Waiting for that Promise

   A/N:

 Yes, I know! another songfic chap, you say XD    

      Song: The Little Things - Colbie Caillat            

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Despite being a weekend, the nearby courts from the boarding house is empty besides the girl who decided to practice. The sound of a tennis ball smashing against the wall can only be heard. Eyes determined and with her form, significantly better than five years ago, Ryuzaki Sakuno rallied against the wall. Her body glistened with sweat as she moved.

Even after the Prince of Tennis left Japan, she still continued to play tennis. Over time, she improved bit by bit that by the end of middle school, she graduated as a regular. Tomoka used to ask her why she still played until the end high school. And though she was being honest in telling that she has really grown to love the sport, a small part of her says otherwise. There was this little hope that by continually playing tennis, it would eventually lead her to him.

She held onto that. Sakuno tried to follow his advice, except for cutting her hair which by his standards would still be too long.

"Ne, I didn't think you'd be out here practicing." a familiar voice suddenly spoke from behind, making Ryuzaki’s thoughts disappear.

Distracted, she missed to hit the ball bouncing from the wall. It sprinted near the newcomer who caught it with his red racquet swiftly. Echizen Ryoma smirked as he bounced the ball in his racquet, an opened grape Ponta in his other hand.

"R-Ryoma-kun, I just thought of practicing..." she unconsciously blushed and turned her head down, looking at the ground. “What if my form looked like I didn’t improve at all? And Ryoma-kun had to see that... Mou.”

"What's so interesting about the ground anyway?" the tennis prince commented bluntly, taking notice of her peculiar mannerisms around him.

“N-Nothing really,” she felt so embarrassed, “Sorry.”

With that, Sakuno took the courage to look at Ryoma, who to her surprise, fished out a cherry Ponta from his pocket.

"Take it." he mouthed.

"Arigato, Ryoma-kun." she accepted the drink with a thankful smile.

"It's nothing. It's not my flavor anyway." he said nonchalantly as he took a sip of his own grape Ponta and emptied it.

He then, started to wall practice as Sakuno just stared at him in awe, while drinking the cherry Ponta.

"Sugoi! Ryoma-kun has gotten even stronger!" she thought as Ryoma continued to return his shots perfectly, as if it was nothing.

"Ano, Ryoma-kun, can I ask you something?" Sakuno asked as Ryoma replied, "Sure, I don't mind." while continuing to rally with the wall.

"R-Ryoma-kun, how's your life here?" she asked as Ryoma suddenly looked at her, with his brows furrowed as if curious on why Sakuno asked that.

"I guess it’s fine. I'm already a pro." he replied casually as he continued to practice.

"Eh? Then how come there are no paparazzi anywhere? Why is it that Ryoma-kun still lives here peacefully?" she thought.