Chapter 14: Stay

After they walked Tomoka home, Ryoma and Sakuno rode the bike in silence as they made their way home. The cold wind blew through Sakuno's coat, and when she looked up at the sky, there were stars shining beautifully. But her mind was distracted by the thought that her best friend had accidentally told Ryoma about her feelings. She wasn't sure if the boy really ignored it or if he was thinking about it, too. Sakuno just hoped that Ryoma would think of it as a joke.

Being in love with the same person for six years and even having the chance to be this close to him, Sakuno had never felt the courage to confess. Mainly because she knew that she's not desirable. She's plain, awkward, and bad at tennis, which she thinks is the main prerequisite for Ryoma's affection. His path has been long planned, and it would be at the top of the world, conquering and being the best. She, on the other hand, was just a side character in his show, and the thought that he might like her too is just… unimaginable.

She could never be with him, and she had accepted that long ago.

She clutched her head in pain, while her other hand was still holding on to Ryoma's jacket. Her head throbbed so bad that she almost fell off of the bike. She figured it was due to her exhaustion, and the stress was catching up to her.

"You okay?" he asked. Ryoma felt the girl jolt, and he wondered why she wasn't holding on to him with both hands. He gradually squeezed the brakes and halted to a stop.

Ryoma bent his knees and checked her face to see if she was feeling ill. Sakuno's face grew redder when his face got near, and his eyes settled on hers. All of a sudden, she felt awkward and strange. She felt more conscious than normal that she felt like she was naked. A single stare from him felt like a hundred eyes on her.

"Y-Yes…" she couldn't look straight into his eyes. She was afraid of what he'd say, maybe he would confront her about that confession, she thought. She needed to get away from him.

Ryoma observed the girl. She was being more awkward than usual, and he didn't understand why. He just hoped that he didn't do or say anything wrong to make her act that way.

"Okay," he didn't want to pry on her life, she might find him annoying and intrusive. So, he continued to drive all the way home.

It was strange, Sakuno was not holding on to his jacket anymore.

When they got home, Sakuno muttered a shy 'thank you' and went straight to her room without waiting for him. Ryoma was dumbfounded by her sudden change of attitude, but he only shrugged it off because he reminded himself that everyone has their off days.

Still, there was worry in him that Sakuno might be troubled by something, and he wanted to know. He followed her upstairs and when she was about to close her door, Ryoma swiftly slid his hand to stop her, and it got stuck. Sakuno's eyes widened at his action.

"Uh…" suddenly he felt like a pervert. Now that he thought about it, he could have just knocked on her door. She would never shut him out. "Ryuzaki, are you really okay?"

The girl looked down, trying to think of an answer. Ryoma was sure that there's something because if there wasn't, she wouldn't even think of her answer that long.

"I-I'm… fine, Ryoma-kun," she mumbled. He looked at her a little longer, waiting for her to lift her head up, but she didn't. So, he removed his hand out of the way.

"Okay, good night," he pulled the door shut himself. Ryoma scratched his head; he just can't understand women.

On the other side of the door, Sakuno sighed. She was too embarrassed to even act the usual with him since then. She just wanted to run away and hide. She tends to overthink things that didn't really matter but she just doesn't want to expect anything from him to save her from heartbreak.

"Hm… can I tell you a secret?" the boy spoke. There was a spark in his eyes that Horio had never seen before. Horio reluctantly agreed before Atsushi began to whisper something in his ear.

"Actually, my dad invited me to migrate to America with him. I will leave soon," he said. For a moment, Horio didn't know what to say. He didn't understand why Atsushi told him this piece of information about his life.

"Okay?"

"And when I'm gone, I know you'll look after Tomoka, no matter what kind of relationship you two will have in the future," he said. Horio was confused. The guy sounded like he was leaving Tomoka to him and that was outrageous!

"W-What are you talking about, why would I?" he laughed awkwardly. Seriously, Atsushi was being weird today.

"I'm entrusting her to you," the boy suddenly had a serious look in his eyes. That made Horio close his mouth.

