Breakfast.
Atobe cooked.
Thinking about just bread, bacon, and sunny-side-up?
No. Atobe is more than that.
It's actually the most usual breakfast that his servants make for him. Burgundy stake. Who said Atobe can't cook his favorite food? Again, expect no less from the king.
It's about time we accept the fact that Atobe can cook, do the dishes, and can get really nice towards strangers if he wanted to.
The two of them are on the dining table sitting on the same spot they did the night before.
Atobe is already dressed for the day. He looked spick-and-span in his teal colored shirt worn under a dark blue wool sweater whose buttons were left open and a pair of blue denim pants. Needless to say, sell all the garments he's wearing and you might have the enough money to go aboard a cruise ship, exaggeration aside.
The girl, on the other hand, is still in Atobe's pajamas that the king lent him last night and looked slightly disheveled. Its not like she woke up late, she actually woke up earlier than Atobe but was hesitant to get out of the guest's room. The owner of the house is not even up yet. It'd not look good if she'd wander around the house while Atobe's still sleeping. She did not get out of the room for about an hour or two until Atobe knocked on her door telling her breakfast is ready. That's when she realized that it's just as embarrassing as getting out of the room early. She never intended to have Atobe call her for breakfast. Never.
It seems like that whatever the girl does, it'd feel awkward. All because of the following reasons: 1. She and Atobe were total strangers to each other. 2. Atobe helped her more than enough. She could easily return the favor if it was just about Atobe letting her get her bag that was thrown over his fence but, for Atobe to invite her in, treat her injured wrist, feed her dinner and stop her from travelling in the night without her money, provided he shelter for the night and even lent her some spare clothes. With that much, she cannot think of a way that's good enough to pay the king back. 3. Atobe is way too kind. She has heard many rumors about Atobe being all egocentric, narcissistic and the faintest one would be, Atobe being a lady killer among the wives in Osaka but none of these seem to be true, judging from the way Atobe treated her.
"You are leaving today, aahn?" Atobe was the one to start the conversation.
"Ah!" Thew girl jerked when she was snapped out of her thoughts by Atobe's question, "Yes. Yes I am. Thank you so much for everything!"
She sighed as got herself together before continuing, "Atobe-san, last night, I told you that with all the favor you gave me, I can't think of a way that's good enough to repay you..."
"Well, about that," Atobe said as he put down his teacup.
The girl blinked, suprised of Atobe's response. She was about to say that if he'd not mind, she'll come back after the vacation and bring him something probably a souvenir or a gift from her home in order to make up for the favors he gave her.
"I have a proposal." Atobe looked at the girl, "It's a way that's good enough to repay me. Let's have a deal..." Atobe stopped then continued "...you don't keep debts for long, right?"
The girl got nervous of that and at the same time, amazed by the fact that Atobe remembers one of the earliest words she said to him when they were still outside the house. Many possible scenarios crossed her mind like a tornado but she chose to suppress it, stayed calm so that she can face whatever is coming next with a right mind.
"I'll... I'll think of it," she tentatively responded.
"It's rather sudden for me to ask," Atobe began.
The girl kept keen attention to their conversation. If the proposal would be good, then she might actually consider it in order to repay Atobe for soonest possible she can.
"Last night, when you told me that you cannot think of a way that's good enough to repay me, I was actually waiting of you to say that you'd do anything but you never did. Because if you said those, then I won't have to put it this way," the girl found Atobe's intro rather ambiguous, making her focus more on every word that the king says.
"What is this deal then, Atobe-san?" the girl thinks that there's agony in waiting, so she just asked Atobe right away.
Now, be awed by Atobe's deal-making.
"Stay with me until the afternoon of the twenty-fourth of this month and I'll pay for the fastest possible way for you to be home for Christmas with your family.
The girl hesitated for a bit, trying to make the words sink deeper into her mind.
''Atobe-san..."
"Aahn?"
"Do you really like hurting yourself? I heard that you were an egoist but never a masochist, not in the sexual way though."
"Where are you getting at?"
"Atobe-san..." the girl sighed as she tried to find the right words to say to the king before him, "isn't it lonely enough to be on your own like you did yesterday?"
Atobe laughed.
"It is, right?" the girl somehow possessed the ability to cut Atobe's laughter.
"Why do you think I'm asking you to stay with me, aahn?" somehow, Atobe knew that the girl has read him, even if he's trying not to this is one of the reasons why he liked her company, as he didn't need to be very verbal of the things he wanted to be noticed.
"I see. So I'm right. But... seriously, Atobe-san to really ask someone to keep you company until the afternoon of the twenty-fourth... won't it be lonelier?"
