~Eight~

Finally!

"R-Ryoma-kun?" Sakuno took a step back, clutching her pouch tightly against her chest. "W-What are you doing here?"

Ryoma raised an eyebrow, his hands casually tucked into the pockets of his shorts. "This is my house," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh… r-right…" she mumbled weakly, her gaze darting away, unable to meet his eyes.

She felt ridiculous. Of course, this was his house! But still, after spending the entire day avoiding him, she hadn't expected to face him like this.

"Hey, Sakuno."

"Y-Yes!" she yelped, whipping her head towards him.

To her horror, she found him mere inches away. Her breath hitched. Before she could retreat, he leaned in closer, and her eyes instinctively slammed shut.

'I-Is he going to kiss me?!'

Her grip tightened on the pouch against her chest. But instead of feeling his lips, she felt his warm breath tickle her ear.

"No running away now," he murmured.

Her eyes snapped open and immediately took a step back. "W-Wha—Ryoma-kun!"

A shiver ran down her spine, her heart hammering wildly in her chest.

"I-I wasn't running away!" she protested, but even to her own ears, her voice sounded weak and unconvincing.

Ryoma let out a quiet scoff. Before she could react, his fingers wrapped firmly around her wrist.

"R-Ryoma-kun?!"

He didn't answer. With steady but unyielding force, he pulled her forward, guiding her toward his house.

There was no hesitation, and no room for her to escape.

Sakuno stumbled after him, her mind becoming a chaotic mess. She barely had time to process what was happening before they stepped inside.

"Ah, Sakuno-chan! Welcome—"

Ryoma's mother, Rinko-san, greeted them from the kitchen, but Ryoma barely slowed down.

"I'm taking Sakuno upstairs, Mom," he said curtly. "We have something important to talk about."

Sakuno barely managed a strangled squeak of protest before she was dragged up the stairs, her face burning with embarrassment.

"R-Ryoma-kun, slow down!" she frantically whispered, stealing a mortified glance behind her.

'Rinko-san could have misunderstood!'

But he didn't stop.

His grip on her wrist tightened slightly, almost as if… he was afraid she'd slip away again. The pounding of her heartbeat drowned out everything else. By the time they reached the second floor, her breathing was uneven—though whether from exertion or nerves, she didn't know.

She braced herself for him to take her to his room—but to her surprise, he stopped in front of a different door. Without a word, he pushed it open and pulled her inside before shutting the door firmly behind them.

Sakuno blinked rapidly, momentarily stunned as she took in her surroundings. The room was simple and clean. A neatly made bed was tucked against the wall, a window overlooking the backyard. Her suitcases sat by the closet, confirming her suspicion.

This was her new room.

For the next two weeks.

Her throat felt dry. She barely had time to process it before Ryoma turned to her, arms crossed, his golden eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her stomach twist.

"Now," he said, voice firm but calm, "are you finally going to tell me what's going on?"

Sakuno swallowed hard. There it was. The confrontation she had been avoiding all day. She fidgeted, her hands clenching the hem of her skirt as she lowered her gaze.

"I… I wasn't avoiding you because I regret what happened," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Silence.

Even without looking up, she could feel his stare.

"Then why?" he asked, his tone unreadable.

Her grip tightened. There were a number of reasons why.

Because…she didn't know how to say it, and she didn't know what he wanted. AND because she was scared. Not of what had happened between them, but of what it meant. She had admired Ryoma-kun for so long, always watching from the sidelines, always trailing behind him like a shadow.

But now, for the first time, they had crossed some invisible line—one she hadn't even dared to dream about before. And she had no idea what came next.

Did he see her the way she saw him?

Did he want her the way she wanted him?

Or… was she just someone convenient?

The thought alone made her chest tighten painfully.

Her voice trembled as she forced the words out. "I… I don't know what you're thinking, Ryoma-kun," she admitted, still unable to meet his gaze. "I don't know… what you want from me." Her last words were barely a whisper. After much hesitation, she finally looked up—only to find him watching her, his expression unreadable.

