Chapter 3: Night Changes
"We're only gettin' older, baby
And I've been thinkin' about it lately
Does it ever drive you crazy?
Just how fast the night changes?
Everything that you've ever dreamed of
Disappearing when you wake up
But there's nothing to be afraid of
Even when the night changes
It will never change me and you"
"Damn Momo senpai"
Ryoma 's frown deepens each seconds passed. His brows furrowed more as he keeps his cool in waiting for his senpai at all. Waiting for his senpai was not a good idea at all.
'Why did I ever listen to him by the way?'
Ryoma deeply regret following his senpai's silly request. From how it looks at, his senpai was no intention to keep his promise time. He grunted as he realized how early he got up on his bed and went here in the café shop they talked about. He grunted once more as his brows furrowed more seeing how he easily caught attention. Of course, he was Echizen Ryoma. There are many times when people ask for autograph of him just like earlier, that he has no choice but to park in this area. Less people. Less hassle. Wearing a simple t-shirt paired with jeans and sneakers minus the white cap he always wears whenever he plays tennis. A total gets up of a typical college boy in the making. Okay. He was so used to it. He was so used on how he easily attracts attention. Ever since puberty hits him hard in a good way; all the accumulated good genes of his parents seem passed on him perfectly. You couldn't deny that it runs on his veins the Takeuchi and Echizen genes perfectly blended well. His features say it all, from his muscular yet slender built, tall figure that surely surpassed guys on his age now, fair complexion despite playing tennis since childhood and dangerous handsome face on how they overly describe him.
Ryoma brows furrowed as he accidentally stared at a lady passed on him, she smiled while biting her own lip in purpose. Okay. He knows exactly what she was doing for. He was no longer the 12-year-old little guy who seems oblivious in everything. Now, he could say he knows exactly how to play the game around girls in the same age at him. "Hitting girls", "kissing", "flirting" and "casual sex" are not new to him. For years of living alone in US, those are normal activities in age around him. However, Ryoma is not interested at all. Of course, Ryoma wouldn't wash hands if he didn't try at least once. Yep, he hit girls, but he never had a girlfriend, he casually flirts back on their provocation to him, he shared intimate kisses and hugs but that's all. He didn't cross the line of having "sex" even it is consensual for both parties involve. He was not slave of his own libido. Ryoma is pretty a traditional guy. That's why "sex" never crossed his mind despite provocation of his peers. Yep, he didn't want to do it casually. He was a freaking virgin. A freaking 18-year-old virgin. And he didn't mind. Though it become the source of provocation and teasing by his peers and even his older brother and father he didn't care at all. What's wrong for being a virgin at his age? For him, "sex" is not an activity to release sexual desire but something feelings must be involved.
"Hey, handsome. Wanna grab some coffee?" a sultry voice early this morning makes the tennis prince eyes open.
Ryoma stared at her uninterestedly, okay. She is pretty but Ryoma didn't care.
"Back off" he scoffed.
"Jerk!" the girl said offendedly.
Ryoma pretended not to hear her at all, closing his eyes once more he heard her grunted in annoyance before stomping her feet away from him.
Silence. Ryoma was closely to lost patience towards his senpai. 'Okay just another 5 more minutes' he mumbled. He crossed his arms on his chest as he leans comfortably leans his back on his Audi. He was close to dozing off when someone abruptly pulled his shirt with force. Eyes widening in surprised, he was about to shout on the preparator when his eyes suddenly wavered on the person in her front.
"Uh…Oi..."
She gasps her Face full of tears, eyes begging for help, her hands trembling and body stiff as if she was having a hard time catching her own breath. Automatically his arms supported her weight. 'This girl'
"Please..." she gasps, "Hide... Huuuh... Me..." she clenched her hands tightly on his shirt.
Everyone's eyes were looking at them. And obviously, they catching everyone's attention but he didn't care. His first priority is to stabilized her breathing first. 'What the hell happen to her?'
