Chapter 9: Confession

Two empty Tupperware, a platter of fruits which was almost gone, and two empty cans of Ponta littered the blanket. The small candle has almost melted to its foot, but still radiated orange light, illuminating the faces of Ryoma and Sakuno as they talked about the recent events.

"I-I was scared. I thought you would never forgive me…" she confessed with a heavy sigh. Sakuno heard Ryoma chuckle.

"Was I that scary?" he tried to cover his mouth with his hand to keep himself from laughing, seeing the girl's flustered face.

For Sakuno, it wasn't funny at all. Being one of the few who experienced the wrath of Echizen Ryoma has sent quite a lesson to never speak carelessly behind his back. Misunderstanding and judging him was a grave offense and she prays none of that would happen again because she's not confident she can survive another one.

"Gosh… don't laugh at me…" she fanned herself with her hand as she felt her face getting hotter as the prince kept making fun of her. His laughter was such a nice sound, but it was an embarrassing event for Sakuno and she would prefer it if he didn't think of it as comedic.

As Ryoma's snickering died down, he cleared his throat to speak.

"Forget about it," he laid down on the blanket, using both of his arms as support for his head. He looked straight at the distant sea.

Feeling the relaxing ambience of the night, he was able to let his guard down for a moment.

"I'm over it, and it doesn't bother me anymore. You can relax. But don't do that again, Ryuzaki."

She flinched at the mention of her name, but she nodded at his warning.

"Y-Yes!"

Sakuno felt thankful for the boy's attitude towards the whole thing. It was a good thing that they made up. Any more of his cold shoulder and she would have moved out sooner than she planned.

"Thank you, Ryoma-kun," she said, lying down as well. Feeling the comfort that he has completely forgiven her feels like a huge boulder has been lifted from her mind, she hasn't felt this worry-free in a long time.

She felt the urge to stretch her legs, but the wind was blowing her skirt away, so she put her hands over it, but then her head had no support! What to do…

Noticing this, Ryoma grabbed his discarded jacket beside him and handed it to her.

"Use this," he looked at her, arm stretched out with his blue jacket.

Sakuno's eyes widened at his gesture. Ryoma really does look out for her even in his peripheral vision that it touched her heart. She was thankful that it was dark, the prince didn't notice her face getting redder.

"T-Thank you… again…" she accepted it and proceeded to cover her skirt with it.

He's such a kind person.

Ryoma stared at both of their feet wearing socks and free from their shoes. He suddenly wondered if anyone was looking for them since it's past dinner time.

Well, he doesn't have to think about that now. This was too relaxing; it'd be a waste to go home so soon.

"R-Ryoma-kun… how are you feeling, with the Rio Open?"

"Hm?" He contemplated, unsure of what he truly felt. "It's the same thing, with Kevin."

"A-Aren't you nervous?"

"Not really. I'm not scared of them,"

Sakuno turned her head to the right, facing the prince. He had that determined look on his face, somewhat telling her that he will definitely win. It amazes her just how much self-confidence Ryoma holds, and how much Sakuno believes in him.

"You're amazing, Ryoma-kun. I've seen you work so hard since we were twelve, and I know you will always win," she smiled. This admiration that she has always felt for him has never faltered, he has always proved time and time again that he's not just all talk. That was what convinced Sakuno to try out tennis, too. Watching him play flawlessly made her see that the sport is fun when you put your heart into it. And she was thankful for teaching her that, even if he's not aware.

Hearing her words of affirmation, Ryoma couldn't help but smile as he watched the waves from the sea.

It was surreal, lying beside him like this. Who would have thought that one day, she would have the opportunity to watch over him like this? For years, no one ever came this close to him that it made her feel lucky. And to add, she had the opportunity to understand more of Ryoma's mind and struggles as they lived together. Even if he doesn't admit it, Sakuno knows that pressure does get to him. And it stressed him out, just like any other person.

If only she had that much courage, what would she turn out to be?

"What about you? Everything okay with work?" he turned to face her as well, his golden eyes stared at hers, it sent shivers in her body. With her heart pounding, she swallowed before answering.

"Y-Yes, I'm fine," she spoke, almost a whisper. The distance of their faces was only a foot away, and it was making Sakuno nervous. Should they really talk like this? He was dangerously close to her even though there was lots of stuff between them, it felt like it disappeared the moment Ryoma turned his head to her.

"That's good," he muttered, never removing his gaze from her.

The cicada's sound, and a few laughter from the other visitors were the only sound Sakuno could hear. The longer she stared at him, the faster her heart pounded against her chest, and she feared a heart attack would happen. But she couldn't muster the consciousness to break off from his gaze. It was weird, something is definitely there, she could feel it. A couple of months ago, Ryoma was not like this. He would help her, sure, but he never took a damn long time to look at her.

