The summer break was a distant memory as students poured back into Seigaku high, the air buzzing with excitement and nervousness. The third-year classrooms were particularly frenetic, as students traded gossip and anxieties over their marks posted on the large bulletin board that dominated the hallway. Among them, Sakuno stood quietly beside Tomoka, taking in the chaos while trying to squash her own nerves.
"Look at that, Ryoma-sama is amazing." Tomoka pointed at Ryoma's name, which gleamed at the top of the list like a trophy. Full marks in every subject.
Horio, standing nearby, shocked and shouted up at Ryoma, "Are you a human?!"
Ryoma simply shot back a bored glance and eyes unreadable. But for a fleeting moment, he glanced toward Sakuno, catching her eye. She smiled softly and whispered, "Congratulations," her heart racing as she felt it was a small victory shared between them. He smiled back.
As the surprise wore off, Sakuno's attention shifted to her own results. She scanned the names until she found herself, sitting at 31st among 200 students—higher than she had expected.
"I'm doomed! I'm 87th!" Tomoka wailed, feigning dramatic despair.
"We did our best." Sakuno reassured her, squeezing her hand gently.
They were soon joined by Ai and Heisuke, who approached them with bright smiles. "Hey, Ryuzaki-chan! Osakada-chan!" Ai chirped, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Congratulations, Ai-chan, you got the second place!" Sakuno beamed.
"You're surprisingly smart," Heisuke chimed in, but avoided looking directly at Ai.
She smirked. "Why, does it make you fall for me?"
Heisuke's face turned beet red. "What?! I didn't!"
Ai said, "You are so cute when you became shy."
Heisuke said, "Shut up!"
Ai and Sakuno giggled. Tomoka rolled her eyes jokingly. "You two should just date already."
Before they could tease further, a shadow loomed over Sakuno, followed by a sharp jab against her shoulder. Startled, she turned to see Ume, glaring at her before walking away in a huff. "What's wrong with her?" Tomoka whispered, alarmed.
Ai frowned. "Are you okay, Ryuzaki-chan? I will go talk to her later."
"I'm fine," she replied, brushing it off. "It's ok Ai-chan, she probably didn't see me."
"You are too nice," Tomoka said, shaking her head but smiling.
As they moved towards class, Heisuke glanced back at Ume, thoughts swirling in his mind. 'Is she still not over Echizen?'
As club activities began, Sakuno ventured to the back storage area for extra tennis balls. However, her eavesdropping instincts kicked in when she overheard two girls chatting nearby. Hiding behind boxes, she strained to listen.
"Ume is so stupid," Shion said. "A handsome guy just confessed to her, yet she wants the one who doesn't want her! I still can't believe she actually confessed to Echizen that time. I knew he'd reject her; I just wanted her to feel that sting. You know how cold that guy is."
Hitomi, nervous glancing around, said, "Shion, you shouldn't talk like that. Someone might hear."
"Who's around?" Shion shrugged. "Honestly, I only hang out with her because she attracts all the guys."
"Yeah I guess so, must be good to be born as pretty." Said Hitomi.
Heart pounding, Sakuno stepped out from her hiding spot. "Aren't you two Ume-chan's friends? Why are you talking behind her back like this?" Her voice was firm, surprising even herself.
Shion and Hitomi stiffened, caught off guard. "Oh it's you. We're just stating facts. Aren't you glad Echizen rejected her? Now you have a chance with him," Shion retorted.
Sakuno's heart sank. Staring at the two girls, she felt a swell of anger. "You have no idea how hard it is to confess to someone! Ume-chan tried with all her courage, and you belittle her for it? You're not her friends."
Ume, hiding just around the corner, felt her heart twist painfully. Silently, tears began to form in her eyes as she listened.
Shion scoffed, laughter spilling from her lips. "Trying to be the nice girl here? I'm sure you must feel happy if Echizen rejected her. Oh yeah, I think Echizen will rejected you too."
