Chapter One: The Echizen's Youngest Son- Ryoma

Once upon a time (not really) in a world that was much alike to the world that we live on, there was a country in the far east called Japan, a small and long-island-like nation. On it, there was a family in the capital city, Tokyo, by the name of Echizen.

In the Echizen household, there are five people and a cat living there.

Where they'd lived before? That question was another story for another time.

Nanjirou Echizen, the head of the family, and his beloved wife, Rinko Takeuchi-now-Echizen, their niece Meino Nanako and two sons, Ryoga Echizen and Ryoma Echizen. The last family member is Karupin, the youngest son, Echizen Ryoma's pet. All in all, the Echizen was just like every other normal family.

Not. At. All.

Sorry, that was a big lie.

True, they weren't much different from normal humans, but there was a big difference when comparing them to other households around Tokyo.

The Echizen does live just like any other normal human.

The wife now works as a top lawyer in Tokyo while her husband was a lazy-bum monk. Their niece, Nanako-chan, was a student in a local college near their house- the top college in Japan. The oldest son, Ryoga Echizen, was just a normal teen who was also an overprotective brother and likes playing around too much. The youngest son was just a normal teenager who preferred to reads quietly than chase girl around as his overprotective brother did.

Well, at least, that was what other people know them as.

Nothing in this family was ever being defined by the word "Normal". Of course, they live just like any other human beings in the world, but what other people didn't know was that the Echizen family member were all monster/genius in their own way, in more than one way.

For example, Nanjirou Echizen was once a professional tennis player that had shaken the tennis world. His wife, Rinko, who used to be the top élite that people would hire for millions of dollars. She's smart, intelligent, professional, moral, and was known to help anyone who deserves it. Their niece, Nanako, was also very smart that if she'd wanted to, she could have gone to Harvard on a scholarship that wouldn't cost her even a cent. The oldest son, Ryoga Echizen, have a black belt in both Chinese martial arts, baji quan and other varieties and Japanese Kenpo or karate Shotokan-style or whatever else that he might find interesting. Not to mention, Ryoga could also go pro if he wished, as pro-tennis like his father. For the youngest son, Echizen Ryoma, well... lets said that he's too complicated, in more than one senses, for an explanation.

The Echizen family, however, never shows or bragged about their knowledge and skills with the exceptions of their tennis skills. The world might know them for their tennis skills but what they don't know was that- it was not the only things mysterious about the Echizen.

Ryoga Echizen, the oldest son, was an overprotective brother who has a brother complex the size of Australia and Russia combined. So, it made senses that he would do anything for his younger adorable brother. Pulling some strings so that his beloved otouto(brother) would go to the same school as he was simple.

For someone like Ryoga to pull string from behind the scenes just to make sure that his Beloved little brother would go to the same school as he was not easy but it was hard either. Rather, the convincing parts were the hardest part for him.

How was it possible for a teenager to pull in the string from behind the scene? That question caused a million and one answers to easily came up in Ryoma's mind when he thoughts about it.

He knew how Ryoga did it exactly, easily. Lets just said that it has a lot to do with extort and manipulation from a certain teen.

Ryoga was never one who would hold himself back when it involved his beloved otouto.

In the end, both the Echizen brothers had successfully made it to Seishun Academy easily.

Seishun Academy, a private school of the arts that have both Academic and Athletic programs. A school for the rich, smarts, and mainly for young little master around Tokyo.

Ryoma was not happy at all. The darkness within Ryoma's eyes had already started to flash by as he thinks about going to that school.

He didn't want the attention that will come with going to a famous school like Seishun Academy or does he want to go to the same school as his overprotective brother. He has no doubt that he won't be able to have a quiet school year if he went to the same school as his brother.

Ryoma had known from experiences. He knows of what kind of chaos would be created from Ryoga's presences. He knows what kind of people his brother would draw in with his natural leadership skills. He knew what would happen to the people in that school should his brother actually uses any of the skills and talents that he usually hides. Most of all- Ryoma knew exactly what would happen to the school if they didn't allow Ryoma and Ryoga to go to the same school.

The last times that a school as rejected the Echizen brother's register, that school was now closed because of problems.

And so, Ryoma wasn't surprised to have found a letter of acceptance from Seishun Academy when he didn't even apply for it. Of course, being the parents they are, Nanjirou and Rinko simple told him to go. After all, it was his old man's old school. Therefore, even if he refused, it wouldn't do any goods because, in the end, he just going to have to or eat western food for the rest of his life. Which wasn't going to happen unless he was in America.

Since Ryoga have to enter on the school on a Kendo scholarship, Ryoma got pissed off and goes for the academic scholarship just to despise him. Ryoga was crying for two hours straight because Ryoma refused to join him in the athletic program and made Ryoma play tennis with him for three hours straight just to shut him up. Sometimes, Ryoma wondered if Ryoga just happened to born in the wrong time because he acts like a ten-year-old kid. And not an older brother.

