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

CHAPTER 144: You Can Never Be Too Sure

"What on earth are you talking about?" Ryouko asked, a frown darkening her face.

Atobe was about to speak but a commotion in the bowling alley distracted both of them.

Ryouko's neck swerved towards the source of the cheering noise and a wary look took over her rust-colored eyes. She shifted her attention to Atobe and stepped closer. "I don't think this is an ideal place for us to be discussing this matter..." she said, keeping her volume low. "I'll contact you later and let's meet up before the New Year's Eve celebration starts. It'll be trouble if my cousins overhear us," she added.

Atobe Keigo was taken aback at the short distance between them. He raised a hand to touch her but she moved away without even noticing his slight gesture.

Glancing over her shoulder, Ryouko gave him a meaningful look. "I'll contact you, okay?" she said before heading towards the bowling alley.

Atobe could only watch as she retaliated towards her cousins. He blinked consecutively and thought back about what happened for the last few minutes. He realized that he just confessed to Fujioka Ryouko, the girl whom he never imagined to be his type since the moment he laid eyes on her.

His face slowly reddened and he placed a hand over his mouth, feeling the embarrassment sink in a moment too late.

"That was crazy, Atobe Keigo. Why'd you do that so impulsively?" he told himself and looked all around him. They are in a freaking recreational center inside a shopping mall. This is, by any means, not the ideal place to be professing one's love towards a girl.

He screwed up real bad indeed. Ryouko's reaction wasn't what he expected as well and he fed her so much information about the engagement that his confession was totally set aside.

He groaned in exasperation and dragged his feet back to where his teammates are. He needs a moment to collect himself before receiving Ryouko's text or call about where to meet later.

He tapped Choutaro on the shoulder. The latter turned around. "Oh, where have you been Captain?" he asked.

"I don't feel so good. I'll be going home ahead of you guys. Just enjoy yourselves and don't bother me," Atobe told him.

Choutaro blinked in confusion and just watched the Hyotei captain retreat from the recreational center.

As Atobe descended down the elevator, he thought of only one thing. Would it be too late for him to at least grab a bouquet of flowers or something more note-worthy of his profession of love and give it to Ryouko later? Does she even like flowers?

Ahh, the torture... His own actions are driving him crazy....

~~~

The door of Fujioka Ryouko's room creaked open and the owner herself went in, turned the lights on and took her coat off. With a little sigh, she went towards the bed and sat down.

The rest of their trip in the mall was a blur to her except for the most significant moment when she took advantage of her cousins' preoccupancy and talked to Ryoma alone outside the arcade. They just arrived home approximately five minutes ago and everyone's busy washing up.

She sat up on the bed with the pillows supporting her back and began unwinding her braided hair while recalling everything that happened during the second half of their trip to the mall.

They all went to the rooftop after everyone had their fill of fun in the recreational center, bidding goodbye to the Hyotei tennis club members with their captain Atobe Keigo mysteriously missing. Tetsuya and Tatsuya were disappointed that their former kouhai didn't even bid them goodbye before leaving and mumbled curses about playing a prank on him the next time they see him.