Chapter 6: Christmas

Rinko laughed at her husband as he struggled to carry five shopping bags on one arm, and two boxes of pizza on the other. The old man huffed and stuck his tongue out in exhaustion.

They planned to have a pizza party for Ryoma's eighteenth birthday. As much as Rinko was going to miss her son, she knew that Ryoma had planned to leave for America after graduation. He had that lifelong dream of becoming a pro and surpassing his father. She never questioned him and was more than happy to support him all the way. Nanjirou, on the other hand, has always been helping his son go beyond his limits even though he never really showed his love for him. Witnessing Ryoma make it into the pro world was enough for Rinko.

"You look funny, dear!" she smacked Nanjirou's back and he almost tripped on the floor.

"Stop it!" he hissed and dropped the groceries and pizza on the dining table. They heard the sound of the door closing upstairs and thought that one of the kids are home. They became used to Sakuno being away when Ryoma was here, and vice versa. They also noticed that the two became distant from each other, but they chose not to meddle. Whatever their problem was, Rinko was sure that they could fix it right away, being friends and all.

"Ryoma, is that you?" she called from the first floor.

"Hey, brat!" Nanjirou yelled playfully, getting excited to tease his son on his birthday.

"Yeah," the boy answered. There was faint shuffling before footsteps on the stairs were heard. When Ryoma came into view, Rinko and Nanjirou popped party confetti in his face which startled him.

"What the-" he spit a few confetti that made its way into his mouth.

"Happy birthday!" Rinko greeted the dumbfounded boy. She held up a small paper bag in front of him.

"You're an adult now, but you're still mada mada dane!" Nanjirou laughed as he took some confetti on the floor and sprinkled it on Ryoma's head. The boy sighed. He's used to his parents making a fool of himself almost every day that this day is not any different.

"Thanks..." he proceeded to occupy a seat in the middle, ignoring the commotion by his parents. It seems he and Sakuno were the only quiet people in this house.

Oh, that's right. She's here.

As his mother pulled out a cake from the fridge, Ryoma stood up and headed upstairs to call Sakuno. He gently knocked on her door.

"Ryuzaki," he said.

"R-Ryoma-kun?" on the other side of the door, Sakuno stood, gripping the doorknob but had no intention of turning it. Her heart was throbbing so hard it almost hurt. After that moment in Ryoma's room, she got distracted that she forgot what she originally came there for. But now, the boy came back and that was her second chance.

"Come and eat downstairs," she heard him. She wanted to open the door, but her heart might burst if she sees his face. Sakuno was still a little rattled by their moment a while ago.

"Ryoma-kun, wait!" she blurted out.

He was about to go back down but he was startled by the girl's voice. Ryoma returned in front of her door and wondered why she doesn't want to open it. Any longer than this and his parents will suspect something.

They made up, right? As far as Ryoma was concerned, he had already put that conflict behind him, and he was alright now. So, why does he feel that Sakuno still has a problem? Why won't she open up?

"Ryuzaki, are you okay-" he tried to twist the doorknob, but the girl inside gripped it tightly.

"L-Let me talk first, Ryoma-kun," Sakuno closed her eyes tightly. Ryoma was confused as hell. Weren't they okay a while ago? Now, she's the one avoiding him. What's the deal?

Remembering the girl's shy and awkward nature, Ryoma chose to set aside his growing frustration and let her do what she wants.

"Okay," he shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed.

"I-I'm sorry for hurting your feelings. I didn't realize that you thought of me as a friend... and I spoke carelessly just to get out of that situation. I'm sorry for not thinking of you-I hope you know I never meant to hurt you," she said. Sakuno could feel the tension between them, but she needed to let it out once and for all.

She needed him to know her true feelings.

"Y-You're special to me so... I-I hope I'm still your friend..."

Ryoma's eyes widened. Even though he let go of it already, her apology made his chest tighten and he appreciated that she considered his feelings valid, it made him feel important.

Her weak voice reminded him of her red face, and he felt a sudden desire to see it again.

With one hand, he forced the door open. He saw Sakuno stumble a bit on the carpet, her face flustered. Ryoma stared at her vulnerable image. Ryoma smiled, the kind of smile Sakuno had only seen when they won the Nationals.

