Rolling Memory (Prince of Tennis Fanfiction)

Chapter 18 : Don't give up

"Karupin is missing," Ryoma says with worried faces.

"Eh? Karupin is missing!?" Chiharu says in surprise. Actually, she more surprised to see Ryoma can make that kind of face but she decides not to comment about it.

"Yeah. My classmate says they see the cat at the rooftop this afternoon but it already ran away. Echizen decides to look for it," Momoshiro continues.

"That's strange. I met Karupin this morning," Chiharu says and tilts her head.

"You were!? Why you not saying anything!?" Ryoma suddenly shouts and grabs Chiharu's shoulder.

"So-sorry. Today, I don't have time to tell you... Act-actually I forgot," Chiharu muttered, taken back by Ryoma shouting.

"Kora! Don't suddenly shout at her!" Momoshiro scolds Ryoma and pulls him back.

"Where you saw him?" not listening to Momoshiro's question, Ryoma asks Chiharu again.

"I... met Karupin at our usual T-junction when I went to school this morning. I thought, after I left him, he will go back to your house by himself," Chiharu explains.

"But he in school. I'll look for him," Ryoma says and walk but stop by Momoshiro.

"As I said, my classmate saw it in the afternoon. Maybe she really already went back home?" Momoshiro says to try to calm Ryoma down.

"But, he is around somewhere," Ryoma argues back.

"Here," Momoshiro held out his bike key. "You can borrow my bicycle. Go look on the streets from here to your house. Don't worry! Cat is better at finding their way around than people."

"But, he's never been so far away from home before," Ryoma says and lowering his head.

"That's why you should go and find him. Maybe he already went home, right?" Momoshiro says which makes Ryoma silent.

"Ryoma... I will help to search Karupin around the school," Chiharu says which made Ryoma look her.

"Shigeko..."

"Resolving things quickly will help you to not worry so much. Just go, Echizen," Momoshiro adds.

Ryoma smirk and grab the bike's key. "Momo-senpai, I will definitely return the favor."

"It's all good, it's all good," Momoshiro replies with a smile.

"You too, Shigeko," Ryoma says before runs out from the room.

"Then, Momoshiro-senpai. Excuse me, I will look around now," Chiharu says.

"Okay, I will make excuse for both of you to captain and Ryuzaki-sensei," Momoshiro says with peace sign.

"Arigatou gozaimasu!" Chiharu says with bow and ran out from the room.

Momoshiro walks out from the room also then goes to Tezuka who standing next to Ryuzaki and Oishi. He tells that Ryoma has family matter and Chiharu have something to do in the class.

"Echizen and Shigeko?" Tezuka asks.

"Yeah, that's what both of them said to me earlier," Momoshiro answers.

"They could have told us. We are going to finish early today," Ryuzaki says make Momoshiro surprised. "Tomorrow's the prefectural tournament after all."

On the other hand, Chiharu already running searching Karupin from the different corridors. However, she can't find him. She lets out a sigh and looks back at the court from the window.

"The practices already started..." she muttered.

Suddenly, she saw a little fluffy thing at the rooftop of the tennis club room. She narrowing her eyes to see clearer. Karupin is laying on the rooftop before jump down and go inside the room.