Hi! Thank you for reading Triangle Hearts until the end. The reviews and comments were all great, worth inspiring. You have all my gratitude. And as for the title of my story, I'll tell you this clear. For those who knew an OVA called 'Triangle Heart' I salute you. But for the clarification, my title has GOT NOTHING to do with the anime. Completely zero… I got the idea from the word 'love triangle' since the word is too common I thought of another title and I came up with triangle hearts—A love between three people, since the story is originally involves three 'hearts'. So there you have it. Please enjoy the final chapter of Triangle Hearts.

music4life1791 - thank you that you like it... until the end. Anyway about Ryoma, it's true that I know someone who acts just like him but the difference is this person I know is a bit friendly, more friendly than Ryoma himself. BTW, I forgot to replace my previous chapter with translations, this time its for real, see my decision chapter, thanks. ^_^

sakuno echizen - tee hee hee. Thanks for reviewing. I kinda make him that way. ^_^

AC - thank you that you find them just fine in my stories. I really appreciate it. Please enjoy this next chapter. ^_^

DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Prince of Tennis or anything that I included here. Just my imaginations and fantasies are the only mine.

Final Chapter: Departure

Chapter Summary: His departure was approaching. She was worried by something. The other did think of comforting. What's going to happen when he leaves everyone? Find out the conclusion.

"Oi, Seishounen, where did you go the whole day?" Nanjiroh asked his son when he arrived home that night. He didn't tell his father that he was leaving that day in fact; he ended up telling his mother instead.

"I had a date." He simply said as that.

Nanjiroh blinked his eyes twice. Reassuring if he heard his son right, "D-date?" he confirmed it when Ryoma nodded who was not looking at him. "…With whom?"

Ryoma looked at him sideways as he smirked, "…my girlfriend." And he continued walking inside.

The legendary tennis player's jaw dropped as he heard his son's words. "Oi! You already have a girlfriend." He followed him inside.

Ryoma didn't listen to his father's litany instead he let his parents talked instead. He told them that he was tired and he needed sleep. Rinko allowed him as he blocked Nanjiroh who kept bugging him.

"Oi, be sure to introduce her to us before you leave for America."

He still could hear his father's words as he entered his room. He was aware of that. He is leaving in two weeks time. He would leave Sakuno behind to be exact. But he was still worried, he won't admit it to anyone else or to the girl but he was definitely worried. He was thinking of her, she was strong on the outside but weak on the inside.

He flinched when Karupin jumped on his stomach, "K-karupin… your heavy." He tried to shove his Himalayan cat away from his stomach but the cat just wouldn't budge. He sighed as a sign of giving up. "You are so naughty." The cat just meowed when he brushed its skin, "I'll introduce you to her someday Karupin… You will like her as well." He smiled on that thought. The cat replied as if it understood him.

"I need to do something so that it won't be hard for her when I leave Japan."

Monday morning:

"Echizen."

Ryoma looked at his senpai as he entered the court but he didn't say anything.

"Let's have a despidida party at Kawamura's" Momo announced.

"Well, it's true that we are so fed up with the food but it will be the last time that we will be together this year." Fuji said.

"What's that supposed to mean, Fuji?" Kawamura confronted the tennis tensai.

"What I mean is… Echizen likes Japanese food so isn't it the best place to eat?"

Kawamura thought hard. But he nodded afterwards.

"I haven't agreed yet." Ryoma retorted.

"But not for long," Fuji said as he saw Sakuno and Tomoka running towards them. "I know that you will go wherever SHE will go."

Ryoma flinched as the tennis tensai approached the girl. He could see how the girl wore a smile as she nodded. And then he saw her walk towards him. He just pinned his hat down when she was just beside him;

"Nee, Ryoma-kun… L-let's go. I want to celebrate with everyone… and besides… "

When he noticed that she didn't continue her words, he looked at her and saw the sad look in her eyes. He signed big as he talked;

"Let's do it on Saturday but leave next week for us-"

Everyone agreed without him finishing his words. Ryoma snapped and shouted a little, "Hey, I said leave next week for both of us. I mean just us-"

"WE ALL HEARD YOU. LOVERBOY!" everyone said in unison.

