Chapter 15: More Than Complicated
Little Falcon:My self-imposed holiday is now officially over so here I am with a fresh update. Just like always: read and review okay?
Standard Disclaimer: I only own that idea that's all. If I did own this series I'll be the happiest person on earth.
As the signal to serve was given, still the crowd remained speechless at the sight of the female Ryuugan player who rooted for the Seigaku exhausted pair. "She's with them?" Someone from the other side of the fence remarked with a blend of incredulity and disgust. Trying to regain their unseen setback, they cheered on for their teammate but the difference in their energy then and now was so obvious. The boys were envious of Seigaku and the girls were furious of the stunning new comer.
None of those matters to her. Even as the bounce of the tennis ball being volleyed on the court or the agitating cheers of the other team, the sound of her heart beating in her ears was more deafening. It drown away everything except the loud thumping in her chest as she felt his eyes on her and saw with her peripheral vision that he was making his way to her, right now. Remembering how to breathe, her chestnut brown eyes remained glued on the game. What will I do? What am I doing here to begin with?! What will I say? As the game reached its climax, the sole Ryuugan player bit her lower lip in both confusion and anticipation, but not because of the incoming victory.
"Game! Set and match!" the referee proclaimed but still he wasn't anywhere near her. Taking the moment of victory as an excuse, she flipped her long hair back, only to see him having a serious conversation with one of the Fudomine's female player, Tachibana Ann.
Almost instantly, she tore her gaze away from the scene. What more can I expect? She mentally kicked herself for expecting something more from the guy who told her he likes her. Now, every beat of her heart tormented her and her ankle chose this time to remind her how worn out it was that she can barely stand.
The next match was between the two captains. Sakuno didn't need to watch to know who'll win. Just by seeing the Seigaku captain's aura was assurance enough. Quietly, she walked away from the court, away from him.
The blinking lights on the buttons of the vending machine reflected on her inattentive eyes. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! She heard her inner voice echo in her mind as she pushed whatever button she felt like pushing. The cold can stared mocking at her. Ponta. Great! With a sarcastic laugh, Sakuno sat on a nearby bench and removed her shoe and sock, carefully.
Wincing just by pulling of her sock, her swollen ankle looked like an athlete's nightmare. Braced for the worst, she breathed in heavily as the cold can touched her injury. Her mind wandered off without permission again. Back to the scene that was imprinted immediately into her memory. He said he likes me! He said… the overwhelming need to make him look at her and only her was torturing her in every second. Yeah, he said he likes you but how did you reply? Another nagging voice contradicted the other, which only dampened her already not so sunny mood. That's right… the last thing I said was… URGH!!! This is just pathetic! If wants to play that game then I'm in! Literally, Sakuno shook her head to drive the maddening thoughts out as she tried to regain her cool composure.
"Ryuuzaki-san," a man about his late twenty, wearing a formal suit and brushed up hair, walked up to her. His eyes focused instantly on her exposed foot. "I thought that was you," he stood in front of her so that she was looking up at him to meet his eyes.
"Ma…manager," her hand let go of the can she was holding as she tried to get up. "Wha…what are you doing here?" she stuttered as she accepted the hand the man offered. Instinctively, Sakuno's eyes scanned the area.
Putting his hands in his pockets, his sapphire eyes wandered from her injury to her concerned face. "Sakuno, I know I agreed to be your manager and all but just like I thought, you can't participate in two sports at the same time. Your body can't handle it," his voice was deep and cool just like his gaze.
"I can do it! I know I can! You're just gonna have to trust me! I'll make sure you won't regret being my manager. I swear," her fists clenched in determination as her eyes flared to life. For a moment, she forgot about every pain she was having, physical or emotional, that she didn't even feel she stumped her injured foot to the ground.
A quiet smirk from the guy was all it took for her to be reassured. "Then rest already, we have a tournament days from now. I'll be holding onto those words you just said," Satisfied by her resolve, he casually walked away.
