Chapter 24: Perfect

"Dubbed as the Prince of Tennis, Ryoma Echizen is truly a prince with his good looks and cool aura whether he's in and out of the court. He's got famous women flocking over him all around the world. But behind this perfect image, a dark persona lies. He has been in Brazil for days now and along with him is Honoka, his rumored girlfriend. Needless to say, these two were a match made in heaven and although they're athletes, fans considered them to be one of the famous couples on social media."

He was woken up by the television. Keeping his eyes shut, he hugged a soft pillow beside him and exhaled, hoping to resume his sleep.

"But recently, he has been spotted with a different girl at the beach. Fans speculate that she might be Ryoma's actual girlfriend, but others say that he has been cheating on Honoka for a while now, hence the awkward interviews."

His eyes shot open. He's got a feeling that there will be another wave of problems impending to happen and he already anticipates the headache and stress. Ryoma sat up and found Sakuno sitting in front of the television, her eyes glued to the news.

"Ryuzaki…" he called, the girl turned her head and stared at him with worried eyes.

"Ryoma-kun…" she muttered.

He realized that Sakuno might be thinking that this whole thing between them might be a bad idea, and she would probably leave him again.

He's not ignorant with how the world sees him. As a public figure, Ryoma knew his responsibility to be inspirational and perfect all the time. The media has made their own liking of pushing him to Honoka, and they thought that she's the most perfect woman to be associated with him romantically. He knew all that.

But what about him?

Only he knows that he cannot win a match every time, there's always doubt inside him that he would one day trip and throw the game away and it would cost him his future. The feeling of uncertainty was coming back to him. Worrying about his own future and image was one thing, but the fact that Sakuno was being involved was something else.

"Ryoma-kun, Ryoma-kun!" he was distracted from his thoughts when Sakuno shook his shoulders.

Sakuno knew that Ryoma would be overthinking things again. He might not show it but the rumors have been affecting him.

"Ryoma-kun, don't worry," she said.

"I'm worried about you. The media can ruin your image, just as they can ruin mine," he sighed. He was more concerned on how this would affect Sakuno's future rather than his. If only he could run away from this situation and live a normal life, he would run away with her. But he knew that Sakuno had different plans, and that didn't include him.

"Let's think of something, then. Because I don't think I can give you up again…" she smiled weakly. Sakuno wanted to reassure Ryoma that she's decided to keep being with him, even if the future is looking complicated.

Ryoma touched her head gently, brushing her brown locks. It was weird that every time he looked at Sakuno, there was peace in his heart.

"Thanks," he smiled.

All kinds of news circulated his name, and having published all over social media has only worsened the situation. Ryoma seemed to be more of a celebrity than an athlete. Tomoka read the article about him cheating on Honoka with another woman. The girl's face was censored but she could recognize her best friend even if only her toes were visible. She felt terrible for them, even when they finally got together, bad luck seemed to follow them even in Brazil.

She sat in the dining room of the Echizen household. Beside her was Horio, Katsuo and Kachiro. They were visiting Rinko and Nanjirou. His father could only shut down his phone when he saw those tasteless rumors about his son and Sakuno. He remembered when he was younger, the media invented all kinds of rumors and scandals about him, but he couldn't care less. That's how he is, a strong-willed lad.

But Ryoma is different from him. He doesn't show it but he's under a tremendous load of stress even before flying to Brazil. He feared that the psychological effect of this would hinder his tennis career. Let's not forget Sakuno, of course. Her face would be repealed sooner or later and when they find out who she is, her future will be over. They have to find a way to fix the scandal.

All of them believed that Ryoma would never be interested in Honoka, it must be a one-sided crush for her. But she's a famous tennis player, and Sakuno is just an ordinary girl. The fans loved the idea of Ryoma and Honoka dating because it feeds their fantasy, and a fanbase's power is no joke. It can make or break a public figure.

But even though all of them are worried for him and Sakuno, they can only sit back and watch how Ryoma would clear up all of the misunderstandings.

"Echizen, can I talk to you?" Coach Rui tapped his shoulders one day before they came out of the trailer. They were scheduled to appear on the sports channel today. Ryoma nodded and followed Coach Rui in the back.

"Um, I know you're troubled by the rumors, and I know the truth. But Ryoma-kun… these things would affect you and your sponsors. If the fans don't like you anymore, they would turn their back on you, and it could cost the brands millions just because of some rumors. Honoka would only ride on the momentum, but I know you don't like it. I suggest you do some damage control," he explained.

Ryoma sighed. Frankly, he doesn't know how to do that. Even if he's against the idea of being dragged to the ground because he looked like he's cheating on his teammate. He was a man of few words, after all.

