Ryouko yawned, making her way to the cabins of Team 3, her slick brown shoes kicking up pebbles as she dragged her feet.
"Oh? It's Ryouko-chan," Izuki said as he caught her by the corner of his eye. The Seirin folks were starting up on their daily run with Riko.
Riko spat out her whistle. "Why's she up this early? They're supposed to leave at eight," she wondered aloud.
"Moreover, what's she wearing?" Hyuga said, squinting at Ryouko in the early rays of sunlight.
True enough, Ryouko isn't dressed the way they usually see her. She has on a beige polo shirt and a patterned mini-skirt with a wide, white belt. On her shoulders is an off-white coat that goes until the hem of her skirt while a chic beige beret sat on the side of her head, highlighting her angelic round head. Her long dark hair swayed right behind her, glossy and wavy. The look is completed with a pair of black long socks and light brown leather shoes.
"Waa... She's really cute..." Koganei commented.
"Pretty girls look good on everything," Riko remarked. She doesn't envy girls who look like a doll, but Fujioka Ryouko can make even the most unmotivated female feel conscious over her looks. Ryouko looked especially adorable and eye-striking all dressed up.
Kuroko followed the freshman junior with his eyes and smiled slightly. If he were blessed with a younger sister, he wanted her to be just like Ryouko. The girl is likeable, although she's a bit on the temperamental side at random times.
Kuroko had always thought that people lets her get away with things because of her good looks and not her family background. One could almost forget that she belongs to a prestigious family when interacting with her. Her words and actions doesn't exactly fit what a rich Ojou-sama should portray. Kuroko liked that about her the most. It makes her a lot different from the typical bourgeois. It is no wonder that Akashi-kun acknowledged her as his little sister.
Riko's whistle made him snap back to reality. "Onwards, march. We'll go for another lap before hitting the showers," the coach said.
The Seirin team members did as they were told and continued their morning run.
~~~
Ryouko was about to sleep the night before when she received a message from her Uncle, informing her that he would be sending a car to pick up Keima from the camp gates at 6:30 am sharp. He also invited Ryouko for breakfast. It seemed like both Father and son would be returning to England after that.
She glanced at her clothes. She didn't really prepare anything formal with the clothes she brought for the camp. Actually, she didn't even bring a single skirt. All she has were jerseys and casual clothes.
The outfit she has on is something that Mami, Miyako and An coordinated from what their current wardrobe could offer. They got busy on it right after they heard Ryouko complain that she has nothing to wear for the breakfast appointment with her Uncle Mitsuhiko. The girls were fast to work, and it took them an hour past bedtime to put the outfit together.
Ryouko marveled at what they came up with even with the limited resources. The skirt belonged to An, the shirt and belt to Mami, and the coat, cap and long socks were Miyako's. They made Ryouko test it out. When she finished putting on all the garments, the girls were satisfied with the end result.
It is a relief that Mami and Miyako's sizes are close to Ryouko's own though she did complain that it is a bit stifling on the chest area. Mami was not pleased with that remark.
The light brown leather shoes, which completed the studious-girl-type look, were a gift from Licht. Apparently, he saw them in a window display of a shop that he and Ichidou passed in the airport and was drawn into it. He gave it to Ryouko before he left camp. "Who knows?" the butler said. "It might come in handy," he told her with a smile.
Sometimes, Ryouko wonders if her butler could tell the future. In her experience under Licht's care, he had made extremely accurate random guesses in a lot of situations. It was quite mystifying.
Ryouko glanced at the smartwatch on her wrist. 5:45 am. "I should've gotten up a bit earlier," she told herself. Keima is a bit sluggish in the mornings. She would have to drag him out of bed first and force him to wash up and put on proper clothes. She wished that he would be cooperative. They don't have much time before the car comes.
Finally, Ryouko reached her destination. She hopped on the doorstep and rang the doorbell.
She was surprised that someone answered the door immediately. Shinjo Reiji peeked from the other side and looked at the identity of the early visitor.
"Who is it at this hour?" Someone's muffled voice said.
"Ohayougozaimasu," Ryouko greeted.
Reiji nodded in response and opened the door wider. Ryouko peeked in and saw Yagyu Hiroshi having tea in the small living area.
"Domo (Hello)," Ryouko said. "I'm sorry for the intrusion," she added.
"Oh? Ryouko. What brings you in this early?" Yagyu asked, putting the delicate china cup to its saucer.
"I came to wake my cousin. We're supposed to leave at 6:30," she answered and entered. "I'm surprised that both of you are already up," she remarked.
Yagyu smiled. "I usually get up this early. It's a habit of mine. Shinjo-kun wakes up early to train," he replied.
Ryouko looked at Reiji and smiled. "That's admirable," she told him.
Reiji answered in silence and vacated the room. "He's embarrassed," Yagyu said with a chuckle. "Would you care for a cup of tea?" he added as he looked at Ryouko.
"I'm afraid I have to decline, Yagyu-san," she answered. "I really have to hurry and get Keima," she told him.
"Oh, I see. Perhaps next time," Yagyu said and put the pot down. He was about to pour a cup for Ryouko.
"Yes, perhaps next time," she smiled daintily in response.
"Echizen-kun's room is upstairs on the left," Yagyu told her, pointing at the direction.
"Thank you," Ryouko said politely and bowed. She made her way upstairs.
Ryouko was not surprised to find the door unlocked. Echizen Ryoma never bothered locking doors yet he always complained that his father comes and goes inside his room all the time. He could consider showing a little resistance if he really wished for some privacy. She made a mental note to tell him about it later.
When Ryouko entered the room, a surprising and amusing sight greeted her.
Fujioka Keima who was supposed to be asleep on the futon on the floor had climbed his way up to Ryoma's bed. The futon and the sheets on top of it were in a tangled mess. Keima occupied most of the bed's space whilst the original owner looks like he'll fall off with one wrong turn. Keima had one leg over the latter, embracing him like a teddy bear. Ryoma's expression is peculiar. He looked uncomfortable and his eyebrows were knitted together in furrows.
Ryouko pursed her lips to keep from laughing. Quietly, she sneaked her phone out of her pocket and took a photo.
"Omoi... (Heavy...) Karu—pin..." Ryoma grumbled in a complaining voice and tried to wriggle out from Keima's leg.
"Dango... (Dumpling...)" Keima mumbled and opened his mouth wide, targeting Ryoma's head. Fortunately, the latter had already escaped the depths of slumber.
Ryoma's sleepy eyes opened. The first sight that greeted him was Keima's open mouth. Ryoma's own mouth opened in a soundless scream. He turned sidewards impulsively and fell off the bed.
Ryouko couldn't take it anymore and laughed out loud, clutching her stomach. Ryoma had salvaged himself from the fall, sitting down on the floor with one arm rested on the edge of the bed. He looked around in confusion and saw Ryouko standing near the room's entrance.
"Man, this is hilarious..." Ryouko said in between giggles.
Ryoma's confused eyes landed on Keima sleeping on his bed and cuddling a pillow. He finally got the gist of the situation and worked up an annoyed glare. He picked himself up from the floor, snatched the sheets from the foot of the futon and threw it at Keima.
"Hey, that's mean," Ryouko said and rushed to get the sheets off her cousin's face.
Ryoma, resplendent in brown pajamas with black pawprints, marched past her groggily. "I hate your cousins," he declared, going straight to the bathroom area. He took a double turn and peeked from behind the wall. "All of them," he added.
"Don't generalize them. The toddlers are completely innocent and they're also my cousins," Ryouko said as she patted Keima's untidy hair gently. She looked at Ryoma and scanned him from head to foot in amused air. "Cool pajamas," she commented.
Ryoma's cheeks turned pink and he disappeared to the other side of the wall. He closed the door of the bathroom with a loud slam.
The sound gave Keima a waking start. "Wha-wha? Earthquake?" he mumbled, his words barely coherent. He looked around, his sleepy eyeballs rolling, and saw Ryouko staring at him.
"Sheesh Kei. You really are a handful," she said and tutted.
"Eh?" Keima said dumbly, unable to comprehend what she's saying.
~~~
It took a whole hour to get Keima ready for the trip. Ryouko, with some half-hearted help from Ryoma, struggled to get him off the bed, drag him to the bathroom and help him tame his mane of unruly brown hair which was unnaturally spiky in the morning.
Keima and Ryoma were both yawning when they stepped out into the cool morning air. Ryouko was practically dragging the two boys, Ryoma's hand clasped in her right one and Keima's in her left, and leading the way to the campsite's front gate.
