Chapter 6: Princess Sakuno
Little Falcon: Okay, I won't lame another excuse for being late but… please forgive me TT and as always read and review please.
The sun has yet to show signs of rising when a group of tennis players began their jogging in a nearby park. Their breathing controlled and their steps coordinated. His sleepy amber eyes wandered lazily on the nearby court to find another university having their early morning training. With their maroon and black jerseys… there is no doubt to whom university they belong. His jog turned into a walk when they passed by the court, no matter how hard he tried to look there was no sign of the only person he wanted to see.
"It's a shame Hime-chan can't attend practices," one younger trainee said to the next as they picked up scattered tennis balls. "Even if she can come, they won't let her train. Sometimes I even wonder what makes her try so hard to belong in this team," the other trainee sighed as they picked up the several balls at the same time. "It's because of 'him' isn't it? If it wasn't for 'him', Hime-chan wouldn't be here," one said. "Ssshhh, they don't like to hear us talking about that," with that the conversation ended.
He didn't notice that he already stopped walking and was gripping the fence until "O-chibi, what are you looking at?" a great weight landed on his back as his acrobatic sempai clung to him like a koala. Snapping back to reality, Ryoma uneasily looked at his teammates' malicious smirks. "Oi, oi Echizen, don't tell me you've only learned how to scan for ladies when were training," his sempai with brushed up hair elbowed his side roughly as he also looked at the occupied tennis court. The others laughed aloud at Momoshiro's statement. It was cut short however when "Yudansuruna (don't let your guard down), let's continue our jogging," their strict captain proclaimed making his members shut up and follow.
As Ryoma began jogging, it was as if his mind wandered someplace else. Why was Sakuno not allowed to train with her team? Who is this person that has made her into what she is now? The person that is the reason for her to play this hard…Somewhere in the back of his mind… there was a tiny part that insisted that it was him… but a bigger part of his mind hoped not.
Light rain drizzled from the dark sky as a certain feminine figure wearing black and maroon jersey slowly approached a newly instilled tombstone. Her baseball cap hid her long brown hair as its rim shadowed her dull brown eyes. Stopping in front of the grave, her long fingers brushed away some of the dry leaves that has fallen on the cold engraved marble. "Toushiro-sempai," she mumbled while she laid down her racket in front of the tombstone.
In her first week alone in Japan, she barely found a job and place to stay. Her dream to be a doctor was put aside for more urgent and realistic goals. She was now alone… with no place to return to and no person to run to. That reality was so cruel yet true. There were times when she would enter a phone booth and dial her grandmother's number but before hearing it connect she would already put down the receiver. At night, she would cry herself to sleep forcing herself not to think about a certain amber eyed boy with dark green hair. "Ryoma-kun," she whispered as her final tear left her eyes before closing painfully.
People change for two reasons either they've learn enough that they want to or they've been hurt enough that they have to.
Instead of wallowing in self-pity, she immersed herself in her work- making sure that there would no longer be any moment for her to think of her past. She was on a race to outrun her history… stopping to rest or catch her breath was not an option… she had to run… that was all there is to it. When she wasn't working, she would be found in a nearby vacant lot-practicing her tennis skills. She swore that, she would be the best there is to make everyone look at her and only her. Unconsciously, her heart turned into cold steel- not letting anything or anyone else matter aside from her own objective. No one dared to save her until…
"Whoa, I sure would hate to be that ball," she heard soon after she delivered her strongest smash. Quickly turning around, she saw a guy with flaming unruly red hair and deep ocean blue eyes smiling brightly at her. Without another word, the girl with bound long brown hair picked up her ball and walked away. "Hey, wait," the guy ran up to her and matched her walking pace. "I don't play for anybody's amusement," the girl said in a monotonous tone as she tried to quicken her steps but the guy still kept up.
"I agree… if you have to play… you have to first play for yourself… you have to love the game first for you to be able to play it perfectly… just like you did," he stopped right in front of her with an irritating smirk. "What do you want?" Sakuno clucked her tongue in agitation as she glared at the guy. "You…" without hesitation did the guy reply as he matched the intensity of her stare with his. "What?" "I'm Saiga, Toushiro… and next time… you will be the one to give me your name… Hime-chan," Sakuno could only looked at his disappearing form as he walked away while waving his hand. "Hime-chan? (princess)"
After almost a year of joggling five jobs at the same time, Sakuno finally saved enough money to enter a university for her pre-med course. Ryuugan University, the university name or fame did not matter to her… it was the nearest university to her house so she decided that that would be her new school. Cold stares, baseless gossips and malicious laughs were the things that welcomed her to her new school but she, being Sakuno, did not mind. On her first day, she stand out not only because she was outstanding when it came to her records but also because she was one of those girls that would just make you take a second look- with her long wavy brown hair, long slender legs, mesmerizing chocolate eyes and powerful presence.
Unconsciously, as a habit after school, she searched for the tennis court. Upon arriving and seeing a different team wearing black and maroon jersey, she finally snapped back to reality. Of course, she wouldn't be seeing the usual white and blue jersey from her old school and she wouldn't be looking for the boy with cat-like eyes and unruly dark green hair. Immediately, she was about to turn around and leave when… "Hime-chan!" a familiar voice called out. Her chocolate eyes widened in surprise to see the guy with flaming red hair and sapphire eyes approach her wearing the black and maroon jersey.
"Join our team," her eyes wandered to the tennis court to find everyone in the court staring at them. "No, I was just looking around," her tone clearly indicated her lack of interest. "That was not a question," Toushiro leaned closer to whisper those words. Her eyes narrowed in agitation at the guy's confidence. "Make me," she put her hand on her hips and raised her eyebrow in challenge.
Shaking helplessly his red head, his irritating smirk did not leave his face as Sakuno beat three players in his team without a single set lost. "I'll make you wear this jersey, you'll see," Toushiro proclaimed as Sakuno passed by him to leave the court. "I'm shaking," she rebutted as she returned his smirk and looked directly into his ocean blue orbs.
Never did Sakuno imagine that his threat to make her wear that jersey would entail him showing up every time in her training area, having lunch together and him, visiting her work places. Little by little, the girl with chocolate eyes did not notice herself smiling more and more as she began to enjoy Toushiro's company unconsciously.
Picking up her racket, she bowed formally muttering "Arigato," then walked off. The rain finally stopped as Sakuno approached a tennis court occupied by her sempais. "What are you doing here?" one of her superiors pushed her forcefully making her fall on the ground. "I came here to practice," her long brown hair tumbled from her head as her baseball cap fell.
"You lost your chance to be part of this team," another member said as she looked down at her. "Hime-chan, if you have forgotten… we'll be honored to remind you. Remember our former prince… Saiga, Toushiro? The one who tried so hard to get you to be part of our team? The one you killed!!" their female captain pulled her hair to make the silent girl look at her.
Little Falcon: Whoa, that was a twist… wahahaha yes I know I'm good at cliff hangers wahahaha but you love me still right? Read and review please XD