Sakuno felt exposed, vulnerable in a way she had never been before.

"I'm afraid," she quietly said, voice trembling. "Afraid to ask, a-and hear your answer. What if you don't see me the way I see you? What if I ruin everything? What if…?"

Her hands clenched tighter. "What if I say the wrong thing… and you start avoiding me?"

She hadn't meant to say it aloud, but once the words were out, she couldn't take them back. Her fear of rejection was nothing compared to her fear of losing him entirely.

The silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity. Then—

A flick.

A light, familiar flick against her forehead, snapping her out of her spiraling thoughts. Her eyes widened in shock as she instinctively rubbed the spot, looking up at him with a mixture of confusion and frustration.

"Y-You—"

"You really are stupid, Sakuno," Ryoma muttered, shaking his head.

She held her breath.

He didn't sound angry. If anything… he almost sounded exasperated.

"If you had just talked to me, we wouldn't have wasted a whole day playing this dumb game," he said, his eyebrow furrowed. His tone was completely flat, yet something about it made her heart clench.

His gaze softened—just a little. Slowly, he took her hand in his, his bangs shadowing his eyes as the warmth of his palm engulfed hers.

"I don't understand why you think I'd push you away after everything that happened between us."

Sakuno felt her cheeks flush. It took all her strength to suppress the inappropriate thoughts that nearly resurfaced due to his blunt words.

The quiet between them stretched before Ryoma slowly met her gaze.

Her breath caught.

His golden eyes were looking at her so intensely, as if he could see through her soul, knowing all her thoughts and fears.

"You know I'm not good with this," he admitted, looking away for a moment. "I always have trouble expressing what I feel. And I'm bad with words."

She already knew that, but Ryoma-kun was Ryoma-kun. And she had loved him for who he was.

"I'll be blunt, Sakuno." He looked back at her. "…I still don't fully understand myself," he admitted, his grip tightening. "But I'm not the kind who lies."

She lowered her gaze, heart clenching. "I—"

She wasn't able to finish, because his hand was suddenly on her cheek.

Her eyes widened as she looked up at him. His gaze was serious, unwavering, and so, so intense that she could barely breathe.

"I don't know what this feeling is yet," he murmured. "But I do know one thing—I have never felt this way about anyone. I've never done the things we did with anyone. And I've never even thought about doing them with anyone but you."

Her heart skipped a beat. Before she could even process his words, he was suddenly closer—his forehead resting gently against hers.

"I don't want anyone else, Sakuno," he whispered. "It's always been you."

Tears stung her eyes, and hummed her agreement before smiling softly.

"Let's figure it out together… okay, Ryoma-kun?"

A smirk tugged at his lips. "Hn. Obviously."

At that moment, she understood.

She was here, and so was he.

For now… that was enough.

Sakuno woke up to the unfamiliar weight of silence.

For a moment, she was disoriented, blinking at the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. The bed beneath her was different, the scent lingering in the room wasn't her own, and the quiet hum of the house reminded her she wasn't home.

Then, everything from the day before came rushing back.

Her grandmother leaving, Ryoma dragging her inside, and the words they exchanged.

The memories were enough to make her face explode in heat. She buried herself under the blanket, gripping the edges tightly as if that could somehow protect her from the embarrassment pressing down on her chest.

'What am I supposed to do now? How am I supposed to act around him?'

She turned to the side, her eyes landing on her suitcase by the closet.

'Right. I should unpack.'

Shaking off her nerves, she slowly got up and stretched, trying to push away the lingering drowsiness. As she walked toward her suitcase, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

Her cheeks were still pink.

Sakuno groaned, covering her face.

'I need to calm down.'

Taking a deep breath, she decided to wash up first. She peeked out of her room cautiously before stepping into the hallway. Everything was quiet. It seemed like Ryoma and his parents weren't awake yet.

Relieved, she quickly made her way to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. The cold water helped ease the warmth on her face, but as she changed into her uniform, her thoughts kept drifting back to him.

His words.

His touch...

Most especially, that tender moment when he had rested his forehead against hers.

