Ryoma was only half awake when he went down for breakfast. He saw a huge serving of toast and eggs on his table.
"Ma! You said we'll be having Japanese breakfast today!" he yelled.
"I asked your mom to make American breakfast for me, Echizen," Atobe said coolly. He was sitting at the same table with a huge smile on his face. His hand held a half eaten piece of toast.
"Orh… I forgot that the Monkey King will be staying at my place for the time being," Ryoma said without even looking at him. Atobe smiled, amused. That shitty brat is shitty as usual.
Ryoma ate his toast and got up. He grabbed his bags and was about to head out when Atobe called out to him.
"Brat, since I can't attend school in this condition, I've asked Shishido to copy some notes for me. Can you get them from him after school for me?"
"Eh, Monkey King sure know how to boss people around," Ryoma said, not even looking at Atobe.
"So you'll do it?" Atobe asked.
"Yadda," Ryoma said as he walked out. He saw his dad at the door staring up at the grey skies. Ryoma put on his shoes as quietly as possible.
"Ah... it will rain today," Nanjiroh said to no one in particular.
"Isn't it obvious?" Ryoma said. He still had not forgiven his dad for screwing things up for him.
"Don't forget your umbrella-"
"Let's have a match when I come back," Ryoma said, standing up. Nanjiroh shrugged.
"It will rain today… bad for matches... very bad."
"You are not chickening out, are you?" Ryoma challenged. Nanjiroh shrugged. He went inside and came out with a yellow umbrella. He threw it at Ryoma who caught it just as easily.
"Challenging your old dad, huh?"
"Be prepared," Ryoma said as he turned and walked away. Nanjiroh watched him go. He smiled.
"Oi!" Oishi cried when he reached the school that morning. He had caught up with the rest of the gang. He had called them up for an emergency meeting.
"Ah, poor Ochibi… living under the same roof with Atobe! It must be a horrible!" Kikumaru cried.
"Poor Echizen. I feel so sorry for him," Kawamura said, looking sad.
"Come on guys! We have to do something!" Oishi said. "We need to help him get through this!"
Everyone thought hard.
"Eh, we could have some sushi at Kawamura's place and let him spill his feeling!" Fuji suggested.
"Chih, Ryoma spilling his feelings infront of us…. chih... not likely," Kaidoh said and hissed.
"We must let him know that we cared about him! If he needs someone to talk to, we will be there for him!" Oishi said. He paused when he saw Ryoma walking towards them. "Here he comes!"
They all gathered around him quickly. Ryoma looked at them weirdly.
"Eh, senpais having a meeting without infroming me," he said.
"Echizen! We are here to let you know that we all cared about you! Please don't be so depressed!" Oishi said.
"Oi, oishi-senpai. I don't think he's that sad," Momo corrected him. "Hey, Echizen! I'll be meeting Ann at the street tennis court later! Shinji and Kamio are coming too. You wanna come along?"
"Momo! You are not helping!" Oishi scolded.
"Ah… I am helping him… I think!" Momo said. He ruffled Echizen's hair.
"What are you guys talking about?" Ryoma asked. He walked away without waiting for an answer.
"Ochibi!!" Kikumaru called out. "Ah... Oishi!! Do something!"
Oishi just watch Echizen go.
------------------
Recess time came and Sakuno immediately rushed towards Ryoma's class. She wanted to catch him before he goes somewhere to sleep. She spotted him packing his books.
"Ryoma-kun," she began. "Ah... um…"
"Huh?" Ryoma asked. Sakuno's face turned red.
"Ah... um... are you feeling better?" she asked in a small voice. Ryoma stared at her as though he did not understanding what she was talking about. Sakuno blushed. "I mean… uh... about ...uh… Atobe…"
"Uh… Monkey King? What about him?" he asked.
"Did he… um… uh..." Sakuno began but she was lost for words. Ryoma turned away.
"You should not worry about such little things," he said as he walked out of his class. Sakuno stared after him. She smiled. She understood what he was saying. It does not bother him as much as she thought it would. "I'm glad," she said to herself.
School ended for the day and Ryoma went to look for Momo for their doubles match at the park. They reached the court to see that Shinji and Kamio were in a match. Ann was cheering for both of them. Ann spotted Momo and Ryoma and began to wave at them wildly.
"Yo," both Momo and Ryoma said in unison. Ann smiled at them brightly.
"Shinji and Kamio. 4 games all. Tough match!" Ann said. Suddenly, it began to drizzle.
"Ah... it's raining," Momo said. "How unlucky! Looks like there will no match for us, Echizen!"
"Cos both of you are here, that's why it rained," Kamio said, coming into the shade. The match had to be postponed.
"Seigaku bring grey skies everywhere they go. Maybe it's bad karma or maybe they are just darn irritating that the sky had to pour," Shinji began.
