Author's note: Hm…interesting that there are a number of Yukimura lovers in a fic tagged 'Hyoutei', haha. However, the plot I've developed is meant for Hyoutei…and that is something that won't change on a whim.

To Savage Kill: You're likely one of those readers who would enjoy reading a fic the second time, after it's been completed. I hope you'll do that for this story, as well ;)

February 16th

Sunday.

It was a day she would have slept in on, if it weren't for the text alerts coming in on her…club phone.

Shizuka squinted at the screen.

(Come out.)

Uncomprehending, she rechecked the time of reception.

Sunday, February 16, 9:42 AM

Approximately three minutes ago.

Sighing at her luck, Kagami Shizuka texted back, 'Your message went to the wrong number.'

It wasn't even a minute later that her cellphone rang very unexpectedly, and very adamantly.

"…Yes, Captain?" Shizuka asked as she threw the covers off, getting up.

A rather affronted "Ahn?" answered her. "Oi! Are you backing out on our arrangement?"

"Please elaborate," Shizuka said. She did a double take. "What do you mean by 'come out'?"

She opened her apartment door, looking out beyond the balcony.

Lo and behold, parked in the street before her apartment building was the shiny black form of a limousine.

She shut the door.

"…Is that your vehicle?"

"—For goodness' sake, what's with the foolish questions, ahn? Can't you just come obediently when someone's here to pick you up?"

"Today's a bad day," Shizuka said.

"I'll give you fifteen minutes. –Click—"

…

Her next door neighbour was getting some fresh air for the infant in her arms, when Shizuka went out some fifteen minutes later.

"…Shizuka-chan…" the woman asked skeptically, looking away from the balcony "…did you get into trouble with loan sharks, or something? The other day, too, there were these two men looking for you. They were foreigners."

"No…that's…." Shizuka trialed off when her neighbour passed her a thick, embossed card.

"Asked me to pass this on to you, and to contact them if you know what this means." On its surface was the gold and blue insignia she knew so well.

What the…have they thought she would willingly contact them first? Or…have they moved on to other suspects?

"Looks like a serious matter," the girl's neighbour remarked. However, the woman didn't pry. It was like an unspoken agreement that none of the tenants there talked about their background…unless it was volunteered. "Take good care of yourself, dear."

Crushing the piece of cardstock in her hand, and stuffing it into her pocket, Shizuka thanked the woman.

She made her way down to the parked limousine, a sight that was drawing many curious gazes behind the curtains because it did not belong to this side of town.

"My apologies for the wait," Shizuka said upon getting in.

Atobe Keigo was dressed in smart casual clothing: a mauve collared shirt and unbuttoned white blazer jacket, fitted black pants, and leather bracelets adorning his right wrist.

It wasn't the first time she thought so, but he must be one of the very few who could look good with this style.

However, the first thing Shizuka said was to ask, "Where is Kabaji-kun?" And…where were the rest of the regulars? Huh…did he come to pick her up first?

"Ahn?" Atobe answered drawlingly, as though she had just asked him another ridiculous question, "Ma. It's just the two of us. Of course."

She reached for the door. Yeah. No way she was going anywhere with this guy if Kabaji wasn't there to keep him in check.

Only to find that the door was locked because the vehicle had started moving.

…

She leaned back into her seat, crossing her arms.

"…Will you care to explain what this is about?"

"For goodness' sake." It must be Atobe Keigo's unique power to make something absurd sound like it was obvious as daylight. "Have you already forgotten that we made an arrangement yesterday?"

…

Shizuka started, "I don't recall something like-"

—Before chemistry class started, yesterday morning:

Their female classmates have crowded their counter.

Normally, Atobe Keigo gave off an unapproachable air, as someone whom the girls wouldn't dare monopolize unless he deigned to give them hope.

Of which he gave an abundance by graciously accepting all of their gifts on Valentine's Day.

…Just because she was his club manager didn't mean he had the right to drag her into his personal matters. But, when he had conjured up the excuse of 'Ill timing, little kittens. Ahn, my club manager has committed me to a prior arrangement tomorrow.'

