Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ Summer Scent ❯ Chapter 7

Summer Scent

 

 

Chapter VII

 

 

“Have we bought anything we need?” Ryuzaki Sakuno asked.

Tomoka turned. “Hmm...let me see.” She inspected their trolley. “Butter, flour, sugar, milk, vanilla, and brown sugar. Yup! We have everything,” she said in affirmative.

Right now, they were in convenience store near Sakuno's house to buy ingredients to make egg pudding. Now, one probably wondered what had caused this sudden urge. It was begun with one normal conversation at break time.

“What's that?” Katsuo asked.

“Egg pudding.”

“Egg pudding?”

“That's Ryoma's favorite,” the blond explained.

So, from there, they knew that Ryoma liked pudding but the decision to make pudding for the freshman emerged when they accidentally caught little snippets of their senpais conversation.

“So I made a bento for him,” the girl said proudly.

“Did he like it?”

“Of course,” her friend retorted. “I made it to show that I like him!”

And from that Tomoka finally got a conclusion. “That's it!” she suddenly exclaimed, surprising her best friend. “You are going to make a pudding for Ryoma-sama!”

“EHHH?” Sakuno blushed. “But-“

“There is no but!” she ignored her protest. “I will help you okay!”

She liked Ryoma of course, but not in that kind of way, it was like fans idolized their idol. It was different with Sakuno though. It was plain to her and for everyone else that Sakuno liked Ryoma, truly liked him, but it was also plain that Ryoma didn't notice it at all.

“3780 yen,” the cashier said, jerking Tomoka out of her reverie.

Sakuno paid for it and they left the store. As they walked to her house, Sakuno couldn't help but thought if she had done the right thing by following Tomoka's advice. They arrived at her house and headed to the kitchen. Tomoka help her placing the ingredients she needed on the kitchen counter. She also helped her to make the pudding. Well...Tomoka read the instructions and she followed it.

“What's next?” she asked after everything was done.

“Ngg...place the pudding dish in a pan of water and bake for forty minutes.”

Sakuno did as she was told.

Forty minutes later.

“So, what do you think?” Sakuno asked, eyeing her friend warily.

“Hmm...this is delicious!” Tomoka commented after she swallowed one bite of the pudding. “I am sure Ryoma-sama is going to love it.”

“Uhm...do you think so?” she asked nervously.

“Of course!” Tomoka gave her a warm smile of reassurance.

With that Sakuno felt relieved. But she had forgotten one crucial thing, and that was how to give the pudding to Ryoma properly. She had been contemplating of various and different ideas, with no good result. She didn't want to give it to him in front of her classmates and her friends especially Horio. Kachiro and Katsuo wouldn't say word since they were an understanding type but Horio...she dreaded to think about him.

How about break time? Well...when break time Ryoma disappeared into nowhere with Sakuya. They were inseparable, she noticed it, and where there was Ryoma there was Sakuya there too.

And after the school ended, she still got no chance to give him the pudding. Sakuno sighed, wondering if she should give up. Beside that, this act alone was something very alien to her nature, for she was a reserved and quiet girl.

So engrossed she was on her thinking that she didn't see someone walking towards her and she bumped into that person.

“Gomen nasai!” she apologized but then stopped dead on her track. Talked of the devil and he was bound to appear. The person she bumped into was none other than Echizen Ryoma and for once, much to her surprise; he was alone, without Sakuya.

Ryoma stared at her blankly before he started to walk away.

“Ah! Wait!”

Ryoma turned and fixed her with his usual nonchalant gaze but despite of his general air of coldness she knew Ryoma was a kind person. He taught them tennis and he also helped her many times.

“What?” he asked impatiently.

“Ano...this is for you Ryoma-kun,” she said, blushing heavily. “I-I...,” she hesitated, for Ryoma was staring at her, and searched desperately for an excuse, wishing at the same time that she could stop blushing like a silly girl whenever he spoke to her. “I made a pudding and I heard you like it...so this is for you.”

Ryoma blinked. “Thank you,” he said at last.

Sakuno could feel her face brightened. “Enjoy it Ryoma-kun,” then excused herself, couldn't wait to share the news with Tomoka.

Ryoma only stared at the box in his hand then turned and walked to the locker room, taking the box along with him. The only people in locker room were Oishi, Kikumaru, Momoshiro and Kaidoh. Kikumaru was the first to notice the box in his hand.