But he must do this for Sakuno's sake. He couldn't let her take all the bashing, that's why he hid her phone to prevent her from seeing those horrible things fans have been posting. He instructed her to wait in the room until he came back.

The interview this time centers on the techniques and training regimen of the group. Ryoma would usually be relieved by this, but now, he was waiting for an opportunity to be asked about him and Honoka. He will clear things up today and no one can stop him.

"Now, Miss Honoka. You've been doing your best playing alongside these gentlemen, how do you find the time to be dating?" The host turned his attention to the girl beside Ryoma.

"Well, I don't have to find time if the one I'm dating is right beside me," she flashed a confident smile to the camera and the host. The audience cheered and whistled to them, and Ryoma started to sweat. He has to say something before it gets out of control.

But the host was clapping his hands and cheering for Honoka as well, so Ryoma didn't get the chance to hold the microphone. He wiped the sweat on his temple and threw a look at Coach Rui, signaling for him to do something. But unfortunately, the interview was over, and Coach Rui couldn't say anything anymore.

Ryoma glared at Honoka. If only he could hit a girl, she would be the first.

He wondered why she's insisting on solidifying the rumor that they're going out. He tried his best to make her feel that he's ignoring her all this time but she's just too persistent.

He swore that if Sakuno leaves him again, Honoka better hide because he just can't contain his anger anymore.

When they returned to the trailer, he grabbed Honoka's shoulder to make her turn around and prepared to confront her.

"What was that for?" he said in a firm voice. Brian, Coach Rui, Richie and Beth were all startled by him, but he didn't care. He didn't even care if a few of the studio's staff heard him.

"R-Ryoma-kun, I did damage control for you, since you looked too nervous," Honoka smiled at him as she removed his hand on her shoulder.

Ryoma wanted to say all the things that he wanted to tell her. He wanted to lash out on her for further complicating his life. He introduced Sakuno to them and they knew full well that nothing was between him and Honoka. He couldn't understand why the girl kept breaking them apart.

But Ryoma couldn't find his voice, he kept his mouth shut after only saying a few words. He didn't have the energy to have a conversation with anyone even if that was the only way to clear things up.

That was the problem. He leaves a lot of things unsaid.

Honoka walked away without a care and Coach Rui approached him.

"I'm sorry, Ryoma-kun. I shouldn't have talked to her," the older man said in an apologetic tone. Earlier, he had asked Honoka to deny the dating rumors, but she seemed to have acted on her own and complicated things more.

Ryoma said nothing and sat down. He decided not to talk to anyone until they got back to the hotel. His emotions are out of control, and he fears that he might pick a fight if someone approaches him. The rest of the team understood and kept their distance from him throughout the ride home.

Sakuno heard the door open, and she immediately turned off the television. She found Ryoma standing by the door, looking pale.

"Ryoma-kun?" She walked up to him and observed his face. He looked agitated; she thought it might be because of the interview. He must have been asked about the rumors again.

Sakuno felt sorry for him. She wished he didn't have to endure this kind of scandal because of being with her. But what can they do? Should they just break up? But she was scared that it might do more harm to Ryoma than good.

She closed the door behind him and held his hand. She gently squeezed it, waiting for his response, but none came. He was just staring in the distance.

"Ryoma-kun, would you like to take a bath?"

He nodded, so Sakuno quickly prepared the bathroom for him.

An hour passed since she sat down on the sofa and waited for Ryoma to finish bathing. She was worried that he might have fallen asleep inside but then the door opened, and he stepped out.

Sakuno called room service and asked for coffee. She figured he must have been stressed so he needed something warm to calm his nerves. She watched him sit beside her with a towel on his neck. Feeling like she has to do something for him, Sakuno grabbed the towel and dried his hair. Ryoma didn't flinch, he only let her do whatever she wanted.

He felt terrible for not taking his chances on clearing up the rumors, and the fact that Honoka beat him to it and said something unnecessary just made everything worse. He has been thinking in the bathroom about the inevitable effects of these on his life, and Sakuno's as well.

If being with him would ruin her chance of starting her life again somewhere in Japan, then what would the solution be? He knew the solution, but he couldn't imagine going through it again.

He just can't break up with her.

"Ryoma-kun," she stopped rubbing his hair with the towel and leaned on his shoulders. "Shall we go out tonight?"

"No… rumors…" he mumbled.

"Not if we disguise ourselves again. Remember that time?" She smiled behind him, recalling their date back in Japan. It was a fond memory that neither of them could forget. Ryoma nodded and a small smile crept to his lips.