Ryoma and Sakuno startled. Ryoma looked away as it was confirmed. Sakuno was blushing all the time.

Days went by so fast. They had the same routine for the past five days and so in the guessed future as well. They met at the rooftop before the morning practice, also met at the rooftop to ate lunch that she made and went home together after school or after practice in the afternoon. They just realized that it was Saturday already.

Saturday at Kawamura's sushi restaurant:

Everyone was present, the coach, the captain, the vice captain, the regulars, non-regulars, and even the fun club. They had the same routine as before. They played a game that whoever loses will have Inui's 'medicine' Ryoma paid Sakuno's role and luckily they won. Tomoka was luckily saved by Horio's stupidity that he received the 'penaltea.' The others survived the game except Kaidoh, Kawamura, Katsuo and Kachiro.

"I can't believe that Kawamura lost the bet." Eiji said.

"Yeah… well it's a game after all," Momo agreed. "We could be one in his place." Thinking about that made his stomach twitching.

"Hey! Sakuno-chan, are you having fun?" Fuji suddenly wrapped his arm to the girl that made her flinched. Ryoma reacted on his action;

"Senpai, stop that!" He said as he tried to separate them away.

"ahh—Ochibi is jealous." Eiji blurted.

He looked at his senpai, "I am not."

"The more you deny, the more we can sense that it's true." Momo teased him.

This time he didn't say anything as he finally separated them to each other. He sat on her place as she sat on his previous seat. They exchanged seats just to keep her away from the tensai. He was indeed jealous. He could still keep up the negative feeling. He could trust Sakuno for he knew her feelings long ago. He just couldn't imagine the score when they are together. But he just had to give up for the sake of his girlfriend.

Later on:

"Senpai-tachi, you have to keep your word. I want to spend time alone with my girlfriend." Ryoma said when they were about to separate. Sakuno was blushing all the time.

The regulars and the others looked at each other, reconsidering what he had said to them.

"Keep your promise." Ryoma retorted.

"Hai! Hai! We will promise." Fuji raised his right hand as he said that he was followed by everyone.

"Better," He looked at his coach. "Sensei, you hear them promised."

Sumire nodded, "Leave it to me just be sure to take my granddaughter back as a whole to me."

"O-obaa-chan." She reacted.

"Ok! Ok! Enough with that! Everyone time to go home, it's late." Sumire ordered that everyone responded.

Everyone went home as he went together with his coach and Sakuno. After bidding goodbye to them, he walked further as he yanked his cell phone from his pocket and called someone. The phone rang three times before the other line answered it;

"Hello… " said of the person on the other line.

Ryoma gripped the phone hard as he replied, "…Let's talk, Fuji-senpai."

xxx

"What do you want to talk about, Echizen?" Fuji said as he arrived at the public court that night. Ryoma was standing in the middle with his hands inside his pockets.

Ryoma looked at him stationarily. His stare was not of an accusing look rather than a calm look, "I have a favor to ask of you."

Fuji stared back at him, "What is it?"

Ryoma didn't reply right away as he closed his eyes afterwards. He kept the area silent first before opening his eyes again and revealed his purpose, "…Take care of her."

Fuji flinched when he said that to him. He smirked when he recovered from a slight shocked, "Are you giving her up? It's okay for me."

"Baka! That's not it," Ryoma retorted, "Protect her while I am gone. YOU are her closest friend that I could ask for. I can't ask her best friend for this."

He thought hard. It was all new for him to ask by his kouhai a favor like this. He smiled and said, "I will definitely do that even without you asking me. She's my beloved sister after all."

