Part Three

Ryoma woke to the sound of his alarm going off, but before he could do anything about it, he heard and curse then a slam, and quiet. This oddly woke him up more than the alarm had. Picking up his head he remembered last night. He and the regulars had been down in the living room for hours when they wanted to know what time it was. Ryoma had gone up to his room and grabbed his clock, plugged it into the wall and went back to playing his video game. The last time he'd glanced at it, it had been close to three in the morning, and they were still going strong, though they'd stop playing video games after Nanjiroh and come and unplugged it from the wall, and told them it was to loud. After that they'd began to talk. Their subject? Ryoma's date of course. They'd wiggled every detail out of him, including the bit about it being an excuse not to go shopping with his mother. Rinko's plans hadn't been detoured very long when an over excited Nanjiroh agreed to go in Ryoma's place before he realized fully what she'd asked.

Ryoma looked around to see who might've turned to the clock off. It was as it turned out to be a double tag team. Both Eiji and Momo had hit it cause the loud noise. Ryoma looked around the floor of regulars. Even the naturally early raisers like Tezuka, Fuji and Kaidoh where still asleep. Though Ryoma suspected that neither Kaidoh nor Tezuka regularly stayed up as late as they had last night. Getting off his part of the floor Ryoma headed over to the alarm clock to read what time it said. It was now 8 o'clock, which means that the regulars had an hour before his mom took them all home in their van. It also gave him an hour to get ready to meet Sakuno at 9 at the train station. That's when he thought of something. Had he even told her the time? Shrugging Ryoma went around and woke the others up; he didn't bother with Tezuka and Fuji who'd woken up on their own when he began moving around. After that, they went towards the kitchen coming up a feast. They'd slept through breakfast but Rinko had made a feast and placed it on the table for when they woke up. In record time, they were finished and playing video games again. Ryoma only had about fifteen minutes before he needed to meet with Sakuno. Going up to his room he grabbed a black t-shirt, dark blue jeans, his red, white and blue sweat wrist guard, socks and his cap. Then grabbing a towel he went and took a shower. When he was clean and dressed he finger combed his hair, placed some gel in to keep it were it needed to be, even after he took his hat on or off. Then headed downstairs. The regulars where gathering their things, thankful that they all had clean clothes from their tennis bags to change into, when Ryoma meet them in the living room.

"Well don't you look all dressed up shounin?" Nanjiroh said, coming from the garden. Ryoma ignored him, but that didn't stop the other regulars from ganging up on him. When Momo when for the hair Nanako came into the living room, carrying the portable phone.

"Ryoma-san, there's a girl on the phone for you." Ryoma grabbed the phone and said hello.

"Ryoma-kun, it's me Sakuno. Um, eto, um, sorry for calling, but um you didn't tell me what time to meet you. Will nine be alright for you?" Ryoma thought so.

"Yeah."

"Okay, well, um see you at the train station. Bye."

"Bye." When Ryoma hung up it was to the stupid grins of several sempais, his parents, and Nanako. "What time is it?" Oishi looked at the alarm clock and said.

"It's 8:55." Ryoma's eyes widen.

"What! I have to go." Then he rushed out to the hallway to get his shoes.

"Hey what's the rush, shounin?" Nanjiroh asked from the living room door way. Ryoma finished slipping on his second shoe and made a grab for his tennis bag, jacket, wallet and keys. He rushed out with a…

"I'm late for my date, Bye." Then he was gone, leaving his friends and family laughing as the door slide shut.

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'Stupid Ryusaki, didn't she realize it was already 9 o'clock?' Ryoma thought this as he raced to the train station. When he arrived five minutes after nine, he thought he'd made pretty good time. Leaning against the post Ryoma waited for a sign of Sakuno. About five or six minutes later Ryoma heard the sound of rushed feet. Looking to see who it was Ryoma leaned away from the post and look around it. It was Sunday but the train station was quite empty. Including Ryoma and the newcomer there were only about eight people on the platform. Finally Ryoma caught a glimpse of the newcomer and he stared. It was a girl with long russet hair and she was in dark pants, a pink and grey top with boots. She looked really good and Ryoma felt his boy instincts coming in. Ryoma watched as the newcomer looked around the train station. 'She's looking for someone.' Ryoma felt guilty for feeling disappointed it wasn't him; after all he was here to meet someone too. Ryoma went back to leaning against the post looking for a semi-cute, twin braided, brown haired girl. Ryoma felt a movement to his side and looked in his peripheral vision to see who it was, it was the newcomer and she was leaning just to the side. She still seemed to be looking for someone, but Ryoma felt waves of distress coming off of her. Leaning over a little more just to catch a glimpse of what her face looked like, at the same time the newcomer turned. In seconds they were staring at each other, eyes wide in final recognition. Fainting blushes covering their faces at the proximity of their bodies. Ryoma finally looked wholly at the newcomer's face, it was Sakuno; yet Ryoma couldn't believe it. She was wearing light makeup; her hair was smoothed down her back with clips to keep it out of her face. The front of the shirt when just low enough that Ryoma appreciated being a guy, it all hugged her like a second skin.

"Sakuno?"

"H-hello Ryoma-k-kun. I'm sorry I'm late, I didn't realize it was already nine, when I called." Sakuno was blushing at her admission, but oddly it made Ryoma smile. Sakuno wondered why, but she was to busy trying to get her heart from beating out of her chest.

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Tune in next time to find out what happens.

Thanks for reading so far and please continue. Thanks.

BlackDove of Blessings