Chin Up.

neko11lover

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Prologue.

The girl. She walks past him, head bowed low, avoiding his look. They continue their both ways, as she inwardly screams in glee: I saw him!

He is so mysterious yet he looks accommodating. He looks so intimidating, yet strangely charming. For those reasons, Sakuno couldn't fully comprehend what she felt for Echizen Ryoma.

She continues her way up the stairs, the feeling of passing the tennis prince remaining in her shadow. She lifts her chin up and smiles to herself. Ah. This is going to be a nice day, she thinks.

--

The boy. He walks past her, head raised in level, eyes to the left as he tried to avoid looking at her. Look anywhere. Anywhere but her. They continue their both ways, as he inwardly sighs in annoyance: Why can't she just say hi, for god's sake?

She looks so frail, yet so strong as she firmly kept her head down. She looks so happy, but yet so troubled. Her neck was all red, he notices, but then, who is he to care?

He continues his way to his homeroom, as he carries a sick feeling of anticipation and indigestion in his intestines. He rubs his eyes and yawns. Aw. Geometry will be a total bore, he thinks.

--

That is the way of everyday. No one says a word. They just pass by, as if the other is nobody significant. Ironically, though, the other is the most significant somebody in the other's life. Too bad.

But. Fate has a way. It has a way to turn tables. It has the power to lift chins up and avert eyes.

--

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Chapter One: The Start of a Very Long Day

The buses lined up in front of Seigaku. Bustling students and carefree chatters could be heard, and fresh, hot lunches were evident in the air.

"Oy, oy, first graders!"

Horio and company turned around at the sound of their sempai's voice. "Momo-sempai!" they greeted in chorus.

Momoshiro bent down and grinned at them. "Y'all have a nice time at the zoo, okay?" he said.

"Ne,ne, sempai. Will you be going to the zoo, too?" Kachiro asked.

Momo shook his head. "Nah. The second graders are assigned to the aquarium while the third graders are assigned to the planetarium." he told them.

Horio scowled. "That's unfair! Why do you get to go somewhere cool, while we have to go to a zoo!"

"The last time I was in a zoo was when I was in third grade," said their friend (the one who looks like Oishi).

"Don't worry," Momo said with a wink. "It's really fun when it's a field trip. Well, ja'ne." Momoshiro gave them a small wave and ran towards the second years' line. Before leaving, he gave Horio a knowing look.

"Where's Ryoma-kun?" Kachiro asked out loud as he began looking around. "The bus will be going in ten minutes and he's still not here."

"Ah, he probably slept in again. Hey, the sensei's calling us to line up!" Horio announced, failing to conceal his excitement.

"You want to go to the zoo, don't you, Horio-kun?" the two chorused in an annoyed voice.

Horio blushed and ran to the line.

--

"It can't be helped, sensei. I was helping a dog who had to give birth to 10 puppies," Ryoma said, holding out his 10 fingers.

The teachers crossed her arms over her chest and popped a vein. "DO YOU TAKE ME FOR A FOOL, ECHIZEN?" she exploded.

Ryoma scratched his chin and said, "I woke up late."

The teacher sighed in defeat. "Very well. Get in the bus. We're about to go."

"Haiiiiiii..." Ryoma drawled in a bored tone as he boarded the bus.

--

Meanwhile…

Sakuno sat in her seat, munching on Picky Sticks. Tomoka reached over and took out one Picky Stick. "Ne, you're like a squirrel when you munch like that, Sakuno-chan," she observed. "Why are you so anxious?"

Sakuno looked at Tomo and blushed. "Betsuni, betsuni," she said, looking at her feet.

Tomo looked at her slyly. "Ehhh! Lemme guess! You cooked lunch for Ryoma-sama, ne?? Muahahaha! I bet you made it into 3 storeys high!" she said teasingly.

Sakuno lowered her head as she pushed her 4-layer bento under her seat using her foot. "Please don't be so loud, Tomo-chan! It's embarrassing!"

"Fufufufu... You can't hide anything from me!"

Sakuno sighed as she munched on another Picky stick. It's going to be a very, very long day.

--

They, after 40 minutes of grueling bus songs, reached the zoo.

The Seigaku first graders assembled at the zoo's parking lot and the teacher-in-charge stood in front of them, holding a megaphone in front of her mouth.

