Hye! I am so sorry for the late update... I am back with the new chapter. I hope this worth the wait… domo…

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

caterinechizen - tee hee hee... thank you for loving the last chapter... this is the new chapter... I hope you'll like this as well... Thank you once again... ^^

johanna - tama... definitely school rumble nga... well, malalaman mo din un in the future...? tee hee hee... ito nga pala ung katuloy... maraming salamat... ^^

Athenadreamer - I am so happy that you love those fics of mine... and I am also glad to hear about you re-reading my CT... ^^

tee hee hee... I guess, I just love cliffhangers... :3

I have an account there... same name but haven't posted anything yet... :3 Do you have the same name? I'll visit your site when I have the time... and read the one that you recommended. ^_^

thank you too... this is the next chapter... ^^

Chapter 12: What Happened?

Chapter Summary: She only knew one thing; everything in her love life was in chaos. She only hoped that her stay in Seigaku wasn't involved.

Frozen.

Everthing was frozen between them. The jungle boy was still, the tennis prodigy was still and she was also still. The area was quiet and only wind could be heard around them.

Just what was Ryoma said all of the sudden?

He was courting her? The girl version of her? As Ryuzaki Sakuno? Not Ryuzaki Cherry—err—Jerry?

And like the all times, her reaction was delayed, "E-ehhh!" She looked at Ryoma who was casually looking at her. He was still holding her to her arm so she couldn't back away from him.

"Ne, ne, I-is that true?" Kintarou walked closer to them trying to get the information, "Is Koshimae courting you?"

"That's right," Ryoma answered before she could even reply. She felt him gripping her arm tight giving her the sign to run along with the flow, "so stay away."

"Not fair koshimae," He said stubbornly, "I want to court bishounen's sister too."

"Court him, not her."

She was panicking. She was trapped between two guys at that moment. They were arguing in front of her and she didn't know what to do. The next thing she knew, Ryoma was pulling her to a run, away from Kintarou. She could hear the latter shout to them but she couldn't hear clearly.

Somehow, Ryoma seemed to lose him on the way and she didn't know how he did that. They ended up in a café.

They completely lost Kintarou that time.

Sakuno sat uncomfortably on her seat. She couldn't even look at him. Ryoma was ordering something for their drink or dessert. Ryoma even ordered for her without asking her. Their orders arrived and all but they couldn't initiate a conversation.

Did he mean what he said back then? She couldn't help but blush at the thought.

"Ne."

She looked at him when he spoke. Ryoma was staring at her and she couldn't help but blush, "W-what is it?"

"…Warui na."

"Eh?"

"For saying that earlier," He said stirring his drink, "He was annoying."

She stared at him for a few seconds before she chuckled, "I-ie, that's okay. I was a little surprised though." Her question was answered and felt nothing but a little… upset.

"He is annoying," He said looking away, "I hope you stay away from him as possible."

"W-why?" She asked him before she could even think.

He looked at her, "He's stubborn and you witnessed it a while ago. Don't tell me you'll let him court you?"

"E-eh?" She blushed quickly as she waved her hands as respond, "I-ie. I—I don't think so besides, I doubt nii-san will allow me."

"Good."

She looked at him once again. He was giving unexpected remarks about anything. Whatever he was thinking, she couldn't make a wild guess about it.

"I'd prefer he court your brother than you."

This time, she sweat dropped. If only Ryoma knew everything.

They stayed there for a couple of minutes before they went out. It was almost time to be separated. Ryoma brought her home which she was living.

…With Tomoka.

"Arigatou for today, Ryoma-kun," She said bowing in front of him, "I really had a great time."

"Un," He only replied before he turned around, "I'll see you soon."

"Hai," She replied blushing in the process. She watched him leave the place until he turned around once again and walked back to her, "W-what is it?"

"…"

"…"

"Give me your phone number."

"E?"

"Give me your phone number." He repeated.

She mentally panicked when he asked that. She only had one cell phone and number. Giving her phone number now meant that she would be giving her 'brother's phone number. To add her worries, he already had her 'brother's' phone number.

In short, she was doomed.

"You can't give it?"

