As the first rays of morning light streamed into Ryoma's apartment, they danced across the floor. Sakuno stirred, feeling groggy and disoriented, her head pounding from what had been an unexpectedly eventful night. The relentless sound of her phone ringing sliced through the calm morning air, rousing her further.
With a groan, she propped herself up on one elbow and searched for her phone.
Rummaging through her bag, she finally found it—a familiar name flashing on the screen: Tomoka. Hesitating momentarily, she answered with a tentative, "Hello, Tomo-chan." but quickly pulled the phone away as Tomoka's voice exploded through the speaker.
"Sakuno! Where were you? You didn't come home last night!"
"What are you talking about, Tomo-chan?" Sakuno asked, confusion knitting her brows together. She scanned the unfamiliar room, the furniture and decor completely foreign to her.
Tomoka's tone became even more insistent. "Did you sleep with Ryoma-sama? You sound like you had a late night!"
Sakuno's heart raced at the mention of Ryoma. "Ryoma-kun? Isn't he still in the US?"
"He's the one who took you home last night!" Tomoka exclaimed.
Sakuno's eyes widened in shock, and she turned to her side, suddenly aware of a warm presence beside her. The realization hit like a bolt of lightning — it was Ryoma, snoring softly next to her, his presence unmistakable. Panic rose within her as she hung up the phone, whispering, "Tomo-chan, sorry, I'll call you back later." She could barely breathe now.
Tentatively, she brushed her fingers against Ryoma's cheek. It felt surreal, almost like a dream. "It is really Ryoma-kun," she murmured in wonder.
At that moment, Ryoma sensed her gaze and opened his hazel eyes. "Morning," he said with a lazy smile that made her heart flutter.
Sakuno couldn't help but return his smile, nearly overcome with emotion. "You're back…"
"Yeah," Ryoma replied, stretching like a cat, completely at ease in this shared space.
With a mix of trepidation and curiosity, Sakuno closed the distance between them. "Am I dreaming?" Her voice trailed off as she studied his face. The hint of mischief in his gaze sent warmth cascading over her cheeks.
He pinched her cheek playfully, "Still feel like dreaming now?"
Blushing, Sakuno's heart raced. She hugged him, overwhelmed with affection. "Did you finish your studies?"
He nodded, his expression becoming serious. "I might need to go back to the US if there's any tournament or training."
"Oh," Sakuno responded quietly, disappointment creeping into her voice.
Then, Ryoma added casually, "By the way, don't drink again without me around."
A deep blush crept across Sakuno's cheeks as she recalled the night's events. "I'm sorry, did I trouble you last night?"
"I wouldn't say it was trouble." His gaze flicked toward her neck. "Wait, did you forget what you did last night?"
Innocently flustered, Sakuno stammered, "I don't remember." She clutched the fabric of Ryoma's shirt, her heart racing. "Did we…?"
With a smirk, Ryoma leaned closer, "did we what?"
Sakuno flushed more. "Well, you know... that.."
Ryoma chuckled, "I wonder about that," while exposing a telltale mark on his neck. "Did you remember what you did to me?"
Her eyes widened in shock. "I did that? Is it hurt? I'm so sorry."
"It's pretty hard to hold back last night, you know?" he teased.
Sakuno's cheeks turned a deeper shade of crimson. "Eh?"
Ryoma chuckled softly. "Don't worry; nothing happened. Your clothes were wet, so I changed them. I didn't know where your apartment was, so I brought you here."
Breathless, Sakuno looked around the apartment and finally breathed out, "Is this your apartment?"
"Yeah, Momo-senpai helped me buy it," he replied nonchalantly.
"I see."
"By the way, don't you have class today?" He asked.
Anxiety kicked in as she glanced at the clock. "Oh no! I have morning class!" She jumped out of bed, grabbing for her bag.
Ryoma followed her, pointing towards a laundry room. "I hung your dress in there. It should be dry by now, next to the bathroom."
Sakuno hurriedly slipped into the bathroom to change, her mind racing with thoughts of what might have unfolded last night. She splashed water on her face, smoothing her hair before stepping out, only to find Ryoma busy preparing breakfast.
"Eat something first," he urged, placing toast and milk on the table. "I don't have much food here."
Gratefully, she accepted, "Thank you, Ryoma-kun. This is enough for me." As she chewed, she couldn't shake the happiness blooming in her heart.
