It All Started With a Bet

Naze

Hye! I am back with the new chapter. Anyway I would like to thank...

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Prince of Tennis and never will.

Chapter 20: Naze

Chapter Summary: The rain continued to drop but she only realized on thing. It was better to leave those questions unanswered and those answers that were left unsaid.

'The Hydrangea flowers swaying over my shoulder are blurring my memories

my chest feels pain

"Because kind words won't stay and drift away instead"

Turning your back and not saying anything was how you showed your kindness

The wind is getting heavier, the rainy season is coming again

The ambiguous season is...

"Things that are important to me can't be seen, so I lose them easily"

Hey, even when you're happy you have tears, why?

Even when you're sad you smile, why?

I'll always be wondering...'

~ Naze – Junko Minagawa (RYOMA) ~

As they promised, they let her paint the next day since she did the part of the bargain. She rested the rest of the night and didn't do anything at all. The next day was their promise. Sakuno would paint and no one would disturb her.

Seeing in a good condition, her grandmother, Tomoka, Fuji who visited her that morning finally allowed her to go out. Kanata went home last night. He reminded her to come and stop by in the court when she was free. She was really thankful of the guy's effort that to leave his area and visited her to her home. She thought of giving something for him when she was done with her painting.

With the resolve, she started walking on her way to her location. The sunset valley. The people who chose the view were somehow related to her. Fuji took the picture. Kanata chose the picture.

Ryoma gave her memories within the picture.

The latter did give more than that. He gave her first kiss there. Their first sweet talk which he rarely did and some promises that weren't worth keeping anymore. Reaching the place, she shook her head rigidly as she stood on top of the hill.

Those were memories to her now. This time, she would move on and pursue her own dreams. This time, she would make sure to finish her canvass... without fail.

Meanwhile:

The sound of the ball being hit on the wall and to the racket that he was holding were all the noises he could hear, let alone his grunts and some... frustrations he was feeling at that moment.

He was frustrated and he released his frustrations to the ball and to the wall. He screwed up big this time. His resolved crumbled and he didn't know where to start.

Echizen Ryoma had an epic fail to woe the girl that he was winning back.

She was in front of him when she collapsed yesterday. She was already in his arms but someone just stole her from that... just like that.

She was sick because of the weather... because of the rain. They were soaked for two days but having a strong resistance and endurance, he was not that easily to get sick. Gripping his racket really hard, he focused his attention back to the wall and started hitting the ball to it.