“What is that ochibi?” he questioned.

“Egg pudding,” he said nonchalantly.

“Wow! You bought a lot, didn't you?” Momoshiro asked, eyeing the size of the box.

“I didn't buy it. Ryuzaki gave it to me.”

And the room exploded.

“NANI?” Kikumaru and Momoshiro shouted in unison.

“Ryuzaki Sakuno gave it to you?” Oishi asked.

“Way to go ochibi!” Kikumaru said, thudding him on his back. Much to his annoyance.

She is fast. Momoshiro thought the shy girl would do nothing to show her affection to Echizen yet Echizen didn't seem affected by this. In fact, Echizen really didn't notice it. Echizen was always a perceptive one but aside from tennis, was the freshman that oblivious?

On the contrary, Ryoma was well aware of Sakuno's feeling about him. He knew that girl had a crush on him. Sakuno was a nice girl but he just wasn't into her. This egg pudding thing surprised him though but he didn't worry at all. As long as he kept playing oblivious her feeling would fade someday, the sooner the better.

From the corner of his eyes he caught the look Momo senpai was giving to him. He knew exactly what his senpai was thinking now. People thought he was dense in this kind of matter. But he wasn't. He knew what emotions Sakuya stirred up inside him were. His relationship with Sakuya evolved step by step over the years. It started out as a classmate. It ended as a deep and warm friendship...and something more than that.

The door opened and Sakuya came in.

“Nay! Sakuya! Look at this! Ochibi got a pudding from Ryuzaki!” Kikumaru said enthusiastically.

Sakuya moved his eyes from Kikumaru to him. “So my dear Ryoma got an admirer here,” he said in a teasing tone.

“Don't you know,” Momoshiro declared, “the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.”

Kikumaru snickered while Oishi blinked. “I never knew you are this deep Momo,” their vice captain said. Kaidoh gave a sound regrettably like a snort.

“I don't think so,” Sakuya muttered quietly.

They all turned to look at him. Smiling wickedly, the blond continued, “The way to a man's heart is through his bed.”

The responds to his statement were quite different. While Oishi attempted to keep a straight face Kaidoh just about managed to stop his jaw dropping. Momoshiro had gone into a coughing fit and Kikumaru's eyes were as wide as a saucer.

“What?” Sakuya asked innocently. “Did I say something wrong?”

“'Did I said something wrong?'” Momoshiro repeated. “Of course you did!” Geez! Did Sakuya not realize the implication of his words?

Then out of blue, Sakuya burst out laughing. “I was only kidding. It was a joke. Geez...senpai tachi, you should see your face earlier. It's truly ridiculous!”

“It was a joke?” Kikumaru asked. He was dumfounded by the blonde's remark.

Sakuya nodded, still laughing.

Momoshiro shook his head and took a deep breath. Man! He would never understand American sense of humor.

“You almost gave me a heart attack nya!” Kikumaru grumbled while Oishi sighed in relief.

“You really got me there,” Kaidoh muttered, with a shake of his head.

Momoshiro eyed the box once more time and then sighed. “It must be nice if someone make a food for me,” he said, almost dreamingly.

“You could ask Ann to do that,” Sakuya suggested. “You met her yesterday.”

“What!” Momoshiro sputtered. “Why her?”

“Heh. So it's true nya,” Kikumaru snapped his finger. “You like Tachibana imouto nya!”

“WHAT?” Momoshiro turned red.

Kikumaru eyed him suspiciously. “You met her yesterday, didn't you?” he said in a suggestive tone.

“Echizen and Sakuya-kun were with us too!” Momoshiro retorted.

“Oh. I don't know Momo senpai,” Ryoma had decided to play along to, mostly because he wanted to take revenge. “She called you first, right?”

“WHY YOU! I don't need to hear this from you guys!” and he escaped outside.

“Wait! Don't run away Momo!” Kikumaru chased him. He obviously didn't want to lose the opportunity to tease his poor kouhai.

“EIJI!” Oishi followed him. Kaidoh was the last to walk out. He, too, didn't want to miss the chance to watch this `little drama.' So the one left in locker room was only them.

Sakuya turned to him, eyes bright with mischief. “She gave you a pudding?” he asked. “Hmmm...this isn't bad. It's delicious actually,” the blond commented after he ate one slice of it.

