Ryoma X Reina

CHAPTER VII: Meeting the other regulars- Part 1!

TEMPLE

It was a typical spring morning. Birds chirping, flowers blooming, heroines yawning...

Reina loved to sleep, but sadly these past few years she wasn't given the privilege to sleep in because of her 'situation' with directions. And sadly there were many times, like this day for instance, wherein she inconveniently looked at the clock. It said 7:10am and her eyes widened immediately.

"Oh crap." was all she could say, and she hurriedly stood up and went down to eat.

MAIN STAIRS, several minutes later

"OI! Echizen!" Momo shouted from the bottom of the stairs heading to the temple. He thought that maybe the boy could hear it.

After a few more attempts, there was still no answer. He sighed and decided to climb up. He inhaled and gestured for another shameless yell.

"Echiz-" He stopped as he saw the figure who was watering the plants. He squinted his eyes, thinking that maybe he was seeing things... No change.

He rubbed his eyes and then closed it... still no change.

He pinched himself... still no change.

The figure noticed him and glared. "E-Echizen!" He practically squeaked in surprise.

'WHAT THE HECK! I-I just saw him yesterday and now he's T- TALLER than ME?' The idiot incoherently shouted at himself.

Echizen turned to him, slightly making the spiky-haired boy to wince.

"Who are you?" Ryoga asked irritably, obviously in a bad mood even before the moron came... and now he just made it worse. Karupin just destroyed one of his favorite shirts, after all. He could beat up an innocent passer-by right now for all he cared.

And what do you know? He just arrived.

Momo, still incredulous, had regained a bit of composure and looked visibly offended. "What? You got a little taller and now you don't even know me? I knew you lacked emotions but this is just sinful, man!"

Echizen raised his eyebrows. "I'll ask this one more time or else I swear I'll punch you – WHO THE HECK ARE YOU?"

A vein popped in Momo's head. "What the- Try if you can, kiddo! I don't know how you got a foot taller in a day but I can still beat you up if it's a fist fight!" He abruptly took the stance of a boxer and started hopping the way they do.

Echizen blinked, and then chucked out-of-nowhere surprising boxer-Momo. 'This must be Ryoma's new err...chaperone.' He thought internally. 'I guess I can't beat him up now.'

"N-Nani?" Momo asked anxiously. 'What is he laughing about? My form? I know I've never really boxed before but...'

"You must have mistaken me for my si-brother, Echizen Ryoma." He smirked, now perfectly calm. "Echizen Ryoga, Yoroshiku!"

A moment of silence passed and Momo's eyes widened in realization.

'No wonder Echizen's name sounded familiar! He's THE Echizen Ryoga's little brother! Their names sounds alike, too... NO WAY-!'

Momo was ecstatic; he watched Ryoga play as a child. Ryoga was the reason why he started playing tennis in the first place. But it was so long ago when he had last seen him play that he forgot what he looked like and barely remembered his name.

'Wait a minute... Isn't Echizen Ryoga the son of THE Samurai Nanjiroh?' His eyes widened even more. 'This is too good to be true.'

Momo, after regaining his composure, just wiped his sweaty hands on his pants and hurriedly returned the handshake. "G-Gomen. You two just look and act alike." He stated trying to look as indifferent as he can, but failed miserably.