Courting the Courted
Four
Ryoma wasn’t waiting at the crosswalk this morning so I thought that he had already gone ahead so I kept walking. But once I got to school he wasn’t there. He wound up just barely making it. In the meantime everyone had been asking me to say things in English that they could translate into Japanese. The test was really easy – and since my seat was next to the windows I just looked out of it. There was a cat – that looked a lot like Echizen’s. I noticed that he stood up and got in trouble from the teacher although he was on the last question.
Lunch rolled around quite quickly so I tried to tell him about his cat – he wasn’t there. After class I stopped him as soon as the bell rang and told him.
“So he is here! I’ve got to go find him!” I grabbed onto his arm and stopped him.
“Ask Momo – chan if you can borrow his bike to look for Karupin. I’ll look around the school for him and if I find him I’ll drop him off at your house.” I said strongly. He nodded and quickly ran off. I ran around the school checking everywhere – the roof, the toilets – I asked a guy to go in and look for me. I looked around the court, the turf, the track, all of the class rooms – I even got permission to check the staffroom. No sign. I sighed and decided to grab my racket from the club room so I had it for the prefectual tournament. I walked in and gasped. Karupin was sleeping on the bench with his toy.
“There you are Karupin – Ryoma and I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” I said as the rest of the team began to come in.
“Chiharu?!” I froze, “What are you doing in the club room?”
I turned around with Karupin in my Jacket and my racket at my side, “I was looking around here for Ryoma’s cat since he got out this morning. And Chi wanted me to stop by and get his racket for him so he can – Oh I give up! I’m Chi!”
They all gasped, “So Chi’s…,” Momo started to say.
“Chi is my nickname – which means that Chi’s a girl. If you don’t believe me I’ll play Ryoma sometime and prove it. But right now I have to get Karupin home to Ryoma – he’s worried as hell.”
We all walked to give Echizen his cat back; I had him cradled in my arms. Tezuka was still going to let me play on the team – but I had to play in the girls division when it was available. Momo knocked on the door for me since I had my arms full. Ryoma quickly opened the door and hugged me.
“Thanks Chiharu.” He whispered in my ear. I could feel a little heat sweep across my face.
Lunch rolled around quite quickly so I tried to tell him about his cat – he wasn’t there. After class I stopped him as soon as the bell rang and told him.
“So he is here! I’ve got to go find him!” I grabbed onto his arm and stopped him.
“Ask Momo – chan if you can borrow his bike to look for Karupin. I’ll look around the school for him and if I find him I’ll drop him off at your house.” I said strongly. He nodded and quickly ran off. I ran around the school checking everywhere – the roof, the toilets – I asked a guy to go in and look for me. I looked around the court, the turf, the track, all of the class rooms – I even got permission to check the staffroom. No sign. I sighed and decided to grab my racket from the club room so I had it for the prefectual tournament. I walked in and gasped. Karupin was sleeping on the bench with his toy.
“There you are Karupin – Ryoma and I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” I said as the rest of the team began to come in.
“Chiharu?!” I froze, “What are you doing in the club room?”
I turned around with Karupin in my Jacket and my racket at my side, “I was looking around here for Ryoma’s cat since he got out this morning. And Chi wanted me to stop by and get his racket for him so he can – Oh I give up! I’m Chi!”
They all gasped, “So Chi’s…,” Momo started to say.
“Chi is my nickname – which means that Chi’s a girl. If you don’t believe me I’ll play Ryoma sometime and prove it. But right now I have to get Karupin home to Ryoma – he’s worried as hell.”
We all walked to give Echizen his cat back; I had him cradled in my arms. Tezuka was still going to let me play on the team – but I had to play in the girls division when it was available. Momo knocked on the door for me since I had my arms full. Ryoma quickly opened the door and hugged me.
“Thanks Chiharu.” He whispered in my ear. I could feel a little heat sweep across my face.