"Late again. Kei-chan, how many times do I have to tell you that it's common manners to respect other people's time. This is why I hate having companions on trips," Ryouko said, sounding like a nagging older sister.
Keima didn't have the energy to answer. His eyes looked groggy, as if he was sleep-walking.
"Why do I have to be dragged as well? I got nothing to do with this," Ryoma complained. He had already donned on some casual clothes in preparation for the sight-seeing trip. They won't be leaving until 8 o'clock and he found it ridiculous to already be up and about while the other campers were still snoring in their beds.
"Oh," Ryouko said and stopped on her tracks, the realization hitting her. She turned to Ryoma. "Now that you mention it, why am I dragging you along?" she asked and blinked.
Annoyed, Ryoma jerked his hand off hers. "Sheesh," he said in irritation, glaring at her.
"Sorry..." Ryouko said sheepishly. "You can go back to your cabin and get some rest before the trip. Or maybe you can eat breakfast early," she suggested.
"Forget it. I've already walked this far, I might as well take a morning stroll. The main cabin's closer to the front gates. I'll get some breakfast there," Ryoma said.
The three walked together towards the campsite's gates and found a black car waiting there. The driver honked the horn upon seeing the Fujiokas.
The children greeted the driver with polite bows. The driver got out of the driver's seat, took off his hat and bowed back. He opened the car door and waited for the teenagers.
Keima boarded the car, still looking bleary-eyed. Ryoma watched at the side. Ryouko turned to him before going inside. "I guess I'll see you later," she said.
Ryoma answered with a nod. He watched the car pull up and drive away before turning around to go back to the cabins. He was walking for about a minute when a thought hit him.
"Didn't Ryouko promise to spend the morning with me at the sight-seeing trip today?" he asked himself. He blinked and processed that little bit of information. He gave a huff. "Of course she'll forget. What did I expect?" he mumbled under his breath. He walked on to the direction of the main cabin, a frown settling on his youthful face.
"Absent-minded girl..." he muttered, somehow feeling betrayed.
~~~
At exactly eight o'clock, the tennis players had gathered around the camp grounds, buzzing like a swarm of bees. Each of them were dressed casually, flaunting their individual fashion styles. The girls were busy taking selfies, feeling cute and radiant as junior high schoolgirls should be.
"It's a pity that the high school senpais can't join us," Mami commented.
"It can't be helped. Their official training schedules started today since all of the coaches are already present," An told her. "They're not here to play after all..."
Shimada Ritsu and Chitose Senri approached them. Ritsu was dressed in a blue printed polo shirt and jeans, a light blue scarf adorning his neck. Senri had on a plain white polo shirt with a chic vest, completed with a pair of beige trousers. "Have you seen Ryouko-san?" Ritsu asked them.
"Ooh, you don't look half-bad, Shimada..." Mami said, scanning him from the feet up.
Ritsu brushed a hand on his forehead, feeling self-conscious.
"You look nice too, Chitose-kun," An said.
"I always look nice," Senri remarked.
"Sheesh, what a narcissist," Mami retorted. Miyako giggled.
"Well, have you seen her or not?" Ritsu said, going back to his question.
"Ryouko-chan won't be able to join us today. She went to take Keima-san to his father. They're having a breakfast appointment. She probably won't be able to catch up with us but she said she'll try," Miyako answered.
"Oh, I see," Ritsu said in disappointment. Senri heaved a sigh.
"Don't feel so discouraged. She'll still be spending the trip back to Tokyo with us," An said.
The cheeks of both boys flared up. "I'm not discouraged. Who says that I'm discouraged?" Senri said in a fluster and immediately made his exit.
"Hey, wait up!" Ritsu said and followed him.
"Those two are getting along quite well these days, don't you think?" Mami commented as he looked at the retreating backs of the boys.
"Yeah. I think it started from when Ryouko-chan had her panic attack. Shimada-kun is the one who encouraged Chitose-kun to talk to her. They've been hanging out since then," Miyako told her.
"Tsk, tsk ,tsk... It's a pity that both of them are infatuated with the same girl..." Mami said.
"I don't think so. Maybe that common ground would make their friendship tighter," Miyako remarked.
The girls' chat was interrupted by a bustle in the front of the grounds as Atobe Keigo made his way up the announcement stand.
"Gather around, you nincompoops. I don't have the time of day to waste on you so listen well," he said, his voice amplified by the wireless microphone in his hand.
The crowd quieted down slightly and he continued talking. "To maximize the time and prevent members from getting lost, each school will split up in groups of three to seven. The captains of the tennis teams will be responsible for their own team members and designate a meet-up place. All will be given a maximum of four hours before the buses return to camp. You can do everything you want within that time limit, just make sure that you would be in the meet-up place on time. We wouldn't want to waste time looking for anyone. The buses will leave at the designated schedule. Be careful not to get left behind. After the trip, everyone will return to camp for a quick lunch. Be sure to pack your things afterwards. The management would not be responsible for any forgotten or lost items. The time of departure would be announced by your team captains after returning from the trip. I hope everyone will have a good time. That is all," he said and started to step down from the stand.
"Why are you making the announcement? Where's Ryouko?" Gakuto piped up from the crowd, cocking the hat on his head to a smart angle.
"She's away at the moment for some family matters," Atobe answered.
"Does it mean that she won't be able to join us for the trip?" Kazuki asked.
"Yes. Obviously," Atobe said in a sarcastic tone. Ryouko's absence threw him into a sour mood. He was planning on kidnapping her with the car halfway through the trip and force her to choose some clothes for him. He was pretty annoyed when Amane informed him that Ryouko had gone to accompany Fujioka Keima to the hotel where the latter's father is waiting. As expected, it was the cousins who always mess up his opportunities.
"Aww, that's too bad..." The freshmen lot said to each other. They shared their disappointment in scattered murmurs.
"Well, there's no helping it... Just have fun, first-years. That's what Ryouko would want for you to do," Oishi told them.
After that, everyone became busy moving into small groups. Ryoma was about to join Momoshiro who spearheaded a bunch of other first years when someone tugged him by the arm.
"Ryo~ma~sama~" Osakada Tomoka said in a singsong tone. "Please form a group with me and Sakuno. Kurihara and Ayase already formed a group with Hoshimura and the others. We have no one to guide us."
"Tomo-chan, take it easy... Ryoma-kun is uncomfortable..." Sakuno said in a low voice, flustered at her friend's forceful way of asking.
Ryoma worked up a frown. "Why me?" he asked.
"Aw come on... You don't have a group yet, don't you?" Tomoka said.
"Not yet but I was about to join Momo-senpa-" his words got cut off when Tomoka dragged him off to Tezuka.
"Buchou, can we have Ryoma-sama as our group leader? It's a group of three with me, Ryoma-sama and Sakuno," Tomoka told him.
Tezuka looked down at them. Ryoma met his gaze and adamantly shook his head, a signal for him to refuse.
Tezuka looked at Ryuzaki Sakuno. The coach entrusted her to the regulars as she already went back to Tokyo earlier than them. Someone in the regular line up needs to watch over the coach's granddaughter. He looked around to locate the other regulars but it looked like they already made groups of five to six freshmen. It would be too much of a burden if he ask them to watch over Sakuno as well.
"Echizen, form a group with them and guard the girls well. I'm entrusting the coach's granddaughter to you," Tezuka said.
Tomoka's eyes widened in delight. "Thanks, Cap!" she piped up.
Ryoma's eyes widened. "But..." he said in protest.
"That's an order," Tezuka told him. "I'm putting your name with theirs as one group. Have fun and be careful not to get lost," he added and went to list out the names of the other groups.
Ryoma looked helplessly as the captain went away. He looked at Tomoka's excited face to Sakuno's abashed one and heaved out a sigh. "Fine. I got it," he said in surrender.
"Oh, thanks, Ryoma-sama! You won't regret it!" Tomoka said with assurance in her tone. She grabbed Sakuno's arm with her free hand and dragged the two towards the bus. "Let's go so we can get the good seats!"
Sakuno looked hesitantly at Ryoma as they walked. He looked a bit irked. "He's not angry, is he?" she wondered, full of anxiety. It was obvious that he only got forced to go with them. The last thing she wanted to do is get on Ryoma's bad side. Tomoka has the tendency to be pushy and she won't stop until she gets what she wants. Ryoma didn't look too pleased with the situation Tomoka pushed onto him.
"Please God. Please let this be a fun trip so Ryoma-kun won't be upset," she wished, uttering the prayer in her mind.
