Mysterious guy

It was already midnight when Sakuno regained consciousness. Upon opening her eyes, she saw that she was in their room and that she is already wearing a yukata. She knows that she is still wearing the towel inside for she can feel it wrap around her body, Sakuno scanned the room while slowly getting up. "Are you now feeling okay?" A familiar voice asked and the young girl turned her head to where the voice was coming from.

Upon turning around, she saw Ryoma sitting comfortably in the sofa while reading a sports magazine. Ryoma looked at her with his usual serious look while the young girl averted her gaze from him.

"Uhm..." was her only reply while closing her eyes. Oh no! was is it Ryoma-kun who brought me here? I should thank him but...how? I cannot look at his eyes directly when he was the reason that i've lost consciousness in the bath. Hmm, if only I didn't fantasize about him then I would not be in this situation! Sakuno thought to herself.

While the young girl was lost in her thoughts, Ryoma on the other hand noticed her.He sigh and spoke, "It's okay. I was the one who brought you here...and Ryuzaki, you're not a burden to me. Just rest if you're still not feeling well."

After that Ryoma stood and was about to walk off when Sakuno grabbed his right arm which made the tennis prodigy stopped immediately on his tracks by the sudden action of the young girl.

"Ryoma-kun...Th-thank you! thank you for saving me and um...I'm sorry if you have to carry me all the way here," Sakuno said and then let go of Ryoma's arm.

The tennis prodigy suddenly spoke up, "Ryuzaki...change your clothes first, then...let's talk."

"Eh?" Sakuno asked in confusion.

"Do you want to get sick wearing only that?" Ryoma asked still facing the door and Sakuno looked down at her outfit.

"You're right. t-then, I'll go and change now" the young girl spoke and gathered her clothes then went immediately to the bathroom.

As soon as the door clicked, Ryoma sigh and went to sit again. He stared on the ceiling, she is only a friend...focus only on tennis! Ryoma thought and closed his eyes.

After 30 minutes, Sakuno finished changing and took a bath before that. When she went out of the bathroom dressed in gray shorts and pink shirt, she saw Ryoma sitting on the sofa with the sports magazine covering his face.

Sakuno slowly went beside him and sat, "Ryoma-kun..." the young girl trailed off while looking down the floor."You know I'm glad I met you...I know that I am clumsy and caused you a lot of trouble, but even so you are still there to help me. Even though I know that you were just forced to save me because of sempais and my grandma, I must say that I am happy with that reason. I am shy and don't have the courage to go talk to you like Tomoka, so being able to talk to you for those reasons makes me happy already. Ryoma-kun...I wanted to say to you that you are the reason that I started playing tennis. The first time we met, you save me from those guys in the train and I found you cool playing tennis with your all. Even though you don't notice my feelings, just being beside you...i'm already glad. Ryoma-kun...you know after this, I will go back to America to play in a tennis competition. I wanted to have a match with you before this week ends but...it seems I still can't say it you..." Sakuno said and sigh afterwards.

Suddenly a voice spoke up, "Then why not ask me now?" Sakuno immediately jump off the sofa and looked surprise at Ryoma, "R-ryoma-kun...are you awake?"

Ryoma slowly removed the sports magazine and looked at the young girl, he nodded. "I wasn't asleep from the start, I was waiting for you to come out the bathroom" he said and Sakuno's face immediately turned red.

"You're...you're not asleep?! t-then that means..." she trailed off and Ryoma sigh, "That means I heard everything you said. So...I was the reason you started playing tennis huh? Then...wanna have a match now?" Ryoma asked with a smirk.

Sakuno panicked, "e-eh? A match? Now? b-but...it's already night."

"Some people play tennis at night too...let's go Ryuzaki" Ryoma said and after that stood and gathered his racket and the tennis ball Sakuno gave him. Ryoma went directly to the door and stopped, he turned around and looked at the young girl who was still standing.

"Ryuzaki...i thought you wanted a match, are you giving up this chance?"

He asked and Sakuno shook her head, "I-i'm going!"

After hearing her reply, Ryoma smiled and faced the door again. "Then let's go" he said with a smile.

Upon arriving at the tennis court, the two started playing. Sakuno was first to serve. With trembling hands, she throw the ball upwards and hit it softly making the ball bounce to the other side and was easily returned by Ryoma. "Is that what your gonna show in the competition? Ryuzaki...you will lose with that strength, show me your skills" Ryoma said as he returned the ball.

Sakuno was surprised by Ryoma's words that she wasn't able to return the ball. "Let's end the match here...I thought you've already improve but I guess I was wrong, Ryuzaki let's go back inside" Ryoma said and started walking.

Sakuno what are you doing?! Ryoma-kun invited you to have a match and this is what you show to him?! aren't you a pro already? show him what you got! Sakuno thought to herself and stood up, "Ryoma-kun...I'm sorry if I disappointed you. But...shall we have a match again? I will play seriously now, please" she said and bowed.

Upon hearing her words, Ryoma turned around and smiled. "All you gotta do is ask...I guess I'll give you a chance" he said and returned to his spot.

When Sakuno heard Ryoma's words she looked at him with a smile, "Thank you."

"I will serve now..." Sakuno said and breath in and out as she throw the ball up and hit it swiftly. The ball bounced to the other side with a fast speed but Ryoma used his big step and immediately returned it. Sakuno hit again and this time letting the ball hit the net so that the ball will fall off on the other side of the court, Ryoma didn't expect it but he immediately run towards the net and hit the ball towards Sakuno's right.

