"Kate-san, this is too much."

Underneath the pile of clothes, Ryuzaki Sakuno sweat-dropped.

The ambiance of the department store they are in reeks of sophistication and elegance. Sakuno can only guess that this place where Kate usually shops for her clothes is an expensive brand.

"Sakuno," Kate excitedly buzzed, holding a yellow beach dress, "I bet this will look good on you. How I wish we can go to the beach already." she sighed.

"But, would you like this dress?" she recovered easily, her eyes gleaming with joy, again.

"A-ano, thank you, Kate-san but this is too much." Ryuzaki apologized, "I can't afford all of this."

"Ah," the girl dismissed her pleas, "It's okay, Sakuno. I will be paying. Don't worry." She flashed the japanese girl, a wink.

"B-But--" Ryuzaki stuttered, uncomfortable at receiving too much of her friend's gifts.

Kate cut her off by leaning on to her side, and whispering something in her ear, "Sakuno, consider this as my saying of thank you." she smiled, "for promising to attend my party, as well as being a valuable friend." Kate grinned, "Let me treat you to at least one of the dresses I picked for you.

Ryuzaki can only nod at her friend, figuring out that there is no way she'll back down when she sets her eye on things. The auburn-haired girl, sighed. This must be what an Echizen Ryoma goes through everyday.

The warmth from the prickling heat of noontime sun touches Sakuno Ryuzaki and Kate Thompson's bare arms. They have been walking from their morning shopping.

"Kate-san, where are we going?" asked the curious girl. They have been wandering over some alleys that Sakuno is quite sure, she'll have a hard time remembering.

"Shhh, why don't we see some of Ryoma's unofficial matches?" she winked at the girl. Sakuno can see her excitedness, as she exudes a bright enthusiastic smile.

"Eh?" she wondered, clueless as to how all of this walking would lead to the prince somehow.

"You see, sometimes, Ryoma would play in the courts near here." Kate clarified, "Well, it was partially because most of Kevin's tennis player friends are around here and they love doing practice matches."

Ryuzaki Sakuno can only manage to nod, making her surprise apparent. Kate's words somehow made her heart heavy. It's not like she's not excited at seeing a certain prince, but the fact she realizes that in actuality, she knew nothing about his life other than his middle school and life at their boarding house stung a little.

They walked into a corner, and finally, she heard the bustling crowd of cheers. The tennis courts' viewer seats are kind of packed, and anticipation are seen from the audience over the currently happening match.

As they walk closer, she can already recognize his white Fila hat. He is playing doubles with Kevin against larger opponents who seemed to be really good.

"Oh, look! Ryoma and Kevin is having a match!" Kate practically dragged the poor Ryuzaki to the other side of the fences, observing the match closer.

"Aw, Ryoma really looks cool while playing." the blonde girl said such things dreamily. Sakuno is quite sure that Kate has been focusing solely at Ryoma that she may have failed to recognize the happy glance of Kevin that didn't escape the auburn-haired girl's eyes.

"Ryoma, let's finish this quickly." Ryuzaki heard Kevin's words to Ryoma.

"But I'm not even finished warming up." Ryoma, glistening with sweat only replied with a smirk.

"I have something to do." Kevin replied, "And truth to be told, you're not even playing seriously so don't bother."

"Hmm. Okay then, on the condition I'll finish this myself." Ryoma finally agreed.

"Have your way." replied Kevin who just can't contain his happiness. He just saw Kate with Sakuno amongst the crowd and all he wanted was for the match to end so he could approach them. He could have actually finished the match by himself, but he knew how stubborn Ryoma would be. If he have done that, the prince of tennis would've still played.

Within minutes, as every hit of Ryoma Echizen signals his opponents' defeat, Sakuno cheers along with the crowd. It was her first time seeing him play against someone other than his brother. Nostalgic thoughts start to fill her as she remember how even in middle school, Ryoma defeats his every opponent.

