I apologize for the late update on 'Magi Kindergarten.' It's not easy keeping three stories up especially since one of them is a new one. Now I can't decide which ones to update first. It's so frustrating when there's such good reviews from you guys so it's hard to decide which one to update next. Unfortunately currently I'm suffering from writer's block so it's becoming harder to think of ideas for Magi Kindergarten. I apologize for my procrastination. (-̩̩̩-̩̩̩-̩̩̩-̩̩̩-̩̩̩_-̩̩̩-̩̩̩-̩̩̩-̩̩̩-̩̩̩)
Chapter 3: Hakuryuu's House
After Hakuryuu returned back to his original body, the Kou siblings and Judal decided to hold a celebration at Hakuei and Hakuryuu's house. Hakuei didn't see any harm in letting them into their house which is a large two story traditional eastern style house with a wooden entrance gate, a lovely garden in the back, and a koi pond, but Hakuryuu thought otherwise. Knowing what goes on inside those little kids' heads, Hakuryuu fears that his home may not last the night. However due to his cousins' stubborn nature and a certain magi persuading his sister to cooperate, Hakuryuu didn't have much of a say in the matter.
"Pardon our intrusion!"
And so begins Hakuryuu's long night.
"Welcome. You can leave your belongings in the guest room while-"
"Eh?" They all whined.
"What's wrong?" Hakuryuu asks knowing he's not going to like their answers especially Judal's.
"I don't wanna sleep in the guest room." Kougyoku whines.
"What kind of teacher leaves children unattended when they sleep?" Kouen sharply criticizes.
"I'd rather sleep in the study room." Koumei remarks.
"I don't want to be in the same room as a girl especially Kougyoku. With her around, I'll never get any sleep." Kouha doesn't appreciate rooming with Kougyoku.
"Hey!"
"Hakuryuu, you're suppose to be wearing nothing but an apron saying those cheesy lines those newlyweds from the Old Hag's super corny soap operas say."
And Hakuryuu was right, this was going to be a long night.
"You're not going to be sleeping there just simply setting your stuff there before we decide which rooms to let you sleep in."
"And 'no' Judal, I have no intention of doing such a thing and nor will I ask where you got such an idea from." Only 5 years old, and Kougyoku is addicted to soap operas. She always did have an interest in things most things older women preferred. No wonder Judal calls her an old hag.
Hakuryuu leads Kouen, Kougyoku, Kouha, Koumei, and Judal to one of the guest rooms where they would place their belongings. Having done his job, Hakuryuu leaves them in the guest room to go grocery shopping.
"Where's Little Hakuryuu going?" Kougyoku is the first to notice Hakuryuu leaving the room.
"Hakuryuu, you can't leave my side or you'll get kidnapped again. Judal grabs onto Hakuryuu's pants trying to prevent him from leaving the room.
"Judal, there's no out there who would want to kidnap an eighteen year old male, and must I remind you that that incident only happened because I was in the body of a five year old." A large tick mark appears on the back of Hakuryuu's head.
"Hakuryuu. Hakuryuu. Hakuryuu." Judal sighs at Hakuryuu's dense nature. "It doesn't matter if you're five, eighteen, or ancient like the Old Hag."
"I'm not old!" Kouha restrains Kougyoku from attempting to butcher their magi with her metal vessel.
"You're too defenseless! You always leave yourself too open for attacks if I was older I would immediately-"
Before Judal says another word, Hakuryuu slams the sliding door and leaves to grocery shopping.
Against his will, Hakuryuu was forced to bring his little cousins and Judal along since his older brothers were forced to attend a goukon by their old university friends. Originally he had Hakuei take care of them, but Hakuei had urgent business to take care of at the last minute. Since Hakuryuu couldn't leave 5 kids unattended, Hakuryuu had no choice but to bring them fearing that they may destroy his house by the time he returns.
"Hey Hakuryuu, I want eat some peaches."
"Little Hakuryuu, look there's a cake shop over there."
"Like you need to gain anymore weight."
"I'm not fat!"
"I never said you were fat."
Kougyoku is seething in anger at Judal knowing that he's right.
