I do not own Tenipuri! The characters and everything belong to the great Konomi-sensei (even though he might be a bit silly)!

But Kumiko is mine

"Why am I here again?" Kumiko said, glaring at Atobe who is seated in front of her inside the limousine. It was embarrassing to be inside as it is, and now she doesn't even know where Atobe is taking her! She was just having a nice day at home, when suddenly Atobe appeared in her doorstep and told her to come with him after she made sure everything's locked. Tezuka and her grandfather are camping out while her parents had to go to another town, she was left alone in the house and was thinking of going to the park or Kawamura's place so she wouldn't be all alone for the day and Atobe just had to bring her somewhere.

"Because Tezuka asked me."

"Onii-chan did?"

"Yes, he's worried that something might happen if you're left alone."

"I'm not exactly useless… I have ojii-chan's kendo stick if anything happens."

"But still, it is risky to left a girl all alone in the house."

"I can take care of myself, Atobe-san. You don't have to bother."

"But I accepted your brother's request, you can't argue if I have made an agreement. Don't argue with me, hime-sama."

"… As I said, you don't have to bother yourself, Atobe-san."

"Well, I can't let you feel lonely can I? I know how you are, hime."

"Can you stop calling me that?" Kumiko said, sighing as she sipped on the glass of apple juice she was given.

"I can call you anything I want, Tezuka doesn't mind."

"Onii-chan's being paranoid…"

"Not exactly, if you consider how often you landed yourself in a predicament, or accidents." Atobe said while sipping from his glass, hiding his smile when he saw Kumiko pouted.

"If I stayed home or go to somewhere I'm familiar with, I won't get lost…"

"But still, you'll get lonely, won't you?"

"I can call bucchou or someone from my team…"

"That still won't solve the problem, considering how dangerous it is at night. So when Tezuka told me, I gladly told him you can spend a night at my house." If Atobe doesn't have his pride and dignity, he'd probably laugh mercilessly at how Kumiko looked right now, but now, he's just hiding his amused smile behind his glass.

"What? Me? I'll be staying at your house Atobe-san? But… won't it be a bother?"

"As I said, don't think about it."

"But your family, your parents or…"

"They're not there, alright? You don't have to fuss over something that's not there." He should've watched his mouth. Now the look Kumiko gave him really bothered him.

"What do you mean… Atobe-san…?"

"My parents are busy, and often overseas for meetings."

"Oh… I'm sorry…"

"Don't bother, hime."

"We're here, Keigo bocchama." Kumiko looked towards the window and her eyes widened at the huge gates they had entered.

"Atobe-san, this is your house?"

"Yes."

"It's… huge."

"Consider it average. Don't look at me like that, hime." Kumiko then continued to look at the large pathway the limousine drove through and continued watching the garden in awe until Atobe opened the door next to him.

"Come on, hime. We're here." Kumiko then got out from the limousine and looked at the huge and wide mansion in front of her. Maybe she should've brought her sketchbook in advance. Kumiko's thoughts were cut off when Atobe placed his hand on her shoulder.

"You wouldn't want to stay outside all day, would you, hime? It'll be bad for your health." Kumiko then shyly followed Atobe like a puppy through the mansion, afraid of losing her way in the mansion. Kumiko's eyes widened at the long row of maids and butlers than came to greet Atobe and she unconsciously grabbed onto Atobe's jersey. Wait. Why is Atobe-san wearing his tennis jersey?

"The team is having a practice today." Oh, she must have said it out loud.

"Have you prepared the guess room as I've requested?"

"Yes, obocchama. Everything is already prepared for Kumiko-sama." That doesn't sound right to her, being called with a 'sama'.

"Why don't you go to your room, hime? You can call the maids if you need anything." Atobe sighed when Kumiko gave him a terrified look and pried her hands off of his jersey.

"This is not a haunted house, hime. You'll be taken towards your room, if you need anything, you can call me from the phone or you either can call the maids. I'll see you later, hime." Atobe said as Kumiko followed the maid whom Atobe had told to lead her towards her room.

"O-Okay, Atobe-san." Kumiko said as she kept looking back once in a while to see Atobe rising on of his eyebrows at her before walking away.

"Here it is, Kumiko-sama. If you need anything, you can call me."

"Y-Yes, thank you very much." Kumiko said as the maid bowed and closed the door behind her. Kumiko then held her breath as she looked at the room. It's not as girly as she thought Atobe would prepare it to be, the bed is big and wide and somehow, she felt rather comfortable here. Kumiko then made sure to place her shoes near the table next to her bed and climbed onto the bed. Kumiko patted the bed and rested her head on the pillow.

