Hye! I am back with the new chapter. I am not going to say anything anymore. I hope you like this. Domo... :)

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

Chapter 17: Vanishing Hope

Chapter Summary: Hope was the only thing she had. It was the only thing she could hold on to. She feared that the last thing she could depend on was slowly vanishing from her grasp.

It had been thirty minutes since the teachers pulled every student from the activity because of the sudden rain that night. Almost students who started the test of courage finally made it back to the starting point except for a few of them. Fuji and the rest of the team were worried because among of the students who weren't there yet were Ryoma and Sakuno. The tensai tried calling the girl but it was useless. He was thinking of two options why he couldn't reach her. The place where she was would probably be out of coverage or her phone would be soaked in the rain as she ran for a shelter.

Cursing inaudibly, he looked around as he continued searching for the auburn braided-haired girl in the area. He spotted a teacher who just entered the lobby of the hotel and approached him.

"Sensei, how's the search?"

"Too bad," The teacher said dusting off the raindrops from his coat, "The rain's not going to stop any minute now. A pair found a shelter in the forest and we were able to contact them. We told the pair to contact the rest of the students who walked ahead and instruct them to go to their location."

"What about Echizen and Ryuzaki-chan? Are they in the shelter?" Fuji's hope began to rise when the teacher said that.

"The pair is in the middle of contacting the other students. I hope they can contact all of them."

"I want to search, sensei," Fuji said, "Let me search for them."

"No. You know that's dangerous to go out there now," The teacher said, "And that includes you two."

Fuji looked behind him just to see Momo and Eiji both scratching their heads.

"We haven't saying anything yet." Momo said standing beside the tensai.

"Yeah, we haven't told you anything yet." Eiji agreed standing to Fuji's other side.

"I know what you were thinking and my answer is no," The teacher said firmly, "Let the teachers do the job and stay in your rooms, now!"

They couldn't do anything but follow the teacher's order. Fuji was the one who worried about Sakuno the most. He looked at the window outside where the rain was falling non-stop outside before he turned around and walked back to their rooms.

Ryuzaki-chan, I hope that you are alright there.

Meanwhile:

The sound of the water dripping from something hard made her gain consciousness. She could feel cold down her spine as she looked above. The ceiling was dark and cold and she could feel the cold in the air. She felt cold all over knowing that she was soaking wet. The water she was hearing a while ago was coming inside of the cave. Yes, she realized that she was in a cave.

And that she was not alone.

Turning to her side, she spotted Ryoma lying on the ground next to her, on his stomach, which half of his body was covering hers. His arm was wrapped to her waist as if saving her from something. The boy was unconscious and soaking wet all the same. Despite the cold, heat was invading her system the moment she realized how close she was to the boy.

Just what on earth had happened to them?

Trying not to wake him up, she struggled free from his grasp. She took that chance to look around the area. The cave was small but it was enough for the two of them to stay. Looking ahead, she could see the wide aqua blue which was attacked by the rainstorm. She remembered everything now.

...The thunder.

...The rain.

...His persuasion.

...Her fall.

...Everything.

It was still raining outside and from the looks of it; it wasn't going to stop anytime soon. Looking at her side, she stared at still the unconscious boy beside her. He hadn't moved since the moment she released herself from him. She was about to calm down when lightning flashed the insides of the cave and followed by the roaring sound of the thunder. She automatically covered her ears and shrieked. With the fear she was experiencing, she didn't notice Ryoma waking up and reaching out to her.

"Ryuzaki," He muttered as calmly as possible, "Calm down."

She slowly opened her eyes and looked up. Ryoma was looking worriedly at her, the expression that she didn't expect to see from him.

"It's all right," He said moving closer to her holding both of her hands, "I am here."

Trying not to cry in front of him, she breathed deeply and released her hands from him, "W-what happened?"

"We fell." He said stating the obvious.

"I know that far," She looked at the back of the cave, "Where is this place?"

Ryoma mimicked her action, "My actions somehow brought us here."

