the downward spiral to romance

5. A Secret to Keep

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 5. A Secret to Keep

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"Ahem. Can I get everyone's attention, please?" the Class Representative, Asahina Shiro announced in front of the class, "We need to decide on what our class would do for the upcoming School Foundation Festival. Any ideas?"

It was lunch break and everyone was asked to stay in the classroom for a short class meeting. There were murmurs of discussion among the students before one by one, they contributed ideas. Sakuno only observed, not really minding whatever the class decides upon. She was listening intently to Tomoka's ideas that she's yet to share in class when the classroom door opened, revealing Echizen Ryoma who came back from a teacher's errand to help carry their notebooks. He didn't look like he was in the best mood, considering how he was caught in the act of dozing off from the last class. For a moment, the class discussion was halted while he made his way back to his seat. Despite the growing noise of ecstatic voices from their classmates as the meeting continued, Sakuno's gaze can't help but gravitate to the tennis prince. The sunshine from the windows beside his desk illuminated his features greatly, enhancing his already good looks. He had a hand propped to his chin as he looked in front, golden eyes lazily watching the ongoing meeting.

It has been more or less two months since the news of his breakup with Mori Akane resounded within the whispers of gossips. She could still remember the rumors, of how he broke up with her in the afternoon of the Prefectural tournament. How Mori seemed to have puffy eyes when she saw her that afternoon when the matches were over and it was time for everyone in the club to go home, and Ryoma hanging out with his senpais after school again. They were the first years' power couple, both so popular and seemingly out of reach. So it wasn't a surprise that the topic refused to die down until it was the third week. Tomoka would often tell her the rumors, never failing to comment that just as how fast and out of nowhere Ryoma and Mori's dating news were, the same could be said to their sudden breakup.

To Sakuno, she wouldn't like to admit outright that a small part of her was happy. It made her guilty that she felt it, after all she's friends with them both-- but then, seeing Ryoma single again somehow made her hope reappear. She couldn't count how many times she berated herself over that recognition. Was her hurt really that fickle? What were her tears for? It was as if her heart recovered again, only to sincerely believe that her feelings would someday be returned.

It was far from reality, though. Things weren't really the same anymore. While it was true that after he broke up with Mori, she no longer avoided him, the gap that Sakuno made from secluding herself was still there. Ryoma no longer tutored her in tennis, and without an unavoidable activity, Sakuno didn't really spend any time with him. She did give him sweets for his family, continued to cheer for him on matches, and they do interact for school works, but that was it. It is safer to say that they are now the barest minimum of friends, and Sakuno is just another face in his crowd of cheerers. The thought elicited her a sigh, as she pondered how much their distance widened again.

"Ryuzaki-san..?" Sakuno was pulled out of her reverie. Realizing that almost all her classmates looked at her, her ears turned red, and she felt flabbergasted. She straightened on her seat, suddenly feeling conscious. Ryoma, who for some reason returned her gaze from earlier. He was looking at her intensely, eyes narrowed hopeful as if silently communicating. The stimulation of being under his stare sent her heart beating fast and she immediately looked away in escape. She turned her head to see the class representative who looked at her in inquiry. Asahina's expression was curious and she wanted to kick herself for not paying attention as to what was happening. "What were they talking about?"