Hey Wattpaders! I'm back again with another update!! Applause!! Yay, like finally. I've been trying to keep the update constant so...if I don't update once a week then it means it might take around once in two weeks time. So, enough with the babble and on with the story. Enjoy~
Chapter 13 : That Man, His scheme.
It was such a surprise. At first he was just walking there to get some water however he ended up watching such an interesting scene unfold in front of his own very eyes. A broad evil lurking smile curved on his face. He looked amused by the news that he had just secured. A finger touched his lips as he tries to calculate his next steps, aiming for what he had been trying to get. After all, he would get what he want, and everything will go his ways whatever it is that he wished for.
"Well...eavesdropping is bad manners, don't you think so, Monkey King?"
"Hmm...you are here, huh? Ore-sama thought that you had return to your room." Said Atobe while touching his forehead with such a broad smile on his face.
"It is none of your business right, whether I am here or not. But...what are you doing here in the first place?" Ryoma asked with a smirk on his face.
"Cheh...you are so not cute you know, brat. It is Ore-sama business to be where Ore-sama wants to." Atobe continued to watch both Haruka and Tezuka who was still talking in the dining hall. "Besides...are you okay with that, brat?" He asked.
"Hmph, just why do you think I left them all alone in there in the first place?" Ryoma replied.
"Ahn...so you already knew?"
"Ah...A few weeks after Captain left for Germany. Haru told me about it...all of it..." Ryoma said and turn his back towards Atobe and step away. "Well...I believe that this does not concern you right, Monkey King?" He added and looked at Atobe with a serious face.
"Well...this will stir things up...and my...what an interesting entertainment to please Ore-sama's boredom."
"I don't really care on what you want to do or how that stupid brain of yours is working but, if you do something that will hurt Haru in any way... Just know that you'll end up in a big trouble." Ryoma stated his mind seriously.
"Ouh...and who might be the person that will ensure that to happen? After all, no one could give Ore-sama that kind of trouble, when ever it is unless Ore-sama allows it to be." Atobe said with a smirk on his face, slowly walks towards Ryoma. Closing him in as his face was about to touch Ryoma's face in mere distance.
"I'm sure you know, Monkey King. It is not just me that is protecting her... the Echizen do have two sons after all." Ryoma said that and just walk away not even flustered by how close Atobe is, too close for what had been normal in their banter.
"Hmph...As if Ore-sama would let that to happen. But indeed, things will be interesting after all" Atobe stated as he too walks away from there, returning to his own room for the rest of the night.
~(*v*)~
The days within the camp were progressing at its usual pace after Tezuka came in a the substitute coach in place of Coach Ryuzaki. Haruka seems happy after the talk that she had with Tezuka that night. Ryoma also realizes that not only Haruka's mood had improved, it seems that the Captain he had respected had also changes since that night. For him, it was too obvious even though the other team members did not even felt that the cold man had actually had a changes in any way at all. Ryoma notices that his gestures are becoming softer and the warm aura that could be felt when he was with Haruka discussing about their schedule and training menus. God, he could even see the cold Captain curve a slight smile, something that he had never done before.
Ryoma also noticed the ring that Haruka wears on her ring finger, his eyes lingers on them since she first took a step into the cafeteria for breakfast that morning. He never said a word on that as there are too many observer then. The group were taking their break from the training when Ryoma realizes that Haruka was sitting on the bench all alone. He gulps some water before he made his way towards her, holding a new bottle of water for her.
"Haru, here." Ryoma said as he handed the water to her.
"Ah...thanks Ryoma." She took the water and sips on them slowly before she put them down next to her.
Ryoma decides to sat right next to her and lowered down his cap as he take a deep breath and sat his gaze on her. Deciding that it was time to open up the conversation on what he had been wanting to since the morning.
"Yesterday...you haven't told me anything about yesterday yet, Haru...." Ryoma stated.
"Umm...to-tonight...I'll tell you everything..." It came as a shock and it had made her flustered on the topic.
"Is that so..." Ryoma said and sighed while patting her head gently with a broad smile. "I believe that I'll hearing good news then." Ryoma added with a smirk as he was pointing closely to the ring she had just started to wear.
"Wha...you...t-this." She was flustered by his words and was stuttering badly trying to say words that would actually explain the situation, she gave up and just pouted. "Geez! Ryoma!"