"How so?"
"Let's say, I agreed to stay with you then leave you on the afternoon of the twenty-fourth, wouldn't it be the same as not having me at all? I mean, You will be left alone again. This time, for the Christmas Eve and Christmas day. It's like finding the end of a rainbow but with no pot of gold."
"So?"
"So? What good is there in having me stay with you until the afternoon of the twenty-fourth when you will still be alone on Christmas Eve and Christmas day?"
Atobe chuckled, "again, you are smarter than you look (last name) ,"
"Thank you,"
"Well, let's just say, being alone in Christmas Eve and Christmas day is far better than being alone for ten days."
"Atobe-san..." the girl gave out a light yet exasperated sigh. There's no way she can win an argument with this guy even if she's on the correct side.
Atobe looked at the girl with that undying smug look on his face.
"I like your company." is the reason that Atobe will never speak out loud and probably why he asked the girl into that deal.
"I assure you that you'd be home for Christmas Eve. Don't worry, the great me never breaks his words," that was Atobe's final bargain.
The girl sighed again, scratching her not-really-itchy nape.
"Deal."
Atobe was really happy but his face only showed a minute part of it. He just smiled and then continued eating his food.
"We're heading out after this." he said, now more comfortably, knowing that his visitor has agreed to stay with him. He knows that he's still doing her a favor and he's taking advantage of the fact that the girl is too grateful of him to say no.
"Eh? Where?" the girl thought that she might not finish her breakfast without choking, as she always gets shocked everytime Atobe starts a conversation. She should get used to it, she thought. She'll be living with Atobe for ten more days.
"I can't let you wear my clothes for ten days. That'd be so cheap of me."
"That's right... BUT! Atobe-san! I don't have the money to buy new clothes!"
"You really like wearing MY clothes, don't you?" that was the finishing attack from the king.
The girl thought about it. She borrowed Atobe's clothes last night and got really embarrassed doing so. If she'd continue wearing his clothes for ten days, it'd be too awkward in every sense. But on the other hand, she thinks that it would be just as embarrassing as having Atobe buy her clothes, even if Atobe knew how all her clothes were stolen yesterday. There really is no way around the bush if the bush is all around you.
"TO HELL WITH THOSE ROBBERS!" her inner banshee screamed inside her head.
"You're making my debt grow larger, Atobe-san. He he he..." she said uncomfortably.
"You are paying well, so it's fine," Atobe replied in that super arrogant (if that's how you'd put it) tone which made the girl blush.
Their breakfast ended like that. The girl is into some kind of a deal with Hyotei's Boys' Tennis Club's captain, Keigo Atobe and Atobe already found the reason to not call his servants back.
Atobe did the dishes after refusing the girl's help and telling her to just get ready for shopping instead.
It's ten in the morning and the two of them were on their way to the "mall" that Atobe said they were going to shop at.
"Atobe-san..." the girl said in a low yet nervous voice.
"Aahn?"
"How old were you again?" she turned to Atobe.
"Fifteen."
"And you can drive a Lexus?"
"I can also pilot a helicopter."
The girl let out a frustrated grunt. It seems like she's starting to loose that so formal and shy attitude towards the king now.
"That's not what I mean! DO YOU EVEN HAVE A LICENSE?" she tried to not shout the last sentence but her voiced rose it's volume in every word as she tightened her grip on the material of the seatbelt across her chest.
"I am Atobe Keigo."
That left the girl dangling on the cliff, frozen in a block of ice. He is Atobe Keigo. THE Atobe Keigo. Why did she even bother to ask? Of course, THE Atobe Keigo can do everything he wishes. He can drive every car he wants, fly every helicopter he wants, man every ship he wants, cook every dish he wants, wash every plate he wants, treat every broken wrist he wants, and ask every person to stay if he wants. After all, he is Atobe Keigo.
The door of the passenger's seat opened and a hand with a white glove reached out for her to take. By instinct and not fully aware of it, she took the hand and stepped out of the car.
When she got out, he saw Atobe standing outside the passenger's seat, talking to a man in maroon and gold uniform. Atobe gave the car keys to the man and the man got inside the car and drove away.
"Va- valet... parking? Valet parking!? Where are we?! Is this a hotel?" she asked frantically.
Atobe sighed, "this is a mall!"
"Ah? Is it? Then why the valet-"
"All the establishments owned by the Atobe Conglomerate have valet parking," Atobe said as he led the way.
"Good morning, Atobe-bocchama!" the guards said in unison as they stiffened more their already stiff posture.
"Right," the girl remembered, "he is Atobe Keigo. I will never get used to this. Not like I have to anyway."