She clutched the fabric of her blouse tightly.

He doesn't understand his feelings yet… but he knows he doesn't want anyone else. That should have been enough.

But why did it still make her heart ache?

Shaking her head, she finished getting ready and stepped out of the bathroom—only to nearly run straight into someone.

"Oof—"

A hand caught her shoulder, steadying her before she could stumble back.

"Watch where you're going, idiot."

Sakuno froze.

Golden eyes stared down at her, his face still drowsy from sleep. His hair was a little messy, his top slightly crumpled. It was a look she had never seen before, and for some reason, it made her chest tighten.

"R-Ryoma-kun…"

He let go of her, yawning. "You're up early."

"I-I always wake up at this time," she mumbled, stepping aside.

Ryoma hummed in response, rubbing the back of his neck. "Tch. Mom's not awake yet, so breakfast isn't ready."

Sakuno hesitated. "I-I can cook."

Ryoma shot her a look.

Sakuno blinked, confused. "W-What?"

He sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "You say that like I don't already know."

Her face flushed.

Right. Of course, he knew!

"I—I know you know," she said quickly, fiddling with the hem of her blouse. "I just… I wanted to help."

Ryoma shrugged. "Do what you want."

With that, he disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Sakuno standing there, gripping the strap of her schoolbag tightly.

Her heart was still racing. Even after their conversation last night, things felt… awkward. Different. And it was just so like Ryoma to act indifferent after everything that had happened.

'Would it always feel this way from now on?'

The morning passed quietly, though the tension between them remained.

Sakuno made breakfast while Ryoma sat at the table, eating without complaint. He didn't say much, but his plate was completely clean by the end of the meal. Before she knew it, they were walking to school together.

It was just like every other morning. Or at least, it should have been.

But every brush of their hands, every accidental glance, felt like something more. Sakuno kept her eyes forward, clutching the strap of her bag so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

She needed to act normal. She needed to pretend things were the same.

But were they?

She stole a glance at Ryoma, who walked beside her with his usual unreadable expression.

He caught her staring. Her breath hitched as his golden eyes flickered to hers.

"What?" he asked.

"N-Nothing!" she squeaked, whipping her head forward.

Silence.

Then—

"Hn."

She bit her lower lip in mild frustration.

Before she could say anything, they had reached the school gates, and suddenly, her moment of flustered panic was replaced by something else entirely—

Tomo-chan.

'Oh no, I'm with Ryoma-kun!'

Sakuno barely had time to process the sight before her best friend lunged at her.

"Sakuno!"

"E-Eh—?!"

She staggered back as Tomoka grabbed her hands, eyes shining with excitement.

"You won't believe what happened yesterday!" Tomoka gushed. "Kaidoh-senpai actually read my letter!"

Sakuno blinked. "H-He did?"

"Yes! And—and he looked at me!"

Ryoma clicked his tongue. "You make it sound like that's a big deal."

Tomoka spun toward him with an accusing glare. "It is! Don't you know how hard it is to get noticed by someone like Kaidoh-senpai?!"

Ryoma raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

Sakuno giggled despite herself. "That's amazing, Tomo-chan. Did he say anything?"

Tomoka immediately switched back to excitement mode. "Well… no. Not yet. But I'm not giving up! Ami is not going to win this bet!"

Sakuno nodded, offering her best friend an encouraging smile.

At least someone's feelings were clear.

Meanwhile, Ryoma stuffed his hands in his pockets. "You're dragging Ryuzaki into your nonsense again, Osakada."

"Ryoma-sama! How could you!?" Tomoka cried, looking scandalized. She blinked, pausing for a moment before she suddenly turned back to Sakuno with a sly grin.

Sakuno immediately tensed. She knew that look.

"So~ what about you? How was your night with Ryoma-sama?"

Sakuno felt her soul leave her body.

'How the hell did she know? I didn't tell anyone!'

"T-T-Tomo-chan!"

She could feel Ryoma's inquiring gaze on her, but she refused to look at him.

Tomoka smirked. "Oh? What's with that reaction? Don't tell me something happened?"

