Ryuichi Hosts a Gravi Dinner!
Chapter 2: The Big Night!
A recap of the past events: Ryuichi and Kumagorou invited the following for dinner: Shuiichi, Hiro, Suguru, K and Sakano of Bad Luck; Noriko and Tohma of Nittle Grasper; Aizawa, Ma-kun and Ken-chan of ASK; The Uesugi siblings Eiri, Tatsuha, and Mika; and Ayaka. Instead of enumerating the whole happy bunch I could've simply said he invited the whole Gravi cast, but there might be contentions about that, considering that legions of rabid groupies, reporters, and sound technicians were also part of the cast ^_~
In this chapter, the much-awaited big dinner arrives! Enjoy reading!
Standard disclaimers apply.
Friday night, Ryuichi's doorstep.
Tohma and Noriko arrived at the same time. By the looks on their faces, it seemed as if they were both resigned to whatever fate held for them that night.
Tohma rang the doorbell. A sinking feeling materialized in his gut when the door was opened by no other than K, red apron tied around his waist. Beside him, he heard Noriko gasp.
"Konbanwa!" K warmly greeted them.
"Mistah K? What are you doing here?" Tohma asked, surprised.
"Ryuichi requested my help," K replied, winking. "You're going to have a wonderful dinner tonight! I made you guys my specialty!"
"Ooh, I'm trembling with excitement," Noriko muttered sarcastically to Tohma. To K, she arched her eyebrow and remarked, "Hmph! I didn't know Ryu-chan even invited you!"
"Why shouldn't he? We're very good friends."
"Nonetheless, I still can't believe Ryu-chan would consider having anything to do with you, after what you did to him." She sniffled.
A puzzled look appeared on K's face. "Hold on a sec here. What exactly did I do to him that irks you so much, my dear Noriko-chan? If you mean my mistaking Kumagorou for a dish sponge yesterday, Ryuichi already forgave me for that. He said it was about time Kuma took a bath anyway."
Noriko glared angrily at K. "Don't you dare patronize me! You know very well what I'm talking about!"
K scratched his head. "Well, if you don't want me to, then stop speaking in code! I'm not a mind reader, ya know."
"AMERICA!!" Noriko nearly screamed at him.
Understanding dawned on the blonde. "Oh, you mean Ryuichi's stint in America? Doh. That's a done deal already. Why do you keep bringing this up?"
"Because I hate you for it!!"
"You're being too dramatic, and you're not even good at it!"
Fortunately, before the argument could take a turn for the worse, Ryuichi's voice floated toward them. "K-san! Who's at the door?"
"It's Tohma," He shouted back. "And some girl. I forgot her name." K smirked at Noriko.
"Well I never!!" Noriko pushed past K into the narrow hallway, leaving K and Tohma in the chilly night.
"May I know what bit her ass this time?" K muttered.
"Maa, maa, let's just enjoy this night, shall we?" Tohma pleasantly replied. But deep down, he knew similar scenes would replay later in the night.
***
"Tohma!" Ryuichi glomped him. "You came!"
"Of course I did. How can I resist you?" Tohma smiled.
"Wai~!!" This brought Ryuichi to new heights of glomping frenzy. "Demo, what's the matter with Noriko-chan?" the singer cocked his head toward the den, where Noriko had switched on the TV, the sound turned to full.
"Ah…well, she has some…how do I say? Ah, issues with K."
"Issues?" Ryuichi scratched his head. "What, like magazine issues? Newspaper issues? And she's angry because K-san hasn't returned them yet?"
Tohma sweatdropped. "No, not like that. But anyway, just let her simmer down. I'm sure she'll be okay later."
Ryuchi looked worried. "I hope she will! I don't want anyone to be sad tonight!"
Tohma sighed inwardly. Wishful thinking, he thought to himself.
***
A few minutes after Tohma and Noriko arrived, the doorbell rang again. This time Ryuichi answered the door. A strangled grunt of surprise immediately followed as heavy thumps emanated from the narrow hallway.
"SHUIICHI!♥" Ryuichi had glomped the singer and both were on the floor now, giggling their hearts out. Eiri looked disgustedly at the two. "Animals," he muttered, turning away from them and heading toward the pink leather couch. Oh no. Who should he see there but Tohma. Rats, not my night, not my night, he muttered. So engrossed was he in this mantra that he never knew what hit him. One minute he was standing, the next he was flying through the air, hitting the floor hard on his stomach. His breath whoosed out of him and he was left stunned and speechless.
Normally, the lanky Ryuichi would not be able to tackle the hot piece of beef Yume ahem Yuki, but adrenaline can do wonderful things to people.
"Shuiichi told me your name! It's not Yume! Gomen, gomen! It's..Usagi [1]!" Cheered Ryuichi, who was sitting on Yuki's back. "Look, I have Kumagorou with me! He's usagi (read: rabbit) too! Maybe you're relatives!!" Ryuichi shoved the pink bunny into the already irate writer's face. "I think you are, since you're both kawaii," Ryuichi cooed, turning chibi, and began pinching Yuki's cheek.