“If the way to man's heart is through his stomach, then you are in a deep trouble Sakuya.”

“Huh? The way to man's heart is through his stomach? What a crap! This is 21st century,” Sakuya shrugged carelessly. “You can cook for yourself Ryoma and...” here he paused. “And at least I know how to please you in bed.”

He stared at him blankly for a split second before smirked. For certain reason, the blond really liked to tease him but the feeling was mutual because he also teased Sakuya every time he got a chance. Just like now. Well...two could play this game.

“As I recall, you do nothing but lie like a corpse on the bed,” he replied. It was a joke, based on the fact even though Sakuya liked to provoke him with seductive words when it came to real matter, the blond was calm, almost submissive even, with none of the hypertensity he usually exhibited.

“Hey! I resent that!” Sakuya retorted in a feigned hurt voice. “I never hear you complain before,” he paused then, his mocking smile widening. “And as I recall, you always come back to me.”

“You know, you are unbelievable Sakuya,” he muttered beneath his breath. If his ecchi father heard him and Sakuya talking about these things so casually and so freely as if they were discussing about weather, he would never live it down.

When he voiced his thought, Sakuya erupted into laughter. “You're right,” he managed to say between his laughs. “Hey! Do you still remember the `souvenir' I bought in Paris for him?”

He shook his head. “You called that `souvenir'? You are nuts!” Even so, Ryoma really enjoyed the moment when his father's face went pale as he opened the package and saw what the contents was. “He desperately tried to hide it from Mom's eyes.”

“Well, I think it worth the effort,” Sakuya mused. “That idiot at the bookstall didn't allow me to buy it first.”

“You are still underage to buy such a thing,' he pointed out.

“Ehm!” a voice interrupted them.

Ryoma and Sakuya turned and found Oishi standing at the doorway. `The practice is about to begun,” he said. He came to call them since they both hadn't showed up while the other members already gathered in the court.

“Hai.”

The tennis practice went off like usual and it ended about 6 p.m. to which Sakuya complained. “It's almost 6 p.m. Can we go home now?”

“The practice ends at 6, Sakuya-kun,” Fuji informed him.

“Six! Geez! This is even worse than our school!”

“Our school?” Momoshiro questioned.

“Yeah, in our school club's activity ends at 5 p.m.”

“Hey! Tell me about it. Ochibi never tell us the story about his life in America nya!”

“Yeah right,” Momoshiro supported the idea.

Ryoma only shrugged. “You never asked.”

“'We never ask'?” Kikumaru asked incredulously.

“And I suppose if we ask, you will tell us about it.” Momoshiro said sarcastically.

“No,” he replied easily.

“HEY!”

“Nya! You're so mean ochibi!” Kikumaru pouted.

Ignoring the commotion, Fuji turned to Sakuya. “So, what is it like in your school Sakuya-kun?”

“Well...the school started at 8.30 a.m. and ended at 3.30 p.m...”

Ryoma snorted. “You're always late anyway.”

“I woke up at 8 p.m. and you couldn't expect me to arrive at school at 8.30.” And yet, Sakuya always got away with every violation of rules he made. “But we didn't have tennis club in our school.”

“You didn't?” Momoshiro asked, didn't believe his own ears. They didn't have a tennis club in their school but how they managed to become so good in it?

“Yes. So we joined computer club instead.”

“You forgot to mention the classical music club,” Ryoma muttered.

“You're what!”

“Ochibi, you joined the classical music club?” Kikumaru's eyes widened dramatically.

“I didn't join it. Sakuya did,” he nicely reminded him.

“Oh! So you like classical music Sakuya-kun?” this question came from Fuji.

Faint irritation appeared in Sakuya's eyes. “Don't get the wrong idea, okay? I joined it because of...err...some...eh...incident.”

“Incident?” Momoshiro mouthed.

“Yes.”

“It was your fault anyway.”

“And children, look what I got,” Mr. Newman waved the ticket in his hand. “A ticket to watch orchestra!” and he kept going on, thanked to his lucky star that he got such an opportunity and bla bla bla...

“Could he stop already?” Sakuya snapped. “I'm starving and lunchtime is still five minutes again.” He was so obviously anxious to get away as soon as possible.

