Hye!!! I am back with the last chapter. Thank you guys for spending one year with me. I hope you enjoyed reading this fic. I will leave you with one final chapter. Advance Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Prince of Tennis and never ever will.
Chapter 12: Hug Day (December)
Chapter Summary: It was her most memorable day...
Eleven months.
It had been eleven months since everything started. My boyfriend said that it all started on my birthday but it took four months for me to realize that he was actually asking me out.
Which was I obliviously accepted.
A lot of things happened since then. He made every month memorable for the both of us. He was a great boyfriend to me even though he teased me a lot. And doing n-naughty things.
But was still my cool boyfriend.
And I wanted to do something in return.
Sighing inwardly, I looked around and saw how busy the tennis courts were. The regulars were still warming up and practicing to keep their skills intact. Obaa-chan was really strict when it comes to them.
She wanted the regulars to keep in shape no matter what.
"Ryuzaki-chan!"
I blinked when I heard Kikumaru-senpai waving at me. Smiling, I waved back at him.
"Are you here to pick Ochibi up?" He announced loud enough for everyone to hear.
"S-senpai! You don't have to say that out loud!" Blushing, I covered my face with my hands.
"Echizen! Your escort is finally here!"
The crowd was erupted with laughter. I pouted as I couldn't look at them.
"Mou! Stop it you guys!"
Before I could remove my hands to my face, I could feel someone beside me. I looked up and saw that Ryoma-kun was standing by my side. I gave him a weak smile but I noticed that he wasn't carrying his duffel bag. As he saw where I was looking at, he answered my unasked question.
"I can't go home with you today, gomen."
I looked at him, blinking for several times before I began shaking my head, "I-ie, that's fine. I'll ask Tomo-chan to walk home with me instead."
He nodded before going back to his team. Disappointed washed over me as I turned around and looked for my best friend. We would not be walking home together.
xxx
"Surprise him!"
Tomo-chan's ever so energetic voice made me look at her direction. I frowned at her as I adjusted the strap of my bag that was hanging on my shoulder, "Surprise him?"
"Yeah, surprise him!" She said once again and leaned closer to me.
"I heard you once, Tomo-chan!" I exclaimed as we continued walking, "but what do you mean by that?"
"That is the meaning!" She said as if telling me the easiest suggestion she could give, "Say tomorrow is your so-called monthsary, right?"
"Monthsary?" I frowned deeper as her words.
"It's the 14th, duh!" She rolled her eyes before focusing back at me, "Sure you remember the day you became a couple, like eleven months ago or so."
"Well, yeah but how am I going to surprise him?"
"I don't know. It's your day. What would you do?" Tomo-chan asked me back.
Her suggestion did make me think. Yes, I wanted to surprise Ryoma-kun since it would be our monthsary. Not to think that it was already December--my eyes widened at a sudden realization.
"That's it, Tomo-chan!" I shrieked holding both of her hands with mine, "I know what to do tomorrow!"
"You do?" My best friend raised an eyebrow like she didn't suggest the surprise in the first place. I hit her arm lightly before she laughed at me, "That's good then. Good luck tomorrow."
"Un." I nodded at her before giving her a sly smile, "What about you and Kaidoh-senpai?"
Her cheeks blushed a little at the mention of her boyfriend, "What about us?"
"Aren't you going to celebrate--"
"Stop right there, Sakuno!" She interrupted me as she placed her hand in front of me, "Not my monthsary, it's yours."
I couldn't help but giggle at her reaction. I was glad that Tomo-chan was happy in her own relationship. She was always there to help me build my own relationship with my boyfriend. I would do the same to her and that was for sure.
xxx
I had everything ready for today. It the 14th day of December. The snow was already falling at this time of year but the place was big enough to block all the flakes as my best friend checked it this morning.
Walking on my way to the court, I saw Ryoma-kun warming in the corner. The others were doing the same thing as him. It would take a couple of minutes before they ran laps. I had to catch his attention before that happened.
I walked near the fence where he was warming up with Momo-chan-senpai. A smile was brought to my face as I saw them concentrating on their activities. I was planning of giving them more time before getting Ryoma-kun's attention but he noticed me right away. I waved at him immediately. When he stopped warming up, I quickly made my way to the both of them.
"Ohayou Ryoma-kun, Momo-chan-senpai!" I bowed in front of them.
"Ohayou, Ryuzaki-san," Senpai greeted me back while my boyfriend just nodded, "You're early today. Are you going to watch us practice?"
I shook my head no as I stared at them, "I just want to tell Ryoma-kun something," My eyes went to him, "Can we meet later? In the lake?"
"The lake?" Ryoma-kun repeated.
