Synopsis
Early morning; Hakkai strides out of an inn alone. Glances back, says firmly "Someone ought to teach them a lesson", gets into Hakuryu and drives off.
--Goku and Gojyo at breakfast: Goku eating while Gojyo ogles pinups. Do you know what's wrong with Hakkai, asks the saru; I saw him this morning and he looked pretty ticked off. Kappa=clueless. You're seeing things, he grumbles; but we see how the room is filling up with food wrappers, donut boxes, Pepsi cans, beer cans, tied bagfuls of trash, AND stacked plates full of cig butts. [EEEw. Go, Hakkai; I'd leave too.] Sanzo can't even get out of bed without kicking over a fruit soda can, which spills into his set-aside-for-the-night ivory robe. He tosses the robe into Gojyo's face with a curt "wash that", adding that the can must have been his and brandishing his gun for emphasis. Right away, Your Highness, says the redhead resignedly.
As we see Hakuryu parked beside a lake and Hakkai gazing off over the water, Goku and Gojyo approach their leader about The Hakkai Problem. Sanzo growls "what's he got to be angry about?" but Gojyo reports that 'Kai's room is cleaned out and Hakuryu is nowhere to be found. You idiots, doing as you please, snaps Sanzo; it's his fault we've been here for three days.
But he had a cold, protests Goku. ==Flashback: bedridden Hakkai, coughing and apologizing for being ill. [He would.] Gojyo told him not to sweat it, a few days' setback wouldn't matter; Sanzo conceded that it would be worse if he caused an accident; and Hakkai gratefully replied that he'd just rest--but would they please not make a huge mess in the room? it would just cause trouble for others. It's the inn's job to clean up, said Gojyo, but Hakkai persisted that the ikkou goes far overboard,and last time they almost lost Sanzo's sutra in a mountain of trash--what if it got thrown away?
OK, OK, we'll clean it up, grumbled the kappa; you just get some sleep. Hakkai wearily pressed him to remember this promise and Gojyo said he would.
--So, Goku and Gojyo survey the heaps of trash in the room and concede that, wellyeah, Hakkai just might be a little bit mad at them. A little. Maybe.
We see Hakkai on the balcony of an inn, enjoying the mountain view. A waiter brings him hot tea and a slice of tiramisu [can I sit at his table, please?], and as he takes the first sip, eyes closed in contentment, it's plain he's savoring the peace and quiet as much as the taste. Delicious, he sighs happily.
...back at the ikkou's inn, Gojyo is maintaining that they're still not sure Hakkai's angry at them; but in very short order, they discover that their tea container now holds nothing but dried seaweed, and that all the cigarettes they had left have been replaced with chocolate ones. As the depth of 'Kai's revenge sinks in, even Gojyo has to admit that that've seriously pissed the guy off. Pretty childish of him, the hanyou growls. --there's a tap at the window, and it's Hakuryu bearing a message: "I'm not coming back until you've learned your lesson. Hakkai."
I guess we have to apologize or he won't come back, says Goku. Gojyo huffs that he's always apologizing; Goku shoots back "But you don't mean it." Gojyo has no answer=) and Goku appeals to Sanzo for confirmation, but the monk, not looking up from his newspaper, says "never mind that; find my sutra." ==Yes, it really is missing. G&G gulp.
We see Hakkai still relaxing at the mountain inn; then, Goku beaming proudly as the room gleams with cleanliness and Sanzo studies the retrieved sutra. Pretty amazing, huh? grins the saru--but he's holding back the mountain of garbage with both arms, having just shoved it into the corner, and one little nudge brings it all down. Goku sighs that he's hungry, and Gojyo stews up a pot of his infamously horrid "Everything in the Fridge Curry" (in this case whole fish, frankfurters, and tentacles, among other things). He presents the pot with smug pride, saying they'll be just fine without Hakkai, but the stuff gives off such a reek that S&G, holding their noses, run off to puke--followed by Gojyo himself.
