Broken Strings (Prince of Tennis/ slow burn love story)

Part 11

Ryumi reaches over Ryoma's head, shutting off his alarm since he won't do anything about it. "Hey, time to wake up. Geez. Why do you always oversleep? Don't you have a test today?" she complains, picking up Karupin from his bed to cuddle the cat.

"Why are you always up early?" Ryoma complains in return, though getting out of bed, making Ryumi smile in success.

"Karupin always likes hanging out with you huh?" Ryumi muses as she follows him out of the room.

"Yeah." he replies sleepily, petting the cat in her arms before making his way for the bathroom.

"Hey. I'm going to go ahead. I promised Fuji-kun to help set up the classroom for a project since sensei asked him, but it's a lot of work." she tells him, putting Karupin down as she heads for downstairs.

Ryoma looks over, toothbrush already in his mouth. "Fuji-senpai annoys me. Promise to never date him."

Ryumi laughs at that. "He'll leave you be if you don't react. You're just easy to pick on. And he and I are only friends. You are just afraid I'll neglect my little brother when I get a boyfriend, but don't worry, I won't." she promises before taking off.

"That's not what I said!" he shouts after her.

.........

Ryumi listens to the droning of the teacher's voice explaining a poem when she hears Fuji talk behind her. "Eiji. Have you ever seen an Himalayan spotted cat before?" he asks, making her look over her shoulder.

"Himalayan spotted cat? What's that?" Eiji wonders, before the teacher calls him for his turn to read, making him stammer because he was distracted.

"Page 87, from line 6." Fuji whispers, much to Eiji's gratitude.

"Where was it?" Ryumi whispers to Fuji over her shoulder, making him point at the tree outside the window. "Hm. Could it be...?" she mutters to herself.

During lunch she scrambles to hurry up so she can go see Ryoma. "Careful, careful." Eiji tells her as she chokes on a grain of rise, patting her back. "Why are you in such a hurry anyway?"

Ryumi swallows. "Thanks Eiji-kun. It's just... a cat." she tells him before quickly gathering her things.

"Huh? A cat?" he asks, confused watching her nearly run from the classroom. He looks to Fuji, wondering is he knows what it's about.

He shrugs. "Maybe it's about that cat I saw during class."

"The Hama-Hima, what's it called cat?" Eiji wonders.

"The Himalayan spotted cat, yes." Fuji corrects.

"Hmmm. Maybe Ryumi-chan is really into cats?" he suggests with a big smile. "I really like cats too. Ne, Fujiko. We have a lot in common no?"

Fuji can't help but chuckle knowingly. "Yes Eiji."

.........

Ryumi runs across Ryoma in the hallway and since he thought he saw Karupin, confirming her suspicions, they set off to look for him.

They look all over the school grounds, but without success. "Maybe he went home again? Or maybe it wasn't him after all." Ryumi offers her worried brother in an attempt to console him.

"Maybe." he sighs.

"Let's keep an eye out this afternoon. If he's really here, he'll show up." she tells him, patting his head. "Now we should go back to class, or we'll be late." she urges.

He finally relents and sulks off back to his class, making her look after him worriedly. 'Karupin really means a lot to him huh?' she muses before turning to go back to her own class.

.........

"Anything yet?" she asks Ryoma after class.

"Nothing." he replies, still sulking.

"Let me check at home okay? You go ahead to practice." Ryumi tells him, sending him off before heading home, hoping to find the cat there.

However, when she arrives there is no trace of him. She looks up surprised when Ryoma comes running in early.

"Was there no practice?" she wonders.

"There was..." he starts guiltily. "I lent Momo's bike after hearing that Karupin was on the roof during lunch. He was gone already though. Did you find him here?" he asks impatiently, making her frown.

"No, not yet." she says, making him worry even more.

"I'll check again!" he says hurriedly before turning the house upside down.

"I'll go check on the road again!" Ryumi calls after him, hurrying outside to search the way towards school.

On her way, she spots four figures heading towards her. She quickly recognizes them as Eiji, Oishi, Momoshiro and Tezuka. "Hey guys!" she calls.

A cat meowing diverts her attention to the bundle in Momoshiro's jacket. Karupin's head peeks out, him looking at her with his big eyes.

"Oh, Karupin! You've found him." she breathes in relief, welcoming the cat into her arms as it jumps at her.

"Ah? So it was your cat you were looking for during lunch?" Eiji wonders. She nods in reply, cuddling Karupin close.

"Ryoma will be so relieved. Thank you guys, for bringing him home." she tells them.

Oishi as usual waves it off. "It's no problem at all."

The five of them walk the way back to her home, Momoshiro opening the door for Ryumi since she has her hands full. "Ryoma, look who's here!" she calls, before hearing feet rush over.

Ryoma comes to a skidding halt to see his cat safely in his sister's arms and the guys behind her. "They found him at school." she tells him, handing Karupin over, smiling gently as he looks relieved to the point of tearing up.

"Thank you." he tells his senpais, quickly hiding his emotions as he bows.

Tezuka steps forward. "This is from Ryuzaki-sensei." he tells Ryoma, handing him a note.

"I'll leave your bag here." Oishi says, putting down Ryoma's tennis bag by the door.

"See you tomorrow!" Eiji calls cheerfully as they all retreat except for Momo who is invited for a game as thanks for letting Ryoma use his bike.

"Things are going to be exciting won't they Karupin?" Ryumi asks the cat as she watches the two boys play. He meows seemingly in agreement, purring as she pets him.