School hasn't even begun yet and Ryoga was giving Ryoma a headache already.

He can't wait for school to actually begin. After all, when school begins, Ryoga will have to leave early and stay after school for kendo practices.

Not that he has to because of practice, but rather- Ryoma just knew that there will be people there who will challenge Ryoga. Which made perfectly senses if he didn't want to involve his brother- so, he has to leave home early and come back late, daily. Ryoga wasn't too much of a fool to not realize that his too strong now and was in need of an opponent that wasn't his father or brother.

He needs someone who can actually make him sweats and yet motivate him to get better. So, going to Seishun Academy was actually a perfect choice for Echizen Ryoga.

After all, if Ryoga wanted to continue getting stronger, he has to learn more and experiences more. What other places are better than a school who has gone to national multiple times before?

As the older brother, how could Ryoga tolerant be weaker than his brother? So, with little to no choices, he would rather seek for experiences and opportunity to increase his knowledge and expertise in martial arts.

Why?

Why indeed.

This was all due to one person; Echizen Ryoma.

With Nanjirou, Ryoga losing against him was understandable- after all, the old man has more experiences than him. But- to his younger brother? There's only so much explanation that can be the cause of such a thing.

One Sentence: Ryoga was always being defeated when sparing or fighting against his younger brother.

To their old-man because he was too strong for Ryoga. However, against Ryoma- it was mainly due to the fear of hurting the younger male. Which in turn caused Ryoma to be very mad and end up not holding back on Ryoga, forcing him to fight seriously. It does not matter if it was in martial arts or sports when Echizen Ryoma's enraged, one Ryoga must being serious to survive. Nonetheless, he always lost.

It was in their blood. The male in the Echizen bloodline doesn't look well to those that hold back on them or to those that look down on them in any way. Especially if it's against another Echizen. A kill was a kill.

There was one time that Ryoga held back on Ryoma when they were practicing baji quan and made Ryoma so mad at him that he stopped talking to him for three whole months. Back then, the Echizen was still in America because Rinko-san has a case that she needed to finish.

Ryoga was already a teen and Ryoma was still only ten years old. Ryoga being who he was, can't endure the thoughts of hurting his beloved little brother and held back his strengths when practicing with Ryoma, making Ryoma so pissed at him that Rinko and Nanjirou didn't know what to do. Their dojo was destroyed and has to be closed for a whole month due to Ryoma's action.

Just because Ryoma was small, it doesn't mean that he likes it when his brother holds back on him. That time, it teaches Ryoga the lessons to never hold back anything when it comes to practices with his beloved brother unless he wanted to be hated by Ryoma forever, which he can't even bear the thought of it.

As a result, both brothers grow in martial arts and sports were too fast for their own good.

Since Ryoga preferred athletics to academics, he practices more with the adults that came looking for his father, while Ryoma preferred to read quietly in the library, or whatever place he could find that Ryoga doesn't know about.

Nanjirou being whom he was, made lots of friends that have weird backgrounds, and so, some of those friends have collections of books that were hard to find in public libraries. Man, Ryoma loved their library so much since he has his mother's brain. So, it was extremely easy for him to learn new languages or arts that he found interesting.

That's how, when Ryoma had only reached 12 years old, Rinko found Ryoma talking to people who were lost. Being lost wasn't the point. The point was that they were speaking in German. Ryoma was speaking in fluent German by the age of 12. And that wasn't the only one.

Ryoma was already fluent in both speaking and writing in Japanese, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Italian. Ryoga was so proud that he took Ryoma to eat whenever he wanted to for three whole weeks. Nanjirou laughed so loud when he asked why he learned that much languages. Rinko was stunned that Ryoma can learn that much languages and wasn't complaining since she herself was also fluent in nearly all of those languages. However, Nanako didn't know about it and when he found out, she was very proud of him. Until she asked him why he wanted to learn that many languages.

The answer? Because he has to play a tennis tournament in those countries so he needs to know their languages. Nanako was stunt because she knew that Ryoma doesn't play tennis anymore. The only ones that he still plays against were his brother Ryoga and his father. And that was only when they coo him into play with books, money, foods or promise that Ryoga will leave him alone for at least one week if he played with them and WIN.

Ryoma being who he is, hating to lost, improve every time they played and won 1/3 of all the matches. Mostly from his brother than his father. But nevertheless, he pushed Nanjirou to the point that he has to moves around the courts and leave his Nanjirou/Samurai Zone. Even Ryoga can't make their father moved from it.