In front of the class. “And we will go to watch the concert.”

“WHAT? He gotta to be kidding! There's a basketball game at the same time. Why I have to go anyway!”

“Coz it's an order from our teacher?” Ryoma supplied an answer for him.

“I don't even like those opera and classical song!” he exclaimed. “They hurt my ears!” he said loudly, probably too loud that everyone in class turned their attention to them.

“Ah, is that so Mr. Carlton?” Newman asked, frown marred his old face.

“Yes.” Sakuya set his chin at a stubborn angle. “Do you have any problem with that?” he asked back in a challenging manner.

“You know Mr. Carlton,” Newman said slowly. “Our club lack of member, maybe you're interested to join it?”

“I am definitely not interested!” Sakuya retorted. “No sane person is interested,” he said rudely. “He would die, rather!” Sakuya could be extremely rude when he chose to.

“Ah, so you volunteer to be a member. That's so kind of you Mister Carlton.”

Ryoma thought Newman's calmness was quite admirable, considering Sakuya's rudeness and considering the fact that he was the first teacher, or the first human on earth, who dared to scold Sakuya.

“Hey! Wait! You're not listening to me!”

“The practice began at 3 p.m. and you have to come,” Newman emphasized his words.

“Hell no!” Sakuya protested.

“Hell yes!”

“What! I never-“

“Listen to me young man,” Newman cut him off, fixing him with a cold gaze. “I don't care if your father is the president of United States or the richest man in this world.” The girls gasped at this but Newman went on. “This is my class and you're my student, therefore you must listen to me.”

The entire class froze at this; even Sakuya was so stunned he was unable to speak.

The bell rang, signifying the end of the lesson, though nobody seemed to hear it. “Class is dismissed,” Newman said, walking back to his seat. One by one the student left the class, some of them whispering something like: “I bet Mister Newman will be fired” or “Wait till headmaster hear this”

Newman sighed in his chair. That was why he didn't like to teach in elite school. Here, he was a teacher yet he had no authority against his student. Could you imagine that?

“Where?”

Startled, Newman looking up. Sakuya stood in front of him. “Where?” the blond repeated.

“I beg your pardon?” he truly didn't understand.

“You forgot to tell me where I have to come,” Sakuya replied, irritated.

“You will come?” he asked.

“Listen, you told me to join the club right?”

“Err...we use this room,” he answered stupidly. He thought Sakuya would call his father and ask to fire him. It seemed Sakuya could read his thought because the blond then said. “I'm doing no such thing Mister Newman,” he shrugged. “You're my teacher after all.” What was up with this sudden respect?

“That old geezer didn't have a right to force me come to that damn concert!” Sakuya said and Ryoma switched his mind back to his present surroundings.

“You came to the club anyway,” he remarked severely.

“Urgh! Don't remind me of that! My neck and my arms were so sore coz he made me playing violin for hours!”

“Serve you right!” he said though a small grin tugged at his lips, showing that he was only teasing his friend.

Sakuya grumbled. “Aren't you supposed to be in my side?”

Kikumaru, Momoshiro, and Fuji watched the scene with mild interest. This was the unknown side of Echizen that they never knew it was existed. They also never heard Echizen talked that much in one moment. Even Momoshiro, who was the closest friend of Echizen in Seigaku, had never seen Echizen's expression so lively before.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!”

Momoshiro and Kikumaru winced at the loud voice. Ryuzaki sensei approached them and she didn't look pleased with idea of finding them here, gossiping instead of practicing was they were told. “Run 20 laps now!” she barked.

“HAI!”

As they ran, Ryoma eyed his friend. He knew well why Sakuya suddenly being nice. Sakuya only showed respect to the people he thought they deserved it. They talked about this once, when they went to Haagen-Dazs.

“Pistachio flavor?” he asked him.

“Yup.”

“Grab us a table. These are on me.”

“Okay.” Sakuya found a small table in the corner. He also found a newspaper there and began to read. First page contained the news about the newest Harry Potter: The Half Blood Prince. Already read that one. (I won't mention anything about it okay so don't kill me coz of this ) He then flipped the pages. Where was the sport section?

Ryoma joined him later with a tray of Indian Pistachio ice ream and Latte Macchiato ice cream and muffins. “What are you reading?”

He showed him the paper.