"Yeah, the lake," I said. Blush was present on my face. Senpai was listening to us but I thought that it was fine. He would start teasing us, I guess and I would never hear the end of it. I began walking backwards slowly not tearing my eyes on him, "Let's just meet there after school, okay? I'll see you later." With that, I turned around to get to my first class, not waiting for his answer. I didn't let him give me another option.
I wouldn't take no for an answer anyway.
xxx
I couldn't stop the excitement that I was feeling at the moment. The lake brought nice memories to the both of us. The legend, the story, the kiss.
Our first kiss.
My cheek felt hot at that particular memory we had. I wanted the day to become memorable too so I followed Tomo-chan's advice.
Walking towards the tree that was just beside the lake, I dropped the basket near the root and spread the blanket underneath the shade. I placed the basket within the blanket and decided to take the food out when Ryoma-kun arrived. Leaning on the trunk of the tree, I stared at the lake in front of me. Ryoma-kun was still practicing at this moment. I had a full thirty minutes to enjoy the view and the view was actually worth waiting.
xxx
I did wait.
For ten minutes.
Twenty.
Thirty.
For an hour.
But there was no sign of Ryoma-kun. I had been pacing back and forth. Been doing different movements just to busy myself. His practice was long finished before the hour had past. But he never came. I walked back to the blanket and looked down at the basket dejectedly.
The food became cold or hardened of being abandoned for long. Sighing, I grabbed the blanket with the heavy feeling. I tried waiting for him for another thirty minutes as I stood behind the trunk of the tree holding the basket and the folded blanket on top of it.
But Ryome-kun never came.
I bit my lower lip holding back the tears that was threatening to fall. Preventing the tears to fall, I wiped my sleeve to the eyes. Sighing, I moved away from the trunk and started walking on my way home.
I didn't know how long I was walking but I didn't care. This was the first time my boyfriend stood me up. He would come late but he would never make me wait for almost three hours. The air was cold as the evening swallowed the day. This was going to be a long night.
xxx
I realized that I was close to my home when I heard footsteps behind me. Slowly turning around, my eyes focused on Ryoma-kun. He was breathing hard probably running all the way to my direction. I could see that he was staring at what I was exactly holding though he didn't say anything. But that wasn't the reason why I was shocked to see him, it was what he was wearing; A red t-shirt and shorts.
He came from his home.
Hurt by the sight, I turned around and continued walking on my way home.
"Ryuzaki, wait!"
I ignored him as I gripped the basket with my hands. He caught up to me but I continued walking.
"Hey, listen--"
"You're too early for tomorrow. Go back home." I whispered as I looked ahead. I only stopped when Ryoma-kun grabbed my shoulder and forced me to look at him.
"I'm sorry. I went there but you already left."
"Because you forgot!" I couldn't help but mention it to him, "Why?"
"I was practicing."
"You are always practicing," I gave my full attention to him this time, "What I want was the time after your practice."
"I never said yes to that!"
His words caught me off guard. I took a few steps backward as I shook my head slowly.
"Ryuzaki--"
"I am going home." I whispered as I turned around and walked away from him. Biting my lower lip, I tried to hold my tears from threatening to fall. There was no way I'd let them fall after all this time. Ryoma-kun grabbed my arm bringing me to a stop once again.
"Let's talk about this."
My eyes found the ground nice to stare at that moment. I couldn't find it in my heart to look at him.
"You could have told me, Ryoma-kun. I could take it," My lips were trembling. I only realized that my boyfriend stood me up for the first time. He never did that before no matter what, "You have completely forgotten me today."
"I am sorry."
"L-let's talk tomorrow."
His grip to my arm slid down to my hand and squeezed it, "Let's talk now."
"Ryoma-kun."
"Please."
My boyfriend never pleaded like that to me before. But what he did today was a bit painful. I couldn't stop thinking how failure the day was.
"D-do you..." I started as my tears were threatening to fall, "Do you know what the date today is?"
He stared at me without saying a word. I knew that he was thinking about my question.
"It's the 14th."
His frown turned into realization when he knew what I was trying to imply.
"Yes, Ryoma-kun," I confirmed whisperingly, "It's the same day when we-" My hand quickly wiped the tear that fell before it could leave my face, "-we became a couple exactly eleven months ago."
He didn't say anything as he just stared at me. I sounded silly with my reasoning but I couldn't help it so I shared it with him.
"I didn't know if you noticed but we did memorable things on the 14th day of every month," I looked away as I couldn't stop the tears from falling, "I wanted to have another memory with you on this day."
"There were coincidences, Ryuzaki," Ryoma-kun defended, "We didn't plan some of them."
"I wanted for this day to be different," I said looking at him this time, "T-this month," I caught my breath from sobbing, "This month will be the month where I'll spend your first birthday, first Christmas and even first new year with you, as a couple."