Is he…

No, impossible. Ryoma would never fall in love with her, not in a million years. It was a manifestation from her own selfishness, and she never wished for it to come true. She was not confident in herself that the mere thought of winning the prince's affection sounded absurd to her.

His cat-like eyes seemed to be looking for something in her eyes, and as the candle slowly melted away and the fire eventually burned out, the sight of his eyes disappeared into the darkness.

Feeling a bit of panic, Sakuno raised her hand and slowly reached for his face. The darkness was too much for her and she was beginning to feel disoriented. As soon as her fingers touched his nose, a hand grabbed it.

"What's wrong?"

"O-Oh, it was dark and… it's scary…" she whispered. She didn't know why she had to whisper; the candle only went out. She held onto his pinky finger, and he didn't try to pull away.

"I'm here," Ryoma spoke, feeling the need to comfort the frightened girl beside him. As his eyes adjusted from the pitch-black darkness, he began to see her face again.

Even though it was dark, he could make out the red tint on her cheeks and it was… cute, he thought. The word cute was originally only intended for Karupin, he owned that word, no one ever came close to his late cat's charming features, but now every time he looked at her, he found himself thinking it suited her more.

Sorry, Karupin.

It went on for another five minutes before music suddenly played on Ryoma's pocket. His phone was ringing. He removed his other arm from supporting his head and fished his phone from his pants pocket. The light illuminated both of them and Sakuno abruptly let go of his finger and shielded her eyes from the sudden light of his phone.

Nanako was calling him. Ryoma quickly tapped the answer button.

"Yeah?" he asked. Sakuno heard a few murmurs from Nanako's side, but she couldn't make out the words, so she waited until their conversation ended.

Ryoma sat up, a few strands of his hair were stuck up in different directions, and his shirt was crumpled on his back. Sakuno remained lying down as she observed his disheveled appearance.

"Let's go home," he said, standing up. He dusted his pants before extending a hand to her.

Her long, brown hair sprawled on the blanket, his jacket covering her lower body, her brown doe eyes and red cheeks were a sight to behold. Ryoma wondered when the girl became this… pleasant looking. One day, she was a clumsy girl with hair too long and wobbly hips.

Now, well… she's pretty much the same but… prettier.

Ugh, you're not like your father, Ryoma. Stop it.

Sakuno finally grabbed his hand and in one quick motion, she was standing beside him. They returned everything into her backpack and tidied the spot before they made their way home.

It was a great way to end the day, spending time with animals certainly relieved both of their stressed minds and laying on the beach together with a simple dinner helped them recharge.

As she entered the gates of Seigaku High, a number of girls walked ahead of her and talked about the two people she had shared a secret with, a secret that is never ever allowed to get out of their circle because there will be chaos.

"Apparently, she has been living with him for months!" one girl said to her friend.

"So that's why she's always tailing the prince!" another one said.

"She's a sly one! I never thought the timid Ryuzaki could actually do something like this,"

"Wow, maybe she got knocked up that's why they're living together,"

Many more accusing phrases about her best friend have been murmured around her as she made her way to the shoe locker. Tomoka Osakada nearly beat up those girls if they weren't in a large group. Hearing all kinds of hurtful things about Sakuno has angered her that early morning.

But knowing Sakuno as a person who always avoids conflict as much as possible, Tomoka tries to ignore their accusations until she gets to the bottom of this.

Who on Earth has blabbed about Sakuno and Ryoma-sama living together?!

As she stomped on the stairs and along the hallways, she heard more whispers around.

"I bet they're doing it," one guy said.

"I never realized Ryoma's standards in girls are that low," another guy said.

By now, her blood was boiling, and one last insult might push her off the edge. Tomoka's eyes watered and she gritted her teeth, feeling sorry for Sakuno. She just lost her grandmother which was the reason she lives with the prince, and that wasn't her choice. The situation called for it and the boy's parents were kind enough to take care of her. But now, she's receiving backlash over something she has no control over. Tomoka feared her best friend would hear these horrible things and make her want to move out! What would happen to Sakuno's future?

As Tomoka entered their classroom, she saw Sakuno slumped to her seat with a gloomy look on her face. Feeling concerned about her best friend's mental health, Tomoka walked over to her and patted her back.

"Sakuno... don't listen to them, okay?" she had that motherly tone in her voice. The last time she saw Sakuno depressed was when her grandmother died, and they had tried their best to cheer her up. Tomoka has made it her goal to protect Sakuno's mental health from the world.

