What do you mean it wasn’t them alone in a room for this scene in episode 8?
This whole scene was stuck in my head so I had to quickly draw it between shifts
Edit: 03/26/26
I’m at work getting emotional in my cubicle because I just found out this got 200 likes. It’s always been a personal goal for me to get this!! Thank you so much for like this!! This is the most activity I’ve ever gotten on a post and I’m so incredibly grateful for every single like and repost!! l love this fandom!! 🫶🏼🫶🏼 TADC forever!!
Ryoma wandered down the hallway, glancing at the signs on each door until he found the one labeled Baking Club. He hesitated for a second, then opened it.
Inside, the scent of vanilla and warm sugar filled the air. Sakuno Ryuzaki stood near a counter, wearing a light pink apron, her hair tied back in a neat ponytail. She looked up, eyes lighting up as she smiled.
"Ryoma-kun, you're here," she said warmly.
"Yeah," Ryoma replied, stepping inside.
"You can sit over there," she gestured to a small table near the window. "Just wait a minute, okay?"
Ryoma took a seat, watching her move quickly around the kitchen area. She looked a little flustered but focused.
She glanced over at him, a little apologetic. "I'm sorry," she said as she measured ingredients. "I'm trying to help with a new recipe the Baking Club is working on, but something still feels... off. They said it’s missing something."
Ryoma gave a small nod, resting his chin on his hand as he watched her. “Take your time,” he said simply.
He then pulled out his notebook and pen from his bag, flipping to the page with their group assignment notes. He scanned through the outline they'd discussed in library and started jotting down a few points, his handwriting quick and precise.
A few minutes later, Sakuno wiped her hands on her apron and walked over with a small sigh.
"Sorry for the wait," she said softly, taking the seat beside him. “I hope I didn’t make you wait too long.”
Ryoma shook his head. "It’s fine. I almost finish this one."
She leaned in a little to look at his notes, her shoulder brushing lightly against his. “You’re really fast, Ryoma-kun…”
He didn’t look up, but his pen paused for a second. “You were busy. I didn’t want to waste time.”
Sakuno smiled, a little flustered but touched. She opened her notebook and flipped to a neatly written page filled with bullet points and diagrams. She placed it gently between them.
“I actually worked on some parts last night,” she said shyly, glancing at him. “I’ve already done most of the research and drafted the introduction and conclusion. There’s just a bit left—the middle section with your analysis. Once that’s in, we can finalize it and email it to Professor Asano.”
Ryoma blinked, looking over her notes. Her handwriting was careful and clean, the kind that was easy to read. He scanned her draft and gave a small nod of approval.
“…You did all this already?” he asked, eyes still on the page.
Sakuno tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, blushing. “I didn’t want to bother you. So I thought I’d just… get a head start. Plus, you already gave me the complete information I could use.”
He paused, then looked at her. “You didn’t bother me.”
She looked up, surprised. Ryoma gave a faint shrug and added, “Thanks. It’s good work.”
Sakuno’s eyes widened slightly before she smiled again—soft, genuine, and happy.
“Then let’s finish it together.”
Just as Sakuno reached for her pen again, the oven dinged with a soft chime.
“Oh—the test batch!” she said, quickly standing up and hurrying over to the oven.
Ryoma glanced up from the notes as she slipped on an oven mitt and opened the door. A sweet, buttery aroma filled the room. She carefully slid the tray out, but as she adjusted it on the counter, her ungloved fingers accidentally brushed the metal edge.
“Ah—!” she gasped quietly, pulling her hand back instinctively.
Ryoma was already up. In just a few steps, he was by her side.
“Let me see,” he said, gently reaching for her hand.
Sakuno hesitated, startled by how fast he moved. But she held out her fingers, and Ryoma took her hand carefully, inspecting the slightly reddened skin.
“You should’ve used both mitts,” he said, his voice low but edged with concern.
“I—I thought I could manage with just one…” she murmured, a bit embarrassed.
Ryoma let out a small breath. “Where’s the first aid kit?”
Sakuno motioned toward a shelf by the wall. “There’s a small one in the blue box.”
He grabbed it quickly, pulled out the burn cream and a small bandage, then returned to her. He dabbed the cream on with surprising care for someone usually so cool and collected, then gently wrapped her finger.
Sakuno stared at him, cheeks warm—not from the burn.
“Th-thank you, Ryoma-kun…”
Ryoma didn’t look up. “Don’t get hurt over cookies.”
“…They’re scones,” she said with a tiny laugh.
He glanced at her then, finally smirking. “Then don’t get hurt over scones.”
After bandaging her finger, Ryoma helped Sakuno move the scones to a cooling rack. Neither of them said much—just exchanged quick glances and awkward silences that somehow felt heavier than words.
Sakuno returned to her seat first, cradling her slightly wrapped hand. Ryoma followed, sitting beside her again, but now there was a different kind of tension in the air—soft, unspoken, and strangely warm.
They both stared at the notebook for a moment before Sakuno cleared her throat gently.