That's the reason why I ask you for this. He thought but he never verbalized it. "I said my purpose, Ja." He said instead as he passed through his senpai. He hasn't moved for five steps when the tennis tensai spoke;

"With that favor of yours, you know I can steal her from you, now that you are leaving." He made Ryoma stopped from walking. Silence interrupted them for a couple of seconds.

Ryoma later then said not looking at him with assurance on his tone, "You can never do that."

"And what makes you so sure about that?"

"…I know, you are my senpai after all," Ryoma said as he looked at him sideways wearing a slight smile that Fuji was shocked about, "I trust you… "

Fuji remained speechless. Ryoma continued to walk as he waved his hand to him. He composed himself as he realized something. "Really, Sakuno-chan. You are not just so lucky. You both ARE lucky to have each other." He smiled genuinely that night thinking what was best for the important people in his life.

Wednesday after class:

Sakuno sighed after asking permission to Ryoma to go with Tomoka when their class ended. She told him that Tomoka asked her to go shopping with her. Ryoma insisted to come after practice but she told him that he will get bored because it was a girl's thing. Ryoma gave up in the end but she promised to come back before their practice ends that day. The truth was, she's actually the one asking Tomoka a favor to go shopping with her. She wanted to give Ryoma a present or rather a charm before leaving for America. She became sad after realizing that Ryoma would be leaving this coming Sunday. Their time together was shortening.

"Hey, cheer up. We are going to buy him a present so that he will have a good luck charm for the competition." Tomoka said to her as they entered a souvenir shop.

"I-I know, but what should I give him?"

"Look around girl. You can pick any one of these."

She did what her best friend had told her. Everything was cute and nice but she couldn't choose anything. And then she noticed something sparkling at the corner. She came closer to that stall to have a closer look. Tomoka followed her and got enlightened on the item she picked.

"Perfect, you can give that to Ryoma-sama." Tomoka said.

"R-really?" Sakuno said not looking away from the item.

"Of course, my eyes never deceived me. Buy it."

Sakuno nodded as she covered the item with her hands.

"T-tomoka-chan… " She called her best friend.

"Hai." She actively replied.

"Thank you for everything. W-without you I-I-"

"Stop that," she interrupted, "It's all your effort that you ended up with him. So I am really happy for you."

She smiled at her best friend. She was indeed the reason while she was happy right now. She felt that after giving that item to him, she imagined that she's always close to his heart. She managed to keep his promise to Ryoma about coming back before the practice ended. They went home together that day and Ryoma planned for their upcoming date this Saturday, the day before his departure.

Saturday at a certain lake view:

He took her to a romantic lake view that they didn't see before. The lake was crystal clear, doves were everywhere. Vendors were spreading around the area. At the center of the lake there was a small, beautiful cottage that couple usually spent at. Luckily no one was there yet, so they went there to view the beautiful spot.

"R-yoma-kun… this place is… beautiful." Sakuno couldn't stop praising the scenario.

Ryoma smirked, "That's why I brought you here."

"B-but how did you know this place?" she asked. She bet that everyone didn't know this place as well.

Ryoma shrugged and answered her question, "Kaa-san, mentioned this place to me before and I've seen this lake from a magazine. It's worth a visit after all."

"T-thank you for bringing me here Ryoma-kun." I will definitely remember this place when I think of you. She added in her thought.

She flinched when Ryoma held both of her hands and said, "Gomen, for expressing my feelings… a little late." The stoic reaction was still there but she could see a slight concern in his eyes. Really, the boy never showed any emotion until now. But she understood that, he is RYOMA after all.

Sakuno nodded as she closed her eyes, "I-ie, Y-you done enough. I-I knew it already," she looked away as she blushed, "A-although I will-miss you but I will be waiting for you—always." Her heart was beating fast again.

"Don't leave our senpais okay, they will protect you." Ryoma said keeping the same reaction to his face.

"I-I can take care of myself, Ryoma-kun-"

"Just promise me." Ryoma interrupted.