"GOODMORNING, FIRST GRADERS!"

"GOODMORNING, SENSEI!"

The teacher-in-charge gave them a warm smile. "NOW, PLEASE LISTEN TO THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS!"

"ONE! FOLLOW THE ZOO'S REGULATIONS. YOU WERE ORIENTED DURING YOUR TRIP AND THE FACULTY EXPECTS YOU TO BEHAVE."

"TWO! EVERYONE WILL BE GIVEN A PARTNER. AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, WE WILL BE GIVING YOU PARTNERS FROM THE OTHER CLASSES TO INCREASE THE MORALITY AND CAMARADERIE AMONG SEIGAKU STUDENTS."

"THREE! YOU WILL BE ASSIGNED TO OBSERVE A LIST OF ANIMALS. THE LIST WILL BE GIVEN BY YOUR TEACHERS LATER ON. IT IS MANDATORY THAT YOU WILL TAKE NOTES. THE GUIDE QUESTIONS ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR LIST AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS WILL BE SUBMITTED AFTER THIS TRIP. THAT WILL BE TAKEN AS A QUIZ."

"FOUR! AT EXACTLY 16 O'CLOCK, YOU WILL ASSEMBLE AT THIS SAME PLACE. DO NOT BE LATE SO AS NOT TO MAKE OTHER PEOPLE WAIT. IF YOU ARE NOT HERE BY 30 MINUTES BEFORE 17 O'CLOCK, YOU WILL BE LEFT TO BE ON YOUR OWN. REMEMBER, THE SCHOOL IS NOT TO BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY UNFORSEEN ACCIDENTS SO YOU MUST FOLLOW THIS RULE VERY, VERY, VERY OBEDIENTLY, UNDERSTAND?"

"HAII!" came the response.

"FOUR!" The teacher smiled. "HAVE FUN!"

--

"Echizen, why are you standing there?" Ryoma looked up. He was leaning against a nearby tree after the announcement. He walked over to his teacher obediently.

"Have you been assigned to a partner yet?" she asked. "No," he replied, adjusting his racket case. His teacher eyed the case suspiciously. "I said that sports that involve parts that may be lost are not allowed," she told Ryoma. Ryoma shook his head. "Food," he said, showing his teacher the contents of his case. She nodded in approval.

"Anyway, she's your partner." The teacher gestured towards Sakuno, who was sitting on a bench alone. "You know her, right? She's Ryuzaki, Sakuno-chan from class C. Don't be rude to her."

"Haii, haii..." Ryoma said with a yawn as he walked towards Sakuno.

"Good luck, and be sure not the help any pregnant dogs today!"

Ryoma gave a thumbs up and walked away, thinking: It's going to be a very long day.

--

As soon as she saw Ryoma approaching, Sakuno stood up and bowed to greet him. She smiled as she inwardly cheered: Ganbatte, Sakuno! Don't make a fool of yourself today!

"Good morning, Ryoma-kun," she said politely, lifting up her enormous bento and backpack.

"Yo," Ryoma greeted, without even suppressing his yawn. "Do you have the list?" he asked her.

Sakuno nodded and showed him the ten animals they were supposed to watch. Ryoma nodded and took it from her. He put it in his pocket.

"Let's go," he told her.

"Ah, haii!" she said, carrying her heavy load as she followed Ryoma.

The teacher sees them and frowns. "Poor Sakuno-chan," she mutters to herself. "Of all the boys in the other classes, she had to be paired with the dense one." She shook her head and joined the other faculty members.

--

"So, is Echizen paired with Ryuzaki?"

Horio tightened his grip onto the new long-range walkie talkie Momo gave him.

"Haii, sempai."

"Do they look sweet? You know... like lovey-dovey?"

Horio cleared his throat. "Um, actually, he isn't helping Ryuzaki with her stuff... and it looks kinda... big," Horio reported nervously.

"WHAAAAT?" Momo shouted. The other second graders looked at him. Momo laughed nervously before going back on the walkie talkie. "You keep watch and if ochibi doesn't get his act straight, I AM GOING TO PUNISH HIM, got it?"

"O...okay."

"Good. Later,'' Momo said, cutting off the line.

Horio sighed. Yes. This was going to be a very long day for all of them.

--

to be continued.

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neko11lover