"We'll get your clothes from here," Atobe told the girl after giving the guards the gesture that says he noticed them.
"From... here?" the girl's voice faded as she looked up the grand ceiling of the mall.
Everything is elegant, it seemed like a place that no commoner can enter. All shops bear the names of brands that no simple person can afford unless he saves a year's worth of money. Well, that was just an exaggeration. She actually meant a year's worth of her allowance.
"No..."
"Aahn?"
"No. I mean, no! No! No! Atobe-san! Are you even serious?! To actually shop here for my clothes?" The girl started to whine but tried to keep her voice low because she doesn't want to make a scene.
"How long do you intend to make me stay with you?! If staying with you for ten days pays for all the favor you gave me last night, just think of how long I would need to stay with you if we buy clothes here? No, Atobe-san. We are not buying anything here. I can't possibly pay you even if I stay with you for the rest of my life!" then again, one of her exaggerations.
"Will you?" Atobe said, not really meaning to provoke her.
The girl blushed, "that's why I don't want you to buy the clothes here, I said. I don't want to be indebted more to you, I said."
"Just get what you like so that we'll get this over with. The longer you keep on whining about not wanting to buy your clothe here, the longer we're going to be inside this mall. Don't worry about the expenses, I will not make you pay for days is ten days" Atobe said as he led the way, this time entering a store that bore an American brand.
The girl did not follow. She just stood outside.
"Atobe-san!"
"(Last name), are you going to enter, or not?"
"Not!"
"(Last name)!"
"No."
"Atobe-bocchama, what's the matter? Do you need help?" a saleslady approached Atobe.
"Could you please find the right clothes for her- Hey! (Last name)!" Atobe hurriedly went outside the shop when he saw the girl walking away fast from the shop.
Being the tennis player that he is, Atobe is also fast on his feet. So he caught up with her with no problem.
"Sorry, Atobe-san. But you can never make me choose anything from here. They're all expensive, it wouldn't take a genius to tell."
Being the tennis player that she also is, the girl was able to keep up her fast paced walking until she reached a random place in the mall that seemed to be a shop that specialized on making MTO stuffed toys.
"What's this place?" the girl muttered under her breath.
"Good morning maam!" the three salesladies greeted the girl which she gave a polite bow in response.
"You should have told me that you wanted stuffed animals," Atobe said as he reached where the girl is standing, patted her head with a heavy hand and pushed her into the store's direction.
"Atobe-bocchama! Good morning!" the salesladies were rather startled, to see Atobe come today, on a shop like theirs.
"N- no!"
"Cut the whining." Atobe said as they finally entered the shop.
Inside the shop are a wide array of stuffed animals displayed on stalls and hung on the walls. The counter had many clear books displayed, which the girl assumed to be catalogs of the stuff they sell.
"We-we-we have a contest for this week, sir,' one of the salesladies nervously began. It's not everyday THE Atobe Keigo enters a shop like their's. Not like he ever does.
"Aahn? And that contest would be?"
"The customers are allowed to design a stuffed toy which will be made according to their instructions. It will be displayed on that rack over there," the saleslady pointed to the rack in front of the counter. It already has four entries, which are all cute, if the girl would describe them, "customers and even non customers will be allowed to vote for the stuffed toy which they like most. The winning design will be included for the company's next line stuffed animal designs. The naming right will also be given to the designer. The winner will be announced six days from now."
"Aahn... (Last name)! Join on my behalf!" Atobe demanded like a kid.
"EEEEH?! Me?! No- no way!" the girl started retreating but was caught by the collar by Atobe.
"It's the least you can do for me today, you see. You refused to choose any clothes, now you're also refusing to design a stuffed toy? You are rather cruel, aren't you?" Atobe taunted.
"Are you really that determined to join it?" the girl said, trying to "softly" retaliate.
"Yes." Atobe replied nonchalantly.
"I wasn't expecting to hear that." the girl murmured, "Then why don't YOU join?"
"Because I'd win for sure. That'd be boring."
"And you think I'd lose?" the girl replied, voice brimming with sarcasm.
"You have the tendency that I don't."
Veins popped on the girl's head with that reply.
"Fine!"
"Register her please." Atobe said to the saleslady as he laughed inside his brain.
"This way maam, please." the same saleslady escorted the girl to the counter. She gave her a sketch pad, a pencil, eraser and coloring materials. She then led her to a desk on the corner of the shop and left her there to begin with her design.
"To actually make me do something this abrupt, what a guy," she said in her mind as she looked at Atobe who's sitting at a chair adjacent to her desk, probably where the customers are made to sit when they are waiting for their stuffed toys being made.
