"For Saikyoudai? You guys want me?!" Monta pointed to himself, surprised.
"Well of course we would, you're one of the top receivers in Japan." She nudged him with an elbow making the younger man beam and pose with pride.
"Ah, of course I am…!" He pointed towards the sky, eyes closed with a smug grin on his features.
"So as long as you make the grades, it won't be a problem to join the team,"
Monta halted his bravado, flattered expression taking on a nervous edge.
"O-Oh that… um…"
Asami's eyes narrowed, poking him cautiously, "Yes that… It's not a problem… is it?"
"Of course not! I just… have to be somewhere is all! Bye then!" He panicked, hopping away before she had the chance to stop him.
"Gah, another underachiever?! It's not that hard if you just apply yourself!" She shook her fist at his fleeing form, flipping her phone open and starting to type out a text.
Monta's a no go. Soon as I brought up grades he flew like a bat out of hell.
Her phone buzzed with a reply a second later,
Sounds like it'll be harder to make your quota; I'd hurry up and keep moving if you don't want to play the punishment game.
She shivered, certainly not wanting to see what Hiruma had in mind for that. Just like with Deimon, the soon to be sophomore of Saikyoudai was sent out to recruit talented players for the team and she'd been traveling from high school to high school to get to the ace senior players before other's had the chance to snag them.
Their first year had defiantly made an impression and Saikyoudai would be one of the top teams to beat so it wasn't too hard to find willing players… so long as they met the criteria which was another story entirely.
Scrolling down a list she'd made, the name right after Raimon Taro was none other than Kaitani Riku who also had yet to make a college decision. Asami bit her lip, not usually nervous when recruiting like this but Riku had always caught her eye not only as an impressive American Football player but a chivalrous man who always stood up for those who couldn't defend themselves.
She cringed, quickly finding his number in her phone which of course hadn't been delivered to her personally like she would have preferred. Hiruma had made sure the brunette would have no trouble contacting them for her scouting and so she only hoped he wouldn't question how she'd come across his cell phone number.
Hi there Riku-kun, I'm so sorry to bother you but I was curious if you wouldn't mind having a chat sometime over a drink or something… I'd love to hear what colleges you're considering, especially if you're thinking Saikyoudai since I can hook you up with all the info right away ;) –Yamaji Asami
But… was the winking face too much?! Would he think she was asking him on a date in this format? Just to be safe, she deleted the smiley and sent it before she could change her mind.
"Yamaji-san, over here!" Riku called out, standing up and gesturing to his table.
She waved at him from the counter with her drink in hand, grateful he'd called out so she could find him right away. Walking over, the girl took a seat across from him, "Don't worry about the formalities, everyone just calls me Asami though I appreciate the thought," She smiled.
"Alright, Asami-chan it is." He agreed.
"I got to you before Hiruma, right?"
"That depends on your definition of 'got to'…"
She frowned, watching him hold up his phone with the same text spamming over and over again saying 'JOIN SAIKYOUDAI'S AMERICAN FOOTBALL TEAM TODAY.' Yep, that was his handiwork.
"At least that's the softer version of what he'd really do if he seriously tried to get you on the team…" She made a face, recalling Sena hung upside down in Deimon's club room and the time Youichi locked Monta in the basketball cage and rolled him away. "I could tell you the wildest stories,"
"Go for it, I'd love to hear it," He smiled in amusement, chin rested on his palm.
Asami waved her hands in front of her, easily getting distracted and very much wishing her flustered appearance away from something as simple as his smile. "A-Another time defiantly, for now it'd mean a lot if you'd tell me what football program you were thinking of joining. I wasn't surprised to hear your grades were really good so I'm sure you could get into whatever school you wanted!"
Riku glanced upwards thoughtfully, "Yeah… it probably would be for the best to join Saikyoudai… They're the strongest right now; a lot of the guy's we played with at the world cup are on that team."
"Mmhmm, this year we'll really be deadly. Hiruma and Agon using the Dragonfly is almost impossible to stop, not to mention the aces from Teikoku; both Taka and Yamato are going to add a lot to the team. The offensive potential is almost as good as it was with Japan's best."
"Sounds like you guys think it'll be an easy road to the Rice Bowl, huh?"
She laughed, "I'd like to think so, but Enma's getting a huge power boost this coming year… Some of them didn't say, but I'm pretty sure Mizumachi, Sena, and Monta are all joining the team. They'll pose a much better challenge compared to last time we faced them."
"Sena told me… that he wanted to try winning against Hiruma. Even if he looked sorta scared as he said it," He noted.
"Sena said that?"
Riku nodded, "Yeah, I thought it was weird only because… it's natural to want to join the best team. Sure you have to have the grades but… do you really think it's worth it to do something risky like that? Knowing you're going up against the hardest opponent and that you're more likely to lose?"
Asami took a sip of her drink, letting out a long hum as she pondered it.