"T-Tomo-chan..." she has been the subject of verbal abuse and hurtful rumors all morning. She wished that she had stayed home so she wouldn't have to endure this kind of mistreatment. But graduation is almost here, and she wanted to make the most out of their high school life before they all part ways. She must stay strong.

Suddenly, they heard a commotion outside the hall. It was a familiar voice that all of them recognized.

"Shut your nosy mouth and mind your own business! Leave Ryuzaki alone!" Horio shouted at a few girls whispering just outside their room. He was infuriated by the horrible things that the people were saying behind his friend's back. Sakuno was far from their judgments. She was the kindest girl he had ever met, so he must protect her at all costs.

Behind him followed Kachiro and Katsuo, who were just as angry as him.

"Horio…" Tomoka stared at the boy with wide eyes. That was the first time she ever saw him get so mad; he was kind of… awesome.

Sakuno didn't know if she would cry because of the rumors or because she was touched by her friends' actions. She never realized how much they cared for her, and witnessing it now, it made her feel thankful. These are one of the moments that she will miss when they graduate.

"Thank you, guys…" she finally let tears escape from her eyes after holding it all in for as long as she could.

"Ryuzaki-san, you don't have to worry. We know the truth," Kachiro reassured her.

"That's right. Don't listen to anything they're saying, because we know you better than anyone," Katsuo smiled at her.

Surrounded by the best people really does give you a new ray of hope and strength.

"Hey, guys. Why don't we walk Sakuno home later? Ryoma-sama has an appointment today and he's not going back until tonight. We could hang out at their place until he comes home," Tomoka suggested.

The prince went out that early morning to go to a sports center for his professional training. He will be attending it regularly starting today in preparation for the Rio Open. Regarding school, his team had already informed the teacher that he would be skipping classes and would have to self-study the rest of the subjects.

"Alright! We can study together for the finals," Kachiro added. He became even more excited that they will have a chance to hang out together.

"Then let's drop by the grocery store and buy some snacks," Katsuo said. He started to list the things that they will need for later, being the studious one.

"E-Eh… wait-" Sakuno wasn't sure if Rinko would be okay with them going to the house later. She hadn't brought her phone with her to ask for permission.

"Then it's settled!" Tomoka chimed in. They all nodded in unison before returning to their own desks, leaving a dumbfounded Sakuno alone.

After class, the group of Sakuno, Tomoka, Horio, Katsuo and Kachiro were coincidentally in charge of cleaning the room that day. Sakuno had volunteered to take out the trash while the others busied themselves on cleaning the board and wiping the windows. Horio was fulfilling his cleaning duties while running his mouth about nonsense that nobody ever listens to.

Sakuno had a smile on her face while on a walk towards the back of the building where the trash bins were situated. Thanks to her friends, her spirits have been uplifted after those horrible rumors.

"Hey, Ryuzaki!" she heard a familiar voice behind her. It was the same voice that used to torment her over everything Ryoma-related. She gulped and braced herself for the incoming abuse. Again.

Sakuno turned around and faced Sakurako Mine. Last time they talked was when they cornered Sakuno in the same exact place, and when she had forced the timid girl to blurt out lies regarding her feelings towards Ryoma.

"S-Sakurako-san," She tried to remember how brave and firm she was when they talked. But sadly, she couldn't muster the courage anymore. She just wanted to run away and hide until these girls left her alone.

Ryoma-kun…

Sakuno knew that Ryoma wouldn't be able to save her now, being away on training. She felt alone and scared.

"So, I've been hearing all kinds of stuff about you and the prince living together. When are you going to stop? I'm getting sick of hearing Ryoma this, Ryuzaki that!" Sakurako's voice ended up sounding louder than she intended to. But she was used to intimidating her prey so there you go. It was satisfying to see Sakuno trembling with fear everytime she did this, it made her chuckle in delight.

"L-Leave me alone!" Sakuno clenched her fists and tried to regulate the pounding of her heart to remain calm. She can't cry yet, not in front of her.

"Ryoma-sama will never like you, so back off before you regret it," the taller girl took a step forward, making Sakuno flinch. Sakurako didn't have her friends with her today and it made Sakuno feel less danger but still, she didn't know how to handle Sakurako on her own besides saying the things she wanted to hear, like what she did back then. Sakuno wondered if she could still lie to her given the swarm of rumors spreading around the school. She can just deny it again and tell her that nothing's going on between her and Ryoma.

But she remembered how Ryoma reacted when she had denied their relationship, their friendship. Could she do it again? Sakuno knew that he would not find out since he's away. But could her conscience do this?

No.

She's not going to lie to herself anymore. She knows the truth and she will not back down from this conflict. She won't sacrifice what's important just because she's faced with trouble. Not anymore.