"Shinji!" Kamio yelled. "Stop talking to yourself!"
Ann smiled. "So Momo, Echizen, are you waiting for the rain to stop?"
Both Momo and Ryoma looked at each other. "We'll wait till the rain stops!"
"Ah… a match in such weather. The rain will not cease so soon, you know. So why don't you brats just go home where it's dry and warm, huh?" came a voice.
"Shishido," Momo said.
"From Hyoutei!" Kamio continued. Shishido was not alone. Faithful Kabaji was with him.
"Echizen, I know I'll find you here. Little brat supposed to get notes and homework from me for Atobe," Shishido explained.
"Yes," Kabaji said. Ryoma shifted his cap so that it covered his eyes.
"Oh... did Monkey King say so?" Ryoma asked. Momo leaned towards him.
"Hey Echizen, is Atobe taking you as a slave or what?" Momo asked. Ryoma did not answer.
Shishido pulled out a pink fluffy notebook and handed it to Ryoma. Ryoma ignored him completely. Momo nudged him but Ryoma refused to budge. Finally, Momo took the notebook on his behalf.
Shishido smiled. "Yo, dunk smash guy, maybe you should teach your freshman some manners."
With that he walked away with loyal Kabaji behind him.
"Hump! What bad attitude!" Ann cried when they are out of sight. "What does Atobe got to do with Ryoma?"
Momo looked at her. Maybe she didn't know the whole story.
"Um... ahem. Echizen's dad burned down Atobe's mansion and Atobe got hurt and so for the time being Atobe will be staying with Echizen while his house is being repaired," Momo explained.
"Burn down Atobe's house??" Shinji repeated. "What an honorable thing to do."
"Shinji! This is no laughing matter!" Kamio said. He stared at Ryoma. "I'm sorry you have to put up with such filth."
Ann looked at him, surprised. "Kamio!"
She turned to Ryoma. "So has he been bullying you, Ryoma?"
"Bully?" Ryoma repeated as if he did not understand.
"Ah…" Momo said suddenly, shaking the fluffy pink notebook. "I got the notebook wet!"
"So Ryoma, what did he do to you?" Ann demanded.
"Ah… nothing yet," Ryoma said.
"Ah!" Momo yelled. While shaking the pink fluffy notebook dry, he accidentally shook it too hard that it fell into a muddy patch on the ground. He bent to pick it up. The book is all muddy and sticky.
"Oops! I got it dirtied," Momo said, smiling stupidly. Ann, Shinji and Kamio groaned. Ryoma took the notebook from him.
"Ah... a nice gift for the Monkey King!" Ryoma said, delightedly.
--------------------
"I'm home!" Ryoma said as he entered the house. He shook his yellow umbrella and placed it in the umbrella rack.
"Welcome home, Ryoma-kun," Nanako, his cousin, said. She had some dry laundry in her arms.
Ryoma entered the living room to see Atobe watching TV. His left leg, which was in a cast, was stretched infront of him. Ryoma threw his bags on the floor and went to stand infront of Atobe, blocking his view of the TV.
"Ah, Echizen!" Atobe said. Ryoma threw the muddy pink fluffy notebook at him. The muddy side fell splat in front of Atobe's light purple pyjama top.
"Eeeeyaaa!" Atobe yelled. He plucked the muddy book from his chest and glared at Ryoma. "Ah... you got my notebook dirty, eh?"
"The book slipped and fell," Ryoma said, as he picked up his bags. He walked away.
Atobe watched him go. Shitty Ryoma ruined his favourite notebook. Ryoma, you think you got me there but you are wrong, Atobe thought, smiling. But I got you first.
Ryoma entered his room and threw his bags on the floor. He saw the familiar rounded lump under the blanket on his bed. He smiled. Only one thing can make him feel happy inside.
"Karupin!" Ryoma said as he went to his bed. He pulled back the blanket to see that it was not Karupin. It was only Karupin's favourite round pillow. Karupin was nowhere in sight. Infact, Ryoma had not seen it since he came back. He quickly ran downstairs into the kitchen. Karupin wasn't there too.
"Where's Karupin?" Ryoma asked Nanako.
"Oh... Atobe said he's allergic to long haired cats so Karupin had to kept caged outside," Nanako said.
"Atobe!" Ryoma said through gritted teeth. He ran to the porch. His dad was there, staring at the dark sky. Karupin was sleeping peacefully in her huge cosy cage. She even had her favourite toy with her.
"Ah... Ryoma, you are back. This morning you say something about a match?" Nanjiroh asked. Ryoma stared at him weirdly.
"Match? With you? No, I am in another match right now. A match against Monkey King!" Ryoma declared.
Nanjiroh looked at him. He laughed. "Silly boy."