~~~
At the moment, Ryouko sat around a dinner table in a hotel's sky lounge, enjoying an after-meal tea with her uncle and cousin. Looking delicate and eye-catching in her smart outfit, people's necks kept on swerving as they passed by the Fujiokas' table. Aware of the eyes on her, Ryouko put on her best ladylike behavior. She put down the fragile china cup to the saucer and took a table napkin, giving her pink lips a gentle pat.
"Very beautiful..." Fujioka Mitsuhiko commented as he surveyed his niece. "This is why it is a waste to give you away to a family outside the Fujioka bloodline..."
Ryouko raised her eyes to him and smiled. "I believe that I am not an item to be given away though, Uncle Mitsuhiko," she responded.
"Oops. Sorry for my choice of words. Did I upset you?" Mitsuhiko said.
Ryouko shook her head and gave a small laugh. "No, not at all. Even though we don't spend much time with each other, I can tell whether my uncles are joking or being serious."
Mitsuhiko smiled widely. "You are indeed Ryouichi's daughter. Very sharp indeed."
They had the dishes cleared away and Ryouko entertained her uncle's questions patiently.
"How is Japan so far? Are you liking it here?" Mitsuhiko asked.
"It's been nice. I like the ambiance here. I've never had this much freedom since forever. I don't regret running away, though strictly speaking, I haven't exactly gotten away from the authority of our family. I'm still under the Elders' wings," she answered.
"Maybe you ought to take it easy with the rebelling, Ryouko-chan. You know that the Elders are always thinking of what is the best for you and the family. Do you know how shocked everyone was when Ichidou said that you were not in Australia with him?" Mitsuhiko said.
"If I really intend to rebel, Uncle, then I wouldn't have brought Licht with me. I don't plan on turning my back to the family. The Elders can be rest-assured with that but I also want them to know that I won't do everything they order me to do. Like my cousins, I also have my own life and I have a right to it more than anyone else," she replied.
Mitsuhiko pursed his lips. Ryouko had definitely inherited Asahina Rika's stubborn and free-willed personality that originally sprouted from Asahina Suzuki. Since the Asahina family merged with the Fujiokas, the Elders had always looked upon Asahina Suzuki in an unfavorable air. They do not approve of his principles or his impulsive way of diving into things headfirst. The Fujiokas had always made it a habit to make thorough plans and simulations before deciding something. The children two generations prior to the current set of Fujioka offsprings received strict lessons following the ancient way of thinking. It was Asahina Suzuki's entrance to the Fujioka residence that brought changes to the following batch.
Mitsuhiko and his brothers have received the same traditional way of coaching and had always thought that it didn't seem right. They did not have enough freedom, whether it be their actions or their choices. It was Uncle Suzuki who taught them how to speak their minds. As the seven brothers matured, they vowed to change the Fujioka's ways of raising children and made promises not to make their children suffer the same lack of freedom that they grew up with. Thus, the current Fujioka obocchamas were able to decide their destinies according to their desires and choices, with the condition that the path they wanted to take coincides with their natural talents.
The Fujioka's way is changing gradually but it was with Ryouko's case that the Elders refused to put their foot down on. As the only female in four generations, her decisions can bring either good or harm to the clan's future. It was not matter they would easily let slide.
Still, everyone agreed that they wanted Ryouko to have a say in the matters. The Elders also believed that she is still too young for them to be forcing any major decisions on her thus they contented themselves by keeping her at bay. Mitsuhiko and his brothers know that even though everyone made Ryouko think that the family is leaving her alone, the Elders receive regular updates about her. Rumor has it that the Elders have returned to the clan's main house in Hokkaido, keeping as close as possible to the precious Fujioka princess. Mitsuhiko still doesn't get why Ryouko's case needed to be treated in such a special way. They should just let the child live her life the way she pleases. That would take the trouble out of everything.
Well, if he is already that frustrated about the matter, just imagine what Ryouichi and Rika are feeling. It is their daughter's life and future that is in line. Mitsuhiko could only guess their anxiety.
"Uncle," Ryouko's voice made Mitsuhiko snap back to reality. He looked at his niece.
"Are you alright, Uncle? You seemed dazed for a moment," Ryouko told him.
Mitsuhiko mustered a smile. "I am fine. Don't worry. I was just thinking," he answered.
Ryouko smiled back. She looked a little hesitant before opening her mouth again. "Uncle, if you don't mind, may I excuse myself now? We finished breakfast and everything... So if you don't need anything more from me, I would like to go ahead," she said cautiously.
Keima, who was trying hard to keep his eyelids open, jerked into alertness. "You're going so soon?" he said.
"Well... Actually, I have a prior arrangement even before we set this breakfast appointment. I have to keep my promise," she said.
"What kind of prior arrangement?" Mitsuhiko asked, quite curious.
"I was supposed to go sight-seeing around the city with a good friend of mine. I promised to give him my undivided attention for this morning. I already broke the promise partly. I should at least atone for that by showing up halfway through the trip," she explained.
Keima looked at Ryouko for a second before toying with the flower petals of the white rose on the vase of their table. "Is it Ranma-kun perhaps?"
"Ranma?" Mitsuhiko said in curiosity. "Isn't that a boy's name?" he mused.
"There you go again..." Ryouko said smilingly at Keima. "It's Ryoma, Kei-chan. Ryoma, not Ranma."
"Ryoma? Why does that name ring a bell?" Mitsuhiko asked, the light furrows on his forehead deepening as he tried to recall.
"He's... uhh..." Ryouko said, pondering whether she should tell her Uncle that it was the same boy whom she almost developed a dependence on during the time that her phobic attacks were most vicious. After all, her Uncles had played a role in separating her from Ryoma four years ago.
"He's a teammate from camp. He and Ryouko attends the same tennis club at school," Keima answered for her. He looked at his father. "They're really good buddies."
"Oh. Is that so?" Mitsuhiko said.
Ryouko nodded. "I wouldn't want to upset anyone in the team. It would mess up the morale. I'm the club manager after all," she said.
"I understand," Mitsuhiko said with a nod. "Well, there's no helping it then. You can go," he added with a smile.
Ryouko heaved an internal sigh of relief. She approached her Uncle and bowed politely. "Until the next time, Uncle Mitsuhiko. Please take care on your trip," she said.
Mitsuhiko opened his arms. Ryouko walked into the hug. "I've missed you, princess. It's a shame that you're growing up so soon. It seemed like only yesterday when we were taking turns in carrying your little baby self in our arms. You were such a sweet bundle of joy."
"I still am, Uncle Mitsuhiko. Though the joy might be mixed with a bit of a headache every now and then," Ryouko joked. Mitsuhiko laughed as they broke away.
Ryouko moved on to Keima and gave him an embrace. "I owe you one," she whispered near his ear before giving him an affectionate squeeze.
"Sure. Anything to make you happy," Keima whispered back. Somehow though, he felt a little forlorn that he had to back her up so she could meet with Ranma-kun freely. He liked Ranma-kun so his current feelings doesn't quite make any sense to him. There's no reason for him to feel sad. But as he watched Ryouko exit the lounge, walking to the direction of the elevator, he couldn't help feeling a tad regretful. Did he really do the right thing?
"It's alright," he told himself. "What makes Ryouko happy makes Keima contented," he added and gave a fleeting smile.
~~~
"Kocchi, kocchi! (Here, here!)" Tomoka said as she dragged Ryoma by the arm, half-walking, half-running towards a store that sells keychains and hair accessories. "This looks interesting, don't you think, Ryoma-sama?" she added, looking at the varieties of oddly-designed keychains and giving him a bright friendly smile.
"Yea," Ryoma answered unenthusiastically. He was bored out of his mind. He didn't want to be rude to the girls, so he made efforts for his boredom to not show on his face. It was an attempt at which he failed miserably. His facial expressions were too honest.
Sakuno had once again acted timid towards Ryoma. She thought that she had gotten a lot braver in interacting with him and wondered why she felt extra shy today. "You shouldn't be like this," she told herself. "This is a rare chance to be with Ryoma-kun for half a day," she added.
She thought of what she could possibly do to entertain Ryoma. She should use this chance to at least make an impact or a fun memory before they return to Tokyo.
"Umm, Ry-Ryoma-kun..." she said, her voice unusually squeaky.
"Wah, this is pretty cool," Tomoka said aloud, drowning out her friend's feeble call. She touched a couple of keychains adorned with different sports equipment. There were basketballs, softballs, baseball bats and other sports paraphernalia.
The tennis rackets had caught Ryoma's attention, especially a couple of identical ones with different color linings.
Sakuno had also noticed the items. Tennis... That's right... Tennis is the one and only way that she can use to get close to Ryoma. She looked hopefully at him. Maybe she could buy a couple and give one to Ryoma as a gift? She was about to open her mouth to say something when she saw a peculiar look in Ryoma's eyes.