Sakuno suddenly stood up, "W-we have to get out of here."

"Where are you going?" Ryoma asked as he sat properly placing his hand to his leg.

"Looking for our way out." She walked around the cave hoping to see a passage or anything.

"It's useless. It's dead end."

From feeling the cold rock, she looked to his location and shared her thoughts, "How would you know? You aren't even looking."

Ryoma stared back for a long time and it felt awkward for her. She turned around and continued looking before the boy decided to talk;

"The water dripping from that location is echoing back to the front. The sound will only pass through if there is an opening near it."

"..."

"It's useless," He repeated, "Come back here."

After a few minutes of searching, she gave up and slowly moved back to his location. She hugged herself as she felt cold. She realized that her clothes were still soaking wet.

"You have to remove your clothes."

"What?" She looked at him surprisingly. Her eyes widened when the boy started removing his top. She looked away blushing in the process, "W-what are you doing?!"

"Removing my clothes." He answered stating the obvious.

"B-baka! Are you out of your mind?" She tried to sound calm as possible as she could. Her heart was pounding really fast. Sakuno hadn't recovered from their last conversation before they fell off the cliff and the situation was getting awkward once again.

"Take off your clothes too." Ryoma said as he grabbed her shoulder making her flinch in the process. Without thinking, she pushed him accidentally as she shrieked because of the touch. Ryoma didn't see that coming so he positioned himself wrongly tugging his leg on the rock and winced. Sakuno didn't miss that expression from him and looked at his leg.

"D-did you hurt your leg?"

Ryoma tried to sit properly again and held his leg, "It's nothing."

The girl moved closer this time and stared at the boy's injured ankle. He was good at it but she knew he was just enduring the pain. His ankle was getting swollen. It must have hit something during their fall from the cliff. Looking down, she gripped her hands to her lap and bit her lower lip;

"Why?" She said not looking at him, "Why would you go that far?"

"..."

"Y-you shouldn't—I am sorry," She turned away and a tear fell from her cheek. She didn't know but somehow she felt bad about his injury, "I am sorry."

"It's not your fault," She heard him speak, "O-oi!"

Sakuno gripped her hands tighter, "I-If it wasn't for me... If I've listened to you, you wouldn't have been hurt," She closed her eyes tight hoping that her tears would stop from falling, "We shouldn't have been here in the first place."

She cried silently after she said her thoughts to him. The sound of water was dripping from the inside and out of the cave. The rain hadn't lessened its volume as it continued to pour down to the sea. A cold finger touched the left side part of her cheek where a tear was supposed to fall. Her eyes were wide opened the moment she felt that. Ryoma was really closed to her that time.

"Stop," He seriously said eyeing her seriously, "You are making me want to break the promise I made."

His words made her realize their situation. That urged her to move away as she wiped her tears away. Standing up, she moved away and went to the outer area of the cave, "I-I'll seek someone for help."

"You can't. You have no sense of direction." Ryoma followed her with his vision and blurted out his thoughts directly to the point.

"That helped me a lot. Thank you very much." She retorted as she stopped from walking but she didn't turn to face him.

"That's not what I meant." He tried to reason out.

This time, she turned to him and asked curiously, "What do you mean by that?"

Before he could answer, lighting reflected to the insides of the cave making her eyes wide once again. She anticipated what could happen next. She hadn't taken two steps when the thunder roared from the sky, making her crouch on the ground, stifling any sound she could make.

"Ryuzaki..."

She could hear some concern from the tennis prodigy's tone but she couldn't dare to look. Old habits didn't die that easily. No matter how she tried to deny it, the actual thing betrayed her. She just couldn't accept the fact that the person she wanted to see her weakness last was actually the person in front of her. Her head only jerked up when a hand was placed to her shoulder.

"I am here, don't worry."

"H-how did you get here?" She asked forgetting her fear for a moment, "Y-you're injured."

