A/N: Surprisingly, I was able to write something after much attempt. haha Thank you, Kemi for pointing out my mistakes and suggesting how I can improve them. As always, thanks for the ideas :)

And and and...to my readers, thank you for taking your time reading the previous chapter. Your encouraging words constantly help me when things go awry. I hope you'll continue to support this story. Here's a new chapter for all of you!

Chapter 10: Tick Tock Click!

Sakuno stood up and pocketed her phone in her blue uniform. Given that everything had been resolved as per Tomoka had advised, she could now take her deep breath and probably start picking up her clothes strewn in every corner of her room. At least the worry of her being late just like how the silly, young Sakuno would make a mistake of doing would be lifted off of her shoulders.

She looked down at the boy who was also busy staring at the mess. Now that she thought about it, from an outsider's perspective, this would scream desperate. And that she actually wanted to have a date with Ryoma.

To her defense though, he is The Echizen Ryoma.

She bit her lip when she heard the boy gave an amused, short laugh and started walking for the door.

Opening her mouth, she tried to call for his attention before he was completely out of sight when another figure appeared by her doorframe.

"Ryoma-kun!" she gasped, her eyes widening when she saw his eyes landing on the pile of clothes. "I uhm…" she took a step back and bent her knees, reaching behind the pink dress close to where she was standing.

"This…" she continued to trail with an awkward smile on her face. "Ahaha. I thought it was a nice early morning to exercise myself by re-arranging my wardrobe."

A pause.

She stretched her arms, the pink dress awkwardly hung from her hand. "A nice morning!" she chimed with a little more enthusiasm.

Her hand hid the dress behind her once again.

She had got to have a little more confidence here. She certainly wasn't so freaked out about what to wear for her and Ryoma's meeting because it certainly wasn't a date or anything close to that. She was just taking her time looking for a comfortable wear.

That's it.

Probably.

"Do you…maybe need me for anything?"

And silence greeted her.

It would be so much bearable if he would just laugh or mock her. At least they could get over it as soon as it came and she would have the chance to think of a more awesome retort. But he standing there and doing nothing made everything complicated.

"You should have this," he raised his left hand that securely held a black notebook.

She nodded and tentatively trudged forward to where Ryoma was.

"Horio uses that to keep tabs on my schedule."

She nodded again, feeling her face getting hotter as each second passed.

"Plans changed. He can't come until Tuesday." Her ears perked up. "The kid knows so no date on Sunday."

At that, she finally looked up to ask— "What?"

Ryoma lifted a brow. "Quite disappointing but he said sure."

"That's not my issue!" she replied, sensing her embarrassment slowly fading away and now being replaced by anger. "I'm not paid to be your assistant. I'm here to babysit Ryoma-sama."

How infuriating. The way he shrugged and grabbed her hand to give her Horio's schedule notebook. The way he looked over her shoulder to give her disorganized room another curious glance.

The way he said, "You can just wear anything."

And left the way Ryoma-junior did with his hands on his pocket.

"Yeah, I'll wear whatever I want!" she shouted across the hallways and swatted the annoying bangs dangling in front of her glaring eyes that watched the tennis prince as if it could bore holes on his back.

"Don't tell me what to do," she fumed a little more silently, putting the exclamation point in her sentence by throwing Horio's notebook to her bed with a loud thud.

How she dearly regretted the scene she caused though when her third visitor came to her room with a stern and disapproving glare. If it weren't for the floral yellow bandana perched atop Kyoko-sensei's head, Sakuno thought that she would've have cowered in fear.

She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly when the glare was coupled with a deep frown and a stomping foot, asking the younger lady for an explanation. "Uhm…I was… re-organizing my closet."

"Because it was a nice morning?" Kyoko-sensei gave her an unexpected smile-

-To which she nodded enthusiastically. She thanked the heavens for bestowing her supervisor a little bit more of understanding heart that moment. "Yes, sensei. I heard the birds chirping and it inspired my heart," she laughed nervously.

Her grateful heart didn't last long though when the old woman gave the mansion's floors the final yet heavy stomp that Sakuno swore could be heard downstairs. She cringed.

"Clean up this mess and start preparing for breakfast. You are to attend to Echizen-sama's needs until Tuesday, you understand me?"

"Wha-?"

A protest was already forming in her mouth but she was silenced by the wrinkled finger of the superior Kyoko-sensei. "From now, the order is changed. It's the father, the son or…" Kyoko-sensei gave a dramatic pause and traced a slitting motion using her thumb across her neck. "Or it'll be your spirit that I'll have."

Sakuno gulped.

"Where's your notebook?" Kyoko-sensei demanded.