"..."
"I want this day to be special... for the both of us."
He decided not to speak at that moment once again. He was just staring at me like I had another head next to my original one. Ryoma-kun was being silent when I needed him to be the opposite. He had the worst timing to be mute and it was making me upset even more. I stomped my foot and faced him frustratingly.
"Say something!"
I could see that he flinched a little but not doing more than that. Biting my lower lip, I watched him endlessly until I had enough. I turned on my heels without saying another word. I just took two steps ahead when his hand grabbed my wrist and grabbed the basket with the other. He began pulling me in the other way.
To the road where I came from.
"R-Ryoma-kun? What are you doing?"
He didn't answer me as he continued walking to who knew where. I tried yanking my back away from him but he only gripped it tighter. Despite my protests, my boyfriend continued ignoring me and walked forward. I only found myself in an uphill where I could see the whole view of the city. It almost dark so the light started to paint the place. I was rendered speechless or better to say, I didn't know how to respond at the moment.
"I am sorry that I forgot today," Ryoma-kun said, gripping my hand that I wasn't aware that he was still holding, "But I am not sorry for not planning anything with you."
I frowned when he said that. His words triggered my anger that I was trying to hold. I brusquely yanked my hand from him and faced him, "Ryoma-kun no baka!" I immediately turned around from him but I haven't taken a step forward when I was turned to face him once again and was pulled towards his chest. The next thing I knew, he was actually hugging me. I struggled from his embrace before I could register what was really happening.
"Will you listen to me for once!"
His firm words made me stop from struggling. The noise except for our heartbeats became quiet around us. It made me calm down a little. I felt him tightening his embrace as he continued speaking.
"We can have picnic here, anything you like for this day. I originally wanted to take you here instead of the lake but you left before I had the chance. I thought that you went home and I forgot our agreement," He whispered in my ear. My tears started to fall that time, "There was no way for me not to do anything on this day. That was why I went to your house and suddenly remembered your invitation. I had plans for us Sakuno but you beat me to it."
He held me with the arms length, "Don't be upset anymore," His eyes never left mine as he gripped my shoulder securely, "Please."
I observed him for a long time, before I realized what he said, "W-what were your plans then?"
His stare turned slightly mischievous, "They are postponed for a few days."
"You are not kidding me, are you?"
Instead of answering me, he grabbed the blanket and unfolded it to the ground. He worked on the basket next. I wiped my cheeks from the remaining stains of tears before I awkwardly joined him on the blanket.
"Just wait and see," He said before leaning forward and pecked me on my lips. His move still had affects on me. I couldn't stay mad at him for long as I realized. He scooted closer and gave me a hug once again.
Blush finally appeared on my face. He was uncharacteristically romantic today. We were just eating the food despite its coldness yet still edible while viewing the scene. His one arm hug never left my shoulder.
"Ryoma-kun."
"Hmm."
"You seem to like hugging me today," I whispered as I stared ahead of us, "Are you... making up for it?"
He didn't say anything at first before he shrugged, "Maybe but it is more on hug day today."
"E?"
He turned to face me before hugging me completely. I didn't know what it was for a minute before I finally realized it. This day was special after all. A smile was brought to my face before hugging him back.
"Sakuno."
"Hai..." I mumbled through his shirt.
"Don't do anything until next year."
His words caught my attention so I looked up to stare at him, "What do you mean?"
"You are going to ruin everything."
"What?"
"Just do nothing," He said smirking in the process, "And let me be." He pulled me to his chest once again. I wanted to complain at what he was trying to imply but thought better of it. Whatever it was, I knew Ryoma-kun would do something for the both of us instead.
I hugged him tightly inhaling his unique scent of... well... him. My lips turned into a wide grin when I realized that I became a bit clingy. I wanted to be this close to my boyfriend. I felt his lips touch my crown. It made me look up and studied his features. His eyes were soft and intense at the same time. I knew what he wanted to do. Breathing deeply, I slowly closed my eyes and waited for him. Soon after, I felt his lips touch mine. It was chaste and loving. My face flushed. My heart was loud.
I knew that there were more days, months, and years to come but I'd do my best to stay in love with Ryoma-kun. We both knew that we would work things out together.
On the 14ths or not.
~ Owari ~
Done! How was this fic. I have to admit. I am quite satisfied with the ending. But I am still hoping that I'd do justice with it. Thank you guys, for being with me for almost a year.
Thank you for the readers staying, reading and reviewing. I may not be able to reply to some of your reviews but you know how thankful I am, right? Right?
So thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I hope to see you with my other RyoSaku fanfics. Domo... :)
~ MitsukiJunko with her On the 14ths, signing off ~