...
In which Ryoma had just won a tournament in America at eighteen years old. Sakuno and the others flew from Japan to support him and as always, it was worth it, Sakuno thought. The prince never failed to impress her with his flawless play.
As the group walked with him to their hotel, Tomoka noticed how Sakuno would lag behind them, like how she used to when they were in middle school. Everyone was aware of her feelings for the prince, except him, maybe, and Tomoka just couldn't take it anymore. Something has to be done for them, and it looks like she's not the only one who thinks so.
Horio walked dangerously close beside her, and Tomoka would usually nudge him away, but his next words caught her off guard.
"Hey, Osakada. I have two tickets to the Knicks game," he whispered. This made Tomoka blush a little.
"What?! Like hell I'd go with you!" she blurted out. She looked at him, bewildered at the thought that the boy was actually making a move on her.
"What are you talking about?" he pulled a sour face. There was no way he would ask her on a date! He doesn't like her that way! "I'm actually thinking of setting up Ryuzaki and Echizen!"
Horio and Tomoka turned their heads to see if anyone heard, but Sakuno was still in a daze behind, and Katsuo and Kachiro were busy talking to Ryoma about his latest technique.
The two heaved a relieved sigh.
"That Ryuzaki has been crazy about Echizen for a long time. Shouldn't we play matchmakers for them?" he said, "...besides, what else can we do in New York? We're the best meddlers in town!"
"But what if Ryoma-sama doesn't like her? I don't want to hurt my best friend!" She was enticed by the idea, but couldn't help thinking of her best friend's well-being.
"Osakada. I wouldn't be doing this if I knew that the guy wasn't interested! I know Echizen, I'm his best friend. I notice things that the ordinary human mind cannot see, and I know that he has some sort of interest in her, on some level," Horio confidently declared as Tomoka stared at him in amazement. Honestly, she could sense that the boy probably feels different around Sakuno, than with other girls. Perhaps it's because she's the first person he has ever met in Japan, and that they have some kind of weird trainer-trainee relationship that they have yet to know.
However, the idea of seeing two people fall in love with each other does sound good, and they have them to thank for it!
"I like your plan. Okay, how do we do it?" She asked excitedly. If there's something that makes her heart pound in excitement, it's meddling with other people's lives!
"Come closer," Horio whispered some juicy details to Tomoka's ear, and soon they were snickering quite mischievously. Sakuno just watched them from behind, wondering what was so funny.
She, on the other hand, has been feeling gloomy lately. She wanted to congratulate Ryoma confidently, but her shyness got in the way, until the day ended without her uttering a single word to him. It was quite a let down, but Sakuno hoped that tomorrow would be an opportunity to spend time with him since they have the whole day free, and Ryoma agreed to go with them.
She breathed an exasperated sigh as she trailed along their footsteps.
The next day came. Sakuno woke up and saw a paper on her nightstand. She picked it up and read the note with it.
"Ticket to a basketball game?" She thought aloud. It was strange that whoever left this here would think that she's interested in any other sport than tennis. But then again, they had ESPN at home so she would sometimes kill time by watching basketball.
She read the rest and immediately blushed furiously.
"Sakuno, watch the game with me," it read. It was a normal note, but the name below it was enough to turn her brain into mush.
"F-From Ryoma-kun?!" She sat up, her hair sticking out in different directions. It was impossible, right? The prince hadn't just invited her on a date, right? No, it's not a date! She thought to herself. Maybe the others have been given tickets, too, and that they're all going to the game together, right? She nodded to herself.
"But where is Tomo-chan?" She scanned their hotel room but there was no sign of the loud girl around. Sakuno shrugged and assumed that she was probably having breakfast downstairs with the others. That gave her time to wash up and choose which one of her dresses is appropriate to wear at the game, and what color would impress Ryoma.
She mentally cursed herself for always being paranoid when it comes to him.
When she reached Madison Square Garden, Sakuno stood in front of the place, hoping to spot her friends. Finally, she saw the familiar image of Ryoma, sporting his usual white cap, wearing a black jacket and pants. He was as stunning as she remembered him to be.
