Hye! I am back! I hope you like this. Domo... :)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Prince of Tennis and never will.

Chapter 8: Five Golden Rings

Chapter Summary: Wishes and Good luck charms were the last things she needed as she welcomed the New Year with him.

'On the fifth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Five golden rings,...'

The New Year's eve was awfully cold as we walked on the white pavement. The snow had started to fall. I looked up the moment I noticed it. It was awfully cold that I even see my own breath. I rubbed my hands to keep myself from feeling too cold. I gasped when a fabric was placed around my neck. My eyes dilated and my breath was cut short when I realized how close Ryoma-kun to me.

"That's better than rubbing your hands." He calmly said.

I looked down and saw his scarf wrapped my neck. His hands were still fixing it. No wonder that he was really close to me, "W-what about you." I managed to say.

He moved away from me after he fixed it, "I can handle the cold." He continued walking away after that. Part of me was relieved that he walked away and part of me was disappointed that he did. My thoughts made me blush really hard just as another thought came for me to realize. His closeness brought warmth in my heart and I was overwhelmed to admit that I liked the feeling.

We walked in silence after that. Not long before we reached the temple. It wasn't Ryoma-kun's temple but I knew that Echizen-kun would ring bell in their temple when the clock would strike midnight. We only have less than three hours to welcome the New Year.

"Ochibi!" Kikumaru-senpai saw us first and gave us a bear hug. He didn't even care about the cold. Ryoma-kun cared though for he was trying to get us out from senpai's grasp.

"Hanase! Senpai!" He retorted but his effort was useless when Momo-chan-senpai joined the circle. It made me giggle awkwardly as I was trapped in the middle.

"Guys, let go of them," I could hear Oishi-senpai prying the crowd to separate, "You are squishing Ryuzaki-chan."

"Gomen gomen, Ryuzaki-chi!" Kikumaru-senpai said finally letting us go. Ryoma-kun glared at him but he didn't seem to care, "You two look good."

The blush appeared to my face once again. I looked up and saw the rest of them surrounding us. The girls were even at the corner but they didn't bother to come near. The bracelet incident was still fresh from them. Somehow, I could understand them. I returned my attention to my senpais and bowed to them;

"Akemashite Omedetou, minna-san! Please take care of me again next year!"

They were silent for a couple of seconds before I felt a hand gently patting my head. I looked up and saw Momo-chan-senpai leaning over and grinning at me;

"Ake Ome, Ryuzaki-chan!"

The others followed and greeted each other. Soon after, Obaa-chan and Tomo-chan arrived and joined the group. We spent time together by eating different traditional food. We kept doing things under the snow until it was time to welcome the new year. The bells rang and everyone greeted a happy new year. We prayed and made a wish at the temple. After that, we went to the lake and lit some fireworks.

The completely welcome to New Year.

We spent the whole night there making pranks and jokes with each other. I was just sitting on a grass and watched them. Obaa-chan had visited Echizen-san so we were left by ourselves.

I stared at the lake in front of me. The people were walking from here to there. Even my senpais were having their fun beside the lake. It was weird that I was sitting on the grass while watching them. No, I was actually crouching on the ground and the grass wasn't even, completely visible. I just really loved watching the people in front of me.

"Nani yatteru no?"

I flinched a little when someone spoke beside me. Looking up, I saw Ryoma-kun standing beside me and leaning over me. My mind was truly busy thinking of things that I hadn't noticed him approaching me, "I was just watching the people from here."

"Hn," He responded as an acknowledgement and looked at the lake as well. I only nodded not even knowing what to do. Ryoma-kun was indeed speaking with few words but when he did, he would surprise us, "Thought you'd snap your slipper or something."

His words indeed surprised me. I looked at him once again, "I-it hasn't snapped. My slippers are strong enough to carry me."

"I didn't mean that." He defended himself inserting his hands to the sleeves of his own yukata.

Ryoma-kun wasn't looking at me but I knew that he was worried. His expression made me smilr a little. My heart was overwhelmed with joy that I couldn't help but grin, "...or you'd rather carry me on your back if that happens?" I asked teasingly.

From the lake, he shifted his stare to me, completely shocked at my own question. I was surprised by my own question too but I was more curious of what he was going to say. I didn't know if my heart could beat any faster than it already had when he loomed over me and smirked;

"I'd rather carry you in my arms."

My face was crimson red and there was no way to hide that from Ryoma-kun but to cover it with my hands. His answer was truly unexpected. I couldn't believe that he'd say that. It was like he was flirting with me and I couldn't imagine that.

Not with Ryoma-kun.

"Mou!" I only retorted as I didn't know what to say.

"Mada Mada Dane, Ryuzaki..."

"I know that!" I peeked at him and pouted a little. I was still blushing when I slightly recovered a bit from his unexpected answer. He was crouching beside me and was looking in front of us. I calmed myself silently trying to act normal even the person I really admired for three years was just a few inches away from me. I found myself fiddling with my bracelet, thinking of what to say. When I looked up to stare at him, I was shocked once again to see him staring back at me, fiddling with my bracelet. I smiled without having myself explained that it was back on my wrist. I felt at ease just by sitting with him finally.