"It's so fluffy." Kumiko said, snuggling onto the pillow. Kumiko then opened her eyes and saw something. Kumiko got off from the comfort of the bed and noticed cat-shaped slippers and started poking it.

"It's Karupin! Karupin slippers! I wonder how Atobe-san has this… oh, right…" Kumiko said as she started walking around the room, and sat on the sofa while stared at the sketchbook in front of her. Kumiko took the book and flip back the cover, touching the paper.

"It's a very nice paper… must be expensive… why would Atobe-san prepare this? And this room is nice too… I wonder if he knew what I wanted… this pencil looks expensive too… I wonder if Atobe-san only like expensive things…" Kumiko then looked around the large room and suddenly a thought entered her mind.

"… Atobe-san usually lives alone in this big mansion… could he be lonely too? Is that why he's persistent on making me spend the night here? But, maybe not… Atobe-san is pretty unpredictable… but I guess I'll thank him for this if I meet him…"

"Kumiko-sama, Atobe-sama wants you to meet her." Kumiko leaned back and saw a maid at the door. Kumiko quickly picked the sketchbook and the pencil and slipped her feet into the Karupin slippers and walked outside with the maid.

"Excuse me?"

"Yes, Kumiko-sama?"

"Does Atobe-san's parents rarely come here?"

"Yes, Atobe-sama has been living here alone for most of the time."

"Is he lonely?" Kumiko then noticed something and walked away without the maid knowing. The maid then continues to walk while pondering about Kumiko's question.

"I can't exactly answer that, Kumiko-sama. But he often has his team here for practices… Kumiko-sama?" The maid stopped, not hearing another pair of footsteps behind her and turned back to see Kumiko disappeared.

"K-Kumiko-sama?" The maid then worriedly look around and still didn't spot the young girl.

/

"It's so pretty… the garden is so pretty… and then there's a pool too…" Kumiko said, touching the glass bordering her from the outside.

"Atobe-san's house sure is nice even though it's so big… the garden is very well kept too, bucchou will love to see this…" Kumiko then sat down on the carpeted floor and opened her sketchbook and started sketching the garden.

Atobe was walking, wondering why Kumiko hadn't showed up yet. He had already ordered one of the maids to bring her so he could talk with her and yet the maid also hasn't showed up. Atobe is becoming rather worried, was Kumiko too tired and fell asleep or did something else happen to her. Atobe then saw the maid he ordered to escort Kumiko running around in panic.

"You. Where's Kumiko?"

"A-Ah, Atobe-sama! I-I lost her, I was showing her the way to see you when she suddenly disappeared…" Atobe then sighed and rubbed his temples. He should've told her she shouldn't take her eyes off her.

"Go look for her, I want her found quickly. She might be lost in the mansion, I don't want her to be too stressed."

"Y-Yes, Atobe-sama!" Atobe saw the maid running and sighed before a smiled grew in his face.

"Hime-sama, do you always have to torture me like this?" Atobe said, shaking his head and walked to search for the missing young lady.

"It's done!" Kumiko said, smiling at her finished sketch.

"Bucchou will be happy to see this." Kumiko said as she stood up.

"Eh… where am I…?" Kumiko said as she looked around to find herself lost. Kumiko then started shedding cold sweat as she looked around and didn't find anyone near her. Suddenly a hand appeared on her shoulder and Kumiko let out a shriek that was heard through the whole mansion. Atobe, who was still searching for Kumiko heard the shriek stopped on his tracks.

"Wait, isn't that hime-sama's voice? Something's wrong!" Atobe said as he quickly run to find the girl.

"O-Oi! Ojou-chan, it's just me!" Kumiko opened her eyes and looked up to see Oshitari crouching in front of her.

"O-Oshitari-san…?"

"You scared me there… are you alright?" Kumiko then had tears in her eyes and held onto Oshitari's jersey.

"A maid came telling me Atobe-san wanted to meet me, but when we were walking I got distracted by the garden. I was sketching, but now I don't know where I am… I still don't know the way around Atobe-san's house…"

"So… you're lost…?"

"Yes…" Kumiko said meekly as Oshitari smiled at the young girl and patted her head.

"Come on, let me show the way then. And hold onto my hand so you won't get lost again." Kumiko was reluctant, but nodded nonetheless and held onto Oshitari's hand.

"So, why are you here, ojou-chama?"