His deadpan brown-bronze pupils brightened a little and a smile played at the corner of his lips. He took a pair of keychains off the display, one black with a red frame and the other white with a blue frame. "Neat," he said and immediately went to the counter. "I'll take these, please," he told the saleslady, much to Sakuno's disappointment.
"Oh? This is a couple item. Are you going to give the other one to someone special?" the saleslady asked, attempting small talk as she processed the purchase.
Ryoma shrugged. "Just a friend of mine. We play tennis together," he answered.
Both Sakuno and Tomoka watched him, the former pursing her lips and the latter with a frown on her face. They knew exactly to whom he would give the keychain. Sakuno felt disheartened. "Yappari... (As expected...)" she thought, smiling sadly.
Tomoka saw Sakuno's face and couldn't help feeling upset. She mustered a smile and took Sakuno's hand. She dragged her friend to where Ryoma is and hooked her free arm on his elbow. "Ryoma-sama," she said, careful to keep her tone lively. "Shall we go check out the other stores? There's a lot more down the street."
Ryoma didn't even have time to reply. Tomoka had already pulled him and Sakuno away from the store. He tucked his parcel inside the sling bag he brought with him and tried to keep up.
Tomoka made both he and Sakuno busy with flying from one stall to another. He marveled at Osakada Tomoka's display of energy. How can somebody even manage to keep on talking like that? One thing is certain though... He is beginning to feel a bit tired from all the walking.
"Nee, isn't this enough? I think you've seen everything there is to see. Maybe we can go back to the bus?" he said, tagging along from behind the two girls.
"What are you saying, Ryoma-sama? It's not everyday we get to visit Okinawa. We should take everything in while we still can," Tomoka answered.
Ryoma sighed internally. He couldn't possibly go back to the bus alone and leave the two girls. Since he is the only male in this group, he had the responsibility of making sure they go back together safe and sound. Tezuka-buchou would surely scold him if he comes back alone. Also, Ryuzaki is the granddaughter of their coach and that makes it more burdensome.
He walked behind, dragging his feet with what little motivation he has and making sure that he would not lose sight of the girls. Sakuno looked over her shoulder at him every once in a while.
Ryoma let his thoughts wander randomly as he half-heartedly followed the girls.
He found himself thinking about Ryouko and her behavior at the camp. He is still pissed off at her for forgetting her promise to spend the trip together. For someone who'd rather practice and sleep during her free time, she seemed too much of a social butterfly in this camp. She usually didn't entertain leadership roles since she found them troublesome. She even refused the offer of the student council for her to stand as one of the freshmen representatives.
In the first place, Ryoma thought that it didn't make sense for her to hold so much responsibilities in the camp. Because of that, she spent about three-fourths of the whole six days in the company of other people. She also mingled pretty well with the high-schoolers because of a few acquaintances. His overall view of those details lumped together is unpleasant. He didn't like it. Maybe this was what Ichidou felt when she was hanging out with him when they were young. It makes sense for Ichidou to be bothered though, because he and Ryouko are cousins.
In comparison to that, Ryoma found his thoughts pretty senseless. There is no reason why he should monopolize Ryouko and mind every single person she spends time with. Isn't that a little too overbearing, even for a childhood friend?
Sakuno and Tomoka rounded a corner on the way to the cluster of stalls down the next intersection. Ryoma followed the girls when all of a sudden, a pair of arms pulled him into a dark alley on his left. His eyes widened as the perpetrator pressed a palm on his mouth.
"It's getting hot, isn't it?" Tomoka told Sakuno. The latter nodded and wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead.
Tomoka turned around and said, "Ryoma-sama, let's get some ice cream from that parlo—" Her words faded as she scanned the people walking by. Ryoma was nowhere to be seen.
"Ryoma-sama?" Tomoka called, walking towards the spot she last saw him. She went past the alley but didn't bother looking sidewards. Sakuno followed her and looked around. "Ryoma-kun?" she said softly.
Inside the alley, Ryoma is being held hostage by an unknown culprit, a palm pressed firmly on his mouth and the person's other arm holding him back with a sturdy grasp.
"Mmmp," Ryoma said, his voice muffled.
"Shh..." the perpetrator said. He recognized the voice immediately. He looked over his shoulder and saw Ryouko grinning in the dim light.
"Keep quiet, just until they pass by," she whispered.
Tomoka continued calling Ryoma's name, her voice sounding farther and farther with each passing second.
When Ryoma was certain that the two girls were far enough, he pulled Ryouko's hand from his mouth. "What the heck are you doing?" he said in a reprimanding tone.
"Kidnapping you," Ryouko answered, grabbed his hand and led him to the other side of the alley.
Ryoma looked at his hand squeezed in hers and felt self-conscious. He jerked his hand away. "I can walk on my own. There's no need to drag me like a puppy on a leash," he said, a bit annoyed.
Ryouko turned to him. "Oh, what's this? You don't seem to be happy to see me..." she said jokingly.
"Aren't you supposed to be with your Uncle and cousin right now?" he answered moodily.
"I excused myself early and said that I had a prior arrangement. We just finished breakfast and then they left for their flight," she told him. "Did you forget my promise yesterday? I told you that I'm gonna buy you something to make up for kicking you in the banana boat race," she added.
"I thought you won't have time for that with your family appointment and all," Ryoma replied.
"That hurts. I thought you knew me better than this. I do try to keep my promises when I can," Ryouko said.
"Yeah right," Ryoma said sarcastically.
Ryouko rolled her eyes. "If you don't want to hang out with me then I'll find someone willing to take your place," she said and made a sharp turn.
Ryoma grabbed her hand. "No one can possibly take my place. Quit making those lame jokes," he remarked.
Ryouko tried to take her hand back but he squeezed firmly. "This way," Ryoma said and dragged her to the exit.
They walked aimlessly in silence for a few minutes and reached a bridge. Upon arriving, Ryouko jerked her hand from Ryoma's grasp and gave him a glare. She placed both elbows on the metal railing and glowered at the water below.
Ryoma threw her a side glance tentatively. She looked pretty peeved. Maybe he shouldn't have run his mouth like that. He knows that Ryouko is easily upset when people fail to go along with her jokes.
As an attempt to set things right, he took a step closer to her and cleared his throat. "You shouldn't go popping up out of nowhere like that... Not everyone enjoys your little ploys of surprise," he said.
"Well, I'm so terribly sorry about that. I'll be careful next time," Ryouko said with a bitter tone, putting emphasis in her words. She had noticed that Ryoma had stepped closer and thus inched sidewards to put a gap between them.
Ryoma bit his lower lip in frustration. His statements just made the mood even heavier. He made a face. "Why's she so hard to please?" he thought in annoyance. He wondered what he could say to pacify her.
"I was just trying to have you all to myself so I had to do something to shake off Ryuzaki and Osakada. If that's so upsetting, you can go find them," Ryouko said, glaring at the water below with a childish grimace.
Ryoma felt his pulse quicken after hearing the first sentence. She was what? Trying to have him all to herself? What exactly does she mean by that?
"What do you mean by that exactly?" he said, voicing out his thoughts.
Ryouko looked sidewards at him, an eyebrow arched. "Stupid boy. You call that a question?" she snapped. "It's just as the words implied. I promised to give you my time for today and I took it that you also entrusted your time to me. And then I find you hanging out with someone else instead of waiting for me. I didn't even receive a single text message from you asking if the date is off. I shook them off because I can't have other people tagging along. I vouched for your companion, not theirs," she explained in an irked tone.
"Why're you getting angry?" Ryoma said, becoming triggered.
"I'm not getting angry," Ryouko denied.
"You are so getting angry. Look at the way you're raising your voice," Ryoma pointed out, folding his arms over his chest.
"My voice is always like this," Ryouko said stubbornly, sticking to her grounds.
"No, it's not," Ryoma said.
"It is!" Ryouko retorted.
"It's not!" Ryoma countered.
"It is!" Ryouko yelled back.
They took a step closer with each remark and were now face to face, inches apart, glaring at each other.
Suddenly, a couple of drunken men passed the bridge, walking groggily and singing merrily. One of them pushed Ryoma from the back making him stumble forward. He was propelled to Ryouko, his cheek grazing hers. Ryouko caught him impulsively, her hands landing on both of his shoulders.
"Hey! Kids should study instead of dating!" the man yelled and proceeded with his drunken singing.
