Request 07: Children's corner is the eighth scenario in Flower, Sun, and Rain. It features Sumio Mondo meeting Shoutero Kai and trying to catch him after he has been insulted.
Summary[]
As usual Sumio wakes up by another call by Edo Macalister. He feels groggy.
While drinking coffee he muses over Stephan Charbonie. Sumio is confused by his behavior, what does he hope to accomplish?
Starting to get sick of the coffee, Sumio makes his way to the lobby again. He comes by El Crasher on the third floor passing, who still trains but fortunately does not block the stairs this time. On the second floor passing he meets Sue Sding who greets him. At the Front Desk he rings for Edo and tells him he finally will make it to the airport today. Sumio still has his doubts that he will make it though. Edo reminds him that Sumio was hired to protect this island from terrorists.
Sumio leaves the hotel but as soon as he passes the bridge a child appears and kicks a soccer ball right into his balls. In pain and enraged Sumio tells the kid to watch out where to kick the thing. The kid makes off-hand comments on Sumio's appearance. Sumio is not pleased. The kid asks more questions on why Sumio helps all the people and on how Catherine is able to solve mysteries. He then comments on the game, breaking the fourth wall. Sumio tells him to stop, as the kid is trying to destroy the game. The kid continues to make fun of Sumio and runs away after shouting that Sumio should try to carch him. Sumio runs after him as he needs to teach that kid some manners. Back at the lobby the kid is nowhere to be seen. So he decides to ring for Edo at the Front Desk again to ask him about this little brat. Edo tells him the kids name is Shoutero Kai, but he has not seen him today. But maybe Sue on the second floor might have. Still agitated by Shoutero's foul mouth and behavior he asks Sue about him. She tells him he should not take him that seriously as he is just a child, but she also has no idea where he is. She recommends to ask El Crasher on the second floor. El Crasher has seen the kid but is not pleased about the language Sumio uses to describe Shoutero. He kicks him unconscious... Sumio comes to his senses on the roof lying on a sun bath thing. El Crasher is next to him, still doing his training moves. He apologizes right away, but Sumio brought it to himself in his opinion. After giving him a lecture how Sumio has to be more accepting towards Shoutero, he tells him he has seen the boy with his master (Mr. Pirate). Fortunately he seems to be training by the pool. Sumio asks him right away where the boy is and Mr. Pirate tells him that Shoutero asked him for an autograph and starts talking about women and pheromones. Sumio deduces that Yayoi Hanayama might be involved. Mr. Pirate says she is changing in her room and Shoutero went after her. But at what room is Yayoi staying? Sumio decides to ask Edo. He shortly hesitates to give him this information, but than tells him she stays in room 204.
Sumio finds her standing in front of her room. He wants to know where the kid is hiding, but Yayoi says she has no clue what he is talking about. She lets him in her room anyway so he can look for Shoutero himself. After searching the room Sumio he believes her. Yayoi flirts a bit with Sumio, but he has none of it. She then assumes that Shoutero actually likes Sumio as playing games is one way for children to display affection. She continues to tell him that Shoutero is waiting for Sumio at a place he will definitely go sooner or later.
Where might that be? After thinking about it for a while, Sumio is sure it must be his own room, so he heads up there. After looking around in a few places he finds no trace of Shoutero. Where would be a good place to hide? On the way out he passes the wardrobe, has he looked there before? He opens it and Shoutero jumps out of it and directly runs away again. This kid really gets on Sumio's nerves. He follows him in into his room and sees him standing on the balcony. Shoutero makes fun of Sumio for playing with him. He then suddenly shifts tone and tells him that he is lonely because his dad will not play with him. They sort of make peace, but then Shoutero asks what Flower, Sun and Rain does even mean. Sumio gets angry at this, saying this is the worst thing Shoutero could have said. He wants this episode to end and begs for the Jumbo jet to appear. Shoutero tells him that Sumio cannot just summon the plane by himself, but in that exact moment it appears, flies by and explodes.
Meanwhile Christina passes the bridge and Toriko Kusabi comes running after her again. She suddenly hears something and does a back flip to look at what startled her. It's Shoutero. She thinks he's cute, but Shoutero wants to pick a fight. Unimpressed by this Toriko asks him if he has seen Chris. Shoutero does not answer and asks why Christina is pink. Toriko just says because it is cute and asks again for Chris's whereabouts. Shoutero is enraged by this and says he will remember that.
☆Welcome back.☆Children are so innocent.☆Isn't that what's so sweet about them?☆I think he just wanted someone to play with.☆You really did chase him all over the place, didn't you?☆Must have been a good workout.☆You should workout more!☆I shall be waiting with a smile at the Front Desk.☆