Hi everyone! It's been a while since the last post. I'm trying to manage my schedule so I can make more time for writing. There aren't any Yumi fan arts yet so I'm moving the contest aside. I guess we're all busy these days. Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy this short chapter. I intended to make a much longer one, but extending this just didn't feel right so I decided to leave it here.
A big thanks to all of you who read, specially to those who took the time to read and review!
Yay HEYO YO-YO
haha! I laughed half the time I was reading your review. And yes I'm also waiting for HP7 part 1! *squeals~!* I'm going to watch it with one of my bffs on the 20th since it's showing on the 18th of Nov, here in the Philippines. I'm excited!
Unknown player
Thanks for the comment on its cuteness. Yes I know Tezuka is OOC. Most characters here are OOC. Well, considering that this is just a fanfic and I am not Konomi Takeshi-sama, characters would definitely turn out as OOC eventually. Thanks for taking the time to review although I sensed that you were irked by the way I have written this fic.
dhione26
thanks! here's the new chapter! i'll try to update again soon :)
invisible-gurl
hehe. i don't have an older brother so i'm not quite sure how tezuka would turn out as overprotective, but i guess my ideas worked :D yes. clueless Yumi is clueless. hahaha.
lovelyanimeangel
awww...i'm really touched by what you just said dear! Before writing this, I didn't even think anyone would take the time to read it. you could still send an entry for the contest, though it is on hold at the moment.
To everyone wondering the contest details were posted at the previous chapter's Author's notes section (top part)
Disclaimer: Tenisu no Oujisamaotherwise known as The Prince of Tennis is not a property of Ysah-chan the authoress because if it was, Fuji would be a girl and he'd be dating a certain captain (knock your heads off and think of who that captain is. Oh and yes I read YAOI.) It is by the awesome Konomi Takeshi-sama. Other characters mentioned are of Ysah-chan's wicked mind and are not in any way related to a living or non-living person. Any similarities to whoever person you meet that seems like they are from my story is purely coincidental. I'm pretty sure they all just popped out of my head. ^_^
Now then, on with the story~!
Chapter 14
"Wow! This place looks amazing!" said Yumi as they were walking.
"Nanako-san said the tickets are in a ride-all-you-can form so we can try out all of the rides here if you want," said Ryoma.
"Yeah, but I'm sure that there are some rides that we won't be able to try out," said Yumi.
"Why's that?" asked Ryoma.
"Height issues, my friend, you're only two inches taller than me but you're still qualified in the midget tennis player division, according to Fuji-senpai," Yumi grinned.
"I was sure you heard that from that sadist. Fuji-senpai's always teasing other people," said Ryoma.
"Yeah, but he's a really great guy once you get to know him better. He just happens to enjoy seeing all of your reactions when you drink Inui juice," said Yumi.
"You don't say," said Ryoma sarcastically.
"Anyway, does Inui juice really taste that bad? I haven't tried and all of you tend to kill it from Inui-senpai's hands before I get even close to it so I'd have to assume that it's that terrible," asked Yumi.
"It tastes like molten socks used during a flash flood of mud and donkey poo. Basically, it's all plain YUCK," said Ryoma, his face slightly tinted green upon hearing about the drink.
Yumi just giggled and looked at the huge park map in front of her. There were a lot of rides in this amusement park and some really interesting shops as well. According to Ryoma, Nanako would be working today and she was assigned to stay at one of the shops inside the amusement park. They agreed to go and greet her later after trying out some of the rides.
"So, which rides should we try out first?" asked Yumi.
"We should do simple ones first, then those rides that involve water and then the ferris wheel should be the very last. That way, in case we get wet or tired we can rest a bit while we're in the gondola," said Ryoma.
"You seem experienced. Back in America, do you go to amusement parks with your friends?" asked Yumi.
"My mom has an older brother who has two sons. They used to take me with them when I was younger," Ryoma explained.
Unlike when they're in school with their other friends, Ryoma usually talks freely when he's with Yumi. He does the same with Momoshiro but Yumi was more of an exception to his quietness. He enjoyed their friendly banter a lot. Though she says it was a really mean side of him, he openly mentions to her that he always feels like laughing aloud whenever she displays her clumsiness.
"That's some information that Ryuuzaki-san would die to hear, I'm sure," Yumi grinned.
"Like I'd care about her," Ryoma muttered in English.
"What?" Yumi asked, her head slightly tilted. Though she has been improving with her English grammar and comprehension, she still manages to get confused with the language whenever it was Ryoma who's talking. Of course, Ryoma has a more American accent that he grew up with since he lived in America. Plus, he talks fast in English compared to when he talks in Japanese, making it even harder for Yumi to catch up whenever he talks in English.
