Ryūzaki Sakuno had just entered her bedroom when the phone started ringing. Quickly she snatched it up knowing that no one else was home yet.

"Ryūzaki residence."

"Sakuno! It's Tomoka, how was your date with Ryoma?" her best friend's voice rang out loudly in her ear. She crossed the room to flop on her bed in exasperation as she began to relay the details.

"Tomoka I'm really starting to think he's not interested. We've been dating for three months now and every time it has to do with tennis. No matter what our date includes that is all he can think about. Last week we went to a cafe for a drink and I tried to hold his hand. He told me to let go before I crushed it since he still needed it to hold a racket. We went to this romantic movie I wanted to see and he left half way through. I found him in the lobby reading a tennis magazine. Almost every date ends up with us at a sports store or at the street courts like today's did. This time he ended up taking on all challenges and left me on my own till Ann came. At least then I had some company. Tomoka what am I going to do? I like him, but I don't think he cares. He hasn't even kissed me yet." she almost whispered her fear at the end.

"Sakuno! Of course Ryoma-sama cares. He hasn't dated anyone else has he? Ne, ne, I know what to do! Listen, I'm half way through this great book of my Mom's, she doesn't know I have it, but anyway, the girl in it is in the same situation! She decides to get the guys attention by showing him what he's missing. We'll make Ryoma-sama jealous!" the hyperactive girl nearly screamed in excitement.

"Um, Tomoka? Just how am I supposed to do that? Are you really sure it will even work? I mean, it doesn't seem like something I should do." she temporized unsure of how to talk her friend out of this.

"Come on it'll be fine. My cousin did something like this and it worked out great! Of course she ended up dumping him, but that won't happen to you. Anyways, this is going to be great! I know just who to get to help us too. He just broke up with his girlfriend so he's free, and there's no way he'll let Ryoma-sama continue to ignore you. A young girl's heart is at stake, he just can't say no!"

...TKB...

"Tadaima." Ryoma called out as he sat down to remove his shoes. He was exhausted and not in the good physical, I've been defeating people through tennis, kind of way. No, this was mental and emotional exhaustion caused by dating someone he really didn't care about in such a way.

The only answer to his call came in the form of his beloved cat Karupin. He came immediately upon hearing his owner's voice and stood up on his hind legs to rub his head against the boy's cheek. Ryoma scooped the cat up and carried him into the kitchen as his cousin came in the other door.

"Ah, Ryoma-san okaeri. How was your date?" she greeted with a smile, "What's wrong?" Her eyes were soon clouded with concern as she studied him closer.

"Nanako-san, it's nothing really. I just don't think this relationship is for me." he finally admitted. The boy's eyes were trained on his cat as he stroked his fur and slowly blinked at him receiving a purr in response. Nanako got a grape Ponta out of the fridge and brought it over to her cousin as she came to sit at the table with him. The two had grown rather closer to each other over the past four years.

"What do you mean it's not for you? Don't you like Ryūzaki-chan?"

"Not in that way. She's ok I guess but, I just don't feel that way about her. Why can't everything just be tennis?" he responded with a scowl, absently scratching Karupin's favourite spot.

"Ryoma-san, please explain, I'm not sure I understand what you mean."

"It's like, she squeezes my hand so hard, and I tell her to stop because I need it to hold a racket. Or she starts to kick my shins and feet under the table at the restaurant, it's getting really annoying. She's always late, and she gets upset over the weirdest things. The movie she wanted to see was terrible and when I left to wait in the lobby she got angry, it's not like I completely left. I thought she would finish the movie while I read a magazine. She keeps trying to kiss me and I just don't want to. We have nothing to talk about, if I try to improve her tennis she goes and sits on her own sulking. I don't even understand what she's whining about most of the time."

"I can see both points here, but if you don't like her in that way then why go out with her?"

"I guess, it's cuz everyone expected it. I normally don't care what people expect of me, but no one would leave me alone about it. Mom, Dad, my friends at school, they all just kept pushing me to go out with her. I finally gave in just to shut them all up about it. It's exhausting though." he finally admitted. His cousin smiled at him sympathetically.

"Ne, Ryoma-san, please don't be offended but Aunty and I were talking the other day. Honestly we were wondering a little, do you even like girls in that way?" she asked timidly, hoping the question wouldn't cause him to withdraw from her. He didn't answer for some time his eyes fixed either on his cat or the canned drink.

"I don't know." he finally admitted before picking up the cat and heading for his room.

Ok, so I'd like to know if people are interested in this fic being continued or if I should attempt the other plot line my mind keeps touching on, the other would be called "Everyone Has a Secret" and would include someone stalking Ryoma. let me know in a review please. btw this one would for sure be yaoi, the other I don't know if it would end up with a pairing at all.