The moment Ryoma spotted the girl wearing a white floral dress, he immediately recognized Sakuno. Her hair was not in its usual braided style, and her stature was more mature than how he remembered her. He approached her right away and she instantly blushed.
"R-Ryoma-kun!" she squeaked, having nothing else to say. She clutched her bag tightly nervously.
"Where are they?" he asked, his golden eyes looking at each person walking past them, trying to find Horio and the others, but after a few minutes of waiting, the two decided that they might as well wait inside the arena instead of standing around.
"Let's go, Ryuzaki," he walked ahead, and Sakuno scurried behind. They presented their tickets to the guards and they instantly got in. Finding their seats was no pain at all, since Ryoma is with her. If it were her alone, Sakuno would have been lost.
As they sat beside each other, Sakuno couldn't help but glance at him. He was different now than before. After years of not seeing him, Sakuno marveled at how manly he has become, and her feelings only grew more.
Ryoma could see in his peripheral vision that Sakuno had been staring at him. The game hadn't even started and he was already uncomfortable. Somehow, whenever he's alone with her, he just can't relax, and her big, innocent eyes just add a sort of tension Ryoma can't shake off. He tried to recall if she was like this ever since middle school, but maybe he didn't pay much attention to her at all.
But over the years, Ryoma learned to be more considerate of others, especially since Ryuzaki is a clutz and the coach kind of depends on him to look out for her at all times.
"Ryuzaki, are you thirsty?" he inquired, watching a vendor carrying sodas.
"U-Um, yes," She quietly answered. Sakuno watched Ryoma waved for the vendor and got two Ponta, one grape-flavored, and one cherry-flavored. He handed the cherry one to her, and she clumsily accepted it.
"Thank you, Ryoma-kun," she said. Her fingers fumbled on the cold and wet beverage, trying to open it. The boy noticed this and without asking, he snatched the soda from her hands. Sakuno felt embarrassed that he not only bought her a drink, he even opened it for her.
I'm such a clutz…
"T-Thank you…" she said when he returned the can.
"Thanks for the ticket. Although I don't know much about basketball," he suddenly said, sipping on his soda. This made Sakuno furrowed her eyebrows. Isn't he the one who gave them tickets?
"U-Um, Ryoma-kun was the one who invited us…" almost immediately, she realized what had just transpired, "...right?" she trailed off.
Tomo-chan!
Ryoma stared at her quizzically. No way on earth would he do that, especially for a sport that he has zero interest in. He always found it hard to believe anything that Sakuno said, so he presented a note to her to prove his side. When Sakuno read it, her mouth formed a big O.
"Please go to the game with me. From R-Ryuzaki…" she couldn't believe it. Someone pulled a prank on them and they were both stupid to fall for it.
"Ryoma-kun, I'm afraid it's not me who wrote this," she regretfully said. Watching Ryoma's face go from nonchalant to shocked was one of the most amusing things she's seen. A slight shudder traveled through her body as he looked like he was about to snap.
"Horio, huh?" his lips twitched in annoyance. She braced herself from a tantrum that he might pull, but none came. Instead, he sighed heavily and focused his eyes on the game as it started.
"T-They're not going, are they?" she nervously mumbled as the lights dimmed. Ryoma looked at her and decided that he's not the only one who's frustrated, and they might as well watch the game. After all, the ticket's free.
Feeling that he needed to divert her mood, Ryoma cleared his throat and tried to talk louder amidst the loud cheers.
"You know anything about basketball?" He struck up a conversation to at least lift the mood. He noticed Sakuno looking disappointed at the sudden turn of events. He would have felt offended by it, thinking that he wasn't really fun to be around, but he pushed that thought away.
"A little. My grandma would watch ESPN sometimes," she brightened up and was noticeably merrier than earlier. That was fast, he thought.
"Oh," he managed to say. If there was something he knew about the girl, it's that she's skillful in cooking, but other things, she was clueless. But this brand new fact about her seemed to impress Ryoma.
