Tap, tap, tap...

School wasn't boring, per say, just overly repetitive. No, your companions tended to kill boredom with just a few words. This time, of course, this did not seem to be happening. You weren't absolutely certain as to why you had to learn English, but you had to (and were quite good at it), and now you were stuck working on a project with Momoshiro, your friend, classmate and currently most importantly, project partner (what kind of god did you piss off to be stuck with him? He was nice and funny, but certainly not book smart).

"[First-Name]-chan, did you hear me?" Your partner almost looked as bored as you, but still determined (Hiro and Kaidoh had been paired up, and the boys were quick to begin a competition) not to fail.

"Mmh, of course, Momo-chan. But you've got that wrong, for 'whence' does not mean when from, it means where from." Your reply was curt and quick, and once you realized those facts, you quickly looked up from your papers to look at your partner. "But don't worry too much, most native English speakers still have trouble with it."

"Why is it 'whence' then? Why not 'wherence'?" Momoshiro was screwing up his face as he spoke.

"Because that just sounds stupid, Momo-chan."

"All of it sounds stupid to me. Ugh... We can't lose to that idiot Viper... Alright, [First-Name]-chan! Let's win this!" The boy began his sentence with a sullen look, but his own words motivated him and so it ended with a tone of excitement. You can't lose to Hiro, either—he's always beaten you before, so you want to one-up him just once.

"We could ask Ryoma-kun for help, as well." Ryoma, who had lived overseas in America for a great deal of his life, would surely be a great help with the English project. But Momoshiro certainly didn't seem to think so. "I can't always rely on that baby," his tone was jesting, but rather final, "You're pretty good at this stuff, so I think we'll be fine."

Don't look now, Momoshiro.
He's behind you.

"Momo-senpai... Who's the baby, here?" When the freshman spoke, you could almost see poor Momoshiro's heart leaping in surprise. In reality, you hadn't noticed him until moments before he spoke, so you were also rather surprised, but you couldn't help but be amused at your juniors response. "Because it certainly looks to me as if you're the baby, Momo-senpai."

"Waah! Echizen, don't sneak up on us like that! –And YOU are the baby, baby! With those chubby cheeks and large, innocent eyes!" Don't laugh, [First-Name], you can do it. Don't laugh.

"O'chibi want a dummy?" "Fushuuu..."

..Ah. Of course, Kaidoh and Hiro would be studying for the project as well. Of course they'd hear the conversation and join in. And, of course...

"I think myself and [Last-Name]-senpai are the only one who aren't infants, senpai-tachi." Ryoma would retaliate with his same cool remarks and that impossible to hate smirk of his (unless it was at your expense, then it was rather easy to hate!).

"Thanks, Ryoma-kun. Nii-chan, Momo-chan, Kaidoh-kun, can't you all act closer to your age?"

"I didn't say anything... Idiot Momoshiro, getting me involved in your mess... Fushuuuu..." Kaidoh would've stalked off, except for the fact Hiro held him in place. ("We are still here for a reason, remember? To beat Momo and [First-Name].")

"Heh! We're acting closer to our age than baby O'chibi is! He's very mature for an infant, isn't he, Momo?" Hiro was holding back laughter as he spoke, pointing at Ryoma and turning to look at Momoshiro for his reply.

"I've never met a baby his age who could talk! Such a smart baby! Who's a smart baby? You are!" Momoshiro's response was almost humorous, except for the excessive baby talk-voice he adopted and the massive amount of cooing he pretended to do. And seriously, you were supposed to be studying.

"I've never met a middle school student who could lose to a baby in tennis, Momo-chan." When you spoke, both Momoshiro and Hiro looked at you like you were a traitor (perhaps you were, but Ryoma needed someone on his side, at least) while Ryoma smirked.

This, of course, went on for a while.

[-]

Unfortunately for Ryoma, Kikumaru had been quick to both hear of and adopt the new jest Hiro and Momoshiro had decided upon. Even your more placid senpai-tachi had taken to fondly referring to Ryoma as such (You could understand Kikumaru adopting it, but Fuji and even Oishi using it had come as a surprise).

Unfortunately for you, who had defended Ryoma and throughout made jabs at the creators of the nickname, you had been dubbed the babysitter (Hiro had also joked about perhaps you like Ryoma, and that was why you were protecting him, but he was quick to lay it aside when you brought up his questionable love of a certain friend of yours.).

"Sorry, [Last-Name]-senpai. You got involved because of me, huh?" You hadn't been much paying attention (too busy Monologging again, I'm afraid), but you'd offered to help Ryoma stretch and practice away from the school courts (considering the continuous calling of names, you certainly didn't blame your poor junior.)

"It's really not a problem, Ryoma-kun. I don't think you're much of a baby, so I just spoke my mind." The boy who walked beside you looked pleased to hear you say that, a little smile gracing his face. "Thanks, [Last-Name]-senpai."

"You can call me [First-Name], if you want. Everyone except Fuji-senpai and Tezuka-senpai already do, but that's just their nature."

Your companion let out a snort of laughter, "Yeah, I guess it is," before turning to face you. "I don't think I need you to help me out anymore, I can head back to the school courts, now."

"Hmm? What about everyone's juvenile name-calling?"

"It's as you said, its juvenile. Besides, if [First-Name]-senpai disagrees with them, then I'll be fine. See you!"

Thus, the boy pulled his cap down and ran back. You could've sworn he was slightly red- not quite as red as yourself, though.

"Maybe Ryoma-kun is slightly like a baby. He's certainly cute like one."

You grinned, and ran after the boy to the courts.