AN: Yes, I feel guilty for being mean to Jirou... Sigh... Anyway, I hope you guys like this one.

Pot is not mine.

"ANYWAY, Sakuno-chan you're cheering for your team?" Jirou broke the lovey dovey atmosphere.

"Huh? Oh well, I wanted to but I think that Ryoma-kun will have more will power if I cheered for him more." Sakuno replied.

Jirou bit his lip, that brat was all she could talk about. He looked at her as she flustered with something that Ryoma said. They grew close, he felt a certain kind of distance between them. But he knew that the both of them had their special something too.

"Everyone, we have to go. We need to practice." Sakaki announced as he clapped his hands.

"Ohhh..." Jirou whined.

"Don't worry Jirou-kun, We'll see each other soon enough." Sakuno reassured the pouting regular.

"Sa-Sakuno-chan.." Jirou sighed as he looked at the girl, he couldn't help himself but hug Sakuno tightly making Sakuno gasp.

"HEY GIVE BACK MY PARTNER!~" Eiji exclaimed as he tried to reach her.

"No." Jirou stuck his tongue out as he distance himself and Sakuno.

Atobe was clearly getting impatient, he was being embarrassed by this God awful act.

"Kabaji." Atobe snapped his fingers.

"Usu." Kabaji replied, he took the cat eared princess from Jirou's grasp and placed her on top of Ryoma's lap. Sakuno was blushing the whole time, while Ryoma didn't mind at all.

Kabaji proceeded as he grabbed Jirou by the collar and carried him away.

"Thank you for the delicious onigiris Ryuzaki-san." Atobe thanked the girl while Sakaki thanked his fellow coach.

"KABAJI YOU BIG LUUUUMMMMP!" Jirou shouted as they exited the court.

"That was weird." Katsuo blinked.

"You got that right." Kachiro added.

"Having fun Echizen?" Horio and Momo asked in unison.

Ryoma looked at the flushed princess and smirked.

"Indeed." Ryoma purred under his smirk.

"That Jirou person is still weird as usual, ne Oishi?" Eiji said as he jumped to his partner's side.

"Eiji, you shouldn't judge people." Oishi started to lecture like a mother.

Ryoma stood up as he gently placed Sakuno on her feet, he looked at her and she looked at him. She knew what it meant. Her prince was going to practice. She gave a nod to him as he got his gear and left the court.

"Sakuno, you and Ryoma are getting along well." Sumire said as she patted the shoulder of her grandchild.

Sakuno smiled at her grandma, she was happy. So much has changed since the first time they've met. Their relationship was blooming and it felt great for both of them.

POK POK POK POK POK POK

The tennis ball went each time it hit the practice wall, Ryoma was pumped. He's excited to take home the win.

Meanwhile in the courts,

"GO FUJI-SENPAAAAIIII!" Horio cheered.

"YOU CAN DO IT FUJIIIII!" Taka cheered as well.

"Fuji-senpai is doing well, ne Tomo-chan?" Sakuno said.

"Yep! It's a sure win!" Tomoka giggled.

And after 3 more games, the genius Fuji won.

"Oi Echizen, you're up." Momo said as he fetched the boy.

"Is that so?" Ryoma replied as they entered the courts.

"KYAAAA RYOMA-SAMA! GOOD LUUUCCK!" Tomoka cheered loudly making some of the audience to cover their ears.

"COME ON ECHIZEEEN!" Horio, Katsuo and Kachiro shouted.

"Don't screw this up kid." Kaido warned the freshman.

"I'm not planning to." Ryoma replied with arrogance. He looked at Sakuno was there on the side.

"Fight-O ! Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno cheered shaking her pom poms.

Ryoma tilted his cap upwards as he placed himself in the service line. His opponent was Mizuki, he wanted someone more... sane and quiet but he guessed that it was okay.

"Probability of Echizen-san not doing the twist serve.. 60%" Mizuki said as he returned the frizzy ball.

Mizuki started his data tennis.

At first it was 1-1 then 2-2 until it continued to matchpoint.

"Ochibi's trying hard to shake off Mizuki nyaaa!" Eiji commented.

"That guys is like a leech, hard to take off really hard." Momo said as he looked at the opponent.

"Go Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno cheered with all of her heart.

"Ryoma-kuuuuun!" Sakuno added.