"I-I can tell you about it if you want," Sakuno offered. She felt responsible for wasting Ryoma's time so she wanted to do her best to at least entertain him with some knowledge she acquired from the television. That way, Ryoma might have an interest in the sport. That means she's helpful!
As the game went on, Sakuno would explain some details to Ryoma, and he would nod along. They would talk about their favorite player, and would join the crowd in clapping whenever their favored team scored.
But the seats were too cramped, so their shoulders would touch. It was fine for Ryoma, but he noticed that another man seemed to unconsciously nudge Sakuno. He scooted over to the other side and told Sakuno to follow.
"Come closer," he said.
The intense loud cheering was drowning out his voice that Sakuno could only stare at him in confusion. He had no other choice but to pull her closer. He put his hand on her shoulder, shielding her from the man's constant movements, and forced her to scoot. Sakuno was surprised at the sudden contact and she could feel her cheeks heating up.
"T-Thank you!" she said in a louder voice, enough for him to hear. He nodded and retrieved his hand back.
On the other side of the bleachers sat two familiar people. One was a girl wearing a bucket hat and sunglasses, the other was a boy wearing a hoodie and holding binoculars in his eyes.
"Oh, I saw that, Echizen!" Horio grinned.
"What happened?" Tomoka asked excitedly.
"He just touched her shoulder,"
"That's it? I thought they made out or something!"
"No, wait! There's more!" He interrupted. Tomoka couldn't take it anymore and snatched the binoculars from him. She watched as Ryoma took off his jacket and handed it to Sakuno, who was visibly cold.
"Oh my God! Our plan is working!" she smiled. Horio snickered beside her, rubbing his hands together in a villainy way.
"Oh, there's more, Osakada. Just you wait," he laughed as the girl frowned at her.
"What? What else? Tell me!" she hissed at him, ready to force the information out of him with a punch in the gut. Horio waved his hands as a sign of giving up.
"Well, you know about these games! During the halftime, there's…" he whispered the rest to her ear, and Tomoka instantly reddened with anticipation.
"You mean they have to do it no matter what?" she asked.
"Yeah!"
"Horio, you're an evil genius,"
The two watched Ryoma and Sakuno from the other side, as they awkwardly avoided each other's eyes.
Sakuno felt as if the fun conversations they had earlier had vanished into thin air, and now awkwardness engulfed the area. They were doing fine before she shivered from the cold. She couldn't understand why she decided to wear a thin, sleeveless dress to an indoor game. It only forced Ryoma to give his jacket to her. Of course, he's such a gentleman, it was the right thing to do! But Sakuno felt that she didn't leave him any other choice.
"Ryoma-kun, I'm fine, you don't have to," she tried to give back the jacket to him but he refused.
"Wear it. No sense in catching a cold here," he simply said. Realizing how cold he sounded, Ryoma looked at her and offered a small smile. He saw how her eyes twinkled, her natural pink lips that stretched in a shy smile, and a flawless face that went crimson. He was actually surprised at himself for feeling giddy all of a sudden, and since when has he begun to notice small, existing things about her, anyway? He really is weird today. Not seeing his friends for a long time proved to be troublesome.
"But what about you?" he heard her ask. To be honest, Ryoma began to sweat the moment he laid eyes on her, and it was only getting warmer, particularly in his chest. Though, he didn't know why, and he's not about to tell her that.
"I'm fine," he said, taking off his cap and using it to fan himself.
Sakuno, for the hundredth time, felt bad. The awkwardness between them is only growing, and she can't have that. She wants to give Ryoma a good time, and she's relying on basketball to become closer to him. Sometimes, it felt good to tell him something he doesn't know of.
It was halftime and she had just thought of a way to talk to him and hopefully erase the strange aura between them. He stretched his legs and was obviously bored, so Sakuno spoke.
"Ah, I know a game!" She managed to startle the boy.
"What?" It was more of a question of why she suddenly spoke, rather than inquiring about the game. For the record, they never really spoke this long before, but he had to admit, talking with Sakuno after all those years somehow feels… warm and fuzzy.