"But why me? Atsushi… I don't like her that much. This is just a crush, okay? It will pass," Horio scratched his head in annoyance. He actually lied. Of course, he likes her so much that he just wants to confess over and over again. But it's not fair to Atsushi.

"I know… but please just take care of her. Be there for her when she's happy, or hurting," he smiled softly. He waited for Horio to respond. He wondered why Atsushi was desperately asking for his help. He makes it sound like Tomoka was going to get hurt or something.

The boy just sighed and nodded. He figured he'd lose nothing if he just agreed to him. He doesn't have to do it, right?

"Thank you, Horio-kun. I know you're a good friend," he said.

"Hehe..." the boy awkwardly forced a laugh. He knew something was wrong, and he felt unsettled.

Sakuno woke up feeling drained. The headache has subsided after a good night's sleep, but she still feels heavy. Of course, it would be impossible for a petite girl like her, but she felt heavy in a sense that she had too much on her mind.

First, she was still shaken up by Tomoka's slip of the tongue, and second, she had unwillingly shut out Ryoma. Sakuno wouldn't know how to face him anymore since she came out a little rude to him, and it's just going to be awkward if they talk about it. So, she hoped that no one would bring it up.

Before she descended the stairs, Sakuno took a peek at the boy's open door. It was empty, and silent. Ryoma goes to training very early. Sakuno shrugged. She just hoped that his body would be able to keep going.

When Sakuno got to the first floor, she heard a few voices in the dining room.

"Does he talk to you, Nanako?" she heard Nanjirou's voice.

"Hmm… no. Ever since I moved out, we lost touch. Not that we were close, anyway," Sakuno's eyes widened to the fact that Nanako was here. She must be visiting with her fiancé.

"I guess…" Rinko said.

"Maybe we should tell him to withdraw from the Rio Open?" Nanako suggested. This earned a gasp from Nanjirou. Sakuno was surprised as well but she covered her mouth and hid behind the wall. Is something the matter with Ryoma?

"You know we can't do that," the father said.

"I know. This is your dream. But was this any of his decision? I'm afraid he must be stressed out," the cousin said.

"We haven't got the time to sit him down for a talk since he's always at the sports complex. I have no idea what he thinks," Rinko sighed. Indeed, Ryoma has been waking up at five in the morning, and he leaves the house to catch the earliest bus. Then, he would go home late just to change clothes before picking up Sakuno from work. Rinko was thankful that it was Winter Break. How will Ryoma juggle school, training, Sakuno, and the practice match? She could only imagine the worst.

"Eh? Sakuno-chan!" She was surprised that Nanako was already staring at her. She did not do a good job hiding and now she was caught eavesdropping.

"H-Hello, Nanako-neechan…" she shyly said. Nanako has certainly changed. Her hair was shorter, and she was a bit tan. But one thing didn't change. It was their closeness.

"I missed you, Sakuno-chan. How are you?" she happily inquired while she pulled Sakuno by the hand.

"I-I'm working part-time…"

"Oh, Sakuno-chan has been hard working these days," Rinko added. Sakuno suddenly felt the same heavy feeling from that morning. She was one of the reasons that Ryoma's schedule has been packed. To be fair, she did ask him not to come anymore. It was his own stubborn fault, but still, she was worried about him.

"Aunt Rinko, I'm sorry for being a burden to Ryoma-kun…" she bowed her head to apologize. The older woman was surprised at her action. She didn't expect Sakuno to blame herself through all this.

"Oh, dear. Sakuno-chan, don't apologize. Ryoma has always been caring for his friends. He must have been worried for you. Don't worry," she smiled. Rinko was grateful for her, since she unknowingly brings out Ryoma's kind side. He has never gone through that much trouble for a girl, after all.

"Yes, Sakuno-chan. He's a cocky brat, but underneath that tough guy front, he's a good guy," Nanako added. Nanjirou only watched the three girls marvel at his son's kindness. He could only stare into space with his lips slightly open. Now, what should he do?

