Another day, another beanfight

Another Day, Another Beanfight

The sun rose, its bright light streaming over the hills and through the narrow gaps between the wooden shutters of a small house. In the center of the room, a mattress lay with a figure sprawled across it, mostly hidden under the covers—except for a large foot dangling off the side.

Suddenly, a loud clatter echoed through the house, like pots crashing together. The man jolted awake, startled by the noise. He glanced toward the door, his mind racing. “What was that?” he thought.

“Shouma! The damn beans are at it again! Get your butt out here and help me!” came a shout from the kitchen.

“Coming, Kei!” Shouma called back, his voice tinged with panic.

He quickly threw off the covers and slid open the wooden door of his closet. Hastily pulling on his black kimono, Shouma dashed out of the room. As he neared the kitchen, the clatter grew louder, accompanied by frustrated grunts and the unmistakable sound of things crashing to the floor.

When Shouma entered the kitchen, he was met with a chaotic sight. Pots and pans were strewn across the countertops and floor, while broken shards of porcelain plates and puddles of water, sake, and soup were everywhere.

“What in the world is going on here?” Shouma asked, bewildered.

“Those damn twin edamame beans!” Kei shouted, brandishing a broom. “They’re fighting again, and when Hattori Bean and I tried to catch them, they started throwing food at us!”

Kei stood with her broom raised, trying in vain to reach the mischievous beans.

Shouma sighed heavily. “What am I going to do with those two?” he muttered under his breath.

Looking up, he spotted one bean perched on top of a high cupboard, clutching a handful of noodles. Hattori was standing on the countertop between them and Kei, using parasols to block the incoming barrage of wet noodles. Meanwhile, the other bean hung from the slowly rotating ceiling fan, trying to avoid Kei’s broom.

“Oi, you two!” Shouma yelled. “Get down here right now, or no mochi for either of you tonight!”

The beans froze and exchanged terrified glances. In a flash, they scrambled down and stood before Shouma, their eyes wide and brimming with tears.

Shouma knelt to their level. “Do you know why you’re in trouble?” he asked calmly.

They nodded, their faces flushed with guilt.

“It’s not okay to fight outside of training, and it’s especially not okay to throw food at Miss Kei and Hattori,” Shouma said, his tone gentle but firm.

The beans stared at the floor, their remorse deepening.

“Now, apologize to Miss Kei and Hattori,” Shouma instructed, pointing toward them.

The two beans bowed deeply in Kei and Hattori’s direction, then turned back to Shouma.

“Good. Now, go outside and wait. Training starts soon,” Shouma said.

The beans scurried toward the doorway. But as they passed through, one of them shoved the other, causing them to tumble to the ground before racing off down the hallway. The fallen bean quickly scrambled up and gave chase.

Shouma shook his head with a chuckle. “Oh my, what am I ever going to do with those two?”