Chapter 38: Waltz

"Congratulations, graduates!" The principal's voice echoed through the microphone, then the collective applause of the audience and the students followed. A few of them hollered and yelled their own versions of celebratory chants, while the others immediately ran to their relatives and friends, except for one individual.

Ryuzaki Sakuno.

She looks around, seeing Kagome and the others with their families, embracing her as they hand her a bouquet of flowers. To say that she was envious was an understatement. She craved for that feeling, she wanted to be held by a mother, a father, or even a grandmother. She didn't even want the flowers, just the people that came with it.

She could feel hot tears at the corner of her eyes but no, it wasn't because she was sad. Sakuno was happy to have graduated college, something she would never imagine to accomplish. She was happy, really, because now she can restart her life, pursue her long dream career, then have a family of her own.

Of course, Sakuno couldn't imagine doing any of those with anyone else but Ryoma.

That was all that mattered to her, after all.

But as usual, he was away for some tennis work that week, which meant he couldn't see her graduate, but it was fine. Sakuno was lucky enough to be with him, she couldn't ask for more.

"Sakuno!" Tomoka, with her baby bump, stood by the edge of the aisle where Sakuno was sitting. She had that pregnancy glow about her. Sure, she gained a little weight from all the cravings, but she looked damn good!

"Tomo-chan! Thank God you came!" she flashed a smile before running towards the woman. They shared a loving embrace and honestly, Sakuno felt complete. It meant a lot to her that Tomoka always gave importance to her.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world," she smiled warmly. Tomoka felt extremely proud of Sakuno for being able to overcome the trials that came after her grandmother passed away. It transformed her into a stronger and more confident woman. Tomoka could imagine that Sakuno is headed towards a bright future.

As for her, Tomoka had graduated long ago with a degree in fashion. She now works in a fashion boutique in Tokyo. She is also now on her second trimester. Sakuno gently rubbed her stomach, admiring its round and warm feeling. She wondered if this was how it felt for her mother when she was still in her womb.

"How's Horio-kun?"

"Oh, well. I wore him down and made him agree to do the wedding after our little peanut comes out. He worries that my parents would not approve of a baby out of wedlock but surprisingly, they didn't care. They just wanted a healthy grandchild!" Tomoka exclaimed excitedly, Sakuno giggled at this.

"I'm so happy for you! Good thing you had that hormone rage, right?"

"Oh, yes. I win every time,"

The two women laughed at themselves while the crowd went fewer and fewer. When the room was almost empty, they decided to leave as well.

When they came out, Sakuno was surprised to see the three people she didn't expect to come. Uncle Nanjirou, Auntie Rinko, and Nanako-neechan who was carrying a baby in her arms, and a man stood behind her. Of course, Sakuno recognized Nanako's husband.

"Everyone! I can't believe you came!" Sakuno happily called out as she hugged them one by one. She wondered how they knew her graduation was today, but she figured Ryoma or Tomoka told them about it.

"Sakuno-chan! Let's take a picture to commemorate this great event!" Rinko, the sweetest of them all (in Sakuno's eyes) held out a camera and excitedly turned it on. Nanjirou took Sakuno's small hand and put something on it. To the young woman's surprise, it was a big bouquet of roses. It was a mix of red, white, and lilies that made it look majestic. The butterflies in her stomach were running wild, tears streamed down her cheeks but her beautiful smile was still present.

"Congratulations, Sakuno-chan," She heard Nanako's voice beside her. Passing the baby to her husband, Nanako gave her a small, white paper bag. Sakuno opened it and found a velvet box and inside it was a pair of silver earrings, the most beautiful and sparkling earrings she had ever seen.

"Thank you so much, Nanako-neechan! Thank you for the flowers, Uncle Nanjirou!" She embraced them both.

"Sorry my idiot son couldn't join us today. He had some important things to do," Nanjirou chuckled.

"N-No worries, uncle. He has his own priorities. I understand," she smiled. Nanjirou marveled at Sakuno's beauty. He just couldn't understand how his son deserves such a great girl. But then again, the girl obviously always had feelings for Ryoma. He couldn't complain about that.