He looked immaculate in her eyes.

"Of course," that was all it took for Sakuno's tears to finally fall. She was too scared to talk to him and she frankly didn't want to know if he forgives her or not.

Ryoma walked inside her room until they were face to face again, then he placed his hand at the back of her head while the other remained in his pocket and pulled her into a hug. Sakuno's hands had no choice but to hold his waist for balance.

"Thank you, Ryuzaki," he whispered. He didn't know since when did the girl had this much effect on him.

Before the coach died, Sakuno was just another face among the spectators. Then after living with her for months, he found himself treating her something much more than that. He knew that it was because the girl is now all alone and needed someone to help and support her. He quietly did all those things for her because of the reason he believed.

But at the back of his mind, maybe it was more than that.

"I'm sorry, too, for shutting you out. Maybe I overreacted," he muttered as he kept his hand on her head firmly in his chest. He was sure that she could probably hear his heartbeat by now.

"N-No, Ryoma-kun. Your feelings are valid, and you didn't overreact. It's all reasonable," she said while leaning on his shirt. She closed her eyes and indulged herself in the prince's embrace. Her hands gripped his shirt tighter as she didn't want it to be over. She could smell the scent of sun, and his sweat from the heat. It was addicting.

"Is that so?" he smirked. Truthfully, Ryoma wasn't an emotional guy. He tends to deal with his emotions alone, and talking about his problems make it awkward. With Sakuno leaning on him, taking care of a crying girl is kind of uncomfortable.

He wanted to change the subject and move on, so he cleared his throat.

"Don't you have work today?" he finally let go of her and shoved his hands in his pockets. Sakuno gasped and momentarily forgot that Ryoma knew about her work for a while now.

"O-Oh, yeah! No, they're going to have a party, so I don't have to go," she was finally able to smile at him again, and it made him glad.

"Why not?"

"B-Because Ryoma-kun's birthday is more important," she shyly confessed while rubbing her arm. The boy's eyes widened in surprise. Now that he thinks about it, Sakuno has always celebrated his birthday with him through the years. She would give him a present and a cake. Although he understands that she's busy and all so she couldn't do it. She had different priorities now and he was aware.

But hearing her wanting to stay with him sent butterflies in his stomach.

"Sakuno, why didn't you tell us sooner?"

Rinko wrapped her arms on Sakuno's shoulders as they gathered on the dining table. She finally told Ryoma's parents that she's been working part time at night instead of studying at school. A big weight has been lifted inside her and although the two were obviously shocked about it, Sakuno was glad that everything's okay again. She looked over to Ryoma who was busy watching television and she smiled because they had finally reconciled with each other.

"That was a naughty thing to do, Sakuno-chan! As punishment, I want you to drink with me!" Nanjirou, who was visibly drunk, handed Sakuno a glass of wine.

"Are you crazy? She's still a minor!" Rinko kicked her husband on the shin. The old man yelped and hid behind Ryoma.

"Ahhh! Your mother is scary, Ryoma-chan!" he whined with a flirtatious voice as he tried to hug the boy.

"Crazy old man..." he muttered as he shakes off his father's hands on his shoulders. Sakuno, being a people pleaser, was about to drink the wine but Ryoma threw her a glare.

"Don't do what he says, Ryuzaki," he told her as his father shook him left and right. Sakuno quickly withdrew her hands from the glass.

"O-Okay..." she smiled sheepishly. Just then, the phone rang. Sakuno volunteered to answer it, leaving Ryoma to deal with the bickering couple.

"Hello?"

"Sakuno! I can't believe you're not here! Atsushi-kun invited me to the party but he said you're not coming!" she heard Tomoka yelled. Sakuno had to take the phone away from her ear. She could never get used to her best friend's loud voice.

"T-Tomo-chan... have you forgotten that today is Ryoma-kun birthday?" she asked. The self-proclaimed biggest fan of the prince has surprisingly forgot about it! That was so weird.