Sakuno's resolve strengthened. "You both are too much! She deserves better friends than you two." Her voice rang with conviction, gathering strength from the core of her being.
Just then, Tomoka appeared, searching frantically for Sakuno because she took too long. She saw Horio near the storeroom, so she asked him, "Horio-kun, did you see Sakuno?"
Horio looked around and said, "Ryuzaki? I think I saw her in the storeroom earlier." They suddenly heard some voice and decided to go and see.
Tomoka halted at the scene. Gripping Horio's arm tightly, she gasped as she saw Hitomi throwing water atop Sakuno, drenching her.
"Go get Ryoma-sama!" Tomoka urged Horio, her heart pounding with panic.
Ryoma stood alone at the tennis court, his focus honed in on the wall before him. Each rhythmic thud of the ball resonated in the quiet space as he practiced tirelessly, honing his skills. The sun cast warmth across his back, yet it did little to distract him; he was lost in his own world.
"You're really good," came a voice breaking through the solitude. Ryoma turned slightly, recognizing Heisuke approaching him with a casual air that belied his eagerness.
Ryoma offered no reply, merely continuing his repetitive exercise, his face a mask of concentration. Heisuke hesitated, then pressed on, "I think someone doesn't like Ryuzaki."
At the mention of Sakuno's name, Ryoma stopped hitting and let the ball rest on the string of his racket. He glanced sharply at Heisuke. "What are you trying to say?"
"I just think you should stay with her as much as you can," Heisuke suggested, concern etched on his face. Before Ryoma could respond, Horio came barreling onto the court, breathless with urgency.
"This is bad, Echizen! Ryuzaki is—"
Both Ryoma and Heisuke straightened, tension curling within them. They exchanged anxious glances as Horio struggled to catch his breath, desperation written all over his features.
Just then, Tomoka burst onto the scene, her energy infectious yet unsettling. "Hey! What are you doing to Sakuno?!"
The scene escalated as Shion and Hitomi, intrigued by the commotion, stepped forward. Hitomi tilted her head, eyes sparkling mischievously. "Oh, so cute! Your friend is here."
Tomoka's patience waned. In an impulsive reaction, she grabbed Hitomi's hair, yanking at it. "What? You think this is cute?! Feel it!"
Hitomi retaliated, pulling Tomoka's hair back with equal fervor. Shion, sensing the chaos unfurling, interjected. "Hey! Release her!" and, in the heat of the moment, she yanked on Tomoka's hair too.
Sakuno stood back, aghast, unsure how to defuse the fray. "Stop it! Don't do that to her!" she pleaded, attempting to tug Shion away, but instead found herself caught in the chaos as Shion retaliated, pulling Sakuno's hair too.
The tension drew a crowd, students gathering around, captivated by the unfolding drama. Ume, felt guilt, rushed into the fray, determined to restore order. She lunged forward, grabbing Shion and Hitomi's hair, eyes blazing. "We are no longer friends!"
Shion, taken aback, pushed Sakuno aside to grasp Ume's hair fiercely. Amidst the ruckus, Ryoma's eyes widened as he spotted Sakuno lose her balance, stumbling to the ground. A fierce protectiveness ignited within him, and without hesitating, he struck his tennis ball forcefully toward the wall, sending a loud, echoing thump through the air. The impact caused a notable crack to spiderweb across the surface, silencing everyone instantly.
In the stillness, Tomoka rushed to Sakuno. "Are you alright?" she asked, concern overshadowing the earlier chaos.
"I'm the one who should ask you that," Sakuno replied, trying to muster a smile despite the uncertainty that gripped her.
Ryoma approached, noticing the dampness of her shirt, and instinctively draped his jacket over her shoulders. He glared to Shion, made her flinched.
Horio cleared his throat, attempting to dispel the crowd. "Okay, nothing to see here! You can go now."