She looked down as she fidgeted, "G-gomen…"

"Hmmm," Ryoma reacted, "He's strict to you, I see… your brother."

I am sorry, Ryoma-kun… for lying to you. She thought but she never said it. She was still looking on the ground at that time but she nodded as confirmation.

"I'll make sure that you will give me next time we meet," He said turning around once again, "After I confront your naïve brother."

She sweat dropped after he said that. He gave her a wave so she waved back. He was fun to be with in some way. She thought before she went inside and searched for her best friend. She knew that Tomoka would be dying to know all the things that happened to her that day.

The next Day:

The second month of the festival continued when the students who went home over the weekend returned. She was one of them and was now standing in front of the auditorium. The principal was giving them the highlights of the second month of the festival for a few minutes before he dismissed everyone.

"We are having a band competition this whole month," Horio said placing his hands at the back of his head, "Let's win this time."

"We will Horio-kun," Sakuno said facing him in the process. They are on their way to the rooftop to sort things out for the band, "We will win, ne Ryoma-kun?"

Ryoma who was just silently walking with them didn't say anything but they knew that he was thinking the same thing.

"BISHOUNEN-CHAN!"

She almost yelped like a girl when Kintarou jumped on her from behind, "T-Touyama-kun!"

"Ne, ne let's have a date." He said still not letting her go from hugging her, "Go out with me today."

"What are you saying?" She was able to ask him despite the blush, "Let go of me!"

Before Kintarou could say anything, Ryoma pulled them apart. The others just watched them, "Butt of, jungle boy."

"Koshimae! Don't be a two-timer!" He said pointing out at him, "Let's have a match then!"

"What does he mean, Echizen?" Horio said asking him, "Two-timer?"

"No." Ryoma answered ignoring Horio's question.

"Why not?" Kintarou replied back.

"What's going on?" Katsuo asked them this time.

"No." Ryoma ignored as well.

"Ryoma-kun…" She held his arm as she looked at them.

"I challenge you koshimae," He said pointing at her making her flinch, "for bishounen-chan!"

"What?" the trio said at the same time.

"You've got to be kidding me," Sakuno couldn't help it. She looked back at Kintarou, "I am not somebody's prize."

"You heard her," He said grabbing her arm in the process, "Now, we have some meeting to do if you'll excuse us."

"Koshimae!" He said as he tried to reach him but Ryoma turned around and pointed him with his other hand.

"Jungle boy, Sit!" He said firmly and to everyone's surprise, Kintarou did sit in an impulse. Ryoma smirked and continued walking away from them. The trio followed and left the wondering dog—err—boy on the ground.

"What was that?" Sakuno looked behind her just to see Kintarou slowly standing up but he wasn't following them.

"He thought that he was half human and half dog," He smirked at the thought, "What a stupid guy he is."

"Ryoma-kun!" She scolded.

"But he doesn't have the sealing bead around his neck," Horio said walking with them on their way to the rooftop, "He can just disobey his orders."

"Horio-kun!" She scolded him as well.

"Definitely stupid!" Both of them said at the same time.

"Guys!" She scolded louder making the two of them stop. Katsuo and Kachiro sweat dropped.

xxx

They reached the rooftop and their seniors were already waiting for them. Kachiro and Katsuo were from the different band so they had to leave there. Eiji told the two that Fuji was waiting for them in the gym. They left after they got the message.

"We are all here." Eiji said looking at them.

"What are we going to do senpai?" Sakuno asked Eiji.

Eiji grinned at her before he looked to the others, "I know the songs that we are going to sing this first Friday of the month."

"Y-you do?" She asked feeling a little nervous.

"I already got our dresses—"

"I will not cross-dress." Ryoma said as if it was his final decision.

"Oh yes, you do," Momo said suddenly a frilly dress was presented in front of him, "And this is what you are going to wear on Friday."

Ryoma walked a few steps backwards, "No way," His expression was becoming pale, "No way, I am going to be a part of the princess system."

"Why not?" Eiji said blinking at him, "We are all going to wear dresses."

"A-all of us?" Horio gulped as he too walked a few steps backward.

"All of us." Eiji said to end the discussion.

