Chapter 2: Her Partner!

Disclaimer: Konomi Takeshi owns Tennis no Oujisama

While raven-eyed-lass does not own anything except the ideas that made use of Konomi-sensei's characters. Please R&R (and be gentle with the reviews, this is my first fic to be posted here…Ü)!

~oOo~

A/N: I think the past chapter seemed too awkward for it was too short for comfort, wasn't it? This time, I'm including a number of scenes per chapter (as it ought to be).Sigh~ It's hard to be too excited posting the next chapters for this fanfic. The scenes are still boring, but I'll just make it up to you guys who "painstakingly" submit your reviews. Chapter two, coming up! Please enjoy this one!

~oOo~

His Eyes on Hers

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Second Chapter: Her Partner!

Ryoma sneezed three times. He absentmindedly blamed the moody weather which kept changing for these past few days, that was why from now and then he kept sneezing. In his side was Horio Satoshi, the guy who bragged that he had five years of tennis experience. Horio blabbered like that and those random things about his tennis experience (oblivious to the fact that the one beside him is a tried-and-tested tennis prodigy, who already won just some National-level matches and some international matches too). Both of them were walking along the corridor and were headed towards the science laboratory for their next class. As the two trudged to their destination, they noticed the bulletin board for the freshmen. It had something new posted on it, which was somewhat rare, because events meant for young high school freshmen students were rarely organized after the busy first whole week of the starting of classes. Horio, who became curious of what this announcement could be, stopped from his annoying bragging. He walked towards the bulletin board while calling Ryoma to come along. Ryoma declined, saying that they would be late for their next class.

"We're still early, and it won't take us an hour to read this, you know, Echizen?"

Ryoma just yawned, his cat-like eyes still sleepy. Lazily, he turned to the board's direction and started reading too. Horio read aloud the announcement.

What: Seishun Gakuen High School Freshmen's Acquaintance Party

When: XX September, Friday, 6:00 p.m.

Where: Seishun Gakuen Auditorium

Attire: Formal

For more details, kindly approach Suzuhara Keiichi of the English Department. See you there!

"Tch, what a waste of time," Ryoma commented. His eyes turned sleepier than before he read the announcement. He walked away from the bulletin board, both of his arms folded behind his head. Horio was left alone, wondering.

"What the heck is an 'a-ku-en-tan-shi' party?" he loudly asked, expecting Ryoma to answer him since he knew that the latter has a wide English language vocabulary. But when silence followed for seconds or so, Horio looked beside him only to find out that Ryoma wasn't there anymore.

"Oi, Echizen, Echizen!"

The boy who was being called had already entered the laboratory, leaving Horio confused and irritated as ever. The latter grumped in annoyance.

"He's always leaving others behind for his own business. Ha! What a guy! If I knew better, he does not know what 'a-ku-en-tan-shi' means either…"

He grinned to himself, and started laughing for some reasons unknown to all but himself. His other classmates who were on their way to the lab passed by him while staring for some time at what they thought was a fifteen-year old boy who was out of his wits.

At last, classes have ended for the day. Normally, if it was a normal day, Sakuno would go straight home with peace of mind, or maybe if there were the regular club practices at the girl's tennis club, she would spend a few minutes or so practicing her swings and stuff. But that day wasn't a typical one. Sakuno's class was excused by its English teacher, Suzuhara-sensei, from all its clubs activities for three consecutive afternoons so that they will have ample time to prepare for the party, specifically, to get the stage set. Because her class, Section 1, was selected to arrange the stage's direction and the program of the party itself, it was the busiest class in the whole Seigaku freshmen population. Good thing the responsible class president, Hayashi Rika, was quite inspired to lead the troublesome class. After arranging their things, the members of the class were not permitted to go home yet because there would be a meeting to complete the planning for Friday's event.

"Don't you think she's inspired, Sakuno?"