The young girl smiled, time to use my technique! she thought and close her eyes. When the ball went to her right side, she hit it in a slant position and the ball went to Ryoma's side. Ryoma backed off and is preparing to hit the ball when the ball went missing in mid-air. Ryoma's eyes widened, where did the ball go? He thought and suddenly the ball landed on his right side.

"Eh?" he looked at the ball.

Sakuno smiled, "were you surprised by my technique Ryoma-kun?" she asked and the tennis prodigy looked at her. Upon seeing the young girl smile, Ryoma smiled too.

"I guess I underestimated you...let's continue and show that technique to me again" Ryoma said and the game continued. It was already 3 in the morning when the game ended, of course Ryoma still won the game with a score of 3-1. The two were packing up when sakuno's stomach growled.

Ryoma looked at her and Sakuno sweatdropped, "y-you go ahead Ryoma-kun...I need to eat first."

"Why eat alone? It's not just you who is hungry..." Ryoma replied looking at the sky.

Sakuno looked at him, Ryoma also looked at her. Sakuno smiled and stood up, "then I guess both of us can eat...my treat."

Ryoma smiled, "Let's go...by the way, what was that technique called again?" he asked and Sakuno replied "Lotus flower...though I don't really know why it was called that way...grandma taught me that one."

"Hnn..." was the only reply of the tennis prodigy and both of them walk towards the canteen.

Upon arriving at the canteen, Ryoma bumped into someone dressed in a tracksuit while his face was covered by a black hood. "Sorry" the man said and turned a bit to Ryoma revealing a bit of his face. The man has black hair with tints of green on the side, he has fair complexion just like Ryoma.

"Ryoma-kun?" Sakuno called and Ryoma still staring at the man slowly walked to her.

As the two were buying foods, the hooded guy looked at Sakuno and smiled, "Ah...so that's the girl. Hmph! I can't believe my dear brother didn't recognize me...but no problem, he is not my target" the mysterious guy said while throwing an orange and walks into the dark.

After Ryoma and Sakuno bought their foods, they went immediately back to their room and finished eating, they talked for a bit about tennis and then decided to sleep afterwards. The two only rested for 4 hours when the sun already rose. Sakuno slowly got up the bed and change to her training clothes consist of white tshirt and skirt which was paired with pink tennis shoes and a pink headband. She got her pink racket and tennis ball then went outside to do practice. She closed the door softly as to not wake up Ryoma who was still sleeping.

When Sakuno arrived at the court, she began to practice hitting the ball to the wall a couple of times. When she hit it for the 50th time the ball suddenly flew to the bushes. Sakuno went to search for it, then a man dressed in white shirt, gray jogging pants paired with white tennis shoes and white beanie appeared and picked the tennis ball in the bushes. He approached Sakuno who is searching at the nearby bushes, "Excuse me...is this ball yours?" he asked with a smile. Sakuno turned around and saw the ball that the man was holding, she smiled.

"Yes! thank you so much si-" Sakuno's words were cut off when she was suddenly covered in the mouth by a white hanky. The young girl suddenly felt sleepy, eh? Why am i getting sleepy at this time? my hands...I cannot move them, somebody...help me...Fuji-sempai...Ryoma-kun, she thought to herself as she is slowly getting unconscious.

The man smiled, "Sorry...but a job is a job...sweet dreams, dear."

Eh? dear? Who is this man? Why is he taking me? Sakuno asked herself as her vision is slowly dimming. On her last sight, she saw the man's face. The man has black hair with a tint of green on his side and his eyes were hazel. Eh? Ry-ryoma-kun? Sakuno thought and loss her consciousness.

It was 8 in the morning when everyone gathered to eat breakfast, "is everyone here?" Coach Ryuzaki asked and Ryoma stood up.

"Ryuzaki isn't here yet, coach" Ryoma said and the auburn haired lady looked to him, "Isn't she with you?" the tennis prodigy shook his head.

"We both sleep at the same time last night but when I woke up Ryuzaki isn't in the room anymore" Ryoma said in his usual voice and the coach replied, "I guess she went to practice. I'll go to the tennis court and call her, all of you should just eat."

"I'll go with you coach" Fuji said as he stood up, Coach Ryuzaki didn't say anything and just walk off while the tennis genius followed her.

After 15 minutes, the two still didn't come back. All of the regulars stopped eating. "Aren't coach and Fuji-sempai taking too long? They just went to call Sakuno right?" Momo asked and Oishi stood up, "We should go to the tennis court." Everyone nodded and went to the court, upon arriving there they saw Coach Ryuzaki and Fuji looking perplexed.

"Coach, is something wrong?" Oishi asked when he came towards the auburn haired lady.

"S-sakuno...sh-she's missing!" Coach Ryuzaki said and slumped down. upon hearing those words, everyone looked at their coach to see if she is joking but as they saw that Coach Ryuzaki was on the floor and looking terrified, they knew she is telling the truth.

"Coach! don't worry...we will find your granddaughter" Oishi assured her and looked at the others. The others understood Oishi and began searching around and asking the atendants whether they saw a girl at the tennis court early that morning. Ryoma searched near the court and saw a note attached on a tree. I've got the girl...let's meet tonight at 9 on this place. don't tell anybody or you'll not see her anymore, the note read and Ryoma crumpled the paper.

"Where are you?" he asked no one and suddenly a memory from last night flashback on him.

When He and Sakuno were buying foods, he bumped into someone. He didn't mean to accuse that person but it is kind of suspicious as to see that the man was alone in the morning and covering his face. Ryoma tried to remember the man's face, then his eyes widened. "Br-brother..." Ryoma blurted out and the paper fall off his hand.

To be continued...