Overseas
by: RoyaleDeuce
A/N: Dedicated to karu-chan for the Scambio de Fandonie Fic Exchange in Imagination: Unleashed. (Prompt: Moment of Truth - FM Static)
The Kawamura's Sushi Shop was more packed than usual.
And because it was more packed, the place was rowdier and buzzing with excessive energy. Momoshiro and Kikumaru were wolfing down the food by the sushi bar. Inui and Fuji were holding a drinking contest in their table, with Oishi, Tezuka, and Kaidoh as their unlucky victims. And for some reason, people from Fudoumine were part of the ongoing merriment.
He tried to blend with the walls as soon as he entered, and took a seat beside Ryuuzaki by the corner. He noticed her blush.
"ECHIZEN!"
He groaned when a number of people were by his side all of a sudden, hugging and messing up his hair. Much to his chagrin, he could hear Ryuuzaki giggling beside him. It took another minute before he was able to break free from the tangle of arms.
He glared at them.
But they merely laughed.
"So you're finally leaving for America tomorrow, Echizen," Tachibana smiled.
"It seems like only yesterday when Ochibi first played in our courts and said 'Mada mada dane'," Kikumaru tried to mimic his tone.
He smirked, "Mada mada dane."
The room burst into laughter.
The rest of the night, several of his senpai-tachi goofed off while Tezuka tried to keep things at bay. He managed to evade all their attempts to include him and spent the evening beside Ryuuzaki, who he was amused to note, also had her own attempts – to engage him in conversation, that is. He acquiesced to hers, since it required less energy to nod and 'hn'. She didn't seem to mind though. In fact, it seemed like she was enjoying herself.
"Give us a call some time, ne Ryoma-kun?" she said with a faint blush on her face.
He gave her a small smile.
The celebration passed quickly, and it was the last night he spent with his friends in Japan.
Although he hadn't outwardly shown it, he was going to miss them.
He took a last look of Japan outside his window before he comfortably sank in his chair and closed his eyes.
Finally.
Throwing his duffel bag on the couch, he plopped down on the bed and lay face-flat on the pillows. He felt incredibly worn-out – it was a 12-hour flight, and seeing how active he was, it was pretty tiring doing nothing.
Suddenly, he felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket.
He ignored it and, soon after, fell asleep.
Yo, Ryoma! I heard you're arriving today. Let's play a match. ~ Kevin
He flipped his phone close and tossed it back on the bed. He would reply when he was in the mood to play, but at the moment, his stomach was grumbling. Grabbing his duffel bag, he rummaged for money to buy dinner. He only noticed how much stuff he brought with him that he had to take out several items to clear the inside. He stopped when he came across a large, brown paper bag.
He turned it over, and various objects littered the floor.
It contained the memorabilia he got from the others.
There was the cd from Fuji, the poster from Momoshiro, the wrist-band from Kaidoh, the assorted sweets from his other senpai-tachi, and the tennis ball from Ryuuzaki.
Then something caught his eye. Right beside Ryuuzaki's tennis ball was a box he had not seen before. He reached for it and saw a short message written on top of the lid.
You're going to thank us one day. ~ Senpai
"Heh, what's this," he smirked to himself and hastily opened the box.
It was a black, leather wallet.
"Senpai gave me money?" He flipped it open almost immediately, but instead of seeing cash, he saw a picture.
A familiar pair of chocolate brown eyes stared back at him.
It was Ryuuzaki.
His lips thinned. Even when he was already in America, his-senpai-tachi still planned on teasing him. He took out the picture and inserted the money from his bag before heading out for dinner.
The Seigaku regulars' gift lay innocently on his bed.
Unbeknownst to him, Ryuuzaki Sakuno's picture would be something to be reckoned with for the next several days.
I'll defeat you in the next match, Ryoma. ~ Kevin
He smirked and placed his cell phone on the bedside table. Next week, he would play in the preliminary matches for the U.S. Open. Two days have passed since he arrived, and he already had several practice games. That day, he had been training non-stop, and after dinner, he was so exhausted that he decided to retire early for the night.
Shifting on his bed, he buried his head on the pillow and closed his eyes.
He turned and decided it was much more comfortable lying on his side.
A few seconds later, he shifted again.
This went on for several minutes until he sat up from bed and realized he had been lying on something the entire time.
It was Ryuuzaki's picture tickling his back.
With one scrutinizing look at her face, he carefully placed the picture beside his cell phone and returned to bed.
He dreamt of Ryuuzaki Sakuno's smiling face that night.
In a span of twenty minutes, he managed to gather all the clothes scattered on the floor, throw out the empty food cartons on the dining table, and pack his duffel bag. It was four-thirty, and the room he had stayed in for five days was now spotless clean. He plopped down on the bed and reached for his phone on the bedside table.
I'll pick you up at five. ~ Ricky Brown
In the process of replacing his phone back at the table, his finger came in contact with something sharp.
It was the picture.
He picked it up and, for the third time since arriving in America, gazed at Ryuuzaki's carefree expression. Flipping it over, he noticed there was something scribbled at the back.
+068-192-232-44
He had a distinct feeling this was Ryuuzaki's number.
His ring tone echoed in the silence.
I'm downstairs. ~ Ricky Brown
Grabbing his duffel bag, he inserted the picture inside his wallet, placed it in his back pocket, and exited the room.
They had a stopover in a restaurant near the public tennis courts. As he sipped on his Ponta, he watched the on-going tennis game between a tall blonde and a brunette with long pigtails. Seeing the girl's pigtails sway back and forth throughout the match, he was vaguely reminded of a certain pigtailed girl he knew from Japan.
"Here's your meal," the waiter placed their orders on the table. "Enjoy."
"Tempura," Ricky Brown grinned, looking at the bento box he ordered, "You must miss Japan."
He didn't reply and merely took a bite from a strip.
He didn't know why, but when Japan was mentioned, the first thing that came into his mind was Ryuuzaki Sakuno.
It was his first match in the U.S. Open tomorrow.
Lying in bed that night, his thoughts first dwelled on his game the next morning – his opponent, his moves, how long it will last – then it drifted to Seigaku. He remembered his senpai-tachi's tendencies to do something ridiculous in preparation for a tournament that he lay smirking in bed.
Then it shifted to Ryuuzaki.
Before every game, she would never forget to say Good luck, Ryoma-kun. He was sure she always had a blush and a shy smile on her face when she said that.
Sitting up, he got his wallet and flipped it open.
Ryuuzaki's auburn hair was free from its usual twin braids. Admittedly, he thought she looked better without them; she looked more feminine. And it was interesting to note that she was wearing a big, bright smile – something he wasn't used to seeing.
She was always so shy around him.
But looking back, he figured she wasn't bad company at all.
Good luck, Echizen! Make us proud! ~ Momo-senpai
We'll be watching! Good luck. ~ Kaa-san
You better not lose, Ryoma. ~ Kevin
There were several other unopened messages in his phone, but he flipped it close and resumed getting ready.
It was his match in a few hours.
He got his tennis rackets and several balls from the corner and inserted them inside his bag. When he came across Ryuuzaki's tennis ball, he stopped for a moment.
No. 1.
He sat on his bed and got Ryuuzaki's picture from his wallet. While staring at the ball, he quickly dialled the number at the back of the picture.
"Hello?" It was her voice.
Ryuuzaki better wish him luck.
"It's my first match in the Open."
A/N: I miss writing for the RyoSaku fandom. So whatdya think? Review and make my day. (:))