"Pft, ha ha ha ha" Ryoma started to laugh with the way she was reacting to his question. "Sorry Haru...can't help but to say that. Oh, well...make sure to tell me everything and also..." Ryoma stood up and curved her a small smile. "Your medicine, don't forget to take them alright." He reminded her.
"I know, I know...Geez, don't worry that much. I had been taking my medicine regularly." Haruka said while crossing her arms together, pouting.
"Hmm...Good girl." He added and once again patting her head lightly. "Ahh...that guy will come here to send your pills and medication this week. Don't forget about it, Haru."
"Ahh...that, I almost forget about that." She lightly tapped her cheeks, embarrassed that she had actually forgotten about that.
"Haa, thank goodness I reminded you about it. Well, don't work too hard." Ryoma warned her.
"Okay, Thanks Ryoma."
As she watches him walk away, she heaved a sigh and started to pack up her things it was then when she notices that Atobe was eyeing Ryoma's trail. It puzzles her, however seeing the way Atobe was reacting, she could feel something is about to happen between the two of them. A smirk curved on her lips as she was curious about the situation and decides to get her hand on this matter, just to satisfy her curiosity.
Atobe's eyes had been strictly following Ryoma as soon as they finishes their part of the training for the morning. He saw Ryoma walking towards her sister and started a conversation before he finally leaves for lunch. A smile curved on his face as he decided to follow him to the cafeteria, besides it is not abnormal to do so seeing that they mostly have their lunch at the cafeteria after all.
As the day went on, Ryoma who realizes that Atobe had been following him whenever they had a short break or in any meal time during the day. This act had actually irked him a lot. He was totally annoyed and irritated that he was constantly being followed by Atobe for what ever reason the Monkey King have. He though it was only for that day however how wrong he was on that matter. It was dragged for the whole week and Ryoma could no longer tolerate the constant feeling of being stalked by the weird Monkey King. It was lunch time when all of them were to be gathered at the cafeteria when Ryoma finally decided to face Atobe.
"What are you doing, you damn Monkey King?" He finally asked, finally burning his fuse off of him.
"Ahn? What do you mean by that, brat." Atobe answered him smoothly with a smirk on his face.
"You had been following me for the whole week. I would have been stupid not to realize that." Ryoma stated as he was obviously annoyed by the situation.
"Is that so, ahn?" The annoying smirk was still on Atobe's face and it angered Ryoma even more that he already is. "Ore-sama believe the places within this capacity is for public usage, what ever do you mean that Ore-sama is following you? Besides, it is lunch time. It is only normal to go to the cafeteria." Atobe added as he skillfully flip his hair as he usually do arrogantly.
"Is that so." Ryoma did not believe any of what Atobe had spouted from the way he acted to him.
Upon hearing Atobe's answer, he quickly changed his path and walk towards the vending machine instead. He was trying to test Atobe's answer and as expected, he still follows him. As both of them reach the vending machine, Ryoma quickly insert a few coins and push on the grape ponta, which is his favourite drink. A smile curved on Atobe's face. The annoyed Ryoma turn around and smirk as he caught Atobe following him in the act.
"Aren't you saying that you're going to the cafeteria, Monkey King?" He asked.
"Ahn...well, you see...Ore-sama felt thirsty out of the sudden." Again Atobe lied to Ryoma.
"I see, I believe I heard some one says that he would not drink such a commoner's drink from a vending machine once. I wonder why the same person saying those are here at this moment?" Ryoma stated while smiling as he sip on his favorite drink.
"Th-that..." Atobe was flustered and he completely shut his mouth tight as he was unable to retort Ryoma's word.
"Haaa." Ryoma heaved a long sigh before he put down his drink on the bench next to them. "Just what do you want from me, Monkey King?" Ryoma asked as he was already tired of the situation that they are at the moment.
"Well, if you insisted. So, what about 'them'?" Atobe suddenly asked.
"Wha...'them'? Who?" Puzzled by Atobe's question, Ryoma asked.
"Ahn? Tezuka and your twin of course."
"Haa? Why would you want to know?" Ryoma asked as he took his drink back and started to chug it down slowly.
"Ahn, their relationship of course, brat." Atobe asked and sigh while touching his forehead lightly.
After hearing Atobe's question, Ryoma tries to ignore it by drinking his grape ponta quickly to relinquish his thirst. Seeing the annoyed Atobe waiting for him to answer his question was amusing to Ryoma and he decided to keep him waiting a little bit longer. After finishing his drink, he throws the can into the dustbin and sat on the bench near them. After adjusting his cap, he sighed and looked at Atobe's face that started to look a bit annoyed.