After swallowing her last bite, she realized with a pang that she needed to leave. "I should go now," she said, glancing at her wristwatch.
"Okay," Ryoma replied, his tone flat, though there was a twinkle in his eye.
Before bolting out the door, she paused, turning back. Rushing toward him, she enveloped him in a warm embrace. "I'm so happy to see you here."
Ryoma smiled, returning the hug. "Me too."
With a quick peck on his cheek, Sakuno dashed for the door, closing it softly behind her. Ryoma smiled watching her leaving.
As she entered her own apartment, she was met with the sight of Tomoka and Ai lounging in the living room, grinning ear to ear. "I'm home." Sakuno announced, her heart racing from the morning's surprises.
Tomoka launched forward, excitement bubbling over. "So, what happened last night? Tell us everything!"
Sakuno's cheeks flushed crimson once again. "Nothing happened!" She rushed toward her room, her friends' teasing laughter following her.
"You can't possibly think we believe that!" Ai called after her.
Throwing her bag onto the bed and put some books in her tote bag, Sakuno muttered to herself, "There's nothing to tell! We just slept!"
"I need to change my clothes now." She pushed her friends out the door and shutting it firmly behind her. Tomoka and Ai exchanged glances as they retreated to the living area. "You think Echizen's a guy?" Ai asked, puzzled.
Tomoka chuckled, "That's just how they are."
Later, at the lecture hall, Sakuno found her seat beside Yuna, releasing a heavy sigh. "Thankfully, I made it," she said, attempting to squash the fluttering of her heart from the events of the early morning.
Yuna giggled, "Did you go drinking last night?"
"Yeah, I had drinks with my housemates," Sakuno replied, trying to keep her tone light.
Hiro, sitting nearby, chimed in, "I saw you last night, Ryuzaki."
Her heart skipped a beat. "Oh, you were there too?"
"Yeah, my friends from the club invited me out," Hiro confirmed, looking curiously at her.
Sakuno couldn't help but wonder if Hiro had seen Ryoma or how close their encounter had been last night. As the lecturer started to speak and the class began, Sakuno felt restlessness in her chest—a mix of anxiety and excitement swirling around her.
As the lunch time arrived, Sakuno walked alongside Hiro and Yuna. Their laughter filled the air, drifting from the lecture hall they had just left. The campus was alive with students bustling about.
Just then, a familiar voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Cerisier!" She turned, she saw Prince Ludovic Chardard running toward her, his hair glinting in the sunlight.
Ludovic came to a halt, beaming down at her. "It's hard to see you since we're in different departments. It must be fate today that we got to meet!"
Nervous but flattered, Sakuno managed to muster an awkward smile. "It's nice to meet you, Prince-san."
"Sakuno-chan sure attracts many guys, and this one is a prince too." Yuna whispered to Hiro, barely able to contain her excitement.
Suddenly, a tennis ball flew into the air, heading straight for Ludovic. With an agile movement, he swung his racket, sending it back with a fierce determination. "Insolent! Who dares to throw a tennis ball at a prince?!"
The trio followed the ball's trajectory to see Ryoma standing there, smirking with his own racket. "Looks like it's fate too that we got to meet," he said airily, his eyes gleaming with mischief.
Sakuno's eyes widened to see him, "Ryoma-kun."
"Another tennis player? He looks familiar." Yuna exclaimed, her enthusiasm growing.
Ludovic returned the serve with a flourish, "Le Chapeau! So you're back!"
Ryoma shot the ball back effortlessly. "I thought your tennis skills had gotten rusty."
"Rusty? That's not in my tennis dictionary!" Ludovic laughed, clearly enjoying the match.
Just then, a burst of energy rushed forward as Kintaro, a lively red-haired boy, arrived on the scene. "Let me play too!" he shouted, swatting the ball from Ludovic before turning to Ryoma. "Koshimae! I missed you!"
Ludovic rallied back with a swift hit, but the lively game was abruptly interrupted by a voice booming from the second floor of the building. "Hey! What are you all doing down there? Are you trying to damage the university property?!"
Sakuno's panic rose as she turned to her friends. "Sorry, Yuna-chan, Agawa-kun! I'll see you guys later!" Without a moment to lose, she pushed Ludovic, Kintaro, and Ryoma toward an escape route. "We're sorry, Professor! They're my friends. We'll go now!"
As they hurried away, Yuna and Hiro exchanged glances, a mix of awe and surprise dancing across their faces. "Sakuno-chan really does have many interesting friends," Yuna mused.