"Oi… breathe… okay" he said. Ryoma's arm pats her back, slowly, he helps her to control stabilize her breathing. "That's right… right… breathe" he soothes. Like a gentle bunny, the girl in his arms finally starting to calm her breathing than before.
"oi…Sakuno!"
From the distance, a guy keeps searching from nowhere. As if she found the owner of the voice alarming, her hand tightly clenched once again on his shirt. Ryoma who seems grabs the situation looks again to the guy. Their eyes meet.
"Need a hand?" he asks the little bunny in his arms. Sobs were the only thing he heard. "You seem running away to that guy"
"Thank…you" in her trembling voice, she answered back, her voice seems like a mellow tune.
Once again, Ryoma look on the guy who seems puzzled seeing them together; his brows furrowing from confusion however, he started jogging towards their direction. A playful arrogant smirked crept on Ryoma's lips, his eyes turn sharp upon looking at the guy. For some reason, he felt instantly irritated.
"Get in" Ryoma quickly opens the door of his Audi and without hesitation this little bunny who knew nothing but to shed tears went inside.
Silence. That's the only thing that took place right after he successfully manage to maneuvered his car. Although Akaya successfully chased Sakuno, and keep knocking outside the car's door, this guy with golden eyes didn't stop from maneuvering his car. Sakuno felt a sudden tension rise, though her breathing subsided, her tears didn't stop from falling down. She couldn't look outside the window, no she dared not to look up too. She was so afraid that seeing Akaya. She felt sick and pathetic for her own self. And right now, in front of a stranger, she keeps weeping like a lost child.
"here"
Sakuno looks up and turns her head sideways, the guy with a beautiful golden eye offered his handkerchief on her without giving her a glance. Another batch of tears fall in her eyes.
"I don't have any tissue or so… it's clean... use it" his voice sounds demanding and cold however, Sakuno didn't mind it at all, with hand trembling she accepted his handkerchief.
"Thank…you" she mumbled silently.
"Where to?" He asks coolly. His eyes remain on the road, his long fingers gently tap on the steering wheel.
"Uhm… Seigaku University" she shyly uttered.
The guy nodded his head and just like that silence envelops once again.
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"uhmm… ano… thank you so much for the help" Sakuno looks down, not wanting to meet his intense gaze. Standing in front of him right now in front of the Seigaku campus makes Sakuno drips down a cold sweat. Now that she was calmer and finally collected her thoughts. Sakuno felt embarrassed. She couldn't believe how she acted right in front of this guy. Her cheeks flushed from her embarrassment. She couldn't even lift her eyes to meet his. 'Sakuno. You idiot.'
'Huuee! He might think you are weird!' Still looking down, Sakuno waited and waited for the guy to speak up, however, it didn't come. She looks up. She saw how his face lace with amusement as he was chuckling lightly.
Puzzled and bewildered, Sakuno tilted her head on him since the huge height difference, she watches him closely. Now looking at this guy closely, he was so handsome. His sharp golden eyes were so majestically beautiful. His golden irises were incomparable to no one. She never saw someone who possess a golden eye like him shone so brightly and lively like his. Not to mention his narrowed pointed nose, thin red lips and perfect jaw line. For sure, if her best friend Tomoka was here now, she will literally drop her jaw. And his greenish hair that flutters and swaying from the air, his looks are like a perfect picturesque view.
And Sakuno starting to wonder things, if she would sketch this handsome guy, would it take eternity before she can finish it? It seems God took all his time creating this one.
"Done checking me out?" he licked his lips as he put both of his hand on his pocket. He raises one of his brows boyishly.
Sakuno blinks, her eyes widens as she looks down once again. She heard his light snickered.
.god! realizing how pathetically and stupid she might look like admiring his beauty, Sakuno blushed hard.
"Uhm. I'm sorry and thank you again" she bowed her head.
"Yeah. Yeah. Enough with that. People been staring at us now. You don't want another attention, right?" he said.
Now that he mentions it, Sakuno turns her head, she gasps seeing how everyone gathered and looking at them like they were making some screen in the movie. From the distance, her best friend, Tomoka was looking at them with wide open eyes and parted lips.