Kate's cheers were even louder. She could've easily passed Tomoka's cheerleading test for the Ryoma Echizen fanclub back then. The excitement of the crowd really got to her.

But amidst the loud cheering, a sudden feeling of dread crept on her. Someone just brushed against her elbows. It was not supposed to be even that weird, seeing they are practically in the middle of the crowd and touching each other cannot be helped. But for some reason, she felt weird and kind of spooked.

"Hey, Sakuno, are you okay?" a worried Kate who immediately noticed the lack of cheering in her, asked. "You look kind of pale."

"I-I'm okay, don't worry." she stammered.

Suddenly, the place she's standing in felt so suffocating. She wanted some air. For some reason, there is some familiarity to what she feels at this moment.

"Kate-san, I think I'll just go over the comfort rooms for a bit." She excused.

"But... Ryoma and Kevin is wrapping up the match." Kate answered, "Do you really need to go now?"

"Kate-san, just meet them without me. I'll meet you later after I go to the comfort rooms." Sakuno only smiled reassuringly at the girl who was really worried. "Promise, I won't take long." she smiled.

"Okay then." Kate gave her the permission "Just don't get lost."

Ryuzaki Sakuno only nodded, then walked away.

For some reason, the weird feeling she got was the same as what she feels lately, every time she's alone.

She feels as if someone is looking at her.

"I really need to refresh somehow." she muttered, "Why am I being paranoid?"

She splashed some water on her face in hopes she can erase the weird feeling she got. Pulling out some facial tissues in her bag, she wiped her face, as she let heavy breaths, sighing in the end. Sakuno looked at her face in the mirror and made herself smile a bit. "I really have some wild imagination."

Throwing her used tissues on a bin, she made her way to the exit. Maybe she's taking too long, after all. She got herself lost for some time before she found her way to the destination.

Worried that she made her friends wait for too long, she opened the door exit and got out. But suddey, a firm grip on her hand put her in place.

"Hey, I understood now, why he keeps you." a cold, mischievously creepy whisper was what her ears registered,"You're not bad looking yourself."

Her heart started to race in fear as she tried to let go of his firm grip but to no avail. She's starting to panic. Her luck has probably ran out, seeing as she's the only one in the girls' comfort room earlier, and outside the door, just before she can turn and run to the open area outside, she's alone beside this gruff looking guy.

"L-Let go of me," she struggled as she closed her eyes, praying to all the gods that she can somehow be saved.

"Save me please..."

"I'll make sure that asian guy won't even have the chance to save his girl." it sounded like mocking, but Sakuno can't even point out if her situation is a case of mistaken identity. After all, she doesn't even have a boyfriend.

"Ryoma-kun..."

The loud impact of a tennis ball slamming into something was all the girl heard before she heard a painful grunt from her attacker. She felt the iron grip on her starting to loose. She opened her eyes, and with a force, she pulled out her hand from her attacker's grip. It is all or nothing.

And although she's just as confused as to how somehow it seemed like someone attacked her attacker instead, she didn't thought of it that much.

Having her hand freed, within the seconds she can, Ryuzaki ran as she turned to the corner that leads to outside. She is breathing heavily, determined to get out of there and get help.

She seemed to have been blessed by the gods, unfortunately though, including the god of clumsiness.

Everything is going so fast around her mind. One moment, she knew she is running as fast as she can, and another thing she knew, is that she tripped through something to the exit, and she's now falling.

Ryuzaki Sakuno braced herself for greeting the ground face to face, when a hand firmly held her arms preventing her to fall.

She would've thought and panicked that it was her attacker, but the person's grip did not make her feel powerless at all. It made her think like she's been saved, and its all okay.

Before she can turn around to see the person who saved her, his voice made her heart crazy.

"Mada mada da ne, Ryuzaki."

His words brought her unexplainable relief. When she looked at him, she knew that it was one of the few times she saw him worried. She's seen this expression before, back in middle school, where his cat got lost.