The girl stared at the blank paper as she tried to think of an inspiration. She thinks that she can't possibly compete with those entries that were already displayed. They're all too cute. She considered listing all their attributes that made them cute and came up with a sketch that exceeded all those features but she didn't find the design attractive at all. It's pretty obvious that the reason why she came up with the design is to beat those four in every aspect that they're "good" at.
"If it doesn't even please me, how would it even please others?" she muttered under her breath as she tore off the design that she first made.
"And you should put my pleasure into consideration too. You joined in my behalf after all," Atobe said as he snatched away the page that was taken from the sketchpad.
He got rather impressed on the illustration that he saw. There were two white rabbits. One obviously a male and the other a female. The female rabbit is wearing a green checkered dress that had a voluminous layered skirt, a red ribbon on it's right ear and is holding a red box that had a yellow bow above it-a present. The male rabbit wore brown pants, a white dress shirt worn under a vest of the same material as the female rabbits' dress and wears spectacles and is holding a carrot that has a bow tied on it.. The male rabbit reminds Atobe of a gentleman.
"It's beautiful," Atobe did not say this part loud, "why are you discarding this?" Atobe asked, pointing the paper to the girl.
"It's made out of the reason to outstage the four other entries. One look, that design is beautiful. But putting the finished products on that rack will prove it's unhealthy reason of creation. Ha ha ha you might not get it, but that's how I feel." she replied without meeting Atobe's eyes.
"Atobe-san..."
"Aahn? Need help?"
"If I could ask, I should have asked you before I began. Only one person can make a design. Sign up if you want to design too."
"You'd absolutely lose if I'd join."
"Sorry for not being as great as you."
"Forgiven."
The girl dumped her face on the sketch pad on the desk, "how can he be so nonchalant?"
Now she understands why word always had it that Keigo Atobe had the ego and arrogance that's about the size of the universe. Pretty small for that matter, the thinks. But she feels that even with that, they are still wrong. She still believes that Atobe isn't as bad as the rumors say.
"I'll be back. Wait for me here when you're done, aahn?"
"Haaaai..." the girl did not even bother to lift up her head to see Atobe leave. When she did, Atobe is not anywhere in her sight anymore.
Atobe is somewhere in the mall's lobby, talking to someone on the phone.
"Hello? Atobe, you called? Do you need anything?" a teammate's voice spoke from the other end of the line.
"Gakuto, I need you to do something," Atobe's voice is rather authoritative, well, it's always like that. But it's safe to say that Tezuka's held more authority. It took the person he's talking to by surprise.
"What is it?"
It's been an hour and a half but the girl has yet to come up with a design. She even decided to just go on with the two rabbits which she made first but she found out that the first design she made is nowhere to be found.
"Maybe the staff picked it up together with the other scratch papers," she thought. It's possible. She's used too much paper already and her scratches are all over her desk and one of the shop's staff already threw them away for her in order to make more space for her to work on.
She let out a loud sigh.
"It's really tough working without an idea or inspiration in this matter," she turned to look at the four entries that were on the display, they are all very cute, she felt like surrendering there and now, even if it's her first time.
"If only Atobe-san did not force me to join..."
"Ma'am?" one saleslady asked from the counter.
"Y-yes?" she turned to see the person calling her, "is my time over already?"
"There's no time limit in making the designs maam, please take your time," the lady in the counter smiled kindly at her.
"Oh, that's good to hear," really, it's good to hear for her. For her, it'd be a shame if she lost by "default".
To her, losing comes in three levels. The honorable one, losing after trying hard; the disgraceful one, forfeiting without pushing one's ability to the limit; and the shameful one, losing without even having the chance to try, losing by default. Though, it must be noted that she's from Rikkai, it's safe to say she hates to lose.
Tennis players on the middle school circuit sure are something else.
''Maam, wold you mind if I asked you a question?" the lady in the counter continued from where she started.
"Ah? Sure, go ahead. What is it?"
"Are you, by any chance, Atobe-bochamma's girlfriend?"
The girl blinked twice after hearing the question, laughed a bit and replied: "I'm not."
"Oh. But..."
"Please don't get it wrong," the girl said politely, "we are just returning favors. It seems like both of us hate to keep debts unpaid for long."
Whether the saleslady got the point of that or not, she just bowed politely back at the girl and left her to continue with her work.
"Now, going back. Where was I again?" asked herself.
"Oh, shit, I'm still at nowhere," her inner banshee screamed in frustration when she realized that it's going to be two hours twenty minutes from now and she has yet to come up with any design.
