Tennis no Ojou-sama: A Prince of Tennis Fan Fiction

CHAPTER 65: A Big Thing

Ryouko wanted to blink but couldn't. She wanted to breathe in but couldn't. "Isn't he... a bit too close?" She thought. Her head was rested on his bicep muscles, near the shoulder. His face was... Five inches? No, even closer? Too close. Quite close. She could hear his breathing.

What was she thinking? It was not the first time that she was this close to Ryoma, she even hugged him in her sleep when they were younger.

It was not the first time, but... Why does it feel like it's the first time?

Ryoma's fist behind Ryouko was shaking a bit, as he tried to ponder what the heck he was doing and what on earth were the words coming from his mouth are coming from. One thing was sure, of all the times he had ever been this close to her in their childhood, this was definitely—

"Achoo..." Ryouko sneezed, and quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

The unfortunate boy who was in the middle of some serious self-contemplation, was sprinkled with... I dare not say it. All he could do in retaliation was shut his eyes and make an uncomfortable expression.

Ryouko sat up from her position and coughed. What was it that she was thinking about again? Something... She thought hard. Whatever it was, it already flew off the top of her head. The sneeze had blown it away. She cocked her head to one side as she wiped some excess drool from the corner of her mouth, trying to retrieve the thought.

At that moment, Ryoma collected himself and wiped a speck of her spit from his cheek. "Aish." He said both in anger and disgust, looking at it. He wiped it off on the beach blanket and sat up. "That is just disgusting! I told you you'd catch a cold. You never listen!" He scolded. Thoroughly embarrassed, yelling was all he could do to make himself less pathetic.

"You don't have to yell." Ryouko replied calmly. "Geez. I just sneezed in your face, not puke all over you. Do you have OCD or something?" She scoffed, not at all sorry.

"So you're implying that sneezing at people's faces is perfectly normal then?" He said, wiping his face with the sleeve of his jacket.

Ryouko shrugged. "It was a call of nature. What can a mere mortal do against that?"

"I can't believe you really... Ach... So disgusting..." Ryoma said, taking a sniff at the edge of the sleeve he used to wipe his face with.

"Tcch. You are such a girl." Ryouko said, glowering at him. "Do you have a handkerchief on you?" She suddenly asked.

"I do not." Ryoma answered, quite angry.

"I'll settle with this then." Ryouko took the hem of his jacket and wiped her nose on it.

Ryoma shouted in fury, standing up. "Disgusting girl! Get away from me!"

"Hmph." Ryouko said, smiling in satisfaction.

"I can't believe you really... Kanemochi no oujo-sama (Rich young lady), my butt... More like a barbarian." Ryoma mumbled.

"That's enough out of you. One more word and I'll twist your neck." She said with a glare, shoving her fist towards him. She sniffed and placed the bend of her forefinger under her nose.

"Oi, oi. You didn't really catch a cold, did you?" Ryoma said suddenly, taking the two cans of Ponta and the chocolate bars, placing them on Ryouko's right side and sitting down on the beach blanket with the snacks right in their middle.

"No. I don't think so." She answered.

"You better didn't. You just sneezed in my face. If you make me sick, I'll seriously..." He made the gesture of strangling someone.