Both were stunned for a moment and stared at each other with wide eyes. Then Ryouko found her senses and broke into a late response. "Sheesh, stop drinking at broad daylight, Mister! It's bad example to your kids!" she yelled at the men's retreating figures. This attracted some attention from the bystanders and the people manning nearby stalls.
Surprised at her outburst, Ryoma placed a palm over her mouth. "Geez, don't shout at the elderly. You're embarrassing me," he whispered and dragged her away from the stares of the people around them.
Once they got away, Ryouko freed her face from Ryoma's hand. "Sheesh," she said, making a face and craning her neck to check if the men were still within sight. "What an eyesore," she added.
"Shhhppp," Ryoma hissed in a scolding tone. "Stop being so nosy. Let them do what the heck they want, you goody-two-shoes." There was silence for a while as both digested the recent scenario.
They broke into a short amused laugh.
"Seriously... What on earth was that?" Ryoma said, shaking his head.
Ryouko rearranged the cap on her head with a slight grin on her face. "We should stop wasting time like those drunken men and just look around the city like what we're supposed to do," she said.
Ryoma nodded. "Fine by me," he replied with a shrug.
Ryouko suddenly slapped him playfully on the shoulder and exclaimed, "Race you to the next intersection!" She broke into a run.
"Hey! No fair getting a running start!" Ryoma yelled and chased after her. He caught up and pushed her in revenge. Ryouko tried to push him back but he successfully dodged.
Keeping true to the purpose of the trip, the two of them walked around actively, pointing at any interesting stuff that they see. They chatted as they pleased and made occasional jokes. As promised, Ryouko bought Ryoma everything he sets his heart into. They enjoyed a large parfait at an outdoor cafe and played a shooting game which earned them a free item.
The young man who ran the stall was pretty impressed with Ryouko's skills. Sticking to the rule that Ryoma's will would be prioritized, Ryouko let him choose the prize.
"The cap looks nice," Ryouko told him, pointing at the dark blue cap with a black embroidery on the front.
"I have enough caps at home," Ryoma replied.
"You can't possibly have too many," she responded.
"What was that?" Ryoma said as he squinted at a box in the rewards area.
"Those are friendship rings. They're made of stainless steel. It's a popular prize item. A lot of students get addicted at our game because they want to win a pair," the young man said.
"Really?" Ryoma said. "Can we have a look?"
"Sure," the young man answered and fetched the sample on display. "Fortunately, a new stock came in. The ring size can be adjusted but only to a certain limit. I think I'll be able to find some that can fit to your finger. If I can't, it's also cool to wear the rings on chains around your neck." He handed them the box where the rings were laid.
"It looks cool," Ryouko said and selected one with a thin blue band.
Ryoma took a ring with a small silver stone at the middle. "I like this one," he said and showed it to Ryouko. She nodded upon peering at the design. She turned to the young man. "Do you have ones in this design that can be adjusted to his size and mine?"
"Wait a minute. I'll check," he said and went to the back of the stall. He came back after a few seconds. "Try these on," he said and handed them the items.
Ryouko took the rings and grabbed Ryoma's left hand. "Let's see," she said and slipped one on his ring finger. She only needed to adjust a millimeter for it to fit. She smiled at the young man. "You have a good eye, Onii-san. It's a perfect fit."
"Not as good as his eye though," the young man smiled back, gesturing at Ryoma. "He found himself such a pretty girlfriend," he added.
Ryoma was in the middle of placing the other ring on Ryouko's finger. He almost dropped it upon hearing the young man's comment. Fortunately, he was able to slip it in place after his grip loosened.
"He's not my boyfriend," Ryouko said, quite amused.
"We're best friends. Can't you tell?" Ryoma added matter-of-factly.
"Really?" the young man said, his brown eyes brightening. He turned to Ryouko. "Do you have a boyfriend then?"
Ryouko shook her head. "You sure are chatty, Onii-san," she commented.
The young man laughed in response. "It's natural for a someone running a business like this to be capable of holding a conversation with customers," he told her. "How old are you anyway? Do you like guys older than you?" he said and gave her a wink.
Ryoma was quick to butt in. "We're fine with these ones for the prize, thank you," he told the guy, grabbed Ryouko's hand and dragged her away from the stall.
"Hey," Ryouko said and looked over her shoulder.
The young man waved. "Please come visit again! I'll give you a freebie!" he yelled.
"Ridiculous," Ryouko heard Ryoma say as they went farther from the stall. "Hitting on a junior high student. He should be ashamed," he added, sounding scornful.
"We don't have to leave in such a hurry. Maybe he could've given us a couple of silver chains to wear the rings with," Ryouko said.
Ryoma looked at her disbelievingly and gave a huff. "Are you serious? He was obviously hitting on you. Why would you give him the time of day for a couple of freebies?"
"Free stuff are gratifying. I got an extra two ice cream scoops once because the salesman was captivated by my looks. What's the use of good looks if I can't take advantage of it?" Ryouko answered matter-of-factly.
Ryoma rolled his eyes and shook his head helplessly. "You're a hopeless case," he told her.
"I'll take that as a compliment," Ryouko replied. She took Ryoma's hand where the ring was and placed her own hand beside it to take a look at both rings. "Wah. It's awesome," she commented. "Thinking about it, it's the first time we owned something that's part of a pair. We didn't like these sorta things when we were young."
"I thought it too corny back then. We're not twins or anything. There's no reason for us to own matching belongings," Ryoma remarked. Suddenly, a thought hit him. "Now that I remember..." he said and rummaged inside his sling bag for something.
Ryouko watched her in curiosity.
"Get a load of this," Ryoma said and showed her the keychains he bought earlier.
The corners of Ryouko's eyes crinkled as she smiled and took the keychains from him. "Cool," she said. "Where'd you got them?" she asked.
"At a souvenir shop. I passed by it earlier with Osakada and Ryuzaki," he told her.
The mentioning of the two girls put Ryouko in a bit of a foul mood. She didn't let it show though. There's no reason to ruin the atmosphere by acting silly. "Which one is mine?" she asked instead.
"The white one," Ryoma answered. "The black one goes well with my tennis bag," he added.
"Okay," Ryouko said and took the keychain with the white tennis racket. She secured it inside her pocket.
All of a sudden, Ryoma recalled something. Citing the two girls' names gave him a prompt reminder that he was assigned to the same group as Osakada and Ryuzaki. He wasn't supposed to go off by himself and get separated from his companions. The captain warned them strictly about staying together and that they should return to the meeting place as a complete group.
Feeling an unpleasant foreboding, he abruptly took out his phone. As soon the screen lit up, he gave an inaudible gasp. Fifteen messages and twenty-five missed calls. It was stupid of him to set his phone on silent mode.
"Oops," he said as he scanned through the messages.
"What?" Ryouko asked, curious at his actions. She peered at the screen.
Ryoma almost dropped the phone when a flashing name popped up. Oishi is calling him.
"Shit," he cursed out in English.
"What? What's wrong?" Ryouko asked, getting alarmed at the look on his face.
"I'm not supposed to get separated from Osakada and Ryuzaki. And I was also supposed to return back to base with them. Since I disappeared without a word, they must've reported me missing or something," he told her.
Ryouko's jaw dropped. "Why didn't you tell me that earlier?"
"It slipped my mind. You can't blame me about that. You're the one who popped up out of nowhere," he said.
Ryouko heaved out a sigh of exasperation. "Well, just answer the phone and say that you're fine," she said.
"What should I say?" Ryoma asked.
"The truth," Ryouko answered.
Ryoma sighed. He cleared his throat before receiving the call.
"Oishi-senpai?" he said with uncertainty in his tone. He suddenly brought the phone away from his ear. It seemed like Oishi just yelled at him. "Sumimasendeshita (I'm terribly sorry)," Ryoma said.
Ryouko heard a few of what Oishi is saying. 'Why weren't you answering your phone?'
"I had it on silent mode, senpai. I didn't notice," Ryoma replied.
'Osakada said you suddenly disappeared. They were really worried and rushed back to base when they couldn't find you anywhere,' Oishi said.
Ryouko pursed her lips. This is obviously her fault. She had to take responsibility.
Ryoma was surprised when Ryouko suddenly took hold of the phone and brought it near her. "Oishi-senpai. I'm sorry to intrude. This is Ryouko speaking," she said.
"Whatcha doing?" Ryoma hissed at her.
Ryouko made a face at him. "Let me handle this," she hissed back.
'Ryouko? Why are you there?' Oishi said with a confused tone.
At the other end of the line, Tezuka, Fuji, Tomoka and Sakuno were listening to Ryoma and Oishi's conversation via speaker phone. They were all surprised to hear Ryouko's voice.