"You know, I wasn't happy to hear that Hiruma, Musashi, and Kurita were all going to be on different teams the first time they told me…"
He tilted his head, watching her carefully.
"It was irritating to me but I think I finally started to understand why… You know Unsui defiantly could have joined Saikyoudai if he wanted to. It's fun to think about back then when all of you played together at the world cup… how strong a team it was, so exciting to fight together against the best."
She shrugged, eyes locking with his, "But they've been given the gift of choosing their own opponents here and it's a whole new world of possibilities. If everyone were to join the same team, how then could they improve themselves compared to their comrades and rivals? I guess Sena's already figured it out, knowing how hard it will be to fight against Saikyoudai… and he's going to rise to the challenge and give his all to win anyway."
Riku stared as she continued, "So don't tell Hiruma, but I do hope Enma gets stronger to equally fight us… With everything on the line, everyone can truly fight their hardest and keep improving… When I think about it, it's really exciting, don't you think?"
He blinked, surprised she'd put so much thought into this.
"Ah, I'm a terrible recruiter aren't I?" Asami scratched her head, embarrassed.
"Maybe… But I'm glad you spoke your opinion honestly. I think I get it now too." Riku smiled genuinely, making her face light up.
"I'm doomed for a punishment game now I bet," She added quickly, laughing.
"If he works you too hard, you should consider coming to Enma."
"Don't tempt me… I miss Kurita so much,"
"But if not, maybe at least we could do more things like this?"
Asami's eyes widened, blushing at his statement, "I-I'd like that… very much."
His green eyes scanned through the pages, sneer barely revealed his sharp teeth in an expression of displeasure. "This is fucking pathetic. Don't tell me you're aiming for worst recruiter of the year?"
"Can you not, Youichi?"
"I'm genuinely perplexed how you managed to not get a single name on the list. Did you have a fucking bad hair day or what?"
"Oh ha ha."
Asami fumed silently at Hiruma's jeers, though she must admit she didn't put a world of effort into it. Saikyoudai would do well no matter what, especially with having secured Yamato and Taka who were the top of the best team in Kansai.
"Shut up already, Trash. We don't need anyone else as long as none of you get in my way."
She wondered if Agon bothered saying that for her benefit or perhaps that and a reason to intrude on the conversation to boast a bit.
"I'm pretty sure the last time you've said that were both losses for you, right fucking dreads?"
"Two games?" Ikkyu questioned quietly into Asami's ear.
She grimaced, "Yeah, the World Cup and… Shinryuji's loss to Deimon back then."
He shivered in turn, "It's suddenly… oni chilly in here…"
"Maybe if you trashes had reacted quicker, then someone could have done something?!" Agon growled, squaring up against Hiruma.
"So you're saying you could stop Panther's run? Cause to me it looked like he breezed right past your sorry ass!" The blonde added fuel to the flame, hands on his hips to accept the challenge.
"Your strategies are as pathetic as that shitty hair and gaudy earrings,"
"You sure your filthy dreadlocks don't just block your vision more than those dumbass sunglasses?"
"Alright you two, please calm down," Banba intervened, the only one brave enough. "Let's just get to practice,"
They all began equipping their gear when the team captain added, "Now that he's confirmed on Enma's roster, we'll be working on a way to stop that runt's speed."
"Are you mocking Sena again Hiruma?" Mamori's voice chimed in from the office, frowning as she took a step out to tap her foot in irritation.
"Fucking Manager! He's on the enemy team now, you can't keep babying him!" The blonde barked at her.
"I know that, but you still don't have to be rude to the competition since we're all still friends regardless," She argued.
Asami giggled; one thing hadn't managed to change even if Saikyoudai lacked Deimon players aside from Hiruma and Jumonji.
She had a thought and blinked, turning to Ikkyu on her right side, "Sena will be a problem of course but you'll have to do your best to beat out Monta."
The shorter male's eyes burned with determination at her words, "I won't lose again; a true number one always comes through even if he's grown oni stronger… I'll be the best in the air."
She patted Ikkyu's shoulder in encouragement, leaving his side before noticing the inevitable blush that he couldn't fight off that accompanied his attempt at a calm stoic demeanor.
"Riku's speed also could be an issue…" She pondered just out loud enough for Hiruma to catch it, a pointy ear twitching.
The blonde's shadow closed in on her ominously, "About that…."
She gulped, trying to inch away from one of his many guns that too often aimed straight at her.
"I heard he was just about to apply to Saikyoudai… but changed his mind soon after talking to you. Let's hear your explanation for that little detail."
"O-Oh um…" Her eyes shifted rapidly around the room, visible sweat appearing on her brow.
"Time to practice guys, let's get out there!" Asami yelped, spinning around the demon and instead pushing him out the door of the locker room while beckoning the others to follow.
"Take this time to imagine your punishment game, fucking priss," He threatened, green eyes glittering with evil intent as he took the field with the other Saikyoudai American Football players.
She decided she wasn't all that ready for the college football season to start after all…