Ryoma stared into space with his lips slightly open. That morning, before he left, Tomoka had sent a message saying that it was Sakuno's day off today. That meant that he had no reason to see her. By the time he's home, everybody would be asleep.

"Hah…" he let out a tired sigh. Well, that's one less thing he's got to do, after all. There is plenty of time to talk to her, anyway.

"Ryoma-kun, are you tired?" Honoka sat beside him. They were currently on a five-minute break before Coach Rui resumed training.

"Uh-huh," he said without sparing a glance at the blonde girl.

"You want a drink?" she held out a Ponta. Now, that certainly attracted his attention, Honoka thought. Ryoma accepted the beverage without hesitation and muttered 'thanks'. The girl felt pretty good about herself. She felt that she's one step closer to seducing Ryoma. Even though Ponta is the only thing she knows about him.

"So, we're double partners next," she muttered. Ryoma nodded. He didn't know why playing doubles was necessary since he's a singles player anyway and he will be at the Rio Open. To make matters worse, he's paired up with Honoka via rock, paper, and scissors. He's always been a loser to that game. Their opponents are Richie and Beth, who have always been partners their entire tennis career. Even though they're exceptional, nothing can rattle Ryoma's confidence in his play.

Anyway, Brian was tasked to be umpire since it's doubles day and he didn't have a partner.

"Alright, break's over! We will begin the doubles match between the Ryoma-Honoka pair and Richie-Beth pair," Coach Rui's voice boomed throughout the indoor courts. He was a little intimidated by the few paparazzi who were watching their training. They have been taking pictures of his athletes and it was beginning to irk him off. It was a good thing that the players were professionals, they were not distracted by them at all.

After the announcement, Ryoma and Honoka made their way to their side of the court, Richie and Beth did the same and now, the match will be starting.

It was Ryoma's serve. He performed his famous twist serve. Ryoma knew his opponents too well, spending time with them in training. He knew that basic and half-assed serves wouldn't work on them, so he immediately pulled out his big guns. As Richie hit it back, the prince hit it with his Drive B, instant win.

"Gah… Ryoma-kun really is amazing!" Honoka exclaimed. The flash of the paparazzi's cameras was going off like fireworks and a faint applause was heard. Ryoma remained expressionless as he held another tennis ball in his hand.

"Richie. Don't think that we'll be beaten by an eighteen-year-old boy!" Beth whispered. She has her huge pride within her and being a twenty–five-year-old tennis player, she couldn't afford to lose to those two Japanese players. Richie regained his composure and nodded decisively.

"We won't. Cool your head, Beth," he said.

The second serve was lightning fast. The ball hit the spot on the line just before it was out. Service Ace. Another clear point for the Ryoma-Honoka pair. The girl jumped in her place, prematurely celebrating for Ryoma holding on to his service.

On the other side of the court, Beth was grinding her teeth in annoyance. She was beginning to get frustrated.

"Beth, relax. It's only the beginning. We all know that he's an amateur when it comes to doubles. He's only winning because it's his service. We'll hand him the first game, but that's all he's ever going to get," Richie spoke. Now, don't get them wrong. All five of them are friends, and these two are one of the kindest people. But, a match is a match, an enemy is an enemy. Coach Rui has taught them to always win even if your opponents are your friends. That is the key to success.

The match went on until Ryoma took the first game. After that, Beth was tasked to serve. She was a normal kind of player, without any special moves. But she managed to steal a lot of points from Ryoma, and because he was not good at playing doubles, Beth eventually took the second game. They were now tied.

"See?" Richie smiled at Beth, who only grunted in response. She knew that there is more to the kid than what they expect.

Meanwhile, Honoka's focus was nowhere near the game. She was hovering over Ryoma like a dog. Her huge chest bounced as she moved playfully around him. Ryoma purposely avoided looking at her, ignoring her completely. If it was Momo-senpai he's with, they could come up with a strategy, but Honoka, he thought, hasn't been taking him seriously.

After a while, Honoka settled down, and she pulled Ryoma by the shirt.