She had turned her head to slant a look at him at that point. Atobe had quirked a shapely eyebrow, and had given her a very meaningful look in reply. 'You. Work with me here.'

'Ah, right. Something like that might have happened,' she remembered having said in monotone.

Snapping back to the present, Kagami Shizuka began, "Wait a minute, that-"

"We're going on a date." Said in complete, uncompromising confidence.

…

Deciding things on his own, as usual.

Ho…?

Wasn't she unnecessarily tense?

Atobe glanced sidelong at her profile view as she kept her eyes on the performance.

An average person may not be able to tell, especially under this dim lighting, but his female companion's mind was preoccupied with something else.

He made a mental note to himself. What good was a circus performance if it were unable to provide temporary reprieve from worldly troubles? He was going to give them a failing grade.

"Oi. That's enough," Atobe said aloud, coming to his decision. "If you're not going to be enjoying this, we might as well-"

The girl shot up abruptly as several startled shrieks pierced the air. "Ah-!"

For a moment, time had paused in its tracks. One of the hidden pulleys suspending the star acrobat had suddenly snapped, causing the performer to drop alarmingly before being caught by the safety mechanism in place. At present, the danger had passed-

"Oi, Shizuka!?" Atobe demanded with eyes wide, grabbing to steady her as she staggered dangerously and slipped back down to her seat. She covered her eyes with one hand.

Her entire posture was screaming out distress. "Shizuka!"

Quiet.

She just needed a moment.

…Long moment.

Breathe.

"I'm fine…" she murmured as he laid her down on the settee they have been occupying. "Just dizzy…" It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling, particularly on a high anxiety day like this, and she had even skipped breakfast-…

His warm fingers slipped between hers, and the seat dipped beside her where he sat himself down, crossing his long legs.

…Atobe?

Shizuka drew away her hand that was shielding her eyes. Her gaze went to her right hand, intertwined with his left. She gazed up at the well-defined contours of his face that was turned aside from her. The guy said nothing, facing forward, and provided his prominent presence that was strangely reassuring...

…Was it because she was gazing at him from this angle…? Shizuka wondered. Right now…he was giving off a patient and mature air.

"Sorry…" she said. What was that phrase he often used to describe her? "…I'm really a handful, aren't I?" Really…this was an embarrassment.

"Ahn," Atobe affirmed, more so to himself. His deep blue gaze was kept introspectively ahead. "Makes me want to protect you."

…Shizuka peered up at him silently.

She could have sworn he said something embarrassing just now.

"A-Atobe-sama!"

The event manager and the circus ringmaster rushed over to him, bowing profusely.

A tightening of his jaw. Ahn, they were really in for it, now.

"Event Manager and Ringmaster," said Atobe. "I hope you are prepared to face the consequences of allowing something like this to happen on your watch."

"Humblest apologies, Atobe-sama! It was an honest accident, we assure you that a thorough-"

"Silence!" To think that they have the nerve to come up with excuses. Just who did they take him for? "What would you have done if this had occurred before an actual audience, ahn?"

At present, the only judges were him and the girl next to him. It was the pre-launch evaluation of this particular attraction for the amusement park. He had thought she might be interested, seeing that Gakuto's acrobatic play had always fascinated her, but to think it would turn out like this.

Anyone who had had the honour to do business with him knew that he was generous where real talent and abilities were concerned, and merciless where mistakes were inexcusable.

"Your skills are unfit to operate under the Atobe name," Atobe told them, plainly and professionally curt. "As of this moment in time, our contract is terminated. Take your business else-" He was made aware of a light squeezing on his hand.

He glanced down at the girl from the corners of his eyes. She was staring silently at the ceiling, but where her thoughts were was obvious to him.

"Your acrobat," the girl said during the interruption. "Is she alright?"

The ringmaster was surprised to be addressed. "Y-Yes," he hastily replied, "received a slight shock, is all, my lady." He didn't know which corporation's princess she was, but it was safe to address her with respect.

Her gaze met up at Atobe's.

'The performers have already received quite a shock. Are you going to punish all of them, even though it could have been a pure accident?'