"I said, like I'd care about her," he repeated and smirked. That irked her a lot.
"Wo bu dong. Ni yao shuo shenme?" (A/N: That's Mandarin for "I don't understand. What are you saying?") Yumi countered, just to annoy her friend.
"Just because you got at A+ in Mandarin, such a nasty trick, Tezuka Yumi-chan. Fine, I said, I don't really care about her," said Ryoma.
"Fine I will cease with my teasing. Let's take a photo as a remembrance of today's trip," said Yumi as she took out a digital camera she brought.
The two went around and tried all the different rides in the same order that Ryoma suggested. They took photos all around the places they went to and even tried taking photos while they were on the rides. By the time they were about to go for lunch, they decided to drop by the store that Nanako-san was working on to thank her for the free tickets. She was assigned to work in a gift shop near one of the rides the two tried earlier.
"Ryoma-san!" said Nanako-san as she saw the two young ones enter the shop.
"Konnichiwa," he muttered in greeting.
"Ah, irrashaimase," said one of Nanako-san's co-workers.
"Come on; let me introduce the both of you. This is my cousin, Echizen Ryoma, and his classmate, Tezuka Yumi-chan. They're both attending Seishuun Gakuen's Junior High Division," said Nanako.
"Ah, it's nice to meet the two of you. I'm Yoshida Mina," said the lady.
"How was your day so far?" asked Nanako-san.
"It was great. Thank you very much for the free tickets, Nanako-san," said Yumi as she bowed.
"It was no problem at all. Go ahead and try out all the rides that you want. There are also some souvenir shops around the park. If ever you need me I'm assigned to work here the whole day," said Nanako-san.
"We're going for lunch in a bit. Yumi-chan just wanted to look for some souvenirs that she could bring home for her mom," said Ryoma.
"Ah, do you need any help, Yumi-san?" asked Nanako-san.
"I was thinking of getting those potholders. (A/N: Yeah some theme parks here in the Philippines sell potholders in their gift shops XD ) The one she uses got burned the other day," said Yumi.
"All right," said Nanako-san.
Yumi paid for the potholders and then kept it inside her backpack. She was heading to where Ryoma was waiting when Nanako's other co-workers came out from the storage. They were all swooning and saying stuff like "They look so adorable!" or "So young and so cute!" while she and Ryoma were looking so clueless about everything.
"Ano…" she muttered.
"Ah, Yumi-san, my co-workers are wondering if they could take a photo of the two of you," said Nanako-san.
"Eh? What for?" she asked.
"We just want some souvenirs," Yoshida-san smiled.
"Is that okay?" Yumi asked Ryoma.
"I guess. I have a feeling they won't let us out unless we do it anyway," said Ryoma.
A couple of cellphone clicks and flashes later, the two finally said goodbye. Nanako led them out of the shop; she then whispered something to Ryoma.
"I heard uncle is planning on following you. Be sure to keep an eye out. I'm pretty sure he's just lurking somewhere around the park," she whispered.
"Ah, I'll keep an eye out," said Ryoma out loud.
Yumi just blinked; not really understand why Ryoma said that. She was soon stirred away from the shop and was led to one of the cafés that they saw earlier. Ryoma called the waiter and asked for some menus. After the two ordered, they just waited for their orders and relaxed. Yumi took some photos while they were waiting; mostly of a blank-faced Ryoma who kept telling her to stop.
"We should come back here again," said Yumi.
"Huh?" Ryoma asked, surprised and yet glad about what she just said.
"Why? Aren't you enjoying this?" asked Yumi.
"I am. I was just mildly surprised, that's all," said Ryoma.
"I'm definitely having fun and I really enjoyed spending the day with you," Yumi smiled innocently.
"I'm glad," said Ryoma, his face slightly tinted with a blush.
"We should really come back again," said Yumi.
"Hn," he nodded.
"I'm pretty sure the others will enjoy coming here as well. We should bring them too," she said honestly.
Ryoma almost face-palmed himself with what she just said. Of course she doesn't mean going back here alone with him again. It was fun; it definitely was, but the sort of enjoyment she was feeling was still not on par with how he was feeling it right now. Unlike how his senpai-tachi tells him, he isn't really that clueless at all. Right now, he'd say that Yumi's the ultimate clueless person in the club, after him that is.
"We should ask the senpai-tachi if we could celebrate our party Christmas here," Yumi suggested.
"Oh, yeah September is ending soon and then we only have a few months more before winter vacation," said Ryoma.
"Yeah, but that's only ten days," said Yumi.