“I… I think you can just add your analysis here,” she said, pointing to the middle section. “Then, once we check the formatting, it’s ready to send.”
Ryoma nodded and started writing, but he could feel her gaze on him from the corner of his eye. Every time her sleeve brushed against his, he felt his hand tense just a little.
Sakuno tried to focus, too, but her thoughts kept drifting—to the way Ryoma had held her hand so gently, the way his voice had softened, the way his touch lingered just a second longer than necessary.
Their pens moved, pages turned, words were spoken, but their hearts had started a quiet dialogue of their own. Something had shifted—something small, but unmistakable.
And when they finally finished the assignment and hit “send” on the email to their professor, they sat in silence for a moment longer, neither one quite ready to move away.
“…Thanks for today,” Sakuno said softly.
Ryoma looked at her. “You too.”
Their eyes met—and held.
Just for a moment.
And then she smiled.
And Ryoma… almost smiled back.
The project was finished, and the assignment had been sent to Professor Asano. Sakuno packed up her things, feeling a sense of relief and satisfaction. Ryoma gathered his notes, standing up and stretching.
“Thanks for all your help today,” Sakuno said with a soft smile as she slid her notebook into her bag.
Ryoma nodded, his expression neutral, but there was a subtle warmth in his eyes. “No problem.”
They walked toward the door of the Baking Club room, the soft hum of conversation from the club members in the background.
As they stepped outside into the university courtyard, the sky had darkened unexpectedly. The first few drops of rain splattered onto the ground, then quickly turned into a downpour. The heavy rain came down so suddenly that neither of them had time to react.
“Looks like it’s pouring,” Ryoma said, turning to glance at Sakuno.
Sakuno looked up, her face now slightly damp, but she didn’t seem worried. She smiled and reached into her bag.
“Good thing I brought my umbrella,” she said, pulling out a small, floral-patterned umbrella and opening it up with a quick flick of her wrist.
Ryoma blinked, surprised that she had prepared for the rain. "You brought an umbrella?"
“Mm-hmm, just in case,” she replied, holding it out toward him. “You can share it with me, Ryoma-kun. It’s better than getting soaked.”
He hesitated for a moment, glancing at the umbrella and then back at her. The rain was coming down so hard now that it wasn’t really an option to walk without cover.
"Guess I don’t have a choice," he muttered, stepping closer and taking a place next to her under the small umbrella.
The two of them walked side by side, the sound of the rain drowning out any other noise. They were close enough that their shoulders occasionally brushed, but neither of them seemed to mind. The air between them felt easy, a quiet comfort settling in as they shared the umbrella and walked toward the dorm.
From the second-floor window of the nearby building, Inui’s sharp eyes narrowed as he observed the scene below. His lips curled into an odd, calculating grin as he watched Ryoma and Sakuno walking side by side under the small umbrella.
The rain came down heavily, but Sakuno held the umbrella steady, her body slightly turned toward Ryoma, as if trying to shield him from the worst of the downpour. Ryoma, for his part, walked beside her in silence, his face impassive as always, though the small, almost imperceptible shift in his posture seemed to show his reluctance to be too close.
Inui’s grin grew wider, more mischievous, as he scribbled down something on his notepad. His pen moved quickly, the words filling the page as he wrote, clearly amused by what he was witnessing.
Observation Log – Subject: Echizen Ryoma
Date: XX.XX.XXXX
Time: 17:42
Weather: Heavy rain
Situation:
Sharing a single umbrella with Ryuzaki Sakuno.
Distance between shoulders: ~15cm.
Estimated accidental brushing of arms: 3-5 times during walk.
Conclusion: Subject's resistance is decreasing. Experiment progressing favorably.
Next step: Monitor for hand-holding or baked good exchanges.
"Echizen... it seems you're more vulnerable than you let on," Inui muttered to himself, his grin taking on a slightly eerie, almost predatory edge. “Let’s see how this develops…”
With one last glance at the pair below, he tucked the notebook away and stood up, his mind already racing with ideas for the next step in his ever-calculating plan.
The downpour hadn’t let up by the time they reached the boys' dorm. Ryoma stopped under the overhang, droplets sliding from the umbrella’s edge. Sakuno clutched the handle tightly, her other hand holding a small paper bag.
“Here,” she said, extending the bag toward him. “I packed a few of the scones from earlier… I thought maybe you'd want to try them.”
Ryoma glanced at the bag, then at her face. She was smiling—just a little, shy and hopeful under the shared umbrella.
He took the bag with a quiet, “Thanks.”
“I hope they’re not too plain. I wasn’t sure what was missing from the recipe,” she said, tucking a wet strand of hair behind her ear. “But… thank you for helping me earlier. With the burn.”
Ryoma looked at her, his gaze unreadable for a moment, then nodded. “They’ll be fine.”
There was a beat of silence—just the sound of rain pattering all around them.
Sakuno stepped back, umbrella still in hand. “You should go in before you get cold…”
Ryoma lingered a second longer, then finally turned toward the dorm door. Before going in, he paused and looked back.