"What?! Oh my god! I'm so sorry! I was too preoccupied with Atsushi-kun that I forgot about Ryoma-sama!" she was obviously panicking, judging from her voice and it made Sakuno giggle.

For years, Tomoka had been obsessed about Ryoma that she never really looked at other guys. But now, she seemed to be into her co-worker.

"Tomo-chan, you seem to be having a nice time with Atsushi-kun," she teased Tomoka, making her stutter. Sakuno felt that the two are getting along so well that she didn't need to worry about them. Come to think of it, this may be the first time they see each other in person. Tomoka only called the restaurant when she was too sick to go to work. It's nice to see that they're becoming good friends.

"We're having a blast here, Sakuno. Just come here! You can bring Ryoma-sama," that was tempting, but she can never ask Ryoma to spend time with strangers unwillingly.

"I-I'm sorry, Tomo-chan... I really can't go," it was a waste, but she wanted to stay with Ryoma to make up for the lost time.

"You should go," Sakuno spun around and saw Ryoma leaning on the wall with his arms crossed.

"R-Ryoma-kun!" she felt her heart jump from the sudden appearance of the boy. Has he been standing there all this time?

"I'll take you there," he turned around to grab his jacket and scarf. It was snowing really hard tonight.

"N-No, wait-" she tried to grab his shirt, but the boy was already at the door. He put on his shoes before facing her with a thoughtful look on his face.

"They're your friends. It's only natural to spend Christmas eve with them," he said. Sakuno absent-mindedly returned the receiver on the phone without saying goodbye to Tomoka. Indeed, Ryoma Echizen is the most unpredictable guy she has ever met.

He's also the kindest person in her world.

As she struggled to catch up to him, Sakuno told Aunt Rinko that she will be going out with Ryoma. The two adults exchanged looks. They knew Sakuno didn't mean it like how it sounds but it was funny that the girl said something careless without realizing it.

"B-Be careful, you two!" Rinko called out before they heard the front door closed.

"They seem to be doing fine now," Nanjirou commented. The two sat by the kotatsu and enjoyed some wine with fruits.

"Yeah... to be honest, I won't mind if Sakuno-chan really becomes my daughter," she smiled at her husband. Nanjirou blinked.

"You want to try to adopt her again?" he asked. As they remembered, Nanjirou had planned to adopt Sakuno legally prior to living with her, but the girl kindly refused.

"I meant as a daughter-in-law," she said before she let out a flirty giggle. Upon hearing that, Nanjirou got what his wife meant, and he laughed loudly, too.

"Oh, that's even better! I like it, honey!" he said before he hugged Rinko.

The snowfall was stronger than he anticipated. It was actually not advisable to go out in this weather, but who in their right mind would organize a party in this weather? Ryoma didn't understand how party people's minds work. But he needed to take Sakuno there since he said those righteous things and he didn't want to lose face in front of her.

The girl lagged behind him. When he turned around, Ryoma saw that she was struggling to walk on the soft snow. So, he grabbed her elbow and assisted her through the way.

"T-Thank you, Ryoma-kun," she muttered, her cheeks were beet red. It was partly because of the cold, and also because of the boy in front of her. Sakuno's heart never seem to stop jumping.

She feared that she may have a heart attack.

"We're almost there," he said. Sakuno nodded. It was still about thirty minutes from the restaurant, but she didn't mind the distance as long as Ryoma is near her.

When they arrived at the entrance, before Sakuno could open the door, Ryoma was already walking back.

"Make sure your co-worker walks you home," he said as he waved a hand. It mysteriously made Sakuno frustrated, she felt like Ryoma was giving her away. She actually wanted to invite him in and to go home together. But there he goes again!

"R-Ryoma-kun, wait! Go in with me!" she fought the urge to take back her bold invitation.

She feared that the prince would refuse, and she waited for the humiliation, but nothing came. She saw the prince standing there in the middle of the snowy street, where he seemed to be in deep thought.

Ryoma weighed his options. He could go home early and eat then sleep. Or he could go to the party and eat but no sleep until later.

But there's Sakuno.

"Ryoma-kun? Are you alright?" she worried.

"I'm fine," he started to walk back to her and opened the door to the restaurant.