"Atobe-saaaaaan..." She dropped her head on the sketch pad.
Then the idea crossed her head.
She smiled as she realized the image in her mind.
"Nice one," she murmured as she drew on the sketch pad her entry which involved a rabbit figure and some gray colored pencils. After she made the design, she was asked to choose the materials that would be used in making the stuffed toys. She has no idea on the materials so one of the staff sat with her and helped her choose from their catalogs.
It took her about another forty minutes to finish her "masterpiece" and gave it to the lady on the counter.
"I'm done!" she said happily as she approached the counter.
"Thank you for the hardwork, maam. We'll have this design made today and it should be displayed by afternoon around two p.m. We'll call you for for the announcement of winners on the 21st of December,"
"Uhm, how are you going to contact me?" seriously, she didn't even write her name on the design nor fill out any registration.
The lady on the counter showed her HER registration form that Atobe filled out for her. She read all of it's contents only to find out that it was only her name that belonged to her there. The home address, e-mail address and other contact information were all not hers but she was smart enough to know that those might be Atobe's.
The girl just nodded. She's not excited to win anyway so there's really no need to make a fuss over that. She just made the design without even thinking of the competition. After all, it was Atobe who wanted to join the contest, not her.
"I can't leave yet... Atobe-san told me that he'll be back." she said in her mind. "Uhm, Can I stay here for a while? I need to wait for Atobe-san," she asked the lady on the counter, hoping that she'd let her stay.
"Sure maam." the lady in the counter replied shortly and left maybe to deliver her design to whoever who will make it behind the closed door at the corner.
She went back to the desk where she was previously working and waited there, spending her time looking at the beautiful fluffy creations that filled the shop.
"Come to think of it... where could Atobe-san be?" she questioned herself.
"Gakuto, let's go to the sportswear department. This is the last stop," Atobe said as he led the way, Gakuto trailing behind him, both hands full of shopping bags.
"What?! Just when I thought we're done! Why the sportswear? I thought we'd only shop for HER clothes?" Gakuto knew who he was talking about, Atobe told him about his interesting visitor.
Apparently, since the girl won't choose any clothing article from the mall, Atobe took the initiative himself to shop for her clothes, with Gakuto's "special" help of course. The day will never end if he'd force her to choose what to buy as it became clear to him that no matter how he'd ask her to just choose her preferred clothes and tell her not to worry about the expenses, that girl would be just so adamant about not making Atobe spend anything for her. Atobe on the other hand won't back down with his offer, they will never leave the mall unless they have what they came there for.
"It's still for her. She's a tennis player." Atobe repleied to Gakuto, who was at a nearby bench, dropping the shopping bags so he can "help" Atobe like how he does this whole time.
"A tennis dress?" Gakuto said as he joined Atobe who's standing before the display of branded sports clothing.
"How does the uniform of Rikkai Dai girls' tennis club look like?" Atobe replied, eyeing the garments.
"They wore shirts and skorts. Same bumblebee color scheme though," Gakuto replied. It took him a few seconds to add, "don't tell me you haven't seen Rikkai's girls' tennis club play yet?"
"I don't leave the courtside during tournaments just in case you guys fuck up the games, I'd be there to grace you with my presence," that was rather harsh but it was only meant to say that unlike the other regulars who can roam around the area when it's not yet their match, Atobe needs to stay on the courtside until the last match because it's what captains are supposed to do. Because of that, he has yet to see any of the girls' tennis matches, even for Hyotei's girl's tennis club team, since they are held on a different court but during the same time as the boys'.
"At least you know that Hyotei's got a girls' tennis club too, right?" Gakuto tried to check if Atobe knows about that.
"What do you think, aaahn?"
The aaaahn part scared Gakuto because Atobe made it sound like he's annoyed. Not like Gakuto is ever afraid of Atobe except when they are in court but right now, he can't just get into bad terms with him, specially now that he's "helping" him shop.
A salesman approached Atobe and Gakuto. Atobe pointed to three types of articles, the first one being a short-sleeved, royal blue-colored tennis dress, the other a skirt-and-shirt pair with white skirt and red jersey shirt and the last one, a shorts-and-shirt pair with black shorts and a yellow shirt, the color scheme of Rikkai. He also included a pair of white wristbands and socks.
"Do your job, Gakuto." Atobe ordered as he sat on the bench where Gakuto left the shopping bags.
"You've shortened my lifespan by ten years in just a matter of two hours, Atobe."
"At least it's a life well-wasted."
What's Gakuto's job anyway?
