36 Drabbles

22: Senpai

"Isn't it a relief, Ryoma-kun? We're in the same class again." Ryuzaki Sakuno remarked, hands clasped together as she and Echizen Ryoma stood in front of the class list. Tomoka bounded over, pouncing her best friend with an excited shriek. Ryoma winced a little at her loud voice, golden eyes narrowing in discomfort.

"SAKUNO-CHAN! WE'RE IN THE SAME CLASS THIS YEAR!" Tomoka shouted, and then spotted Ryoma beside Sakuno. "Oh, Ryoma-sama! Did you hear? I'm-,"

"The entire school heard you Osakada. Heck, the entire street probably did!" Horio spoke up as he neared, Katsuo and Kachirou tagging along behind him. There was a scowl on his face, which ignited a scowl on Tomoka's. "Do us all a favour and SHUT UP!" Tomoka let go of Sakuno, getting in Horio's face. Ryoma grabbed Sakuno's hand, tugging her down the hall and around the corner as they heard Tomoka shout,

"DO ME A FAVOUR AND DIE!"

Sakuno giggled a little as the two of them slowed to a stop at the front of the school, where most of the first years were. Ryoma and Sakuno spent their first day of high school here too, Sakuno too afraid to wander and Ryoma too comfortable leaning against a tree napping. For them to be hanging around here the first day of their second year of high school was kind of bittersweet. A little smile tugged at her lips, and she discreetly locked her fingers with Ryoma's, making him glance at her from the corner of his eyes and see her smile secretly at him. A little twitch in the corner of his lip made him turn away nonchalantly, and just in time too.

"Sakuno-senpai!" A younger girl called, her pristine new uniform flapping in the breeze. Ryoma didn't recognize her, but then again, his memory was awful in and of itself. Of course, Sakuno remembered her sweet kouhai in the female tennis club that she coached almost all the time. Little Sakura's pigtails were gone, replaced with a nice high ponytail at the top of her head. She had certainly grown in the past year, if her height was any indication. She was taller than Sakuno!

"Sakura-chan, hello." Sakuno greeted calmly, not at all surprised to see the younger girl in this particular high school. They had a pretty famous female tennis team, and Sakura definitely had more potential than Sakuno herself ever could have. In fact, since graduating middle school, Sakuno decided to take up the flute again. She had played a song once for Ryoma, and was surprised to hear him say, "not bad" instead of his trademark "mada mada dane."

"Sakuno-senpai, I'm so happy to see you!" Sakura said, bowing in respect to her senpai. "I need some advice." She grabbed Sakuno's free hand and dragged her away, not noticing that Sakuno and Ryoma were holding hands. Ryoma, a little disgruntled at having his girlfriend stolen away, let her hand slip out of his to avoid a scene. Sakuno sent him an apologetic look over her shoulder, and Ryoma began walking back to the tennis court to see if he could challenge someone to a match, out of boredom.

"Sakura-chan!" Sakuno exclaimed, a little out of breath as they reached a secluded part of the school. Sakura stopped, her hand slipping out of Sakuno's as she kept her back to her senpai. "Sakura-chan, what's wrong?" The Ryuzaki asked her, reaching out to touch Sakura's shoulder. Sakura was shaking a little, before she turned around and hugged Sakuno, a little wail bursting from her throat.

"I'm doomed!" Sakura cried, and Sakuno blinked a little in shock. Panic welled up inside of her, and she clutched Sakura's shoulders, bringing her back to look at her face.

"What, what do you mean, 'doomed'?" Sakuno asked, and Sakura sniffed pitifully, lowering her head to the ground in shame.

"Sakuno-senpai, do you remember that boy I told you about last year, during one of our practices? The boy I like?" She asked, and Sakuno nodded. It was almost ironic, how he was the one of the best tennis players in their middle school, like Ryoma was when they were first years. Sakura had told Sakuno about him, and the older girl had cooed in delight at the bittersweet romance, which reminded her of hers and Ryoma's.

"Ryoichi-san, ne?" Sakuno said, and Sakura nodded. "So what's wrong?" Sakura sniffed a little more, her toe digging into the dirt below her feet.

"Well… now that we're in high school, I'm worried he will pay attention to other girls instead of me. He's always loved tennis, but he paid attention to me, even if it wasn't very much. It was a far cry from the cold shoulders he gives other girls, but I'm worried another girl will catch his eye now that he's in high school!" Sakura said, fidgeting with her fingers. Sakuno blinked a little in surprise, but smiled kindly at Sakura.

"Sakura-chan," Sakuno said, calling the younger girls attention so her head would raise and look at Sakuno in the eyes. "Don't be afraid of other girls." Sakura was about to protest, but Sakuno held up a hand to stall her outburst. "Trust Ryoichi-san; trust that you both will remain companions – friends, even. Though he may talk to other girls, and be friends with them, you must remember that it was you who first became friends with him, not anyone else. Your feelings will eventually reach him, and he will notice you in a more romantic way, I guarantee that."

Sakura's lips pursed, still a little sceptical, but she nodded resolutely after thinking it over. Sakuno smiled, and the two began walking back to the front entrance of the school. Before they completely left the secluded area, Sakuno turned back to convey something to her kouhai.