"Oi, Sakuno!" the voice of her sempai calling her almost made her jump out of her skin. Her eyes darted from her manager's disappearing form to her approaching sempai. The toll of his recent match was evident in his boyishly handsome face. "Do you know that guy?" he wove his fingers through his damp brushed up hair as he looked at the direction her manager walked off to.
"NO! I mean… he was just asking for directions," she tried to compose herself. "Shouldn't you be thanking me for making you win?" she teased, trying to change the topic desperately.
Raising his eyebrow in reaction, Momo bowed lowly with a grin on his face. "Thank you so much for coming to our aid, goddess of victory," followed by her silent chuckle and his loud laugh. Just moments after, his face grew serious as he grabbed a drink from the vending machine.
Not being completely insensitive, Sakuno took a hint but remained quiet. Her eyes on the Ponta can she just dropped. Without anything else to do, she picked it up and threw it on the trash can placed beside the vendo.
"I need your advice…" he finally spilled when he was face to face with her. "You see… Ann… she's…" the growing blush on his face made him look like an embarrassed elementary student. His words never made it out of his mouth because he kept swallowing it back.
Looks like I'm not the only one in a pinch. She inwardly smiled to herself then her body tensed as she felt a spine tingling sensation, she only feels when he was near or worse when his eyes were on hers. Somehow she knew it was the latter. Depending solely on her instincts, her hands grabbed the collar of her sempai's jacket and pulled it towards her.
"O…oi!" Momoshiro's face grew extremely red at their sudden closeness. Her petite body lay in between his muscular arms that were leaning against the machine. Their faces so close they could feel each other's breath on each other's face.
His blood froze and his breathing stopped midway as his amber eyes mirrored the intimacy laid before him.
"Sempai, listen to me. I'm just about to solve your problem if you'll follow what I tell you to do," her eyes glinted devilishly as she continued.
Unconsciously, his fists unconsciously clenched until they turned white. The urge to bury his fist into his sempai's face was so tempting, he might actually give in.
Sakuno bit her lower lip gently as Momoshiro licked his nervously. Closing the distance in between their lips…
His jaw tightened as well as every muscle in his body tensed up. WHAT THE HELL!!!
"Momo!!!" an angry call broke the two apart and interrupted Ryoma's outburst. Her eyes were flowing with tears as she looked at her lover for a moment then ran away.
"Ann…" apparently, the dunk smasher was still caught up in the moment to react correctly.
"What are you doing? Follow her and explain," Sakuno winked at her sempai playfully then watched him dash off.
How was it? Now it's you turn to… something in her chest ached tremendously as she caught sight of the pain in his eyes. Her short feeling of victory dissolved then guilt mercilessly comes crashing down on her without reason. She can't bear to look at him any longer but she felt that tearing her gaze away from him would be worse. Somehow, she felt she needed to explain what he just saw. To untangle the knots that she herself had tied.
As her mouth opened to give the explanation, he needed. A pair of muscular arms snaked under her knees and on her back then she felt herself pulled off the ground. Reflectively, Sakuno hang onto the nearest thing she can hold onto, which is apparently somebody's shoulder.
"Congratulations on your win, Sakuno!" his dark eyes reflected the surprise on her face. His curly hair and yellow uniform was still damp from sweat indicating his recent game. The smirk on his face was priceless as he faced the Seigaku protégé,
"Akaya, let me down," she muttered and he complied.
Akaya?! Since when were they so close?! With what just happened a while ago and what is happening now, he could feel his blood boil just by seeing some other guy's hands on her. He can't even open his mouth to ask because his jaw was still too tensed.
"Ah, well if it isn't Echizen," Akaya turned to him and smirked. "Didn't Sakuno tell you about us?" his arm landed lightly on her shoulders.
"Enough, Akaya. Let's just get out of here," Quickly, Sakuno wore her sock and shoe then pulled the Rikkai Dai player away without even sparing Echizen a glance.
WHAT THE HELL!!!
Little Falcon: read and review please