Tennis no Ouji-sama © Konomi Takeshi, Shuheisha, Inc.


- Act XVII -
[ A Lady Should]


Even though the asphalt road was still dampened by the rain, she felt like a fairy hopping from one flower to another. Euphoria was flowing from her chest to every vein in her body. She turned her body as she followed the path to the right, then walking through the high wall until she reached her destination.

The security greeted her, congratulating her for being a senior high-schooler, which she bowed down to in ballerina style. When she entered the manor, he was already standing near the stairs in all his glory, smiling at her. Hikari turned her body around again to show off her uniform before ending her sequence with a curtsy.

"I have to admit you look… beautiful in your new uniform," he said while clapping his hands. Clearly, it looked like he was out of breath.

"Aren't you supposed to be disappointed?" She followed him to the court.

"I am. But in the end, you were the one that has to… choose." He hooked his fingers on the wire mesh fence door, pushing it open for her.

Hikari raised her brows upon seeing him panting. Aroma of the musky body shower was vague and his hair was slightly dampened. "Why are you panting? Was showering supposed to be that tiring?"

"I… just have many things to do… before…" He finally slumped on the bench, taking a deep breath then exhaled an exhausted sigh.

"You know. I think I'd better go home and let you rest." She was about to turn around but he grabbed her wrist.

"Stay." When she sat back, he put his arm on the chair behind her back. "Tell me about your first day."

Hikari gleefully did so. What she liked the most about talking to him was that he fully paying attention to her, treating her like someone whose words must be listened to instead of treating her like a child. Aside from him, only one person did that which was why she felt an immense curiosity for both of them.

"Why are they asking your brother's sexuality of all questions?" He cynically snorted.

"Oh, that…" She chuckled. "There was a time when he had a German language exam so he was reciting a classical poem in his head. He accidentally said 'I love you' when he was facing his best friend." Hikari laughed at the end of her story but she didn't expect him to laugh so much that he bent his body forward and slapped his knee—so much that it sounded almost like he was so thrilled that her brother did that kind of mistake. "That incident raised the question though nobody dares to directly ask him about it."

"Isn't that great? Whatever his sexual preference is, it shouldn't be their business to begin with." He still smiled from his previous outburst.

"I hope everyone is thinking that way." Sighing, Hikari rested her head on the bench, forgetting that his arm was still there so she quickly raised her head again. "Ah! Sorry!" To her surprise, he pulled her close to him. Hikari let out a surprised yelp and put her hands on his chest while he caressed her shoulder with his thumb. "W-wha—hey!"

"But you're okay, right?"

"Huh?"

"You said that they're after you upon finding out that you're your brother's sister. Did they do anything to you?" Genuine worry was pooling in his dark blue eyes. Hikari couldn't not looking at it as if her soul was sucked into it. It was mesmerising, just like the dark blue sky that held so many secrets.

"Uh, no. I'm fine, really!" she convinced him when he slightly tilted his face as if disbelieving her."It's just…." Hikari bit her bottom lip. "I've made a resolution to be looked up as a mature lady and keep that image. But now people will just see me as my brother's sister. Why did he have to send me to school? It's better if no one knows!" She twitched her lips.

He drummed his idle fingers on his knee for a moment before saying, "On the contrary, I think he did it on purpose."

"What? Why?"

"Judging from your story, your brother seems to have a certain influence in your neighbourhood. After what happened to you in Germany, your brother wanted to make sure they know who they'd face if something happens to you. Of course, it seemed that he didn't calculate the 'fangirls' effect to occur instead." Hikari's lips slightly gaped in surprise.

"It surprised me to see you know him more than I do."

He looked away and covered his face with his hand. "That's what I thought at least—what I would do if I were in his shoes."

"So he did that to protect me…" Hikari bit her bottom lip, on the verge of tears at the immense gratitude she felt towards her brother. "Huhuu… Onii-chan…"

"Hey…" He chortled while patting her head. "Didn't you just say that you want to be a mature lady?"

"I'm just a brat compared to him! I should forget about being a lady! I wasn't born a noble anyway!" She wiped the side of her eyes with the edge of her palm.

"He did what a brother must do for their little sister. But no matter how good he is, don't you ever call yourself that. You're not a brat." He tucked her hair behind her ear. "You're always a lady for me…" Hikari was blushing hard at this. She looked down to avoid his eyes, also to hide the redness her face might have turned into.

"You really are a smooth-talker. How many ladies fell for you because of this?" she muttered, still looking away from him.

"Ahn, did you imply that you fall for me?" he asked with a smirk.

"What?! No! Don't even dream about it!" Hikari crossed her arms and moved away from him but he kept her in place. "Hey, let go of me!"

"Adel sitzt im Gemüt, nicht im Geblüt. (Nobility resides in the mind, not in the blood.)" Hikari stopped struggling at this, surprised by his fluency in Germany. "That asides, the most important thing of being a lady is not only about looking or behaving properly." He lifted her face by touching her chin."You must believe that you're not less than your brother no matter what. If you don't believe that yourself, no one will."

"And what else…?" Raising her teacup, she stuck her pinkie finger out only to had him taking the cup and fixed her hand so she was holding the top of the handle with her thumb and forefinger, supporting the bottom of the handle with her middle finger.

"That's the right way to do it."

"My, my. I'm impressed, Your Highness," she was amused and impressed at the same time. To her surprise, he actually knew everything about the attributes of a great lady, to British royal etiquette as if he was the guide book itself. "How did you know all of these, anyway?"