“'Carlton won the USA National Tennis Championship for the third time,'” Ryoma read aloud. “'in the final he scored a love game by his famous slow motion aces,'” he looked at him. “You read this?” he shook his head. “You and your ego...”

Sakuya shrugged. “Just curious, I don't need to read this crap anyway. I know I'm very good in tennis.”

He arched an elegant eyebrow. “Cocky aren't you?”

“Speak for yourself Ryoma,” Sakuya then sighed. “They're all same,” the blond said darkly. “Those magazines...those people...If you read further, you will notice that they only mention me in the first two sentences. The rest of it was about Dad,” Sakuya said sarcastically. “I never know if they're truly nice or they're only being nice coz of Dad and that's really annoying.”

That's very irritating actually. He always had a number of friends because he was a very likeable guy but once they found out who his father was, their friendship was never the same anymore. He heard their whispers behind his back. In the end they only wanted something from him. And in the end he was left alone. No. Scratch that. He was always alone from the beginning. Not that he cared anyway...being alone or no had no difference for him, that's of course before Ryoma came.

“That's why you act like a jerk.” Ryoma said.

“I only want to see how far they're willing to go.” If they wanted something from him they had to pay the price. Nothing was free. How far they could abandon their pride, their dignity for one spoilt brat like him? He wanted to see that.

“And you did that to Newman too.” Ryoma commented, his friend always managed to see what's under his mask.

“He is a nice guy,” Sakuya said seriously. “But the other teachers...yeah, you know them.” He decided to change the topic. “Hey Ryoma, do you have something to do after this?”

“No. Why?”

“I want to watch `Revenge of the Sith'.”

Ryoma nearly groaned. “We already watched it three times!” he reminded him.

“Aw! Come on! You're also curios about how Anakin turned into Darth Vader.”

“I was,” he said dryly. “Not anymore.”

“You're no fun.” Sakuya sulked then his expression brightened. “How about `War of the World' and `Batman Begin'? We haven't watched it yet.”

Ryoma considered it for a moment. “Fine.”

“And...there's still one movie I want to watch.”

Ryoma eyed him suspiciously.

“'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'.” Sakuya smiled innocently at him. “I read that they use a real chocolate in the movie...”

Chocolate factory...that really had explained everything. Ryoma swore he could almost see the star dancing in Sakuya's eyes.

“Ryoma?”

“Finish your ice cream first then we will go to watch your damn movie,” Ryoma grumbled but his eyes said otherwise. Ryoma always looked at him with soft and warm eyes.

He caught Ryoma's left hand. The older boy looked at him quizzically. “Thank you Ryoma,” he said softly. “Thank you for everything.”

Staring right into his eyes, Ryoma lifted his hand and kissed it. Ryoma's eyes were very expressive eyes, he noticed, golden with a depth of intensity in their gaze that seemed to suggest he could read his thoughts. He knew Ryoma understood what he meant. “That's what friend is for, right?” was all Ryoma said.

Now he wasn't alone anymore. Now he had Ryoma, his only friend, the only person who never wanted anything from him. For Ryoma, he was willing to do anything. No matter what happened, he would never let him go.

“Yes! One more lap!” Momoshiro's thundering voice brought Sakuya out of his musings.

Ryuzaki sensei still wore her displeased look when they headed back to the court. After her speech, which including of `some irresponsible act like slacking off in the middle of the practice,' the practice was over.

They were about to leave the court when Sakuya asked something. “What time the festival begun?” he wanted to know.

“I'm not quite sure,” Momoshiro answered. “But it's about 7 or so...”

“Nya! Summer festival! I want to go too!” Kikumaru said enthusiastically. “Right Oishi?'

But after they asked the regulars, the one who could make it were only Oishi and Kikumaru plus Sakuno. Ann had phoned her yesterday, asking whether she could go or no.

“So we agree to meet at the park front gate at 7.30.”

Sakuya headed back to his apartment first, couldn't wait for the festival. He was curious about this summer festival. Was it like the New Year parade at Times Square or the Christmas celebration in Rockefeller Center?

Living in here wasn't bad actually, people in here were quite strange but they were all friendly nonetheless. He probably would enjoy it.

Wait a minute! What the hell he was thinking about? Had he forgotten his purpose? Yes, the only reason why he came to Japan was to ask Ryoma to return to New York with him.