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

CHAPTER 112: Scripts and Donuts

Ryouko and Fuji found a quiet space in the rest areas near the school building. Under the shade of the trees adorning the campus were newly-furnished benches which were placed there recently as part of the school council’s beautification project. The area was usually packed during lunchtime as it became the favourite hang-out place of most of the students but they found it almost deserted. The few students who were scattered there are currently in the middle of packing their lunches and going back to the building. Figures, since it’s barely half an hour before the next bell rings.

As soon as Ryouko and Fuji settled on one of the benches, they found solitude. Fuji passed her the container with the promised donuts inside and each of them took a piece.
Meanwhile, Ryoma lost his targets with the crowd going back to the school building and it took a few minutes before he saw where they were. Narrowing his eyes at the brown head of Fuji, he followed suit and positioned himself by the wall of the school building, quite a few meters away from them. He didn’t want to be caught snooping and he isn’t even curious of what they might be talking about. He just wants to keep an eye on Ryouko. Or at least that’s what he believes. The truth is, he’s itching to eavesdrop.

It frustrates him that Fuji seems to always get entangled in matters with Ryouko and he really couldn’t think of a reason why that should happen. The other regulars are their seniors as well, but none of them gets involved like how Fuji-senpai does. What is with him?

Ryoma’s inner self scoffed. “Outside school, it’s Atobe. Inside the campus, it’s Fuji-senpai. Just amazing, Fujioka Ryouko. Truly fascinating,” he thought sarcastically.

Going back to the bench that the infuriated dark-haired boy had been staring at so dreadfully for the past five minutes, the two occupants shared a fairly quiet meal. Fuji watched Ryouko nibble half-heartedly around her glazed donut, circling and circling and munching on the edges. If it was the normal Ryouko, the donut would’ve disappeared in under a minute.

Her eyes lingered on the tree ahead and seemed to see right through it. It was obvious that she is not seeing the tree and is also probably oblivious of everything else in her surroundings, including Fuji.

“It’s not delicious?” he asked.
“No,” she answered absentmindedly. It took a second for her to process her answer and suddenly got flustered. “I mean, yes. No, that’s not right,” she said, looking confused.

“It’s a trick question, not answerable by yes or no. I see you’re not really focusing,” Fuji said and took a second donut from the lunch box.

“I’m not,” Ryouko admitted without any resistance. “Sorry, senpai.”

“No need to be sorry,” Fuji replied. “Clearly, you’re not here at the moment,” he commented, glancing at the faraway look in her eyes.

“You’re pretty sharp to notice that, senpai,” she said blankly.

“Where are you right now, if I may ask?” he queried.

“In L.A.,” Ryouko answered truthfully. “On that day, on that summer, four years ago,” she added.

Fuji nodded his head in understanding. “The fire incident…” he mumbled.

“You’ve heard?” Ryouko asked, looking sideways at him.

“Everyone did,” Fuji replied.
Ryouko sighed once again. Normally, she would’ve been embarrassed that such a weakness of hers was laid bare in front of so many people but she didn’t have the energy to care. Her mind is busy thinking of other things.
She took the donut from her lips and sighed. “If I could go back in time, would I be able to do something so that things would be different? My grandpa Suzuki always says, time is the most precious thing in this world. Once it passes, you can’t do anything about it. And so we must learn how to make choices. There is no such thing as a wrong or right choice. Only, you have to choose what would make you regret less.”