Chapter 41: Fulfillment

Stupid brother calling…

Ryoma rubbed his eyes and groaned. He wondered what his brother needed at four in the morning. It was barely even bright outside, but then again, he's in America right now and it's probably two in the afternoon there.

He fumbled on the lamp's string and pulled on it. He found his glasses, but he noticed that he was alone in the bed.

Sakuno? Did she already go to work?

Ryoma sat up and sure enough, Sakuno was gone.

Riiiiing!

He jumped at the ring of his phone, almost forgetting that Ryoga was calling him. He had no choice but to answer it, maybe it was something important, anyway.

"What do you want?" he sternly asked. Ryoga looked ecstatic on the screen, and it seemed like he was at a construction site. Ryoma recognized the streets of Manhattan, the place where they agreed to build the sports stadium.

"Chibisuke! I found a place. It's close to the train station and there's lots of people around. You think this is okay?" He took off his hat and fanned himself with it. The afternoon sun was blinding him and almost burned his skin, but Ryoga was so happy to be bothered.

Ryoma fell back on his pillow but held the phone near his face.

"Yeah, fine. Do whatever you want," he shivered at the cold temperature of their bedroom. He pulled the blanket up to his chin.

"Idiot. It's your stadium, of course you have to decide things. Come on, I need some ideas from the founder," Ryoga smirked at the camera. He took photos of the place and sent it immediately to Ryoma. The young man yawned and viewed the photos one by one. He was actually impressed by the location; it was the ideal place for the children to have a place to train.

Fueled with motivation, ideas flooded Ryoma's mind that he jumped up.

"Oh, I got an idea. Can we put a big lounge area for when I'm there, then a big restaurant when I get hungry. Then a hotel… Oh! Sauna!" he grinned in excitement. Ryoga watched him in disgust. How can a twenty-five-year-old man think of such ridiculous things? How would it even help the children?

"Ryoma, I think you've gone crazy. There's no way all of that would fit in this lot. Also, those are all useless! Just a canteen would be enough!" He sighed in disbelief. He always finds it hard to have a decent conversation with Ryoma.

"Hey, I'm just making it a better place for me– for the children,"

Ryoga exhaled.

Well, if it would make you happy, I guess it's okay.

"Fine. I'll think about the sauna, everything else is denied."

"Awright," Ryoma smirked. It was always easy to manipulate people, especially his family. Ryoga massaged his temple, he knew before he took on the role of manager that it was going to be hell helping Ryoma, and he couldn't back out now.

"Oh, and a playground."

"What?"

"You said it's for kids."

"How old do you think these kids are? Just shut up and leave it to me."

"Then why did you even call? Ugh, fine, fine. Do what you want."

"Okay. I'll update you when we start. Send my regards to Sakuno-chan," Ryoga ended the call. Ryoma dropped his phone on the mattress. He scanned the dark room, noticing the empty floor and neat drawers. He wondered why Sakuno had been going to work even earlier than before, and she didn't even bother to wake him up.

"Dada!" Two-year-old Haru walks toward Ryoma, all the while uttering 'dada' as if he was the father. For some reason, Haru always called Ryoma that. As much as Horio wanted to be recognized as the real dad, he really had no problem with Ryoma and Haru getting along.

"Come here, mochi," He extended his arms to Haru, and the baby instantly brightened up as he ran to his godfather.

From time to time, he and Tomoka would leave Haru under Ryoma's care so he could take Tomoka out on a date. It was one of her conditions when they got married; to occasionally have time for each other. However, they didn't have any luck with finding a nanny, so Ryoma and Sakuno were the wise choice since they live near them.

Although Ryoma never admitted it, he seemed to enjoy Haru's company.

Horio watches as Ryoma carries Haru carefully and they walk out of the veranda to look at Sakuno's plants. The prince grabs the bucket and starts to water the plants. Haru watches in amazement as he clutches Ryoma's shirt.

"Plants drink water to stay alive, Haru. We need to do this so Aunt Sakuno won't get mad at me."

"Dada."

"I know. She can be such a meany to Dada."

"Dadada…"

"Yeah, you tell her."

Haru giggles, and Ryoma blushes at his cuteness. He felt his heart flutter, but he could not admit it in front of Horio, who just stepped out with them.

"So, how are you, Echizen? Everything okay?" He placed two cups of coffee on the table and sat on the chair. Ryoma and Haru took the empty seat next to him.

"Same same," he pushed the mug away from Haru when he tried to reach for it.

"Are you still seeing your therapist?"

