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

CHAPTER 78: Him and Only Him

A few hours before the third event

"Ryouko... Are you sure you can get through today without sleeping?" An said as she put on a pink parka.

"I did had some sleep. I slept from 11 o'clock to 3 o'clock. That's full four hours. It'll be enough to have some energy until the sun sets." Ryouko answered, rummaging inside her blue duffel bag.

"You're being reckless. You shouldn't treat your body like that. We're still in junior high you know. If you keep that up, you'll never grow any taller." An said.

Ryouko's hands stopped moving. An's tone and manner of saying those words pissed her off. "Stop talking to me like I'm such a child. As for my height, I'll worry about that on my own." She threw a childish glare at her.

An restricted her smile. "Hai, hai... Just be more careful. As an athlete, you know better than anyone that taking care of your body comes first."

"I'm not really concerned about polishing my own skills at the moment. The freshmen's growth is more important right now. After that, I'll go back to tending to myself." Ryouko answered, pulling out a small, dark blue string bag from the duffel.

"I'm not really talking about skills... I'm talking about your health as a twelve-year old girl whose body is still developing." An thought but did not open her mouth to say it. Ryouko is obsessed with being an instructor that she couldn't see anything else. Her words might not reach the girl's stubborn head.

"Found it." Ryouko said as she took something from inside the string bag. As she pulled out a wrist band from it, a small box got caught and dropped to the floor.

"What is that?" An asked, bending down to pick it up.

"I don't know." Ryouko answered.

"How can you not know when it came from your bag?" An said in exasperation, handing the box to Ryouko.

"I don't remember packing something like this..." Ryouko answered, opening the box. Her eyes widened a bit as she saw what was inside. A smile crept into her lips.

"Let me see." An said and went towards her, peeking into the small box. "Waa! Kirei! (Pretty!)" She breathed out as she laid her eyes on the small ring inside there, adorned with small round purple stones surrounding a diamond-shaped blue jewel.

"You think so?" Ryouko said. "Do you want to hold it?"

"Sure!" An delightedly took the box into her hands. "It's so cute! Where'd you get it?" She said, taking a closer look at the ring.

"Someone gave it to me." Ryouko answered. "Quite begrudgingly." She added, remembering the way that Keigo threw the box at her. "I didn't know that I put it there together with my wristband. I actually exchanged the other pair of my wristband in payment for it." She said as she placed the wristband on her left hand.

An didn't seem to be listening as she is busy admiring the ring. "Put it on, Ryouko." She suddenly said.

"Why? I don't want to. I don't wear any jewelry if it's not for formal events." Ryouko replied.

"Aww... Please? Just this once. I want to see it on your pretty hand. It matches your demeanor and your skin color so well." An said, blinking her blue eyes at her roommate.

An leaned closer and closer to Ryouko's face, pressuring her. "Fine, fine." The latter said, finally giving in. "Give it to me." She added, holding out her palm.

An leaned back with a smile and took the ring from its box. She placed it on Ryouko's outstretched palm. Ryouko slipped it on the ring finger of her left hand. It was a perfect fit.