Disclaimer: I own nothing
Warnings: OCC-ness and some pairing hints if you look hard enough
A/N: italics means thoughts or emphasis on that particular word.
"There's still something you wish to perfect in him."
A statement, not a question.
Inui mused to himself as he flipped through his notebook, not that he really needed to, it was just a habit. He knew all about his facts at the back of his hand – the facts of Kaoru Kaidoh.
It was after practice and almost everyone had left – saved for the buchou who was discussing something with the coach in her office. The skies were overcast and the drizzle had started yet again. The dim clubhouse was empty except for Fuji and himself.
Fuji had managed to read my thoughts again. Carefully expressionless, Inui looked up.
"All the regulars gather!"
Inui stepped forward importantly, looking at his clipboard. "I have come up with…"
"Nyah! Not another Inui's juice!" Loud wails drowned out what the Data-man had got to say until Tezuka cleared his throat.
"…a new training program. Our team is strong in Singles but weak in Doubles. So to improve in our Doubles, we have to strengthen the foundation of our teamwork. The training will take place in the last house down the lane of Spooksfir."
"!"
"Saa…it was abandoned years ago."
"That's why our training will be taking place there."
"So the house is going to be dirty! Will the regulars be all right running about in all the dust?"
Before Inui could answer the question of the Seigaku's mother-hen, Momoshiro cut in again, "Really? Abandoned? We are going to train in a haunted house!"
"Baka Momo-sempai. Abandoned does not mean haunted," Ryoma stated in that deadpan tone of his, "mada mada, I'm not going."
Somehow, even though the sun was still shining brightly, Ryoma felt a chill. Inui-sempai is literally radiating an evil aura. I bet the penalty for not going is some weird Inui Juice. Well, I think I don't mind blacking out for a while than to spend a night without Karupin.
"Saa, Echizen…?" Ryoma looked up, a little surprised to see Fuji's face so close to his. Fuji, as if sensing his kouhai's discomfort, smiled and moved even closer till his mouth was just beside Ryoma's ear. He blew seductively (causing Ryoma to squirm and blush a little) and whispered, "I don't think its Inui juice this time."
"…. How do you know that?" Smile widening, Fuji pointed to the 5 thick books Inui had left on the ground behind him. Ryoma narrowed his eyes; actually I wasn't asking about that, I was asking how he knew what I was thinking out…could he be psychic?
"Saa…I could be…" Ryoma pretended not to hear anything and turned his attention back to the Data-man.
"Well, I did expect there was 20.5 percent chances of unwillingness to go. So as penalty…"
"PENAL TEA AGAIN?"
"Fsuuh…Penalty… not penal tea, baka!"
"Oh… Nani? Why are you calling me baka you mamushi!"
"HORA HORA! QUIET DOWN! YOU TWO ARE TOO LOUD"
"Demo, Taka-san, you are also being loud nyah!"
A few minutes later, everyone settled down again to hear what Inui had to say. "Like I said, the penalty this time round would not be my beneficial juices. However, you will be summarizing the contents of the books on building teamwork." His glasses gleamed as he pointed to the stack of books.
Ryoma promptly changed his mind and decided to go, a night of dust is better than more slogging. The expressions on the regulars' faces showed that they had decided to go too, well, most of them.
"Ah, I guess I have to take the penalty… because Yuuta will be home today and I need to baby-sit him." Stifled laughter and surprised gasps were heard all over; everyone knew Yuuta was old enough to take care of himself. Those books probably take at least a week of sleepless nights to summarize them all. Fuji seemed to realize the fact too and a slightly disappointed frown creased his delicate brows.
"Fshhuuu, I'll help you, Fuji-sempai." Kaidoh managed to croak out, he hissed furiously hoping that the regulars would think that he was just taking pity on Fuji instead of backing out on the night training in the possibly haunted house. Fshhuu, I'm not scared! Am not… fshhuu…
"Ahh…arigato Kaidoh."