Atobe called Gakuto not to become his baggage carrier. But while he's there, Atobe made him one too. but Gakuto's real job is, to fit the clothes in the girl's stead. Yes. For two hours now, Gakuto has been fitting into blouses, skinny jeans, shirts, shorts, coats, sweaters, pajamas, and now, tennis jerseys that are all for girls'. He regretted coming there but it's too late to turn back now.
Atobe resorted to asking for Gakuto's help since his visitor just won't cooperate. He grabbed the chance while she's still at the stuffed toy shop, busy with her design. But right now, he's wondering if she's done. He checked his watch and found that it's already twelve noon, he should get back to her as soon as possible.
"As soon as possible?" Atobe repeated the last thought his mind had and shook his head.
"Atobe, you better be feeding me this lunch! How about this!?" Gakuto said as he stepped out of the fitting room, wearing the royal blue tennis dress. If not for his girly features, he would become the laughing stock of everyone around them.
Well, everyone's just thinking like, he's Atobe's tomboyish girlfriend and now their shopping for some real girl's clothes. Not bad.
"She's about your size. You judge it. I have great taste, so the design would surely suit her. I'm leaving the sizes to you. And while you're at it, I'll look for her shoes,"
"Mind you, except for the tennis outfits and footwear, it was me who chose all that's inside those bags," Gakuto pointed out, as a matter of fact.
"You have a sister, at least you have an idea on how girls choose their clothing."
"And you don't?"
"I'm the only Atobe heir."
"That's not really needed."
"You are around (Last name)'s size. Anything else you want to say?" Atobe left for the footwear section.
"Why does he care so much for a girl she only met last night?" Gakuto murmured
It's safe to say that Atobe did not tell him everything.
"Twelve-thirty but Atobe-san's still not here," the girl sighed. She regretted why she returned the sketchbook right away, she could have killed her time doodling.
Feeling that she's being a bother to the shop, she decided that she should leave and just wait for Atobe somewhere near the shop but not inside it anymore.
"Uhm... I'm leaving. Thank you for letting me stay," she said as she bowed and took her leave after the staff thanked her for coming.
She went out of the shop, sighing. She pinched the bridge of her nose because it's been feeling uncomfortable due to the scent of the shop that she cannot understand. While she's walking, she bumped into somebody.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she apologized while repeatedly bowing.
Yes, it's Atobe.
"Why are you outside?" Atobe asked her. The girl rose up when she realized that it was Atobe and not someone else.
"I thought I was being a bother to the shop to actually stay there for two hours. They're not a daycare center or anything alike, you know?" she replied.
"Atobe! Would you at least help me with these?" Gakuto entered the scene.
"Atobe-san, you should have told me that you'd be out for a date, I would have just stayed inside the shop longer. Besides, why did you even take me here when you actually have a date?" the girl told Atobe when she saw Gakuto's effeminate features.
"I will never go out on a date with Gakuto even if he becomes a girl," Atobe replied but it seemed more like a statement directed to Gakuto who's now having a hard time keeping his shoulders up from all the shopping bags on both hands.
"Yah, so much to hear from the one who actually asked me to come here," Gakuto rolled his eyes at Atobe, "Hi, I'm Gakuto Mukahi, third year, Hyotei regular. Nice to meet you," his tone was friendly when it came to the girl though. A "you don't really need to brag out your regular spot at a time like this" can be heard in the background, courtesy of Atobe.
"Ah! I'm (Last name, First name), nice to meet you too!" the girl returned the pleasantries.
"(Last name)? As in... (Last name, First name)?! The captain of Rikkai Dai's girl's tennis team?" Gakuto's jaw dropped together with the shopping bags. He just met someone who carries a heavy title in the court that Atobe never ventured before.
The girl smiled uncomfortably, "Y-yes."
"The Phoenix! Oh my gawd! The captain that was nicknamed the Phoenix! It's you!" Gakuto excitedly spoke as he jumped excitedly in place. It should be fine to get all fanboyish in meeting another school's girls' tennis team captain, they won't meet in the competing courts anyway. It should be fine, even Jirou fanboys over Marui Bunta.
"Phoenix?" Atobe said, more like questioned, as he looked at the girl who's now laughing more uncomfortably, "you didn't tell me that you are the captain of Rikkai's girl's tennis club."
"I... didn't... see... the need to...? Ehehe..."
"This year's champion in the nationals, girls' division. They were able to defend the champion's title for the fourth time!" Gakuto excitedly announced before adding "unlike their boys' team. No offense, Phoenix-san."
"No offense taken. Please don't call me that," the girl timidly responded to Gakuto.
"Hyotei's girls lost to you though," Gakuto continued.
"They were all tough. They played really well."