Sakuno was a bit shocked. He was indeed worried. She stared at him for a while but as usual she couldn't take his stare for a bit longer. She blushed as she nodded and replied, "H-Hai, y-yakusoku desu… "

"Good," Ryoma said as he released her hands. "If I knew that we ended up like this, I should've answered you before."

"E-eh." She reacted on his words. "I-I told you its okay. Though what is happening right now is like a dream to me. It seems that… you took your words… back that time."

"Hey, I did say sorry before, didn't I? Ryoma reacted.

Sakuno looked at him as if she remembered something that happened some time ago. She blushed when she replied to him, "Y-you remembered… w-what you said… that night?"

Ryoma stared at her, "Every word of it."

She looked away as she blushed even more.

"To think that it was Satoshi guy who protected you from those admirers of yours." Ryoma smirked.

"Y-you remembered that one as well?"

"What is in 'Every word of it' that you don't understand?" Ryoma asked sarcastically.

"M-mou Ryoma-kun, it's just that your words were so surprising… t-that's why… "

Ryoma closed his eyes, "che."

They stayed there for a while until Ryoma took her to another place. It was a good thing that his senpai-tachi kept their promise. They did leave them alone that day so he unconsciously enjoyed their last date of the year.

xxx

It was already seven in the evening when she took her home. They were at the front door of her house.

"My flight will be at eight in the morning tomorrow." Ryoma said to her.

"H-hai, I-I won't be late." Sakuno replied as she looked down. She didn't want to see him her sad face. She just thought that the night was helping her.

But the night failed her. Ryoma already noticed that. He made her look up to him by placing a kiss to her lips in a split second then he distanced himself to her as he walked a few steps backwards. Sakuno was blushing once again as she stared at him.

It was a smack kiss. But she could still feel the warmth he just gave her.

"See you tomorrow. Be sure to come."

"H-hai… " she nodded.

"Go inside now." Ryoma ordered her that she followed obediently.

She walked to her room telling her grandma that they ate outside so she would stay in her room the whole night. Ryoma left a long time ago but she couldn't stop thinking about him. He knew that she was sad about him leaving for Japan. But she just couldn't ask him not to go and stay here instead. It was selfish of her to do that. It's his dream to compete in those tournaments. Didn't he keep joining those tournaments for several times? So she would not be the reason for him to stop reaching his goal. She would definitely support him even he was in the different side of the world.

xxx

Sleep was hard for her that night. She was bothered because of her boyfriend was about to leave tomorrow morning. She looked at the clock.

It's 2:30 in the morning already.

She couldn't sleep as she was trying to roll on her bed back and forth. She almost screamed as already nervous as she was when her cell phone rang. She saw Ryoma's name on her screen.

R-ryoma-kun… is still awake? She thought. So the prince of tennis couldn't sleep as well. She made her phone ring for another three times before answering it;

"H-hello… " she made it lower as possible as she could.

"Couldn't sleep?" Ryoma asked her on the other line.

"H-hai… " she said honestly, "W-what about you?"

Ryoma didn't deny it as well, "Same here."

Silence was occurred between them.

"I just wanted to hear your voice, that's all." Ryoma broke the silent afterwards.

"I-I see." She blushed on his words. "I—I do…t-too."

Another silence came between them.

"Nee, Sakuno." Ryoma broke the deafening silence once again.

"H-hai… "

But Ryoma didn't say any word as she waited.

"R-ryoma-kun… "

"I love you… "

The person on the other line suddenly said that made her shocked. She was speechless. It was the second time she heard that from him. The first time was when he confessed to her at the rooftop.

'beep… beep… beep…'

She realized that Ryoma just dropped the call after he said that. She blushed and at the same time she cried. She cried because she was happy. She cried because she was sad as well. He left such a memorable memory in her heart. It was definitely difficult for her to sleep that night;

"Ryoma-kun… " she whispered his name between her sobs.

Sunday:

She jumped on her bed the moment she heard the birds chirping outside her window. She felt nervous for some reason and she confirmed what the reason was. She looked at the wall clock. She shrieked when she learned the time.

