The Return of the Prince
"Sakuno! Are you sure you don't want to come? Everybody is going!" asked Tomoka loudly.
"Tomoka, it's not that I don't want to go, I am just busy tomorrow. I wish I could go, but I…."said Sakuno, but before she could finish, her best friend said the words that cut through her heart.
"SA-KU-NO! This isn't just anybody! This is THE Ryoma Echizen! The Prince of tennis and the love of your life!" Screamed Tomoka over the phone.
"Tomoka…..I….no, I don't have those feelings for him anymore, and I really do have something to do tomorrow, like work, so I am sorry, I can not go to the airport with you and everyone…"said Sakuno.
"……Sakuno….If you really can't make it, I won't force you to come, but I just hope you are ready…for him…"said Tomoka quietly.
"haha, Tomoka, I am not that naïve 12-years-old school girl anymore, I am already 15 and in high school. I know how to take care of my self, don't worry, well anyway, I have to go, I'll see you in school tomorrow!" said Sakuno before hanging up the phone.
Sakuno turned around to see her own reflection in the mirror, and smiled at what she saw. Yes, she was no longer the wobbly hips that had two long braided hairs and always blush at every comment a person of opposite sex says to her. She had cut her hair, so instead of two endless braids, her hair is shorter and it flows freely behind her, with just a flower clip in the front to keep her hair out of her face. She might not be as beautiful as some of her other female friends, like Tomoka or Ann, but a confident and graceful aura surrounds her wherever she goes. Ever since the prince of tennis left Seigaku, she changed. Instead of standing on the sideline watching everyone else play, she practiced hard and with occasional help from Fuji Sempai, who volunteer to coach her after seeing her practicing by the park one afternoon, had became a steady player. She has become very comfortable and happy with her self.
As Sakuno got into bed and ready to go to sleep, the thought of tomorrow comes into her mind. Tomorrow, is a day she dreads, because tomorrow is the day Ryoma Echizen, the prince of tennis and her once-childhood-crush, is returning to Japan. It's not that she has anything against the young man; it just seeing him brings back old memories and that nostalgic feeling that, to Sakuno's fear, might turn her back into that timid little girl. Everyone is going to pick him up at the airport tomorrow after school, well…everyone except me..., she thought. Well…it's not like I made up a reason to not go see him, I have to go to work after school tomorrow! So I have a good excuse!But I'll still see him in school and at tennis practice, ARH what do I say when I see him? Ah……..Too tired to think anymore, Sakuno drifted into slumber.
After school….
"Bye Sakuno! I'll see you tomorrow!" yelled Tomoka as she ran toward her two year boyfriend, Horio, and the other Tennis players who were getting ready to pick up their beloved Ochibi.
"Bye Tomo-chan!" yelled Sakuno, as she slowly walks in the other direction to the café she works at.
"Eh?? Sakuno-chan isn't coming??!! But Ochibi's coming home!! Her boyfriend!!" said Eiji surprisingly.
"Sakuno is NOT Ryoma-sama's girlfriend!" said Tomoka loudly, "although I wish they were a couple…"she added quietly.
"That Echizen, he must be the densest teenage boy I have ever seen in my entire life! I wish he could see what a great girl Sakuno-chan would be for him!" said Momo angrily. "but where is Sakuno chan going anyway?"
Tomoka was about to answer, but someone beat her to it.
"She works at this café called the music café, she waitress there, that's why she isn't coming." Said a smiling Fuij. At this, everybody turns and looked at the prodigy.
"According to my data, this is a very popular café, because there is live music perform by the waiters and waitress" said the Seigaku data man.
"Ah I see….well, let's get going!" said Momo excitedly as the old seigaku regulars heads toward the bus stop to get to the airport to pick up the prince of tennis that they have all missed all so much.
At the airport…
As the prince of tennis, Echizen Ryoma, exit from the plane, the nostalgic feeling over whelmed him. I wonder how everyone is doing…Ryoma said. However, his thought was quickly answered as he hears loud cheers of his name.
"RYOMA-SAMA! RYOMA-SAMA! WELCOME BACK!!" screamed Tomoka eagerly. Ryoma turned and saw the old gang; the Seigaku regulars, the freshman trio, and the loud cheerleader…just one?...thought Ryoma.
"Ochibi!! Welcome back!!" said Eiji excitedly as he gave Ryoma a big bear hug, but he quickly realized that 'ochibi' is no longer the proper work to describe Ryoma. At the age of 15, Ryoma had grown as tall as some of the regulars, and if he was handsome before, he was definitely drop dead gorgeous now.
"Yo Echizen! Good job on the U.S Open!" said Momo as he gave Ryoma a friendly pat on the back.
"Hmm…"was all that Ryoma said.
"haha, Echizen, you are still like before" said Oishi.
"Hey, how about we go get something to eat? To celebrate the return of our beloved Echizen?" said Momo happily.
"fshuu…pig…"said Kaidoh quietly. Normally Momo would start an argument, but he wanted to keep everything happy, so he decided to just ignore him.
"How about my sushi place?" offered Kawamura friendly. Just when everyone was going to agree, the tensai of Seigaku interrupted.
"Actually, I have a better place in mind…."said Fuji smilingly.
"Where?" questioned many of the regulars.
"o it's a nice cozy café not far from the school…."said Fuji as he shared a sadistic smile with Inui.
"Let's go then!" yelled Eiji as he dragged Ryoma away.
"What are you planning?" asked Tezuka with a warning glare.
"Nothing…just a nice reunion for everybody." Said Fuji smilingly as he follow the lead of Momo and Eiji. And a wake up call of feelings for a certain two young teen….