DISCLAIMER: I repeat! I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS... Do I really need to explain?
========================================================================= Chapter 2:
He just walked past her and damn her senses seemed to be on high. She was well aware of him. And just the smell of him made her knees weak. But she doesn't want him to know that or else he'll get cocky about it too much.
She pouted and remembered her conversation with her best friends last night.
Last night:
Sakuno was putting on her big tee when the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Sakuno! He's here! He's back!" Tomo on the other line yelled in a mixture of irritation and excitement.
"Who's back?"
"R-,"
"Wait Tomo, someone's on the other line. " she interrupted.
She changed lines and was greeted by the same excited and irritated voice.
"He's back!"
I was An this time.
"An, dear, you don't need to shout. I can hear you clearly. Tomo's on the other line wait.'
She switched in a 3-way call now.
"Now, I know you are excited to have your babies but it is not right to yell at me, okay?" she huff in frustration.
"Sorry, Sakuno," Tomo realized her mistake.
"I'm sorry, girl. We didn't mean 're just too eager to tell you the news," An's voice was sweet and apologetic.
She sighed. She needs to understand how their hormones affect their moods most of the time.
"What news?"
"He's back," her friends said in unison.
"Who?"
"Ryoma."
She laughed in disbelief.
"C'mon girls. You don't have to do this to me. It's not a funny joke."
"We're not joking, arrived earlier at the reunion party," An said in a serious voice.
She was silent. How come? He has an upcoming match next month.
"Impossible. He would never abandon a tennis match," she reasoned out.
"Didn't you hear the news? He was missing yesterday and everyone was just too shock to see him today at Kawamura's," Tomo said.
She was silent again.
"I think he was looking for you," An said out of nowhere.
"I think so, too. Kaoru wouldn't talk on what happened after we have left the shop," Tomo added.
Silence.
"I don't care, Tomo. Let him be. We have our own lives to live now and that life doesn't include him," she said.
"But Saku-"
"Stop it, Tomo and An. I have enough for today."
And she ended the call at once.
End of Flashback.
She followed him to the living room. He had his bag at the floor near the sofa and he was staring around the room.
"Why are you here?"
Sakuno silently cheered at herself for not stuttering.
Ryoma turned towards him with an arch brow. He was certainly confused.
"Didn't coach inform you?"
"Inform me of what?"
She just want to wipe away that stupid smirk off his face, if possible. He was wearing a cocky smirk after he ran his eyes all over her body.
"Can I at least take a seat?" it sounded like a command.
"Go ahead," she frowned. He was really so over himself.
He turned to stare at her as she started to pace in front of him.
"Aren't you gonna take a seat too? I don't mind the view, though," he grinned when he saw her face just turned immediately to diffenrent shades of red.
She just realized that she was only wearing her oversized old pink shirt, which was almost see through. Her left shoulder was exposed and she was just wearing a white cotton panty immediately sat on one of the single-seater near her and covered herself with a throw-pillow.
She glared at him. She knew it was not his fault but what can she do? She had just paraded in front of him wearing almost nothing. It was embarrassing. To redeem herself she decided to turn to her irritation and anger towards the said prince.
"Why are you here?" she snorted at him.
"Coach sent me to look after you," he stated.
"What?I'm no baby, I don't need you."
Ryoma was a bit stunned. Her words was just a punch straight right through his heart.
"I know. I'm here for a favor to look after you. Are you even aware that all your friends and especially your grandmother are worried about you?" he saw the shock on her face. He knew right then and there that she was not even aware of it. "Don't worry I won't get in your way. You won't even know I'm here."
She frowned. Certainly she did not agree with this set up but being a good grand daughter and friend that she is, she just agreed.
"Hn, suit yourself," she emotionlessly said as she marched toward the stairs.
He took a note on how her hips swayed as she walked. She still has those wobbly hips but her legs seemed to be endless. Her hair was in a messy bun and he knows it's still as long as he could remember. And he knew how she had evolved into a beautiful woman. His body just agreed to him for the first time too. He was sweating too hard for his comfort.
Having difficulty holding onto his sanity, with the very last drop of control in his mind he snap out of his day dreaming and decided to snoop around and maybe fix something to eat. Her grand mother said that she barely eats breakfast.
