♥Wonderful Memories♥Prince of tennis♥Atobe Keigo

♥04♥ New hope

Despite being in a rose bath, Atobe Keigo cannot relax. He looked at the ceiling of his grand bathroom, thinking about the words of young Ran. Atobe realized he's not to only one suffering here; that young girl from the age of 9 has lost a dear family member to her and then suddenly having another girl who looked like her sister living in her name, she must have been suffering from within as to what to do and say. 

Atobe closed his eyes, recalling the memories of what Ran told him and why he was thankful to the young girl...

"Your sister Ranmao died 4 years ago?" Atobe can't believe his own ears; what was going on? Can it be Ranfa's disappearance was somehow involved with the real Ranmao?

"Wait a minute, your parents there should recognize their own daughter." Oshitari acted as the person to slay the possibilities. He's not going to let anyone raise any hopes if it meant it will crumble down into nothing in the very end. 

"I was there when my sister was announced dead. I watched the doctors try to revive her before they put the white sheets over her..." Ran's eyes started to tear up as she recount the last time she saw her real sister. "My sister...my sister died when she was 14! I won't acknowledge that girl as my sister because she is not my sister! I don't know where my Mom and Dad found her, and why she took my sister's identity but she can never replace my real sister...!" 

Atobe doesn't know what to think anymore. Can it be? Ranmao was Ranfa all along? If that was Ranfa, why did she assume the identity of a girl who would looked like her? 

"But I have proven that girl is not Ranfa-" 

"But she is definitely not Ranmao! Atobe-san, you have to believe me..." 

Atobe doesn't need his Insight to see the truth within Ran's tears. Atobe can see the bond Ran and her sister have was an unbreakable one. He doesn't have a single clue what it's like to have a sibling to bond with within the family but from what he can see from Ran, he can see the young girl treasured her older sister dearly. 

"Ran, you're very mature for your age. You could have taken the secret with you to the grave." Atobe was glad Ran told him such a clue. 

She didn't have to say a thing, she could have pretend that her real sister never died but here she was telling him a truth that could have been hidden. 

"Do your parents know?" Oshitari asked. 

"I hate my parents...I feel embarrassed just knowing I am their daughter..." The way she was very angry reminded both guys of 13 year old Ranfa. "They privately buried my sister, never telling me where the grave is, hitting me whenever I mention the real Ranmao...and then to bring home a girl to replace her...why do I have such despicable parents?" 

"Little Kitten, you've done well. I'll help you do some research as to where your sister's grave is."

There's no doubt he's playing a detective game here. What will the real answer be? What will he find out in the very end? If he unveiled the absolute truth into the light, will he be able to find Ranfa for real? 

"Ranfa, just what on earth is going on? Where are you? What are you thinking about?" He got out of the water and started to dry himself with a towel. "I have to find you..." 

Was it the right thing to do? If he unveil the truth, he could be hurting Ran's family, he will be digging into the wounds of Ran's family. 

"I can't ignore the truth if it is hidden out there..." He came out of the bathroom with a bath gown and he saw messages left on his smartphone... 

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The next day came by peacefully but Ranmao can't feel at peace even if she's in her own bedroom. She originally wanted to be the Queen of Hyotei academy by getting Atobe's heart but after her fainting, she felt some sort of invisible pain within her heart. What were these feelings? Why does it hurt so much when she sees Atobe?

"Ran, come in." Ranmao called for her little sister when she saw her walking past her room since the door was left open. 

"What is it?" 

"Nothing, I felt like calling your name." 

"Oh..." Ran was about to walk away but Ranmao continued to talk to her. 

"Are you still angry at me because I can't remember anything before that day?" Ranmao asked her. 

"...I really don't want to talk to you about that with you." Ran said to her, very put off by this conversation with Ranmao.

"Ran, I just can't seem to understand why you look like you hate me." 

"I don't hate you. I just can't stand being in this house sometimes..." 

"You shouldn't say something like that. You'll hurt Mom and Dad." 

"So it's fine for me to be hurt while they're not hurt?" Ran can feel herself about to cry so she quickly got out of the room and back to her own. 

"Ran..." 

Ranmao wondered what was wrong with her little sister; she can't seem to bond with her for some reason and she wanted to know what the problem was. Most of all, she can't understand herself.

She was about to step out into the flowing traffic until someone's hold on her arm grabbed her back. She looked back to see it was Shishido Ryou. 

"What the hell, Sakura?! Watch where you are going!" 

Ranmao was a little shocked at the way Shishido snapped at her! How rude! He could have at least asked if she was okay before he started a tirade of rude words just for her...

"Ah...shit." Shishido then realized Ranmao was not Ranfa according to Atobe. He can't help that Ranfa and Ranmao had such a resemblance. "Sorry, you're not Ranfa..." 

"T-that's okay. I have been getting that a lot." 

"Fucking hell, you really do look like her...if only she is you, I will be able to stop worrying." 

The light finally went from the red man to the green man, indicating everyone can cross. Shishido started to talk to Ranmao as they walked, "That girl, ever since she's missing, each one of us got very worried." 

"That Sakura Ranfa girl is very well liked." 

"Yeah. I still remember the time when that girl fell in love with me and was brave enough to confess." 

"Wow, I didn't think she'd be that bold." 

"Me too. If there is anything I regret, it will have to be rejecting her. My best friend was in love with her too, I was a 3rd year at the time so I thought it's better for her to be with him. Instead, she found herself falling in love with Atobe before I knew it..." 

"I see...she and Atobe are so close." 

"I wonder about that, she has yet to call him by his given name." 

"Seriously? I thought they were dating?" 

"They are dating. It's just Atobe never won a game from her so she's still calling him 'Atobe-senpai'." 

"Has she ever thought what if Atobe never gets a game from her?" 

"No idea." 

"Hmm...hey, will you tell me more about this Sakura Ranfa girl?" 

"Sure." Shishido said with a gentle smile. When Ranmao looked at him with that small smile, she reminded him of the confident girl who once offered her heart to him. It felt a little nice to be able to feel like he's talking to Ranfa again...