At 6:07 A.M., Matsumoto stirred in his room at the Yoshida 5-Star Hotel, the morning sun casting a warm glow on his face. Excitement coursed through his veins as he tossed off the covers, eager to reunite with Mr. Taiga. He swiftly packed his water bottle and two extra jerseys, a precautionary measure for their anticipated activities.
A refreshing cold shower later, Matsumoto felt invigorated, his senses heightened. After brushing his teeth, he bid adieu to his room and made his way to the hotel lobby. The keykeeper offered a courteous nod as he passed, and with a spring in his step, Matsumoto ventured out into the morning.
As he strolled towards Mr. Taiga's, his thoughts turned to their shared love for a particular comfort food. A detour to a nearby store in Yoahida was in order as named to Ramen Cup Noodles Store. Upon entering, he was greeted by a lone guard, the early hour keeping the crowds at bay. Matsumoto navigated the aisles, his eyes scanning the shelves until they landed on the familiar packaging – Chomaoa Ramen Noodles, the same brand Mr. Taiga had savored during their previous encounter. The blue wrapper seemed to leap out at him, and with a smile, he selected a few cups.
At the counter, the transaction was swift, and with his purchase in hand, Matsumoto continued his journey. The streets were slowly coming alive, the city's pulse quickening with each passing minute. As he approached Mr. Taiga's residence, a mix of excitement and anticipation swirled in his chest. He knocked on the gate, his heart beating in sync with the gentle morning breeze.
"Mr. Taiga! Mr. Taiga!" Matsumoto's voice echoed through the door as he knocked insistently. The sound of footsteps approached, and the door swung open, revealing Mr. Taiga's beaming face.
"Matsumoto, I'm *cough* glad you're here again" Mr. Taiga exclaimed, embracing Matsumoto in a warm hug. Matsumoto's eyes sparkled as he held out a bag of Chomaoa Ramen Noodles and noticing Mr. Taiga was coughing he didn't asked Mr. Taiga but he still continued towards his house.
"Oh, Mr. Taiga, I brought your favorite!" he said, grinning.
Mr. Taiga's face lit up, and he ushered Matsumoto inside. As they entered the house, Matsumoto's gaze fell upon two teenagers playing tennis in the backyard. One was holding a racket, while the other sat on the floor, sipping water. A sense of familiarity washed over Matsumoto, and his eyes widened as he recognized two of them.
"Wait... Okio and Tomoto?" he asked, stunned.
The two teenagers turned, their faces mirroring Matsumoto's surprise. "Yes! You know Mr. Taiga too?" Okio asked, equally shocked.
Matsumoto's laughter bubbled over as he shook his head. "This is incredible! What are the chances?"
As they gathered in the living room, Okio and Tomoto shared their story with Matsumoto. They had met Mr. Taiga at Yoshida Park when they were just 12 years old, after their parents had passed away in a car accident. Mr. Taiga had taken them under his wing, becoming a father figure to them.
Matsumoto's eyes misted as he listened to their tale. "You have a sad story," he said softly.
Mr. Taiga, sensing the mood, intervened, holding up his racket. "And are you ready to have a *cough* training session with me?"
The group's faces lit up, and they chorused their assent. Mr. Taiga chuckled, a twinkle in his eye. "Then let *cough* us begin ehmmm!"
The sound of rackets clacking and laughter filled the air, a symphony of friendship and adventure. Matsumoto grinned, his heart full of excitement. He had a feeling that this was just the another unforgettable journey.
Then they shifted their focus to controlling their power in slamming the racket. Matsumoto got his racket, and Okio and Tomoto stood up, ready to learn.
"To control your *cough* power," Mr. Taiga began, "if you want it to be weak, don't grip the racket too tightly. Just hold it softly. But if you want a strong slam, hold * cough* the racket with all your might."
They tried it out, and now they could unleash their power, weak or strong, as they pleased. Matsumoto, eager to test his skills, gripped the racket tightly and slammed the ball with all his might. The ball shot out like a bullet, making a hole in the dojo's floor. Mr. Taiga's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the broken floor. "The floor!... You... noooooo!" he exclaimed, clearly disappointed crying.
Matsumoto was shocked too. "Very sorry, Mr. Taiga... ehhhh..." Okio's eyes were wide with amazement. "That power! You're insane! Your strength is OP!" he said, stunned. Tomoto nodded in agreement, "Seriously, Matsumoto, you're a beast!"
Mr. Taiga tried to calm everyone down. "Matsumoto, it's okay! I... I... can still fix it. Don't worry. That's why you shouldn't hold the racket too tightly – it's too tough!" Matsumoto apologized again, "I'm... really sorry, Mr. Taiga!"Matsumoto smiled scratching his hair.
Despite the mishap, they continued practicing, and Matsumoto eventually got the hang of controlling his power. Mr. Taiga advised him to reserve his powerful slams for unbeatable opponents. "You have a lot of potential, Matsumoto. Just be careful, okay?" Matsumoto nodded, taking the advice to heart.
As they took a break, Mr. Taiga served the cooked noodles warm and hot, and they all dug in, savoring the delicious flavors, the texture of the soft noodles with the small cutted carrots and other vegetables and the flavor of the noodles soup tasted like sweet shrimp with some corn and also we got the egg. The tension from the earlier incident dissipated, replaced by laughter and chatter. After lunch, they practiced some more, fine-tuning their skills and learning new techniques.
As the day drew to a close, Matsumoto headed back to his hotel, exhausted but content. He couldn't help but reminisce about the good times they had. The intense training, the laughter, and the camaraderie – it was all worth it. He smiled, feeling grateful for the experience, and drifted off to sleep, ready for the next day's challenges.