"Their relationship had nothing to do with you right, Monkey King? Why would you want to know more? Are you that bored or perhaps....are you actually jealous with Captain? It can't be that you had fall for Haru too, right?" Ryoma fires the question towards Atobe as he believes that this matter does not relates to him in any way at all.
"Hmph! Absurb, do you really think that Ore-sama would be jealous with Tezuka? Ha! Don't make Ore-sama laugh. Ore-sama had told you before, their relationship will be Ore-sama's entertainment to relinquish Ore-sama's boredom. That's all, brat." Atobe answered the question as if what Ryoma had been saying was a load full of unbelievable imagination of his.
"Well then, I won't need to tell you anything as I don't have any obligation to do so in the first place." Said Ryoma coolly and grab his tennis racquet and leave Atobe there all alone.
"That brat." Atobe said as he watches Ryoma leaves him. He ruffles his own hair as he could no longer see Ryoma's back. "Just what do you know?" He said with a tired sigh.
/(>w<)/
Later that night as promised, Ryoma went into Haruka's room to ask her about everything that happened the night before after he had left them both alone in the cafeteria. It was obvious on what had occurred however he would still need some kind on confirmation on what he though had occurs. He could see that she was nervous and flustered about the issue at hand and she was still preparing herself on how actually to broke the news to him about all that had happen that night but, promise is a promise and she should never back down from it. Even when she felt like fleeing to avoid the conversation.
"So, Haru?"
"We-well, you know...He...kind of replied me that night." Said Haruka slowly and by end of her words her voice become softer and softer due to her nervousness.
"And?" Ryoma asked for more details on the matter as he needed to know the whole story of that night.
"We-well..." Haruka was trying to built her sentences as she nervously playing with her fingers while occasionally glancing to see Ryoma's expression. "H-he told me to forget about the letter that I gave him." She finally able to spoke out on the details.
"Hmm, and then?" He tried to probe more on the details from her.
"H-he then...he a-asked me...to be...hi-hi-his...g-girl....friend." Haruka started to stutter with her words.
"And the ring?" Ryoma asked again.
"He...he told me that he bought it when he was walking around in some place. I-I think something called Kris? Kriv? Umm..." Haruka was trying to remember the details of what Tezuka had told her before."Kri...ah! Kristov Avenue! Yeah that's it! It was when he was in Germany!" Haruka was excited as she actually remember the name of the place and curved a broad smile towards Ryoma.
"Hmm..." Ryoma sounded unimpressed by the details which made her mood gloomier.
"And he told me that he reminded of me when he saw the ring...That's why he brought it...for me." She pouted as Ryoma was not reacting as she thought he would be.
"I see." He answered shortly.
Seeing Haruka become moodier and no longer excited to tell him more on the story, Ryoma heaved a loud sigh and sat next to her on the bed. He gently patted Haruka's head and curved a smile towards her. It lightened her mood a little. He proceed to take off his hat and relaxed onto the bed.
"Ryoma?" Haruka was quite worried seeing how Ryoma acted.
"Are you happy now, Haru?" He finally asked with a smile on his face. She could see that Ryoma was smiling while holding his cap on his hand.
"Hmmm....very...with you here and everything..." She replies with a big and broad smile on her face.
"I see...It's good then..."
"Hmmm." Was her reply. "Ah! I noticed that, that Monkey King was watching you during the practice, what does he want from you, Ryoma?"
"Well, I don't really know and he is annoying." Ryoma answered her while having an annoyed expression on his face.
"Hmmm...Is that so."
................................................................................................................................................................
"Do you need something from me, Little Princess?" Asked Atobe.
"Well, I believe that it is the opposite of it. It seems to me that, it's you who want something from me , am I right to say that Monkey King" Said Haruka while crossing her arms around her.
"Tha-that! Stop calling Ore-sama with that blasted name!" Atobe gritted his teeth in anger, annoyed by the name calling that the Echizen's siblings had opted to call him.
"I can call you whatever I want to call you as, it's my freedom to do so." Haruka stated with an annoyed expression on her face. " And? What do you need from me? Why do you keep on following Ryoma?" She asked, straight reaching the issue at hand.
"Ahn? Ore-sama didn't need anything from you because Ore-sama can have anything that Ore-sama wish for. Besides, who says Ore-sama was following that little brat?" Atobe denies the accusation with his flamboyance attitude which irked Haruka.