"Ore-sama's mother is the most graceful lady I've ever known. She was the one who taught me…"

Her chest was tightened when his eyes strayed far to the horizon. Despite visiting him very often in that manor, never once she saw anyone aside from maids, butlers, and securities, thus the question of his family whereabouts popped in her mind. It made her wonder why he kept talking about his mother in the past tense as if it had been a while since they met. Words of sympathy didn't seem to fit the moment so Hikari placed her hand on his shoulder, slightly massaging it.

"Can I be a lady like her?"

His calloused hand held hers, drawing circles on the back of her hand as he beamed his smile at her. "You'll be a great lady on your own right."

She couldn't not smile at this.

"You know, I did convince you to go to Hyotei before." Hikari craned her head towards him. "But I'm glad you do what your heart chose for you. Maybe you've made the right choice."Hikari raised her brows and touched his forehead with the back of her palm. "What are you doing?"

"Checking if you're sick. I really didn't expect to hear that from you."

"I've never been 'sick'. It bows its head to my greatness."

"Sure, Your Highness. Whatever," she flatly said while rolling her eyes. Hikari was startled upon hearing her phone ringtone and quickly picked it up because it was from her brother. "H-hello?!"

"Hikari, I'm going to be a little late because I have to arrange things for prefectural tournament preparation. Have you gone home? Where are you now?"

"I'm still hanging out with friends in the garden near school. I'll be home a little bit later," she said with a smile. She wasn't exactly lying about her location, just not being too specific.

"Okay. Go home before it gets dark. Don't let your guard down."

"Yes… you too, Onii-chan…" Hikari sighed as she hung up. She had expected that he would check her whereabouts and he would do that for a few weeks since the beginning of school because he was worried about how she'd adapt to her new life in Japan. He raised a brow in question so she said, "My brother. As always."

"I think it's not going to be easy getting approval from your brother," he said with a smirk.

"W-what are you talking about?! Don't speak like we're going out already!" Hikari pouted while looking away from him as the heat growing up to her ears.

He chuckled. "Anyway, what was that song in your phone?"

"Ah, this is 'Junsei'. There's no way you haven't heard about it. It's very popular now." She widened her eyes when he shook his head. "What?! It's being played everywhere! How could you not know?!"

"Modern pieces often ruin the true value of art. Ore-sama despises it. But that song isn't bad."

It took her a moment before she nodded her head with a mocking laugh. "You like it, don't you?"

"I said it's not bad."

She playfully flicked his arm while saying, "Just admit it that you like this modern piece."

"With the right arrangement, it can be a good piece."In short, he liked it. But he was too full of himself even to admit it.

"Okay, whatever you say." She opened her hands in a mocking understanding. "This is a very romantic song. I really love it." Hikari played the song on her phone so he could hear the full version of the song.

"What is it about?" He rested his face on his palm as his body fully faced her.

"A guy who danced with the woman he loved in the night where there were just two of them. There he expressed how pure and perfect his woman was for him. Also, how he'd fight against all the odds just to be together with her…" Hikari sighed while putting her hand together on her chest.

"Against all odds, huh?" He slightly nodded while resting his chin on his backhands, staying like that for a moment while gazing far to the garden.

"Doesn't that sound so romantic? I really want to be that kind of woman, who's worth fighting for…" Hikari dreamily said while making a steeple with her index fingers.

Suddenly, he wrapped her shoulder with his arm, giving a meaningful look as he said, "You're worth it. Don't you ever forget that."

"Eh?"

"You'll grow up to be that lady worth fighting for. But before that, we need to celebrate today as that part of your growing up, right?" He flicked his finger, then Michael came into the garden, pushing a cart with tea and something pink on top of it. Hikari covered her mouth when she saw a smiling bunny-shaped chiffon cake with 'First Day On Senior High School' written on the silver cake stand. She turned around to see him presenting a red rose bouquet with a smile along with a small bunny plushie.

"Congratulations on your first day in senior high," he said with a gentle smile.

"Wow… Y-you really don't have to do this." She couldn't hold back her smile when she accepted the bouquet from him.

"It's a wish so you'd spend your three years without regrets, achieve your dreams, and finally… conquer the world with your dance." He put his hands on her shoulders.

She chuckled. "Conquer the world? Will I be able to do that?"

"You will." He took her hand and kissed her knuckle. He took the non-alcohol champagne glasses and passed one for her for a toast. Together, they continued their little celebration.

It wasn't the cake; it wasn't the flower that became the greatest present of the day from him…

It was the way he planted the seed of confidence in her…


AN: You probably realise that the song 'Junsei' [純正] is actually 'Perfect' by Ed Sheeran. I just try to keep from writing something trademarked as best as I could. That song is the main theme of the story so do listen to the song while reading the romantic part of the story. LOL~ XD

When writing this story that song doesn't pop in my mind at all but when reaching certain parts, I was listening to random songs on Youtube when this song was automatically played, I was like 'Ooo! I should use this song!' XD

So, guessing time! I'm writing with the speed of light lately and so far, and there are 5 POVs other than Atobe and Hikari. Can you guess who are these people? Tezuka? Yup, he's definitely one.

Favorite, follow, and most importantly—review are gold for me! As I mentioned in the previous chapter, the story is also posted in Wattpad. Since the site allows me to post videos and images, I might be able to pamper your eyes there. Check my account in ReikaNanatsuki!

Thank you for reading and have a nice day!