"Happy birthday!" three people popped confetti in his face (again) and held out a birthday cake.

Ryoma almost cursed if it weren't for the unfamiliar old man in front of him. He recognized Atsushi as the co-worker who always walked Sakuno home, and the girl who's holding on the guy's arm is none other than Tomoka. They prepared an impromptu celebration when Tomoka remembered his birthday a while ago. She ran to the nearest bakeshop and picked up a cake.

Behind Ryoma, Sakuno peeked over his shoulders and stared at the setup of the restaurant. It had a few balloons and Christmas decorations. She originally didn't plan to come but seeing the happy faces of the three made her feel glad that Ryoma persuaded her.

"T-Thanks," he stuttered, completely surprised. He doesn't know if he's happy or weirded out since Tomoka obviously forced the crew to do this. He had since been used to the girl's nature.

As the group ate together, they were surprised to find out about Ryoma being a famous tennis player. A few articles about him have been published and Atsushi recalled reading about him a few years ago.

"You were that super rookie I heard about! No wonder you look familiar! So, you're Sakuno-chan's boyfriend," Atsushi gasped, couldn't believe he was in the presence of such a talented young man.

"You're amazing, Ryoma-kun," Mr. Arata said as he gulped down a glass of beer.

"H-He's not my-"

"That's right, he is!" Tomoka beamed as Sakuno grabbed her hand to protest. "And I'm Ryoma-sama's number one fan!" she declared.

"But you forgot his birthday, didn't you?" Atsushi teased the loud girl. Tomoka blushed and panicked. She eyed Ryoma who was looking unbothered. He continued to eat his cake beside Sakuno.

"Ryoma-sama, I'm so sorry I forgot! But I hope I can make it up to you with this cake," she sat beside the boy and tried to hug him, but Ryoma dodged her arms. Behind him, Sakuno held Tomoka's hands in an effort to stop her from disturbing the boy. Tomoka missed having Sakuno and Ryoma in the same room since they avoided each other and now that they made up, she was over the moon.

"T-Tomo-chan!" she squeaked.

"It's fine, I don't really care," he muttered. He didn't even expect her to know this but being Sakuno's friend, he saw this coming, as well as the extra attention. But given that she has been a great help to him regarding Sakuno, Ryoma is seeing Tomoka in a new light. She's not just a fan to him anymore. He admits that they have grown closer.

"You're a fake fan, Osakada-san," he smirked at her. Teasing girls was now his habit. He saw how Tomoka's face turned red at his comment, and it made him satisfied.

"R-Ryoma-sama!" she once again attempted to embrace the prince and Sakuno was right there to restrain her with a cake in her mouth. Atsushi laughed out loud at the two girls' wacky scene while Ryoma smiled.

"A-Anyway, let's enjoy the night, shall we?" Mr. Arata sweat dropped at the chaotic kids in front of him and momentarily reminded him of his own children. It left a smile on his face.

It made him feel good that having a party in the middle of heavy snow was a good decision, after all.

Christmas Day.

It's not really a significant holiday in Japan, but living in America for so long, Nanjirou made it a habit to decorate the house and buy presents for the family and himself. Rinko loved cooking so she agreed to make a simple feast every year. Nanako, with her boyfriend, planned to visit their house to celebrate. And the youngest member of the family was nowhere to be found.

"Aunt Rinko, where did Ryoma-kun go?" Sakuno asked the woman as she help her fry the tempura. Rinko shrugged.

Ever since high school, the boy has always been out somewhere, and she just stopped asking him. Ignorance is bliss, she thought.

"I don't know, Sakuno-chan. Maybe with his friends?" she smiled.

Sakuno made an 'oh' shape with her mouth. She almost forgot that a few classmates and tennis club members are still residing in the area, so maybe they invited Ryoma over. She didn't really mind since they see each other every day at school and at home. Sometimes, she forgets Ryoma has other friends. Can you blame her? All he ever does is snob all of them.

"Why do you ask? You miss him already?" the woman grinned. She liked to tease the young girl ever since last night when the two went out and returned at almost midnight. Of course, she didn't question it. She trusts Ryoma more than anyone in the world, so she didn't worry about Sakuno being out at night.