"There's a new book being released right now." Koumei points to the bookstore.
"I bet it's a perverted book." Judal jokes.
"Perverted?" Kougyoku forgets about her anger innocently asks.
"Just one of Judal's dirty jokes." Kouha answers Kougyoku.
"Judal, stop corrupting our little sister."
"No way."
"Judal, that's not how you should talk to Brother En."
"I don't mind if you want something on our way to the grocery store as long as it's reasonable." Hakuryuu pacifies the 5 year olds from ripping each other apart by giving into their childish demands.
"I want a fruit tart and a strawberry cake!" Kougyoku says with excitement in her eyes.
"A new magi." Koumei quietly glances at Judal.
"The first edition of 'The History of Al Torran.'"
"That new sword in the weapon shop I frequent."
"Your hand in marriage." Judal holds out his hand.
"We'll buy some ingredients to make some tarts and cakes at home."
Kougyoku jumps in excitement that Hakuryuu is making them knowing how skilled Hakuryuu is at cooking.
"There's a book store near the grocery store. I'm sure there's one in stock there."
Kouen smirks in joy as he gets what he wants.
"And Kouha, you can't have a weapon as it is too dangerous for a child to have one and you already have several weapons in your room."
Kouha only pouts at the denial of his request.
"As much as I wish for that too, we can't trade Judal for another magi."
Koumei looks devastated at the news.
"What's that suppose to mean!" Judal notices the disappointment in Hakuryuu's tone.
"We're here." Hakuryuu takes Kouen, Kougyoku, Kouha, and Koumei into the supermarket. Judal runs in after them.
After Hakuryuu finishes grocery shopping, he buys Kouen the book he wanted. Then he and his cousins along with Judal walk back to Hakuryuu's house.
"Hakuryuu if it's too heavy I can carry them for you." Strangely Judal had said something nice which only gave Hakuryuu doubts about him since Judal would never do anything good.
"It's fine. You're too young to carry these any way." Hakuryuu gently refuses.
"Old Hag, you look really creepy. What's with that stupid grin?"
"Little Hakuryuu's making me a cake!" Kougyoku is so excited to eat Hakuryuu's cooking that Judal's old hag comment doesn't affect her.
"Judal, what are you doing?" Koumei notices Judal staring at a pharmacy.
'Don't tell me he's actually going to drug Hakuryuu-sensei!' Koumei is horrified as he recalls Judal's words about knocking out Hakuryuu.
While Koumei is horrified and Hakuryuu is taking care of younger cousins, they do not notice Judal sneaking glances to the side.
"Judal-chan?"
Hakuryuu takes his little cousins and Judal into his house. Hoping they won't destroy his house, Hakuryuu prepares to make dinner. In the middle of cutting the vegetables, Hakuryuu feels a tug on his apron. He stops cutting the vegetables to see Kouen pulling on the white apron he is wearing.
"Is there anything you need help with?"
"You can set up the table. The plates are in the lower cupboard."
Kouen walks off to set up the table for dinner.
'Maybe letting them stay over for the night wasn't a mistake after all.'
*crash*
Hakuryu hears the sound of broken plates and glass from outside the kitchen.
"Damn you, Kouen. Are you trying to kill me?" Hakuryuu hears the voice a certain magi.
"Judal, you dare talk to Brother En like that!"
"It seems you are in need of some disciplining."
"Kouha, Koumei, stand down. You too Judal."
Hakuryuu lets a sigh of relief when it starts to quiet down. Hakuryuu proceeds to making stir fry beef and broccoli.
*bang*
Hakuryuu spoke too soon.
Waking up from her nap, Kougyoku decided to see if dinner was ready. In her way to the kitchen, she saw Kouen, Kouha, Koumei, and Judal sitting down in seiza form wearing a sign over their necks that read several things. Kouen's sign reads 'I did something bad.' Kouha's sign reads 'I should learn to control my temper.' Koumei's sign reads 'I'm a boring, dull background character.' Judal's sign reads 'I'm sorry for being born.'
"This all your fault Judal." Kouha gives Judal a nasty look of despair.