"Akemashite Omedetou, Ryoma-kun." I whispered just loud enough for him to hear.

"Akemashite." Which he replied with the same tone.

xxx

I woke up a bit late the following marked the first day of New Yeae and people were still busy busy doing their own things. The holiday was not over. People were still enjoying the best days of their lives. And that was what I would do today.

Getting up from the bed, I did my morning routine before going down the stairs. I saw Obaa-chan sitting on the table in living room busying herself with the cards. When she saw me, she smiled and gestured me to come closer, "You are awake, come closer my dear."

"Ohayou Obaa-chan," I smiled back at her and she greeted me as well. I walked closely and sat beside her, "Are these the post cards that everyone sent to us?"

My grandmother grinned at me and nodded, "The same receivers indeed," She looked back to the cards and grabbed some of them, "These are for you."

"Arigatou." I murmured as I checked the cards in my hands. I saw senpai-tachis greeting cards. All of them had one. Even Tezuka-buchou sent me one. I couldn't help but giggle at that. Tomo-chan and the trio also sent me theirs as well. And if Tezuka-buchou sent me one, it was also expected that Ryoma-kun would too.

And I was not mistaken.

He did send me one. Just like the captain, he wrote the simple greeting of New Year and Luck. These two were really alike and that made me giggle once again.

"You seemed to be enjoying their greetings." Obaa-chan suddenly said. I almost forgot that I was sitting next to her and I felt a bit bad about it.

"Hai," I replied not denying it to her, "I am." I unconsciously hugged the cards to my chest wishingnthat I would really have a great luck this year.

xxx

People were starting to shove the snow out of their front yard and porch. Some of them were already using salt to hasten the melting of the snow. It would still be snowing so I'd doubt that would be effective until later. People had their own ways to get rid of it, I guessed.

It was still nice to hear some Christmas song as I walked on the slippery pavement. I sometimes hummed with the tune if I knew it well. Christmas was definitely my favorite season of the year. I was on my way to the temple to get some good luck charm and wishes for the New Year. Tomo-chan and I usually had this kind of thing every year. Getting charms and wishes to guide us through the year was like a part of our routine. The others would do it too of course. Tomo-chan was just my partner every year everytime we'd get one from the temple.

"Sakuno!"

Speaking, I looked back and saw my best friend running towards me. I waited for her and greeted her, "Ohayou Tomo-chan!"

"Ohayou!" She greeted back when she recovered from running, "I guess you are ready that I found you here already." She gestured next to me which was actually the temple.

I hadn't realized that I reached the temple already. I must have been thinking a lot that I didn't notice that I did. Actually, I had been thinking too much lately. That was a fact. I looked back at my best friend and smiled a little, "I guess I am."

"Well, let's go." Tomo-chan grabbed my hand and pulled me inside the temple. There were few people already asking for their fortunes. Some were wearing happy faces and some were disoriented.

She hoped that she would be one of the happy faces as well.

"Let's get those charms already." Tomo-chan dragged me further to get into the line. A few minutes later, we finally got them, "I hope I got an extreme luck for love this year."

I giggled at Tomo-chan's wish while I was secretly nervous. The paper was already in my hands but I was trembling. Sighing, I stared at the paper and opened it slowly.

My eyes widened and my world seemed to stop.

"Nee, nee what did you get?" Tomo-chan peeked from my shoulder and gasped, "Bad luck! That can't be true!"

I couldn't register what my best friend was saying. My fortune was bad enough but my eyes were glued to the love part.

Miss him this time, you'll miss him forever.

"At least it wasn't an extreme bad luck. You still have a chance." I heard her saying. Was it really true? Was my fortune telling me about him? I'd miss him forever if I didn't? I'd miss my chance with him if I didn't do something?

I gripped my charm tightly into my hands and bit my lower lip hard. The people around me were rejoicing. I thought that I was hearing senpai-tachi teasing with their own fortunes. But I ignored them. I ignored my best friend telling me how luck she had got this year.

I ignored everyone as I went down on my knees and placed my hands to my forehead where my fortune was. Normally, the words shouldn't be believed totally but I couldn't help it. They might not be true but these words would serve as my guidelines. One wrong move from me, everything would be over.

I didn't need these luck and wishes if I would welcome the New Year with my family.

I didn't need these luck and wishes if I would welcome the New Year with my friends.

And especially I didn't need these luck and wishes if I would welcome the New Year with him.

Gripping the crumpled paper in my hands, I ignored everyone's worried voices. I wanted to be alone for a while finding a way on how to overcome my own fortune of the year.

Done! How was it? Sakuno was having doubts of her own fortune. Tell me you thoughts please domo... :)

Just four more chapters... One word from you, a full motivation I get.

See you tomorrow... :)