Ryoma ignored him and walked away. He was already thinking of revenge.
"Ma! You said we'll be having Japanese breakfast today!" he yelled.
"I asked your mom to make American breakfast for me, Echizen," Atobe said coolly. He was sitting at the same table with a huge smile on his face. His hand held a half eaten piece of toast.
"Orh… I forgot that the Monkey King will be staying at my place for the time being," Ryoma said without even looking at him. Atobe smiled, amused. That shitty brat is shitty as usual.
Ryoma ate his toast and got up. He grabbed his bags and was about to head out when Atobe called out to him.
"Brat, since I can't attend school in this condition, I've asked Shishido to copy some notes for me. Can you get them from him after school for me?"
"Eh, Monkey King sure know how to boss people around," Ryoma said, not even looking at Atobe.
"So you'll do it?" Atobe asked.
"Yadda," Ryoma said as he walked out. He saw his dad at the door staring up at the grey skies. Ryoma put on his shoes as quietly as possible.
"Ah... it will rain today," Nanjiroh said to no one in particular.
"Isn't it obvious?" Ryoma said. He still had not forgiven his dad for screwing things up for him.
"Don't forget your umbrella-"
"Let's have a match when I come back," Ryoma said, standing up. Nanjiroh shrugged.
"It will rain today… bad for matches... very bad."
"You are not chickening out, are you?" Ryoma challenged. Nanjiroh shrugged. He went inside and came out with a yellow umbrella. He threw it at Ryoma who caught it just as easily.
"Challenging your old dad, huh?"
"Be prepared," Ryoma said as he turned and walked away. Nanjiroh watched him go. He smiled.
"Oi!" Oishi cried when he reached the school that morning. He had caught up with the rest of the gang. He had called them up for an emergency meeting.
"Ah, poor Ochibi… living under the same roof with Atobe! It must be a horrible!" Kikumaru cried.
"Poor Echizen. I feel so sorry for him," Kawamura said, looking sad.
"Come on guys! We have to do something!" Oishi said. "We need to help him get through this!"
Everyone thought hard.
"Eh, we could have some sushi at Kawamura's place and let him spill his feeling!" Fuji suggested.
"Chih, Ryoma spilling his feelings infront of us…. chih... not likely," Kaidoh said and hissed.
"We must let him know that we cared about him! If he needs someone to talk to, we will be there for him!" Oishi said. He paused when he saw Ryoma walking towards them. "Here he comes!"
They all gathered around him quickly. Ryoma looked at them weirdly.
"Eh, senpais having a meeting without infroming me," he said.
"Echizen! We are here to let you know that we all cared about you! Please don't be so depressed!" Oishi said.
"Oi, oishi-senpai. I don't think he's that sad," Momo corrected him. "Hey, Echizen! I'll be meeting Ann at the street tennis court later! Shinji and Kamio are coming too. You wanna come along?"
"Momo! You are not helping!" Oishi scolded.
"Ah… I am helping him… I think!" Momo said. He ruffled Echizen's hair.
"What are you guys talking about?" Ryoma asked. He walked away without waiting for an answer.
"Ochibi!!" Kikumaru called out. "Ah... Oishi!! Do something!"
Oishi just watch Echizen go.
------------------
Recess time came and Sakuno immediately rushed towards Ryoma's class. She wanted to catch him before he goes somewhere to sleep. She spotted him packing his books.
"Ryoma-kun," she began. "Ah... um…"
"Huh?" Ryoma asked. Sakuno's face turned red.
"Ah... um... are you feeling better?" she asked in a small voice. Ryoma stared at her as though he did not understanding what she was talking about. Sakuno blushed. "I mean… uh... about ...uh… Atobe…"
"Uh… Monkey King? What about him?" he asked.
"Did he… um… uh..." Sakuno began but she was lost for words. Ryoma turned away.
"You should not worry about such little things," he said as he walked out of his class. Sakuno stared after him. She smiled. She understood what he was saying. It does not bother him as much as she thought it would. "I'm glad," she said to herself.
School ended for the day and Ryoma went to look for Momo for their doubles match at the park. They reached the court to see that Shinji and Kamio were in a match. Ann was cheering for both of them. Ann spotted Momo and Ryoma and began to wave at them wildly.
"Yo," both Momo and Ryoma said in unison. Ann smiled at them brightly.
"Shinji and Kamio. 4 games all. Tough match!" Ann said. Suddenly, it began to drizzle.
"Ah... it's raining," Momo said. "How unlucky! Looks like there will no match for us, Echizen!"
"Cos both of you are here, that's why it rained," Kamio said, coming into the shade. The match had to be postponed.
"Seigaku bring grey skies everywhere they go. Maybe it's bad karma or maybe they are just darn irritating that the sky had to pour," Shinji began.