"So this is how Hakuryuu-sensei sees me." Dark gloomy clouds surround Koumei as he looks down in depression.
"I didn't even do anything." Kouen childishly remarks.
"Why's mine the old one out? And what's with that cruel message!"
"What about mine's?"
"Maybe I'm special that's why Hakuryuu treats me so differently." Judal simply ignores Koumei as he continues on with his self delusion.
"Dinner is ready." At the sound of Hakuryuu's voice, the Kou siblings and Judal went off to eat dinner.
The Kou siblings and Judal couldn't believe what they were seeing: shrimp wonton soup, lemon chicken seasoned with fresh herbs, sesame scallops, grilled salmon with lemon grass, coconut shrimp, pork dumplings, tofu with shiitake mushrooms, stir fry bak choy, stir fry broccoli and beef, imperial noodles with chicken and shiitake mushrooms, and much more. They knew their teacher was an excellent cook, but to prepare such exquisite dishes for them it was beyond what they had imagined.
"Itadakimasu."
"Delicious~" Kougyoku cries tears of joy as she ate one of the sesame scallops.
"Hey, don't go hogging all the food, Old Hag!"
"I'm not old!"
"Fine, Little Miss Piggy!"
"Enough!" Hakuryuu raises his voice. "Judal, there's more than enough food for everyone. You know better than to say such things."
"Kouha, you're getting food on your face. Eat slower. It's not going anywhere." Hakuryuu takes a piece of cloth and whips Kouha's dirty face.
"Hey Hakuryuu, my face needs cleaning like the Old Hag's (too bad it can't be cleaned)." Judal simply ignores Kougyoku's angry remark about her face not being dirty.
Hakuryuu sighs seeing how childish the little magi was.
"I won't be doing this next time."
After dinner, Kouha and Judal play a fighting game with each other while Kouen, Kougyoku, and Koumei watch. Kouha is thrilled to see Judal's struggling face as he is powerless to defend against him.
Winner: Kouha Ren
"Rematch!" Unable to accept his 5th defeat at the hands of someone like Kouha especially someone who looks so feminine and girly like him.
"Looks like the baby can't accept his defeat like a man." This only adds more fuel to fire.
"You're no older than me."
"The bath is ready!" Hearing Hakuryuu's voice, Judal is the first one to head to the bathroom.
"Judal, don't leave your clothes behind!" Unfortunately Judal pays no heed to Koumei's words and continues to head to the bathroom where Hakuryuu is, to see the capacious bathroom, as large as a public bath, with only the large bathtub that could fit a hundred adults, rows of shower heads, shampoo bottles, bars of soap, and the neatly stacked bath towels but no Hakuryuu.
"Judal-chan if you wanted to go in. You should have at least waited for us." Kougyoku enters the bathroom with her hair down wearing only a bath towel around her body.
Judal just stares at Kougyoku who feels a bit uncomfortable being stared at even if Judal is her friend for a moment.
"Tch." Judal clicks his tongue expecting to see Hakuryuu not some old hag's wrinkled body.
"What was that!" Kougyoku could see the disappointment in Judal's eyes when he looked away from her. She hasn't know why Judal acted like that but she doesn't like it.
Not satisfied with bathing with only males and an old hag, Judal refused to take a bath unless Hakuryuu was there. Even though they didn't care about whether Judal showered or not because sometimes they had doubts he actually bathed sometimes, they didn't want to sleep in the same room with someone who didn't bath so they convinced Hakuryuu to help clean them using their age as an excuse to get Hakuryuu in the bathroom. Hakuryuu knowing that they were only children gave into their request.
Bath time was one of the few times Koumei could find enough peace and quiet to read his books. Kouha never got tired of running through the wet floor liking the feeling of sliding on the wet ground when he would come of a stop. Kouen would just stay in the bathtub with Koumei until he was finished bathing. Kougyoku was blessed to have her cousin wash her hair. Unlike the others, Judal was not satisfied with the current situation.
"Hakuryuu, what are you wearing?"
"My daily clothes." Hakuryuu answers nonchalantly as he washes Kougyoku's hair without even looking at Judal.
