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

CHAPTER 82: Changes

Ryoma watched as Atobe and Ryouko disappeared among the crowd. He disliked letting her go with Atobe but he didn't have the confidence to look at her in the face at the moment.

He knew the reason for that accident. It was blatantly obvious. She saved him from getting hit by the ball. Even with his skills, he wouldn't be able to propel that shot away properly... Not with that angle. The fact that he couldn't maneuver the right way because Ryuzaki was standing behind him also added to the situation. He couldn't let a girl get hit so what choice did he have but to take it himself?

Ryouko stated the reason why she blocked the ball and it matched with his interpretation of the situation. Well, she said that it was for both him and Ryuzaki but nevertheless, she still saved him. Whatever her reasons may be, she still got hurt in his place. That is what he cannot accept.

All of a sudden, someone approached him. "Ry-Ryoma-kun..." The tiny voice said. Ryoma knew perfectly to whom it belonged to. A small flare of anger lit up in his chest as he turned around to face her.

He tried his best not to look agitated. After all, it wasn't her fault that Ryouko jumped in the way of that ball. It would be unfair to get mad at her, but still...

Sakuno looked up at Ryoma's eyes hesitantly. "I... I just want to thank you... For shielding me from the ball... I'm really sorry. I was stupid to try and return that smash. But my body moved on its own and... I'm just really sorry." She said, her tone full of remorse and regret.

"Then you should've listened. I already told you from the start to let me handle it." Ryoma said, his tone a little harsh. He stopped himself. He was supposed to hold it in, but his anger is leaking. If Ryuzaki didn't do that, Ryouko wouldn't have gotten hurt. Although it is not her fault, she is partly responsible for what happened.

Sakuno's eyes watered. "I'm sorry... I really am..." She tried to hide the tears but he has already seen it.

Ryoma felt bad for making her cry. "Next time, think before you act. That's the best quality that a tennis player should have. You want to be good at tennis, don't you? You practice diligently everyday. If you want to be better, you should keep that in mind." He said before turning around to leave.

He calmed himself down by taking a few deep breaths. Getting mad at someone will not make that ugly wound disappear from Ryouko's back. Besides, it wasn't really Ryuzaki he is so mad at... It was himself.

~~~

"Keigo!" Ryouko complained as she was being dragged through the hall of the white building where the coaches were staying. She barely had enough time to detach the racket from her hand before they left the tennis courts. The heels were digging at her ankles and she held the skirt as she half-ran, half-walked to match Atobe's hurried pace. It was as if he is running away from someone.

Ryouko couldn't take it anymore and she forcibly pulled her hand away from him. "Hold on a sec, seriously... You're hurting me." She said in an annoyed tone as she rubbed the wrist he had been gripping tightly. He actually left a red mark around it.

Atobe looked at her as if he just realized what he had been doing. He figured he should apologize but he doesn't want to. "This way." He said instead.

Ryouko rotated her wrist as she followed him, looking quite irritated. "What is wrong with him?" She wondered, throwing daggers at the back of his head.

Atobe led her to a rectangular room with 'Infirmary' written over the door in swirling, cursive letters. It was equipped with bunk beds and had the vibe of a school clinic and a hospital room at the same time. The curtains blowing from the windows revealed the great picturesque scenery outside.