All of them gulped. Ryoma kept denying and rejecting the fact but Eiji tried to upset him that if he would not wear a dress, they would lose the battle.

Which was Ryoma hated of experiencing it.

Momo and Eiji told them what to do on Friday. They would be singing the same songs every Friday that month but Eiji thought of an idea that they should change their strategy every Friday. The acrobatic player told them his plans for the week which Ryoma visibly denied.

It was useless still for he would do it whether he liked it or not.

Later on:

The festival continued with booths and different events that day. Sakuno explored the area and looked for interesting booths. She stopped at a certain booth and looked at the banner above it.

"I Wish," She read the name to her herself. The booth had yellow curtains and had glitters around it. The place was pretty small but it was filled with people, "Is it fortune-telling?" She blinked as she stared at the number of the people in line.

"He's good," She could hear the other people saying near her. The student just went out from the booth and was talking about what really happened inside, "How did he know that? I mean I never told anyone about it except you and my parents."

"Maybe that's the reason why he's being called the child of god."

She stared at the students that she passed by, "The child of god?" She uttered and then looked at the booth once again, "Interesting, I might as well give it a try then." She fell in line after that. The wait didn't take long for her. After a few minutes, it was already her turn.

The student outside the booth gestured her to come in. The booth was completely different from the outside. If the booth was yellow outside, it was bluish silvery inside. It wasn't dark and mysterious, quite different from the common fortune teller's colored-motif.

It was more at ease.

She continued walking further and reached the table area. There was a white curtain with gold stars and moons covering the cloth. She slid it to its side and peeked inside. She saw someone sitting in front of the table. The person's head was looking down at the crystal ball so she couldn't see the face. The person had yellow hair and had some strands of hair designed to fall at the side of the person's cheek. She looked amused because, the fortune-teller had wings and dressed like an angel.

C-cool angel. I-is he a boy? She thought as she stared at the person in front of her.

"You can come in, you know."

She flinched when the fortune-teller suddenly said, "G-gomen." She strode to the person's table and sat up on the chair. That was the time the fortune teller looked at her.

"Hello, young lad," The fortune teller smiled at her, "What can I do for you?"

She stared at the fortune teller at that moment. The hair was different and he was wearing an angel costume but she knew who it was. Forgetting her manners, she pointed at the fortune-teller, "Yukimura-san!"

Yukimura chuckled at her reaction, "I am not Yukimura, my name is Kohaku. I am the angel sent from the heaven to grant you a wish."

"E?" She looked at him amusedly. Yukimura was cute at his cosplay of Kohaku and she couldn't help but admire his looks.

"What is your wish, Cherry-san?" He repeated.

"M-my wish?"

The angel nodded once again.

Looking away, she smiled weakly as she brushed her hair, "I… I don't really know."

"You don't know?"

"You see, I was just curious at the students who had their wishes came true after they came here."

"Hm," He reacted, "You should have a wish too."

"I… haven't thought about that," She stuck her tongue out, "Sorry."

"But I can't let you go unless you have a wish."

"E?"

"Or else I can't go back to heaven."

Sakuno sweat dropped when he said that, "A wish huh?" She thought as she looked to her side, "What about I wish to have a peaceful festival until next month?"

"A wish for everyone, huh?" The angel smiled at her, "That's fine for me." As if to make the magic effective, Kohaku spread some diamond dust at her and blessed her with a prayer. The magic was awesome for an angel, "Your wish has already granted."

"Ah… thanks," She slowly stand up and bowed in front of the angel, "Thank you very much, K-Kohaku-san."

"My pleasure." He nodded as he smiled at her.

She walked to the exit and smiled a little, "Yukimura-san is cute."

"Are you cheating on me?"

She flinched when someone talked behind her and immediately recognized the person, "F-fuji-senpai!"

"My Cherry-chan. I just let you out for once and now you are cheating on me," Fuji said smiling in the process as he leaned down and whispered to her ear, "That's not good for my image."

She blushed as she jerked away, "F-F-Fuji-kun!" She said holding her ear in the process, "S-stop teasing me, will you. Y-you know that it's not—"

"Don't continue saying that," Fuji stopped her moving closer to her, "Someone is watching us."