The stressed and hungry ikkou-minus-8 finally sits down to drown its day's sorrows in a huge meal at the inn, with much sake' to wash it down. At least without Hakkai we can eat all we like, says Gojyo. But (you see this coming already, right?) when the very large bill arrives, Sanzo reaches for his gold card... yup, you guessed it. And as S, G&G sweat, Hakkai presents the Sanbutsushin's AmEx Gold to the waiter at the mountain inn, adding with a satisfied smile that the food was wonderful. =)=) [And yes, the name on the card really is San Butusin, and its expiration date is 'no time limit']
The guys, of course, have to work off their bill in the kitchen. Gojyo has some fun waiting tables and charming schoolgirls with a wink as he serves their desserts; but Goku can only wash dishes, Sanzo (in a lavender ruffled apron!) of course refuses to lift a finger, and the kitchen manager is close to having a coronary when a jeep pulls up outside and a single customer walks in. Gojyo sweats like crazy, but can't refuse to wait on his table. He hides his face and disguises his voice, but can barely muffle his indignation as Hakkai orders a luxurious meal (shark-fin soup, roast pig--agh! cannibalism!--and Peking duck), and rushes back to tell S&G in the kitchen what's going on. He must have the card, let's just go--begins Goku, but he's shut down by G&S, who both insist Hakkai mustn't be allowed to discover the depths to which he's forced them (or see Sanzo in his apron!). ==Gojyo serves the food, but inadvertently loses his disguise-- and is still totally ignored by Hakkai! --Back in the kitchen, Goku thinks this depth of vengeance doesn't sound like Hakkai, but Gojyo--who knows him best--grits that no, this is right up his alley. =) This'll go on until we apologize, he concludes, and turns to Sanzo: what do you want to do?
--A battle of wills commences. Goku tries addressing him directly, but only gets a drink order in reply. Sanzo delivers the drink himself, along with a haughty glare, but Hakkai just glares back and neither gives an inch. Gojyo returns to the table, and is given Hakkai's dessert and after-dinner sake' order, still without a flicker of recognition from the steely youkai. Hakkai, cut it out, pleads Gojyo, but the response is a chilly "nani desu ka, waiter-san?" ("--What's that, Waiter?") ==In the kitchen, a furious Gojyo says "he's got to stop screwing with us" and Sanzo is in a full folded-arms snit; but Goku asks plaintively, why don't we just apologize? after all, it is our fault. --We can't admit defeat now! roars Gojyo. If you dare give him the satisfaction of beating us... Sanzo fires off a shot to shush them, and he and Gojyo get into a shouting match about whose fault it really is that they're in this fix, with poor Goku desperately trying to restore peace. As they continue to bellow at each other, Goku's had enough; he barrels into the dining room, grabs Hakkai's hand--"Goku?" asks surprised Hakkai--and blurts, I'm really sorry! would you please come with me?
They step into the kitchen, where Sanzo and Gojyo are still going at it hammer and tongs, and Goku yells, shut the hell up! The startled pair hush, turn, register who's behind Goku, and both faces set in stubborn resolve--neither of them wants to be the one to say it. Go on, pleads Goku, but they're just damned if they'll give ground, and the silence stretches. [Really, they are SO much alike.]
Goku lowers his head and sighs--well, they're hopeless--and he turns to Hakkai himself, bows formally, and says "Hakkai, gomen."--Goku, says Hakkai gently, and the saru pours out his heart: I'm really sorry! We've got no idea how to clean, and we're always piling up trash, and you must be fed up with us by now, but if you aren't with us, we -- He runs out of steam, and appeals to Gojyo. Gojyo grudgingly says he's sorry, but Hakkai's heard that before, and replies implacably, "think how I feel, having to repeat my warnings day after day." Gojyo chuckles, grins at him, and says ruefully, "I'm really sorry, sensei." --well, two down; Goku asks hopefully, "Sanzo?" The priest raises his head, fixes Hakkai with a look that would crack glass (its edge slightly blunted by those cute lilac ruffles), and finally says it's all right; Hakkai can go ahead and forgive him. --What?! yells the redhead. Why don't you apologize? asks Goku, and Sanzo accuses both of them of Crimes Against Hakkai so heinous that the healer's jaw drops, while they retort with misdeeds of Sanzo's even more awful, etc., etc.--until Hakkai actually bursts out laughing. Laughing! whoa!--and doesn't stop until they're all staring at him. I guess it can't be helped; I'll forgive you all, he says. Goku promptly announces that he's starving, and Hakkai cordially suggests they all have a nice dinner together, and reaches for the card--but doesn't have it.
And we see a black cat carrying the card in its mouth, walking off across the street (past Hakuryu, who kyu's uneasily and sweatdrops even in jeep form!) as a ruckus plus gunfire breaks out in the inn behind it.
