I'm Yours
By: Iceyicecream
Chapter 22: Memories
Sakuno shook her head and started crying. "Why?" She asked as she wiped her tears, "Why…why is this happening?"
"Sakuno!" Ryoma called.
Sakuno opened her eyes, tears stained her cheeks. "Ryoma?"
Ryoma sat his wife up and put her in a tight embrace. "What's wrong Ryoma?" Sakuno asked panicking.
Ryoma pulled Sakuno to arms width away and wiped her tears away. "You were crying in your sleep."
Sakuno gasped and touched her cheeks. "I'm sorry! I didn't know…I don't remember what I was dreaming about."
Her ache began to ache and her smile faded from her face. Ryoma looked at her doubtfully but didn't pry. "Well Ryosuke and Aoi are with Tomoka…so it's just the two of us. Is there anything you want to do today?" Ryoma asked.
Sakuno's stomach rumbled. Her face flushed. Ryoma ruffled her hair, "I'll make you something to eat." He said and left.
Sakuno smiled and nodded her head. She watched her husband's back as he headed to the kitchen. Sakuno looked at her hands and started to go off into the cloud.
Flashback (High School)
"Ne, ne, ne, did you hear about the scholarship that Ryoma-Sama got?" Ryoma's fangirls gossiped.
Sakuno and Tomoka sat together for lunch, ear shot away. Sakuno unintentionally eavesdropped onto their conversation. "Some people from America are giving him a full scholarship to go study there and play tennis!"
"KYAA! We'll never see him again then!" Another squealed.
"I heard that he was planning to accept it!"
"OH NO!" They all chimed in together.
Sakuno could feel a hand squeezing at her heart. Tomoka looked at Sakuno. "Ryoma-Sama didn't say anything about this to you did he?" Tomoka asked.
Sakuno shook her head and just stared at her food…she had lost her appetite. Sakuno scooted her chair out and picked up her lunch tray, "I'm going to go back to class now. I'll see you next period Tomo-Chan." Sakuno said and hurried out of the cafeteria.
"Sakuno-Chan!" Tomoka called but Sakuno was already gone.
Sakuno sat in her seat in class and laid her head down and let out a sigh. Someone scooted their chair beside her. Sakuno turned her head to see Ryoma looking at her worried. "What's wrong Ryuzaki?"
Sakuno blushed. "Nothing is wrong." Sakuno stuttered.
Ryoma cupped her hand with his rare signs of affections. "Why are you lying to me?"
Sakuno looked at her hand in his and blushed. "What makes you say that?" Sakuno asked.
Ryoma frowned. "If there is something wrong, then I want you to tell me, do you understand?" Ryoma said.
Sakuno nodded her head. "Then tell me." Ryoma commanded.
Sakuno opened her mouth and then the bell rang for class to begin. Ryoma cursed at the bell and stood up. "Let's walk home together okay?" Ryoma asked.
Sakuno blushed. "Hai."
Sakuno looked out the window. "Ne, ne, ne, I heard that Ryoma-Sama accepted the scholarship today!" One of his fangirls gossiped.
Sakuno continued to look out the window. "No way! What about him and Sakuno?" One of them asked.
"They're going to break up of course!" Another one said.
Sakuno's heart shattered.
"Hoy! You girls stop talking before I kick you out of my classroom." The teacher said.
"Sorry."
Sakuno balled her hands into fists. "I want to go home." Sakuno whispered.
The bell rang for the end of the school day and Sakuno hurried to gather her things and leave. She got to the entrance and slipped on her outdoor shoes. She hurried out and was stopped by Ryoma. "Ryuzaki?" Ryoma called.
Sakuno stopped and turned towards him. "Hai?" She asked.
"Did you forget?"
Sakuno blinked and gasped. "Gomeni Ryoma-Kun!" Sakuno said as she bowed, "I totally forgot."
Ryoma shrugged and readjusted his cap, "Whatever, let's go."
Sakuno nodded her head. "Mm."
They headed home. Sakuno kept a few paces behind Ryoma and he noticed this. Ryoma stopped and Sakuno bumped into his back. "Is there something wrong?" Sakuno asked as she rubbed her slightly red nose.
Ryoma grabbed her hand. "I don't want you to get lost." Ryoma said.
Sakuno blushed and nodded her head. She squeezed his hand as they walked. "What's wrong?" Ryoma asked.
Sakuno kept her head down. "I don't ever want to let go of your hand." Sakuno said looking saddened.
Ryoma turned to look at her to see her on the brink of crying. "What's wrong?" Ryoma asked stopping her from moving any further.
