Chores

By: Ren Nomiya

Prince of Tennis © Konomi Takeshi

"Ryoma, could you please go out and buy me some groceries?" Rinko's voice echoed throughout the Echizen household. "I need to make something for dinner, and I'm out of ingredients!"

Rinko's voice woke her son, Echizen Ryoma, up. He groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. He hugged his pillow tighter and closed his eyes again. After a few minutes of not hearing her son going down yet, she marched towards the prince's room. She swung the door open, which successfully startled the sleeping tennis prince.

"You're still sleeping!? It's already two in the afternoon!" Rinko scolded, which made Ryoma sat up in his bed hastily.

"Oka-san, can't you just ask Oyaji to do it instead?" he protested while he rubbed his eyes.

Nanako suddenly appeared behind Rinko and peeked at Ryoma's room. "Sorry, Oba-san. It's Sunday today so I thought of letting Ryoma-san sleep in."

Rinko pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. She sighed and said, "It's okay, Nanako. Ryoma is fifteen now. He needs to know how to be responsible." She gave Ryoma a dangerous glare which made the prince stand up and changed clothes hurriedly.

"All right, all right. I'm going," he mumbled.

"Baka Oyaji! It's his fault! Why did he have to suddenly go out and run some errands?" Ryoma thought and irritatingly kicked a random stone. "I hate being ordered around."

He passed by a familiar burger joint which caught the attention of another guy eating there. Momoshiro grinned mischievously and tapped Horio to get the attention of the Ichinen Trio. "What's up, Momo-chan-senpai?" Horio asked while gobbling his burger.

"Look, it's Echizen!" Momo said while pointing at the gradually disappearing Seigaku regular.

Kachiro and Katsuo followed Echizen through their eyes and nodded. "You're right. It is Ryoma!"

"Is he running errands?" they all asked in unison. "That's peculiar," Momo added.

Ryoma went inside the grocery store and picked up a basket that was just piled up with the others. He looked at the list that Rinko gave him and proceeded to the produce section. He went around the area to look for some carrots and when he finally found some, he grabbed one randomly and dropped it in his basket. He was about to search for some more vegetables when he was stopped by a familiar voice.

"Wait. If you're going to buy some carrots, you should pick this one. This one's skin is still smooth and a little bit moistened. That's very important when you go out and buy some," she smiled at him and gave the carrots she got to him. When she opened her eyes, she blushed when she found out that she was talking to Ryoma.

Ryoma smirked and took the carrots she gave him, "Thank you. I don't know much about these things." Sakuno knew that he never does any errand. This moment of seeing the Echizen Ryoma running some errands was definitely new to her. Then again, he was already fifteen. He needed to know these kinds of stuff.

Sakuno suddenly stuttered and bowed in front of him, "Is that so? Well then, I better get going now…"

"Ryuzaki…" he called before she got further away.

Sakuno immediately paused and turned to look at him, "Y-Yes?"

He handed her Rinko's list and said, "Since you know a lot about these kinds of things, why don't you do my grocery for me? I'm sure you won't mind." He started walking away before Sakuno could protest. Before he turned into a corner, he added, "I'll be waiting outside. See you."

Sakuno watched the tennis prince disappear from the store. Then, she suddenly looked at Rinko's grocery list and slumped in defeat, "W-Why do I just let him order me around?" She paled while walking around the grocery store, looking around for items that she and Ryoma's mother needed, unwillingly.

Ryoma leaned on the side of the vending machine after he bought his favorite grape Ponta. He took another sip and rested his right hand inside his pocket. That's when Sakuno irritatingly shoved the plastic bag in his face, "That's your groceries, Master."

Ryoma raised a brow. So, Ryuzaki knew how to be sarcastic, after all! He could detect annoyance in her tone, too. That was why he tossed her a can of strawberry Ponta which he intentionally bought for her "That's my thank you gift."

Sakuno smiled half-heartedly and opened the can of Ponta.

"Ryoma-kun, you really shouldn't treat people as your slave, you know," Sakuno said while the two of them were walking home.

A small 'hn' was all she heard from her companion. She slouched in defeat and sighed, "Mou, Ryoma-kun…"

"I practically own the world. Why shouldn't I order people around?" he teased.

Sakuno twitched, which didn't escape Ryoma's sharp vision. He mentally celebrated at her reaction. "Okay then. Because I suddenly asked Ryuzaki to do my chore for me, then I'll let her ask me to do something for her."

Sakuno sighed again, "Don't worry. I don't need someone to do my chores for me."

"Then, it's decided. I'll come over to your house tonight and wash your underwear for you," he said in a nonchalant tone.

Sakuno's face was suddenly painted with different shades of crimson. "S-Stop teasing me Ryoma-kun! And don't decide on something like that!"

Ryoma smirked at her cuteness. "Meet me at the tennis park next Saturday. I'll coach you in your tennis skills."

Sakuno's eyes widened. She looked at Ryoma confusedly, "T-That's not a chore…"

"It is for me. A very hard one, in fact."

Sakuno cutely waved her arms around, "Mou, Ryoma-kun! I'm not the same Ms. Wobbly Hips you knew before! And I improved quite a lot after you left Japan! I've become really good that even Tezuka-senpai praised me!"

"Buchou did? Maybe he just had a fever when he saw you playing," Ryoma continued his teasing.

She could only pout cutely while staring at the path they're walking.

Echizen Ryoma hated chores as much as he liked teasing his cute, adorable, little Sakuno.

"Tadaima…"

"Oi, seishounen! What took you so long? I'm starving and your mother can't cook without the ingredients she asked you to get!" Echizen Nanjiroh yelled as he rubbed his stomach.

After the younger Echizen removed his shoes, he answered, "I went to a friend's house first to wash her underwear."

Ryoma nonchalantly proceeds to the kitchen to give Rinko her ingredients. Nanjiroh looked at Ryoma shockingly at first and then grinned maniacally, "My idiot son is finally turning into a man! Don't forget to tell me all about it! And… don't touch my magazines!"

"Don't worry. I have no intention on touching your dirty magazines. And… I was just joking. Don't compare me to you, baka Oyaji." Ryoma answered.

A/N: Sorry for the OOCness. Please review.