"I'm going" the guy said.
"Uhm. okay. thank you so much again" she smiled genuinely.
He slightly nods his head before starting walking away, he raises one of his hand in the air, bidding his goodbye. Sakuno just watch him walks away.
"haaa! I can't believe you Yukimura Sakuno! For real?!" Tomoka couldn't believe her own best friend. Right after seeing her own best friend went out of her crush for a long time, she doubted her own eyes at first.
Seeing Sakuno in fresh went down on the car owned none other than Echizen Ryoma became the general topic for that day. Of course, it was Echizen Ryoma we were talking about. The tennis prince genius who making a loud noise and uproar all throughout the World of tennis, that currently and still making a huge uproar when he decided to come back for good in Japan. The youngest tennis prodigy whom been suspecting that will be the first and ever youngest Asian Tennis player that will win the four grand slams title.
And seeing her best friend together with the tennis prodigy prince shocks Tomoka's inner soul. But what's shocks her most was the idea that Sakuno has no idea of who he is.
"I've been telling you stories about Ryoma-sama and you honestly didn't listen at all?" Tomoka huffed.
Sakuno pouted her lips. She didn't' t has any idea at all. 'So, his name was Echizen Ryoma' . based on how her best friend Tomoka reacted, he seems a very important person. And base on how the people around her reacted whenever she answered she didn't know him looks at her weirdly, he seems really popular. Sakuno looks down. How come she didn't know him at all?
"tehehehehe" Beside them, Tachibana An chortled. She is the cousin of Reiko she was talking about. Right after their brief introduction earlier they easily become close in an instant. Maybe because An was similar to her cousin Reiko, bubbly and friendly. "Based on how he didn't introduce himself, he might be a reason why." An winks.
"haaaa! Seriously Sakuno, do your research okay?" Tomoka huffed. "Dang! I have my class right now. Gotta go!" she hurriedly piled her books. "See you later guys okay?"
"oh! Jeez! I too!" An hurriedly got up on the bench they were seating. "How about you Sakuno?"
"Uhm. I have two hours vacant this day." She shrugs.
"Lucky!" An whine. "I gotta go. See you later okay. Bye!" An wave her hand.
Sakuno who was left alone decided to find a silent place to stay to kill time. "Alright! Let's find a quiet place to sketch" she mumbled as she stood up stretching her body.
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.
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"Hmmm… Hmmm" Sakuno keeps humming as her hand was busy sketching, seating under the big Sakura tree. For almost two hours, Sakuno poured all her vacant time in sketching, with brows slightly furrowed, her lips pouted a little bit, she looks really serious and focus at the same time, as her hand keeps a minimal yet slightly fast movements in sketching a satisfied smile appeared on her face in every stroke she made.
"heh… I'm surprised you had another talent than crying huh"
"Oh! My god!" startled Sakuno almost jumps on her seat, holding her sketchpad as her dear life depends on it. "Mou! You surprised me!" she almost shouted.
"Gomen!" A light chuckled escape from Ryoma's lips. He stared at her for a seconds before looking at her sketchpad. "Fine Arts Student?" he asks, he seated right next to hers.
"Uhm" she nodded. "What are you doing here? Don't you have a class?" she asks.
"Got kicked out on my class" the tennis prince answered with light grunted.
"What?"
"haa! Seriously, why do boring subjects been place in time like this?" Ryoma huffed. "Can't they see how sleepy the time like this?" he yawned.
Sakuno who seems dazed on his behavior stared at him; for someone who kicked out at the middle of the class he looks calm and undisturbed.
"And how about you?" he inquired.
"Well, I have a vacant time for two hours" she answered.
"Che. So lucky" Ryoma yawned once again, he lied next to hers, giving her enough space for her personal space. He closes his eyes as he put both of his hands under his head.
Sakuno blinks, she was literally astonished on him. She stared at him for a couple of times before finally get a grip of her own senses and tried to focus once again in sketching.
Or not.