The brunette moved for her bed at once and grabbed her bag. "I-It's here." She offered the small pad to the lady only to watch in despair her ripping the first page off to write 'father' in red and capital letters on the page anew.

"That's my order."

Maybe today isn't that much of 'nice morning' at all.

0.0

After the trouble she went through to organize her outfit, Sakuno decided that jeans were for the best. Along with a plain white shirt of course. Not because of what Ryoma said. She just thought that being stylish with Tomoka's fashion tips wouldn't work for her especially that she was expected to run and tag along with Ryoma for the rest of the days until Horio arrives in Japan. Literally like an assistant. Dating was definitely out of the question. Stilettos and creped blouses would definitely get in the way of her work.

She scanned his notebook earlier before deciding to come down and meet Ryoma by the front gate where he left his car. Boy was Echizen Ryoma busy. He had two photo shoots, an interview with a sports magazine journalist and a meeting with a sports drinks company for an advertisement. All in one day. How Horio managed to fix that without killing Ryoma was beyond Sakuno.

She guessed fame really came with a price. When they were younger, all Ryoma had to think about was tennis. He was just a kid. He was just his person who loves tennis. But now, more than being Echizen Ryoma who loves tennis, he is Echizen Ryoma the tennis superstar with an emphasis on the second word. She wondered then if it was any fun at all for him.

"What's that?" she heard the familiar voice say from behind.

The car came to life with a beep when he pressed his car keys.

"What?" Sakuno replied and reached for the unlocked door of the vehicle.

When he didn't reply, she spun to confront him only to be met with those eyes that stared at her with that same expression he used earlier, eyeing her clothes from top to bottom.

Somehow, his silence seemed to perturb her more than his flirting.

Her hand gripped on the knob of the car tighter. Were jeans, plain shirt and sneakers over the top? Was it too casual? Would people ask him why she was so undressed in the presence of the gorgeous top star?

"Uhm…should I change my clothes?" she finally decided to ask.

He sighed and just marched toward other side of the vehicle. "Nevermind. Just get in the car."

She just closed her eyes and did as she was commanded, hoping from the bottom of her heart that everything would go well.

0.0

The ride hadn't even gone far, but the 15-minute (and still counting) silence was already enough to turn her intestines into a complicated knot. Sakuno already tried to start a conversation earlier. She casually talked about the weather, commented about the busy schedule he had and even talked about a child in the sidewalk wearing the cap that he so famously advertises.

All her questions seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.

"Look, you're not making it easier for both of us. I don't like to be dumped with you, but how about let's try to get along with each other?" she proposed, noting how his eyebrow rose at the word 'dump'.

"And it's not like you didn't tell me to wear anything. It's not my fault. I thought 'why not?' because we'll be going to a lot of places today. If there are errands I need to run, I can't be on my high heels …or my bow creped blouse for that matter because it's hot."

She took a deep breath, reciting her professionalism mantra inwardly. She had to calm down or else they would be fighting the whole day.

"What's your problem?" Ryoma gave her a flitting sideward and confused glance.

"Wha-" She turned to his way with wide eyes, disbelief in her tone. "I was trying to have a conversation and you're shrugging all my efforts with a one-word response. You're always like this." From disbelief, her tone took the route of accusing.

Then he would ask her what her deal was and why she was weirdly so talkative. She was just glad she now had the spine to actually talk outright what her issues were.

"You're just prettier when you don't talk so I don't respond."

"Wha—"

And that was the second time disbelief drew itself on her face.

0.0

Suffice to say, it was silent after the tennis prince's declaration. She knew it didn't really mean anything given Ryoma's nature. She would have believed him if he had delivered his line with more sincerity, but his tone told her that it was said with an intent to shut her up rather than to converse. Or compliment. Or flirt.

"What are you thinking?" she asked, giving up with her nonchalant act.

"I don't like your clothes."

She raised her head and turned to him when he abruptly stopped the car. "Get off the car," he ordered.

She gaped at him. "Are you really saying that now?" Echizen Ryoma couldn't be that asshole who'd tell a girl to get out of his car in the middle of who-knows-where just because she dressed so poorly…or could he?

He sighed and got off his black Porsche, jogging to her side and opening the door for her.

"You could have told me to change a while ago. Why are you doing this?" she said when his head motioned for her to dismount herself off his car.

It took so much for her to keep her tears from falling. She tried so hard so she wouldn't become a burden or a bother to her companion because she knew that he would have a lot to deal with today but she actually stressed him out before anything even started. Worse, now he was telling her to leave him alone.

"Ryuuzaki," an exasperated call roused her attention back to reality.

She blinked.

"We're going to get you something," he said and nodded towards the building where they stopped.

