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Ryoma was surprised when the doorbell rang and a package sat outside. Neither he nor Kunimitsu had ordered anything.
He picked up the package from outside the apartment and frowned at the return address.
Atobe Keigo.
"...What's the monkey king up to now?"
The sound of cardboard was all Karupin needed. The cat immediately trotted over, meowing insistently before pawing at the box with determined little swipes. His intentions were obvious.
"You haven't even seen what's inside."
Karupin meowed again.
"...Yeah, yeah."
Ryoma carried the package into the living room and cut through the tape. The moment the flaps opened, Karupin stretched his neck toward the empty space he clearly intended to claim. Ryoma laughed softly. "Give me a second."
Inside were three neatly folded black-and-white onesies. Two were human-sized. The third was unmistakably made for a cat.
A small envelope rested on top. Ryoma unfolded the card.
Echizen,
I happened to see these and thought of you.
Consider it a gift.
Don't embarrass yourself.
—Atobe
Ryoma stared at the note. "...That's impossible." There was no universe in which wearing matching orca onesies wasn't embarrassing.”This has to be some kind of prank."
Karupin let out another impatient meow.
"I know. You want the box." Ryoma lifted out the costumes before picking up the tiny one. "Hold still." Karupin tolerated the process with surprising patience as Ryoma slipped each paw through the sleeves before zipping it closed.
Once his tail was free, the cat proudly strutted across the apartment as though he'd just won Best Dressed.
Ryoma couldn't help laughing. "I hate to admit it, but the monkey king actually bought you something cute."
Karupin answered by jumping onto the couch and sitting with all the dignity of royalty.
Ryoma's attention shifted back to the remaining two onesies. "...No. Absolutely not.”
He already understood Atobe's thought process. One for him. One for Buchou.
Absolutely not.
He folded them neatly, placed them back in the box, and tucked it onto the highest shelf of the closet.
Problem solved.
Or so he thought.
The front door clicked open not long afterward. "I'm home."
"Welcome back."
Karupin immediately abandoned his throne on the couch and trotted toward Kunimitsu, demanding attention with an expectant meow.
Kunimitsu set down his bag before crouching to stroke behind his ears.
His hand paused. "...Why is Karupin dressed as an Orcinus orca?"
Ryoma looked up from where he was pretending to read. "Because the monkey king has way too much money."
Kunimitsu observed Karupin for another moment before giving a small nod."It suits him."
Ryoma blinked. "...You really think so?"
"I do."
Karupin purred loudly in agreement.
Ryoma relaxed.
Alright. That was the end of that conversation.
The other onesies would remain hidden forever.
It was not the end of the conversation.
Kunimitsu's gaze drifted toward the closet. "...What else was in the package?"
"...Nothing."
A brief silence followed.
"...Ryoma."
"...Cat treats."
"You dislike lying."
Ryoma sighed dramatically. "...Fine."
He retrieved the box and handed it over.
Kunimitsu opened it. "...There are two additional costumes."
"They're not for us."
"I see."
"..."
"..."
"They're definitely not matching."
"I see."
"..."
Kunimitsu unfolded one.
"These appear to be our sizes."
"...Atobe guessed."
"I see."
Ryoma was beginning to regret opening the package at all.
Kunimitsu examined the costume for another moment before saying, "...Their arrival is fortunate."
Ryoma narrowed his eyes. "...Why?"
"I booked us an orca-watching tour tomorrow."
"..."
"..."
"...You what?"
"I thought you would enjoy seeing them."
Ryoma stared. Slowly, his gaze moved from Kunimitsu… ...to the onesie......then back again."...We're not wearing those."
"They are appropriate attire."
"They're pajamas."
"They are orcas."
"They're pajamas shaped like orcas."
Kunimitsu nodded once. "We will be observing orcas."
"...That's not how that works."
"I fail to see the issue."
Ryoma rubbed a hand over his face. "...You planned this without knowing these existed."
"I did."
"..."
"..."
"...That's somehow worse."
The next morning, Ryoma found himself zipping up an orca onesie.He stood in front of the mirror and stared at his reflection.Somewhere between Kunimitsu calmly explaining that the costumes were "thematically appropriate" and quietly placing them into their overnight bag, Ryoma had lost the argument.
He still wasn't entirely sure when it had happened."...Seriously."
He'd stood across the net from Grand Slam champions with more success than convincing Tezuka Kunimitsu to change his mind.
Somehow, without raising his voice, insisting, or even attempting to persuade him outright, Kunimitsu had gotten him into an orca onesie.
Ryoma still wasn't sure how he managed it.
During the drive to the harbor, Ryoma rested his chin in one hand, still mildly offended by his own lack of resistance.
Kunimitsu glanced over. "I researched the three resident pods."
Ryoma looked up."...You what?"
"There are currently three families frequently sighted in these waters." He then proceeded to explain pod structures, matriarchal family groups, hunting techniques, and migration patterns with the same calm precision he used when discussing tennis strategy.
Ryoma listened quietly. This wasn't about the costumes.
Kunimitsu had genuinely been looking forward to this trip. He'd done research because he wanted to understand the animals Ryoma liked before seeing them together.
By the time they reached the harbor, Ryoma found he didn't mind the costume quite as much.
The boat ride itself was peaceful.
The guide enthusiastically insisted on taking a photograph of "our adorable matching couple," which Ryoma protested exactly once before Kunimitsu politely agreed.
There was no escaping after that.
The ocean stretched endlessly around them.
They spotted common bottlenose dolphins weaving effortlessly through the waves. Later came a distant minke whale surfacing for air.
Then someone shouted, "Orcas! Off the port side!"
The entire boat hurried toward the railing. Ryoma reached it first.
A pod emerged from the water, sleek black backs with a white patch glistening beneath the afternoon sun before disappearing beneath the waves again.
Another surfaced.Then another.
"They're huge..."His voice was barely above a whisper.
For a few moments he forgot entirely that he was standing on a boat wearing an oversized orca onesie. He simply watched, unable to look away.After several seconds, Ryoma realized there was no response beside him.
He turned. Kunimitsu wasn't watching the dolphins .
He was watching him.
"...The orcas are over there."
"I know."
"You should enjoy them too."
"I am."
Ryoma felt warmth spread across his face that had nothing to do with the sun. "...Che."
Even after all these years, Kunimitsu could still catch him off guard.
Once they returned to port, they wandered into the gift shop.
Ryoma expected Kunimitsu to purchase something practical.
Instead, he selected two matching orca keychains. An orca plush cat toy for Karupin.A beautifully photographed book about local marine wildlife.
And finally… The professionally taken photograph of the two of them standing side by side in matching orca onesies, the ocean sparkling behind them.
Ryoma looked at him. "...You actually bought that?"
Kunimitsu shrugged lightly. "It is a pleasant memory."
Ryoma looked at the photograph again. It really wasn't that bad."...Yeah I guess it is."
Several weeks later, Fuji stopped by for tea.
His eyes immediately landed on the framed photograph displayed neatly on a bookshelf. Matching orca onesies. Matching smiles.The ocean stretching endlessly behind them.
Fuji was silent for several seconds. "...Tezuka."
"Yes?"
"I have several questions."
"I may answer some of them."
Fuji turned toward Ryoma. "You willingly wore matching costumes?"
Ryoma immediately headed for the kitchen."I'm making more tea."
"Echizen."
"I'm suddenly very busy."
Fuji laughed. "I'll take that as a yes."
From the living room, Kunimitsu answered with complete sincerity."It was thematically appropriate."
Fuji smiled far too brightly."...Somehow, that explains everything."