“…Next time, use two mitts.”
She blinked, then laughed softly. “Okay.”
And with that, he disappeared inside—leaving Sakuno holding the umbrella alone, heart thumping beneath the stormy sky.
The dorm room was quiet, he wondered where was the trios, probably stucked in the rain. The room lit only by the soft glow of Ryoma’s desk lamp. His tennis bag was tossed near the corner, damp clothes hanging by the heater from the earlier rain.
Ryoma sat on the edge of his bed, towel around his neck, freshly showered. His gaze drifted to the small paper bag sitting on his desk.
The scones.
He reached over, opened the top, and took one out. It was slightly uneven in shape—clearly handmade—but golden and still fragrant even hours later. He took a bite.
It wasn’t perfect. Slightly under-sweet, and a bit crumbly. But somehow… warm.
He chewed slowly, quietly.
“…Not bad,” he muttered.
He looked down at his hand—the one he used to help her wrap her bandage. His brows furrowed a little, thoughtful. He took another bite.
For a moment, the usual tension in his shoulders eased. He leaned back against the wall, chewing, staring absently out the window where the rain had left streaks on the glass.
The bag crinkled as he reached for a second scone.
The next day, the campus was buzzing again with students heading to class. Ryoma walked into the cafeteria with his usual cool expression, tray in hand, scanning for a quiet place to sit.
Before he could pick a spot, a familiar voice called out.
“Yo, Echizen!” Momoshiro waved him over with a wide grin, already seated at a table with Inui. “We saved you a seat!”
Ryoma narrowed his eyes slightly but walked over. The moment he sat down, he sensed something was off.
“So…” Momoshiro leaned in, resting his chin on his hand with a sly grin. “Heard you had a sweet little walk in the rain yesterday.”
Ryoma paused, setting down his chopsticks slowly. “You spying on me again?”
“No,” Inui said smoothly, pushing his glasses up. “Just happened to be observing weather patterns from the second floor of the science building. Very enlightening results.”
“Mm, especially the close proximity of two subjects under a single umbrella,” Momoshiro added, barely hiding his amusement. “So romantic.”
Ryoma scowled. “It was raining. She had an umbrella. That’s all.”
Inui scribbled something in his notebook. “Subject displays classic signs of mild emotional denial. Physical proximity was approximately 15 centimeters—statistically significant.”
Ryoma’s eye twitched. “You measured?”
“I approximate,” Inui said matter-of-factly, still writing.
Momoshiro snorted. “You could’ve just dashed to the dorms, you know. You’re Echizen Ryoma, aren’t you? Rain can’t catch you.”
Ryoma replied coolly, “Didn’t feel like getting soaked.”
Momoshiro grinned wider. “Ohhh, didn’t want to get soaked—or didn’t want to leave Ryuzaki-chan all alone under that tiny umbrella? Just admit it—you didn’t hate sharing an umbrella with Ryuzaki, did you?”
Ryoma didn’t answer. He focused on his rice like it was the most important thing in the world.
The silence stretched… until Momoshiro leaned in again.
“You know, if you hold her hand next time, it might raise your immunity against fangirls by another 30 percent.”
Ryoma’s chopsticks clacked against the tray as he stood up.
“I’m eating somewhere else.”
He walked off, leaving the two upperclassmen laughing behind him—Inui already flipping to a new page in his notebook.
Additional Note: Subject chose not to run in rain despite high athletic capability. Romantic hesitation confirmed.
After her morning class, Sakuno sat by the window in the library, her textbooks open in front of her, though her eyes weren’t really focused on the pages.
A soft beam of sunlight spilled across the table, catching the small white bandage still wrapped around her finger.
She lifted her hand slightly, turning it over with a soft expression. The bandage wasn’t anything special—plain, a little loose at the edges now—but it made her heart flutter just a little.
Her thoughts drifted back to the moment Ryoma had gently taken her hand without hesitation. The way he’d dabbed the cream with such unexpected care. The way his brows furrowed ever so slightly in concern. And how close they had walked under the umbrella after that, his shoulder warm beside hers.
Sakuno smiled quietly to herself, her cheeks tinged with pink.
“He was really… kind,” she whispered, brushing her thumb gently over the bandage.
Tomoka dropped her bag in the chair beside her with a thud, startling Sakuno from her thoughts.
“Sorry I’m late! What did I miss—huh? What’s that smile?” Tomoka leaned closer, narrowing her eyes teasingly. “Don’t tell me you’re thinking about Ryoma-sama.”
Sakuno flustered, hiding her hand beneath the table. “N-no! I wasn’t— I mean… I was just thinking about the assignment…”
Tomoka smirked. “Right. And that little bandage has nothing to do with it, huh?”
Sakuno ducked her head with a shy laugh, her heart still quietly blooming with warmth.
I think something Ina11 like dramatic should happen in Prince of Tennis soon (I'm barely 10 episodes in). How about the classic car accident on a way to a match? Does Prince of Tennis also have one of these?