"Alright, let's all take a picture! To your places, everyone," Rinko commanded. She approached a random guy passing by and asked to take their picture. All of them, including Tomoka, lined up and with Sakuno in the middle, holding a framed picture of Sumire, the camera flashed.

That night, they went to a restaurant to have a celebratory dinner. Rinko told Tomoka to invite her fiance, Horio, to join them. The older woman has always been hospitable and wanted a whole crowd whenever food is involved. Part of the reason is that she missed her two sons so much.

"So, what are the plans for the wedding?" Rinko asked while she poured wine on her husband's glass. Horio cleared his throat and wiped his mouth with the table napkin.

"Well, Mrs. Echizen, we'd like to do it in June, after our little baby is born. It will just be a small celebration with family and friends. Of course, all of you are invited," he smiled.

"Wow, thanks, Horio! Can't believe you think of us as family," Rinko replied.

"Why, your son is my best friend! Also, you took care of us in high school so this is our way of thanking you guys,"

"I just didn't imagine you two would end up together, and with a baby! I just hope I get to see my grandchild before I'm gone," Nanjirou looked at Sakuno with a suspicious look. Everyone at the table instantly knew what he meant. Sakuno blushed furiously and Rinko kicked his leg under the table.

"Ow!"

"Honey, don't put such pressure on Sakuno-chan. We have Nanako's baby to spoil! You can treat Tomoka-san and Horio-san's baby as your own grandchild, too, you know,"

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about Sachiko-chan!" Nanjirou squealed. As if on cue, Nanako's shy husband handed Sachiko-chan to Nanjirou and he started playing with her. They continued talking about Tomoka's pregnancy journey and the wedding plans. Sakuno watched them lovingly as she listened.

She felt grateful for Ryoma's family and her friends. Even though she has been busy for a long time, they didn't forget to give her the importance she deserves. Considering she's an orphan, they made sure that she didn't feel alone.

"Try this, Sakuno," Tomoka held out a black sultry dress that ran down the knees, and it had a high slit just before the pelvis. The fear on Sakuno's face just grew more and more evident. The night after graduation, the school organized a grand ball for the students as part of sending them off into the world. It has already been announced months before the actual day so the students can prepare for it, but Sakuno was not one of those people.

She didn't know the first thing about preparing for a ball, or a party. She didn't have those sexy or grand-looking dresses, all she had were conservative ones that were meant for church.

That explains why she was currently at Tomoka and Horio's place at four o-clock in the afternoon, rummaging through the pregnant woman's closet.

"Maybe I shouldn't go, Tomo-chan…" she finally plopped on the floor with colorful dresses on hand. Tomoka sat on her reclining sofa, stroking her big baby bump.

"No, you have to go. This is a once in a lifetime moment. Come on, try these," she threw another dress on Sakuno's face, earning a pained groan from her best friend.

"Fine…" she stood up and went to the bathroom. As she started undressing again, Tomoka spoke.

"Sakuno, do you ever think about when you'll have a baby?" she rubbed her tummy lovingly. There was a silent moment before she heard her best friend answer.

"In the past," Her muffled voice came from the opened door of the bathroom.

"With Ryoma-sama?"

"Of course, Tomo-chan." behind the door, Sakuno smiled to herself as she recalled daydreaming about having a family with the tennis prince.

"When will you guys do it?"

"I don't know… it's just that we both want to focus on our careers. So, we can't commit to that kind of responsibility yet."

Tomoka sighed. She was sure that they are the couple who has the slowest progress in their relationship. She watched her grow from puppy love to unconditional love throughout their childhood, and now that they're adults, being apart only seemed to drag them apart. But they do give their best, Tomoka can vouch for that. She only wished that her longtime ship can withstand the long distance relationship.

"So… when will Ryoma-sama come back?"

"I don't know. Maybe next week? He hasn't texted me lately,"

"But you don't have a date at the party. I can lend you Horio!"

"No, Tomo-chan."

"Come on, he cleans up nice."

"I don't need a date tonight."

"But you'll arrive there all alone. That devil Kagome will pick on you again! Maybe I should come with you?"

Upon hearing that, Sakuno's head popped up from the door and frowned.

"Then you'll be left out, Tomo-chan. You'll just be tired all night and that's not good for my godchild!"

"But they're going to make fun of you!" Tomoka pouted.

