The Misplaced Foreigner (Prince of Tennis)

The Same Eyes

 Ryoma blinked. The same eyes? He was bewildered how this girl--Yuri-- could tell something like that when she was just some fan.

Yuri saw the baffled look Ryoma gave her. She felt her cheeks rapidly warming up and hurried to speak, "Forget it! I was delirious from the fever! Your eyes just looked really similar to his for a moment!" Why was she letting herself get all flustered because of him?

"And how could you tell something like that? Haruname-san?" Ryoma addressed her.

Yuri cringed at the name and formal addressal. "Please, call me Yuri. I feel strange being called by last name," Yuri said, avoiding the question.

She feels strange?

"Ah, I'm not from here," she quickly added, "I'm from America."

"You speak well for an American," Ryoma replied. He wasn't one to give out compliments easily.

"I had a good teacher, and I'm half-Japanese," Yuri smiled.

Ryoma stared at her for a moment and decided there wasn't much else to say. He went through one of his drawers and pulled out clothes to change into. He was about to walk back through the door without a word when she stopped him.

"Wait," Yuri asked and Ryoma turned around. "Where are you going to sleep?" She realized she was effectively kicking him out of his own bed by staying where she was.

"The couch." Ryoma stated bluntly.

"Don't do that! I'm the one who's intruding; I should be going anyway," Yuri stood up a little too quickly. Her head felt light and she groped blindly for something to hold onto. The closest thing happened to be Ryoma.

"Sorry!" She cursed herself for looking weak and regained her footing. Her head was clearer now.

"I'm sorry, too," Ryoma muttered under his breath.

"Huh?" Yuri heard him and wondered what he meant when she felt a slight push on her shoulder. She lost her balance and fell back to sitting position on the bed. He pushed me! Yuri realized. She looked back up at him to give him a piece of her mind when she noticed he was already on his way out of the room.

"My cousin and mother would get mad if they found out I let you leave in this condition," Yuri blinked at him and he continued, "and then I definitely won't get that Japanese breakfast mom promised me." This last bit was said more to himself than to her. "So just stay put until tomorrow," and with that he strolled out the door, shutting it behind him.

Plus I'd feel responsible if something happened to her, Ryoma thought silently to himself.

Yuri just stared at the closed door for a moment. What was that? He must really like Japanese food. Even if that was his motive for letting her stay here, Yuri was still happy and smiled to herself. She supposed it would be alright to stay for just one night. She ate up the delicious soup Nanako--Meino-san? She really felt uncomfortable calling people by last name--had brought for her, then settled into bed. It was warm and the pillow smelled nice. Yuri felt a sense of calm settle over her for the first time in what felt like a long while.

For just this one night, she thought, I'll stay here and let my guard down.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was the weekend which meant no school for Ryoma so he slept in. However, his sleep was not to last since he happened to be sleeping on the couch downstairs in the middle of all the activity that takes place in the morning when the household wakes up. There was also the added smell of a certain Japanese food that happened to urge him out of bed like no other incentive had before--other than when he was late for a tennis match.