"Why is she?" Tomoka said, her words fading. She exchanged looks with Sakuno.
"This is my fault, senpai. I dragged Ryoma off with me without telling the girls. I didn't know about the rules. Ryoma also didn't have the time to explain to me because we got distracted. I'll take responsibility for this. Ryoma did nothing wrong," she explained.
"Well, weren't you supposed to be with your Uncle and cousin?" Oishi asked.
"I excused myself early. I had a previous arrangement with Ryoma before my Uncle invited me to meet him. Ryoma also thought that I won't be coming. I sort of just popped up out of nowhere and I didn't give him the time to notify anyone. I'm really sorry," Ryouko answered. "Did the girls return to the meeting place safely?" she added.
"They're already here. Don't worry about that," Oishi said.
"We'll also go back now. Time is almost up anyways. I'll apologize to the girls in person once we arrive. Please tell them that it's not Ryoma's fault," Ryouko remarked.
"Okay. Echizen knows the details of the meeting place. Go back safely," Oishi said.
"Thanks, senpai. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. We'll see you there," Ryouko said.
From the other line, they heard Ryoma and Ryouko's brief exchange of words. "Why'd you tell them that it's your fault? I'm the one who forgot the rules," Ryoma said, his voice muffled in the background.
"It's my fault for dragging you off anyways. It's only right that I take the blame," Ryouko replied, her voice equally fuzzy.
"Did senpai scold you?" Ryoma asked.
"No. Oishi-senpai is very nice. He'll understand once I explain to him. I'll also talk to Buchou and explain the situation," Ryouko answered.
"If you're getting punished, I'm getting punished as well. You can't take all the blame. It's also my fault for forgetting," Ryoma said.
"Fine, fine. Let's get chummy and get punished together. You okay with that?" Ryouko said, her muffled voice sounding exasperated.
"Shit, I forgot to drop the call," Ryoma said. There was a bit of a shuffling sound before a click was heard. The call was disconnected. Tezuka, Fuji, Oishi, Tomoka and Sakuno were silent for a moment.
"They really are close friends, aren't they? Echizen and Ryouko-chan I mean..." Oishi said, breaking the ice.
"It might take some time in getting used to that..." Fuji commented, feeling a little sour.
The girls were silent but thought the same. Ever since Ryoma and Ryouko's relationship as childhood friends was revealed, people had no trouble noticing just how much of a close friend they are to each other. Both have quite passive personalities, but that didn't seem to be the case in the interactions between the two of them. Just from observing the change in their attitude, it was clear that they care for each other a lot.
"Well, the main point is that we've confirmed that Echizen is fine," Tezuka said. "Let's wait for everyone to arrive and return to the campsite."
Surprisingly, Ryoma and Ryouko made it to the meeting place before the other groups arrived. They bowed to the seniors as soon as they reached the bus.
"I apologize again for the inconvenience," Ryouko said. She turned to Sakuno and Tomoka. "You must've been worried. I'm really sorry. I played a prank and well... It got out of hand," she explained, lifting a hand to her head and straightening her beret.
"I'm also at fault. I should've contacted you," Ryoma told them.
"No worries. It's fine," Tomoka said, keeping a poker-face. "What's important is that Ryoma-sama is safe."
Ryoma and Ryouko shifted their gaze to Sakuno, waiting for her response. Her eyes widened a bit in surprise. "It-it's okay..." she stuttered.
The two exchanged a brief glance as if reassuring each other. "Thanks," they chorused, relaying their attitude to both Tomoka and Sakuno.
Ryoma nudged Ryouko with his elbow. "I'm parched. Let's go buy some refreshments," he said.
"There's a vending machine somewhere over there," Oishi told them, pointing at an area behind the bus.
"Can we go there for a minute, senpai?" Ryouko asked.
"Sure. Just don't wander off. We'll be leaving soon," Oishi answered. Ryoma and Ryouko bowed politely before going on their way.
A few seconds later, Momoshiro's group arrived. Horio, Kachiro, Katsuo, Senri and Ritsu were with him. They ran towards the bus. Momoshiro went straight to Sakuno and Tomoka. "Is it true that Echizen got kidnapped?" he said with a huff.
"What's with that text message, Osakada? Is Echizen in trouble?" Horio added.
"Err..." Tomoka said, at a loss for words.
Tezuka looked at her. "Did you contact the other members about it as well?"
"Just Horio. I know that Momo-senpai is with him so..." Tomoka said, scratching her head. "We were panicking a little and thought that we had to contact more people. Sorry, senpai," she explained and looked up at him apologetically.
Tezuka sighed. "Well, it can't be helped," he said.
The newly arrived boys looked at each other questioningly. "So what is it? Did Echizen get kidnapped or not?" Senri asked.
"I did get kidnapped," A voice from behind interrupted. Ryoma approached them, drinking from a bottle of cider.
"Echizen!" Horio said.
"There's no need to yell. I can hear you very well," Ryoma told him.
"You really did get kidnapped?" Ritsu asked, butting in the conversation.
"Yep," Ryoma said. "By her." He pointed a thumb right behind him. Ryouko stepped from behind and waved at the boys. "Did you have a good time?" she asked.
"Ryouko-san!" Ritsu said in delight. "But we thought that you won't be able to join us," he added as he half-walked, half-ran towards her. Ryouko merely shrugged in response.
Senri walked towards them calmly, carefully masking the fact that he's also happy to see her.
Kachiro, Horio and Katsuo expressed their merriment with Ritsu and crowded around Ryouko, talking about the sights they saw and the souvenirs that they bought.
"Wait a minute," Horio suddenly said. "Does it mean that you're with Echizen all this time, Ryouko-san?" The freshmen went silent.
"I had a small meal with Uncle Mitsuhiko and Keima then I went to find Ryoma. I promised to hang out with him today," she answered.
All of a sudden, they heard a faint knock. They all looked up and saw Ryoma knocking on one of the bus windows. He signalled for Ryouko to go inside. She smiled and gave him a thumbs up.
"Well, it's nice that you enjoyed the trip. I'll go board the bus first. It's pretty hot out here," she told them and proceeded to join Ryoma in the bus.
"Damn that Echizen... He's so chummy with Ryouko-san. Don't you think it's unfair?" Horio said, making a face at the bus window. "To think that just a week ago, they barely speak with each other in class. The surprise about them being childhood friends is probably just sinking into my brain right now..."
"It can't be helped. They know each other since they were little. Ryoma-kun knows her way better than anyone in school. We can't feel bitter about that," Kachiro commented.
But try as they may to avoid feeling bitter, there were a few who cannot help but feel that way. Senri and Ritsu coincidentally met each other's eyes and sympathized with one another for a split-second.
After ten minutes, everyone in the Seigaku tennis team arrived and Tezuka requested a head count. As soon as they made sure that no one is missing, they boarded the bus and took off.
Sakuno was not very comfortable in the ride back to the campsite. Ryoma and Ryouko were sitting next to each other only one seat away from where Sakuno and Tomoka sat. She couldn't help looking over there and watch the two converse casually.
"Sakuno, are you sleepy?" Tomoka suddenly whispered at her ear.
"Huh?" Sakuno said, turning her head to the side.
"Can you lend me your shoulder for a bit?" Tomoka said, stifling a yawn.
Sakuno surveyed the bus and noticed that almost everyone had dozed off. The heat they experienced outside and the comfortable air-conditioning of the vehicle made everyone's eyes droop. They took that time to regain their strength before they reach the camp. After all, they have to pack their bags and prepare for their departure in the afternoon.
Sakuno let Tomoka use her shoulder as a pillow. Her eyes wandered towards Ryoma and Ryouko again before she also felt the exhaustion. She and Tomoka frolicked from stall to stall and searched the intersections for Ryoma. It's no wonder that they feel extra tired. She felt a bit distressed. No, it was more like a mixture of disappointment and hurt.
Sakuno was relieved that Ryoma is safe but... "Why does he have to be with Ryouko-san?" she said in her mind. Unable to bear looking at Ryoma and Ryouko together, she closed her eyes.
Sakuno rarely thinks ill of other people as she is usually very accepting. This time was different.
"Ryouko-san. Why did you have to go here? It would have been better if you never arrived in our school," she thought before drifting into an anxious sleep.
~~~
Ryoma and Ryouko were one of the few able to stay awake during the ride back to the camp. They chatted about random things to pass time. When they ran put of things to talk about, they enjoyed the comfortable silence between them. It had been so long since they last spent their time solely on one another.
Ryoma's eyes wandered towards Ryouko's hand, looking at the friendship ring. He traced the silver stone on his own ring. He felt really pleased.
