It All Started With a Bet

The Miserable Ones

Hi! I am back with the new chapter. I don't want to say anything anymore.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own TeniPuri and never will.

Chapter 6: The Miserable Ones

Chapter Summary: She focused on her work of art that she didn't know the happenings around her.

She started her canvass of the photo that Kanata had picked for her. The linings were a little damp as she started experimenting the colors. She used different kinds of combination just to get the almost exact appearance of that part of the photo. She had just started for fifteen minutes but she was not satisfied of her first try. Frowning, she tore it and placed on the floor and made another one.

She knew that it wouldn't be easy to make a sketch especially if she wanted to make it just like the way she expected it to be. And she was right; she was not satisfied with her second try. Wiping her forehead, she sighed. She knew that it would take time for her to finish the draft. It wasn't easy to do, she knew.

Sakuno stared at the photo for a few seconds before she clipped it to her canvass. She knew that photo and she knew where it was taken. It was impossible not to forget that place. Even though she wanted to, she just couldn't. Sighing, she observed her feelings. Somehow, she kind of accepted the fact and realizing that it wasn't painful anymore.

Her memories of that place were painful for her to remember.

Aside from the conversation they had in that hill, It was the day where he accidentally stole her first kiss. Or was it? She didn't know anymore. She didn't even know why she agreed to paint that valley in the first place. Kanata had a good eyesight; the place was stunningly beautiful despite her memory there.

It had been a great memory for her but she would keep it in history now.

Thinking back, she looked at her piece and stared at it for a few seconds… before she crumpled it once again. Guess she wasn't satisfied of what she had started. She had just placed another canvass when the door of the art room slammed open and close at the same time. She shrieked when she heard the noise and her eyes widened at the same time.

Echizen Ryoma was panting as he locked the door. He was still wearing his cap and his breathing was harsh and deep. She knew that he had ran a long distance just to reach that place. As if sensing that he was not alone, he turned around and faced her making her stun in the process.

The tennis prodigy just stared at her with slight wide eyes. She did the same as well. She was just sitting on a chair and her canvass was in front of her but she was leaning just to get a nice view of the tennis player.

"Gomen for intruding," He surprisingly said. He never tried to initiate a conversation and it was really rare for him to do it. One of the rarest was this one, "I've been chased."

It took seconds before she understood what he was telling her. A smile was formed to her lips as she couldn't stop herself from replying, "By your fan girls, I know."

He remained silent after she said that. She let out a small chuckle for a few seconds but realized that she was doing it and it made her stop afterwards.

"Gomen." She said as she looked at her white canvass.

"Betsuni," He said as he walked closer to her right side, "is it okay for me to stay here?"

"E?" She looked up and followed his with her eyes. Ryoma was already placing his bag on the bench which was sitting to her right side.

It was like before… when he used to spend his time there and take a nap while she was painting something.