It was a time out, Ryoma wiped off his sweat drenched face and chugged down water.

"Are you okay Ryoma?" Sumire asked.

"Yeah, It's that annoying guy. I can't shake him off my tail." Ryoma scowled.

"I think this will make you feel better." Sumire said trying not to blush as she called her grandchild on the bench.

"Huh?" Ryoma was confused.

"Sakuno wants to give you something." Sumire explained trying not to squeal.

"Ryoma-kun Good Luck!" Sakuno said as she took his cap off and gave a chaste kiss on his forehead. Ryoma eye's widened with shock, he never expected such thing.

Sakuno distanced away, she was still blushing but she kept herself composed. She wants to do anything for her prince to win, because she knows that he loves tennis.

"Thank you Grandma." Sakuno said as she shyly walked back into the bleachers, only to find herself welcomed with hugs, pinches and whistles from the Seigaku regulars and her friends.

"Now that's done, make sure you win." Sumire said as he patted Ryoma on the head.

"Usu." Ryoma confidently replied as he fixed his cap on and went ahead on the service line.

Mizuki scoffed at the kid on the other side, clueless in what's next for him.

"Mada Mada Dane." Ryoma smirked as he gave his famous line. He bolted through and through, he glided in the court with ease. He was stronger than ever.

"Game and Match Seigaku's Echizen 7 - 6." The referee announced.

"YEEEEEEYYYY!" Everyone cheered.

"WE WOOOON!" Eiji and Momo happily said as they hugged each other.

"I don't get it, We only won one match. It's only the start." Ryoma droned as he walked back to the bleachers to get his stuff.

"Don't be a party pooper Echizen." Horio said as he danced.

"Uhmo... Ryoma-kun, You did great." Sakuno smiled.

Ryoma just looked at her in reply, she did great as well.

"Now, now. We still have time to come back for your sports festival training." Sumire happily rained on their parade.

Everyone slouched in disappointment.

"Come on now, hop into the bus." Sumire added.

"Haaaaaiiiiii.." Everyone droned.

While most of them were awake, a few dozed off. Namely Sakuno, Horio, Momo and Eiji.

Sakuno rested her head on her bestfriend's shoulders, Horio was lying on the very end of the bus, Eiji and Momo snored beside their friend, Oishi and Ryoma.

"You've grown up today." Tomoka whispered at the sleeping maiden as she patted her head.

"The little miss was quite a helper." Taka said as he peered over the bus seat to talk to Inui.

"She's a great advantage." Inui slyly said as his glasses gleamed.

"She's quite a looker too." Fuji smiled.

"What do you expect? She got it from me." Sumire boasted.

"I.. dunno about that.." Taka gave a nervous smile.

"You don't believe me? That's mean. Ask Ryoma's father. You'll eat your words." Sumire replied tauntingly.

They laughed their way back to Seigaku.

"Sakuno, wake up. We're here." Tomoka said as she nudged Sakuno.

"Hmm? Huh?.. Ohh.." Sakuno woke up.

"Good work everyone, now go back to your respective class." Sumire announced.

"Haaaiii." Everyone replied.

Ryoma, Sakuno and the rest of their freshmen friends changed into their P.E attire. Once the girls got out of the changing room they were greeted with the boys standing outside.

"DId I tell you to take it off?" Ryoma cocked his eyebrow.

"B-But.. We are going to training .." Sakuno protested.

Ryoma looked at her with a blunt expression in response. Sakuno was fidgeting as she shifted her gaze from left to right, Ryoma not budging. He stood his ground.

"I'll go put them on." Sakuno gave a sigh of defeat as she quickly went in and out of the changing room.

"Good." Ryoma said as he eyed her from head to toe.

"Come on then. Let's go." Katsuo said as they went to the field.

"Oh Great Nice of you to jo-" The teacher couldn't continue as he saw the cat ears and tail clad Sakuno.

"Ryuzaki-kun, what on earth are you wearing?" The teacher asked.

"It's a style going around Sir." Tomoka covered.

"Okay?" The teacher replied.

"Anyway, you guys do the usual and skip the sports groupings. Dismissal is going to be soon." Their teacher added.

"Hai." The 6 freshmen replied.

15 minutes into the training everyone was almost at their limit but a certain couple still wasn't.

"Ry-Ryuzaki..you're a monster." Horio commented.