Sakuno looks once again to him, she stared at him for couple of times wondering if he was already asleep.
"Is he sleeping already?" she softly whispered only to herself. She watches his calm breathing. Sakuno smiled. He really looks handsome even in eye closed.
"What is it?"
Sakuno blinks, her eyes widen in surprised realizing that he was not sleeping at all.
"Uhm. Nothing" she shakes her head embarrassed. She looks away. She fidgeted her fingers on her sketchpad, as she remembered her conversation, she has with her best friend.
"Uhm… Ano…" She softly uttered. "Can… I ask a question?"
"What is it?"
"Uhm… You are Echizen Ryoma right?" Sakuno asks cautiously.
"Yes." Ryoma answered flatly.
"Uhm… who are you?" Sakuno asks again.
"Huh?" Ryoma looks at her puzzled. "Echizen Ryoma as you say" he answered still in skeptically.
"No. what I mean is… who exactly are you? You see… everyone keeps asking me about you, and when I answered them like it was my first time seeing you and I don't really know you exactly they give me a weird look on their faces." She explains, word by word. She stared at his face whom now looking at her, she didn't realize that he was already seating and staring at her while she speaks. There is a ghost smirked on his face as he was staring at her "Uhm. Do I have a need to know you? Coz it seems everyone knew you" she said seriously. She looks at him seriously waiting for his reaction, however his face remains the same or at least his shoulder started to shake little a little until he burst into laughter that makes Sakuno flinched a little.
"Puaahahahahahah! Hahahaha! "Ryoma laughed out loud making the startled and confused Sakuno brows furrowed on why he was laughing so hard.
"why are you laughing?" She asks offendedly.
"Damn it! Really?! Hahahahaah!" Ryoma wipes the corner of his left eye that shed tears from laughing. "I'm surprised. Someone really didn't know me" he looks amazed and amused at the same time. "Really, this is the first time" he added clutching his abdomen. "don't you have television at home? Perhaps living in outskirts area?"
"Oh. I am sorry if I don't know you" Sakuno pouted her lips irritated. She narrowed her eyes on him.
"I am just joking. Really. This is quite refreshing. Puahaha!" he laughed once again. "No. you don't need to know me." He put emphasize in each word. Before he smirked.
"Mou! Seriously? Perhaps you are a celebrity?"
"hahahaha. I am just me. No biggie. But if you were really curious about me. Then, how about do a little research about me?" he smirked boyishly.
"Can you just tell me directly?"
"Nope. That's your assignment." His golden eyes look at her intensely.
"Mou! Unfair." She pouted her lips.
"Nothing is fair in this world Yukimura Sakuno" he smirked.
"You know me?! But how?!" Sakuno eyes widened in surprised. She blinks once, twice until she
"I'll tell you next time we meet" Ryoma said seriously.
"Huh? How sure are you that we will going to see each other next time?"
"Coz I said so?" Ryoma shrugs.
Sakuno opens her mouth she was about to asks again when her phone made a loud buzzing sound, indicating for her next class.
"You should go in your next class" Ryoma said informing her, it seems he had a vague idea on why her phone buzz.
"okay… see you" Sakuno smiled genuinely at him she wave her hand on him.
Ryoma simply nodded his head as his way of recognition, he simply watches her walks away, his lip slightly curved into smile.
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Sakuno stared for a long time in the front of her study table, with her own laptop lights on, she started browsing on her facebook just to kill time; when she remembered something.
Blinking, Sakuno contemplated whether to search for his name or not. 'he said I should done my own research right? Should I? or should not?' Sakuno hesitated for some while. As she finally decided to give try, she started typing his name on the search bar when a knock from her door occurred. Sakuno who seems startled stood up, as she was caught doing something bad, she hurriedly closes her laptop in such hurry.
"Miss Sakuno? Your brother is asking for you to come in the game room"
"Oh! Yes. Please tell oniichan I will. Thank you" she shouted. She sighed heavily as she leaves her laptop behind.
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"You were looking for me oniichan?" Sakuno peek from the door.
