacted trying to act as calmly as possible not trying to lose her composure to act like a boy, "I am not!"

"But not in the eyes of the boys here," Fuji said smiling at her, "the news isn't spread yet but we will definitely become an item during the festival months."

Ryoma was taken aback at that very moment. Well, he wasn't expecting that coming from the tensai at all, "What do you mean, senpai?"

"You see," Fuji smiled first before he walked closer to Sakuno and grabbed her to her shoulder, bringing her closer in the process, "Cherry-chan and I are a couple now."

Ryoma and Sakuno's eyes widened when he said that. Sakuno watched Ryoma in front of her despite the immediate blush that appeared to her face. She knew that the prodigy was shocked at Fuji's words. Why would Fuji say those things now?

It couldn't be a problem in the future, could it?

Done! How was this chapter? A lot had happened here… sigh… okay, Fuji just saved her from the guy but the news about him being her boyfriend would be threatened in the entire campus and of course shock everyone. Fuji seemed to be enjoying it but Sakuno was worried about it… not that he already knew her secret. The others would think that they are a gay couple now… tee hee hee… I hope this will be fine for you guys… and… what will Ryoma do? Is there going to be a love rumble? There will be people who will like Sakuno in the future but this will not be a total Harem… I promise. Thank you.

Do you remember Ikeda Masaya? He's a second year student in Seigaku and always hangs out with Arai and with another second year student. I couldn't think of another person so I thought of him as Sakuno's admirer.

Vocab:

Akira Shiraishi and Mizuki Sakurazaka from 'Ai Wo Utau Yori Ore Ni Oborero' or 'Ai Ore':

Akira Shiraishi, a young high school boy with feminine features, joins Blaue Rosen, the all-girl band that Mizuki Sakurazaka, an androgynous girl of the same age, performs lead electric guitar. These two fell in love the most impossible ways but they ended up in a good relationship after all.

Blaue Rosen - Mizuki's band's name. It means Blue Rose.

Candy Crush and Minion Rush – Most popular games there days. You are pretty familiar with Candy Crush right? Minion rush is from the movie called 'Despicable Me' where the minions have games of their own.

Note: The tune between Candy Crush and Minion Rush is from a song called Sugar Rush from the movie called Wreck-It Ralph. I don't own it.

Eiji's last song – Dory's lines from Finding Nemo. Do you remember that line where she started singing that to Marlin? Tee hee hee… I just love Dory, she's funny.

Bishounen - beautiful boy.

Hidoi na - it's cruel or cruel.

Anjou yoroshuu - pleased to meet you.

Ore ga kaero - I'll go home.

I do not own the manga, the games and the lines from the animated movie that I used here in this fic. Zero-related so disclaimer's apply. I do not own anything here...Capiche?

And while you are it, feel free to read my other POT fics. There is one crossover fic that I am currently making. The title is 'Threads to Life'. You can see which Anime that POT is crossover-ing with... Domo... ^_^

Next Chapter: Cinderella in Wonderland