"Huh?" Sakuno furrowed her eyebrows.

"A .. cute... mo-.. monster." Tomoka added.

"What are you guys talking about?" Ryoma asked, he barely paid attention in their business but it was about his princess so he had to pay attention.

"Well, Echizen... We were doing the normal count in our training but you guys tripled it." Kachiro said.

"She's an adorable monster." Tomoka cheered.

"Mada Mada." Ryoma smirked as he looked at the very determined Sakuno.

Only his princess can keep up with him and he loved every bit of it. Things were going well when suddenly a crowd of sophomores, juniors and seniors were gathering.

"I wonder why they're all here?" Horio asked.

"Are you THAT stupid? They probably saw Sakuno." Tomoka explained.

"SHUT UP WENCH!" Horio exclaimed.

"SHUT UP UNIBROW!" Tomoka spat.

"Who could blame them?" Katsuo said.

Kachiro nodded.

"What's this crowd?" Taka asked Oishi.

"I don't know." Oishi said looking worried.

"Excuse uuuusss." Momo said as the rest of the Seigaku team except for Tezuka squeezed in to the crowd.

"That girl is ultra-cute!" A junior said.

"You're right!" His friend replied.

"I want to date her!" A sophomore exclaimed.

"Can you imagine if she grew more? If she's that adorably cute what more when she's older?" A junior imagined.

"Oh? It's Ochibi's girlfriend. They're ogling Ochibi's girlfriend!" Eiji whined at Oishi.

"STOOOOOOP!" Eiji tried to cover the view.

"SHE'S TAKEN! TAKEN!" Momo joined his senpai.

"EHHH?!" The crowd exclaimed.

"Who's the guy? I'll snatch her away from him!" A very cocky senior asked and soon lots followed with the same question.

"WE ARE!" The Seigaku team took a step forward along with Ryoma. They all looked pissed and angry.

The crowd gulped in fear.

"GO ON NOW! SHOO!" Eiji warned.

"STOP OGLING HER! YOU FILTHY BASTARRRRDS!" Taka added, someone had hand him a tennis racket.

The crowd of guys were disappointed, they slumped and dragged their feet away from the field.

"E-Echizen?! When did you get here?!" Momo asked in shock.

"When I noticed you guys in the crowd of drooling dogs." Ryoma said as he gritted his teeth, still annoyed with the fact that they were 'observing' her in a distasteful way.

"Echizen is a knight in shining armor." Oishi patted his junior's head.

"More like a prince." Ryoma said under his breath.

"Thank you senpai-tachi." Ryoma said as he walked back to his friends, he's cocky, he's prideful but he's always respectful.. well... at times.

After that unexpected circumstances they were all dismissed.

"Ryuzaki, let me walk you home." Ryoma said.

"Thank you Ryoma-kun, sorry for the trouble." Sakuno said as she looked down on the ground.

"I offered." Ryoma simply replied.

"Thank You." Sakuno smiled.

"You already said that." The prince commented.

"Thank You for letting me be closer to you. I never been so happy before." Sakuno explained.

"Heeehh. Then Thank You as well." Ryoma replied as he looked up to see the ombre sky.

"For what?" Sakuno asked in confusion.

Ryoma took a deep breath.

"For being there... For loosening me up." Ryoma replied maintaining to be cool as a cucumber.

"I..." Sakuno was blushing.

"But your hair is still too long." Ryoma yawned.

"MOUUU!" Sakuno protested.

"Have you gotten used to me yet?" Ryoma asked.

"Huh?" Sakuno replied.

"You barely stutter anymore." Ryoma commented.

"H-H-Huh.. R-Really?" Sakuno blushed as she looked at her prince.

"Nevermind." The cat eyed boy said bluntly.

"Let's win the sports festival!" Sakuno added.

Ryoma smirked.

"You must put extra effort in our practices." Ryoma taunted.

Sakuno blushed as the thoughts ran through her head.

"We're here..." Ryoma said trying not to look too disappointed.

"Yeah.." Sakuno sighed.

"Good Night." Ryoma replied.

"Good Night Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno waved.

Ryoma walked ahead as he smirked all the way home. He was going to confess to her, he was madly inlove with her, he knew they were endgame.

AN: Look forward for my next updates. I hope I can make 4 chapters this week since I'm doing this fic while starting with a SaiSaku fic which is on going. GAH .