Ryoma placed his chin on his palm and stared at Ryouko sideways. She noticed him staring and blinked in surprise. "Why're you looking at me like that?" she said, her tone tinged with foreboding.
"Betsuni (Nothing really)," he replied, smirking.
Ryouko kept a wary glance at him. "Why is he being like that? It's creepy," she thought. An idea suddenly hit her. "He's not gonna ask me to buy him more stuff, is he?" she asked herself. She stealthily took her purse and peeked at the contents of her wallet. "He better not be thinking of that. I'm running low on cash," she thought and bit her lower lip. She tried to avoid Ryoma's eyes as to not encourage anything.
"Say..." Ryoma said, startling Ryouko a bit.
"What?" she abruptly replied.
"This has been on my mind for a while. It's been bothering me a little. Maybe you can help me take it off my chest," he said.
Ryouko looked at him questioningly. "Wah. It's rare to see you actually thinking," she said incredulously.
Ryoma gave her a blank stare, an obvious signal for her to knock it off.
"Sorry. It's a habit," she said and lightly slapped her mouth.
"A bad habit," Ryoma corrected. He rolled his eyes at her lack of delicacy. "I must be crazy to want to monopolize your time," he mumbled.
"What?" Ryouko said, reacting at the last sentence.
Ryoma bit his lower lip in frustration. "Drats. It slipped," he thought and silently scolded himself.
"What do you mean by you want to monopolize my time?" Ryouko asked.
Ryoma blinked and looked slightly abashed. He avoided Ryouko's eyes as he talked. "That's what I want to ask you about. Is it weird for me to want to monopolize your time? Like wanting to spend time alone with you or getting frustrated when you spend time with people other than me. I figured it was a normal reaction since we've been separated for a long time but..." he said, his words fading. He couldn't find any good way to accurately explain what he wanted to say.
Ryouko watched his expression getting more awkward as the seconds tick by. Her lips slowly turned up in a smile. She couldn't help thinking of how endearing Ryoma looked at the moment. She gloated internally and felt a sense of relief. "So it wasn't just me who wanted to monopolize someone's time..." she told herself.
Ryoma noticed her smiling and blinked questioningly. "Why're you grinning like that? Stop it. It's creepy," he said.
Ryouko let the insult slide and let out a giggle. "Hey, is it so weird for a couple of extremely close friends to want to spend time together as often as possible? And we're not the normal kind of buddies, we're rivals and childhood friends as well. If it's strange for you to think that way, then you're not the only weird one," she told him and smiled.
Ryoma was silent as he processed Ryouko's answer. He felt warm inside, knowing that she thinks the same way. It was a nice feeling of assuagement. He did good in asking her or he would've dwelled on his feelings for a long time. What he was really worried about is that it might place a gap between him and Ryouko. For a bestfriend to be so demanding, he was concerned that he might be asking for too much.
"You can take up my time as much as you like as long as I can also take up your time for as long as I like," Ryouko said. "It's give and take and none of us is losing out on anything. I probably never said it before but I love your company. It also irks me if you become chummy with other people. You know that I'm quite demanding. That doesn't bother you, does it?" she added and playfully raised an eyebrow at him.
Ryoma grinned. "Then I guess we just have to deal with each other's stubbornness for as long as we can," he replied.
Ryouko reached out her fist at him, the silver stone of her ring glinting in the sunlight streaming from the window. Ryoma also made a fist and knocked the stone of his ring with hers. It made a delightful clink.
"To best buddies," Ryoma said.
"And best rivals," Ryouko added.
They smiled at each other and looked at the other's eyes sincerely.
The moment was broken when the driver announced that they have reached their destination. The Seigaku tennis team members awakened one by one and nudged the others still in deep slumber, their mouths hanging open.
They filed out of the bus and was greeted by the basketball players. The seniors had layed out an outside lunch for the junior high schoolers. They wanted the last meal they would share with each other to be simple but special. The other teams have arrived earlier than them. The Fudoumine members were already broiling kebabs of chicken and vegetable pieces on a large grill. The Seigaku freshmen gleefully joined them.
The youngsters enjoyed their last bonding time to the fullest. Youth is similar to the few days that they have shared together in the camp. Short, fleeting... Days fade by like a whirlwind, each second, minute and hour passing like water flowing smooth and fast in a riverbed. Very soon, the water will exit the river and enter the vast ocean like how the campers would move onto a larger and much more challenging world in their unknown future.
Such moments of warm companionship and youthful glee should be kept close to one's heart until they become memories that one would cherish and recall fondly at the time yet to come.
~~~
"Ah~" Koganei said. "I don't like farewells. Can I be exempted from this?" he droned in a forlorn voice.
"Don't say that, senpai. At least say goodbye," Kikumaru told him. Of all the people in the camp, Koganei spent the most time with Kikumaru.
The basketball players and the tennis players were gathered near the front gates. The buses that would take the junior high teams to the airport were parked outside. The senpais and kouhais were taking their time to bid each other goodbye. It was short and fleeting but they enjoyed their time together at the camp. Certain that the event might be their first and last get-together, each began devising different ways to stay in contact after the parting.
Izuki and Davide exchanged mail addresses with a promise to send each other at least one joke a day.
Hyuga doesn't look too happy about it, knowing that they would be the ones Izuki would try the jokes on. "I guess we won't get a break from Izuki's puns for a long time," he mused.
"Ifever you're interested in switching to basketball, don't hesitate to send me a message," Riko said, pestering Momoshiro for the last time.
Momoshiro answered with an exasperated laugh and took the calling card that Riko was brandishing on his face. "Okay," he said.
"Ooh, what's that?" Satsuki said, peering at the calling card.
Riko smiled smugly. "It's my very own calling card. I'm set on becoming a coach and trainer for my future career. I got the cards made after we won the Winter Cup. Impressive, right?" she boasted.
"Well, it does look pretty impressive," Satsuki commented with a shrug. "Not bad for a B cup," she added.
"The last comment was unnecessary," Riko hissed in irritation.
"You can have this, Murasakibara-senpai," Jiro said as he handed a bag of goodies to the purple-haired giant. "I bought them from some specialty stores. They make melon-flavored snacks."
"Thanks," Murasakibara said as he took the bag. He stared at it for a second before rummaging through his pockets. He found two chocolate-coated pretzel boxes and gave them to Jiro.
Jiro took the snacks and stared blankly at them. "Are these your left-overs?"
"Shut up. Don't be picky," Murasakibara snapped.
"Here. Oha-asa's lucky item for your star sign is a blue signpen. You ought to take this so you won't get into accidents on the way back to Tokyo," Midorima told Sengoku as he gave him the item.
"That sounds ominous. Please refrain from making such comments," Sengoku said in exasperation but took the pen nevertheless.
"Oh? Since when did those two hit it off?" Kise commented, surveying the two converse.
"Apparently, he's the only one who took Shin-chan's love of horoscope seriously," Takao answered.
The high schoolers and the junior high players spent the next five minutes bidding each other the best in their sports careers and school loves. Some took the opportunity to fool around for the last time and made quite a lot of noise.
At the corner nearest to the front gates, the second-cousins, Seijuro and Keigo, exchanged formal farewell remarks. Ryouko watched them in amusement.
"Well, take care on your way. Not that I feel concerned about your safety or anything..." Seijuro said.
"Hai, hai... You take care of yourself as well. I hope you fall flat on your face while practicing," Keigo answered sarcastically.
Both glared at the other with loathing.
"Would it hurt you to be a little nicer to each other?" Ryouko told them, smirking at their childishness.
"Yes," the two answered.
Ryouko shook her head in exasperation. She went towards Seijuro and took his arm. Seijuro looked down at her, blinking in curiosity.
"Mind if I borrow your cousin for a while?" Ryouko asked Keigo.
Kaigo stared at Ryouko's hand on the bend of Seijuro's elbow with an unpleasant gaze. "Borrow all you want," he said, his tone full of acerbity.
Ryouko dragged Seijuro a few feet away. "What is it?" Seijuro said as soon as they were out of earshot.
"Nothing. I just want a few moments to say a proper farewell," Ryouko said and brought out a hair ribbon from her pocket. "Do you mind?" she asked with a smile.
Seijuro smiled back. "Turn around," he said after taking the ribbon from her hand.
The two stayed silent as Seijuro worked on the knots. He took himself back to the moment he first tied Ryouko's hair ribbon for her. Who knew that the brat from before would grow up to be like this stubborn-headed young lady?
"I didn't have the opportunity to say that I missed you a lot. You became a better person while we were apart. I wish you all the best, Sei-sama," Ryouko said, feeling a bit sentimental as if it would be the last time they would exchange good regards.