Gradually, the throng began to disperse, though the tension hung thick in the air. Shion nudged Hitomi, signaling their escape. Just when the scene seemed to settle, Sakuno gathered her strength and called out, "You two should apologize to Ume-chan!"
Shion and Hitomi gawked. "What? Why should we?"
"It's okay," Ume interjected, her voice steady despite her tear-streaked cheeks. "I don't need any apologies from bitches."
Shion and Hitomi tried to hold their anger and just decided to walked away.
At that moment, another figure stepped forward—Ai—and her brows knitted together in worry. "Are you guys okay? I heard something happened, and what's with the wall crack?"
Horio and Heisuke shared a sheepish look. "Uh… that would be Echizen," Horio muttered, pointing to Ryoma, who had resumed his stoic demeanor.
Ai turned her attention to Tomoka, fluffing her hair nervously. "Tomoka, oh my gosh, are you alright?" Smiling warmly, Ai knelt down beside Ume and asked, "Ume-chan, what about you?" Ai fix Ume's hair that was so chaotic mess. Ume shrugged it off, insisting it was nothing.
Yet, as Sakuno attempted to rise, her ankle betrayed her. Ryoma knelt to examine her swollen ankle. His expression unwavering, simply scooped her up effortlessly, carrying her in a bridal style.
The sudden intimacy made everyone blush—an unexpected turn in the day's events. "Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno called out, a mix of embarrassment and gratitude coursing through her. "I can walk!"
Ignoring her protests, he carried her to a nearby bench, his mind set. The others, still reeling from the earlier chaos, followed closely behind as Kachiro and Katsuo joined them, concern lacing their expressions.
"I'll get some ice," Kachiro announced, scrambling off.
Ume turned to Sakuno, her expression earnest. "Can I talk to Ryuzaki?"
"Sure," Sakuno nodded, as Tomoka motioned for the others to step back, creating a temporary hideout of sorts. They hide behind big bushes nearby.
As Ume sat beside Sakuno, she spoke softly, "Thank you, Ryuzaki. I'm sorry for not saying sorry earlier when I bumped into you in the hallway… I overheard them badmouthing me in the restroom. That's why I walked away in shock and didn't notice you."
Sakuno's heart ached at Ume's revelation. "It's okay, and I'm sorry about that," she replied gently.
"I actually envy you. Everyone loves you, and you have friends who always protect you. Echizen-kun is right, I do have motive because sometimes, I thought it would be wonderful if I could take your place." A tear start slipped down Ume's cheek.
Sakuno rub Ume's back, trying to calm her down.
Ume's tears became more heavy. "I'm sorry Ryuzaki. I'm really sorry."
At the confession, tears welled in Sakuno's eyes as she moved closer, embracing Ume tightly. "Then how about if we be friends? Ume-chan, let's be friend and I will always protect you!"
Their hug was raw and filled with mutual understanding. They pulled away, faces beaming through their tears. "Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Sakuno Ryuzaki, I want to be your friend," she said warmly.
Ume smiled, wiping her tears. "I'm Ume Kurumizawa. Thank you for being here for me."
Just then, Tomoka emerged from her hiding spot, her voice thick with emotion. "And I'm Tomoka Osakada!" She joined the embrace, tears flowing freely.
"I'm Ai Enma," Ai chimed in joyfully, stepping forward to join their circle, creating a newfound bond forged through chaos.
Meanwhile, Ryoma and Heisuke observed the heartfelt scene unfold with blank expressions masking their astonishment. Horio, unable to contain himself, wiped his own eyes. "It's so touching…" he sniffed.
Katsuo chuckled softly, shaking his head as Kachiro returned, ice in hand, a warm smile on his face as he surveyed the girls' new friendship.
As laughter echoed through the court after the chaos. Beneath the cracked wall, friendships were born anew, and love was quietly taking root, each day promising a brighter future filled with hope, laughter, and a little more connection than before.