The trip was hectic and noisy but otherwise uneventful. Ryouko had her hands full with the overactive Mami, pointing at every scenery they could see and anything peculiar that meets her eye. The freshmen ate snacks, chatted, sung songs and did their best to be merry. Even the regulars joined in the fun.
Ryoma pretended to be asleep, but every now and then, he opened one of his eyes to peer at what's happening in the bus. When Kawamura took out his big parcel, which turned out to be sushi, his eyes pried open and all of a sudden, he was wide awake.
There was a bit of silence when they reached the entrance of the plane charter, except for the 'oohs' and 'ahhs' of the freshmen in appreciation to how beautiful the Atobe private airport is. Their hands and faces were pressed upon the glass of the window, their eyes taking everything. The bus reached the plane charter and the campers dismounted from their vehicle, chatting away and looking around.
Now there came a bit of the hard part: unloading the luggages. For it to be more civil and organized, Tezuka, Oishi and Inui oversaw the unloading, calling names one by one for each person to retrieve their baggages properly. Thanks to this brilliant idea, the procession proceeded smoothly and was done in no time.
There was excited buzzing as they filed into one line in front of the plane they would board. Atobe would be riding his private jet to Okinawa and Ryouko was pleased to know that they would not be seeing each other's faces until they landed. He, on the other hand, knew this and considered boarding the same plane just to get back at her earlier. For once though, maturity took over his brain and he dismissed the idea. He caused enough ruckus for one day. He couldn't quite understand it but he liked to annoy the little Fujioka heiress. It was somewhat enjoyable. He usually hated being bothered about almost anything because he's lazy, but taunting Ryouko was never a tiring thing for him. He boarded his jet without further ado so he could enjoy a comfortable ride before the camp. He didn't have a very good feeling at the glint in his father's eyes before he left, and Mashiro-san, his father's driver and personal aide hinted that there would be something exciting to happen in the camp. "That old man must be scheming something... I'm sure of it." He thought.
Ryouko sat with the girls again, as her arm was hooked onto Mami's and the latter wouldn't let go. The plane ride was not so different, except the fact that they were waited on by the stewardesses as if they were VIPs. The Seigaku members loved every minute of it. Momoshiro fooled around with the freshmen, leading in the chaos and eating as much snacks as he could. Kikumaru was his partner-in-crime.
"I think you shouldn't gobble up so many food this early, senpai. CEO Atobe told me that there would be a banquet tonight." Ryouko called to them.
Momoshiro stood in his seat, looked over at the back towards her with an arm slung on the backrest. "Rearry?" He said incredulously, words slurred with his mouth overflowing with corn chips. Some pieces of half-chewed chips flew to Kaidoh's face who was sitting behind him. Kaidoh flicked them off, looking both annoyed and disgusted but otherwise holding it in.
"Yes. He sent me a message." Ryouko confirmed.
"Awright!" Momoshiro exclaimed in delight, sprinkling more chip bits and spit to Kaidoh's face. The latter exploded.
"OY!" Kaidoh yelled.
"What's wrong, Mamushi?" Momoshiro asked, showering him with saliva for the third time.
"Stop talking with your mouth full, you bastard!" Kaidoh shouted and stood up, wiping his face with a towel and throwing it at Momoshiro's face, exploding with anger.
Momoshiro didn't move at first, the towel hanging on his head. Then the heat instantly went to his head and he too, gave his own exclamation. "What's it to you if I chew with my mouth open?!" He threw the towel back at Kaidoh.
Kaidoh snatched the towel which landed on his head and threw it again at his rival. "It won't if you're not spraying your spit everywhere!"
"Momo! Kaidoh! There's no standing in the plane!" Oishi scolded.
The two growled at each other like barking dogs and retreated to their seats fuming. Oishi sighed in resignation. "What should we do with those two?" He asked Tezuka sitting beside him.
"Let's just hope they'll mature before we graduate." The captain answered.
