{O1}
"Well, Hoshina-sama. . Enrolling your daughter so late in the semester is a rather unfeasible job." The headmaster explained, wiping the sweat off his brow with a damp handkerchief. It was a little past noon and all students at the prestigious school were lounged the courtyard, choosing to spend their free time in leisure.
The headmaster looked uncomfortable as he shifted his weight in the large leather chair, staring warily at his former student. The man stared down icily at his former teacher, his expression hard was with rage.
Finally, Hoshina Yoshiro broke the silence. "So you're saying, that you won't take my daughter as a student." He said flatly, narrowing his icy blue eyes down at the withering man. The headmaster coughed as the tension hung thick in the air.
"I merely said that it was rather impossible to enroll this late in-" The headmaster was silenced as Hoshina Yoshiro slammed his massive hands on the wooden oak table. The sound echoed throughout the silence room and the headmaster furiously wiped away the sweat that began to collect behind his neck.
"You were the ones who scouted out my daughter in the first place. You were the one who was begging to have my daughter attend this school. You were the one who complimented her on her fine skills in tennis." The man's voice rose an octave higher each time he spoke, but his expression remained detached of any emotion.
"And now you're telling me that you don't want my daughter at your school?" He finished off, his eyes flaming with fury. "Is this some kind of sick joke?" Yoshiro demanded.
Meanwhile, the school bell rung - signaling the end of lunch. Outside the heavy oak doors, he could hear the student's chatter as returned to their respective classes.
"Hoshina-sama," The headmaster said with all the dignity he could muster. The man who stood before him was no ordinary pupil. Hoshina Yoshiro was the one who led their school to the Nationals single-handedly thirty years ago. "Please, calm down."
Losing his support of the school would result in massive debts and most likely the closing of the school. He would have to choose his words wisely if he wanted to have the Hoshina's family on his side. "I will explain the circumstances concerning your daughter's acceptance to our school."
The headmaster fought the urge to cringe at the mention of Hoshina's daughter. She was the complete opposite of her father and brother. The headmaster had no idea what had happened to her along the road that shaped her into the repulsive girl she was today.
Although, her tennis skills were top-notched, and the headmaster could see a use of the Hoshina girl in the future. But not now. .especially with the record she had in her hometown. The headmaster motioned to a chair and Yoshiro reluctantly sat down, waiting for an explanation.
"Your daughter, I understand, has quite a reputation back in Okinawa." The headmaster started off briskly, as he busied himself with a stack of transfer applications. The other man frowned lightly, but said nothing as the headmaster continued.
"And while your daughter is very talented in the sport," He continued, "I'm afraid an institution like Sonoda can't allow the likes of your daughter in our school. It might tarnish the reputation Sonoda took nearly fifty years to build."
"Are you saying that enrolling my daughter here will taint the school?" Yoshiro said spitefully, raising to his feet as he stared down venomously at the cowering headmaster.
The headmaster began to wipe his forehead with his already damp handkerchief. This conversation wasn't going as he planned. This was bad, very bad. "This isn't a decision that I made," The headmaster said, collecting his nerves as his eyes darted up uneasily towards the Hoshina. "The school board has made this decision and I'm afraid I cannot act against their wishes."
This was a complete lie of course. The school board cared little for the brat's background, for they just wanted to have her play for Sonoda and revive the dead girls' team. "Well, find a way to have my daughter attend this school." Yoshiro finally said, gathering up his belongings as he walked towards the door.
"I expect to see an acceptance letter at my house within a week," The headmaster swallowed. This man was just as hard-headed as he had been thirty years ago. "If not, I will withdraw my support from this school." And with his last words said, the heavy wooden doors slammed behind him as he left the room.
The headmaster sighed, slumping down in the leather chair as he fanned himself anxiously with his hands. Was it worth losing the Hoshina's support just for one little brat with a notorious record the length of his arm? "Tch. Unbelievable." He muttered as he dug through the transfer applicants and grabbed her form.
He looked at the document with distain, taking note of her hideous blonde hair and striking blue eyes. What was she trying to be - an American? The headmaster snorted as he picked up the phone and dialed the phone.
Three days later, Tanaka Hitori found himself standing on the very grounds of Higa Gakuen - a notorious school located in Okinawa. He stiffened at the sight of junior high students leisurely basking in the open sun with no intention of returning home.
This school was hell itself and the tennis that was played here was downright dirty and dangerous. Tanaka looked at a small wallet sized picture of a young girl with blue eyes and wondered why the headmaster would send him here of all schools.
Was it a mistake? Tanaka knew that the headmaster was getting rather old and his years of youth was slowly deteriorating along with his mind. Tanaka shook his head, squared his shoulders and approached the nearest group of tennis players.
"Excuse me," He said politely, breaking into the tight circle the tennis players had formed. The players ignored him as they continued to talk about their upcoming match with a school. "I'm looking for this girl in the picture. ."
All three pairs of eyes landed on Tanaka instantaneously. Tanaka took a step back in alarm as the boys stared at Tanaka venomously. "And what do you want with that brat, hah?" One boy with a cap covering his brown hair spoke.
"I would just like to talk with her for a moment." Tanaka explained calmly. The boys made a circle around him and the largest of the boys spoke in a condescending tone.
