"I am thine to command" {Prince of Tennis fiction}

Chapter 8 [Attraction]

"Be awed by my genius." Marui gave a smug smile as he popped his green apple bubble gum.

"Kya!! Marui-sama is so cool!" The fan girls squealed outside the fence of the tennis courts.

**** Scene change ****

It was break time, the girls were gathered in Class 3B, crowding around Marui's table with attractive boxes which were tied up in cute ribbons.

"Marui-sama! I've baked your favorite chocolate Alaskan moose cupcake!" A random girl from another class went up to offer him the petite box with a blush on her face.

Before Marui could take the box from her, the girl was being shoved aside by another girl who exclaimed, "Marui-sama doesn't like chocolate as much as he likes strawberry, you fool! Here, accept this strawberry soufflé, I've baked it with all the love from my heart." The girl exclaimed with hearts in her eyes.

"Marui-sama~ I've baked linzer torte, it's fresh and tangy, please accept it!" Other girls just followed suit and offered their boxes to Marui with flushed faces.

At last, his table was piled up with savory pastries like lemon meringue tarts, linzer torte, ritz apple strudel, chocolate Alaskan moose cupcake, salted caramel creampuffs, strawberry soufflé, caramel panna cotta, limoncello parfait, milk chocolate and caramel ganache macaroons.

"Thanks girls~ You know I love you too~" Marui exclaimed with delight at the sight of the heavenly desserts.

"Kyaaa!!!" The girls squealed excitedly.

"Niou~ Wanna join us?" Marui asked his classmate who was staring out of the window in a daze.

"Niou?" Marui stood up and went to Niou's table.

"Niou, are you listening to me?" Marui asked, annoyed as he realized that Niou's eyes were following Kirarin's movements, as she walked past the garden near the entrance of the school.

"Mmm?" Niou hummed absentmindedly.

"Why are you looking at her?" Marui asked with a curious gaze.

"I don't know. The way she walks, it's so... elegant." Niou mumbled as he observed her gestures in detail.

"Really? So what? Are you interested in her?" Marui bumped his friend's shoulder in a lighthearted manner.

'Yes, very.'

"Not really." The Trickster shrugged, though his eyes continued to trail her movements.

A scent of cherry blossoms wafted through the air as a light breeze blew past. Niou's cerulean blue eyes sparkled as he caught a glimpse of the gentle facial features of Kirarin, when the wind rustled her light colored tresses.

Time seemed to come to a standstill, as he stared at the beautiful sight of the young maiden, with sakura petals swirling around her, as she gently tucked a strand of her silvery golden hair behind her delicate ear. A small smile escaped her lips, as she stretched her hands to catch the sakura petals, gazing at it fondly, before bringing it to her lips and blowing it away. The sunlight illuminated her fair complexion and silky locks, making her glow. Niou was mesmerized by Kirarin's lovely smile as she spun around gracefully while gazing at the sakura petals, which were floating and spiraling in the air. It was as pretty as a picture.

Nevertheless, as soon as the petals fell on the ground, her smile disappeared to be replaced with a pained expression. It was an expression of nostalgia, as she turned around with a crestfallen, desperate look, as though searching for someone, before reality set in that it was just an illusion, a fantasy that will never come true.