"Gaaah!" came Yuki's strangled cry. Though he didn't want to, Tohma pulled the rock star off Yuki, who was already starting to smoke at the ears. Tsk. What a shame! It was rare to see his two most favorite people in the world in *such* a compromising position. Whoo! Additional material for those nights when he's *all by himself* and lonely. ^_~
"Kawaii, huh?" Tohma couldn't help but laugh at Eiri's reaction when he said this. "So I'm not the only one who thinks so."
"Shut up," Yuki muttered, brushing himself off. Ryuichi had already danced off toward the kitchen.
Shuiichi came running up to Yuki. "Yuuuki!! Are you all right? Are you hurt? Demo, don't get angry at Sakuma-san! He's just playful!"
"I've got a good idea to just skip this party." Truth to tell, Yuki hadn't really wanted to go. You know how demented these musician parties can devolve. Yuki was struck by a sudden revelation. Ah! So that's why Tohma became like that. Yuki nodded sagely to himself.
"Yuki! Don't leave! It'll be fun! Please!" Pleaded Shuiichi.
"As if I have any choice," Yuki replied. Shuiichi had turned into leech mode again and was clinging to Yuki's pants leg.
****
Hiro, Ayaka and Suguru followed. Oh, the reactions that elicited from the gathered guests!
"What's a brat like you doing here?" Tohma smirked.
"And an old geezer like you? You should be home resting, gramps," Suguru countered.
"Eiri? I...What are you doing here?" Ayaka asked, blushing.
"Invitation. And you? This isn't your crowd."
"Well…invitation too. And I wanted to accompany Hiro." (Yeah right! She probably went on the off chance that Eiri would be there too!)
"Hiiii-roo!!" Shuiichi turned chibi. "What are you doing here!?"
"I was invited. I didn't know you were here."
"Of course I am! Sakuma-san and I are friends! Ooooh…you brought a date!" Shuiichi nudged Hiro, smirking evilly.
"Yeah, and look who she's talking to." Hiro gestured to the blushing Ayaka.
"WHAAAAT?! Talking to my Yuki!! My Yuki!! MY YUKI!! AAARGH!!" Shuiichi blasted toward the pair, fuming.
"Hoo boy," Hiro sighed.
****
In the meantime, Tatsuha, assisted by Mika, arrived. He could barely walk straight. ^_^
"I'm going to see God!" Tatsuha whispered weakly to his sister. "Do I look good? Is my tie straight?"
Mika merely rolled her eyes.
Imagine his reaction when Ryuichi opened the door!
FOOOOINGGK!!
"Now you did it," Mika sighed irritably to Ryuichi, staring at the puddle that was once Tatsuha spreading rapidly under their feet.
"Yikes. I'm not wearing my slippers!!" Ryuichi shrieked and ran inside the house.
"Nooooo!!" the puddle screamed dejectedly. "Let me kiss your feet, my Ryuichi!!"
"Tsk. You're too much." Mika swept the puddle into a bottle and proceeded inside.
*****
Last to arrive was ASK. Fashionably late? Nope, car broke down and they had to walk. Tired, rumpled, and dirty, they obviously weren't looking their best as they stepped into Ryuichi's doorstep. In fact, they looked so horrible that Ryuichi turned them away.
"I didn't invite any hobos," Ryuichi said to the three dingy men.
"We're ASK!" Aizawa cried.
"ASK? ASK?" Ryuichi looked genuinely nonplussed. "I'm sorry, I don't know any ASK."
"But..but..we have our invitations! Here!" Aizawa flashed the violet card at Ryuichi.
Ryuichi peered closely at the invitations and giggled. "You're so weird! This is a calling card for deep well plumbing!" He slammed the door in their faces.
****
As for Sakano, there was no sign of him.
~TBC~
How did you find it? Drop me a line, onegai! ^_^ It will cheer me up!
Note: [1] "Usagi-san" was coined by panatlantic in her fic "Family". Read it, it's very very wacky!!
Author's Notes: to all who read, thank you! To all who reviewed, I double my thanks. It supports my writing sessions! Responses to the previous chapter's reviews:
Ayako: Gomen, it's for Gravi charats only. Unless the last letter of your name is an "a", you're invited of course. NOOOOO!! Don't kill me! I was just kidding!! runs away
Blueraingurl, Mrs. Rusalki: Thanks for liking it! Hope you liked that scene with Tatsuha and Ryu. I assure you, more will come up soon! They're a cute pair!
Smash/Turnip Girl: Thanks for the review! I really liked 'The Kumas at No. 42"! Continue, onegai! ^_^
Jen Minamoto, Erithe, Orange Rose: Thank you for laughing and liking! I hope this chapter was a good read. ^_^
Panatlantic: Thank you for allowing me to use Usagi-san! I hope you liked this chapter ^_^
Luv,
blinkie