"That's a lot of hoping." Fuji said, letting out a short laugh.
"Don't jinx it, Fuji..." Kawamura said in exasperation. Inui simply sighed and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Well... Let's just see what will happen to this camp. Maybe they'll show their leadership somewhere along the way." He commented.
"Don't worry about it. They'll be fine." Kikumaru told them before munching on a pretzel stick.
The trip lasted for a few more hours and even the Seigaku members felt the fatigue. They retreated to silence, some dozing in their own seats.
They had the whole week to look forward to, but Ryouko was planning something else. CEO Atobe also has his own schemes, played by the spies he planted on the camp. The exciting time ahead was just starting.
~~~
"FINALLY!" Kikumaru yelled as they got off the plane. He stretched like a cat.
"We're here!" Kachiro and Mizuno chorused, running on the grounds of the landing site.
"You guys are so immature. What are you, elementary students on a field trip?" Horio told them.
"You were the most excited one between us, if I recall... You couldn't even sleep on the night before the trip. The light of your room was turned on 'til dawn." Ritsu commented and laughed.
"Eeek." Horio said. He was found out.
"How would you know that, Shimada-kun?" Miyako asked.
"Oh? Haven't I mentioned it before? Horio and I are neighbors. Our houses are side by side and our rooms are practically across to each other." Ritsu answered.
"You two don't peek at each other's rooms, now do you?" Mami said teasingly.
"Seriously, that's disgusting!" Horio and Ritsu exclaimed simultaneously. All the freshmen laughed.
"This way, you noisy bunch." Ryouko told them, rolling her eyes helplessly. They were met by a bus awaiting their arrival. It will be their transportation to the venue of the camp.
Atobe went ahead of them, riding in his personal car. He caught glimpse of Ryouko taking the seat next to Tezuka and whispering something in his ear before the car drove away. He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms across his chest.
Suddenly, his phone rang. He just received a message from his father. As he read it, the furrows on his forehead went deeper and deeper.
~~~
There was another fuss as they filed inside the bus and took their desired seats. Ryoma sat in his usual corner on the right side near the farthest window. "Wait up, Ryoma-sama." Tomoka called after him. He made no gesture of 'waiting up'.
All of a sudden, Ayase Mami elbowed Tomoka out of the way and went ahead of her. "Hey!" Tomoka exclaimed. Mami went straight after Ryoma and sat next to him. "I'll be taking this seat. You won't mind, do you?" Mami told him.
"Do what you want." He answered with a shrug.
"Hey, you gorilla. Get outta my seat." Tomoka marched towards them, stomping angrily.
"The early bird gets the worm, right, Echizen-kun?" Mami said and smiled at him. Tomoka fumed.
"Seriously..." Miyako said in exasperation, looking at her best friend. Mami was definitely scheming something.
While the bus was on the way, Ryouko stood up and went towards the front near the driver's seat. She made a proclamation. "I have received a message from CEO Atobe and I think it would be more proper for our captain to announce it." She motioned to Tezuka who stood up and took her place.
"It seemed like this camp would not be just a simple outing that the Hyotei tennis club captain's father arranged for us." He started.
"What do you mean, Tezuka?" Oishi asked.
"We are coming to this inter-school tennis camp, not just as campers but experimental guests." Tezuka answered.
There was murmuring inside the bus. He saw that he had piqued their attention and so he continued.
"Atobe Keigo mentioned to Ryouko that the area will be converted into a recreational center created by the Atobe Group after we use it. That recreational center would be tested on us first as a trial, and they will evaluate our experience so they could make the adjustments needed for rules and the effectivity of the equipment and facilities." Tezuka explained.
"In short, we will be guinea pigs used for business purposes." Ryouko summarized. "I did think this offer was too good to be true but they're gaining something from this little event... As expected of a businessman... He's killing many birds with just one stone."