"N-Nothing happened!" she practically shrieked, her face turning red.

Ryoma sighed beside her. "We should keep going. We're going to be late."

"Aww, Ryoma-sama!" Tomoka pouted, crossing her arms. "You two are no fun."

Sakuno took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.

It was going to be a long day. And something told her this was only the beginning.

Later, after school, she went back to the Echizens alone because Ryoma still had tennis practice after class, and Sakuno had her own important commitment.

Now, she stood at the edge of the Echizen family's private tennis court, gripping her racket tightly. Sweat dripped down her temple, her uniform damp from hours of training. Her breathing was ragged, her legs ached, but she refused to stop.

"Oi, you call that a return?"

She barely had time to react before a yellow blur shot toward her.

Focus!

With a sharp exhale, Sakuno pivoted and swung her racket with all her strength. The ball shot forward but clipped the net, dropping back onto her side of the court.

"Again!"

On the other side, Echizen Nanjirou—former tennis pro, The Samurai, and Ryoma's father—stood in a relaxed stance, twirling his racket like he was bored. His eyes, however, were sharp.

"Not enough snap in your wrist," he said with a yawn. "You're putting power into it, but it's wasted if you don't control the spin."

Sakuno tightened her grip.

She had less than a month. Less than a month to prove herself. Less than a month to master her mother's special move—a shot that had once dominated the professional courts. Less than a month to prove she belonged on the Seigaku team.

And she wasn't going to waste a second.

The training had begun right after her grandmother had left for America.

One evening, as soon as Rinko-san finished tidying up the dining table, Nanjirou-san addressed her directly.

"About the training I promised you, Sakuno-chan."

She quickly straightened at the word training. "Yes, Nanjirou-san."

"Your grandmother told me not to go easy on you." His tone was casual, but Sakuno saw something else beneath it—something unreadable, almost serious. "You wanna use your mother's move, right?" he asked, studying her carefully.

Sakuno nodded, clenching her fists. "Yes. I have to."

A flicker of something passed through Nanjirou's eyes—something close to nostalgia.

"Your mom was one hell of a player," he finally said. "She had a talent that couldn't be taught. But if you wanna recreate that shot..." His grin widened. "You better be ready to work harder than you ever have."

Sakuno lifted her chin. "I am ready."

From the couch, Ryoma sighed. "You're gonna regret this."

She ignored him.

And now, under the scorching sun, Sakuno was beginning to understand what Ryoma had meant.

Nanjirou-san was merciless.

The training was nothing like what she had experienced in club practice. There was no easy rallying, no gentle corrections. Every mistake was met with a sharp critique, every weak return sent flying back at her twice as fast. If she wasn't hitting, she was running. If she wasn't running, she was dodging—because apparently, dodging tennis balls was also part of the training.

Her arms ached. Her legs burned.

But she didn't stop.

She couldn't stop.

Nanjirou-san spun his racket lazily. "Alright, show me again."

Sakuno inhaled sharply, shifting into position.

She had less than a month.

And she was going to make every second count.

To Be Continued…

NO BETA!

A/N: As much as I want to put a reply on each and every one of you, I am short on time. I'll try to accommodate next time but if you want, you can just leave a pm and I will reply back as soon as I can. HOWEVER, I am not going to entertain any demands for updates. I am a busy person, I have a life outside of writing so as I have warned you guys previously, no one can pressure me to write an update, I will write and post if I am able to, but please refrain from unnecessary demands. The reason why there's no update is because the next chapter is not yet ready. If you rush me, the outcome wouldn't be good. Unlike last time, I have a group of beta readers who check my work and I can exchange ideas and opinions with, now I have none of those. So expect slow updates, BUT I will update as soon as I can.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE READERS WHO WAITED PATIENTLY FOR MY UPDATES. i DO APPRECIATE YOUR REVIEWS AND READ THEM ONE BY ONE. PLEASE CONTINUE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ME, I ENJOYED READING YOUR EXCITEMENT, THOUGHTS, AND EXPECTATION OF THE FIC. HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYONE!

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