Upon hearing that, she looked around and he was right. Some were watching them as if they were waiting for them to break up or something. She sweat dropped as she couldn't think of anything to do.

Fuji saved her from doing anything. He draped his arm to her and pulled her closer, "Just go with the flow and everything will be alright."

"Mou, Fuji-senpai…" She complained but she was blushing a lot.

"Now, let's tell them that we are having our date inside the campus, ne?" Fuji said pulling her to the booths around them.

Sakuno panicked but not in a bad way. She knew that the tensai loved teasing people and she was one of his poor victims. She couldn't help but weakly smiled at his little plans. He was right after all. It was better for her to go with the flow than being caught at all.

They went to different booths to enjoy. They even met the other regulars along the way, much to Sakuno's relief. At least, she wouldn't be spending time alone with the tensai. It wasn't like she didn't want him around. It was just it felt awkward when people started to stare at them and staring what she wouldn't want to receive from them.

They also met the booths of Fudomine, Shitenhouji and Rikkaidai, minus Yukimura's angel booth. They would be entertaining the students until the end of the month. They were in Kamio's butler café when Sakuno's phone rang.

"Who's calling?" Momo said seeing her yanking her phone from her pants.

T-Tomoka-chan. She thought as she read the name of her best friend, "M-my girlfriend. Excuse me, I am going to answer it." She bowed at them as she walked away.

Momo and Eiji started teasing her but she ignored them. She walked far from them before she answered the call;

"Moshi, moshi—"

"CHERRY-CHAN! ! !"

She almost shrieked as she distanced her phone away. Tomoka could tear her eardrum into pieces. She waited for a couple of seconds before she put her phone to her ear once again, "N-not so loud, Tomo-chan! I can hear you."

"Baka, you've forgotten about me," Tomoka said scolding her on the phone, "Where are you?"

"What?" She frowned, "At Seigaku of course, what are you talking about?"

Tomoka didn't say anything after she asked that.

"Tomo-chan?"

"BAKA!" Tomoka shouted once again, "Have you forgotten? You are supposed to pick me up today outside the school. Outsiders are allowed to enter the campus remember?"

Her eyes widened when she remembered that. Crap. She was supposed to pick her up today. How did she forget about that? Tomoka had been waiting for her outside, probably an hour already.

Why didn't she call her before?

"G-gomen, I'll be there." She said as she hung up the phone, "I'll pick Tomoka-chan outside." She said turning back from them as she walked away.

"Let me guess, he forgot about her girlfriend." Shiraishi announced appearing from nowhere.

"That's too bad. If he forgot about her girlfriend outside, she would be pissed of him then the girl would break up with him. Cherry-chan would be sad and of course he would try to convince her not to break up with him. What If his girlfriend doesn't like him anymore? That's too bad. But what if…"

"He's at it again." Momo said whispering to Ryoma but he just shrugged ready to ignore the visitor. He just watched the girl-slash-boy in disguise run away from them. She could be forgetful at times. He wondered how would her friend react that she forgotten her, 'his girlfriend.'

Entrance gate:

"Tomo-chan!"

Tomoka walked closer to her with an irritated look. She knew that it wasn't good and she knew that she was right;

"How come you forgot about me?" Tomoka scolded her leaning closer to her, "I've waited here for almost an hour."

She closed her eyes and raised her hands in front of her, "Gomen Tomo-chan, I… I simply forgot the time."

"How cruel!" Tomoka said crossing her hands to her chest, "After all what I've done to you."

"I told you I was sorry," She said clapping her hands together as a form of apology, "You should've called me sooner or later."

"What done is done." Tomoka stubbornly said.

"Mou, okay!" Sakuno said almost pouting, "I'll treat you to anything today. How's that?"

Tomoka's face beamed with happiness, "Really?"

She knew that she let herself in a trap but there was no other way around, "You heard me." To her surprise, Tomoka clung on to her.

"Let's go!" She said releasing herself from the hug, "I can't wait to see what's going on here."

She just followed her best friend inside the campus sweat dropping in the process. She would be her 'boyfriend' the whole day and everyone would know that.

