A/N: Oh, 4 months seem to have rolled by… what have I been doing since last time? Thinking, and writing my novel as well as doing Shyness in the boy, and also thinking about my Naruto fanfic. Need to fill in the gaps and all.
Anyhow here is chapter three (^_^)
Disclaimer: If Prince of Tennis belonged to me and not Takeshi Konomi, Ryoma would have already married Sakuno to save her 178 episodes of trying to get noticed. Should I include the ova's, the live action movie, musicals and cosplayers!!? (over the top randomness!)
Chapter Three
Our denying-humble farmer went north, back to his farm and walked down the long dusty path to reach his main gates. He didn't see any benefit in going home so early in the day but if it would shut Momoshiro up for the moment, it was worth it.
He walked passed his large fields and orchards and saw that all and everything had been watered.
"Huh?" He thought. "Maybe Sakuno is home after all."
All was well! He walked closer to his cute home and saw Karupin waddling around with the hose in his mouth.
"Good boy, Karupin."
"Me-ow." Said Karupin, a little annoyed. He spat the hose out of his mouth and jumped up into his favourite tree, the cherry tree and watched over the farm.
Ryoma went on into his cute home and called out to Sakuno. He got no reply. He stepped into the kitchen and she wasn't there. He went into the living room, the bathroom and the bedroom but she wasn't there. Strange, but he wasn't to be alarmed. Sakuno has only been gone for an hour. When the sixth hours is up, he would think about raising any alarm.
Ryoma went into the fridge and took out a husk of ponta. He sat at the kitchen tabletop to have a sip when he saw three shadows outside the window. He carried on sipping his drink and went to investigate. He pulled the curtain back.
"GOOD MORNING ECHIZEN-SAMA!" Three booming voices yelled through the open window and nearly made Ryoma jump out of his skin. He dropped his husk of ponta to the floor and choked on his drink once more (he was strangely prone to doing that!)
"I'll clean that up for you Echizen-sama!" One of them with a high pitched voice called first.
"No, for it is my duty to take care of Echizen-sama." The taller one uttered.
"Wrong, both of ya! For I have four years more experience than either of you. It shall be my pleasure to clean up Echizen-sama's misfortune."
Despite their declaration of assistance, none of them moved an itch to help their choking master. Once he finished hacking up over his floor, Ryoma composed himself and stared out the window.
"Who the hell are you three paupers?"
"Echizen-sama," The flamboyant one spoke. "we are your most trusted servants."
"Has he forgotten again?" The high-pitched one wondered.
The taller one nodded agreeing with his friend. "Sounds as if he has."
"Get off my land!" Ryoma ordered.
"Anything for you Echizen-sama!" The flamboyant one said and was about to jog away when the taller one grabbed the back of his tattered, orange waistcoat. He lost his footing and fell backwards.
"Wait… something doesn't seem right." The taller one said.
Ryoma rolled his eyes and went to pick up his husk of ponta.
"What's wrong." The high-pitched one asked, stepping closer.
"He's never asked us to get off his land before. Usually when he's drunk off his face, he asks for our names."
"So do you think something awful has happened?"
The flamboyant one, who is better known as Horio Satoshi scrambled onto his feet and slapped the taller one on the shoulder.
Mizuno Katsuo rubbed his shoulder and leant into the window to call to Ryoma. "Echizen-sama, are you sure everything is okay? Did you drink too much this time?"
"Dunno." He murmured with the husk by his lips.
"He answered! All is well!" Katou Kachirou cheered and Katsuo and Horio cheered too. "Now to help Echizen-sama."
The three agreed but they didn't move. Ryoma wiped his mouth and asked the three of them why they weren't helping him.
"We cannot set foot in the house unless you beckon us to, Echizen-sama." All three answered at once.
Ryoma felt the sleeve of his tunic slip of his shoulder. He asked himself if he should clean up his own mess? He glanced down to the once clean wooden floor and saw the orange liquid seeping out into a large puddle. He glanced up at his so-called servants.