The moment she arrived at her room her walls collapsed and she just slid to the floor having her back at her door. Her knees were too weak to support mind wandered to the last person she wanted to see, worse the last person to share a house with.
Ryoma Echizon. Why is he here?
What he said had struck her bad. She knew at the back of her mind that they were worried about her but she ignored it. She worked her ass off everyday to cope up with her loneliness. To cover all her weaknesses. Her grandmother understood it all and she had let her be. She was too focused on her world that she was not able to see how her friends and family suffered seeing her like that.
She was just too caught up with her own misery. A misery that she had inflicted herself as well. Would it be better to face the cause of it all?
She sighed. She had made her decision. If he, being here, would give everyone their peace of mind so be it. She guessed she just have to endure it. She was just too afraid that she will be too drowned with her feelings for him that she might completely lose herself in the process.
Gathering all the strength left in her she stood up to take a bath. The cafe needs here now. She entered the bathroom and being a klutz that she was, she was not able to see the soap on the floor near the tub that she tripped on it. She had hit her head at the edge of the tiled sink andshe lost her conciousness. She laid on the wet cold tub naked.
'Why is he here?' she was feeling lightheaded. 'Why did he come back?'
'Aren't you happy to see him?' a part of her mind asked.
'Who are you?' she asked confused.
'I'm you, silly,' the voice giggled.
Then from out of nowhere she found herself face to face with her 12-year old Sakuno.
'Where am I?'
'Somewhere,' the young Sakuno smiled.
'Huh?'
The younger Sakuno chuckled.
'You and I never charged, you know," the younger Sakuno said. 'We are a bad liar still."
'I don't want to get hurt again.'
'I know. But wouldn't it be all worth the pain?' a sad smile curved on her young face.
'Maybe,' she was not sure of herself. 'Yes, it is.' she whispered.
The young Sakuno smiled and said:
'Things will be alright.'
Ryoma was observing the Ryuzaki household. It was pretty neat and clean. He helped himself in cooking breakfast for both of them. When he was done he went to check on Sakuno.
He knocked on her door but there was no answer. A silly thought ran over his mind but he waved it off. But the moment he turned the door knob and found out it was open the scary feeling intensified.
"Ryuzaki? Ryuzaki!" he called out.
Silence. Only the slow overflow of water in the bath can be heard. He knocked on the door and received nothing. He doesn't know on why he felt scared while staring at the bathroom door. He slowly walked towards it and the feeling just grew stronger.
"Ryuzaki?"
He was silently prayed that the door was turned the knob and pushed it open.
'Good. At least I won't have to break it.'
The moment he set his foot inside the room he paled.
In the tub was Sakuno, slowly sliding in. She was what scared him most was the fact that she was not moving at was totally submerged now and that woke him ran towards her and cover her with a towel he saw on the sink. She seemed to have inhaled some water that he needs to give a CPR. He felt slightly relived when she coughed up and woke up. She was clutching his shirt as if she was holding onto her dear life.
"Hey, do you feel all right?" he lightly shaked her.
Despite of lack of air she had the sense to nod. And it assured him she was all right yet he needs to be sure.
"I need to take you to the hospital," he started to carry her towards her bedroom.
She shook her head.
"No. I'm fine," she softly said. She hid her face on his shirt.
Embarrassment started to sink in the moment she realize that she was not wearing anything but a towel.
"No. You need to be checked. You hit your head,' his voice was cold.
"I just got a bump, Ryoma. I feel fine."
He gave her a scrutinizing gaze as if measuring the truth behind her statement. He deeply sighed.
"Okay, but I'll call Oishi-sempai for him to check up on you."
She just nodded in response.
"C-can you go out of my room now?"
His brow rose in question.
"I-I have to get dressed."
He didn't answer but he was coldly staring at her.
"Make sure not to lock your door," he said as he walked towards the door.
"Huh?"
"You have to leave it unlock.I don't trust you, you're too clumsy for your own you don't want a broken door leave it unlocked."
Then he was out of the room leaving her gaping for words.
'Was he worried about me?'
She felt quite happy about the thought.
The sweet part will be next chapter.. I'm sorry I have to finish this chapter as soon as I can or I'll lose the file.
Hope you enjoy it...
Read and review please...
=sakura21cherrie=