I am so sorry this chapter took so long to get here (a year, I think?). It was just that I had completely no idea how to end this. And thus, I stalled. I felt guilty about leaving you guys hanging for such a long time but I would have felt guiltier if I just posted some half-hearted attempt at an ending. So, again, I'm very sorry. :) I hope you guys enjoy the last and final chapter of 'Best Seigaku Romance Novel'.

And a lot of thanks to for being there to read all of the chapters: EvilFaerie17 (Thank you!!!)

And, I just want everyone to know that it was a blast writing this and reading your reviews.

My heartfelt thanks to everyone for supporting this story and waiting patiently for this chapter! ^_^

Enjoy.

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Epilogue

It was a Thursday.

Time had passed— a lot of time.

She was no longer the blushing naïve pigtailed brunette everyone knew (although she did show up from time to time). She was older, more mature, and blushed a little less (she'd like to think). She still got lost regularly. She was sometimes forgetful…

She was still unbelievably in love with Tezuka Kunimistu.

A soft smile played on her lips as turned to the window that was angled towards the tennis court, knowing that the teen she was looking for would be there.

Her eyes locked on the figure probably shouting orders at the tired looking team, amused fondness brightening her doe eyes.

It had taken one year (since the welcome party for her grandmother), several decidedly crazy schemes concocted by their friends, and one Valentine's day to make them admit what they had been feeling for each other (which neither knew about until that moment). To her joy, her fear that they would completely fade out of each other's lives like a fleeting memory did not happen. If anything, they had found time to meet each other despite their schedules. It also helped that Sakuno regularly went to the tennis courts.

They were friends, and she couldn't have been happier at that. She had been content.

So, how did they get together?

Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't a scheme from one of their friends that finally pushed the two of them together, but an effort on both of their parts.

She had made chocolate.

He had accepted.

She giggled a bit as she remembered the moment.

It wasn't anything like the movies or the shows. She didn't shove her chocolate offering into his arms, scream her love at the top of her lungs and wait for a favourable reply. He didn't look at all shocked. A smile didn't appear on his lips and he never said: "I love you too."

It wasn't their style. It wasn't them.

What had really happened was that she had made chocolate, put it into a small simple wrapper, and shyly gave it to him.

That was the plan: give it to him, thank him, and leave.

She had never planned to confess that day.

The sun was setting in the background, and they stood there at the side of the tennis court, looking at each other quietly. It felt like something out of a painting.

She handed it to him, and their hands brushed. There had been a feeling in the air— a: this is it type of air (and it wasn't because the tennis team were hiding in the bushes, spying on them and making silent: "Just say it already!" screams in their heads). Their hands hadn't moved, and they were lost in each other's eyes. They didn't notice anything else.

He whispered a quiet: "Thank you, Sakuno."

And she just nodded, smiling dazedly with a flush on her cheeks.

Their hands still hadn't moved.

The moment waned, and after she had gathered her wits about her—

What was she doing staring at him so openly like that?

—and forced her blush down, she moved to leave.

He caught her hand in his before she could fully turn away.

Her heart stopped, and before she could think, she had turned back towards him, confusion written across her features. "Tezuka-senpai?"

"I'll be sure to give you something on White Day." He said quietly, as if any louder would break the fragile atmosphere surrounding them.

She had been a blushing, stuttering— mess. She had been wide eyed, confused, and only managing to smile back brightly and nod because her brain was somehow telling her that it was the appropriate thing to do.

He had been calm, collected— with a hint of a flush on his cheeks.

And, unbeknownst to them, their friends who were in the bushes spying on them were jumping up and down and hugging and high-fiving each other (mostly Momoshiro and Eiji). Oishi-senpai, if one were to look, had tears in his eyes. Fuji was just smiling like he knew it would happen. And Kawamura was being held back by Ryoma (reluctantly), Inui, and Kaidou.

"Buuuuuuuuuuurning!!!"

It hadn't been an outright confession— she had never expected it to be one.

Still, it had been unbelievable.

Like magic, or gravity, or whatever force there was— the man on the tennis court turned his head towards her exact direction. And even from her considerable distance, she could see— feel— his lips twitch.

Her own answering one widened, and she couldn't help but wave at him, watching as a flicker of a smile passed on his lips.

How they ended up together, for others, seemed like a dream. A well-written, carefully plotted, engaging romance novel— probably one of the best love stories that ever made itself in this campus.

For her, well, she wasn't sure.

All she knew was that how they got here, all the moments in between, it wasn't the work of someone (Fate? Destiny?).

It had been purely… them.

And it was perfect that way.

END

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For the final time: Review!~ :D