"Onii-chan and ojii-chan usually goes camping around this time, but today otou-chan and okaa-chan has to go overseas for some work. So I was left alone, and Atobe-san said onii-chan had told him and he decided I could spend the night over here…"

"Really? Atobe let you spend the night here?"

"Yes, but I guess it's better than being alone at home… but still, Atobe-san's house is so big…"

"As expected from Atobe, don't you think? And that's a cute pair slippers, ojou-chan." Oshitari said, noticing the cat shaped pair of slippers Kumiko's wearing.

"I found this at my room, I never seen one like this before, it's cute. I wonder how Atobe-san has it, this cat is actually Echizen-kun's cat. I like to play with her." Kumiko said.

"Hmm, Atobe might have custom made it in advance when you're coming here."

"But onii-chan only called him today…"

"That's Atobe for you."

"Oh… and Atobe-san also gave me this sketchbook and pencil, these must be very expensive… why does Atobe-san give this to me?"

"Well, I don't really know about that, ojou-chan."

"Hime!" Oshitari and Kumiko heard a call and saw Atobe running towards them. Oshitari was surprised at how Atobe looked actually worried when the diva stopped in front of them and couldn't help but chuckle when Atobe glared at Oshitari and Kumiko's linked hands.

"Atobe-san." Kumiko didn't seem to notice the malice though, that's good.

"Where were you hime? Are you alright? I heard you screamed." Atobe said, kneeling in front of Kumiko.

"I'm okay, I got distracted by the garden when I was following the maid. But Oshitari-san found me and he helped me here… I'm sorry Atobe-san…" Oshitari saw Atobe sighed and spotted a small almost unrecognizable smile on his face.

"As long as you're alright, hime. And who told you that you can hold her hand, Oshitari?"

"Well, this way, ojou-chan won't be able to get distracted and left by herself don't you think?" Oshitari chuckles as Atobe glared at him.

"Hime, please don't get distracted. You should've told the maid you wanted to stay back at the garden… do you know how worried I was?" Oshitari watches as Atobe talked to the timid Kumiko and nodded in understanding as of why Atobe would go that far to prepare something for Kumiko.

'I see, brotherly love, huh? That's quite rare, seeing it from Atobe.'

"I'm sorry Atobe-san… I won't do it again… and thank you for these, Atobe-san." Kumiko said, showing Atobe the sketchbook and pencil and also the slippers.

"I'm just glad you like them. Now come on hime, I'll show you the way then." Atobe said, offering his hand. Kumiko then slipped her hand out from Oshitari's and held onto Atobe's.

"Where are we going, Atobe-san?"

"The tennis courts. The Hyoutei team members are here. And stop smiling like that, Oshitari. I don't like how you look." Oshitari chuckles and walked behind Atobe and Kumiko, watching their backs. Oshitari could imagine Kumiko will be here more often than she thought she would.

/

"Oi! Atobe, where the heck did you go? Leaving all of a sudden like that…" Kumiko heard a familiar voice and saw Shishido from the courts.

"Oi Yuushi! Did you get lost or something?" Gakuto said. Ootori then noticed Kumiko beside Atobe and waved.

"Kumiko-san! What are you doing here?" Ootori asked when Atobe, Oshitari and the girl walked towards the rest of the Hyoutei team.

"I was supposed to stay home alone, but Atobe-san said I'll spend the night here because onii-chan told him I'll be all alone for few days. Onii-chan and ojii-chan went hiking, otou-chan and kaa-chan went overseas."

"I see, so you'll be here for a few days stay?"

"Well, I guess Atobe-san got a point… it's better than being lonely, but this house is huge… I got lost and I was lucky Oshitari-san found me…"

"She screamed though."

"Of course I did… I found myself lost, and then all of a sudden a hand appeared on my shoulder…"

"Oh, so that was you who screamed? We were wondering who could scream that loud." Shishido said as Kumiko smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry about that, Shishido-san, everyone…"

"Oh well, up for a game Kumiko?" Kumiko brightened up when Oshitari offered her a tennis racket and nodded excitedly.

"Sure!"

This will be the last one I'll put up this week since I'm going overseas tomorrow for holiday

So, I'm gonna give you an early Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas everyone! (but I'm going back home on 21st December, oh well xD)

You all have a nice holiday! And exciting last days of year 2010!

Oh, don't forget to review! I kept on wondering if this story is good enough to be continued or not... (but somehow I kept writing on it...)

Please give me review, pretty please?

Please please please?