"Which reminds me; I'm leaving for the US on the 23rd of December so I'm not really sure if I can attend the Christmas party," Ryoma explained.
"Eh? What for? Are you going on a tournament or something?" asked Yumi.
"No silly, we're celebrating my birthday and Christmas there," said Ryoma.
"Ah, which means I have to give your gifts in advance," said Yumi.
"You don't have to get me anything," said Ryoma.
"Don't be silly. We're good friends and we owe each other gifts for being good friends to each other. Or at least that's how one of my old friends puts it," said Yumi.
"From your old school?" asked Ryoma.
"Yeah, Sayaka-san was quite a weirdo but I guess she's just trying to say that giving gifts on Christmas and birthdays are ways to simply put words like 'thank you for being my friend' into tangible gifts," Yumi explained.
"I've never heard stories about which school you came from. Even your admirers at school are wondering," said Ryoma.
"It's a long story," said Yumi.
"Really? How long?" asked Ryoma.
"Long enough to tell stories of three lives who were once part of the living," Yumi said softly.
"That's deep. I guess I should just wait for you to tell me about it then," said Ryoma.
"It's a complicated story but you'll understand; in time," said Yumi.
Their orders came a little while later and they ate in amiable silence, something they were accustomed to since 1. Ryoma was quiet in nature and 2. Yumi lived with a big brother who's quiet in nature but almost related to a wooden block by many. They enjoyed a healthy slice of cake each for dessert afterwards before heading off to try the last few rides in their list. Yumi took pictures of both of them on each ride; one of the operators offered to take a photo of the two of them on one of the rides too.
"Are you tired?" asked Ryoma as they were sitting side by side in the gondola. The ferris wheel was the last in their list.
"A little bit. I really enjoyed today, though," said Yumi as she fished out a gummy bear from the candy bag she bought earlier.
"Your teeth are going to rot if you keep eating that," said Ryoma.
"I'm a girl. These are gummy bears. Do the math," said Yumi as she popped another one to her mouth.
He shook his head and just looked out at the magnificent view outside. It wasn't exactly romantic because the sun has yet to set but it was his dose of romance in a way. He was with someone he liked, alone, in a romantic place but the person was just as clueless about his feelings as he was about Atobe and his unusual love for himself.
"This isn't exactly romantic, isn't it? I mean, the sun hasn't even set, but it is nice," said Yumi.
"What does Tezuka Yumi know about romance?" asked Ryoma.
"Nothing, I guess. All the things I know about are all from movies and the television," she giggled.
"I knew it," said Ryoma.
"Well, that's what most people would expect of us right?" said Yumi.
"What do you mean?" asked Ryoma.
"We're twelve. Even if we're about to hit puberty, we're still considered as kids. So most people would think; adults mostly, that we're incapable of understanding such feelings and emotions," said Yumi.
"That's true, I guess. We're treated like we're all innocent," said Ryoma.
"Yeah, but we aren't as clueless as they all say. Not all the time, but we understand some of it," said Yumi as she placed her candy bag back in her bag.
"Hn," he hummed as he leaned back.
Somehow what they talked about made him understand a lot of things and it gave him a bit of courage too. Yumi was leaning on her seat as well, while looking out on the other side of the gondola. Ryoma slid his left hand on Yumi's right hand and held it gently before looking out at the other side of the gondola. He didn't know how Yumi reacted with what he did. He was pretty sure he felt her hand twitch for a bit before it relaxed again. He was sure of one thing though, they were both scarlet red when they got off the gondola.
Knowing that his dad was probably waiting for a chance to jump in on them, Ryoma insisted that they take their afternoon snacks at the ice cream parlor inside the park. They ordered parfaits and sat beside each other while waiting for their orders. The silence wasn't tensed but it wasn't that amiable either. There was a sense of awkwardness in it that both of them couldn't explain.
"We're still kids and we don't understand everything yet," Ryoma spoke suddenly.
"What?" asked Yumi.
"We're kids and we don't have the mature brains of adults, but like you said, we're not as naïve and gullible as they say we are," said Ryoma.
"I don't get where this is going," said Yumi.
"They say kids have the most honest feelings and thoughts in the world. Though they criticize us by saying we're too innocent for our own good, I believe it when adults say we're honest whenever we express our true feelings," Ryoma just went on, completely ignoring what Yumi just said. "I'm a kid," he continued.
After hearing Ryoma say all of those things, Yumi somehow understood what he meant. She's always heard that from the elderly people that she's met, from the past until now. Children have the truest of all feelings in the whole world because they never lie, or rather, feelings don't lie.
"I'm a kid too," she whispered, while they were walking out of the amusement park.