"I do for you as well. I hope you accomplish everything there is you wish to achieve. I know you are capable enough," he said and he knotted the ribbon in place.
"Thank you," Ryouko said as she turned around to face him again. She gave him a bright childish smile.
Out of the corner of his eye, Seijuro saw Echizen Ryoma looking at them. Hayama and the other Rakuzan folks were conversing with him but it looked as if Ryoma wasn't listening to them. He was too busy minding Seijuro and Ryouko.
Seijuro smiled as a thought hit him. Maybe he can play a little prank.
He lifted his hand to Ryouko's head and patted her hair affectionately. Then he lowered himself to her height and touched his forehead with hers.
Ryoma flinched, his eyes widening. Atobe Keigo, who was standing a few feet away, saw the gesture as well and gave a huff.
Ryouko blinked as she looked at Seijuro's red pupils.
"Don't grow up so fast. Onii-chan will be heartbroken," Seijuro said in a whisper.
"Huh?" Ryouko said, unable to comprehend what he meant. She was about to ask when he broke away from her. He brushed his thumb on her cheek dearly. "Be careful on you way home," he said.
"Akashicchi, you're unfair! Hogging Ryoukocchi to yourself..." Kise said as he approached the two. Kuroko, Kagami, Kasamatsu and the other members of the Generation of Miracles followed behind him.
"Mada ita no ka, baka Kise? (You're still here, stupid Kise?)" Ryouko replied.
Kise was quite irked. "Can't you be a little nicer for once? And I'm not supposed to leave. You guys are the ones departing," he said in retort.
"Sorry. I probably mentioned it before but I just don't know the reason why I get very annoyed at the sight of your face," Ryouko said.
Kasamatsu laughed out loud. "That's why you are very likeable, little Ryouko. You have a nice eye for people," he said and reached out a hand for a handshake.
Ryouko took it. "I am honored," she said.
"I hate both of you," Kise said.
"We don't care," Kasamatsu and Ryouko said in unison.
Kise frowned. "Fine then. But even if you reject me all the time, I like the people that I like," he winked at Kuroko, making the latter cringe. "I'm a consistent person so I'll still give you your parting gift," he told Ryouko cheekily.
"What parting gift?" Ryouko asked.
Kise approached her with a grin, casually bent down and planted a kiss on the top of her head. "A goodbye kiss from Japan's best rising model," he declared.
The reactions to the gesture was priceless. Seijuro grabbed Kise by the collar and pulled him down. "Shinetai no ka, kono yaro? (You wanna die, you bastard?)" he said, his Emperor side leaking out.
"Ah, Akashicchi, it was just a joke," Kise said in his defense.
Kuroko had took his phone out and dialed a number. "Moshi moshi? Keisatsu desuka? (Hello? Is this the police?)"
"Kurokocchi!" Kise exclaimed in alarm.
"You need some help, Kuroko? Maybe I should also call security?" Kagami said, going along with the flow.
"Sure. That would be handy," Kuroko answered.
"This is clear-cut sexual harassment, isn't it?" Aomine said.
Midorima pushed his glasses up his nose. "Agreed. And towards a minor too, he should be ashamed," he commented.
"Excuse me but I'm also still a minor!" Kise stated, his tone annoyed.
The people around them laughed in amusement.
"Ah, this is fun... It would be a bit lonely without the kids around, don't you think?" Izuki told Mitobe.
Mitobe nodded and smiled.
At the far corner of the entrance, Ryoma narrowed his eyes at Ryouko. "Flirt. A total flirt," he mumbled to himself. He pursed his lips and silently scolded himself for badmouthing her. He told himself to remember their conversation on the bus. It calmed him down a bit.
"What was that, Chibisuke?" Hayama asked, overhearing his mumbling.
"Nothing. And why are you calling me Chibisuk-" his words were cut off as Hayama hooked an arm over his neck.
"Don't worry about the small details," Hayama remarked. This comment reminded Ryoma of their very own Momo-senpai. Thinking about it, the high school seniors and the junior high seniors have a lot of similarities and common grounds aside from being sports freaks. Maybe it was why the last few days of camp still became a success even with the presence of the basketball players.
"I hope we see each other again," Kuroko told Ryouko and held out a hand. Ryouko smiled and took the handshake.
"It's not impossible. We're both in the Kantou region anyways. It's a small world, Kuroko-senpai," she said and bent down to pet Nigo for the last time. She took out a treat from her purse, one of the leftover cookies she salvaged from the tea table before leaving the sky lounge.
She turned to Kagami. "Take care, Kagami-senpai," she told him.
"Same to you. And tone down a notch of that attitude of yours," Kagami answered.
"You should be saying that to yourself as well, Kagami-kun," Kuroko remarked.
Kagami glared at him. "Quit ruining my speech!"
Seijuro stepped towards Ryouko and gave her a last pat on the head. "I'll see you around, spoiled princess," he said.
"I'll see you around, Your Majesty," Ryouko replied. The basketball players laughed at the slight sarcasm in her tone.
The goodbyes were being said one by one and the time for the junior high schoolers to depart came right on dot. The drivers of the buses alerted the players. They boarded their designated vehicles and fought over seating arrangements.
As the buses left the camp grounds, the freshmen had gathered towards the back and waved at the basketball players who became such good seniors to them.
"Bye-bye! Take care senpaitachi!" they called.
"Let's keep in contact!"
"Do you best in your training!"
"I love you Aomine-senpai!" Mami yelled.
"Shut up brat!" Satsuki yelled back.
Everyone laughed.
Ryouko was also among the freshmen that gathered at the back of the bus to take a last peek at the seniors that they left at the camp. She placed both elbows on the top of the backseats and kept her eyes glued to Seijuro as they drove away. Seijuro also looked at only her as the bus went farther.
Very casually, she lightly kissed the tips of her fingers and gave it a blow while staring at Seijuro.
Kise suddenly went into view and made the gesture of catching something in the air. "Got it, Ryoukocchi!" he yelled.
The last sight Ryouko saw before the camp gates disappeared from view is Seijuro grabbing Kise Ryota by the collar and pulling him down to his height. She giggled and slid down from the backseats to return to her seat beside Ryoma.
"Did you bade goodbye to him well?" Ryoma asked as she plopped down.
Ryouko nodded. "Sei-sama and I will see each other in formal events anyways. I won't miss him that much," she said but the expression on her face says otherwise.
Ryoma rolled his eyes and tried not to think about it much. Ryouko obviously has a very good relationship with the aura-emitting red-headed captain. He has no right to comment about that.
"Ah, it's the end of an amazing week. How can we possibly face the mundane life at school?" Mami said, letting out a huge sigh.
"Maybe not so mundane," Miyako remarked.
"Huh?" Mami said, looking at her friend.
"The Cultural Festival preparation will be starting on Wednesday, remember? The committee had sent out the meeting schedules for Monday. We're both in the committee so it's going to be very busy for us," Miyako said.
Mami took a second for the information to sink in. Her eyes suddenly shone as if somebody had lit a fire in them. "That's right! The Cultural Fest!" she exclaimed, getting up from her seat.
At that moment, the bus lurched and she was propelled forward, her head hitting the backrest of the seats in front of them.
"Mami-chan, are you okay?" Miyako asked, full of concern. She helped Mami stand up.
"Sheesh, she's a walking disaster," Shuu commented and shook his head helplessly. Echizen Ryoma is blessed with such an amazing childhood friend in the person of Ryouko. "Why does my childhood friend have to be someone who's as stupid as Mami?" he thought bitterly.
"I'm okay, I'm alright," Mami told Miyako. The fall did not even diminish the spark in her eyes. They still shone like lampshades.
"Ah, the Cultural Fest!" she said dreamily. "Finally, my brilliant plan will see the light of day!" she thought excitedly.
Improvement, yes? XD
It won't be a friendship ring next time ei? *wiggles eyebrows*
It's time to say goodbye to our precious KnB cast everyone... >.< Now that it's really ending, I'm pretty sad. T.T It's been fun, KnB!
Now our PoT cast returns to what Mami calls the 'mundane school life'! XD The rankings of Seigaku is just around the corner and Seishun Gakuen becomes busy as the preparation for the Cultural Fest cooks up! Isogashii, isogashii! (Busy, busy!)
Author-chan would also be busy writing the next chappy! hahaha XD
Sorry for the delay guys... Some things came up... Trying to move house is a pain. TT.TT
A favor, my peeps. Can you please pm me or comment if there are irregularities in the chap. *puts hands together* I didn't really have the time to backread. This is a pretty long chap.