That question he could read from the depths of her eyes.

"For goodness' sake." Just like her to pin that expectation onto him. He best not let her get used to this. "Ma." Atobe Keigo looked to the two men, deciding, "We'll talk later." He dismissed them with a curt nod, before uncrossing his legs and rising from the settee.

"Oi," Atobe said to the girl who was lying down. "Are you still too traumatized to stand?" he asked, arching an eyebrow in challenge. She raised an eyebrow in return, though for a different reason.

"If you still cannot stand," he leaned over arrogantly, saying after a deliberate pause, "I'll carry you."

…

She got to her feet shortly after that.

Shizuka munched on the pieces of the fruitcake she was taking apart with her fork.

Atobe waved a café waitress over to him, saying something to her before dismissing her.

Huh…

"Are you ordering even more?" Shizuka questioned worriedly. It was already impossible for her to finish all the various types of desserts laid out before her.

"Ahn?" Atobe leaned back with arms folded, saying as a matter of course, "Since you're here, of course you need to sample all the new menu items. It's why I brought you here."

Which is fine and well, if he wanted outsider opinion on his café's creations, but… "How come you can't just sample for yourself…?" Shizuka asked blandly.

He gave a click of his tongue, then drawled in response, "I'm not the one who nearly passed out earlier."

…That was only because he dragged her out before she had the chance to raise her blood sugar in the morning. Shizuka went back to eating.

…Did he not realize how awkward it was for her to eat normally when he was just staring?

"Captain…" Shizuka found herself wondering aloud "…why have you decided on me being your companion today?"

That, coupled with his surprisingly considerate behaviour towards her today…it was almost suspicious. She dared to form an assumption.

"Ho…?" Atobe arched a quizzical eyebrow, placing a white-sleeved elbow atop the table. "You have complaints? Hmph." He flicked his fingers through his dark bangs, high and mighty. "Ore-sama has no shortage of girls who are willing to bask in his glorious presence, ahn? Shouldn't you at least feel grateful-"

"I want us to get closer." Shizuka propped an elbow up on the table, gazing at him. "I want us to be better friends." She raised a cool eyebrow at him. "…Can't you say it cutely like that…?"

"Ahn!?" Atobe's face took on a scandalized expression, his blue eyes flashing. "O-Oi! Why does someone like Ore-sama-"

"No…?" Shizuka rested her chin atop the base of her palm. "I guess it's just me, then…"

The sinews in his neck worked. He settled for leaning his mouth against his fist, gazing out the window beside them.

For the next while, Atobe was silent. It was never a good sign when he was silent.

Um…at least she could continue eating without him watching.

Not that she could force in much more. She laid down her fork. At which point he glanced at her. "You're done?"

"Yeah," she replied, reaching for her drink.

"Then shall we get going…? Shizuka."

She stared at him, straw in hand.

Again, a quizzical eyebrow was arched in response. Atobe asked in a rhetorical drawl, "Ahn? Is there a reason why I can't address you by your first name?"

"No…but…?" Shizuka hesitated. For some reason it was giving her a…what was it…uneasy feeling? The way he had said it. "Can't you say it in a firmer way?"

Atobe arched a long regal eyebrow, but he obliged. "Shizuka."

…Now he sounded like how her father had whenever he got called into her principal's office.

It was 2:10 in the afternoon when they left the café, one of the park's many.

"Is there any place you want to visit before we leave?" Atobe forestalled her decision by asking.

She glanced up at the dark haired guy beside her. He gazed back attentively.

"I am rather curious about those 'rumoured' tennis courts you have here," Shizuka answered. She had heard about them a few times on Friday. "Will you show me?"

"Hn." He beckoned with a slant of his head. "Come along, then."

Atobe had the entire area sectioned off since this morning, and Shizuka was surprised to note that the attractions they passed were still operational.

The game booths were fully staffed, even though no one save the two of them and other park employees were walking the streets.

Shizuka paused before one of them, taking a closer look at a rather peculiar finding.

It looked like exactly one type of item was in the prize line up for all of them.