Seiichi turns his head and smiled. "Come on in Sa-chan, the gang is looking for you." He opens the door widely.
Sakuno eyes widen in surprised seeing the whole Rikaii Daii team, she smiled. "Oh! Senpai-tachis! It so nice to see you all." She greeted.
"Hello Sa-chan! You surprised us on your sudden enrollment in Seigaku University" Marui Bunta was the first to greet her.
"That's right. Though it's a perfect thing you did Sakuno-chan" Renji said.
"Good luck in your new school Sakuno" Sanada said in serious tone.
"Though we going to miss your food but anyways, I'm happy for you. Puri" Nio mumbled.
"Thank you so much Senpais" Sakuno delightedly smiled. She was so happy to see them all, she was close to them all and treated them like her own brothers.
They started chatting out. Sakuno learned that they were having a late meeting for this day. And since they still waiting for Akaya since he might be late, they decided to kill time by playing some ballgames here in Game room. 'Akaya' Sakuno felt a sudden pang in her chest, just by thinking of him was enough for her to feel this kind of pain and now that the chance that she might see him makes her heart throb once again. Sakuno decided to go out before the time he came. She wasn't ready yet to face and see him, not now that the memory of earlier was still vivid on her mind and not now that she ditches him earlier.
'thud"
The door opens widely with a loud thud, and welcomes Akaya. Sakuno who was so surprise to see his sudden appearance stood up on her seat, she was so ready to bid her goodbye to her senpais and muttered her prepare alibi in advance when Akaya walks straight on her front. Eyes widening in surprise, Sakuno held her breathe, Akaya was looking at her with so much seriousness in his face, his brows furrowing like he was so annoyed to something she wasn't aware of.
"You know Echizen Ryoma? How?" he asks without hesitation, his voice filled with irritation.
"Yes?" Sakuno who was been caught off guard on his sudden question blinks. How did he know about him anyway?
"Echizen Ryoma, Sa-chan? You know that boy?" this time it was her older brother who asks her.
"Yes?' she repeated unintelligently. Why is everyone seeming to know him anyway? Is he really that famous? Sakuno didn't know what to do, all eyes suddenly focus on her as if waiting for her answer at all. Why it feels so like it's a big deal if she knows the guy? Is he a bad guy?
"uhmm… you know him too, oniichan?" Sakuno baffledly asks back. It's so weird that everyone knew the guy and she didn't have any idea of who he was.
" haaa!" Akaya brushes his greenish locks, he glared at her "I saw them hugging each other this morning" he spats bitterly.
'Wait? What? Hugging?!' Sakuno eyes widen in fraction.
"What?!" the whole Rikkai Dai shouted in surprised.
"Oh! You got it wrong" Sakuno wanted to explain everything, however how could she ever explain the situation without dragging Akaya's name and the whole real reason behind? She couldn't even say the reason why she run away and ditches Akaya because she couldn't take seeing him with Honoka and its breaks her heart.
"You are dating Echizen Ryoma Sakuno-chan?" Renji asks.
"Yeah. Sakuno ditches me earlier and went to Echizen Ryoma" Akaya muttered like it is her biggest sin and she was about to receive her sentence.
"No! it's not" Sakuno almost shouted.
"But…" Seiichi who seems shocked and confused at the same time paused. "But how the two of you met? I didn't know any of this Sakuno" he seriously asks.
Sakuno gulps, whenever her older brother calls her in her full name, she felt sudden nervous.
"Mou! What's wrong if I know him? Was he a bad person?" Sakuno brows furrowed. "He seems nice oniichan" she defended him. Of course, if he wasn't that nice, in the first place he wouldn't help her, right?
"How did the two of you met? He just came back from America" Seiichi inquired.
"America?!" Sakuno seems surprised.
"Yes, Sa-chan, Echizen Ryoma is the youngest tennis player who holds the championship titles in three of the four major Tennis tournaments for years now ever since he was 12 years old." Renji said.
"What?!"
-end of chapter 3-
Another update!