Thanks to kikumarucat , AelitaOfTheWolves and Girl-luvs-manga for reading and reviewing Chapter 12!
Disclaimer: Nothing in POT belongs to me. All OoC-ness, OCs, events, situations, venues and tournaments are just figments of my imagination.
Thanks to princeoftennis .wikia .com for all the relevant information.
CAUTION: Some plotlines won't be following the original storyline from manga, anime or movie! Characters may be out of original characterness!
"xxxxx" Conversation
'xxxxx' Thoughts
xxxxxxxFlashback
Hope, Love, Joy
37. The Graduation Of Sakuno
(After 27 Months)
"Minna, say Wasabi!"
"Wasa-BI!" Ryuzaki Sakuno, her friends and her senpai-tachi from Seishun and Rikkai shouted happily as Yukimura Satoru took a couple of photos of the young people standing in a tangled group.
"Omedetto, Sakuno-chan!" "Congratulations on your graduation!" "You finally graduated, Sakuno!" "Well done, Sakuno-chan!" Sakuno received the well-wishes from her Seishun senpais as well as her Rikkai senpais with her usual demure smile.
"Too bad Yukimura-san isn't here." Horio-kun piped in real loud but his mouth was quickly clamped shut by his friends Kachiro and Katsuo. Even Momoshiro and Kikumaru knocked him on his head and hushed him. Everyone was trying their best not to say anything about the absence of a certain man so that Sakuno won't be upset.
"Minna, don't be cruel to Horio-kun, " Sakuno pleaded, "I'm fine that Seiichi isn't here."
"Neh, neh Sakuno-chan," an energetic Kikumaru skipped to her side, "why isn't Yukimura-san here, nyah? He did come back last year for Christmas, didn't he, nyah?" Everyone turned their attention to the serene-looking girl. They were wondering about the same thing.
"Last week, Seiichi had told me his Coach is arranging a practice match with some professional tennis players for him and Tezuka-san this week. So he had to stay back."
Before she could elaborate anymore, Ryuzaki Sumire called her, "Sakuno! We are about to leave now."
After she had said her goodbyes and farewells, Sakuno joined her grandmother and the Yukimuras. Yukimura Hana jumped into her arms and Sakuno gave her a short hug.
"Sakuno-neechan, omedetto!"
"Thank you Hana-chan."
"Let's go for lunch now. I'm hungry." Everyone laughed as Hana began pulling one of her arms to lead her toward the school gates.
Satoru, his wife Harumi and Sumire exchanged satisfied knowing looks and followed their daughter and future daughter-in-law to their car.
39. The Unexpected Guest
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the restaurant where the Yukimuras had booked a table. This lunch at Sakuno's favourite restaurant was their graduation present for her.
"Sakuno, why don't you go ahead and make sure they have readied our table?" Ryuzaki Sumire instructed her as she helped Harumi with Hana who had fallen asleep in the car.
"Hai." Sakuno walked toward the front doors. The maitre d' of the restaurant received her graciously and showed her to the room they had reserved for the Yukimura party.
Sakuno stepped into the room and froze in shock. She took no notice of the door closing behind her because her eyes were on a figure in the room.
"Se..Seiichi?"
A smiling Yukimura Seiichi elegantly dressed in a white suit walked over to kneel down on one knee and held up a bouquet of red roses. Amidst the roses, a white velvet box laid opened to reveal a feminine platinum ring with diamonds shaped into a heart.
"I have loved you for a long time, Sakuno. I have waited for this day to come to ask you if you would join your heart and life with mine. Marry me, Sakuno, onegai."
Outside the door, three anxious adults and one curious girl were pressing their ears to the door.
"Did you hear anything?" Satoru whispered.
"Iie, anata. What about you, Sumire?" Harumi asked.
"I heard some murmuring." Sumire shrugged her shoulder.
"I think we should go in and find out. I'm getting hungrier by the minute, Otousan, Okaasan." Hana complained.
The adults agreed and crept silently into the room. The sight that greeted them told them they would become a family soon.
39. The Engagement
"Ahem!" Satoru coughed into a fist-ed hand and the young couple who was entwined in a passionate kiss and embrace broke apart in gasps. They both blushed hard when they saw their family.
"Well?" Sumire and Harumi asked with building excitement.
Sakuno shyly held out one hand to show the dainty platinum ring on her finger. The women and young girl rushed over to congratulate Sakuno and gushed over the ring.
"Well done, Seiichi." Satoru patted his son's shoulder.
"Arigatou, Otousan. I couldn't have done it without your, Otousan and Obaasan's help."
Soon, everyone had to settle down to have lunch when Hana's and then Sakuno's stomachs began growling with hunger. Everyone chatted and enjoyed the delicious lunch while the newly engaged couple kept stealing looks at one another.
Sakuno finally remembered something when the waiters served them desserts. "Seiichi, what happened to the practice match?" she asked worriedly, "Won't your Coach be angry you were missing it?"
Seiichi covered her hand with his, "There's no practice match, Sakuno. I just made it up."
"What? That's mean of you, Seiichi," Sakuno pouted, "I was so sad when you said you won't be back for my graduation."
"Well, I wanted my presence here to be a surprise. Thanks to Otousan, Okaasan and Obaasan, I was able to propose and to hook a pretty fiance for myself." Seiichi kissed her cheek to placate her.
"Fine but don't ever lie to me again, Yukimura Seiichi."
"I won't." Seiichi gave her another kiss on her cheek and enjoyed seeing the love shone from her eyes.
'I promise you, Sakuno that we would be the happiest couple in the world.'
A month later, a wedding invitation card was sent to every friends and family of the Yukimuras and Ryuzakis.
Mrs. Ryuzaki Sumire
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her granddaughter
Ryuzaki Sakuno
to
Yukimura Seiichi
son of
Mr. and Mrs. Yukimura Satoru
on Sunday, the twenty-eighth of April,
two thousand thirteen
at three o'clock in the afternoon
St. John Church
7201 North Nippon Avenue
Tokyo, Japan
Reception at six o'clock
Sakura Ballroom at Meiji Park Hotel
Tokyo, Japan
THE END!
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Constructive criticisms are welcomed!
NEXT: THE EPILOGUE