"We tell the other person something that they don't know about them," she bit the bullet and hoped that she could revive the comfortable mood from earlier. It was a strange game, especially when she's not even close to him at all. But thinking that this may be the only time they get to spend time together, Sakuno went for it. If he does it again and asks her why she's so talkative, she would play it off as trying to be like Tomoka, or something.
"Okay," he agreed, which made Sakuno's heart skip a beat. She didn't expect him to agree easily, but here goes.
"You go first, Ryoma-kun," she smiled. As the boy looked up at the ceiling and tried to recall a small piece of information about him that he never told anyone, Sakuno felt happy and warm inside. She watched as their hands were on their own armrests, almost touching. She stared at his big hand and petite fingers. She believed there was at least one time where she dreamed of holding his hand.
"I know," he suddenly said, "When I was in elementary school, I beat a girl in tennis and she whacked my head with her racket so many times until I bled."
"W-What?!"
Sakuno's eyes widened and her hands covered her gaping mouth. Noting her big reaction, Ryoma continued.
"She was conceited, so I had to do my thing."
"It must have hurt so much!" she exclaimed, and before she knew it, her hands traveled to his head, and tried to feel any bumps or scars underneath his hair. Ryoma's ears turned red as Sakuno pulled his head down, his nose almost touching her neck.
"R-Ryuzaki–" he tried to protest, but the girl was too worried to even think about the position she put him in. It was nice, he thought, but still, he had to save face. He grabbed her hands and slowly removed it from his hair.
"Ryuzaki, it happened when I was a kid. Don't worry about it," he couldn't help but chuckle at her weird but adorable feat. Sakuno watched him laugh softly, his dimple and cute fangs showing. She melted inside, but embarrassed outside.
"I-Im sorry!" she cupped her hot cheeks with her hands and hoped that Ryoma wasn't too annoyed at her.
"Your turn," he smirked. Ryoma put his arms behind his head and cradled it. The halftime was taking some time, but he didn't mind because he's actually having fun with Sakuno.
"Um…" she started.
Sakuno actually came to America to finally confess her feelings. Since there was no way that Ryoma would like her that way, she wants to at least let him know that someone had once loved him, and that when he rejects her, she will have the closure and the strength to move on.
After all, it's always nice when someone tells you they love you.
"It's getting good, Horio. What time is it going to happen?" Tomoka watched them through the binoculars as she munched on popcorn. Beside her was Horio who was currently drinking the soda between them.
"Hmm? Yeah, in about a minute," he answered.
"Too bad Katsuo and Kachiro aren't here to witness them," she slumped back to her seat.
"You really know nothing about your friends, Osakada. Don't worry about them because they're out doing their own thing… together," Horio hinted. She cocked her head to the side, finding it difficult to figure out his clues.
Tomoka groaned in boredom and noticed him holding a drink… her soda!
He was drinking her soda, drinking through her straw, hers! Tomoka blushed furiously as she simultaneously blushed and angry at him for the indirect kiss.
"Y-You…" she tried to repress her growing anger. But looking at Horio's dumbfounded face makes her more frustrated. He's definitely not her type and yet there was something attractive about him, but Tomoka doesn't want to divulge that fact! The idea was just too embarrassing to even think about!
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing! Idiot!" she grumpily snatched the popcorn from him and ate it. Horio just watched her wolf down the snack, and he couldn't resist the small smile on his face.
"What is it?" Ryoma's face was directly facing her. Sakuno had never faced him so close like this before, and her heart felt like it would burst soon. His golden eyes pierced through her own, and she found it hard to breathe.
This is a once in a lifetime chance, I will seize it!
Sakuno inhaled, and got ready for her confession. She fidgeted on her fingers, feeling the heavy atmosphere between them.
"I once had a crush on…" she suddenly couldn't say it, "...a friend back in middle school."
Ryoma blinked at her.
"Really? Who?" he innocently asked. Sakuno could feel her cheeks getting hotter as she tried to think of a way to play it off as another boy. Her eyes darted from left to right, avoiding Ryoma's intense gaze. She was aware that it's a clear sign of lying, but she didn't have any choice.