"That won't be a problem anyways... We got free accommodation and we're gonna have fun so it's win-win, right? I don't see any problem." Momoshiro commented.
"Yes. I think so too." Tezuka told him. "But you have to be reminded that we have to obey the camp rules that they have set. We won't have our way there. Even Atobe Keigo, the organizer of the event won't have freedom to control the way the camp will be run. Activities had been scheduled and events had been organized to the profile that the designers of the camp came up with." He added.
"And so everyone is expected to behave properly, as to not bring shame to the Seigaku name." Ryouko said. She looked at Tezuka. "Right, Cap?"
Tezuka nodded. "Anyway, I think this will be an enjoyable trip but you do have to prepare yourselves for some hardships. This would not be a vacation." He told them.
"I wonder what kind of events they organized..." Fuji commented.
"I hope they're fun." Kikumaru said.
"Does it say in the message, Ryouko-chan?" Kawamura asked.
"Nope. Not a clue. It's a surprise, CEO Atobe said." She replied.
There was excited buzzing in the air. "Can we also participate, senpai?" Mami asked, waving her hand frantically in the air to get Tezuka's attention.
"If the activities can be managed by girls, I don't see why not." Tezuka answered.
Ryouko cleared her throat. Tezuka looked at her. She was crossing her arms over her chest and was scowling darkly. "You're an exception." He told her.
Everyone laughed.
After the announcement, Ryouko talked a bit to Tezuka about her plans of inserting the training schedule of the freshmen and her own little surprise to the events before going back to Mami and Miyako. There was a bit of an argument going on. It seemed like just to irk Osakada Tomoka, Mami sat next to Ryoma.
"Get off of there." Tomoka was telling Mami.
Mami held onto the corner of the seat, gripping it tightly at her sides. "Make me." She said in a challenging tone and blew a raspberry at Tomoka.
"Mami-chan, that's enough." Miyako told her.
"Tomo-chan, just leave the matter alone... Ryoma-kun is becoming uncomfortable." Sakuno told her friend.
True enough. Tomoka was pushing Mami which made Ryoma sandwiched between the wall of the bus and the arguing girls.
"What are you guys doing?" Ryouko asked them.
Mami brightened at the sound of her voice. "Ryouko-chan!" She exclaimed and freed one hand to grab Ryouko's own. "We've been waiting for you." Mami pulled her to the right. "Sit here."
Now, Ryoma and Ryouko were sitting next to each other. Miyako finally got what her friend was up to. She looked at her and Mami winked.
Miyako smiled. They went to this camp not just to have fun but to accomplish something. They were planning on making Ryoma and Ryouko confess just what they are to each other. She nodded in understanding.
"You know, I got some really interesting things to show you." Miyako told Tomoka who was currently staring dumb-founded at the change in the seating arrangement.
"I'm not really interested." Tomoka said, narrowing her eyes at Mami.
"Come on. It's really fun. I got a list of shops and souvenir stalls in Okinawa where we can buy really cute accessories and souvenirs. They're really near the camp site." Miyako told her. "Perhaps we can request a few hours and have someone drive us there."
Tomoka looked a bit curious. "Really?" She said skeptically.
"Yeah. Come on." Miyako said, inching towards the left side of the bus to grant Ryoma and Ryouko some space.
Tomoka uncertainly followed.
Sakuno was looking worriedly at Ryoma and Ryouko. She didn't like seeing them together. She was about to inch near them when Miyako suddenly grabbed her hand. "Come on, Ryuzaki-san."
"Bu—but—" She had no power to escape and could only play along, sighing inside.
"What's with them?" Ryouko asked Mami.
Mami turned to her and shrugged. "Who knows?"
The bus lurched a bit and Mami exaggeratedly leaned at the side towards Ryouko. "Whoa." She exclaimed.
Ryouko automatically collided with Ryoma. "My bad." Mami said and kept her giggles hidden inside as Ryoma and Ryouko looked at each other in surprise.