"Are you okay, Ryuzaki?" he must've been worried, as the girl just stared at him without saying anything.

Maybe it was the danger that made Ryuzaki Sakuno a little bit braver. Maybe it was fear that made her forget just how shy she can be... But instead of replying to the prince's question, she just cried and lean her head on his chest.

She expected him to budge, even pry himself away but Echizen Ryoma never did. He just let her pour her fear, her worries, and her relief on that cry.

When one of his arms gently wrapped onto her back, Sakuno prayed, yet again that he can't feel her fast heartbeats. He moved her while carefully not making the girl let go of her grip on his shirt.

There is another whizzing of a ball, and a loud thud that made Ryuzaki look at the source.

It is an all familiar man, his cheeks are noticeably swollen and there is a small gash on his forehead. He's unmoving, but she knows that he's still alive. Facing Ryoma's back is the unconscious body of Sakuno's attacker.

"Hey, Sakuno! Are you, okay?"she heard Kevin's voice from a distance.

She turned her head to find him, and truthfully, he stood from a distance, his tennis racket on hand.

Removing her grip on Ryoma's shirt, Sakuno realized the things that she has been doing.

"R-R-Ryo-Ryoma-kun..." her stuttering got worse as she felt her cheeks burn up. "This was so embarassing. I cried on his arms." she thought.

Her mind may have short circuited as well.

"It's a relief that Ryoma somehow felt that you'll get lost along your way to the restrooms."

It was Kevin, who filled Sakuno up with all that happened without her. He told her how it was Ryoma who felt something strange on the restrooms, then just proceeded to hit with his perfect ball control, the inside. Luckily, it was her attacker that fell victim to his tennis ball.

"Oh, that's why his grip on me went loose!" Ryuzaki Sakuno replied, continuing the story through her side.

"Yep, and that's probably how you got out of there. Plus, while you were hugging Ryoma here, I finished the job when that bastard got out of the restroom and tried to attack the both of you." Kevin said as a matter-of-factly.

The sun is already out, as they were all walking home, minus Kate who went home early. They were busy all afternoon signing documents on all of the ruckus at the police station.

"But really, that guy is a loser, taking his blame on you." Kevin shrugged.

When they passed along a corner, it was Kevin's turn to go his separate way. Ryoma and Sakuno continued to walk silently.

If it have been a normal walk, or a normal happening just occured, not a totally scary stalking incident, she would've tried to strike a conversation with him.

But it is not the case at all, and she's having a hard time.

Fighting her shyness away, Ryuzaki mustered up her words carefully, trying not to stutter. But just as when she starts to speak, Ryoma says something first.

"You should've told me if you felt like someone is stalking you." he said those words, trying to sound normal but somehow, apologetic.

"He must be feeling guilty?" The girl thought.

Apparently, as the suspect has confessed, he has been stalking Sakuno for a week already. He had a history of losing to Ryoma on a practice match, and since then, tried to get revenge. But then, he's heard that he had a new housemate and he just proceeded to exact his revenge on her.

"I'm sorry, Ryoma-kun." miraculously, she said those words without stammering, "Thank you for saving me, earlier."

There was a silence for a few seconds, when Ryoma stopped on his tracks.

He looked at her and she felt as though she needed air. She's not used to having him look at her without any reason. What he's doing right now is definitely not good for her heart.

"Just don't go off on your own, anymore." having said that, he looked away and started to walk again, faster than his usual.

The girl tried to keep up with him, increasing her pace in walking.

"Ryuzaki..." he heard him call her, almost a whisper but she can still hear him.

"...I'm sorry, too."

A/N:

Hi guys! I know it's been a while. Lol. But just the usual, I have things keeping me from working updates. :(

But! I just try to make time to write even a little. Hehe. I hope this update satisfied you. :))))

Again, thank you so much for reading!

And believe me, really make me motivated and faster update. So, don't be shy telling me your comments.