Everything is Possible in a Story

Ayumi Nazu/Author's Note: Sixth entry of the 15 One-Shot Contest! For those who have no idea what's going on with the '15 One-Shot Contest', please go to the 'We are Game' literature entry. I thank you for your comments, critiques and votes in advance.

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi.

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Theme #6

Break my Heart

Written by: AyumiNazu

     I wanted to know the answer to the question of which I was so afraid to ask. How will he answer, what will he say? Though I pretend to ignore it, it has been bothering, it always had.

     “Ryoma-kun,” I called out to break the silence when we were walking home together, “Between tennis and I, which do you love more?”

     He turned my way in shock that I dare ask this question. I waited eagerly for his reply, knowing that it may break my heart.

     “I…”

     He couldn’t finish his sentence. I was left hanging without a proper reply. Since he couldn’t decide, it meant that I wasn’t as important. If I was, he would have picked me right away. The confused and sad expression he had on his face, I didn’t want to see it anymore. My tears were threatening to fall, but I tried to hold them back.

     Before he could stop me, I ran as fast as I could out of the situation. My tears wouldn’t stop when I got home where no one could see me crying. I realized that all I ever do was run away. I could never face difficult situations by myself.

     I wasn’t angry at him. I knew he couldn’t have chosen me. I even hesitated that he might have loved his cat Karupin more than he loved me! It was a sad fact.

     Soon afterwards, I regretted asking the question. The situation between the two of us felt really awkward. We started talking less at school and walking home by ourselves. His sharp golden brown eyes lost its brilliance. I had never seen him look as lost as this. If it had to end this way, I wished he would have just answered with tennis so that it could all be over. Once again, everything was my entire fault.

     I missed hanging out with him. His smiles, his teases, his golden gaze, I missed all of it. I haven’t spoken to him properly in almost a week! Did it really matter if I was his most important possession?

     My heart stayed broken and cold the whole time. The reason for my tears that fell constantly, changed. I just wanted him by my side again. I didn’t care if my name was at the bottom of his list!

     Then the long awaited answer came, about six days from the time I asked the question. That morning, he rung my door bell and showed up, not saying a single word even when he got inside.

     As soon as I turned my back at him, he pulled me into his arms and rested his head on mine. And then he whispered in my ears, “I’m your Prince of Tennis. I’d be empty without tennis, and I’d be lost without you.”

     A sad smile appeared on my face, “It took you almost a week, and this is all you can give me as an answer?” I chuckled as I hugged him back.

     “Right now, you feel more important than anything else,” he gained back the focus in his dazzling hazel eyes, everything reverted back to normal.

     “I’m sorry for asking.”

     His embrace was warm. I could hear his heart beating fast and I bet he could see my face flush pink. The words ‘you’re more important than anything’ resonated in my head and made me smile, even if that sentence was meant only for that moment.

     In the end, he still couldn’t make a final decision, but at least he cared about me like how much he loved tennis and that’s a lot. Well, what’s my Prince of Tennis, without the sport?

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