"No, I'm fine now."

Horio blinked at him. He wondered if he was truly better now. But he guessed it was possible since he was keeping himself busy with the sports stadium, and he would participate in tournaments abroad every now and then.

But he was often left alone in the house because Sakuno had been busy with her work in the restaurant. She would leave at dawn and go home late. It was not healthy, but they had no right to stop her from working on her dream. Also, it's not like Ryoma was a five-year-old kid who needed constant guidance, right?

They'll be okay, right?

Horio scratched his head and stared at Ryoma's expression. He handed a tennis ball to Haru and let him play with it.

"Echizen, do you see yourself as a father one day?" He tested the waters and observed how the prince would respond. Maybe it was a delicate topic in this household, with the both of them not having time for each other. Maybe he's prying too much, but it just slipped out of his mouth, his habit of meddling into other people's business still lingers.

"Hmm… maybe," He heard Ryoma mutter, removing Haru's hand from his mouth.

Horio didn't expect such an answer from him. He expected that Ryoma would answer him sarcastically or not say anything at all. But maybe he really had those thoughts for a while now.

"Sakuno's work is more important. I can't take that away from her," He shrugged and averted his gaze from his friend. He stood up and guided Haru towards the railings. He crouched down to his level and they both admired the bright sky and the buildings below.

"Ooh, lots of cars, Mochi."

"Dada!"

Horio sighed. Even he could feel the emptiness in Ryoma's words, and how sad the atmosphere is since he opened that subject.

Tomoka and Sakuno happily prepared lunch for all of them. Since it was a Sunday, they decided to have a grand meal. Sakuno, being skillful in cooking, was in charge of making the main course while Tomoka was stuck with dessert. She figured she could just buy a cake at the convenience store later.

"Haru-chan's already two years old. Time sure flies," Sakuno commented.

"Yeah. He's starting to learn mischievous actions from your boyfriend," Tomoka glared at Sakuno who only laughed dryly.

"Well, you can't separate those two. They're so close that you would think he's the father," She laughs at the absurd thought. Tomoka nudges Sakuno's shoulder in annoyance. Honestly, the girl never learned to time her jokes at all.

"Hey, why don't you have a baby now? You're not getting any younger," She comments, completely forgetting about the dessert she was supposed to get. Sakuno was almost done with all the food. All that's needed to do is to set the table.

"Tomo-chan, what are you talking about?" Sakuno lets out a chuckle before getting a few plates from the cupboard.

"Well, he and Haru do get along well. I could tell that he's going to be a good father. I remember when I was in the hospital before I gave birth, Ryoma-sama ran all over the place to make sure I had enough ice chips. It was funny," Tomoka giggles at the fond memory of her friend.

Sakuno leaned onto the counter and gathered her thoughts on the matter.

"Well… I can't commit to that right now. I have a lot going on in my career and I want to make it. To do that, I can't afford any distractions. Besides, we're still young, right?"

"I know… but–"

"Anyway, lunch is ready!" Sakuno flashed a smile to Tomoka, and the woman had no choice but to end the conversation. She grew more worried about Sakuno, she had always known what was on her mind but right now, she was lost.

Lost.

Sakuno dragged her feet in the elevator of their building. She pressed the button and leaned on the wall lifelessly.

She sniffed as the cold breeze from outside seemed to linger in her coat. Her shoulders shivered, and her cheeks were red. Sakuno could almost feel a fever coming in. But she couldn't fall sick right now, she wanted to keep working and soon, she will be promoted. Chef Rick is set to come home from Europe and would be managing the restaurant, so she just needs to hang in there and prove to him that it was a good decision to recruit her.

She ignored her aching muscles and numb fingers from washing countless pots and pans at work. When the elevator opened, Sakuno saw Ryoma standing in the hallway, waiting for her. He had a happy expression on his face, it seemed like his project in Manhattan was going well.

Good for him.

"You're back," She heard him say, and his footsteps.

"Yeah," she could not bear to look him in the eyes, and she didn't know why. She was afraid that if she looked at him, he would be disappointed. If he ever learns about her, he would surely be mad. Sakuno chose to close that part of her.

When they stepped inside the apartment, Ryoma was hoping that she would cheer up when she saw what he made for dinner. All of those things he learned from China were still fresh in his mind. So, he wanted to surprise her with some unique food.

But Sakuno went straight to the bedroom. She didn't even bat an eye on him.

Huh?

Ryoma stood there, completely baffled by Sakuno's strange behavior. He analyzed the situation. Sakuno just got home from work, and honestly, she didn't look too good. So maybe she was too tired to notice everything in the house.