Instead of answering her, Ryoma pulled her to stand up and gestured her to go back to where they were. Using his other foot, he skipped on their way back to the cave. As long as they sat back facing each other; that was the time Ryoma answered her question;

"I am not completely disabled. I could walk as much as I did."

They didn't speak after several minutes. Not until she felt him once again.

"You really should remove your clothes."

Hearing that, Sakuno hugged herself even more. She couldn't trust her own voice at that moment.

"I promised you, I wouldn't do anything to you," Ryoma continued as he read her mind, "I want you to trust me."

Trusting him was so hard to do now as she thought about it. But it was something she could hold on for the meantime. He gave her warnings before, so she thought he could do it again. Biting her lip, she turned around and slowly removed her shirt. Good thing she had thin clothes that could cover her naked body. She thought of undoing her braids since they were ruined from the rain. At least she could cover herself from embarrassment.

It wasn't like she was completely naked but seeing Ryoma with her look right now was really embarrassing for her.

Her train of thoughts was cut when Ryoma suddenly moved. That worried her for the boy, "W-what are you doing?" She asked despite the coldness of the surroundings and ended up hugging herself.

"Lifting up a fire." He said as if he wasn't injured as he collected all the things that he could use to light a fire. Seconds later, he was able to make a fire between them at least the coldness lessened a little because of that small fire Ryoma created.

Sakuno crouched in front of the fire, facing her palms in front of it. She didn't notice him sitting next to her until he did the same. Somehow, she felt thankful that he chose to sit beside her. Not admitting it, she felt safe when he was there with her when crucial times arrived.

Like that thunder... any minute now.

"It suits you."

"E?" Her thoughts were once again cut when Ryoma suddenly spoke. She looked at him only to see him staring at the fire. Sakuno couldn't understand what he was saying.

"When you hair's down, it suits you."

Blush appeared to her face but before he could see it, she turned away and replied, "W-hat are you talking about? I only had to do this."

"You should let your hair down very often."

"Then I can't play tennis," She retorted before she couldn't even stop herself, "You also said my hair is too long to play."

"Tie it up then."

"What are you trying to say?" Sakuno was getting irritated which was uncharacteristic of her to do but Ryoma was giving her some advices that were off for her, "You wouldn't prefer ponytails, would you?"

"Sure, I prefer them." He said closing his eyes but still not looking at her.

"I just don't get you," She leaned closer forgetting the awkwardness between them, "First you asked me to let my hair down and now you want it tied up. What do you really prefer?"

"You," He said as if stating the obvious. He leaned backward using his hands as support and he slowly opened his eyes and looked at her, "I prefer Ryuzaki Sakuno."

Her eyes widened as she slowly leaned back. The tennis prodigy was just staring at her... seriously as she knew it. Not taking the seriousness in his eyes, she shifted her stare from him to the flame in front of them;

"Stop it now. It's not funny."

"I am not making fun of you."

"Well, it's not helping me at all," She said closing her eyes in the process, "Stop it."

"I love you."

"I said stop!" She shouted a little. Things were getting awkward between them and she didn't like it even one bit, "You promised not to do anyth—"

"I promised that I won't do anything but I never promised that I won't say anything."

That made her speechless. The boy got her there. She just couldn't get him anymore. Looking down, she took a deep breath and shared him her thoughts, "Give up on me, Ryoma-kun."

"No."

"Please."

"Yadda."

"Ryoma-kun!"

"I told you I love you." He said still looking at her since the awkward conversation.

"I knew that already." She did the same as she felt him staring at her.

"Then why won't you come back to me?"

She was taken aback for the second time that day. Her voice was somehow disappeared for some reason.

"Why?" His stare was intense at he didn't tear his eyes on her.

"H-how can you say those things easily to me now?" Instead she asked him.

"Because that's how I feel," He stared at her for a few more seconds before he looked back staring at the fire, "And I want you to know that."

"..."

"I ignored you and I didn't pay attention," He continued still staring at the fire dancing on the wood, "It's understandable you don't trust me."