"I hope that helped, I'm not much of a senpai in this department." Sakuno said, chuckling a little. Sakura, who was a bit confused, just nodded and they continued on their way.

"Hn."

"…"

Ryoma stared (almost glaringly) at the younger boy across from him, wondering if this was fate, or some work of the gods. Ryoichi, the mildly good tennis player from his old regular team last year was sitting on a bench at the tennis courts, calmly sipping a soda. The kouhai waved his senpai over, and Ryoma obliged, sitting down beside him. There was silence for a long while.

"Echizen-buchou-," Ryoichi suddenly spoke up, only to be interrupted as Ryoma intervened.

"Senpai." He said, trying to emphasize the word. "I'm not captain anymore, Kaidoh-buchou is." Ryoichi nodded, an absentminded nod that showed he wasn't listening, or didn't really care. Ryoma didn't think too much of it. He would be captain next year anyways.

"Does senpai have a girlfriend?" He asked, surprising Ryoma just a little. The younger boy reminded Ryoma of himself in a lot of ways, like their obsession and talent for tennis. Before coming to Seigaku for his third year in middle school, tennis was really all Ryoma ever thought about. Ryoichi was like him in that aspect, but then he started to take an interest in Sakuno that fateful day they met on his way to the tennis courts. Things led to other things, which led to more things, which eventually led to where he was now.

"Hn." He responded, smirking a little. Ryoichi looked over at him, not minding that his soda was going stale. Ryoma gave him a momentary side-glance, putting his hands behind his head and leaning back. "Why ask? Tennis was all you ever really cared about in middle school." Ryoma said, almost a bit accusingly. Ryoichi's head ducked down, and Ryoma had not doubt in his mind that the kouhai was flushing in slight embarrassment.

"I'm just curious." He said, and Ryoma let out another little, "Hn". Letting his breath flow quickly out of his mouth, Ryoma's head tilted all the way back until he saw nothing but the pale blue sky above him. Closing his eyes, Ryoma was able to bring up an image of Sakuno in his head perfectly, imagining her smiling face and her voice calling his name sweetly.

"If something else besides tennis captures your interest," Ryoma started, drawing Ryoichi's attention as he mulled over the beautiful face of his girlfriend in his mind. "Then pursue it relentlessly." That said, Ryoma leaned forward to stand up, tucking his hands in his pockets. He left Ryoichi sitting on the bench to think, his mind set on finding Sakuno. Bringing up a picture of her in his head wasn't enough to satisfy him; it had to be her, in the flesh.

"Ryoma!" He heard Sakuno's voice call, and his head turned to the side to see her walking to him with that Sakura girl beside her. Ryoichi's head perked up when he heard someone call his senpai, and his lips pressed together a little when he saw Sakura walking beside a girl he didn't recognize. Ryoma smirked a little, walking forward to greet Sakuno, resting his hands lightly on her waist and bending down to kiss her. She giggled as he pulled back, heart thumping a little at his display of affection. He was never so open in public. It was a pleasant surprise.

"Ryoichi-kun!" Sakura exclaimed, seeing him sitting on the bench. He waved at her, and she smiled a little. Sakuno grinned, nudging her in his direction. "Sakuno-senpai!" she whispered fiercely. Sakuno gave her another nudge, this time a little harder.

"Go on!" Sakuno urged, a little twinkle in her eye. "Don't keep him waiting." Sakura seemed to hesitate, but smiled brightly and nodded, bowing to her two senpai in respect. When she straightened, Sakura got a little closer to Sakuno, cupping her hand to cover Sakuno's ear so she could tell her something privately. Sakuno smiled when she pulled back, merely nodding in acknowledgement. Then Sakura ran off to Ryoichi, sitting meekly beside him with a slight blush.

Ryoma looked down at his girlfriend, and then back at Ryoichi. Their eyes met, and Ryoma gave a slight nod. Clasping Sakuno's hand in his, Ryoma sauntered away with his free hand tucked in his pocket. Sakuno looked back over her shoulder to smile at the two of them, looking so cute together. She giggled, looking up at Ryoma and momentarily making him stop. Reaching onto her tiptoes, Sakuno gave him a peck on the cheek, which he blushed at. They continued walking, heading back inside the school to officially start their first day of junior year. Sakuno couldn't help but smile as she recalled Sakura's whispered words to her.

"For the record, you're a great senpai, Sakuno-senpai."

And the flowering flutist could only lean her head on Ryoma's shoulder as they continued walking, a smile playing at the corners of her lips.

'No, Sakura, thank you for making me a great senpai.'

A/N Twenty-second drabble out! And Sakura makes her appearance again!

My inspiration for this chapter was mainly Ryoma and Sakuno being good senpai's to their kouhai's, and giving them good advice. That was what stemmed Sakura and Ryoichi, and I thought it would be interesting for them to be a younger version of RyoSaku. You like?

Review for some milkshakes! (I like avocado myself, and yes I know it sounds gross but its good if you add condensed milk and sugar.)

Snowflake Flower