Ryuzaki Sakuno is non-exceptional. Oftentimes, she would look and see herself as ugly and useless. If there would be anything that she would be good at, she would truly need to work very hard on it – though ideally that is how life and reality should be, Ryuzaki Sakuno have always known, in contrast to what most people comprehend, compared to most people her age and circumstance, she never has it easy.
Being average and most of the time, below average, one of the things Ryuzaki Sakuno really needs to work hard on would be her five year old, and counting, crush on tennis prodigy: Echizen Ryoma.
Ryuzaki Sakuno, being the 12 year old middle school freshman she was, had been but just another victim of over romanticized, mainstream, popular culture of shoujo animanga and free TV Asian dramas – had digested the thought of following your heart's call, dedicating one's youth for the love of your secondary school crush from the way you look, to questioning your capacity in the kitchen and household activities, to making him your inspiration to excel in something, or to even dare try something you are totally bad at just to be with him, and later on regretting your stupidity once it is too late and the humiliation and embarrassment had eaten you alive.
Ryuzaki Sakuno is utterly guilty of all. Except for one that is, "I will never cut my hair just because he says it's too long!" Ryuzaki has taken pride of that vow with herself, and in all honesty, is so far doing a great job for what seemed to not only be a five year old crush and counting, but more likely already a decade and six years…
…but why Echizen Ryoma? Why Echizen Ryoma, still?
Even Osakada Tomoka had grown out of that obnoxious fangirling and cheering, once she saw through the adorable inferiority complex of the conceited declaration of two year tennis experience of a colleague, she had but toned down and matured with her affections for her Horio-sama.
Maybe that is what true love is? Ryuzaki Sakuno asks herself. That is what true love is? Osakada Tomoka of all people who seemed very superficial of her outlook towards people had found true love with Horio Satoshi.
Ryuzaki is envious. Every time she looks at her friend and sees that very distinct smile on her face, that glow, radiance, and positive aura that she is unable to not share with others, she feels left behind. Like she is left being immature for crushing on someone for this long and not having an actual boyfriend. It makes Ryuzaki think, just what it is that she has for Echizen? She is not sure if it is something way past infatuation…or maybe it is pride? That it is truly more about her not wanting to end up with someone not-good-enough because she is already not-good-enough, and have never been truly about liking Echizen?
People find it hilarious. The way Osakada and Horio ended up going out with each other. In all honesty, Ryuzaki does not want to be laughed at and be marked as that kind of clown by their peers. She feels bad that she too is that kind of rotten person to be succumbed by their society and sees her friend and boyfriend as such.
In spite of all the peer pressure, Ryuzaki admires and envies Osakada in many ways. Her friend is always sure of herself. She would be embarrassed by her loud antics, but Osakada genuinely and purely shows who she is and her love for others with great conviction, no shame, no hesitation. – Something Ryuzaki is far from capable of. Half a decade on crushing on Echizen but not once was she able to confess and ask him out. Is she even Japanese? She asks herself. It is not like she lives in a conservative community where a girl needs to be the one courted. Moreover, they do not even need to formally court anymore. Then what have she been doing all these years preparing bentos and going to shrines wishing him luck before matches? Were those not acts of courting yet?
That is when Ryuzaki Sakuno realizes it. She has been indirectly courting Echizen Ryoma for half a decade now. No wonder nothing has happened. It is not only Echizen Ryoma paying attention to tennis alone, Ryuzaki too have done almost nothing significant.