It was a boutique shop.

"Uhm…" she trailed, trying to piece the parts of the puzzle.

But before she could've fully understood the situation, Ryoma's hand was already grabbing hers and dragging her inside.

"Wha—"

How many times had her sentences been cut off today?

"You look like one of their interns. I told you to wear casual clothes but this one is not it," he explained. "You'd definitely get ordered around if you'll go there looking like that."

"I…I see," was the only thing she could let out at that moment for as soon as they were inside, Ryoma was already looking at the various lines of apparel.

"Re-Really, Ryoma-kun…you could've just told me to dress up a while ago instead of doing this."

"And spend an hour waiting," he casually and (might she add?) monotonously piped in. It wasn't even a question.

At that, she had no reply. Sometimes, too, she had to let it slide.

"Here." He threw her a black checkered blouse with a dangling tie (1).

Oh, she didn't even really care how it looked. Everything inside the shop looked the same to her. One word: expensive. Her hand instinctively reached for Ryoma's arm when his feet began marching along the aisles and his eyes scanning further for new purchases.

"I…this one's too expensive. I don't have enough money with me yet so…if you want, we could try other stores?"

He turned to her and she lifted to his eyes the price tag of that lone blouse.

"You're not buying."

"I am."

"Just try it on so we could leave."

Yet another exasperated sigh escaped the tennis prince's lips.

She quite fully understood the reason why he just wanted to get things over with. Her asking him to try another shop was just her selfishness talking. Well, there was her wallet but that was beside the point.

A while ago, as soon as they entered the building, quite a number of people had already recognized the tennis prince. Apart from the fact that he's tall and just handsome, he wasn't wearing his cap. Although there were those black shades perched on his nose, he was still quite noticeable.

It wasn't even funny when she heard the snapping sounds from the background. It would've been alright if it were Horio with him. At the very least, he's a guy and rumors wouldn't just suddenly pop out. Since her face wasn't even covered, it was definitely going to get out of the media.

They didn't even know that Ryoma already has his precious wife that he needs to protect. Kumiko-san would definitely get suspicious if the father of her son would be seen with another girl who happened to be her son's girlfriend.

She then decided that it was no time for her to be making a fuss out of the blouse and just let Ryoma buy whatever it was that he deemed necessary to make her look more presentable. She would just pay him later. She had to hurry so that he wouldn't be harassed by those sneaky paparazzi anymore.

"Ryoma-kun," she said, but her call was lost in the drone with the already growing number of women gathering around –fawning on – the tennis prince.

He looked tensed with all them pushing hard to be in front and closer to the star but he signed their autographs anyway. It was really quite a sight especially since the boutique only sells women garments.

When he momentarily lifted his head, his gaze met hers. Believe her or not, Ryoma just seemed relieved and pushed his way through the crowd. Not the Moses-parting-the-red-sea type of walk but he did manage to arrive beside her in no time and guide her towards the cashier counter.

"It looks good," he whispered and produced his wallet to take out his card.

"Tha-Thank you," she said because she had to this time.

It wasn't long before they exited the shop despite the pool of people surrounding Ryoma. It wasn't really the overwhelming number usually showed in the movies. The store looked more private compared to the usual stalls in the mall where Ryoma was sure to be swallowed by a mob of his fans. But it was quite stressful given that some of them were pushing to get to the tennis prince's side. More particularly the younger ones who just went to their location after getting wind of the news that Echizen Ryoma was there.

Thankfully, with the help of the staff and the security, they were able to leave.

"I'm so sorry," was the first thing she uttered, the words coupled with a sincere bow. "I should've really dressed properly."

His hesitation to bring her to a store was perhaps also the reason why he had been so silent for the past few minutes of their ride.

"If you just told me I could've changed into something fast. I've prepared but I just went against it because you said we're not really going on a date."

And then there was silence.

No way! Sakuno screamed inside after the forbidden word flew carelessly from her mouth.

When she slowly looked towards his general direction, she was not disappointed. His smirk says it all.

"I could take you to dinner if that's what you want."

She turned away, finding the car's windshield suddenly so interesting. "No, thanks."

0.0

As soon as they arrived at the site, the place was already bustling with the staff. They were immediately guided to the waiting room where pretty girls in heels and red lipsticks greeted them warmly. Well, the amiable air was probably directed more to the tennis prince.

"Ryoma-kun!" they said in unison.

Someone pulled a chair and another extended her arm, encouraging Ryoma to take his seat.

"Calm down, girls," the voice came from behind them this time. She was busily flicking through her organizer with a stance similar to a doctor checking her patient's diagnosis. Her eyes only gazed upon the superstar when everyone was finally quiet.

