Disclaimer: I do not own the Prince of Tennis.

"AH!" Sakuno screamed right as she fell on the ground with a resounding thud. From the other side of the fence, the boy's tennis club turned to look on in surprise. A pair of golden hazel eyes had been a part of them.

She was running alone as a punishment for being late. It was the first time the girl's tennis club had made it past regionals so they were all pumped up to win it through nationals with intensive training. Everyone of course, except for a rather reluctant Sakuno Ryuzaki. She never did improve much in terms of the sport, but they had needed a qualified member to join the regular team. Surprisingly enough, they chose her.

So now, here she was, covered in dirt from head to toe. She just stayed put, opting to melt into the ground and bring her shame with her. When she didn't move, a couple of boys jogged over to help her up. Her team had already left to the neighboring school for a friendly practice-match. And she knew, oh Sakuno knew, that her captain knew she was navigationally challenged. Therefore, entasked her to follow by herself out of petty hate, probably hoping she'd get lost forever.

"You alright?" Katsuo asked in worry as he pulled her up. Sakuno nodded shyly at him, her cheeks tinted red as she brushed off the dirt from her clothes.

"Hai." She lightly said, still too embarrassed to look up and face her unwanted audience.

"Girls are so rough." Horio commented as he approached them, looking around for any of Sakuno's clubmates. Sakuno released a light laugh. Dusting her tennis skirt, she looked up to her friends and told them.

"It's all my fault anyway."

"No it wasn't." Horio told her with a bite on his tone, his eyes flashing to her in disbelief. "If I were you, I'd blame Echizen for all of this. He was the one supposed to have arranged those files."

"Ei." Sakuno said, shaking her head profusedly. "It's really not his fault."

"Whatever you have to say to me, you can say it to my face, Horio."

The three other second years 'eep-ed' at the sound of that voice. They all turned, finding Ryoma had been there all along. Horio looked phased, nevertheless, he mounted a glare on his dark eyebrows and relentlessly told the tennis prodigy.

"Take responsibility for getting the upperclassmen mad at Ryuzaki-chan! You know very well her being late was all your fault!"

"She wanted to take my job." Ryoma told the red-faced teen nonchalantly, his eyes flickering over to Sakuno for less than a split second. "Was I supposed to say no?"

"Yes! You dolt!" Horio cried. Sakuno and Katsuo cringed beside him. "You know what it's like practicing for regionals! Give the girl a break!"

"I'll give her a break when she deserves one."

Then, suddenly, out of the blue, a nerve popped from the side of Horio's head. And a second after, he swung his arm and punched Ryoma square on the side of his face. Ryoma nearly fell over, but he caught the momentum with his foot. Judging by the faces the two young lads wore, the punch had hurt Horio more than it did Ryoma. But the frightful redness on his face was evident nonetheless.

Of course, as Horio seethed, gently rubbing his flaming knuckles, Sakuno was hovering around Ryoma in alarm and worry. Ryoma stepped back, wanting to get some space between them.

"You are such an idiot." He told Horio with a glare. More people had rushed over, mostly from their team, for the show and a good laugh. Then, he turned to Sakuno and told her with the same glare still on his face. "Let's go."

With her brows furrowed in question, she tagged behind Ryoma and couldn't help but ask,

"Where?"

"To your damned practice match." He gritted, refusing to face her. Sakuno rushed to walk beside him. Then, eyeing his slowly recovering cheek, told him meekly.

"I'm sorry."

To which Ryoma instantly froze. As the sensation flooding his system relentlessly these past few months, he shook his head and continued to walk abruptly to get his belongings before escorting her to their rival school. Sakuno still caught up with him, matching his stride and continued speaking. Ryoma only quickened his pace. He didn't want her to continue. He had a feeling she'd repeat what she told him earlier that day. And honestly, he didn't want to hear those words again. He really really was rather akin on not getting rejected twice in one day.

"I'm sorry." The dense girl said, continuing nonetheless. "Also for this morning. I just - we can't just date. I - I just don't see us - this. I'm really sorry."

"You know." Ryoma finally turned to her, running a hand exasperatedly through his hair. "Ridiculous as it seems, your words of rejection aren't making me feel any better."

Sakuno looked at him, shutting her mouth.

"So I suggest, during this quick route, you won't talk at all."

Then, he stopped before going into the clubroom to retrieve his bag.

"And no amount of taking my cleaning duties, doing my homework, will make me feel better."