"Whatever, it's already noon, we'll eat lunch, let's go," Atobe tried to not get affected by the sudden revelation because it shouldn't affect him in the first place.
But it did. He just tries to set it aside by convincing himself that it's a trivial matter. His mind though, keeps on betraying him.
"How about me?" Gakuto beamed, finally it's lunch time and Atobe's paying
Gakuto knows it's surely going to be on a restaurant that's above three star class, that's if Atobe ever eats on three-star restaurants. Even Hyotei's cafeteria became a five-star restaurant upon Atobe's arrival in the school. And also, of course, his chefs are all but world-class
"You asked to be fed, right?"
"You didn't have to put it that way." Gakuto muttered. Anyhow, he went with them.
As Gakuto expected, they ate on a five-star restaurant. After their lunch, Atobe dropped Gakuto home. On their way, Atobe remembered the injury on the girl's left wrist. He ended up driving to the hospital first. The girl protested all along, saying that her wrist is fine and it's not really a big deal at all and that they should just go straight to the mansion. Her protests were left unheard by an Atobe who's made up his mind that she should see a doctor because he said so. They did not take long there though. The doctor said it wasn't anything serious nor fatal and her wrist should be in top condition in four days at most.
It's already two in the afternoon when Atobe and the girl reached the Atobe mansion.
Unlike Gakuto, Atobe carried all the shopping bags with ease. The girl on the other hand, cannot help but wonder what's inside those bags.
"I want you to fit all these clothes when get inside."
The girl took about five seconds to let every word sink in.
"EEEEEH? You- you- you bought me clothes?!" turned around, wide-eyed at Atobe who in return almost stumbled at her sudden halt.
"What did we came to the mall for by the way?"
"Clothes...? But! But! Bu-"
"You are unexpectedly uncooperative, I wonder if you ever play doubles."
"Sometimes. But that's not the case!" the girl's cheeks became like a video display unit of blush, as her face rapidly turned red. In HD.
"So what's the case?"
"It's-"
"Just get inside. It's getting cold. We'll head straight to your room." Atobe walked past her.
The girl was at loss of words. Atobe did so much for her last night, now he's already is doing too much for her. Now she's back to wondering if there's anything she can do or give him after their ten-day deal. She sighed. There's no way that staying with him for ten days would be enough, according to her conscience at least. Plus, her heart is still heavy on the thought of ending the deal on the afternoon of the twenty-fourth. She finds the end just too cruel and unfair.
"Atobe-san is making this hard for me," she muttered under her breath.
The snow began to fall harder so she ran to the mansion and entered. Atobe has gone inside ahead of her and he's nowhere downstairs anymore. She went straight to the guest room. When she got there, the door is open which means Atobe is already there. When she entered, The shopping bags were all over the bed with Atobe sitting on the chair of the study table that's beside the bed. Its just then when she realized that there were around twenty or more shopping bags, each bearing a name of a brand, some she's familiar with, some she's never heard before. Now she wished that she never knew all of them, as all the brands that she's familiar with are brands that are known to be very expensive.
"Atobe-san..." she said as her weight shut the door behind her when she rested her back on it.
"Just try them on. We can't return them to the stores now. Even if you'd do, they'll not give you any refund." Atobe said as he crossed his legs.
The girl went to where Atobe is sitting and sat on the bed facing him. She had to look up to him, since the bed is lower than the chair. Atobe looked back at her, anticipating another round of thank yous and "I don't know how to pay you anymores"
But this girl always kept on surprising him.
"Atobe-san. Thank you so much. I just realized that one way to actually express my gratefulness to you is to appreciate the things that you do for me. You've given me everything I needed, no, more than I needed even without asking for it." that took Atobe by surprise, he felt weird inside, he felt warm, but he doesn't know where exactly. His heart is racing, but it's different from the ones he have when he's into vigorous training in tennis.
Unknowingly, Atobe smiled at the girl, which the girl returned immediately.
"Try them all on now so that we can still change the sizes if they don't fit you well. I made Gakuto fit them all in your stead since you were uncooperative," well, Atobe sure knows how to destroy moments.
"Okay!" the girl stood up immediately and started her way to the opposite side of the bed.
She picked up one shopping bag, smiled again at Atobe and said, "thank you, Atobe-san."
When she left for the bathroom to try on whatever is inside the bag, Atobe dropped his head back, covered his eyes with his palm and smiled, "God really answered my prayer. He even gave me more than what I needed... I guess."
Atobe was unsure. And mind you, THE Keigo Atobe never gets unsure.
The girl came out of the bathroom wearing a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, a yellow cotton shirt that had green buttefly foil prints on it it's right side worn under a white cardigan.