Atobe...was he telling her it was time to upgrade her phone?

"Captain…" Shizuka said to him, pointing to one with a black and white design. "I want that one…"

"Ho…?" The guy arched a quizzical eyebrow down at her in response. "Fum…is that any way to be asking for a favour?" Atobe asked her drawlingly.

She was thinking about it when he interrupted with a light rap on her forehead. "Ahn? What's the point of asking someone else to get you the prize? Can't you learn to enjoy yourself a bit more?"

Shizuka smoothed her bangs. As if she should be enjoying herself on a day like this. She caught sight of something over his shoulder.

"Then, Captain," Shizuka questioned, pointing behind him. "Won't you join me in exploring that?"

Atobe glanced in said direction. His long eyebrows drew up.

It was a haunted mansion.

"Oi. Is your taste something like that?" Atobe questioned skeptically.

"Yeah," Shizuka replied simply. "I love things that give me that rush of adrenaline." As long as no real threat was involved.

"Hmph." Atobe Keigo was wearing his disconcertment on his face, his arms folded as he stared at the grotesque attraction. "It certainly goes against Ore-sama's aesthetic sense, tsch."

"Oh." She shrugged. "You can wait here for me, then."

"O-Oi!" He intercepted her path with his arm, the other hand reaching up to rake through his luscious dark hair. "Ma." Atobe declared, "Something like this definitely won't dull this Ore-sama's brilliance!"

Shizuka peered at him curiously as he broke out his Ore-sama laugh.

…It couldn't be that he was actually afraid, could it?

Alright, not afraid.

"—Ahn? You think Ore-sama would be fooled by such inadequate disguise!? Oi, I know you're a real person under there! I can see your shoe—"

Atobe…

"—Ho…? You have some nerve, do you even know who I am, ahn!?—"

She grabbed his arm, pulling him away.

"—For goodness' sake, what incompetent acting is this? A corpse's eyelids shouldn't be twitching!—"

She tapped his shoulder, indicating that she was moving on.

"—Ahahaha! You think an elementary illusion like this will fool Ore-sama, ahn!? I can see right through y—"

She gripped his forearm, trying to pull his hand away from his eyes.

…Geez.

He was still laughing, in his self-satisfied manner, when they finally got out.

"How was it?" Atobe Keigo flaunted his prowess. "Ahn, there was nothing to fear as long as you were with Ore-sama, was there?"

…He may be right about that, but somehow…she couldn't bring herself to feel very grateful at all.

She didn't know whether he was protecting her from monsters, or that she ended up protecting his employees from an overly critical boss.

"Yeah." Shizuka replied in monotone, "I'm going home."

"Shizuka?" Atobe asked after her in bewilderment.

She didn't know how far ahead he was in his subjects, but she better get back to review her class materials. There were also matters for the dance competition she needed to look up. "I'm going home whether you like it or not."

"…What…" The guy ran his hand up his forehead, pausing as his deep blue eyes stared back at her. "Ahn, I get it," Atobe said at last. "I'll send you home."

"You don't really-"

He came up next to her, crossing his arms as he retorted with an arrogant quirk of an eyebrow, "I'm sending you home whether you like it or not."

…

The ride back was silent and pensive. Each was staring out the window on his and her side.

What was this? Atobe Keigo couldn't claim today went well at all.

He glanced at the girl at the other end of the seats from the corners of his eyes.

"Here."

She looked over at him, then at the black and white phone in his hand.

"It isn't convenient using yours for instant messaging and video calling," Atobe told her drawlingly. "Use this."

She took it, testing it with both hands. Just like she had noticed earlier…this model was one of the flexible ones, so that it wouldn't snap easily if accidentally rested on.

"Captain…" Shizuka commented, noting that only his contact could be found in the list. "You didn't pre-enter the rest of the club this time…?"

"Ma. Of course." Atobe propped his elbow up on the armrest. "That is for your personal use."

She took a moment to register that.

"Then, I can't-"

"Oi!" Atobe clicked his tongue. "Even though I went through the effort making those arrangements, you're not going to accept, ahn?"