"Sakurako-san. Hate me if you want, but…" she paused. Last time, she protected herself by telling a lie, and the result was way off from what she expected. So, Sakuno made up her mind. Rather than protecting herself, she would rather protect Ryoma. He will never hear this, but at least, in her heart, she fought for the truth. And the truth is…

"...I like him. I-I like Ryoma-kun! I don't care anymore… even if you hurt me, I don't care if he'll never like me back, because… I don't need him to return my feelings. That's why my heart will never change!"

That was a confession straight from her heart. She didn't care at all if Sakurako beat her up. At least, she finally told her the truth. It felt good to finally verbalize her feelings, although she wanted Ryoma to hear it first. She just wanted to let someone know, anyone, what she feels for him.

It made her smile thinking that she was capable of loving someone this deep and pure.

Sakurako gritted her teeth in frustration. She didn't know if Sakuno was deliberately trying to piss her off, but it was the last straw. She gave her one last chance to cut ties with Ryoma, but Sakuno is one tough weed. Who would have known that this frail girl who was always a background character will one day learn to stand up to her?

Is she smiling? She must be making fun of me!

With one swift motion, Sakurako slapped Sakuno and she stumbled on the ground. Her cheek was red from the impact and her hearing momentarily disappeared. Sakurako glared down at her, she looked tiny, like an ant, she thought.

"You just don't learn, do you?" She hissed. Sakuno was shocked by the slap, she couldn't move a single muscle as Sakurako stood in front of her like a giant. Sakuno closed her eyes, preparing for the worst. She would probably go home with scratches or even a broken bone with the way Sakurako was acting.

Sakurako raised her hand once more, gesturing for another slap.

"You're going to regret this!"

So, this is the price for being in love with him.

"Stop!" Sakuno's eyes shot open, and she saw Tomoka grasping Sakurako's arm tightly, with anger in her eyes, and a trash bag in her other hand.

"T-Tomo-chan!"

Tomoka smiled down at her, which made a comforting sensation to Sakuno. Soon, Horio, Kachiro and Katsuo entered the scene with brooms in their hands. They looked funny, but now's not the time to laugh, Sakuno thought. They came to her rescue when they heard Sakurako yelling a while ago.

"Don't touch me, Osakada-san," she glared at her.

"Sakurako. You're officially off the Fanclub. I never want to see you again. Ryoma-sama doesn't need supporters who hurt others for their own satisfaction," Tomoka declared. Behind her were the three boys who acted as her guards, shooting an intimidating glare towards Sakurako.

"Heh. I don't need you to tell me," She whipped her arm to her side, causing Tomoka to let go, then she walked away. The four friends helped Sakuno to stand up.

"Ryuzaki, are you okay?" Katsuo worriedly inspected the red patch on her face. It was shaped like a hand, detailing Sakurako's insane strength.

"Man, those girls never stop!" Horio commented.

"Ryuzaki, you should probably stay with us from now on to avoid these situations," Kachiro suggested. It was a good idea to stick together rather than moving alone. They had no idea how to stop the rumors, and they could only avoid such incidents.

"Thank you… you saved me again…" she could not stop her tears from falling. Now that the truth about them had been found out, she grew more and more hesitant about the future. She couldn't wait to move out and relieve Ryoma of all the scandals.

They walked Sakuno home and explained the situation to Rinko. The older woman happily welcomed them to stay for dinner as gratitude for protecting Sakuno.

"Welcome back, Sakuno-chan. Oh, who are these kids?" Nanjirou entered the living room with a stash of his magazines in hand.

"Eh? Uncle, you didn't go with Ryoma-kun?" Sakuno asked. She thought that his father would accompany him with his training.

"Nope. The brat has a professional coach helping him there. I don't need to babysit his ass," he grinned.

"Ah, okay…" Sakuno nervously chuckled. His father really is a happy-go-lucky kind of person.

Sakuno shrugged, as she was used to Nanjirou's quirky replies, and she proceeded to her room to change clothes. She badly needed to wash her cheek with cold water to get rid of the sting.

"Hey, you two. You play tennis?" Nanjirou spotted Kachiro and Katsuo on the side. The two flinched at the thought of having a match with the legendary samurai.

"E-Eh… um, yes, sir!" they said in unison which made Nanjirou laugh.

"Then let's go!" He went out of the back door, with a scared Kachiro and Katsuo following behind him.

"Ah, I need a couple of things from the grocery…" Rinko thought out loud as she put a finger on her chin. Tomoka heard this and eagerly volunteered to go pick up ingredients since they had forgotten to drop by the supermarket on the way to their house.

