Disclaimers: Refer to the first page.
A/N: This is NOT going to be twincest. Oh, some of you has guessed the pairing correct. I'm not telling who. Keep guessing. I'm evil, right? Fufufu… Anyway, please review.
"Ryoma, since today is not Ryoya's official day as an exchange student yet, and you have already been dismissed from club activities, take him home. Make sure he gets plenty of rest," Sumire ordered.
"Uisu." It was not his twin that needed rest, but him as well. He had been rushing around searching for Ryoya just now. Luckily he met a taxi driver that commented on what a coincident it was; meeting him for the second time that day. If not, he might still be running around the whole city. He was tired from all that anxiety; not to mention the stress these two months were going to be. Just about thinking about it gave him a headache.
"Onii-sama, lets go." Ryoya dragged the poor boy with him. He couldn't wait to go home. The match with the red-haired senpai had sucked his energy dry. Yet he still lost. A frown marred his pretty face. That acrobatic player's stamina was really good. He disliked losing to someone who had a potential of snatching his dear Onii-sama away. The way he had acted so familiar with his Onii-sama did not sit well with him. And what was with that nick-name – Ochibi? His lips tightened. He would keep watch over him! Lizzy, hurry up and come. Only the two of us can rescue Onii-sama now.
"Ryoya, where are you dragging me?" Ryoma asked suddenly.
"Home, of course," Ryoya answered, still immersed in his thoughts.
"And do you know where it is?" Ryoma continued asking his twin patiently.
Ryoya stopped abruptly. He turned slowly to face the older twin with water-filled puppy-dog eyes. "We are lost, Oniisama."
Ryoma resisted the urge to sigh. "No, we aren't. It's in the opposite direction." This time, he took the lead. "Mada mada dane."
"Ne, Onii-sama, why did you not visit me when you were in America?"
"Kaa-san told me that you're having your exam and forbade me from disturbing you. Besides, I was busy with the U.S. Open."
After that, they fell into a comfortable silence.
"Okaeri, Ryoma-san, Ryoya-san."
"Tadaima, Nanako-chan." Ryoya gave his favourite cousin a big hug. "This certainly beats staying in school hostels."
Nanako smiled gently. "It was a big surprise when a lorry arrived with your luggage just now."
Ryoma, who was taking off his shoes, froze. Lorry?
"I guess Ojii-san finally realizes that you're old enough to take care of yourself."
Ryoya gave the happy girl a big innocent smile. "Yeah." Did he forget to mention that Otou-san was still clueless that he was here? After all, only one parent was needed to sign the permission letter. (He was unaware that Nanjiro knew already.)
Ryoma ignored the two chatting away so happily and walked upstairs to his room. At the front of his room, he hesitated a little before opening the door. At the sight of his clean empty room, he breathed a sigh of relief. Wait! Empty? He made a double check. Sure enough, the room was empty of his things. He went to check his closet. It was bare too. His twitch got worse. He went downstairs, a dark aura surrounding him.
Both Ryoya and Nanako looked at Ryoma questioningly, sensing his dark mood.
"Where have all my things gone to?"
"Oh, I put them in the master bedroom. I thought that since Ryoya-san is going to share a room with you, I might as well prepare a bigger room for the both of you. Your old one has only one single bed." Not to mention that it was too small.
"Nanako-chan, you're the best!" Ryoya hugged the girl again.
"…" Ryoma turned and went back upstairs. He opened the door to his, no, their new room and what he saw nearly made him lose it – boxes! There were dozens of boxes everywhere; he couldn't even see the bed! He closed the door again and proceeded to his old room. Flinging himself onto the welcoming bed, he sighed. His headache had gotten worse.
Ring……!
Ryoma opened his bleary eyes reluctantly. An irritated glance at the noisy clock showed that it was only four. When he was about to switch the alarm off, a hand reached out before him. Paying no further attention, Ryoma went back to his much-needed sleep. It seemed like only a few minutes had gone by before he was shaken awake.
"Onii-sama, wake up." Ryoya shook his older twin persistently.
"I'm tired. Let me sleep." Ryoma brushed the annoying hand away.
