Waiting for that Promise

After visiting the admissions office for her schedule, Sakuno finally breathed in relief. It was a good thing that she finished the whole ordeal within the length of the first period. Clutching a print-out of her final class schedules, she immediately went her way to find her second period class. Equipped with her English honed for years back in high school, Sakuno found it easier to ask for directions. And thus, she came to her class just in time.

Five minutes before class starts, she wandered her eyes around the rows of seats and the massive space. Among the hordes of students, she found a familiar dark-green hair that can only belong to her housemate. He yawned, bored to death as he stared outside the windows. The tennis prince didn’t seem to be aware that she shared the same class as him.

"Just like the old times eh?" she thought as a tiny smile graced her face.

The professor arrived on time, briefly introducing himself before he started the lecture. For the entire period, Sakuno listened attentively. She even took notes. Though she can’t help but check at Ryoma through side glances. It was a good thing that the professor didn’t seem to mind that the boy was fighting off sleep the whole time. Sakuno let out a small giggle, enough not to elicit any attention towards her.

Unknown to the brown-haired girl, the blonde boy sitting beside Ryoma saw everything. Call it an impressive observation, but he saw how the japanese girl looked at the tennis prodigy. Kevin Smith, Ryoma's former opponent in the Goodwill Games and is now his close friend in America, prided himself in noticing those subtle things.

Since Ryoma is not the type to start a conversation or to be friendly with everyone, it's Kevin who always talks and accompanies him everywhere. They’ve been friends for years and now, they’re studying in the same university and took on same classes. It was rare whenever Ryoma brings up his Japan or middle school topics, so it was a nice surprise when he hears about them.

So seeing the japanese girl walking with Ryoma as they got inside the school gate earlier, piqued his interest. She even attended the same class as them. And as he saw her little glances at him and the way her cheeks gave off faint blush after doing so, Kevin was sure that the girl somehow is connected with Ryoma’s past.

As soon as the period ends, leading to the lunch break, Kevin shook Ryoma’s shoulder in an attempt to wake him up.

"Ryoma." The boy stirred, his eyes lazily looking back at his blond friend.

"What is it?" Ryoma asked impatiently.

"Who's the brunette with you earlier?"

As the question registered on him, he paused for a while, wondering about his question. And then, realizing that he did walk earlier with Ryuzaki as they went inside the campus, he replied.

"Ryuzaki? What about her?" Ryoma raised his eyebrow in question.

"Well, who is she exactly? I haven't seen her before," he looked like he was thinking, "A girlfriend from Japan perhaps?" Kevin smirked.

Ryoma only grunted, not really keen on giving Kevin an answer. He knew that the guy probably just wanted to tease him, and no matter what he says won’t really change anything.

“Well, shouldn’t I just ask her directly then?” Kevin playfully looked around, specifically on the seat that the mystery girl sat earlier. But she was nowhere. When his eyes wandered around the door, he saw a certain pink-haired girl that he knows all too well.