Disclaimer: I don't SD boys, Inoue does. The events that follow are not included in the original plot but enjoy anyway.
Summary: Mrs. Rukawa will be away for a while and she is persistent on the thought that her son Kaede needs a baby sitter. As fate would have it, Mitsui's house is just a block away and now it's up to Mitsui how to take good care of Rukawa. MitRu-RuMit.
A/N: Idea's suggested by my comrades, Castor and Pollux.
Chapter I: The Door and the Kid
Then the door stood still as it had been doing for uncounted decades; unperturbed and as inanimate as a stuck bottle lid waiting to be violated by avenging knuckles. Its hinges were stubbornly hasped against the alloyed portal frame, and the knob seemed no more movable than the Himalayan ranges of the frigid zones. Yes, the maximum security applied to it could be suspected as a part of somebody's paranoiac fits, one of its ridiculous aftermath. But that's beside the point, and I'm not to give you an overview of the door's stupid resolution because nothing destructive really happened to it, nor will I divulge the infinite number of times when it had been the object of my frustrated anger. Yes, I've gone as far as belaboring the poor thing like it just pushed my temper attack button, so fed up with all the pathetic banging and slamming of those who'd pass by it ungratefully. Good thing it wasn't alive; but my fists were always in a terrible state after each outbreak. But again we're wandering off two miles away from the target; it's hardly the case I want to emphasize here. You see, the thing is the door's still standing there, barely out of shape and aware of any bad recollection; the only thing that indicated any significance related to it is the number 27, the insignia of its presence which nonetheless tells everybody that he is about to enter the threshold of the Mitsui family's abode. More than likely, that already poses as a cautionary statement to anyone who'd dare knock on the legendary door. Then the day came to reverse history.
For the first time in its pathetic subsistence, the door was prescinded with respect. A gentle yet urgent knock greeted the wooden surface at 6:30 in the morning that one cold Saturday. If it came but a little later, the knock would've seemed even a blessing for a dead beat door; but anything that goes so out of schedule sure is a pain in the ass. Nor would the master of the house take to it lightly that anyone would go zapping him out of shut-eye on a beautiful weekend.
The person behind it must've been blasting the damned door with impatient patting for God knows how many times already when I dragged myself out of bed. Whoever it was, I thought, he/she was certainly consistent on her business to go on knocking for the next, unresponded minutes. It must be something important, perhaps even an emergency for the person to be this tenacious; hell, the door was solid as damned mineral. But my drowsiness was even more competitive and stimulating further my blunt senses, it drove me with a stronger inclination to drop my lids for a couple of more hours. And the pesky knocking persisted in a progressive volume like a giant's footsteps that shook the biosphere as well as my sleep. 'I'll get it, damn bastard.' I told myself then, giving up on the culprit's spleen-less determination. With obvious difficulty, I untangled myself from the blankets and dropped my feet on the floor as they led me all the way to the entrance hall. I was still tousle-haired and crammy from my incomplete sleep when I twisted the door knob; it was freezing like a freaking ice block. Wait till you see what was outside; the morning was literally sprawling with excessive fog.
'Yes. Can I help ya?' I muttered, in a half dazed tone. I couldn't make out who it was so I scratched my eyes to get a clearer view. Then the realization struck...
'Mitsui-san, Can you do me a favor? I'd highly appreciate it.' Came a stern and dignified voice of a woman's. It was Mrs. Rukawa, one of our neighbors here in old dullsville. Needless to say, Kaede's mom. This is the first time I got to talk to her face to face and I couldn't help noticing, cold as I was, that she was remarkably attractive. She was donned in some snazzy fall outfit; a beige overcoat and a pair of really hot pants. Did she go to work looking this soigne? I wondered. A pointless steam seemed to educe from my pores to alleviate the more pointless cold. I might've been blushing. Dammit, did I really let her knock on the irritating door that long? Blimey, she was a doll. Crap.
'Yes, ma'am. What is it?' I answered almost enthused. No longer did I possess the it's-goddamn-6:30-in-the-morning-what-d'you-want-me-for-so-early-anyway air; I was swept away by apprehension and excitement just the same.
'I'm going to work and Kaede's maid is on a vacation. I can't take him because...he doesn't like it. Anyway, I'm afraid he can't be by himself alone at home so I thought, maybe you can look after my son since you're the only one near whom Kaede is used to.' She said in a scattered voice that became pleading each second. Not only till I looked at her meticulously that I recognized some prominent resemblance between her and her son. It almost goofed me out to learn that she was plainly Kaede in his mythical womanhood. And yes, she did go to work in that catwalk bound apparel. Hot. wait a sec, did she say look after her son? baby sitting? Me? Jesus.
'Uhmmm, well. You mean Ruk-I mean-Kaede can't take care of himself?' I asked, wrestling with perplexities which altogether skived off my narco. When I was in junior high; I did all things by myself and then this shrewish coot couldn't sit upon himself...that was so phony, almost comical. And mind you he had a personal sitter, and he was supposed to be Kanagawa's best rook. But that didn't send me to titters. I was psyched, thrilled to discover that whatever Rukawa's accomplishments were in the name of the godly sport basketball, there wasn't any ruble of reflection in it in his mother's pride. Perhaps, she wasn't even aware that her son was gracing athlete's mags' pages.
'I don't mean to disturb, Mitsui-san. But my son, he's kinda special. Not like other kids, in that sense. He needs every attention and I can't give that to him in a diurnal basis. Please.' She said in a deplorably importuning tone. There was nothing obtrusive about it, really; she just thought her son was retarded or a psychopath who required high maintenance. That's all. But wasn't she making a mistake in treating her son like he was some illiterate buckhead? Rukawa wasn't exactly a retard, he was just...alright, perhaps he was a retard.
'No, there isn't any trouble, Mrs. Rukawa. Well, if it will help you a lot, I'll take your son. It's fine, really, I'm alone right now. I thought maybe I'll be needing a company this weekend. So where is he?' I said. It just had me stumped, I need to grant this implausible favor for what it would take. Even if I were to be the plot's patsy here. What a bloke was I to refuse a woman's request, anyway? Arghhh.
Then Rukawa's form materialized from their luxury car with a rumpled look of boastfulness I couldn't defy then, even now. He was always like this even in his most listless state; when nailing a jumper, grabbing boards...whatever. He drew nearer and as I perused this dandy in his everyday training clothes, I didn't see immediately a naive child to be looked after; but a sly brute to handle, my very own bete noire. He could be a plaguy asshole for all I knew. For a second that's what it was. Then his mom spoke with finality.
'Ok, be good, boys. Here's a little help to cover your expenses just in case you need something; snacks or anything.' She pulled out a wad of crumpled bills from her bag and handed it to me. 'I'll be back this evening. Goodbye, son. And Mitsui-san, thanks very much; words can't express how grateful I am.' She smiled, seeming to have dissipated all her initial trepidations, and peeled away to their car as it zoomed away. If I did utter a word of welcome in return, she didn't hear it.
Then I turned to Rukawa whose face was all heady with glum. I adjured him to follow me inside which he did rather mutely. This was going to be lethargic, molto. I thought. And for the first time in his life, Kaede Rukawa entered the number 27 door.
Note: Read and review. You can flame me for all I care. I don't know if I'd ever have the urge to finish this story because this came rather unexpectedly, it's all up to you readers. But I'm working on the next chapter, ok? Thanks for reading, have a nice day.