It was 7:30 in the morning.

Thirty minutes before Ryoma's departure. Of all the days why does it have to be Sunday? No, she was always late anyway. She hoped that this day was only an exception but it wasn't. She hurried down as she dressed herself properly. She didn't forget the thing that she was about to give him for his charm. Her grandmother was not there probably she was with the others… with him already. She kept telling her grandmother to wake her up. Maybe she got tired and gave up. She did remember her grandmother waking her up but as Ryoma said to her before, she did sleep like a log. She ran as fast as she can… hoping that she could catch up at the airport.

At the airport:

The tennis prodigy bowed at everyone;

"Thank you very much, everyone."

"Hey! Hey stop the formality, it's not like you're not going back here again." Sumire said to him.

"Yeah! Be sure to win the tournaments this time." Eiji said.

Ryoma bent back as he nodded. He looked at Fuji who gave him a thumps up sign. He gave him a small nod as well. They understood each other as if they made a promise back then.

Ryoma turned to his captain and bowed once again, "Thank you that time, Tezuka-buchou."

Tezuka just nodded. Everyone wore a weird and wondering look on their faces but they backed out when the captain glared at them.

"Sakuno-chan is taking so long… " Tomoka said while worrying about her best friend.

"She's late again, that girl never changes." Horio said.

Once again the frenemies no.2 bickered with each other. Everyone did nothing but sweat dropped on their actions. Later on, the announcement of his flight was heard at the counter.

"It's time," Momo said, "but your girlfriend's not here yet. What are we going to do?"

Fuji thought of something, "Leave it to me guys… "

8:05 am

She managed to arrive at the airport. She was lost on her way there good thing that she asked a decent person that told her the right direction. She would definitely curse herself for being stupid like this. She looked around while running inside. She was beginning to worry because she couldn't find someone she knows. She stopped running and looked at her wrist watch, she was five minutes late. What would she expect? He already left without waiting for her. She was sad. She failed until the end. She didn't see Ryoma today and she would never see him for a while. Tears started to fall down her cheek as she began to walk towards the exit.

She almost screamed when someone held her left arm and spun her around. Her eyes widened as she faced Ryoma's curious look… closely.

"Are you going to leave without seeing me off?" the boy retorted.

"R-ryoma-kun," she couldn't stop her tears as she hugged him unconsciously, "I-I thought that I… "

"Hush, don't give me that look. I don't want to leave remembering that ugly look of your face." Ryoma teased her a little.

"Mou, stop teasing me at a time like this." Sakuno said as she looked up at him.

Ryoma just looked at her. They were in a public area and popularity of Ryoma was not new to them.

"T-that's Echizen Ryoma, right?" the girl murmured.

"Yeah, who's the girl he was holding? His girlfriend?" the other whispered.

"She's plain. I wonder what he saw from her."

Sakuno could hear their gossip towards her. It hurt her a bit. She looked down as she heard them giggle. She was a bit surprise when Ryoma held her cheek and kissed her on the forehead. She blushed a lot because of his action. She could hear their envious words as they saw what he just did to her.

"Ignore them," Ryoma ordered, "I'll give you a proper kiss when I get back."

She managed to nod despite the tears and the red color painted on her cheek. Ryoma was still holding her cheek as he leaned his forehead to hers.

"Don't you dare cheat on me." Ryoma warned him.

"T-that should be my line." Her eyes softened.

"Go home as early as possible."

"I won't go anywhere except practice."

"Don't go off alone. Ask someone to go with you."

"Y-you're giving me some restrictions again."

"It's because I AM your boyfriend. So just up and follow me."

Sakuno was a bit shocked but nodded a little afterwards, "H-hai."

They separated after that. Sakuno remembered something. She showed her gift to him. He reacted a bit when he saw that shiny thing in front of him. She volunteered to wear it to this neck. The boy flinched when she did that but regained his signature countenance afterwards.