"Shinji!" Kamio yelled. "Stop talking to yourself!"
Ann smiled. "So Momo, Echizen, are you waiting for the rain to stop?"
Both Momo and Ryoma looked at each other. "We'll wait till the rain stops!"
"Ah… a match in such weather. The rain will not cease so soon, you know. So why don't you brats just go home where it's dry and warm, huh?" came a voice.
"Shishido," Momo said.
"From Hyoutei!" Kamio continued. Shishido was not alone. Faithful Kabaji was with him.
"Echizen, I know I'll find you here. Little brat supposed to get notes and homework from me for Atobe," Shishido explained.
"Yes," Kabaji said. Ryoma shifted his cap so that it covered his eyes.
"Oh... did Monkey King say so?" Ryoma asked. Momo leaned towards him.
"Hey Echizen, is Atobe taking you as a slave or what?" Momo asked. Ryoma did not answer.
Shishido pulled out a pink fluffy notebook and handed it to Ryoma. Ryoma ignored him completely. Momo nudged him but Ryoma refused to budge. Finally, Momo took the notebook on his behalf.
Shishido smiled. "Yo, dunk smash guy, maybe you should teach your freshman some manners."
With that he walked away with loyal Kabaji behind him.
"Hump! What bad attitude!" Ann cried when they are out of sight. "What does Atobe got to do with Ryoma?"
Momo looked at her. Maybe she didn't know the whole story.
"Um... ahem. Echizen's dad burned down Atobe's mansion and Atobe got hurt and so for the time being Atobe will be staying with Echizen while his house is being repaired," Momo explained.
"Burn down Atobe's house??" Shinji repeated. "What an honorable thing to do."
"Shinji! This is no laughing matter!" Kamio said. He stared at Ryoma. "I'm sorry you have to put up with such filth."
Ann looked at him, surprised. "Kamio!"
She turned to Ryoma. "So has he been bullying you, Ryoma?"
"Bully?" Ryoma repeated as if he did not understand.
"Ah…" Momo said suddenly, shaking the fluffy pink notebook. "I got the notebook wet!"
"So Ryoma, what did he do to you?" Ann demanded.
"Ah… nothing yet," Ryoma said.
"Ah!" Momo yelled. While shaking the pink fluffy notebook dry, he accidentally shook it too hard that it fell into a muddy patch on the ground. He bent to pick it up. The book is all muddy and sticky.
"Oops! I got it dirtied," Momo said, smiling stupidly. Ann, Shinji and Kamio groaned. Ryoma took the notebook from him.
"Ah... a nice gift for the Monkey King!" Ryoma said, delightedly.
--------------------
"I'm home!" Ryoma said as he entered the house. He shook his yellow umbrella and placed it in the umbrella rack.
"Welcome home, Ryoma-kun," Nanako, his cousin, said. She had some dry laundry in her arms.
Ryoma entered the living room to see Atobe watching TV. His left leg, which was in a cast, was stretched infront of him. Ryoma threw his bags on the floor and went to stand infront of Atobe, blocking his view of the TV.
"Ah, Echizen!" Atobe said. Ryoma threw the muddy pink fluffy notebook at him. The muddy side fell splat in front of Atobe's light purple pyjama top.
"Eeeeyaaa!" Atobe yelled. He plucked the muddy book from his chest and glared at Ryoma. "Ah... you got my notebook dirty, eh?"
"The book slipped and fell," Ryoma said, as he picked up his bags. He walked away.
Atobe watched him go. Shitty Ryoma ruined his favourite notebook. Ryoma, you think you got me there but you are wrong, Atobe thought, smiling. But I got you first.
Ryoma entered his room and threw his bags on the floor. He saw the familiar rounded lump under the blanket on his bed. He smiled. Only one thing can make him feel happy inside.
"Karupin!" Ryoma said as he went to his bed. He pulled back the blanket to see that it was not Karupin. It was only Karupin's favourite round pillow. Karupin was nowhere in sight. Infact, Ryoma had not seen it since he came back. He quickly ran downstairs into the kitchen. Karupin wasn't there too.
"Where's Karupin?" Ryoma asked Nanako.
"Oh... Atobe said he's allergic to long haired cats so Karupin had to kept caged outside," Nanako said.
"Atobe!" Ryoma said through gritted teeth. He ran to the porch. His dad was there, staring at the dark sky. Karupin was sleeping peacefully in her huge cosy cage. She even had her favourite toy with her.
"Ah... Ryoma, you are back. This morning you say something about a match?" Nanjiroh asked. Ryoma stared at him weirdly.
"Match? With you? No, I am in another match right now. A match against Monkey King!" Ryoma declared.
Nanjiroh looked at him. He laughed. "Silly boy."
Ryoma ignored him and walked away. He was already thinking of revenge.