It was completely understandable, Ryoma sighed exasperatedly. He looked down on the wasted food on the table.

I guess it can't be helped.

Ryoma slowly opened the bedroom door. Sakuno was lying in bed with her arm covering her eyes. Ryoma felt bad for not being able to ease her suffering. He wondered if this is normal for employees in the restaurant industry.

If only he could, he would stop Sakuno from working. After all, he can easily support her for the rest of their lives. However, Ryoma values Sakuno's pride and of course, her dream. He doesn't want to restrain her whatsoever.

So, with a heavy heart, Ryoma only kissed her forehead and turned off the light. He figured he would just put all of the warm food in the fridge and if he's lucky, Sakuno might join him for breakfast for once.

Sakuno sat on the pavement behind the restaurant. The metal back door was closed shut but she could still hear the laughter from inside. She covers her ears and shut her eyes so she could ignore them, but the tears just can't stop falling.

"I hate this… I hate this…"

She dug her knuckles on her eyes and her shoulder shook from the frustration of having to deal with a toxic workplace every single day. Sakuno silently prayed that Chef Rick would come back a little earlier so she can ask permission if she can just quit. Yes, she has been thinking about giving up. The thing about being optimistic and determined is ignoring the fact that people would do everything to degrade you just because you can take it, even when you're dying inside.

Sakuno thought about throwing everything out the window as if she hadn't worked for it for many years, but something was preventing her from actually going through with it.

Maybe because she thinks that no one would ever accept her.

It was funny. She had her internship in Europe, she won the cookoff in college, her grades were impressively high. But none of that even matters to her superiors, all of it. Her effort was in vain and if possible, she just wants to disappear right now.

"Ryuzaki-san?" A fellow staff member came out of the door. He was Soichiro, one of the servers. They don't interact much since their shifts are usually different from each other but this time of the year, the restaurant was packed with people, so they had to adjust the employee's schedules to match the busiest time of the day.

"Hi," Sakuno hurriedly wiped her tears with the apron, and she pretended to drink her water.

"What are you doing here?" Soichiro sat beside her and whipped out a cigarette. He proceeded to light it with a match.

"Um, it was my break time and… I needed a breather."

"Is it okay if I join you?"

"Yeah, sure," Sakuno mentally noted that he already sat beside her before he even asked. It was weird but she didn't have the energy to overthink.

"Listen. I know the people there might be a lot to handle. I know it, I notice these things and I know what you're going through. It's because they don't like girls working with them. They're a bit sexist, that's for sure. In my two years working here, I saw woman to woman become their prey in bullying and eventually, they all resigned. Chef Rick never knew about this," He exhaled smoke from his mouth and Sakuno immediately covered her nose. Soichiro noticed this and he put out his cigarette in one of the trash bins.

"Sorry."

"No, it's okay,"

"Anyway, I gotta get back in there. Ryuzaki-san, don't give up. Do your best and ignore them. What better revenge than making it to the top, right? Fight for it," He flashed a charming smile to her before he closed the door. Sakuno looked at the window next to her. A smile crept into her lips, but it wasn't the usual one she once had. It was more… sad and miserable. She tucked her hair behind her ear and observed her face. Dark eyebags, thinner cheeks, pale skin, messy hair, chapped lips.

She wondered if Ryoma still found her attractive. Looking at her own face, she felt disgusted. This whole 'working for your dreams' is sucking the life out of her, but she couldn't find the courage to let go.

Ryoma heard the front door open. He guessed that Sakuno must have come home.

She's early tonight.

"Okay, I'll talk to you later. Thanks, coach," He ended the call. Ryoma stood up in a jumpy manner after talking to Coach Rui. He was excited to tell Sakuno about the recent development of his project. So, he searched for her in the bedroom.

"Sakuno? Where are you?" He opened the door, but she was not there.

"I'm in the tub," Her voice echoed inside the bathroom. Ryoma went straight to her and found her sitting naked in the tub filled with warm water and soap. She hugged her knees as she rested her chin on it. Her long auburn hair fell on her back and its ends were swaying with the gentle wave of the water.

He kneeled down and gently patted her head.

"Are you tired?"

She nodded. It worried him that Sakuno might fall sick if she continued to live like this. He fails to understand why she couldn't let go of the restaurant. What's so good about that place? However, he tried not to interfere with her own affairs, it was one of the unspoken rules in their relationship.