Tomoka was beside Sakuno. The former has finished arranging her things and after doing so, started talking animatedly to her friend again- just like the way she used to do. Sakuno looked at her and saw that she's pointing at someone. That someone was Rika, who was situated in front of the board.

"Well," she answered, "she looks so…"

Speaking of Rika, Sakuno noticed her blushing when Suzuhara-sensei talked to her about the matter. Yes, she was another girl on that list.

"Classmates, please settle yourselves down now. We'll begin making the necessary plans for Friday's party." Rika said as she went to get herself a piece of chalk. She smiled to herself upon seeing that everyone in class was present by that time.

"So, are there any suggestions or plans for the committees?"

Hands from various persons rose, and with ease she pointed at a hand, allowing the owner of the said hand to speak. The secretary, Chiharu, started to write the necessary information on the board. For every person called, the routine would be repeated. Sakuno just observed everyone, particularly the dark-haired and confident Rika. She admired the confidence the girl had when conversing with all the persons making suggestions, and in fact, she almost envied it.

If I have that confidence, will I become a better person? I wish I was Rika, pretty and confident… if I become like Rika, will Ryoma-kun finally notice me? Or maybe at least, if I have her spirit, I can sing a song alone in the stage. With that, I will not trouble another person to cover me up…

"Everything's fine now, right, Sakuno?" Tomoka called out to her and brought out her notebook. The braided-hair girl remembered it to be the notebook where all her best friend's suggestions were written. Sakuno didn't feel like answering her by the moment, she just felt both of her hands clutching her skirt.

"Outfit, check. Song, check. Choreography, I think we still have to work on it, I guess…"

What about me, am I ready for my song number? Sakuno asked herself. Ryuzaki Sakuno, cross-out.

"Are you listening, Sakuno?"

She instantly looked at Tomoka and nodded. "Yes, I am listening, Tomo-chan."

To her surprise, Tomoka looked intently at her then neared her face to hers, observing her. When she was done looking at her face from any possible angle, she withdrew her face back then took out her hanky. She closed her eyes, and Sakuno waited for her next action. All of a sudden, Tomoka burst into "tears".

"Sakuno-chan! Is there something wrong with my suggestions? Waah! Waah!"

Now, she was taken back. How did her loud and strong friend, Osakada Tomoka, burst into tears all of a sudden? Sakuno could not do a thing but comfort her.

"Tomo-chan! It's not what you're thinking… Please calm down."

Waterfalls of tears came to a halt and what replaced those are gentle tears. She started biting her hanky.

"If…there's…something you don't like…just…tell me…Okay?" she asked between sobs.

"I liked everything written in there, Tomo-chan! It's just that I…"

Sakuno's hands resumed crumpling her already crumpled skirt.

"Just as I thought…" Tomoka took her best friend's hand like she didn't cry earlier and smiled at her, "Sakuno, you just have to tell me and I'll do the rest for you, understand?"

She has read through me, as always. Maybe she knew me better than I knew myself. Sakuno nodded at her friend and smiled.

"I can't do it alone, Tomo-chan…If at the very least someone will accompany me in my number, then -"

"At last, you said the magic words!" Tomoka excitedly cut in. With gladness, she made a signal to the persons in front that she was about to say something "big." When she was in front, the pony-tailed Tomoka almost shouted,

"Classmates! Our song number star there is asking for a partner for a duet!"

Everyone then became dead silent. Sakuno looked to her right, then to her left. What she saw was the same expression in the face of everyone she looked into. She then looked at Tomoka, and saw that she was wearing a smile so eerie. Blood started to rush to her whole face. Just when she was thankful that she had an outspoken friend.

"Say classmates, who do you think is the perfect partner for the party's intermission singer?"

And then there were those whistles. The rest of the class started searching for someone inside the place. All their gazes then fixed at a certain guy who was sitting at the backmost part of the room.

~oOo~

That's chapter two for now! Cliffhanger seems to be popular most of the time, and I'm making use of it now. Don't forget to leave me your thoughts about this one. Ű