Disclaimer: No. Not mine. Only the plot IS mine.

Warnings: Major OOCness of the characters, I guess. And, I don’t really know the weather condition there in Japan, so bear with me. Sankyuu! :)

Author’s chatters: Okay, so I wasn’t able to make a sequel on The Midnight Kiss. Maybe on Sakuno’s next birthday? Ahaha. (: I was damn busy with all those projects and the like. So I hope this fic pays compensation. And oh, the plot used was from a friend of mine. He sent me his self-composed (at least that’s what he said) text message regarding about snowy animals which contained a phrase ‘...be my pengwin’ on the last part. So, here yah go. I hope he’ll like it, as much as I had fun writing this. Hope everyone will like it too.

Okay, too much of chatters. Let’s now go on reading, shall we?

Be My Pengwin

by astraldrop11

Originally submitted on: 04.20.04

xXx

It had been a long, exhausting day at Seishun Gakuen. The bell had already rung ending class but a few students still lingered around the building. A set of footsteps were heard echoing along the corridors of Main Building’s second floor. Hidden behind a closed door of one of its homerooms was a brunette-haired girl humming a beautiful melody. Unbeknownst to her, someone had twisted open the knob and opened the door behind her.

“Ahem,” a familiar voice faked a cough to get the girl’s attention.

“Ryoma-kun! You’re here,” Sakuno exclaimed happily, beckoning Ryoma to draw closer to her.

As he walked, a single drop of sweat ran down from his temple and dripped off his cheek. And another one. “It’s so hot,” he complained. “How can you stay inside here without the fans on?” He asked, with a faint trace of concern in his voice. He began looking around the classroom to find the ceiling fan’s main switch. His hand had just reached out to turn it on when Sakuno spoke up.

“The fans here aren’t working, Ryoma-kun. I think they’re on their way to the junk pile,” she commented.

Feeling the heat, she let out a soft groan, “I really wonder why the snowfall is late this year. Anou, Ryoma-kun... do you know what it feels like living in winter all-year round?”

He shrugged. “How would I know, you would be better off asking a polar bear.”

“But Ryoma-kun, they’re huuuuuge!” Sakuno replied playfully as she stretched both her arms sideways for emphasis.

While Sakuno’s arms were still outstretched, Ryoma took advantage of the opportunity. He hugged Sakuno close to his body and led her to the central part of the classroom. There they began to dance ever so slightly. His hands rested on her hips; her hands enclosed around his nape, leaving Sakuno to rest her head upon his chest as they swayed to the tune of pure heartbeats...

“So stiff,” Ryoma teased.

Punch.

“Ouch.” he voiced as he rubbed his shoulder.

“At least I wasn’t taking advantage...” she muttered under her breath but allowed herself to be pulled back into his arms.

Contrary to what the atmosphere was, they resumed their talk about snowy animals.

Once dancing again, he decided to ask her a question, “So aside from those huge polar bears, what else does my Ryuzaki know about arctic animals?”

“Anou.. there are pengwins, right?”

Her answer caused him to laugh. “P-Pengwin? I guess what you meant was penguin..” Ryoma articulated with a cocky smirk which was followed by a slight outburst.

“Mou.. you’re so bad,” groaned Sakuno, “I didn’t grow up in America, that’s why I don’t know...”

Acting like his Inui-senpai for the moment, he said, “Mmm... did you know that when a penguin has found its mate, they stay together for the rest of their lives?”

Her face beamed, “R-Really? That’s so sweet...”

“Hn,” he paused a split second, distracted by his thoughts, “we should go now. Obaa-chan might worry about you.” offered Ryoma.

‘Ahh, so now you’re calling my obaa-chan, obaa-chan. Where’s your Sumire-sensei now? Huh, Ryoma-kun?’ thought Sakuno.

Snapping back to reality, Sakuno replied with a smile, “Hai!”

Stars were visibly seen from the darkish blue sky that engulfed the whole city. The couple walked amidst the trodden track, feeling the light wind caressing their skin. A girl with two, long braided pigtails walked hand-in-hand with a boy with greenish shine hair, as his white Fila cap placed firmly on his head.

Silence…

“We’re here.”

“Y-Yeah.. Anou, take care then! Arigatou, Echizen-san!” Sakuno said.

His eyes were throwing her deadly glare. “What?! Echizen-san?!”

“Ahaha! No, no, no. I was just kidding you Ryoma-kun.. No deadly glare, please.” she said as she shook her hand in the air in a ‘no-no sign’. “Oh, Ryoma-kun.. obaa-chan will kill me if I won’t get inside soon. You too should better get going,” she said, leaning an inch closer to kiss Ryoma on the cheek. “Bye, Ryoma-kun!”

“Wait,” he said, tightening his grip on her wrist.

“Ryoma-kun? W-What is it?”

“... two years? And still a kiss on the cheek? The Regulars, Horio and the others..” he paused, trying to contain his anger, “... and Fuji-senpai. You kiss them on their cheeks whenever you greet them,” Ryoma said frowning. “Am I just one of your friends?” he demanded, his hand still on her wrist unintentionally tightening.

Sakuno started blushing. She wasn’t certain of the exact words he had said, but Sakuno knew he was jealous. “Is my Ryoma-kun...” she paused, “... jealous?”

No reply.

‘No reply means ‘Yes’ according to Tomo-chan...’ she thought with a small smile.

She returned to Ryoma’s side. Her free hand touched his forehead and then slowly slid down to his eyes. “Close your eyes Ryoma-kun,” she whispered.

He did.

And with that she leaned forward an inch or two, and on the second that followed, he felt a soft pressure against his lips. It wasn’t as intense as the other couples do, but enough, just enough for Ryoma to be happy...

He opened his eyes facing a smiling Sakuno. He smiled back and then laughed when he heard her say, “You should’ve told me sooner. Mada mada dane, Ryoma-kun.” (A/N: LOL. Sakuno too can be cocky sometimes. XD)

Days, weeks, months, and years all passed by. They were now in their middle 20s, still celebrating their relationship.

“Sakuno..”

“Hm?”

“Remember the day we talked about snowy animals?” he asked.

She scrunched up her face trying to remember. “Ah, yes,” she said finally, “I remember that one. Why Ryoma-kun?”

He started, “Do you remember what we talked about?”

She nodded. “I even called the penguin pengwin, right?”

He nodded slightly. “We talked about something else too... When a penguin has found its mate, they stay together for the rest of their lives...”

Silence.

“... be my pengwin?” he asked; his voice, not obvious may it seem, was trembling. Sticking to his cold-like manner and referring to the flatness of his tone that seemed monotony, his statement earlier was more of an order than of a question.

She smiled. Perhaps the sweetest smile she had offered to anyone. That may be the one Ryoma wants for an answer – a smile...

Just like their old memories, Sakuno embraced Ryoma, encircling her arms around Ryoma’s nape, and by that time, Ryoma embraced Sakuno even tighter, and never to let her go.

.

FIN

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Author’s last chatters: To clear things out, just if you’re confused of how Ryoma distinguished pengwin from penguin, pengwin /peng-win, while penguin /pen(g)-gwin/ ahaha. Does that make sense? XD

astraldrop11