"What should I say?"
"What you normally say, Echizen-sama." They all waited patiently.
Ryoma slowly closed his eyes. Did he really hire these morons? They were as useless as Sakuno… maybe she did it while he was away in America. Once she got back he would have to question her on other weird things around the house.
"What is it that I normally say?" Ryoma pressed them.
"Well if you don't know Ryoma-sama, we can wait until you do." They told him.
He screwed the top on the husk and decided that he would wait for Sakuno to come home. At least that hopeless girl was good at cleaning the house. He left his three best servants to figures things out for themselves so he could get a quick nap. He flopped down on the pink and green floral sofa and stared up at the grandfather clock ticking-and-tocking away. It was only seven-thirty-something in the morning… he rolled over and closed his eyes… Sakuno would definitely come home… he won't have to go on a crazy quest to look for her…
Meanwhile, back at Mo's pub, Momoshiro was having serious talks with his chef, Takashi Kawamura that he was likely to leave as soon as Echizen came back if the news was to be bad. The bar braced themselves for Echizen's steadfast return.
* * *
Time does fly when you're sleeping, and Echizen decided to wake up late into the evening. Karupin was sitting on his stomach staring angrily at him. Echizen yawned and turned over, forcing Karupin to jump off but he didn't move away, he sat on the floor staring up at his master.
"Meow-meow, meow~!"
"No Karupin, the world isn't flat, it's… some kind of 3D shape…"
Karupin frowned. "M…meow." He walked off to get some food."
Echizen sat up and ruffled his hands in his hair. He plum-forgot what he was doing and turned to the grandfather clock to see the time… six-forty-something-pm. Having just woken up his head was spinning horrible. He dropped back down on the sofa, clutching his hands to his face and moaning in pain. It was as if his precious sleep was giving him another hangover.
"Sa… Sakuno-chan… can I get some water?"
He thought his sleepy state was slowing down her reply so he called to her again and nothing was said.
"Sakuno-chan~!"
He waited and only the sweet sound of silence travelled into his ears. He sat up and looked around. No candles were lit or lantern burning. The house was dark. He kicked his legs off the sofa to go and light a candle. On his way to the kitchen his slipped on some water on the floor.
"Damn, those morons." He mumbled to himself and fumbled for the kitchen draws. It was a while before he found what he was looking for. He struck the match and lit the candle. Three shadows still remained by the kitchen window. Echizen continued upstairs to check if she was sleeping in bed or in the shower.
"Sakuno-chan… are you up here?"
He got no reply. He blinked. Maybe… hopefully his beloved wife was safe in the realms of sleep. Something flooded around Echizen's body. Something he had only felt once before. It was a feeling, an emotion. With the hangover completely gone he knew what it was… It was that same feeling that harassed him while he was away in America… could it be the reason why he went down on one knee and asked for her hand in.…
"Of course not, why would… why would I care about that yucky stuff." He lied to himself.
To remind true to his character he went into the bathroom, washed and got changed headed into his bedroom, blew out the candle and went back to sleep for the night.
But his sleep was not peaceful, for how can he sleep in peace when the Kingdom of Seishun was at an unrest. He tossed and turned, stretched and scrunched up in his bed before throwing himself on his back and finally falling to sleep.
* * *
It was a new summer's morning over the cold and wintry side of Tokyo. Our humble farmer slowly opened his red eyes to stare painfully at the ceiling. He turned to face Sakuno's cute and meek sleeping face but saw nothing. That emotion flooded though him again growing stronger and wilder, so much so that he had to sit up and face the facts. He reached down and touched the empty space where her body should be and signed.
"That hopeless girl has gotten her self lost… I better go find her."
Thus beginning our humble farmer's almighty quest.
...tbc...
A/N2: Hmm, it's working… Ryoma's feelings are coming through but for Chapter four: The team of two make their way to talk to the King of the Kindom of Seishun!
