Tennis Stars (Ryoga x Reader)

Epilogue

I watched the US open and returned to Japan again later on when I was sixteen and Ryoga was nineteen.

The plane ride itself was long and boring, but I kept myself occupied as I scrolled through my phone, rereading my texts from Ryoga.

Each text had a heart from him. He had turned more flirty as the years had gone past.

I've kept in contact with his brother as well over the years so I know for sure that Ryoga is still in Japan right now and he's not planning on leaving for a while.

I haven't told Ryoga yet that I'm coming for a surprise visit. If I did, it wouldn't be much of a surprise anymore.

"You may unfasten your seatbelts now," I hear the flight attendant say over the plane speakers as it lands and rolls to a slow stop.

I turn my head, opening the window and smiling as I saw the bright lights of the city where I had spent a lot of my life hanging out with the Echizens both there and back in America.

I waited in the aisle for a few minutes as I grabbed my stuff and shuffled off the plan after everyone else, spotting Ryoma standing with his back against a wall and his hands in his pockets, his hat lowered over his eyes. He was still pretty short for his age, him being 15 now.

I think he's sleeping.

I quickly went over to him, unable to stop the grin from spreading across my face as i slung my duffle bag over my shoulder and got comfortable in my position.

"Ryoma," I grin, tapping his shoulder and seeing his head move slightly with a dull look on his face before his eyes brightened once he recognized me.

"Y/n!" He said, smiling a bit as he recognized me.

I laugh. "Yeah, it's been a hot minute, hasn't it?" I grin rhetorically, adjusting my duffel bag over my shoulder again.

"I told Ryoga there was a surprise for him so he's back home waiting with Karupin," Ryoma said as he pushed off from against the wall.

"I assume I'll be able to stay at your place while I'm here? Or are you gonna make me sleep out on the streets?" I tease lightly, nudging his shoulder as we started walking out of our terminal and towards the exit of the airport.

"Probably," Ryoma shrugged, reaching a hand up to fix his hat before his hands returned to his pockets.

I stepped out of the airport, pausing to take in a deep breath of the chilly air around us, my eyes closing for a second before I opened them and looked around, content and happy.

"So, you think he missed me?" I said as Ryoma and I walked by each other and headed to his house, all the streets and shops poking at my memory as I passed them.

Ryoma glanced at me with a slight scowl. "All he talks about is you. He even tells his opponents in his matches that he's busy just so he can go talk with you on the phone."

I laugh, putting my hands in my pockets as a slight wind came down the street from ahead and blew my hair back out of my face. "Sounds like him."

Ryoma nodded and then stopped in front of the door to the Echizen household, opening it and gesturing for me to stay outside.

I obeyed him and listened through the door to the conversation.

"Chibisuke, where's my surprise?" I heard Ryoga ask, sounding impatient.

"Go outside. It's cold so take an extra jacket," Ryoma replied curtly. I listened closer and heard him shut his door loudly before I leaned back on the porch and waited.

I heard the door slowly open and Ryoga curse softly under his breath as a gust of wind hit us.

"Jeez. What could be so important that he makes me come outside myself?" Ryoga scowled as he sighed and shook his head, not looking at me as he shut the door softly behind him.

I stayed silent as I watched him, his head bent low as he took a deep breath, white air appearing from his breath and the cold air.

I watched him for another second before frowning slightly. "Didn't miss me, huh?" I mused teasingly.

His head snapped up and his eyes met mine, wide and full of shock. "Y/n?!"

"Yep. The one and only," I grin as I take a step closer to him. "So? Did you miss me?"

"I-Yes! Of course I missed you!" Ryoga grinned, grabbing me and pulling me into a tight hug, his arms enveloping me with warmth and love as he buried his face into my hair, wet from the slow snowfall.

"I'm glad to see you again too," I laugh, looking up at him as I stood up a little higher on my toes and pecked him on his cheek, my hands slightly red from the cold.

"Oh, here," Ryoga said, taking off his coat and putting it around my shoulders, the material already warm from him. "You're probably cold. I'm sure Nanako would make you something to warm you up."

His hands pressed onto my shoulders as he took my duffel bag from me and started leading me in, refusing to let me carry my own things.

Sitting down next to each other in his kitchen, he flashed his familiar smirk and leaned closer to me, speaking softly.

"So, how was America? You'll be living here with us now, right?" Ryoga grinned, his happiness flowing off of him in long, high waves of affection and giddiness.

— — —

"And that's how your father and I reunited," I say as I ruffle my child's hair, placing them back into the ground from my lap and getting them ready for bed.

"And the thing he did after his question was this," I smile, grabbing Ryoga as he walked past and softly kissing him before pulling back with a grin.

A/N
So, this will be the actual ending of this story. Why? Because I couldn't cope with leaving the story at that horrible ending. Anyways, hope you enjoyed the actual ending to the story and the ride with Ryoga. Once more, thanks for sticking this long.
PS. Anyone still listen to One Direction? They're great.

XO
13

Written in two nights.
-October 16, 2023
-November 6, 2023