"Hah? You want to speak with her?" He said with a sneer. "And what are you going to say to her?" He looked at the papers in Tanaka hands and snatched them. "Oh ho! Look here guys, he's a recruiter from Sonoda Gakuen!"
"Sonoda Gakuen? " The boy with the glasses echoed, staring at Tanaka with an unreadable expression. Out of the three guys, Tanaka deemed he was the most normal. He then snorted with contempt, "Hah. What is someone from a prestigious school like Sonoda doing here?"
Tanaka narrowed his eyes, "Like I said, I'm here to speak with this girl."
The boy with the cap spoke, "Well too bad, mister. We're not about to let go of the brat to a school like yours." He spat out the last word spitefully. The tallest of the group sighed, pushing up his glasses as he intervened before the other boy could say anymore.
"I'm sorry. We're in the middle of practice." Tanaka raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. "Please leave."
"Yeah," The largest boy guffawed, throwing the papers back at Tanaka. "Go back to the city and leave us alone! We don't need some city boy trying to recruit our players!" The wind picked up and swept the papers from the ground.
Tanaka let out a small cry of shock as he saw his documents soar in the sky. A hand suddenly shot out and grabbed the papers before they flew too far and another pushed the larger boy to the side. "Shut up, Kei." A feminine voice said, cutting through the hostile environment. "You're being obnoxious again."
Tanaka turned towards the new guest and took notice of her very blonde hair. He wordlessly took back the papers she had gathered for him and studied her carefully. She was wearing the Higa Chuu's girl uniform with the top buttons unsnapped and her blonde hair was swept to the side and fashioned into a high ponytail.
Her skin was lightly tanned due to the sun Okinawa received and her skin glistened slightly from the light layer of sweat she had acquired due to the unbearable heat. The headmaster was right - she looked and acted like a delinquent.
She definitely would stick out like a sore thumb at Sonoda.
"You guys are supposed to be at practice." She said with indifference, crossing her arms as she tilted her head, narrowing her blue eyes at the three boys. "After all, we wouldn't want the boys' team to suffer such a humiliating defeat again."
Her face was sullen, which didn't match the air of superiority that hovered around her small frame. She raised an eyebrow, "Well? What are you waiting for? Get to practice!" The boy with the cap snorted and gritted his teeth while the other two quietly took their leave.
"Idiots." She murmured, shaking her head as the three departed to the tennis courts. She then turned her attention to the man. "Who the hell are you?" She asked bluntly, her eyes scanning him up and down.
Tanaka suddenly felt self-conscious over his attire and crossed his arms while the girl narrowed her eyes. He knew it was a mistake to wear such a formal attire during mid-summer, but the headmaster had insisted for him to wear the suit.
"I'm Tanaka Hitori - the assistant coach for Sonoda Gakuen." He removed a card from his breast pocket and handed it towards the young girl with a stiff bow. Although he had met several powerful tennis players as the assistant coach, he couldn't help but to feel a bit wary around the girl.
The girl accepted the business card with distain, a deep frown was etched on her lips as she briefly scanned his information. "Sonoda Gakuen, huh?" Tanaka nodded, unable to detect the obvious hostile environment around him.
She snorted, her lips curling into a smirk as she tore the business card into two. Tossing the object casually in the air, she dropped the smirk and glared at the man venomously. "I don't know why he's still sending out more people here, but I have no intention of attending that school." She snarled and turned on her heels.
Tanaka watched dumbfounded as the girl walked away from him without a word and dropped his gaze to the ground where his business card laid - tattered and useless. He clenched his fist, remembering the words the headmaster had advised him with earlier that day.
"Remember, Tanaka. The whole faith of Sonoda rests on this girl's shoulders. If you fail to recruit her, you will pay the consequences."
The pride of the school rested on her shoulders and all she could do was just walk away? Tanaka gritted his teeth, taking smooth determined strides over towards the girl. He had worked years to achieve the position of assistant coach and he wasn't about to let it all go to waste because of a delinquent.
"HEY! STOP RIGHT THERE!" Tanaka yelled out in a voice he didn't even know he had. It was so cold, so menacing, and so. .so filled with authority. The girl's steps faltered as his voice echoed throughout the empty school grounds. Finally, she turned around, an amused smirk hung lopsided on her lips as she crossed her arms.
"Oh? You are certainly have more guts than the other wimps my father sent out. ." She tapped her fingers against her forearm as she spoke. "What do you want, Tanaka Hitori?"
Tanaka swallowed the lump in his throat, "Please reconsider attending Sonoda Gakuen. We can help you enhance your abilities in tennis along with your reputation in the tennis world."
She snorted, "What can Sonoda teach me that I don't already know?" She paused, a malicious smirk forming on her lips. "However, I will consider attending the school my father so desperately wants me to attend. ."
Tanaka's eyes lit up with delight, only to be shot down with disappointment when she spoke again. "Get on your knees, Tanaka Hitori, and beg for me to attend your school."
A/N : No, this story is not plagiarized. I specifically contacted helpwhatiswrong and asked if I could take over her story. She agreed and gave me all creative liberties over her dropped story. Instead of continuing where her story left off, I decided to write a prequel to Love Me For Who I Am. I hope you enjoy this! Rate and review, please?
By the way, the only reason I kept using "she" and "that girl" when describing Hoshina Hikari in the story was because she hasn't been officially introduced to Tanaka, so he doesn't know her name yet.