Hating to lose wasn't the only thing that Ryoma have that push him forward. Both Nanjirou and Ryoga knew that Ryoma love tennis more than anything but because of 'that' accident, Ryoma had sworn to never play against anyone else ever again, beside Ryoga and Nanjirou- of course.

Nevertheless, the things that he learns from childhood made him who he is now. A brat who was too smart for his own good. Ryoma has the strength, stamina, charisma, talents, agility, intelligent, and his ambidextrous. Not to mention, the brat was a quick-learner, quoted Nanjirou.

The school was starting in one week and the two brothers hasn't brought their materials yet. So, Rinko made a list of supplies for the brothers to buy for themselves since they have their own money. As soon as Rinko passed out the list, Ryoma was the first one out of the door, leaving his brother yelling after him.

"Chibisuke! Wait up~!" yelled Ryoga as he ran as fast as he could after his brother. Ryoma didn't even bother listening as he just turned around a corner and vanished while cursing in his mind. Just because he's too small for his age, his brother always calls him by that nickname, and it wasn't helping that he was getting way too used to it. When Ryoga catch up, Ryoma was nowhere to being found. Ryoga gave out a whinny sound before depressingly dragged himself to buy his supplies by himself.

By the time that Ryoga finished shopping and came home, Ryoma had already finished preparing for school and finished his shower as he seats in his flavor seat in the living, far away from all the noises from his father playing with Karupin and the television with a thick book in his face. Completely ignoring Ryoga as he came in.

Ryoga frown. What did he do? He hasn't done anything yet that might make his chibisuke ignoring him. Has he?

Ryoga frowned depend as he gave Ryoma the puppy eyes and drooping ears in full effects. Making Nanako-chan, who was cooking, chuckle and their mother sighed out loud. Ryoga whimpered lowly as Ryoma continue to ignore him. Man, Ryoga wants to cry as weights of sadness stumble on his shoulder from Ryoma's act. Increasing the number of puppy on his eyes. Still, Ryoma completely ignored him for his book. Ryoga sighed out loud before retreating to his room to cry. If Ryoga actually thinks more, he would remember that Ryoma does not like a DOG. He loves CATS.

Instead of using puppy eyes, he should have used kittens paws. Nanako chuckled again at her cousin's tactics. Seems like Ryoma was still mad at Ryoga for manipulating his choices of school. The two brothers were just so cute and adorable for the woman to not love them. Regardless of whether it was right.

Sometimes, Nanako had a hard time remembering that Ryoga and Ryoma are brothers and not lovers base on how they acts around each other. There were times when they were so lovey-dovey that she had a hard time keeping up. Then there were times when they fight, like now, because of their closeness. It was like watching a married old couple argued about their closeness and it was making the hair in the back of her neck stood up. After all, Ryoma-chan could be really terrifying when he's mad. When that happened, not even oji-sama would messed with Ryoma-chan.

He was that scary.

Nanako chuckled at the memories of her uncle paling face when face with an enraged Ryoma as she fight shudders that suddenly made her shivered at the thought of an enraged Ryoma. Really, the Echizen were indeed scarier than a psychopath. She has the nightmares to proves it. Especially about a certain accident... Okay, that's that; enough thinking.

Nanako went back to making shortcakes for her college. She made sure to makes two extra for Ryoma since she knew that he really likes sweet. Ryoma have such a sweet tooth from drinking all the grape ponta. Nanako chuckled softly.

Suddenly, Ryoma called behind her back, surprising her but not so much, she was getting used to having Ryoma suddenly pop up behind her. It kind of scared her that she was getting used to Ryoma's tactics thought.

"Nanako-neesan, are you busy?" asked Ryoma with a poker face on, making Nanako chuckled.

"Yes, after the shortcakes are due I have to prepare for the presentation at college tomorrow. Do you need anything, Ryoma-chan?" asked the older sister-like cousin with a soft smile on her face and a gentle attitude.

Ryoma shakes his head as he went around the kitchen looking for something. Nanako look confused because she never seen Ryoma looking around the kitchen or help cooking beside from the occasionally dish washing. What she doesn't know was that Ryoma cooks more often than not when they were in the States.

"Ryoma-chan, what are you looking for?" asked Nanako as she tilted her head in confusion, trying to think of what Ryoma was doing.

"I want some pudding so I gonna made them." replied Ryoma as he take out a pan, some shape plastic mold that look like flower and star, then opened the refrigerator for some cream. He then place them all on the table. Nanako watch Ryoma in a daze. She didn't know that Ryoma knew how to make pudding. Wow...

She shouldn't have to be surprised, after all, Nanako's mother drilled cooking lessons to both Ryoga and Ryoma when they were living with them four years ago. Back then, Ryoma never even actually cooked anything and just watch her mother drilled lessons after lessons worth of cooking into Ryoga's head. Ryoga being who he was, catch on the lesson really quick but his cooking talent was next to zero so no matter what he cooked, no matter how good it looks, it taste really bad. Near to the point of food poison. But Ryoma? Nanako never knew...