Her life was complicated. She only hoped that her love life would not be in turmoil.

Night, Dorm:

She plopped down on her bed after that, "This month is going to be busy for us."

"Spending time with your girlfriend? Yes?" Ryoma said tossing a tennis ball that he was holding.

"I promised her that I would take her around the campus so yeah." She said staring at the ceiling.

"Hm."

They stayed there for a couple of minutes until Sakuno sat up and looked at him, "Ne, Ryoma-kun. We still have an hour to spend. Do you want to go somewhere?"

"No."

"But we have an extra hour outside the dorm," She said blinking at him, "Don't you want to use it?"

"I still have days to do that," He said turning to his side of the bed, "I'll sleep."

She pouted as she stood up, "You are no fun," She walked to the door, "I'll be back in an hour."

"Don't get lost." He caught up just to tease her.

"I am not!" She said sticking her tongue out even though he didn't see it. She closed the door after that.

xxx

She walked to the vending machine to buy cans of ponta. She thought of giving Ryoma when she got back. Carrying the cans in her hand, she decided to sit on the bench which was near the vending machine. She had a nice view ahead of her.

Seigaku tennis courts.

Seeing no one was playing inside, it felt big and hallow. It was awfully quiet and she thought that she was in a big place. All students were inside their dorms now. She could only see some students who had given the privilege to stay late just like her team.

"I wonder if Eiji-senpai and the others use their prize right now?" She asked to herself as she looked around. Knowing her senpai for a short period of time, she knew that they would prefer to spend their extra time in the court and play.

But there were no sign of them.

She shrugged as she assumed that they didn't stay late that night.

"Cherry-chan…"

Turning to her side, shocked was registered when she spotted the boy in leopard shirt which Ryoma called 'Jungle boy', "Touyama-kun!"

Kintarou stood not far from her but something was off about him. He was not the old energetic boy that she once knew. Something was off and she wondered about it.

"W-what's wrong?" She said standing up and walked closer to him, "Are you allowed to stay late?"

"Who's that girl a while ago?" He asked suddenly ignoring her questions.

"Eh?" She stopped from approaching him.

"The girl that you were with?" He repeated, "Was that your girlfriend?"

W-well, yeah," She said looking away, blushing in the process, "I told you that I have a girlfriend. I am completely straight."

"I see," Kintarou replied as he looked down but later on he began shaking, "You already have a girlfriend."

"Touyama-kun?"

In an instant, Kintarou was in front of her holding her to her hands. Her eyes widened as he was really close to her;

"I like your sister, Cherry-chan," He said getting serious, "Allow me to court her."

"E?" She blushed really hard.

"Koshimae is courting your sister," He said still not dropping the subject, "I should do the same."

"I… ano sa…" She didn't know what to say everything was fast for her. The boy didn't know that he was actually confessing to her.

…The one and only.

But what should she say to him? She couldn't tell that she was the girl that Ryoma was with that day. Kintarou was pretty serious about her. She could see it in his eyes.

"I am willing to fight against Koshimae," He said giving her the determined look, "I won't lose to him."

"Touyama-kun—"

"I didn't know when I felt it but am in love with your sister," He said giving her the countenance that she had never seen from him. It was new to her. She was seeing the different side of Kintarou at that very moment. Her surprised reaction wasn't finished yet when he continued talking;

"I am in love with Ryuzaki Sakuno."

Done! Done! Done! Sorry for the delay guys! How was this chapter? Kintarou made his move, what now? Tell me your thoughts please… domo…

Vocab:

Inu-Yasha – remember him? Half-human, half dog. That was what Ryoma did to Kintarou when he ordered him to sit. XD

Princess System – A system in the anime called 'Princess Princess' where beautiful boys should wear girl's dresses and motivate the other boys in the school. If one refuses, all of their credits to the school would be taken away. So no refusal allowed. :3

Kohaku – Clamp's manga called 'Wish'. Kohaku is an angel who is trapped from a tree and saved by a human named Suichiro. Kohaku is struggling to get his wish and that's the reason why the angel cannot go back to heaven. :3

All anime being mentioned here are zero-related. I do not own them. Capiche?

Next Chapter: Sugar System