"Um… you don't know him," she smiled sheepishly, "...but he was the most amazing person I met. He's so good at everything, and he's so kind to me…" getting lost in a trance, Sakuno closed her eyes and recalled such fond memories with him, "...and I will never forget that day on the train. I really loved him," She professed, completely under the impression that this would most likely be the last time that they would ever sit this close to each other.
He watched her go from an embarrassed girl to a serene image of a person fondly thinking about someone. Ryoma rested his chin on his hand, quite amused at her expression.
However, realizing that she might have slipped on a very obvious clue, Sakuno quickly changed the subject. He just prayed that Ryoma's still as dense as the day she met him.
"W-Well, anyway! You turn!" she flashed a smile at him, and Ryoma arched his eyebrows. He wanted to hear more.
"So, do you still love him?" he asked.
Sakuno tried to read his face and wondered if he realized even just a bit that the person in question was in fact… him.
She realized that it didn't matter what the outcome was. She flew all the way to see him and tell him that she loves him, that she still does.
Even if it meant that he will never love her back. She didn't need an answer from him anyway.
"Yes," she finally answered. Ryoma looked at her with satisfaction in his mind.
"Good," he smiled. She forced a small smile but inside her head, she was a little confused at his response. Good what? She was clueless.
Suddenly, romantic music played and the big screen lit up, casting the camera's viewpoint. All of the audience watched in anticipation of where the camera would be pointing. Ryoma looked up and observed the screen's border. It was full of red and pink hearts, and below it read "Kiss Cam".
"What's happening?" he asked Sakuno.
"Oh, that's something they do here. Camera catches couples in the audience and they have to kiss when the camera goes to them," she explained with much confidence. She is enjoying having so much to teach to Ryoma.
"I see," he nodded.
They watched as a few people were caught on camera and were forced to kiss. Some refused to do it because they were either related, or they just didn't know the person beside them. It was entertaining for other normal people, but a romantically challenged person like Ryoma would just stare off into space.
"Ryoma-kun, I'm going to the washroom," Sakuno kindly excused herself, and the boy adjusted his legs to make way for her. The space was cramped, so moving was hard.
In the room above the bleachers, two panicked individuals watched intensely as Sakuno prepared to make her way through the seats. It was just a bit embarrassing to excuse herself from her crush to go to the toilet.
"She's standing up!" Tomoka grabbed Horio's arm and shook him furiously. Horio then proceeded to grab the camera operator's arm.
"Mister, go and shoot those two before she gets away!" he ordered, and the operator, who was enjoying this part of his job, immediately pans the camera to Ryoma and Sakuno. The light operator followed suit.
When the light shone on them, Sakuno halted, her butt hovering on her seat, and Ryoma shielded his eyes from the light. They looked like deers who were caught in headlights. It was a funny sight that the crowd laughed loudly.
"You two together?" The man beside Sakuno asked. The girl was too stunned to respond, and she couldn't comprehend the situation, having only pee in her mind. That cold cherry ponta was a wrong decision, she thought.
"Kiss!" the other people happily ordered them. Ryoma was quick to understand the situation, then he whispered to Sakuno.
"Should we?" he asked. It wasn't a big deal to him, he just wanted the moment to be over and done with. Normally, he would enjoy being the center of attention, but this isn't tennis.
"W-What? O-Okay," still blinded by the lights, Sakuno was a bit disoriented that she didn't realize she had just agreed to share a kiss on camera, and to Ryoma, no less!
She could have sworn she saw a smirk on his lips before his face inched closer to her and as their lips touched, he raised his cap and covered them with it. Sakuno felt the touch of his lips against hers, and her eyes fell close at the sensation. Suddenly, all the sounds seemed to fade out as both of them relished on each other's warmth.
The crowd went wild at the conservative move of the boy. But a few of them couldn't help but wonder where they saw him.
"I swear I've seen that kid before," one commented.
"Yeah, he looks familiar. If he could just remove the cap," A few were already speculating his identity, seeing his trademark Fila cap.