"No, I'll be okay. I'm used to it, you know?" She stepped out and stood by the door. Upon laying eyes on her, Tomoka smiled. Sakuno was wearing her white strapless fitted mermaid gown. It has a straight across neckline that leads to a mid-open zippered back. The skirt flares from the knees to end into a gorgeous sweeping train with a thigh-high slit. She looked absolutely sexy and breathtaking.

"Well, looks like I didn't need to worry about you," she grinned mischievously. However, she noticed Sakuno's puffed face.

"I can't breathe, though," she whispered.

"Beauty is pain, Sakuno," Tomoka stood up and led her to the vanity mirror. "Now, let's do something about your hair, and face."

Horio and Tomoka drove Sakuno to the hotel that night. She carefully stepped out of the vehicle and was greeted by a red carpet in front of the hotel entrance.

"Thank you, Horio-kun, Tomo-chan," she flashed a smile. Her makeup was simple, Tomoka applied a thin black eyeliner on her lids and mascara on her lashes, then a bold red lipstick. Her hair was curled and tied up in a bun. It worked perfectly with her gown.

"No worries," Horio grinned.

"Sakuno, call us if you want a ride home later, okay?" Tomoka said.

"Okay, bye guys. Drive carefully!"

When the car left, Sakuno turned around and got ready to go inside the venue. A lot of other students dressed in flamboyant gowns and suits arrived, almost all of them going in with their dates. It seems like only Sakuno went alone, but she didn't care. She feels beautiful tonight and all she wanted to do was to enjoy the night because she figured this would be one of those rare occasions where she would dress up.

After winning the cookoff, a chef from a prestigious restaurant approached her and made an offer to be an assistant chef in his restaurant. Sakuno was overwhelmed with it and immediately accepted his offer. The only problem is the restaurant is based in Tokyo so she's not fond of the idea of taking the train from Kyoto to Tokyo. She just has to talk about this with Ryoma when he gets back.

So with a heavy breath, she took gentle steps on the stairs.

Sakuno was taken aback by the grand decorations around the room. It almost felt like they were in a fairytale ball. All of the people were dressed in extravagant gowns that were so big a couple of dogs could fit inside their skirts. Everyone looked like princesses from a fairytale book… except Sakuno.

She doesn't know if she missed what the theme was, but her gown was definitely not in line with the theme. Suddenly, she felt conscious of her appearance that she was seriously thinking of leaving before it even started.

However, a familiar voice cut her train of thought.

"Ryuzaki Sakuno," She turned around and saw Kagome with her stunning dress. She and her friends were looking sternly at her and it didn't help that their heels were higher than hers, it made her look so much smaller than she already is.

"W-What?"

"Looks like you came alone. Just as I thought, you're not with Ryoma Echizen."

Her friends snickered at Kagome's comment, and although Sakuno decided not to be bothered by their tauntings, she couldn't help but feel annoyed. Why do they always mind her own affairs? Wasn't it enough that they stole her recipe, now they're actually commenting on her personal life. It was spoiling her night.

Kagome and the others looked at each other's dresses and complimented them. It seemed that they were also targeting her dress with the way they would steal glances at her from head to toe. Sakuno rolled her eyes and was about to turn around and leave when she felt a hand around her waist. When she looked behind her, she saw the very person she wished to see right now.

"Ryoma–"

"R-Ryoma Echizen!" Kagome and her friends exclaimed. A few people glanced at them and indeed, they marveled at the sight.

Ryoma was still wearing her suit from the interview but the coat's buttons were undone, but he still looked dashing. His dark green hair was disheveled, but it only added more suave to his look. He stood behind Sakuno, whose height only reached his neck.

"Glad I made it," he whispered in Sakuno's ear. She felt his breath on her skin and it immediately sent chills throughout her body. As her cheeks blushed furiously, her lips slowly curved into a sweet smile, directing its beauty to her beloved.

As the girls gaped on their romantic encounter, they watched him guide Sakuno on one of the tables. As the prince sat cooly on the chair, all the women in the room swooned over his captivating mien. Even though Sakuno was overjoyed that he was there with her, she knew that all attention would be on him and it wouldn't make her night less chaotic.