Sakuno looked up at Ryoma finally looking at him in the eyes. "I heard that you received a scholarship to attend college in America."
Ryoma rubbed his neck with his free hand. "I did, so what?" Ryoma asked.
Sakuno frowned. "Why didn't you bother to tell me?" Sakuno asked.
"I didn't think it was necessary." Ryoma said.
Her heart sank. "And what about accepting it?" Sakuno asked.
Ryoma raised one of his brows. "Who said that?" Ryoma asked.
"Does it really matter?" Sakuno asked getting riled up, "I would appreciate it if you answered."
Ryoma sighed. "I considered it."
Sakuno let go of his hand, "That's all that I need to know."
Ryoma looked at her confused. "Wait, where are you going?" Ryoma asked.
"Home, I can walk the rest of the way there, thank you for walking me this far Ryoma-Kun."
"Matte, Ryuzaki!"
Sakuno was already running away. Ryoma was tailing her easily. "Ryuzaki, stop! I don't understand why you're mad."
"I'm not mad!" Sakuno screamed as she continued to run.
"Then why are you running away from me?" Ryoma asked as he chased after her.
"Because I feel like running!"
"That's a lie!"
"Mou! Leave me alone Ryoma-Kun!"
Ryoma stopped in his tracks and watched as Sakuno vanished into the crowd of people. "Baka." Ryoma said pulling his cap over his eyes.
Sakuno stopped in her neighborhood and turned to find Ryoma nowhere in sight. Sakuno's heart started hurting. She really hoped that Ryoma would be behind her. Sakuno shook her head and started crying. "Why?" She asked as she wiped her tears, "Why…why is this happening?"
More tears started to run down her cheeks as she wiped furiously at her eyes. "I don't want him to leave." Sakuno cried.
"Who said I was leaving?"
Sakuno turned around. "Ryoma-Kun?" She said startled.
"Who told you I was leaving?" Ryoma asked walking up to Sakuno.
Sakuno took a few steps back. "I…I…I heard some girls talking…"
Ryoma frowned. "Is that where you got all these stupid ideas in your head?"
Sakuno shook her head, embarrassed. "Hai."
Ryoma grabbed Sakuno's cheeks and squeezed them. "Ow, ow, ow, ow Ryoma-Kun!" Sakuno said.
Ryoma stopped but kept his hands on her cheeks. "I won't leave you, Sakuno." Ryoma said.
Sakuno started crying. "But…but…the offer to study with a scholarship in America."
"I don't care." Ryoma said, "There are good colleges here too, I can always apply here."
Sakuno shook her head. "But you were raised in America…there must be things you are missing from there…and aren't there more competitor on the professional level there?"
Ryoma shook his head, "There are plenty here and if I want I can always play at the tournaments whenever they come around. Not all of them are in America."
"But…but, the education there is also top notch." Sakuno said.
"Stop." Ryoma commanded.
Sakuno shut her lips. "Why are you saying these things?" Ryoma asked a hurt expression in his eyes, "It's as if you don't want me to stay here."
Sakuno's eyes widened and she shook her head. "No, I want you to stay!"
"Then why are you saying all these things that are supposed to make me reconsider?"
"Because…I don't want to be the reason why you're not going to America."
Ryoma sighed, "Ryuzaki, if I ever had a problem with being with you or anything of the sort, I would tell you."
Sakuno frowned. "Really?"
Ryoma nodded his head. "I won't leave you Sakuno, I swear to you."
Sakuno's heart skipped a beat. "Promise?" Sakuno asked blushing.
Ryoma leaned forward and kissed her. "I promise…sealing it with a kiss."
Sakuno turned bright red. Ryoma chuckled and slipped his cap onto her head. "I'll never leave you Sakuno." Ryoma proclaimed.
Sakuno smiled. "Okay."
End of Flashback
Ryoma came back in the room with a tray of pancakes and coffee to find Sakuno crying again. Ryoma dropped the tray and hurried to Sakuno's side. "What's wrong?" Ryoma asked worried as he wiped away her tears, "Did something happen?"
Sakuno shook her head, "I was just recalling the past, that's all."
Ryoma frowned. "What was it about?"
Sakuno blushed. "Do you remember when you got that scholarship from America?"
Ryoma nodded. "Yeah, I'm sorry."
Sakuno looked at him confused. "Why are you apologizing?" Sakuno asked panicking.
"Because…I'm making you cry."
Sakuno shook her head. "You didn't make me cry." Sakuno said.
Ryoma wiped her tears. "I love you Sakuno."
Sakuno smiled and leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. "I love you too, Ryoma."