For goodness' sake. Atobe ran his fingers through his hair. "Just accept it," he said, "as compensation for making you accompany me today."

Shizuka gazed over at him, and he settled back in his seat, looking away.

…Was that what this was about…?

He felt he was responsible for the ill mood she was in?

She sighed inwardly, feeling just a little bit guilty. Really, she had told him today wasn't a good day.

However… "It wasn't all that bad," Shizuka said. "Owing to you, my mind has been taken off some things." She glanced out the window, recognizing that they have arrived back at her neighbourhood.

He finally gazed over at her, as she was about to reach for the door.

"Next time, we'll go someplace you prefer," Atobe stated the decision he had reached.

Her hand paused on the handle. "Next time?" she repeated in surprise. "Hold on a minute-"

"Ahn?" But, Atobe was not about to take 'no' for an answer. He arched a quizzical eyebrow. "You were traumatized, after all?" He pulled out his phone, dialing a number.

"Event Manager. I've changed my mind. There will be no further discussion. Ahn, I can forgive all else, but not the fact that you blundered before my companion. Pack y-"

Whoa, whoa, whoa-…

A triumphant Atobe Keigo curved an arrogant smirk at her when she gripped his sleeve. "Ahn? What is it?" he drawled as though he wasn't extremely aware exactly what he was doing already.

…Th-This guy…!

"Fine." Shizuka gathered her things. "I get it." She got out from the vehicle, shutting the door. After a moment, when she had regained some calm, the girl turned back, tapping the window.

The black tinted window rolled down.

Shizuka leaned her arms on the window's edge, saying to him, "…But, next time, it'll go according to my scenario."

"Shizuka. I trust you are well."

"That I am, Mother," the girl replied into the receiver, brushing away some ash that had been left behind by the incense sticks.

She stared back at the observant eyes of her father atop the makeshift altar.

Their father-daughter relationship hadn't been the best in their later years together. He was absent a lot due to the nature of his work. Many issues and misunderstandings in the course of her development could not be bridged due to that. Nevertheless, her moral values, her sense of responsibility; she had them owing to him. She had always regretted not being able to tell him that.

"Has it been four years since…? Since you came under my guardianship."

The woman was careful to not broach the subject, but Shizuka knew it was her way of paying her condolences to the man whom she owed her life to.

"You were an unruly child at first, do you remember, Shizuka?"

She hadn't forgotten. It wasn't all that long ago.

"The number of times I had to arrange for your transfers."

That had been a phase in her life when she had thought herself some heroine of justice, always ready to stick up for her beliefs. Now, looking back, she knew that she hadn't always been in the right.

"However, you changed when you met that Jacques-Pierre boy."

…

"One could not have imagined it would turn out like this."

Her fingers enclosed around the piece of cardstock inside her pocket.

"Tread carefully, Shizuka. Fall behind, and that path you desperately want to pursue will be closed off to you forever."

"I'll not forget."

After she had hung up, Shizuka went over to her new cellphone that had been flashing for a while.

Strange, she hadn't even set it up yet.

(Oi, Shizuka. Second week of March Break, we'll be having practice matches.

Make sure your schedule doesn't conflict.)

From Atobe Keigo. It was the first time he had contacted her on a personal number.

She messaged him back, '…It'll get confusing if you start contacting me on both phones.'

The reply came shortly after.

(Ahn?

It's fine even if I'm your only contact on here.)

…As she attempted to make sense of that statement, she saw that he had sent her another message.

(Fool.)

Author's note: A reviewer brought up a question I'd like to toss out to all of you.

I have planned roles for Rikkaidai and Seigaku. However, I am reluctant in bringing in middle schools like Shitenhouji for three reasons:

1) They don't have high school divisions in canon…it's going to bring me more into AU territory.

2) It will likely prolong the story…

3) I'll need to do more research, and address the competition from those other middle schools when it comes to tournaments…more work for me, woo.

So, I'll ask you guys to weigh it out for me. Just Rikkai and Seigaku, or include other canon middle schools? Drop me a review or a vote on the new poll on my profile :)