It was already very late at night, yet Kaidoh was still trying his very best to summarize all the contents of the book. I am Kaoru Kaidoh, I will not give up. Luckily Fuji-sempai said he could handle the other 4 books… Our favorite mamushi frowned and continued struggling. After another few minutes, he decided to take a short break and laid his head on the book to rest. He was very tired and his eyes were closing despite the fact he was determined to finish his part.
"Plink!"
Kaidoh jerked up, whipping his head around to the source of the sound. He narrowed his eyes and hissed slightly. He did not like this. Kaidoh got up slowly and walked sideways towards the safety of his comfortable bed, his eyes never leaving the window.
"Plink! Plink! Plink!"
Before you could say "Mamushi", Kaidoh was already hiding under his blanket, hissing furiously.
"Saa… no disturbances. Do you think he's asleep?" A dark figure asked his partner. Both of them were hiding in the berry bushes that decorated the lawn of the Kaidoh's household.
"There is only 14 percent that he will be sleeping. Nevertheless, call him."
"Hai hai…" Grinned mischievously, Fuji took out his cell phone to call their kouhai.
Kaidoh could hear his cell phone ringing. Yet, he could not bring himself to 'unveil' himself. So he laid there shivering slightly, hoping that whoever was calling him would hang up soon.
"Ring, ring… Ring, Ring... RING, RING…"
Darn, he had forgotten that he set the incoming call alert to ascending mode. He rushed over to his desk and answered the phone.
Fuji hung up when Kaidoh finally answered, but not without breathing noisily down the phone and ended with an eerie giggle. He gave thumbs up sign to Inui, who was currently standing right underneath the window, ready to let go the balloon (They had wrapped it with a white cloth).
"WHO GOES THERE?"
Fuji and Inui nearly jumped out of their skins. Darn, they had forgotten Kaidoh's father was a light sleeper. The two boys scampered off without looking back.
Kaidoh jumped a little at his father's bellow. He had stood rooted to the spot when the spooky caller hung up. Snapped out of his daze, Kaidoh simply could not concentrate anymore for that night. So he switched off his lights, deciding to finish the book the next day. Hissing softly, he was about to move towards his warm bed until he saw… something floated past his window.
And Kaidoh was in the world of darkness the very next second.
Panting slightly, Fuji noticed Inui was no longer holding the balloon.
"Saa, you let it go?"
"Unintentionally."
"Aren't you disappointed that you can't cure his fear for supernatural?"
"Not really. That's one of his kawaii points. Tonight was actually for extra data."
"Saa…really? Care to share?"
"Sure, since it's about you. I had thought you would like to know too." Sapphire eyes pinned the talking Data-man. "You sounded like you're having an asthma attack when you breathe loudly and you have a girlish giggle."
"… arigato Inui. Watch your back from now on ne? Ja."
"Ii data. Fuji is pissed when someone comment that his giggle sounded girlish…"
Inui stretched his limbs after keying in all the new data he had. Something was nagging at him at the back of his brain. What could it be? Unable to think of the reason, Inui decided to have his beauty sleep.
"Nyah! How long are we going to stay here!"
"I'm hungry and there's nothing to eat here, nothing at all!"
"Ano, I err… think I could run back to pack some sushi for you…"
"Don't do that, Taka-san! You could lose your way! It's safer to stick together in an unknown neighborhood."
"… Che." Ryoma could not believe he was going to spend a night in an old dusty house with his noisy sempais instead of his clean bed with Karupin.
Looking up at the dark skies and his sempais arguing at the background, Ryoma decided he had enough. "I'm leaving."
He was instantly pinned down.
"Nyah, O'chibi! Don't be mean nyah! You heard what Inui said!"
"I don't want a whole month of Juices Echizen!"
Ryoma scowled as he remembered Inui-sempai's order… "Rule number one. If anyone of you leaves before I come, all of you will have my beneficial juices for a month." With a sigh, he sat down looking at the skies again.
"Say, why isn't Tezuka buchou here?"
"I don't know nyah… maybe he knows Inui isn't turning up?"
"Tezuka is smart like that…" Oishi sighed.
"Karupin…"
Ahh..gomen, this story isn't very good...but,.reviews ne? )