it belongs to all

"Just like I didn't tell anyone about your letter."

As soon as the words were out, Sakuno knew that she had made mistake. The widening of Ryoma's eyes and his clenching jaw attested to that. Both of them fell silent.

"Well," Sakuno started. "I'm going to bed now."She started to move slowly towards the staircase, careful not to make any eye contact.

"If you see Oba-san, please tell he-Umpf! " Her words ended on a muffled squeak as Ryoma suddenly pounced and slammed her into a nearby wall. He looked murderous, and Sakuno was frankly the most frightened she had ever been in her life. She squirmed frantically in his arms, desperate to get away from him. As if she were the lightest snowflake, he merely shifted both her wrists behind her back, holding her securely with one arm while the other took hold of her chin. She was panting slightly from all the physical exertion. When Ryoma's eyes shifted to her lips, she forced herself to stop breathing, feminine intuition taking over. His face turned even colder, if such a feat were possible.

"Did you read the letter?" Though the tone of his voice was soft, Sakuno recognized the anger simmering hotly behind it.

"Read what?" Safer to feign ignorance, she thought.

"Answer me Sakuno," Again, with the 'Sakuno' name calling. She felt slightly churlish at his casualness of using her first name whenever he felt like it. She glared at him instead of answering. Wrong move apparently.

"Why are you being so difficult?" Confusion and an edge of anger crept into his voice, threatening to break through the fragile grip he had over his volatile feelings. Ryoma had never had such a strong impulse to maim someone. And it was a slip of a girl at that! He never, ever, lost his cool, not even at critical tennis matches. Sakuno only had to mention something stupid and he felt like shaking her. Presently, said mere slip of a girl was struggling to free herself, still not answering him.

Something in Ryoma snapped. His moral and sense of propriety that was carefully ingrained from his mother must have gone on a holiday at some point. Either that, or Momo-senpai had spiked a major drug in his beverage when he wasn't looking.

Because at that moment, Echizen Ryoma was kissing a girl, consequences be damned.

It was not like it was unexpected. Though he pretended to be unaware, he had for ages known about the betting pool going around his former teammates. Most had predicted that the inevitable would have occurred before Ryoma left. Only Inui had prophesized that there was no chance in hell that it would happen. He had secretly agreed with Inui. Fuji, the devil incarnate that he was, placed his bets on when they would turn 17. His reasoning being that '17 is the season when a young man succumbs to his lustful nature.' Kami-sama have mercy on Fuji's intended lady.

Still, he was not exactly agreeable to the sight of his kouhai furiously exchanging spit with his former coach's granddaughter. What was even more alarming was the faint mewling sounds of arousal being emitted from the girl. Tezuka was tempted to gouge his eyes and feed it to himself. Instead, he cleared his voice loudly and gave off an air of authority. The slight stiffening of Ryoma's build told him that he was aware of Tezuka's presence.

Murmuring softly to Sakuno, he turned to face Tezuka while pushing Sakuno out of sight beside him. To say that Tezuka was not amused by the brazen attitude looming off from Ryoma would not be accurate. He wanted to howl with laughter actually. Alas, he was already committed to his role as the 'serious, stoic tennis captain of Seigaku'. He had an odd feeling that Fuji would give up his cameras to be in the room right now though.

"Is Sumire-san at home? I was told to meet her at 8," He said calmly, as if minutes ago he wasn't a spectator to teenage mating habits.

"Ah...She will arrive a bit later. She had to do some private training," A soft feminine voice mumbled miserably from behind Ryoma. Tezuka raised his eyebrow at Ryoma upon hearing the exclamation. His once apathetic kouhai gave a careless shrug before his face split into a roguish grin.

"Saa...I will await her presence then." And with that resolute statement, Tezuka crossed over to a sofa and sat. If Fuji was here, he would slyly impart on the sadistic nature of Tezuka Kunimitsu. As it was, Tezuka gave no impression of leaving but instead stared at the pair in a detached manner, waiting for their next move.

Sakuno gave in to her skittish impulses first. She sputtered out apologies and what not and scattered away before Ryoma had the chance to grab at her. Ryoma looked slightly mutinous at her disappearance, but he made no move to go after her. Instead, he gave a hollow sigh and sat across his captain. Tezuka's eyes followed his every move.

"You weren't really here to see the old coach, were you? " Ryoma asked.

"No." Tezuka did not explain further.

"You're here to see me." Ryoma said, almost to himself.

"Perhaps."

A strained silence ensued. Ryoma was the first to break it.

"I won't let you embarrass her."

"I have no intention of doing so, Echizen."

A litany of crickets filled in the gap of their conversation. Ryoma fought the urge to squirm. Tezuka fought the urge to laugh. Alas, he did come for a reason and time was wasting enough as it was.

"Your first visit with Sano-sensei is tomorrow. I believe Sumire-san has told you about this?"

"…Ah"

"I was asked by your father to accompany you," Ryoma began to splutter at this point. " I will meet you in front of the hospital 30 minutes before the examination. Are you prepared yet?"

"Oyaji actually contact-"

"Will you be bringing her?" Tezuka cut in.

Ryoma looked at his captain warily, not liking where this was heading. He chose not to answer instead.

"Bring Sakuno."

And with that, the conversation ended.

Sakuno watched from her bedroom window as Tezuka-buchou left the house. Words were exchanged between him and Ryoma, though she could not hear what they were. Her face began to flame as she thought about the scene that he had walked into. If Oba-san ever caught wind of it, she would likely be locked up in her room until she was 30. Groaning miserably, she hid her face behind her palms.

"Sakuno?"

The source of all her problems lately stood in her room, as if he had every right to be there. If only trouble was not so good looking.

"Look…we need to ta-"

"No! Can't we just forget it ever happened? I swear, I won't tell anyone, I really won't!" Kami-sama, she was starting to babble now.

Ryoma frowned at her, starting to get slightly annoyed. Really, what would it take for him to finish a sentence nowadays? He began again, albeit more slowly. "But I really think tha-"

"I know, it was a mistake. Please….just, let it go." Sakuno did not dare look at Ryoma. He in turn, said nothing after that. And when Ryoma closed the door soundlessly behind him, her heart broke all over again, just like that time 5 years ago when he left.

I am actually in the middle of exams. Just shows where my priorities lie.

Man, I am damned.

notes: Sano-sensei - the doctor mentioned in previous chapters