Tennis no Ojou-sama: A Prince of Tennis Fan Fiction

CHAPTER 145: A Happy New Year

Hearing her say such things made Ryoma feel so embarrassed of his actions. He was being so childish, giving in to jealousy while Ryouko was being so mature at dealing with everything. Biting his lower lip, he stopped in his tracks and pulled Ryouko in an embrace.

"I love you too, so much more than I could understand... And I'm sorry I was being stupid," he said.

Ryouko smiled as the synthetic fur lining Ryoma's jacket tickled her nose. "It's okay... I understand..." she answered and hugged him back.

As they broke away, Ryoma blinked and looked at her eyes seriously. "I can't guarantee that I won't do this again so I can't promise anything about not ever following you or avoiding to eavesdrop... So you can have the option of tying me up when you have to talk to a boy alone like today. I promise I won't struggle," he told her.

Ryouko burst out laughing at his unexpected proposition. "You think of the silliest things, don't you? Why would I tie you up?"

"But sooner or later, you'll get annoyed at me for being so clingy. I don't want that so I'd rather get tied up. If I can't move, I can't possibly follow you anywhere," he remarked, quite serious.

Ryouko shook her head in exasperation with a smile still on her face. "Fine, fine, I'll think about it when the situation comes. For now, let's hurry back home. Licht has PMed me that your family arrived at our house already."

That reminded Ryoma of his phone vibrating some minutes ago and he checked his mobile. His Mom, Nanako-san and even his older brother left two missed calls each. They must have been wondering where he went.

He gave his Mom a call and explained that he ran into Ryouko while taking a walk around the neighborhood and that they would be arriving in the Fujioka manor in a few minutes.

"Let's hurry up," Ryouko told him, holding out her hand towards him. "It's time for us to enjoy the New Year's Eve," she added with a smirk.

Ryoma smiled back and took her hand.

As soon as they arrived near the gates of the Fujioka manor, they unlocked hands and went in to find the festivities already underway.

"Ryouko-chan, where the heck did you go? Come in here," Umino said the moment he saw her.

Every single one of her cousins were being merry, and the little ones are keeping Nanako and Rinko company. The two ladies seemed to be enjoying every moment of it.

The older cousins and Ryoga were busy setting up the fireworks that they would be launching after the countdown. Nanjiro was drinking merrily with Licht as his drinking buddy and was being loud and obnoxious. Licht, the ever-so-perfect butler didn't seem bothered that he was tasked with keeping Nanjiro at bay.

Ryoma and Ryouko looked at each other with satisfied smiles and proceeded to join in the festivities.

It was quite an enjoyable time. Unlike what Ryouko anticipated, none of her cousins stirred up trouble. Everyone ate, talked, laughed, took tons of pictures and fooled around good-naturedly until Setsuna started catching everyone's attention with a megaphone some hours later.

"Everyone, it's 11:55, five minutes left until we greet the New Year!" he announced.

All of them cheered, especially the younger children. Usually, they wouldn't be allowed to stay up so late thus when Kaname told them that they could stay up until twelve, they were ecstatic. Licht put each of them to sleep in the afternoon so that they would still have enough energy to last until midnight. The extra sleep plus the treacle fudge and cakes for dessert kept them on a sugar-fueled hyperactive mode.