"Ryoma-kun, I know what to do," she said. The boy looked at her, thinking if she's finally serious. For Honoka, that was the first time he ever turned to look at her and it was sending butterflies to her stomach.

"You do?"

"Yes! Just let me do my thing. You can stay still and be handsome. I can handle them,"

Ryoma ignored her flirtations and focused on the other thing she said. He doesn't really have any idea what kind of tennis Honoka plays, perhaps this is the only time he'll see.

As the third set started, Ryoma had reluctantly stayed in his place, observing the girl and her movements. Ryoma saw that she had extremely light feet as she managed to catch the ball every time Richie and Beth hit it on the farthest side. She single-handedly won.

The cameras started shooting again and soon, some spectators started yelling Honoka's name. She always had fans everywhere she went, being a good-looking tennis player. She was named the Super Rookie of Sapporo at age thirteen.

Ryoma was officially impressed that a smile slowly crept on his lips. He had never met a great female player. He had always focused on his own work and he never watched her play. Frankly, he has never heard of her until this training period.

"What do you think, Ryoma-kun?" she stood in front of the boy, staring at his rare smile.

"Good work," he said.

Honoka continued her strategy; her long legs and lightning reflexes stole the show. Ryoma barely has to do anything, but of course, the finishing blow is always for him. He set up a low volley for Richie, and knowing his habits, he would lob it high enough, and Ryoma went for Cool Drive. It shocked the four of them as the ball rolled instead of bouncing up. It ended the doubles match, and the winners were Ryoma and Honoka.

As the cameras were flashing continuously, Honoka suddenly hugged Ryoma, his lips almost bumping into hers if not for his quick reflexes to turn his head sideways. He frowned; he couldn't breathe properly because of Honoka's chest.

"Honoka! Stop that!" Coach Rui shouted. He never tolerates public displays of affection in his training.

"Sorry!" she let go of Ryoma's body, but the boy only smirked at her. Honoka felt her cheeks turn hot as she marveled at the boy's handsome features.

"You did well," he complimented the girl, feeling a newfound impression towards the girl. He never noticed how good of a player she was until he played with her.

Sakuno sat by the porch. She wore a sheer cardigan and long skirt. She watched her breath fog up the air as she waited for a certain boy to arrive home. It was currently ten in the evening and soon, the streets were covered in snow. She planned to apologize to him for acting rude last night. Knowing that he's currently stressed made her feel remorseful.

Sakuno rested her chin on her knees, and she closed her eyes.

I miss him.

She heard footsteps in front of her and her eyes shot open.

"Ryoma-kun!" she abruptly stood up, her cardigan slid off from her shoulders. Noticing this, Ryoma quickly pulled it up.

"It's cold outside. Why are you here? And why are you still awake?" he asked.

"U-Um… I was waiting for… you," she looked down. Now that he's here, Sakuno suddenly fell speechless. She was going to apologize, right?

"Let's go in," Ryoma said as he opened the front door.

As Sakuno followed him upstairs, she couldn't find the chance to talk to him. Of course, he was tired, but Sakuno felt that she needed him to know, because she might not be able to say it tomorrow.

Ryoma closed his door and dropped his bag on the floor. His heart throbbed fast and loud when he saw Sakuno waiting for him. But, he still thinks that she's kind of mad at him about something, he just can't remember. He hated his brain for times like these. He figured it's better that he keeps his intrusive questions to himself to avoid making her madder.

Since she's probably going to bed now, Ryoma decided to take a quick shower and rest as well.

Sakuno decided that she must tell him now, or she won't be able to sleep. The trauma from when he got mad at her was still there and she doesn't want anything like that to happen again.

She knocked on his door, and she heard a grunt. Sakuno didn't know why she thought that that was a signal for entry. Maybe she was too desperate to even think clearly.

She opened the door and saw Ryoma only wearing boxers. He turned around slowly, his eyes widened at the girl who was standing in front of him.

"R-R-Ryoma-kun! Sorry! I'm so sorry!" Sakuno didn't dare to take a long look at him before slamming the door behind her. Even if it was just a second, the image of his body had been imprinted in her mind and it was making her heart pound uncontrollably.