"Okay."

It was seven in the evening and the fireworks by the shore began to shoot up to the sky, bursting into different shapes and colors. Along the beach side, many food stalls were selling all kinds of snacks and dinner, and at the center stood a big stage where a band was playing songs, and a crowd was dancing along to their tunes.

Sakuno and Ryoma stood behind the hordes of people, dressed in clothes that a local boutique had. Sakuno wore a wig again but this time it was blue, and Ryoma had a straw hat. She was eating ice cream, and Ryoma was snacking on a waffle. Sakuno bought ice cream for Ryoma, but he said that his teeth would hurt when he eats ice cream, so they switched foods.

"They're so amazing, Ryoma-kun!" her eyes glimmered as she admired the band. Ryoma nodded in agreement. He doesn't often listen to music, but this band is something else.

"This next song is dedicated to those couples on a date tonight," the vocalist announced and soon, music filled the air. They began to sing Perfect by Ed Sheeran.

"Oh, I love this song!" The girl jumped in excitement, she seemed to clearly enjoy the lively atmosphere and Ryoma was beginning to forget his troubles. He was glad that Sakuno made him leave the hotel.

I found a love for me

Oh, darlin', just dive right in and follow my lead

Well, I found a girl beautiful and sweet

Oh, I never knew you were the someone waitin' for me

Sakuno swayed on the beat, her wig dancing behind her. Ryoma glanced at her, watching how her mouth sings along to the words.

'Cause we were just kids when we fell in love

Not knowin' what it was

I will not give you up this time

But, darlin', just kiss me slow

Your heart is all I own

And in your eyes, you're holdin' mine

He studied her facial features. Sakuno had always viewed herself as unattractive and ordinary. But in Ryoma's eyes, she looked beautiful. She looked perfect. He realized how the song's lyrics seemed to voice out his feelings for her, and he was glad that there was someone who wrote a song that he could play for Sakuno whenever he wanted to tell her how much he loves her. Ryoma took note of the title of the song.

Baby, I'm dancin' in the dark with you between my arms

Barefoot on the grass while listenin' to our favourite song

When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath

But you heard it, darlin', you look perfect tonight

Even though her voice was not great, Sakuno did her best to sing along. She blushed when she heard Ryoma snicker.

"I-I know… my voice sucks…"

"I don't care," he said. Sakuno would have smiled at his comment but the fact that he didn't deny that she sucks was just a punch in the gut. Still, she appreciated him.

As the song went on, Ryoma listened to its lyrics and found that the meaning was so beautiful and well-thought. He liked it and would listen to it over and over again. It has delivered a message exactly what he thinks of Sakuno, and he hopes that she knows that.

His hand traveled to her own hand, and he gripped it tightly. She turned to him and blushed.

He looked dashing when his eyes looked relaxed, even though his straw hat covered most of his face. There was a smile on his lips as they both stared into each other, while the band continued to serenade all the star-crossed lovers like them.

"What do we do now?" he asked while they walked along the shore, holding hands.

"I-I don't know… it could ruin both of our lives," she answered.

"Yeah."

It was a harsh reality. Even if they don't want to care about what others would say, the reality is, they both cared about their own image, and their own reputation. They were still young, both eighteen, with so much to do. The future is distant, but they could see it from here. Ryoma had long planned to be a professional tennis player, and Sakuno wanted to move to fresh surroundings, with nothing to worry about. It was all planned out.

They just hadn't predicted falling in love with each other.

And now that a decision is required, neither of them knows what to do even though they've been walking and talking about it for an hour.

It dawned on them that neither was present in their own future. There stood Ryoma in the middle of the court, having won a match. But Sakuno was nowhere to be found. There was Sakuno, living her life working in an office, and Ryoma was just a poster in one of the sports stores.

It hurts to think about separating, but both realized that that was the only solution in the meantime. With all of those rumors surrounding Ryoma, it would be dangerous to keep being with him. She will forever be branded as a mistress.

A tear fell from Sakuno's eyes. She hadn't realized that she was already crying. Ryoma, on the other hand, was feeling numb all over his body. He didn't know how to express his emotions and it was all pent up inside his mind.

"I-If you can't ever find a safe place, I'll be one for you," she wiped her tears, but she couldn't force a smile, she couldn't fake her emotions anymore.

"And when you can't find a home, you can always come to me, I'll be your home," he said.

Their hands held onto each other like somehow, one would suddenly disappear. But no matter how tight it was, no matter how their feet ached from the long walk, both of them didn't want this dream to end.

But it has to end.