"Ryoma-kun… are you sure you want to stay?" she whispered in his ear as he leaned over to her.

"Why not?" He turned his head behind and saw a few of his bodyguards by the door. They apparently talked to the event's coordinator about Ryoma's arrival and had security and crowd control ready for him that night so they had nothing to worry about anymore.

"Because I know you're not exactly into these kinds of parties."

"I'm not into any kind of party. But I figured you need a bodyguard. In case you're not aware, a few guys have been staring at you all night."

Sakuno looked around and saw that there were indeed a few people stealing a glance at her. It made her uncomfortable, but she thanked the heavens that Ryoma was there with her.

"This is… surreal," she thought not only because of the fairytale-like party, but also because she got to spend this magical night with the one she truly loves. Suddenly she was in a better mood. Ryoma stared at her as she admired the surroundings. She looked like Cinderella on her first night at the prince's banquet.

"You look… beautiful," he leaned over to her shoulder, trying to say those words louder so she could hear. But even though the music was loud, Sakuno heard it loud and clear. She saw the red tints on Ryoma's cheeks and it only made him even more handsome tonight. Realizing what he said, he averted his eyes and pretended to enjoy his wine.

Sakuno chuckled at his cuteness. She felt like her heart was going to explode with how much happiness he brought to her. She just can't believe how lucky she was to find her very own prince.

He really looked like a prince.

An hour into the party, they were enjoying their dinner and entertained themselves with stories about their own careers. When the host announced that the dance floor is open for the guests and that the band will play romantic songs throughout the night, a few couples stood up and pulled their partners in the middle of the room. The band started to play Lover by Taylor Swift, the perfect song to waltz to.

When Sakuno heard the percussion, she felt butterflies in her stomach because that was one of her favorite songs. She admired the beautiful couple swaying with their love as they held onto each other's hands. It was so romantic that she was about to cry.

Ryoma tapped his finger on the table impatiently. He watched Sakuno watch in awe, and he knew that she was fond of that song and how her eyes were glued to the people dancing slowly. He watched how she rested her chin on her palm like she was getting bored.

So, even though he never ever, never did dance in his life, he stood up and reached for her hand.

"Dance with me," he said. Her eyes widened at his request, his hand holding hers tightly, as if he was sure that she would agree.

How could she decline those golden eyes staring at her, as if pleading?

Sakuno smiled before she stood up and let Ryoma guide her in the middle. Of course, they both knew that neither could dance, but the opportunity was too good to pass.

We could leave the Christmas lights up 'til January

And this is our place, we make the rules

And there's a dazzling haze, a mysterious way about you dear

Have I known you 20 seconds or 20 years?

Ryoma held her back with both of his hands, pulling her closer. Sakuno panicked and didn't know where to put her hands so she ended up wrapping her arms around his waist as well. She blushed furiously as few giggles were heard around them. Ryoma was a little embarrassed but he didn't want to disappoint Sakuno so they kept going.

Can I go where you go?

Can we always be this close forever and ever?

And ah, take me out, and take me home

You're my, my, my, my

Lover

Sakuno looked up at him and found that he was already looking back. Her heart was pounding; she was sure that she could die that night. Why can't she get used to not seeing him for a few days? She always had to miss him so much.

Their feet were not moving since they never learned waltz, they stood there, completely in their own little world. Sakuno clutched his coat, and his hands responded by gently squeezing her waist.

Ladies and gentlemen, will you please stand?

With every guitar string scar on my hand

I take this magnetic force of a man to be my lover

Sakuno leaned her head on his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat. She could feel his warmth and his fragrance that she couldn't smell the past few days. Her arms tightened on him, as if he was going to disappear any moment now.

My heart's been borrowed and yours has been blue

All's well that ends well to end up with you

Swear to be overdramatic and true to my lover

And you'll save all your dirtiest jokes for me

Ryoma wrapped his arms on her back, her small body leaning against his own. He kissed her head, a feeling he hadn't felt the past few days he was abroad.

While he was away, Ryoma realized how empty his life was without her presence, a feeling he had never felt before he met her. He realized that he couldn't live without her anymore, and that he doesn't ever want to leave again, not even for a little while.

And at every table, I'll save you a seat, lover

To be continued.

Next chapter hint: BABY