She couldn't reply to that. He was right after all. Because of what he did to her six months ago, it was hard to gain the trust she had for him before. She was afraid to trust him again, afraid that she was going to hurt by the same person, afraid to love again.

She was afraid to love him again.

She stood up and walked closer to her clothes, "T-the clothes are dry now. Y-you can wear yours too, I think." Without waiting for his reply, she wore her clothes as fast as she could and tied her hair back to normal. She wasn't aware how long they stayed that their clothes went dry at that moment. The awkwardness between them wasn't going to disappear any longer.

"Ryuzaki..."

"The rain stops," Sakuno looked outside and saw that the rain did stop, "We can call for help now."

"A chance..." He said walking up to her and gently touched her arm, "...That's all I could ask."

Sometime Later:

The weather was fine as they left the cave. With their cooperation, Sakuno managed to climb the cliff with the help of Ryoma despite the injury he had to his ankle. At that moment, she set aside the awkwardness she felt when Ryoma was around. She helped the injured tennis prodigy climb the cliff by pulling him upward from time to time.

Luckily they managed to do it by looking for an easy route to climb.

They rested for a while as they climbed the top. It was hard but they were able to make it. If it wasn't for their past, she would have been laughing it out with him. Without him, she doubted she could make it alive. Calming down, she looked at him who was still panting;

"Arigatou Ryoma-kun," She said panting still, "For saving me."

Ryoma looked at her who was still panting but it was the same as before. He only nodded as confirmation. They only looked at each other. Seconds later, a faint sound was heard not far from them. They looked behind them and tried to figure out what that sound was.

They realized that it was a figure running to their direction. It was not just a figure as the fog was clearing their vision. There were lots of them and Sakuno could recognize some of them.

"T-Tomo-chan!" Her heart leaped when she saw her best friend. She stood up and waited for her best friend to reach her and Ryoma. The regulars were also behind Tomoka. She could feel Ryoma standing up to her side. His injury made her remember. When they reached them, she shifted her attention from her best friend to Fuji and Tezuka, "Senpai, Ryoma-kun... Ryoma-kun's injured—"

Her words were cut as her eyes dilated due to shock. Fuji, without warning, hugged her suddenly, in front of everyone, in front of their Captain, and in front of Ryoma. The action was like a slow-motion for her and she knew that it was the same for the amber eyes boy beside her.

"You have made me worried," Fuji whispered to her ear as he hugged her closer, "Thank goodness, you are fine."

"F-Fuji-senpai," Her heart started to pound panicky. She wondered if the tensai could hear it. Thinking that made her embarrassed already, "I—I am fine. R-Ryoma-kun's injured s-saving me."

Realizing that, Momoshiro and Eiji forgot their scene and approached their kouhai. Without saying another word, they grabbed him by his arms and assisted him from walking;

"You did well there, Echizen." Momoshiro whispered.

"Un, un." Eiji agreed as he nodded his head twice.

Ryoma tried to break free from them but no to avail, "I can walk. Let go of me."

"Yeah, right." Momoshiro retorted as he started to walk together with Eiji.

Sakuno didn't protest when Fuji put his arm to her shoulder and allow him to walk her back to the hotel. She could hear him about 'stories later, cure first' as they started walking back. She took a glance at Ryoma as the latter did the same.

Their glances lasted for a few seconds before Sakuno looked away first. Their short time in the cave changed something between them and she was worried about it. She feared what she was thinking before they fell off the cliff and the fear intensified. The hope that she was carrying was slowly vanishing inside her. The hope that she didn't expect she had. She was hoping that she would never give her heart a chance to let the same guy enter her world again.

That hope vanished when she remembered what they talked about inside the cave when he held her arm and responded to him.

"Tomorrow, one o'clock at the waiting shed near Tokyo Station."

Done! How was it? Ryoma finally made his move. What about Fuji? Something will happen next chapter. More surprises to come. Thank you for reading up until now. :)

Reviews please! Let me hear your thoughts. I need more motivation for this. Thank you very much...

Next Chapter: Crimson rain