"Yeah, but they're taking way too long!"
When they heard the crowd's protests, Ryoma snapped out of it and pulled away from her with a cat's reflexes. The camera pans to the other side and all of the attention went to the next couple.
Sakuno's head felt so light that she almost fainted. She could not believe that Ryoma had just kissed her for more than five seconds! Her fingers unconsciously touched her lips. It was a simple peck, but it held so much emotion and tenderness.
Sakuno felt somewhat sad, maybe because he only did it for the camera, nothing else. She knew well that the boy didn't like her romantically, it was a one sided thing. And even though it was her first kiss with him, the way she got it was a bit humiliating.
Ryoma glanced at her, observing that she seemed quite disappointed. He argued to himself that she was the one who told him that it was a rule to do it when the camera pans to you. Was he being insensitive? Did he just violate her?
Ryoma suddenly had an awareness. Come to think of it, his father used to say that every girl's firsts are very important to them.
Oh, man. I didn't realize.
Ryoma shifted on his seat to face a sullen Sakuno.
"Ryuzaki," He started, and Sakuno jumped at the mention of her name, she faced him, "...I'm sorry. I didn't realize–" he was cut off by the laughter of the people. They looked at the screen to see what was funny, and the moment their eyes caught sight of the couple on the kiss cam, Ryoma and Sakuno felt the urge to run to them and give them a piece of their minds.
Tomoka's red face was seen, and Horio was too embarrassed to show his face so he covered it with the popcorn box and slumped on his seat. Apparently, Ryoma and Sakuno missed the kiss Horio and Tomoka shared on the camera, or did they really kiss? They both looked like they were about to cry as laughter echoed through the arena.
Sakuno couldn't help but laugh along even though she didn't witness anything. Ryoma could only chuckle in amusement.
After the game, it was time to go home. Sakuno was planning to return the jacket to Ryoma but he insisted that she keep it on until he walked her to her hotel room. The weather was beginning to turn cold, he couldn't risk her returning to the coach sick.
"It's my first time," he suddenly spoke. Sakuno, full of mental pictures about the kiss, had only thought of one thing along his words.
Was it his first kiss as well?
She felt like her heart was about to burst.
"...to watch basketball," he continued. Sakuno's shoulders slumped in disappointment but when Ryoma looked back at her, she instantly rose back and smiled.
"I–I see!" It was obvious. He didn't know a thing about the sport.
"...and to kiss," his voice trailed off. She watched his back in confusion, trying to grasp what he said. She wondered if her ears had gone numb inside the arena that she didn't quite understand. Did she hear what she thought she heard?
"Sorry for that," he turned around to face her and met her surprised face. The sunset illuminated his silhouette, and at that moment, all Sakuno could think of was how precious he looked, how much she loves him, and how sad it would be to part ways after this day. Tomorrow, they will be going back to Japan, and just as she planned, the confession was more likely a success. She did tell him her feelings, and he might have misunderstood it as another boy, but Sakuno was content. She can finally move on and set him free.
However, something magnetic was keeping her from truly letting go of him. When she looked at him like this, it was as if she didn't want to go. Sakuno was a simple girl, after all. She loved the boy for years and now that they spent time together, and grew closer, Sakuno felt greedier, she wanted more.
But it was inevitable. She is to remain a spectator, and he is to become a pro, and they would grow further away from each other. It made her tear up a little, but it would be strange to cry in front of him, so Sakuno resisted it.
"You hungry?" he suddenly asked. Sakuno looked up and smiled.
"Yes," she answered with glee in her voice. They began to walk in the other direction, to one of Ryoma's favorite burger joints. Wearing his loose-fitting jacket, Sakuno enjoyed a walk with him under the twinkling stars and warmly-lit street lights.
If they spent their last time together like this, Sakuno would be thankful. She had new memories to treasure, and even though he will never reciprocate her love, it was enough that she somehow made a mark on his life. She hoped that he would think so, too. It would have been okay to leave things unspoken, but being the greedy girl that she is, Sakuno felt she needed to say everything in her mind.