Ryoma grabbed the shampoo bottle and applied an ample amount on her hair. Then, he gently massaged her head in a relaxing motion. Sakuno closed her eyes and let her mind let go of the worries for now.

"So… Many children signed up for the sports program. Ryoga-nii told me. Then, Coach Rui agreed to be one of the coaches,"

"That's good…" she mumbled.

"Yeah. I don't know when I'll fly there again to see the site,"

Sakuno could hear his voice talk about the sports stadium and everything about it. She's glad that something is finally taking his mind off of his problems and issues, but she can't help but feel left out. While everybody is having fun with their lives, there she was, crying behind the restaurant at night. Sometimes, she feels a bit of regret with her decisions, but there's no turning back.

She's stuck.

"Sakuno?"

She looked up and saw Ryoma's troubled face. She immediately forced a smile, but he realized that she may have been bored now. He just kept on blabbing without even thinking of her.

Seeing her tired face just made him think that Sakuno must have been burned out from work. She needs a break from all of it.

"Sorry for being talkative," he wiped away dirt from her cheeks.

"N-No, I'm happy that your project is doing well… Coach Rui is joining the team, huh?" She faced him and held his hand on her cheek. Ryoma looked at her, his eyes were glowing, those big golden orbs staring back at her.

Even though tiredness was evident in her, Sakuno was still the most beautiful woman in his eyes, Ryoma thought. One look from her doe eyes was enough to put him in a trance.

Ryoma rested his chin on Sakuno's arm as he fully settled on the cold tiled floor of their bathroom. Her skin was cold, but it had that beautiful pinkish glow. He stared at her soft lips, the way her hair framed her cheeks, her red cheeks.

"Why are you so beautiful?" he mumbled. Sakuno didn't anticipate his question and she instantly blushed. The bath water was now cold, but Ryoma has been making her feel warm inside, she could not explain it.

She rested her chin on her arm as well, got down on his eye level until they were face to face, their noses almost touching. It didn't matter that her skin wrinkled due to being submerged in the water for a long time. She missed being with him, looking at him, even without saying anything. She missed Ryoma so much that she wanted to cry her eyes out.

"I miss you," She heard him whisper. His eyes reflected a million emotions that can't possibly be put into words, Sakuno smiled sweetly at him.

"I miss you, too," Her lips reached his own and they kissed for a second before he broke from her.

"I got you something,"

Sakuno watched him reach something in his pocket and when he did, her eyes widened.

Ryoma held a small, red velvet box in front of her. Only the sound of the drops of water was heard. He slowly opened it and revealed a beautiful diamond ring. There was even a small spotlight that was shining straight on the ring that made it glimmer.

"T-This…" she suddenly couldn't get any sound out of her mouth. Suddenly, she was numb.

"I just don't know any other way to make you happy than to give all of me to you," He looked down and chuckled softly.

Sakuno couldn't contain the overwhelming joy that her tears suddenly started falling without warning. She tried to wipe it with her hands, but they were shaking uncontrollably.

"Let's make it official,"

Ryoma took out the ring from the box and held it in front of her.

"Will you marry me?" His face was serious, and his voice was soothing. Sakuno sobbed, she couldn't believe what was happening.

Is this real? The great Ryoma Echizen is proposing to her right now. What should she say? She never practiced this! Memories flooded back in her mind, back in middle school where she met him at the train, then came high school when she lived with him, until they eventually dated throughout their adult lives. It felt like a fairytale to Sakuno, the thought of marrying her puppy love, her crush, the love of her life, the only person she ever thought of.

It was a dream come true.

Her jaw seemed to be locked in its place that she can't find the one word Ryoma has been waiting to hear.

"I-Is it too soon?" He momentarily panicked, Sakuno's stunned face and silence made him conscious and unsure if he just blundered a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Sakuno shakes her head left and right vigorously at his question. In her mind, she would take him anytime, anywhere, no matter when.

"Please say yes… I need you…" His eyes softened, like a puppy begging to be caressed. Sakuno realized again and again how sweet and romantic Ryoma actually was. She can't help but wonder where he learned all these things, and to think that she was the first and only woman he had ever done this for.

I'm so lucky.

"Yes…" She managed to whisper.

As if he expected it, Ryoma instantly pulled her left hand and inserted the ring to her finger. It fits her perfectly, he thought. The diamond complemented her complexion, and it was all just perfect.

"I told you I'm gonna marry you," He smirked.

Sakuno felt tears begin to roll down her cheeks as she recalled his words from the airport.

"When the right time comes, I'll ask you to marry me and have a family together."

To be continued.