"N-No, Aunt Rinko! Gosh!" Sakuno dropped one of the chopsticks and covered her red face. It's safe to say that now even Ryoma's parents have an idea of her feelings towards him. Looks like everyone but the prince knows. But hats off to them for not spilling the beans.

"Oh, child, don't worry. Ryoma's fine. I'm sure he'll turn up later," Rinko smiled at her. It was refreshing to see that someone takes care and worries about Ryoma. Ever since Sakuno lived here, she was nothing but kind and helpful. Even though Sumire had passed away, the young girl strived to work hard for herself towards her future. Rinko felt proud as a temporary parent, she couldn't help but embrace her.

"Aunt Rinko...?" she held the older woman's back. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing, dear. I'm just grateful for you," she exhaled on Sakuno's shoulder. The faint footsteps in the living room echoed. Nanjirou was whistling as he decorated the Christmas tree, a few boxes of wrapped presents laid on the floor. He was extra happy today when he and Rinko came home from their holiday shopping. Sakuno noticed Rinko was exceptionally blooming these days and she was growing curious of the matter.

Uncle Nanjirou's mood was not a big surprise to her, but Rinko and Nanako's actions were far too intriguing. She knew Ryoma doesn't care for his family's behaviour so she's the only one thinking about the possible reason.

However, being different from Tomoka, Sakuno decided to let them to their own business since she's an outsider.

Ryoma entered the front door and saw the usual shoes neatly arranged by the shoe cabinet. But he noticed an unfamiliar pair of shoes there. He wondered if Ryoga came home. But he never cared for holidays, and he's busy with university in America so that's not a plausible guess.

He's not one to waste his time thinking about pointless things, so he went straight to the living room where all the noise was coming from. Sliding the door open, he saw the room completely looking like Santa's workshop. The whole family sat around the table full of Japanese food, Sakuno was serving slices of cake for his dad, and Nanako sat with a guy Ryoma had never seen before.

He blinked as the people noticed his presence.

"Ryoma! Where have you been?" Rinko asked.

"Just picked up something," he sat beside Sakuno, who flinched when his shoulder bumped into hers.

"R-Ryoma-kun. Here's your plate," she handed a white plate with Christmas design on it. It was obviously his father's taste, Ryoma thought. He muttered a soft thanks to Sakuno as she proceeded to put one of everything on his plate until he could no longer hold its weight.

"The food is delicious, Ryoma! You know why? Because Sakuno-chan made it!" Nanjirou playfully told Ryoma while he grabbed a tempura and ate it hungrily.

"Um, Ryoma-kun. This is Ken, my fiancé," he heard Nanako beside him. He spit out his drink on his plate at the mention of the word 'fiancé'. Now the food was drenched in Ponta. Sakuno ran to the kitchen and grabbed some tissue to wipe Ryoma's mess. The parents laughed out loud at his reaction.

"U-Um, Hi, Ryoma-san. N-Nice to meet you," the man who looked a lot like Inui-senpai minus the creepy attitude and data murmuring, smiled awkwardly at him while he held his hand towards the boy. He reluctantly grabbed it for a handshake.

Now who does this man remind him of? Ryoma watched Ken interact with his cousin. He would avoid eye contact with everyone except Nanako, he shyly poured beer on Nanjirou's cup, and he served tempura for everyone. It definitely looked familiar to him. Ryoma looked over to his side and stared at Sakuno who was silently eating her salad. She noticed him and instantly blushed. Ryoma returned his gaze to Ken, and they had a momentary gaze before he blushed in embarrassment.

These two… are the same. He sweat dropped.

"There's no date for the wedding yet. But we will definitely do it next year," Nanako happily told the family how they met in university, and she didn't like him. But after pursuing her even after they're already working, she finally gave in.

"I realized that there's more to him than what meets the eye. I thought we weren't compatible, but overtime, I learned that he's not too bad," her cheeks were so red that she covered it with her cold hands. After being with him for a year, it was obvious that Nanako was deeply in love with the man and he was, too.