"Atobe-san, it's lovely!" the girl didn't move so much but it was enough to show Atobe how she looked like in those clothes.
"It is," Atobe nodded and smiled, "on you."
He chose not to say the latter part.
This went on for a few more times. The girl had a variety of clothes, which she thinks is way too much for ten days. She did not tell Atobe that though, as she decided to appreciate all forms of Atobe's help rather than go on refusing them as it became clear to her that there's no stopping Atobe when he says something's so. But the whole time did not pass by without her occasional "thank you's" to the king who's now unconsciously enjoying himself in the girl's company.
All the clothes were tried on and Atobe's judgement was right, the girl and Gakuto had the same body size as the clothes all fitted her well as if she was the one who tried them back at the mall. Calling Gakuto was not a bad idea after all but he's not saying that to the flying acrobat.
All clothes, well, except for the ones in the Addidas paper bag.
"I suppose those are yours, Atobe-san..." she pointed to the white paper bag that remained untouched on the edge of the bed. She went back to sitting on the side of the bed where Atobe is.
"No, those are yours."
"Sports clothing?"
"You are a tennis player, aahn?"
"I am."
"And your tennis bag was stolen."
"Yes?"
"And your other bags too."
"Yes...?"
"And the bag that was left for you contained no clothes,"
"Well, they're all undies, toiletries and cellphone charger," her mind replied. She just smiled sheepishly at Atobe.
"You can't possibly play me when you don't have a jersey, right?"
"Play... you? We're playing?"
"One of these days, we will."
The girl's face lit up upon hearing that. It already depressed her when her belongings were stolen but it depressed her more that her tennis stuff were also taken along.
"Atobe-san..."
Atobe looked at her. He's getting used to being called "Atobe-san..." like that. Before he was even able to fully look at her, two arms were thrown over his neck in an abrupt hug. Abrupt because the girl let go of him right away.
"Thank you so much!"
This time, Atobe wasn't able to keep all of his cool as his blood betrayed him big time by rushing to his face, staining his cheeks a light shade of pink.
The hug left Atobe suspended in the moment because he was speechless. And mind you again, THE Keigo Atobe never goes speechless.
"Ah! That's right!" the girl stood up and got her bag from the floor beside the study table and started to slowly rummage through it, careful to not let Atobe see what's inside it. Her undies.
"What's it this time?" Atobe asked, snapping out of the suspension.
"Hmmm, it's nothing much really because I know you can have something that's a little better than these but..." the girl took out a green, rectangular gift box about the size of a textbook from her bag and handed it to Atobe.
"What's inside this?"
"A gift," the girl replied, "truth be told, it's initially a gift for my cousin's friend back at home. But it's yours now. Please take it."
"Thank you," those words was Atobe's affirmation of acceptance.
However it's put, Atobe accepted it too fast.
The girl looked expectant at Atobe.
"What?" Atobe asked.
"Are you being shy and not going to open it?"
Atobe let out a sigh and opened the box. He stared at its contents for a few seconds before he spoke.
"You made this?"
"Yep! Are they good enough? They're hand-knitted. I learned knitting from an elective class."
Atobe did not respond to that. Instead, he touched the material of the item and looked at the girl.
"Thank you," Atobe smiled, he stood up and chose to get out of the girl's sight before his blood would betray him again.
He closed the door of the girl's room and went straight to his own room. He sprawled himself all over his bed and opened the gift box again, this time, taking out it's contents. It's the first time he's ever received something handmade. He appreciates it very much even if it's originally not for him.
"I will wear these someday," he said as he tried if they fitted.
And they did.
They fitted him perfectly, the two purple gloves.
a/n
I am 95% sure that I won't finish this fic in time for December 25th, nor any day in December. I have exams this week. Exams=study=can't write=can't update=can't finish on time. And the week after, I have two photoshoots to do with my friend. Photoshoots=prepare=can't write=can't update=can't finish on time. And on the remaining days, I will be out of town with my group of friends for an two-day outing. Still, Outing=planning and all=can't write=can't update=can't finish on time. Plus, I don't think I can post anything there, I doubt if there's internet on the place we're staying. Also, I need to update my SnK fic that's been on a very long hiatus now. Anyhow, I so am the hiatus type of person but never the type to leave it incomplete forever.
Well, about the Atobe being a lady killer among the wives in Osaka, I read that somewhere, maybe on wikia. I don't know how true was that but it's funny. But yeah, I don't thinks that's true in any way.
I might have used some unclear stuff here. Nevermind the review, you can pm me to get them cleared.
