The Envelope

Based on Chapter 251

I just had to write this out. It was just such an enthralling HiruMamo scene - I figured it deserved a little more 'depth.' :P

The locker room was quite silent when Mamori walked in. She saw him leaning against one row of lockers, chewing his gum and blowing bubbles as usual. He didn't look at her when she entered, but she knew that he was aware of her. There was little that Hiruma wasn't aware of.

"What is it?" she asked.

He said nothing at first, and kept his face turned away from her. She heard the pop of a gum bubble bursting. Then he turned and strode around her to the other side, before whipping out a white envelope seemingly from out of nowhere and holding it out to her in a gesture that was more order than offering.

She stared at it for a while before slowly reaching out for it.

"Hurry up and take it, damn manager."

There was a sort of spluttering sound from outside the locker room, and Mamori immediately guessed that the others were spying on them, but ignored the restrained and choked voices, as did Hiruma.

When she took the envelope from his fingers, he told her in a curt, crisp voice that those were the instructions for player changes.

"Open it when it comes to that," he said.

Mamori looked at the envelope, brows furrowed. She knew exactly what he meant. She took a controlled, deep breath before saying, "When it comes to 'that'? You mean when you're unconscious from serious injuries, don't you?"

The muffled whispers from outside suddenly went deathly quiet. For a few moments, all Mamori heard was the sound of her own breathing and Hiruma's.

"If you know already, don't ask me," he said.

She was vaguely surprised at his tone of voice. It wasn't a snapped order or sarcastic and sinister remark. It was a plain statement with an almost subdued inevitability to it. If you know already, don't ask me.

Did he really think he would be hurt, she wondered. Did he have no faith in his team? Did he have no faith in himself? He had made it through what seemed like almost impossible games before with them. But she couldn't recall ever seeing him this way before – so calmly resigned to his 'fate.'

She looked at the envelope again. Then she tore it up.

A collective gasp came from beyond the locker room doors.

Hiruma jumped at the ripping sound and looked at her – really looked at her – for the first time since she entered the locker room. And he was angry. She could see it in the flash of his eyes. Mamori didn't know if she was truly doing the right thing. It was probably strategically unsound to be throwing away a backup plan like that, but to just accept it was as good as admitting defeat, and admitting that she didn't believe in their abilities, that she didn't believe in his abilities.

She spoke before he could. "Stop making that kind of assumption."

He let out a bunch of expletives which Mamori chose to ignore, and she let the shredded pieces of paper fall to the floor.

"I know that I should be fired as a manager for doing this." She tried not to let her voice falter as the last piece fell from her hand. "But – but I've already ripped it up without reading it. That's why…" She raised her eyes to his face for a second, before turning and walking away so that the tears she felt coming wouldn't be seen. "That's why you definitely can't get a serious injury!"

-------------

When the door creaked shut behind Mamori, Hiruma glanced down at the scraps of paper on the floor. He kicked them, and the scraps fluttered around his feet.

Stupid manager… That wasn't the only thing in there.

He kicked at the scraps of paper again. It looked like he didn't have a choice anymore. He would have to stay alive and in one piece somehow. After all, now there was unfinished business with the stupid manager to settle.

The last part may seem a little vague, but I meant it that way. What else could be in there? HmmmMMMmmm... Heheh... I like the thought that perhaps there really was something more than just a game plan in there. It's just intriguing. :)

I hope you enjoyed reading that! (I feel rusty; haven't written anything proper in a while.)