"Well, that's good, Nanako-chan. Thank you for taking care of my niece," Rinko bowed slightly to Ken, which the boy reciprocated.

"N-No, I should be thanking you for taking good care of her. I'm blessed to be loved by her," Ken said.

In the middle of the heartfelt exchange, Ryoma was feeling uncomfortable. He's not used to cheesy lines and romantic moments like this, so he excused himself and exited the back door. It was still winter, so he wore his jacket and hat outside. He sat by the tennis courts as he eyed the object he picked up from the store that morning.

"Ryoma-kun?" he heard Sakuno from the door.

"Hm?"

"What are you doing here?" She made her way to the bench where he was sitting. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her coat and exhaled. The moon shone brightly above them, and the tree's leaves fell with the snow on the ground. She noticed Ryoma scoot over and made room for her to sit, so she did. It was getting more and more comfortable to be around him.

Sakuno handed a grape Ponta for the boy, and cherry Ponta for her.

They sipped the beverage silently, admiring the snow falling around the yard. The, he cleared his throat.

"Ryuzaki, I got something for you," Ryoma stood up and went under the tree.

"W-What is it?" She watched the boy as he pulled out a pastel green bike with a basket in front. He stopped in front of her, holding the bike beside him.

"Use this when you go to work," he said. Sakuno admired the vehicle in front of her. She didn't know what to say. She needed to repeat in her mind that Ryoma bought her a bike. This Christmas. For her. From him. Her heart would have burst into a million pieces if not for the restraint she practiced.

"R-Ryoma-kun, are you serious?"

"Of course,"

"B-But why?"

Ryoma was growing impatient with the girl's question, so he decided to grab her hand and let her take the bike.

"I may not always be here, or your co-worker. So, you need it," he stated. It's true, Sakuno thought. She can't always rely on the two boys whenever she goes home at night. Well, they kind of decided on their own, anyway. But still, she was thankful for their thoughtfulness.

"T-Thank you, Ryoma-kun," her heart throbbed loudly as the boy's hand still laid on top of hers.

In Ryoma's mind, he knew Sakuno needed to be independent if she wishes to start working after high school. And what he said is true. He won't be there for her anymore. This was the last thing he could do for her, and for the coach's sake.

Anyway, as he was recalling those things, he noticed the girl still standing beside him, one hand clutching the handlebar.

"Um, Ryoma-kun. I appreciate it, but…" she hesitated to tell him the truth, afraid that he might get mad at her.

"What?" he was getting annoyed at her stalling.

"I… I don't know how…" she whispered.

"You what?" He was speechless. Literally nothing in his mind. The girl closed her eyes in embarrassment.

Ryoma thought for a moment, then he regained his composure.

"I'll teach you," he proceeded to position the bike sidewards so Sakuno could get on. But the girl was frantically waving her hands. She was about to die of embarrassment in front of Ryoma.

"R-Ryoma-kun. Don't trouble yourself, please! T-This is too much! I'll do it by myself!" Sakuno got on the seat and tried to pedal, but she struggled to balance and immediately fell on the ground. Ryoma quickly ran to her aid.

"Are you okay?" he was suppressing his laughter but a little came out.

"Ow…" she clutched her knee, and it revealed a mild scratch. It was an embarrassing sight, scraping your knee in front of your rush because you didn't know how to use his present. Sakuno knew she was an idiot, but to this extent? Oh, brother.

The boy crouched down and observed her. Sakuno blushed at Ryoma's face being close to hers.

Ryoma sighed. He pulled out a band-aid from his pocket and applied it on her scratch. Sakuno blinked.

"Wow, did you know that I'd suck at it, Ryoma-kun?" she asked with innocence in her voice. Ryoma laughed.

It was music to Sakuno's ears. If this was the only way she could hear his immaculate laugh, then she's prepared to scratch her knee all over. Sakuno never knew that it was possible to fall in love this deep.

"Yep, that's exactly what I thought," his shoulders were shaking from the laughter that erupted within him. Soon, Sakuno followed suit and laughed with him.

That night, Ryoma did his best teaching Sakuno how to ride the bike so that when he leaves Japan for good, he's got nothing to worry about.

To be continued.