"Auntie, I can do it if you give me the list," she chirped. As Rinko wrote something on a piece of paper, Horio came out of the washroom.

"Eh? Where are they?" He glanced around the room and only saw Rinko with Tomoka by the table.

"They went out to play tennis with Ryoma-sama's dad," Tomoka informed him while she watched the mother scribble away. Horio rubbed his neck, awkwardly standing in front of the two women.

"Okay, done. Horio-kun, would you mind accompanying Tomoka-chan to the supermarket? I just needed these things for dinner," she held up a long paper full of words. Horio and Tomoka looked at each other, not sure if they would welcome the idea of shopping together.

"What's wrong?" Rinko sensed the tense atmosphere, a familiar one that she often sensed between Ryoma and Sakuno these days.

"Auntie! I can do it by myself," Tomoka snatched the list and credit card from Rinko's hand and hurriedly exited the door. She doesn't want to be left alone with a chatty guy like Horio. Her ears would explode!

Tomoka walked fast along the streets, the orange rays of the sun beaming at her hair as it set.

"Hey, Osakada!" she spun around and saw Horio running after her.

Dang it!

"You sure walk fast enough!" He caught up with her. Back at the house, Rinko forced him to go after Tomoka, saying that it's dangerous for a lady to walk alone at this hour. Well, inside his head, Tomoka was far from a 'lady'. He saw her as an annoying friend who loves to pester his best friend (Ryoma) in her free time. She liked the type of guys who are snobbish, cool, and handsome- the complete opposite of him. That's why he knew that Tomoka could never like a guy like him.

Eh? What am I thinking?

Horio's face turned redder as the thought of Tomoka lingered in his mind. He couldn't understand why he even wondered about his chances with her. Sure, he would always notice her presence every single day. She has an annoying voice whenever she calls for Ryoma, she would always push Sakuno to confess even though none of them were sure if the girl even likes the prince to that extent.

Do I like her now?

He asked himself. He stared at their shadow as they walked back to the house in silence. The trip to the grocery was so fast that he didn't get to relish the time with Tomoka. He was too busy thinking about the girl than actually enjoying her company.

Tomoka, on the other hand, just remained silent. Put two talkative people together and they will not speak to each other alone. They were too alike, she thought. If they started talking, it would lead to an argument and soon, they'd be shouting at each other and that's not a good way to spend an afternoon inside the Echizen household. So, she stared down at their shadows to entertain herself.

Drops of sweat dropped on the tennis court behind the Echizen house. Two kneeling boys were panting hard, trying to catch their breaths after a gruesome rally against Nanjirou, who was idly standing on the other side. He watched in amusement as Kachiro and Katsuo desperately crawled back to the bench where a cold pitcher of water rested.

"I… can't play anymore…" Kachiro whimpered. His legs felt like jelly, wobbling as he tried to stand up.

"T-Time out…" Katsuo said weakly. They had been playing with Nanjirou for almost thirty minutes and they had never scored a point against him. The older man smirked while he tapped his racket on his shoulder, attempting to massage it.

"Mada mada dana, you two," he commented. "You're not bad, though!"

That last comment made Katsuo feel a little better. After all, a compliment from an ex-pro was just as valuable as a medal.

"T-Thank you!" they both said.

"Soon, Ryoma-kun will play in Brazil," Kachiro said. He drank some water before watching the orange sky. They had long accepted the fact that Ryoma will leave Japan to become a pro like his father, and they're prouder than ever. It's a sad conclusion of their high school life, but if it meant reaching for his dream, they will be happy for him.

"Yep. That's the dream," Nanjirou sat beside them and smiled.

"Has it always been Ryoma-kun's dream since he was little?" Katsuo asked.

Nanjirou thought about it for a while. It's his dream for Ryoma, to continue his unfinished business in the tennis world. It is his dream, too, right?

"Ryoma-kun's amazing. He can be whatever he wants to be, being intelligent and skillful," Kachiro pondered about the times they would study as a group and Ryoma would end up tutoring them because they kept getting the answers wrong, and the glorious times he won a match as a singles player, not to mention the Nationals.

Nanjirou looked at him. He can be whatever he wants to be? For a long time, he had confidence that Ryoma always wanted to follow his footsteps. Ever since he was a kid, he had always been a tennis freak. Nanjirou assumed that he'd still be as enthusiastic today. But he had that nagging feeling that maybe Ryoma had once thought about going to a different path than this. He never really asked him about it.

Do you want to be a doctor?

Do you want to be an engineer?

All kinds of professions.

Nanjirou started to doubt. He felt worried about his son whether he's still happy or not.

To be continued.