Hiro chuckled softly, "Yeah, and one of them is her boyfriend." He said.
Yuna's eyes widened, "ehhh?"
As they retreated to a quieter corner, Sakuno sighed, thankful for the brief distraction. "You guys should play tennis at the court," she suggested.
But just then, Kintaro's stomach growled loudly enough to echo off the walls. He laughed awkwardly, "I'm hungry…"
Ryoma took Sakuno's hand, pulling her gently, leaving Ludovic and Kintaro.
"Wait, where are you taking Cerisier?" Ludovic asked, his princely demeanor slightly ruffled.
"To eat lunch." Ryoma replied casually, didn't stop his track. Sakuno just followed him.
"Lunch? I want to go too!" Kintaro dashed after them, while Ludovic hesitated before determinedly following suit. "Wait for me!"
They soon found themselves in front of Kawamura Sushi Bar, Ludovic grimaced disapprovingly. "What place is this? It looks shabby. I don't eat at places like this."
Ryoma shrugged, still holding Sakuno's hand. "No one invited you, feel free to leave."
He pulled Sakuno as he slid open the door, leading them inside. Kintaro quickly followed, and eventually, Ludovic found himself stepping in as well, albeit with a haughty air.
They were greeted by a boisterous crowd of familiar faces — Momoshiro, Horio, Tomoka, Eiji, Kaidoh, Inui, Oishi, and Fuji who were already settled at a low table.
"Echizen! You're here!" Momoshiro bellowed, noticing Ryoma. "Eh, the prince and Kintaro are here too?"
"Ochibi! We missed you!" Eiji exclaimed, wrapping his arms around Ryoma's neck, only to receive a reluctant glare in return.
"It hurts, Kikumaru-senpai," Ryoma grumbled, eliciting a laugh from everyone.
As they settled down, Fuji looked at Ludovic curiously. "Prince-san, you attending Tokyo University too?"
"I only studying here to try to be more independent," Ludovic replied haughtily, though his cheeks had begun to color.
Ryoma raised an eyebrow. "And you picked Japan out of every other country? That's somehow suspicious."
Ludovic stammered, "I-it's got nothing to do with you, Le Chapeau!"
As if to diffuse tension, Takashi emerged with plates overflowing with colorful sushi.
Ludovic eyed the sushi skeptically. 'Food in a shabby place like this must use low-grade ingredients.' He thought.
He reluctantly took a piece and, upon tasting it, his eyes widened in surprise. 'This… this is like something from a five-star restaurant!'
"I hope you like it, prince-san. It's my first time having a prince come here," Takeshi said, beaming at the positive reaction.
"Not bad." Ludovic cleared his throat, trying to regain his royal composure, though he couldn't hide the twinkle of delight in his eyes.
As laughter and chatter filled the room, Eiji suddenly noticed something odd about Ryoma's neck.
"Wait, what's this? You are injured?" He swiftly pulled the bandage off, revealing a rather conspicuous hickey. "A hickey?!"
All eyes turned expectantly to Ryoma, who deadpanned while swiftly covering the bandage he'd placed over the mark. "It's from the tennis ball."
They fall silent. Horio suddenly voiced out, "It's a lie, right?"
Inui's glasses glinted, "100% lie."
Tomoka couldn't suppressed her excitement, accidentally blurted out. "That's why Sakuno didn't went back home last night." Tomoka gasped, closing her mouth when she realized their gaze shifted to her.
Ludovic's chopsticks fell from his hands as he saw Sakuno blushed. "Is it perhaps... Cerisier's doing?" he asked, shocked, and everyone turned to Sakuno, whose cheeks flushed crimson.
"Wha—no! It's not what you think!" Sakuno stammered, but it was too late.
With a dramatic shocked, Ludovic fainted, collapsing against Oishi, who scrambled to support him. "Prince-san! Get a hold of yourself!"
Inui scribbled furiously in his notebook. "This is a good data."
Kintaro tilted his head, eyes wide with confusion. "What's a hickey?"
Ludovic cry animatedly, "Cerisier..."
Ryoma sighed, he can already felt the future never-ending teasing from his senpais, and how dreadful is that. But looking at the still furiously blushing Sakuno made him smiled.
As chaos spun around the table, laughing amidst the ruckus, the atmosphere filled with warmth and camaraderie inside the Kawamura Sushi Bar.
