Title: (you choose)

Summary: (you choose)

Plot: Karupin gets catnapped, and Ryoma gets a letter demanding a ransom for her/his safe return. What can Ryoma do? Who's the culprit? Is Karupin safe? Preferable if all Seigaku regulars involved, although really twist it however you like.

Rating: K+, T, crack, humour? Oneshot or multichapter, up to you.

The Case of the Missing Karupin

There was something different – no, queer – today. Echizen Ryoma racked his brain for solutions, but couldn't find any. What the hell was wrong? It was like something was missing from his day. It made him feel lonely. He was searching for that familiar contact – yearning for it... And, yet, he couldn't seem to feel it. He didn't even know what he had lost. He needed to know... If there was one thing he knew, it was that, his day wasn't complete. But, the question is, what was his day lacking? He had burgers, played tennis, annoyed his senpai-tachi. What more could he ask for?

He sighed, and dropped his tennis bag. There was something amiss, yet he couldn't put a finger on what... or who. He undressed, and readied himself for bed. Oh, well. Things would certainly be better when tomorrow came…

x

'Why, good morning, Echizen.' Fuji smiled, and ruffled Ryoma's hair. 'You look... different,' Fuji said, his eyes opened.

Ryoma scowled. 'Shut up, Fuji-senpai.' He was frustrated, and didn't need his senpai to frustrate him more. Damn it, Fuji-senpai's face annoyed him. Why was his senpai prettier and more popular than him? Fuji-senpai looked like a faggot... He glared at his senpai.

Fuji closed his eyes and just shrugged. 'Oh, well, take it easy, Echizen.' He smiled, patted Ryoma's shoulder and placed something on Ryoma's hand and closed it. Ryoma looked down at his hand. An apple. How thoughtful of Fuji-senpai, he thought sarcastically. What the hell did he need an apple for?

x

'Hi, Echizen,' Oishi smiled and waved at him. 'Eat with us?' He gestured to their table. Ryoma saw Tezuka, Inui and Kawamura (who smiled and waved at him, too). At least Fuji-senpai wasn't there.

Ryoma nodded. He liked Oishi-senpai. Oishi-senpai was nice. Oishi-senpai was sane... Inui-senpai was tolerable, and Taka-san was okay when he wasn't in burning mode. Tezuka-buchou would be so silent, he wouldn't notice he was there. Go figure. He walked towards the table, tray in hand.

'Ah, Echizen,' Inui nodded, 'I can't believe you're eating an apple for lunch, just as Fuji had predicted.' Ryoma rubbed his eyes, he thought he saw a glint in Inui-senpai's eyes.

Sometimes, Inui-senpai could be just as scary and annoying as Fuji-senpai.

x

'Hey!' Ryoma felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up. Kikumaru-senpai, behind him was Momo-senpai. Typical. Those two were practically inseparable, Ryoma mused. Partners-in-crime, working their ways on how to ruin his day, like always. He hated it at first, but learned to tolerate it. 'What's up?' Eiji took off his cap, and ruffled his hair.

'What do you want?' He asked coldly, and continued walking, before they could catch up. A satisfied smirk made its way to his face, making him seem like a devil. Somehow, right now, he seemed a lot scarier than Akaya when he was in 'devil mode'. Scary.

'That Echizen, he doesn't know how to respect his senpai-tachi.' Momoshiro pouted.

'Give it some time, Momo,' Eiji grinned, 'He'll realize soon enough that we're important to him.' A sad smile was on his face.

Momoshiro shuddered, somehow, his senpai was scary. What the hell, right? Normal teenage guys just don't talk about those kinds of stuff. Senpais aren't supposed to be, you know, sentimental… It's weird! He needed something to distract his senpai from being girly – anything. 'I'm getting burgers! Eiji-senpai's treat!'

'Unfair! A kouhai shouldn't abuse a senpai!' Eiji protested, flapping his arms. He looked like a cat, with his eyes. Oh, well, at least he got his senpai to eat burgers... And real men eat burgers. Burgers are what made men, well, men, Momoshiro thought.

x

Ryoma sighed. What did he lose? He opened his bag and took out his Algebra book. He had a quiz tomorrow, right? It was really easy, too easy he might get wrong at it, so he decided to study... Or, at least, scan the pages and tear them out to make paper balls to throw at his dear father.

'Ryoma! A guy with a hood is looking for you! Is he your friend, or something? He's scary! His eyes are so... I don't know, penetrating?' Speaking of the devil... He paused and laughed, 'Penetrating... Imagine me saying this: "Hey, ever been penetrated before?" Ladies would be all over me!'

Dream on, old man.

Ryoma knew that voice well, too well. It pissed him off a lot and nothing good, he knew, came out of the fat man's blasted mouth. What friend was he talking about, anyway? He didn't remember making friends with a loser...

He grabbed his hat from his bedside table, placed it on, and jogged downstairs. He was expecting to see some dork over there, needing a lesson to never feel close to him ever again... except he didn't see what he wished to see. He saw Kaidoh-senpai.

'Echizen,' Kaidoh-senpai tried to sound calm, Ryoma noted, although he was not sure why he was noting it for. 'do you have a cat?' He asked. 'Not that I want to play with it... I'm just curious.' The thickening blush on Kaidoh-senpai's face made Ryoma suspect him.

'Why?' He asked coldly. Well, yes, he did have one, but... How was this Kaidoh-senpai's business? Where was Karupin, by the way? He hadn't seen Karupin in a while...

He hadn't seen Karupin in a while! He had to find Karupin, fast, before something happens to her!

Quickly, he shut the door and ran to his room. No, he was not going to cry. He was not going to cry, he was not going to... He let go of himself. No one was going to see him crying, so what's the matter? He buried his head on the pillows. Is Karupin safe?

Outside, Kaidoh waited until he realized Echizen wouldn't open the door to him anymore. How mean. Why was everyone such a jerk to him? He was nice, very nice. He hadn't been turned down by anyone he had asked out (not that there were a lot, but still). He was generally an all-around nice guy. Why did people take advantage of him?

FIN~

...Once again, a challenge of ragie-senpai. She gives me a reason to write.