Ryoma heard a muffled voice behind his door.

"Sorry… I didn't mean to see– I mean, to look– I mean–" she stuttered. Now, Sakuno has two things she needs to apologize formally for.

In the other room, Nanjirou groaned. He wondered why there was still noise at twelve in the morning.

Now fully dressed in his pajamas, Ryoma decided to check if Sakuno was still awake. She looked like she wanted to say something to him.

Upon opening the door, his heart jumped when he saw the girl still standing in the dark hallway. He thanked God that she didn't look like a ghost or he would have flipped.

He observed Sakuno's brown eyes staring at him. She was trembling, yet the house was warm enough.

"Do you... want to talk?"

Sakuno slowly nodded. She entered his room without another word. As the door closed, the faint light from his room left the hallway pitch black once more.

She looked around, remembering the time when Ryoma was mad at her and she wanted to apologize to him, just like this time. She watched the boy settle on his bed, with a book on hand.

Ryoma stared at her. She was standing by the door for quite a while and it was starting to get weird. He patted the space beside him and gestured for her to sit down. Thankfully, without any further resistance, Sakuno obliged, much to Ryoma's delight.

"So…" he started. He stretched his tired legs on his comfortable mattress.

"Um… Ryoma-kun. I want to apologize… for yesterday," she sat with her legs neatly tucked beneath her thighs, her nightgown spread on the bed. "And for today…" her cheeks reddened when she recalled her reckless act. Her grandmother would definitely beat her up for being a shameless girl.

"Yesterday…" he looked at the ceiling. Ryoma tried to recall what happened yesterday. As far as he knows, Sakuno did nothing bad to him, so why?

"I-I was rude to you that night, so… I'm sorry," she sighed. Sakuno dared not to look him in the eyes, for she was too embarrassed.

"I don't get it, but it's fine,"

"And for seeing you naked," she blurted out. Sakuno didn't know how else to say it, but there. At least he knew that she was apologetic and she was in no way feeling any pleasure for it.

Ryoma's eyes widened at her vulgar words. She was unexpectedly vulgar, he thought. A chuckle escaped his lips as he grew more and more amused with her.

"I wasn't naked," he cleared. He's not. Is he?

"O-Oh… well…" Sakuno clutched her nightgown as her eyes wandered the prince's boyish room. There were a few tennis posters on the wall, his closet, and his desk. It was neat but messy at the same time.

"Is that it?" he asked. Sakuno gasped. She should not linger in a boy's bedroom after all.

"I-I'm sorry, please take a rest now," she prepared to get out of his bed but he gripped her arm, stopping her movement.

"Stay," that was the only word he could say. He can admit to himself that he missed her, even though they see each other often. He wondered why it was so. But before his brain could think, his body would move by itself.

Sakuno blushed at his touch. She doesn't know why but she could never repel Ryoma. Even though she decided to get away from him for her own good, she just suddenly finds herself magnetized by the smallest things he does. Is this what it means to be in love?

She went back to sit on his bed and watched him grab something from his end table. His CD player, which consists of the CD she gave him. Ryoma offered her the other earpiece and together, they laid in his bed, listening to the same autumn soundtrack side by side, as Ryoma read his book about doubles.

Sakuno glanced at the wall clock, it was four in the morning. She stretched her legs but there seems to be something blocking it. She blinked her eyes to adjust to the darkness and saw Ryoma's sleeping face beside hers. He was laying on his stomach, his feet laid on top of hers and his hand was still holding the CD player.

Still in reverie, Sakuno turned her whole body to face Ryoma and she took her time to stare at his face. He was sleeping soundly, and she giggled at the faint snore coming from him. Her finger carefully traced his thick eyebrows, to his pointed nose, then to his lips.

As she drifted off to sleep again, she smiled at Ryoma's serene face. Sakuno hoped that the time would come when every time she would wonder why she does the things she do for him, she wouldn't have to think of reasons why. She would have the confidence to say the phrase that she has been saving for him.

"I love you…" she whispered.

To be continued.