"Is that so. If I were to asked the security for the security camera recording, I won't be seeing you stalking Ryoma all over the place then?" She asked.
"Tha-that! It does not concern you, right?" Atobe was flustered by her words.
"Well, it won't matter right? You mentioned yourself that you did not follow him around. I just need the recording to prove that."
"Y-you!"
"Ryoma is my brother." Haruka stated in such a serious manner. "I don't really like the idea of someone being overly crazy and trying to ruin him just for fun. Fun or not, anything suspicious and harmful things happening to him...believe me when I say, you won't end well, rich or not" Haruka stated that sternly as she openly threatened the mogul's heir.
"Ahn? You think you can get away by threatening Ore-sama?" A smirk is curved on his face.
"Ouh?" Haruka smirked. "It is not me whom you should be watching out for. I'm just an innocence girl after all."
"Ahn? And Ore-sama should believe you because?"
"Ouh, don't you know? The Echizen have two sons after all. You know one of them but, do you know the other?" Haruka curved a smirk as she informed Atobe about her other older brother, the eldest son of the Echizen's family.
Her words actually send up shiver's to his body down to the bone. After she had stated whatever she wishes for, Haruka walked away from the stunned man, leaving him all alone in an empty hallway. Haruka glanced towards him before actually leaving the place, seeing Atobe who was still there standing still with such an unreadable expression actually worries her a bit.
"Just what's got onto him?" She thought.
~(^o^)~
While Haruka was walking towards her room, he saw Ryoma who was still practicing at the nearest court from the dorm. A smile was curved on her face but still, she felt a shiver. A bad omen. Woman's intuition is a scary thing because it is always right. Watching Ryoma hitting the tennis ball on the wall, that repeating action just make her happy, however worries still etched into her mind.
"He is doing his best, huh?" She said.
Suddenly, she could feel a tap on her shoulder. She almost screamed but stopped as soon as she was the owner of that hand, Tezuka. A smile is curved on her face and she touch his had gently. Tezuka replied the smile and took of his jacket and put it on Haruka.
"It's cold outside, how long had you been here?" He asked.
"Just a few minutes" Haruka stated before focusing her eyes on Ryoma "Ryoma was still practicing on his own, trying to be better and better. Even though I tend to make him work harder than anyone, he would never grumble about it..." She finally let out her worries to Tezuka.
"Hmm, and that what makes him a talented player." Tezuka replied as he did acknowledge this about Ryoma.
"Is it?" Haruka asked. "Sometimes, I wonder if I put to much pressure on him? Did I push him too much?" Still unable to ease herself from the worries.
"Haruka, If he thinks that it is too much for him to handle, won't he tell you so?" Asked Tezuka as he is trying to ease her.
"I...Yes, yes he will." She curved a smile on her face as she felt at ease slightly. "Because we promised not to lie to each other." She said while gripping Tezuka's hand tightly.
As both of them were watching Ryoma practicing alone at the court, Atoba was watching the three of them. Haruka who was talking with Tezuka and Ryoma who was at the court hitting a tennis ball, watching them a little smile curved on his face. But, the more he watched them, the more he realized and wondered why would he does that for. He just can't take his eyes off Ryoma and seeing Haruka and Tezuka all happy makes him felt an urge to be that happy as well.
"....are you actually jealous with Buchou? It can't be that you had fall for Haru too, right?"
Ryoma's word flashes into his mind. He clicked his tongue and headed back to his dorm. But still, his face wear an annoyed expression.
"Tsk! Me? Jealous? Ore-sama had fallen for that little princess you say? Don't make me laugh! I don't have any feelings towards her at all...but you brat, really...Ore-sama will make sure that you will remember the fact that Ore-sama will get anything that Ore-sama had wish for and there is nothing that Ore-sama will be jealous for!" Atobe thought.
To Be continue
Hello~ Sorry for the long wait. When editing this chapter, there are just many sloppy plots so...it takes me some time to actually complete the editing and correcting my spelling and such. It is longer as well...I believe I had edit so many new things as well in this chapter, the plot was not so confusing and weird as it was originally was. Well me in the past was still immature so...hahaha. Well, it might take some times to fully finish the editing while working but I'll try my best to do them during my off day. Till next chapter everyone~ Ciao~
Stay safe! Stay healthy! Let's fight the Covid-19 by following the necessary SOP!
Edited and updated on 11th July 2021