"Hakuryuu, when you enter the bathroom, you have to wear a bath towel or better yet nude!" Not only did Hakuryuu kept his clothes on, but Hakuryuu also chose to wash Kougyoku's hair over his.
"Would rather not be in my birthday suit in front of a lady."
"The Old Hag's no lady. She's an Old Ha-"
At that moment, Judal hatched a genius plan. Judal grabbed the nearest shower head he could find. As he slowly creaped towards Hakuryuu, Judal ends up slipping on a bar of soap. Luckily for him, the shower head was on, but not so lucky for him that he missed and ended up hitting Kouha while he was still skidding on the wet floor only to be hit in the face with water and crashing into a pile of wash pans. Wanting to even the score with a certain magi, Kouha grabbed a wash pan filled with ice cold water throwing it at said magi. Too bad for him that his target had slipped on the soapy floor due to the water coming into contact with the bar of soap Judal slipped on. Instead of hitting a certain magi, the ice cold water ended up splashing over Kouen who was just minding his own business and Koumei who only wanted to read in peace.
"Sorry, Brother En. I meant to hit Judal." Kouha bows to Kouen as he apologizes.
"What about me?" Koumei didn't like how his little brother ignored him and didn't even bother to apologize to him.
"What do you meant to hit me?" Judal grabs a shower head.
"It's just as I said." Kouha does the same.
3
2
1
Judal and Kouha start spraying each other with water and dodges the water aimed at them. Water is sprayed throughout the whole room hitting various places one of which hits a certain blue haired teacher while he was washing Kougyoku's hair with a wash pan filled with warm water.
Not noticing that what they as they were concentrating on killing each other, Judal and Kouha continued on as it nothing had happened unlike the others who were fearful of what was to happen.
"Seiza!"
Judal and Kouha are sitting down in seiza wearing signs over their necks again. For causing a commotion in the bathroom, they were not allowed to eat dessert. Just looking at Kouen, Kougyoku, and Koumei eating the strawberry tart Hakuryuu made didn't exactly ease their punishment.
"Poor Brother Kouha and Judal-chan." Kougyoku bites into a piece of her strawberry.
"They reap what they sow. That's what they get for playing around in the bathroom." Unlike his little sister, Koumei felt no pity for the two troublemakers.
The two continue to chat while Kouen silently eats his dessert. He found something about Hakuryuu that puzzled him. He knew that the two deserved what they got for turning their bathroom into a warzone, but one question came to his mind. Why did Hakuryuu keep his clothes on in the bathroom? Normally one would change their clothes when washing little kids or at if they wore clothes with long sleeved shirts like Hakuryuu did they would at least roll up their sleeves, but Hakuryuu didn't. He kept the same clothes he had on when he changed his clothes after their previous disruption caused Hakuryuu to spill the stir fry broccoli and beef on himself. Even if Judal was with them, Hakuryuu shouldn't have had any problems with taking a bath with them although Kougyoku was there she was only 5 so it should have been ok. Kouen found Hakuryuu's behavior more suspicious after Hakuryuu told them to stay put just before he went to take a bath. Hakuryuu knew better than to leave them unattended especially have so much trouble they caused in one night.
'Hakuryuu-sensei, what are you hiding?'
"Achoo!" In the middle of taking off his shirt, Hakuryuu sneezed wondering if someone was talking about him behind his back hoping it wasn't Judal. Just the thought of Judal thinking of him wasn't a good sign not for him at least. 'I better hurry up before they literally destroy my house.'
Continuing to take a bath, Hakuryuu takes off his shirt revealing his left arm wrapped in bandages from his elbow to wrist.
"I hope this heals soon."
While Hakuryuu is changing, Hakuryuu hears the sound of the door behind him opening.
"Hakuryuu! Big Brother is back! Let Big Brother wash your back!" Hakuren, Hakuryuu's second older brother, barges in the bathroom wearing his casual clothes after Hakuryuu had taken his clothes off.
Caught off guard by Hakuren's sudden appearance, Hakuryuu didn't have time to cover his left arm.
"Hakuryuu, what happened to your arm?" Hakuren's scream was heard throughout the whole house.