Nanako watch as Ryoma boil the water, soften the cream until firm, and open two jello crystal packet. Huh? I thought that Ryoma-chan was making pudding? How come he's using jello? Nanako thought with a soft tilted of her head. She then watched Ryoma mixed the apricot and boiling water together until everything has melt. Ryoma then place the mixture into the freezer and start to beat the cream slowly. About ten minutes after, the cream turned to whipped creams and Ryoma took out the mixture from the freezer.

At first glance, the jelly looked liquidity but then Nanako saw the reflections of the surface and understood quickly of how it froze so fast. Ryoma then opened the milkmaid and mixed it with the cream well. He then pours the creams and milkmaid mixtures into the jelly gently before stirring them softly and slowly. Nanako watched as the jelly slowly mixed with the cream into a light red color before it turns pink. She could smell the cherry flavor crystal in the jelly, making her mouth-watering.

After three or so minutes of gently folding the two bowls of mixtures together, the mixtures turned into a smooth looking liquid. Ryoma then washed the ten molds and gently removed as much as water as possible away but leave it wet enough. He then pour the mixtures into the mold slowly until half way before stopping.

Why is he stopping? Nanako asked herself as she watch Ryoma opened the cupboard and take something out.

Ryoma then put a yellowish looking objects into the middle of the mixtures in the mold then filled it up with more jelly mixtures. He repeat the process for all ten mold and closed the lids over them before moving them to the refrigerator. Ryoma wiped his forehead as he sighed out loud.

The kitchen got so quiet as Nanako watch Ryoma with a soft glaze in her eyes.

"Ryoma-chan, where did you learn how to make jelly from?" Asked Nanako in curious. Ryoma lift his eyebrows at her before sitting down in his seat.

"Is called Jelly Pudding. I've come across it when I was browsing the net." Ryoma explained as he stretches his body after all the cooking. The cooking process only took 15 minutes or so but the chilling time as way longer. Ryoma turned to the clock in the oppose wall and noticed that it was only 7:33 PM. Since tonight they were going to have a late night dinner because his mother have a quick check-up, Ryoma was thinking of reading until then but he had already finished the mystery books that he brought with him.

With nothing to do, it was getting very boring.

Nanako chuckled at the bored face that Ryoma made. She could tell that this wasn't his first time cooking, but when it comes to making dessert- it might had been his first time. She was very proud of her nephew. For a first timer, it was great. That much, she could tell just from watching.

"Oi, Seishonen." called Nanjirou from the living room with a racket on his shoulder. Wow, talk about good timing. Ryoma sighed out loud before standing up and went to changes. On the way, he passed his brother's room and asked him if he wants to play. Ryoga said yes immediately and started to changes as Ryoma went to his room. Five minutes later, both father and sons were in the courts. Ryoma versus Nanjirou for thirty minutes and then Ryoga versus Nanjirou for thirty minutes before one hour play on both brothers played.

The score:

Ryoma vs. Nanjirou 3-6

Ryoga vs. Nanjirou 1-6

Ryoma vs. Ryoga 7-5

In two hours and some minutes, their games finished. For this round.

For someone who no longer play tennis, Ryoma sure kicks ass. He wiped the floor with Ryoga. Of course, none of them hold back against each other at all. Just the thought of holding back against each other was enough to chills the air. Ryoga wasn't a moron. He learned his lesson. He used every moves that he could use and more just to stopped Ryoma from gaining win too fast. Shit, at this rate, he wouldn't be an opponent to his beloved chibisuke for long at this rate. Ryoga thought as he pants on the ground with his hands hiding his eyes.

Both Ryoma and Ryoga was panting when their games ends. Nanjirou was watching the in alarm. He was going to have to play with his real strength soon or Ryoma was going to win him next time. That boy improved way too much for someone who doesn't play tennis against anyone but them. Nanjirou really want Ryoma to play again but he knew his son's fear of playing against someone else. That 'accident' was a too large of a wound to Ryoma. Nanjirou sighed out loud.

"Come one boys, let's go home. You guys have school tomorrow and I bet that Rinko is home already. Let's go eats." Nanjirou rushed the brothers, who was still panting on the floor after another one of their all outs plays. Both brother struggles to stand up and followed their father home.

That night, they eat as they talk about what would be happening in the coming weeks. The brothers have school and Nanako has college. Rinko have to work and Nanjirou was going to visits some friends. All in all, everything was good and all. However, Ryoma have a weird feeling at the button of his stomach that made he feels weird. The type of feelings that made him cautions and alert the whole night, even when he was already asleep.

Oh, Ryoma have no idea how right his intuitions was.