"If you don't wake up now, we will be late, Onii-sama. I don't want to be late on my first day." Ryoya shook the stubborn boy again.
Ryoma sighed. He gave up. He was not getting anymore sleep at this rate. How did he end up in here anyway? He remembered falling asleep in his old bedroom. He glanced at the clock and sighed again. It was only 5:15.
"Go and take a shower first, Onii-sama. I will lay out your clothes for you." Ryoya pushed the half-asleep Ryoma to the bathroom gently.
"Mada mada dane."
Half an hour later saw Ryoma sitting on the king-sized bed with deep scowl on his face. The bedside table was littered with dozens of bottles that came in different sizes. His twin was standing in front of him with one of those bottles in his hand.
"Onii-sama, you should have taken better care of yourself. Look how coarse your skin has become. Luckily I have the foresight of bringing my whole collection of skincare products. Even your hair…" he sighed deeply. "Don't worry. With me here, everything will be fine in no time."
"…" Ryoma's scowl deepened. "Mada mada dane."
"Meow!" Karupin mewed as if in agreement with his owner.
"Eh? Echizen has left?"
"Hai. He left almost an hour ago with Ryoya-san."
Momoshiro was still too much in shock to notice the beautiful cousin of the Echizen twins' apologetic face. He had come 15 minutes earlier, thinking that he would be picking up both of them today. Instead he received the shock of being informed of their departure, and an hour earlier? What was the world coming to?
"Gomen. You come to pick them up, yet they are not here."
Returning to the reality, Momoshiro rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Iie, it's my own fault. I'll be taking my leave then. Thank you."
He sped to school all the way. He had to see for himself before he could fully believe it.
At the front gate of the school, he saw one his senior team-mates. "Eiji-senpai," he called out.
"Hoi! Hoi! Momo, you're unexpectedly early today, nya." A mischievous smile appeared on his face. " Hehe! Tell me, nya. Are you coming for a date? Who's the girl, nya?"
Momoshiro sweat-dropped. "Eiji-senpai. That's not true!" Momoshiro protested. "I had gone early to pick Echizen and his brother up."
Kikumaru looked interested. "And where are Ochibi and Yaya-chan, nya?
More drops of sweats appeared on Momoshiro's head. "Yaya-chan?"
Kikumaru gave the younger boy a big smile. "I figured that I can't call both of them Ochibi, so I find another cute name for Yaya-chan. Nice, nya?"
Momoshiro gave the self-satisfied senior an awkward smile.
"Eiji, Momo, ohayou," a greeting came from behind them. Fuji stood behind them, his trademark smile on his face, with two other regulars.
"Fuji-senpai, Kawamura-senpai, Inui-senpai. Ohayou gozaimasu."
"Hoi! Hoi! Fuji, Momo is going on a date."
"Iie, data." Inui's glasses flashed as he scribbled something into his notebook.
"Momo, you…" a light blush appeared on Kawamura's face.
Momoshiro protested loudly, "Eiji-senpai, that's not true!" The sweat-drops that had disappeared with the arrival of the three seniors returned full force. "I was going to pick both Echizens up," he explained.
"But I don't see any of them with you, nya."
"That's because by the time I reached their house, their cousin told me that they had already left for school an hour earlier."
"Eh?" Kikumaru did not dare believe it. That Ochibi that was always late and never early came one hour before he was supposed to?
"Hmm…" Even Inui did not expect this. "From what happened yesterday, it is obvious that Ryoma is protective of his younger twin while Ryoya has a serious brother complex. There is a hundred percent possibility that Ryoya is an early riser and dragged Ryoma with him."
"Saa…Why don't we go check it out?" Fuji suggested.
They found the twins under the tree. Ryoma was sleeping with his cap covering his face while Ryoya was sitting with his back against the big sturdy tree. He was reading a thick book. The shady tree leaves covered them from the early sunlight saved for a few spots. Combined this serene scene with the melodious chirpings of birds, anyone would find it beautiful.
A pair of eyes was watching this scene with a hint of envy and jealousy. Nobody noticed when the watcher's smile disappeared to be replaced with a wistful look.
To be continued….