"I'm gonna join the girls." She said and excused herself.
Ryoma and Ryouko were left, feeling the silence even though the noise in the bus was worse than a hive of hornets. They caught each other's eye and looked away almost immediately.
"How are you doing?" Ryouko asked.
"Fine. How about you?" Ryoma answered.
"Fine." She replied back.
They couldn't find any words to say, even though both were itching to ask something.
"Do something about Ayase, would you? She's acting weirdly and it's sort of annoying." Ryoma told her instead.
Ryouko felt ticked off. Mami was her friend and she couldn't possibly not defend her.
"What about Osakada? Do something about the president of your fan club, she causes trouble most of the time." She said, sounding annoyed.
"I'm not responsible for her actions. I didn't ask her to start that fan club or whatever it is." Ryoma replied.
"Yeah, whatever, Mister Popularity." Ryouko rolled her eyes in irritation. "Say, did you enjoy the cupcakes one of your fans gave you?" She added. She didn't catch her own bitter tone.
"If it's popularity, you got more on your plate than I got on mine. Did you enjoy being the center of attention? I can also change a freaking tire bus if I intend to learn. And is it just me, or are you and Atobe all of a sudden chummy?" Ryoma retorted.
"What's Atobe got to do with this?" Ryouko remarked in an irked tone.
"And what's cupcakes got to do with this?" Ryoma snapped, equally irritated.
They glared at each other. They lurched as the bus turned to the left side of the road and Ryouko rammed onto Ryoma. Ryoma impulsively wrapped his arms around her in an attempt to keep both of them from slipping off their seats. Mami collided to Ryouko's side and Sakuno towards Mami. Tomoka and Miyako almost slipped off. There were groans everywhere.
"Mr. Driver! Please drive more carefully!" Kawamura called.
"Sorry about that! There was a sharp turn." The driver replied.
"Is everyone alright?" Inui asked.
"We're fine..." They all chorused.
"Sheesh." Ryoma said in exasperation. He suddenly realized what position he was in at that moment and looked to his left directly into Fujioka Ryouko's rust-colored eyes. Both of them shifted and Ryoma took his arms off her. They avoided each other's eyes.
Mami saw it happen and she grinned victoriously. "This would be such a dream come true." She thought.
~~~
"Rule number one: There would be no servants and attendants? What does this mean?" Atobe asked Mashiro, his father's aide, on the phone. He ought to know what foolishness this is.
"Just as the words implied, Young Master." Mashiro answered.
"And that includes me?" Atobe said skeptically.
"Well, you are a participant in the camp, so yes. There would be no special treatment for anyone." Mashiro replied simply.
"But I own that place." Atobe told him.
"Your father and the company own the place, Young Master. It is not yet yours." Mashiro answered. Atobe was annoyed at how much he sounded like Fujioka Ryouko.
"What the heck is that old man up to now?" He said in annoyance.
"Well... It seems like this would be the start of your training to stand on your own two feet. Your father saw that you had been spoiled far too much after seeing how independent Miss Ryouko Fujioka is." Mashiro explained.
Atobe listened, looking bewildered. His father couldn't be doing this to him. He finally pulled himself together and with a glint in his eyes, said, "And so, to summarize it all, it's all that girl's fault, is it?"
"You're father said you might say that... The answer is: No. It is the Young Master's fault for not being competent, that was what he told me." Mashiro relayed the message.
Annoyance for the innocent Ryouko bubbled up inside him. Again. That girl again.
"There would be other rules next to that one. They would be announced after the banquet. Your father just made the first rule known to you since you are the person most affected by it. The car and the driver as well as the maids will return here to Tokyo after dropping you off to the site." Mashiro added. "That would be all. Have a nice time, obocchama."
"But— hey—" He said but Mashiro already hung up.
Atobe looked at the phone in his hand. "This would be a nightmare." He said to himself.