The heart knows when it should fight, and when to give up. You'll know when it's time to leave, you'll know. And the most painful part is realizing that someone was just meant to be with you for a little while and would soon leave.

Because being in love comes with the risk of getting hurt.

Sakuno embraced Ryoma tightly, smelling his fragrance, feeling his throbbing heart against his chest. It felt right to wrap her arms around him.

"I love you, Ryoma-kun. I always have," she confessed. Sakuno didn't feel a hint of embarrassment anymore. Those words were meant to be told and she knew that it was well received.

"Sakuno, I'm in love with you," he whispered in her ear as he hugged her back. He exhaled, letting the tension exit from his body. He felt relaxed every time he felt Sakuno, even the smallest part of her.

She's going home tomorrow, and he didn't try to stop her anymore. She had already stayed for a week and that was enough. They returned to the room that night and he watched with gloom as she arranged her clothes back to her suitcase.

Ryoma sat silently on the bed, his thoughts running wild. It was ultimately his fault for ruining everything, even though he couldn't pinpoint why. He was never a genius when it came to personal issues, so he mentally kicked himself for being a stupid guy. Sakuno slowly folded her shirt and placed it inside the luggage. She just finished crying but it looks like more tears are coming.

The room was dark, only the fireworks were illuminating their faces. The music that the band was playing was still heard from a distance, but as much as both of them enjoyed it, Ryoma and Sakuno didn't feel like listening at all.

Because a few hours later, this would all be over.

Both of them came to an agreement to end it, for the sake of each other's future. Ryoma couldn't risk Sakuno's name being found out by the press, and then publishing her face all over the internet. Sakuno couldn't ruin Ryoma's career by being with him.

All of the doubt came back in Ryoma's mind. He realized that the uncertainty he felt before he left Japan was actually a sign that he should have taken. He shouldn't have tried hard for this dream. He didn't even know if this was his dream anymore. He doesn't know what he wants anymore.

He heard the zipper of her suitcase closed. Then she placed it on the side of the room together with her shoulder bag. She sat on her own bed, and silence enveloped them.

The boom of the fireworks faded, and the band seemed to have finished their set. Nobody said a word, nobody moved. Sakuno could hear her own heartbeat and Ryoma's heavy breathing. She could sense the tension between them.

Finally, he spoke.

"Let's meet again, Ryuzaki," he said with a weak voice. He tried to clear his throat but still, he felt numb.

Sakuno sniffed and felt tears once more. It fell on her lap continuously. She couldn't bear to think that they're going to separate again, indefinitely this time.

"Y-Yes…" she struggled to talk. The uncontrollable cries she was stifling couldn't be held in anymore and she broke down.

Ryoma walked over and sat next to her. He didn't know how to comfort her because he's devastated as well. It was a necessary move for the both of them. He couldn't feel regret right now. They had to do this.

He hugged Sakuno and waited for her to stop crying. His shirt became wet from her tears, but he didn't care. If he could only absorb all of her sadness, he would.

"Promise that we'll meet again," she whispered, her lips quivering. "I'll always be yours, Ryoma-kun."

Her words were more powerful than anything Ryoma could think of.

He lifted Sakuno's face and began to kiss her passionately. Sakuno was surprised, but she reciprocated and grabbed his neck, deepening the kiss. She tasted his mouth with every move, with every angle that their head would move to, she felt all of him instantly.

Sakuno unconsciously pushed him on the bed and laid on top of him. She just couldn't resist him. They continued to kiss each other, all the while caressing his hair. Ryoma took off her blue wig and threw it on the floor, then he pulled her shirt up, revealing her body.

She doesn't care anymore if she's not perfect. She just had to make her feelings known tonight.

The smacking of their lips was the only sound around the room. Ryoma laid Sakuno on the bed and he pulled up his own shirt. As he laid on top of her, he began kissing her neck. A moan escaped Sakuno's mouth as his lips traced her collarbone. Her hands gripped his hair as he went lower to her chest and relished both of it. Sakuno felt like she was losing her mind with the pleasure that Ryoma was giving her. She knew that nothing could stop them from going all the way tonight, and she didn't care at all.

She was prepared to give all of her to him.

As they eventually took off each other's clothes and covered themselves with the blanket, a new set of fireworks began to shoot up the sky, bringing a faint light to the room.

Ryoma stared at Sakuno's red face, as red as his own, as they explored the unfamiliar territory of adulthood. As he dived in, Sakuno gripped his shoulders as she felt a slight tingling with his every move. Sakuno welcomed all of him, her mind completely losing all senses.

As the night went on, neither broke free from each other's grasp, both of them determined to make the most of their last night together.

To be continued.