"P-please wear this c-charm I gave you." She blushed after she wore the thing on his neck.

Ryoma looked at the thing that she put on his neck. It was a silver necklace that shone when it was reflected by light. The pendant was incredible for it has three designs: from the outside it was circle and inside the circle was a heart-shaped steel and at the center was just perfect for him for it has engraved number one on it. He smirked on the gift she gave him. He liked it. Sakuno continued to spoke still blushing;

*"I-if you keep anything from me within you," she looked down as she fidgeted, "M-my heart will always be with you."*

Ryoma was a bit shocked on her words and he understood her. He held the necklace hard as he said thank to her. Sakuno smiled as she stopped crying from that time. It was his turn to make her surprised. He yanked something from his pocket and inserted it to her hand. He let her gripped it hard.

"Wear this everyday and remember me." He said making the girl blushed. It was the thing that he bought when Sakuno was busy playing toss rings. He bet that she didn't notice it.

"Keep this in mind," He stared at her for a long time and then continued, "Your love is reciprocated."

She blushed again for a thousand times. She nodded as she was very happy. She could wait for him forever… no matter what it takes. They became alert when the announcer was annoyingly announced his flight once again;

"Flight to New York will REALLY be taking off in five minutes."

They could hear the irritating voice of the announcer.

"ECHIZEN! WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING THERE? YOU'RE FLIGHT IS ABOUT TO LEAVE. HAVE MERCY ON FUJI-SENPAI!" Momo shouted at a distance from them. Sakuno didn't notice that they were there until Momoshiro shouted. Fuji tried to flirt with the announcer to buy some time so that he could wait for her. That's the time Ryoma looked for her and his effort didn't waste a lot.

They both sweat dropped. Sakuno smiled weakly;

"I-I think… you should go now."

"Un… " Ryoma nodded. He continued to walk inside. He looked at them once again and shouted just right for them to hear. "…Until next time."

Everyone shouted as well as Sakuno. She wore her best smile for him to remember when he left.

xxx

They could see the plane that he was boarding from the lobby. Sakuno just stared at that flying machine.

"Are you okay?" Fuji asked her.

"H-hai. I am fine." She replied not looking away at the scenery.

Fuji saw her serious countenance yet fond look on her face. He looked at the same direction.

"Aww—Ochibi left again… No fun." Eiji pouted as he placed his hands on top of his head.

She couldn't understand what the others were saying. And then she remembered something that Ryoma inserted in her hand, she didn't have the time to look at it before so she yanked in her pocket and looked at it. She was definitely surprised on the item in her hand.

It was a hairpin, a small, beautiful hairpin.

A pink ambrosia hairpin.

Sakuno closed her eyes as she brought the hairpin with her clasped hands to her chest and whispered;

"I will… and I will wait for you."

She remembered his words when he gave her that hairpin.

'Your love is reciprocated'

Done! How was it? Was it good? Was it enough? Because if you ask me, it was not enough for me yet I really love this chapter prior to my last three chapters. Well guess what, I am making an epilogue…

Tee hee hee… Did I surprise you? Yes I am making an epilogue for this one. I just can't let it end like that, can I? I did make this in purpose. I was planning to have an epilogue since from the very beginning. Well stay tuned for the epilogue. Thank you very much for reading this… ^_^

I almost reached 100 reviews and by the time you get to read this it will definitely a hundred already. Thank you for making my Triangle Hearts a (successful) story.

Notes:

*sign – that was a bible verse from 07-ghost where Frau dedicated that to Teito when he (Frau) was accused and sentenced to death. (But he won't die because he is Zehel, one of 7 ghosts after all.) I don't own the anime. Just love to share. Special thanks to the anime called 07-ghost.

Yakusoku desu – It's a promise.

Ambrosia – your love is reciprocated.

Reviews please… truly, even one word is definitely be appreciated by MitsukiJunko.

Epilogue: Shizuku Hitohira (Petal Drop)