Because of Kaito's insistence that Kirumi shouldn't be doing everyone's chores all the time, everyone else had to pitch in and do their fair share of chores. For this week, it was Tsumugi and Gonta's turn to get groceries, but today, they were unable to.
"KOKICHIIII!!!" Kaito screamed. Kokichi met up with him at the front door.
"What are you screaming about now?" he asked.
"My car keys!" Kaito said, pointing to the wall where the key holder was. "Did you take them?"
"No, because if I did, they'd be in the ignition...of your car...with me behind the wheel," Kokichi replied. "Otherwise, they're useless to me." Kaito massaged the bridge of his nose.
"Kokichi...I have to drop off Gonta and Tsumugi at the store," he sighed. "I can't do that without my car!"
"Okay, so, why don't you look for your keys while everyone else orders takeout?" Kokichi replied with a shrug.
"Or...you can cough them up right now! " Kaito shouted.
"I don't have your car keys, Kaito!" Kokichi scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You probably misplaced them because you were too busy blathering away about space, or something! I'm not always the cause of your problems, y'know! Why don't you own up and take responsibility for your own actions every once in a while?"
"Fine..." Kaito grumbled. "I'll just go tell everyone it's a fend-for-yourself night."
"Whatever!" Kokichi said, turning around and walking away. He alerted the boys who were in their rooms that they could order takeout if they wanted to. With a devious grin, he headed back to his and Gonta's room, where Himiko was waiting. Smirking, he pulled out Kaito's car keys from his pocket. "Nee-heehee...that was super easy!"
"Nyeh...it worked?!" Himiko exclaimed.
"Yup, yup! Everyone's going to order takeout, which meeaannss...Ryoma is going to order what he always does: a meatball sub from Sub Grub," Kokichi said. "And when his order comes, I'll empty his drink and pour the potion inside."
"But, how are you going to do it in time?" Himiko asked.
"That's where you come in, Monkey Buns," Kokichi said. "You can distract him while I do it, then I'll come back and let you know that I'm done."
"Okay, okay..." Himiko replied, nodding her head thoughtfully. "But he'll know that his drink won't taste the same." Kokichi tapped his chin in thought.
"Hmm...how about if I mix the potion with his drink?" he suggested. "Would that change the taste of the drink? And would it mess up the potion itself?"
"It shouldn't," Himiko replied.
"Well, I guess we'll find out," Kokichi said with a shrug. "If it doesn't work, you can always whip up another potion, right?"
"Nyeh...that's true," Himiko answered. Kokichi reached into the drawer of his nightstand and pulled out a couple of walkie-talkies.
"Okay, HimiCocoa Bean, you keep watch for the Sub Grub car," he said. "I'll hide in the umbrella basket next to the door. When the car comes, you alert me, and go straight outside to distract Ryoma, 'kay?"
"Nyeh...got it!" Himiko replied with a firm nod of determination as she took the walkie-talkie. Kokichi smiled at her and stroked her cheek.
"Sweet! We got this, Himiko!" he said. They high fived each other before separating; Himiko took her place at Kokichi's window, while Kokichi scurried over to the umbrella basket, and jumped inside, concealing himself behind the umbrellas. About ten minutes later, a dark green car with the words "Sub Grub" written on the side pulled up into the driveway. Himiko gasped with excitement and pressed the button on her walkie-talkie.
"Nyeh...the beagle has landed," Himiko whispered.
"Excellent," Kokichi whispered back. Himiko could basically hear the smirk that was undoubtedly on his face. Right after Himiko had informed him, she dashed out of the room, and right into Ryoma, tripping over him.
"Nyeh...Ryoma, I'm so sorry!" she said, helping him up.
"No, I'm sorry. I should have been looking where I was going," Ryoma replied, dusting himself off. Himiko tried to think of something else to bring up to keep him distracted.
"Nyeh...hey, um...Ryoma? I-I meant to ask you before...were you the one who had that quote engraved on Serena's tomb?"
"Hmph...you saw that, huh?" Ryoma asked. "Yeah...I was the one who said that."
"That was a very beautiful line," Himiko replied. "Where did you hear it from?"
"I didn't hear it from anywhere," Ryoma replied. "That was how I saw her: 'a beautiful ray of sunshine to brighten the day when gloomy clouds blocked my way.' I never thought I'd love a girl so much for me to say something so corny. Looks like I still got a ways to go when thinking of something sentimental to say."
"Nyeh...it's not corny at all! I think it's really sweet!" Himiko exclaimed. "You're actually very poetic, Ryoma! Maybe you should take up poetry. It seems like something you'd be into."
"Hmph...that's a pretty...interesting idea," Ryoma said thoughtfully. "If I had taken that up instead, maybe Cici would have still been alive."
"But...you also wouldn't have met her," Himiko pointed out. "You only met her because one of your tennis matches brought you to America."
"True," Ryoma admitted. "But...she probably would have been better off." A somber silence filled the air, dampening Himiko's heart, like before. She hoped Kokichi would come back fast. "Sorry for bringing the mood down again."
"N-No! Don't be," Himiko said. "Um...it's nice to hear about-"
"Himiko! There you are!" Kokichi said, walking up to Himiko and Ryoma. "Oops, my bad! Was I interrupting you two?"
"No, not at all," Ryoma replied. "I was just about to get my food...unless, you want to talk more, Himiko?"
"Oh! No...I didn't know you were going to eat," Himiko lied. "You go ahead and eat. We can always talk later."
"Sure thing, kid," Ryoma replied before walking away. Smiling mischievously, Kokichi pulled Himiko into his room and gave her a hug.
"Way to go, Sleeping Cutie!" he said before giving her a kiss.
"You poured it all in?" Himiko asked.
"Yup! I had to dump some of Ryoma's drink out, but I got it all in there," Kokichi responded.
"Nyeh...that's good," Himiko replied with a smile and sigh of relief. "I hope this really helps Ryoma."
"Welp, guess we'll find out soon enough!" Kokichi said. Then, he smirked at Himiko. "By the way, Himiko..."
"Yeah?"
"It's 'the eagle has landed,' not the beagle," Kokichi finished.
"Nyeh...whatever!" Himiko replied, playfully swatting Kokichi as he laughed at her.