She adjusted her glasses. "Geez, I apologize for that. It seems that you're the crowd favorite in our studio."

Ryoma merely shrugged and remained still. Silent just as he usually was.

"I have a problem."

"You always do."

The lady laughed with amusement apparent in her eyes. "Yuri-chan is having issues with having this photo shoot with you," she continued to explain.

"She always does."

"—because so suddenly rumors are spreading on SNS about some mysterious woman you brought at some shop. Now she thinks you're bailing out on your lovey-dovey agreement."

Lovey-dovey agreement? Sakuno's ears perked up. And was the mysterious woman…her?

She instinctively crouched, realizing after some more thought that it was indeed her.

And just when she was almost successful at making herself disappear from the face of the earth, Ryoma realized, too, who the glassed-lady was referring to and pointed at her from where he was seated. "She's Horio's replacement."

Everyone's head turned to look at Sakuno. Curiously with heads tilted at one second. Another moment ticked and the girls holding their make-up brushes were shaking with deep frowns etched on their faces.

Sakuno suddenly found the tiled floors so interesting. It would perhaps become more interesting if it would swallow her whole right then. "Uhm…Good morning!" she opted to say with a low bow instead when the floors remained intact. "I'm Ryuuzaki Sakuno. I'm pleased to meet you!"

"Dear, isn't that adorable?" the woman clapped her hands then turned her attention back to Ryoma. "What stunt are you trying to pull, dragging your new Horio to a public store to show the world you're buying her a new blouse?"

She gave Sakuno yet another appraisal from the tips of her hair down to her toes.

"Okay, so Yuri's ten percent at fault and I at eighty-five-ish, but you could've been a little bit more careful is what I'm saying. Now you tell me what I am to do with the shoot?"

As anyone would have taken it from an Echizen, silence ensued.

"Of course, you're going to do that." She gave out a sigh and shook her head. "I'd have to push the shoot worst comes to worst."

Right then, Sakuno could only close her eyes in misery. It wasn't everyday that a pictorial would be cancelled because someone took her out to buy a blouse.

"You can't," Ryoma's voice finally worked. "I have a schedule."

The woman let out a scoff. "Don't we all?" A hand was on her hip now. "Don't forget that it was your late arrival in Japan that's pushed this schedule off at its limit."

"Threaten her you'd sue."

"Didn't I tell you she didn't sign any contract? I was just able to grab her yesterday because she heard it was you. Then I told the client that we'll do a couple-themed shoot. You don't listen to anything that I say."

"Then tell them I'd do the shoot alone."

The lady in glasses' jaws dropped right then. "Are you crazy? You don't just tell a client you'd shoot alone because you fail to secure the attendance of a famous model." The hand that rested on her hip reached for her throbbing head. She started to leave the room after realizing that talking with Ryoma would only make matters worse and squander more of her time. Her appearance didn't go without a grand gesture of her hand though as she muttered the magic word, "Dress him up."

And.

The woman halted on her tracks, one foot seemingly stuck inside the room. Her upper torso pulled back and her finger pointed at Sakuno's frozen figure standing at the corner, "And her."

She smiled as Sakuno mechanically turned her to her way. "Let's try that," she said as if it was the world's solution to global warming. "Since you're so hot on web so early in the morning, being Ryoma's mysterious woman and all that, you'll probably top the charts and put Yuri-chan's popularity to shame."

All the girls in the room groaned. Sakuno included hers if inner complaints could be heard loud and clear.

As per usual, she got nothing from the tennis prince when she gave him a worried and questioning look. One could only do nothing but squeak and let herself get pulled by the hands of the make-up staff once it began.

0.0

"You owe me a lot this time," the woman adjusted her glasses as she sipped on her coffee, watching her crew reorganizing and making necessary adjustments in the set.

A snicker could be heard from a place, one that was yet to be revealed to everyone. His blue eyes watched, too, as everyone prepared for the emergence of an improvised couple to the market.

"Oh you know how media play works. You'll get more than it cost you, I promise. Echizen's fans are not the type to disappoint."

...To be continued

A/N: I swear I'm watching too much Korean dramas OTL I'm so sorry if this chapter turned out this way. I never meant to be so…dramatic and I promise I tried to make Ryoma remain as IC as possible.

Thanks for reading! Please leave a review if you have time :)

( 1 ) : / / shop dot mango dot com / PH / p0 /women / clothing / blouses-and-shirts / bow-check-shirt / ? id = 21018803 _ 02 & n = 1 & s = & ident = 0_0_ 1401554518408&ts = 1401554518408

if you want to know how the controversial blouse looks. Haha She wore the skirt, too JIC you're asking. Just disregard the price and the store.