And perhaps, it has to end here, she didn't need to wait for his answer. It wasn't like she didn't want to join him for dinner, she just wanted to make her feelings known and run away with no regrets. After all, they have an early flight tomorrow.
"Ryoma-kun," she stopped on her tracks. The cold breeze blew through them, his jacket shielding her from catching a cold.
"Yeah?" he replied.
"Ryoma-kun, I… want to thank you for everything. I just wanted to tell you that…" she swallowed her saliva and prepared her heart to let it all out, "...you were the person I was in love with."
She closed her eyes shut, afraid of the things he might say. Sakuno continued, content with seeing nothing but pitch black.
"T-This maybe the last time I could see you so… I want to wish you goodluck!" She felt tears threatening to fall from her eyes, but it was a miracle that she managed to contain it.
She didn't know it was going to be this hard to let go of the hope that she held onto for so many years. But knowing her place would be the best move in this life.
"Ryuzaki," he spoke. Sakuno hugged her bag nervously. She mentally prepared herself from the first rejection she would ever receive from a boy and even though it would hurt like a thousand knives to her chest, she came to terms with it. Sakuno knew what she was going to do after this. Cry herself to sleep, then try to forget about him in about five or more years.
"I knew,"
Sakuno's eyes shot open. He knew what?
"And what makes you think this is the last time?"
She saw the familiar frown on his face. Though there was a slight tint of red on his cheeks and ears, he excluded a confident but comforting aura about him. She couldn't understand what he was trying to say, though. But there was a surging wave of hope inside her.
"W-What do you mean?" she managed to say.
Ryoma walked closer to her and shoved his hands in his pocket, a habit he always did whenever he's uneasy. His golden eyes stared at her for so long that passersby couldn't help but wonder what they were talking about for such a long time.
When he heard the word 'last', he felt a pang in his heart. Ryoma actually looked forward to them coming to support him on his game, especially when he heard that Sakuno was tagging along. It was just a let-down when he couldn't get an opportunity to be able to talk to her, but he was glad that their two meddling idiots decided to do their thing and made a way for them to connect. And now that he finally realized what Sakuno meant to him, forget testing the waters, he's going to do something he has never done.
"Hmm... Maybe if we, I don't know, go out or something, we can see each other… often, right?" Ryoma's cheeks burned with shyness, his eyebrows arched as he waited for an answer. While Sakuno still couldn't fully understand what was happening, there was no denying that she accomplished what she came for.
Her confession was a success, but this is definitely not going to be the last they see each other. The closure that she was dreading turned out to be the beginning of their paths intertwining.
Sakuno could feel butterflies in her stomach as she came to a realization that someone as wonderful as him can possibly feel the same way about her, and Ryoma even asked her out in his own subtle way. She couldn't count how many times the boy had made her feel this way, and she just wanted to cry, not wanting the moment to ever end.
"Yes…" She whispered, flashing the most serene smile she had. The wind was blowing harder so Ryoma adjusted the jacket on Sakuno's shoulders, making her blush for a thousandth time that day. They smiled at each other, both aware of the unspoken understanding that was the result of two mischievous friends who took matters into their own hands.
As they walked side by side, now closer than before, Sakuno wondered about one thing.
"Whatever happened to Tomo-chan and Horio-kun?"
"Who knows," Ryoma shrugged.
END
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Extra:
Tomoka and Horio silently walked back to the hotel. Both of their faces are still red from their kiss cam. Behind them were Katsuo and Kachiro munching on popcorn and soda. They were grinning from ear to ear as they snickered behind them.
"Kachiro, I heard there were two nosy people who planned something mischievous but it backfired!" Katsuo loudly said, trying to tease Tomoka and Horio. Their heads only bowed down lower in humiliation.
"I know, right? I think I got it on camera!" Kachiro replied with a wide smile on his face.
"Stupid Horio!" they heard Tomoka mumble in frustration.
"It's not my fault the operators tricked us!" the boy lashed out on her, but she only rolled her eyes. The laughter behind them only grew louder as they bickered under the starry sky.
:)