A/N: EEEP. My finals are finally over, so I had time to post this! Hehe. Alrighty – thanks so much, again, to everyone who reviewed, and please review again!
REVIEW REPLIES:
Lahdolphin – GIRL YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU RIGHT. My heart literally gave this little squeal of happiness and delight when I saw that you liked my Atobe characterization. Ugh. God. I just love you.
Guest – eep, I'm glad you like Nanao; I work hard to make sure she comes across that way, ehe. And god, you gotta love the Atobe/Oshitari, HAHA.
Guest – FFS you should try writing your own! Haha. Thanks for reviewing!
Gise Destler – Ahhhh! Thank you so much; I do love Atobe, and it really makes me happy when people like my characterizations of him. Hehe.
Leogirl321 – hahaha hi! And ee, thanks, and thanks for reviewing! Hehe.
Sh4dee – Yup yup – you might find that the school's reaction that I wrote isn't the stereotypical one you see in dramas and all, but I hope it comes off as realistic anyways. Hehe. Thanks so much for reviewing! (AND GURL I totally recognize you from the amazing review you gave Rising Ambitions…hehehe. I SENT YOU A PM BTDUBS.)
SunnyDorangeJuice – oh my god that idea is actually hilarious – I just might use it! LOL. Your reviews are always cute and make me happy – eep! Hehe, thanks for reviewing.
Magicalnana – gurll, I already have all that planned. Hehe! Thanks for reviewing!
Xxdreamergirl95xx – Eeeep! Thank you, thank you!
Asian Lover – LOL omg I seriously just want to do a crack chapter where they're gay. HAHAHA.
Guest – D'aww, thanks. I'm flattered ;A;
Bloody Rose021 – ROFL. She really is bland, isn't she? Rather the stark contrast to Atobe's 'bigger than life' personality, bwahaha! Thanks so much for reviewing! EEp.
Accelerator – HAHA! It amuses me to write the Atobe/Oshitari scenes too. XD
Lone Panda – EEE. It makes me happy that you try to review. ; n ; I rabbu you readers. OHOHO. And ugh, thank you so much – I did try hard to make Nanao likeable. Hehe.
Fyerigurl – gurl please. I love you more. You know that.
Dalia Inscription – I hope that even if Nanao doesn't have the strongest personalities, I can portray it pretty well in the chapters to come. ; n ; THANKS FOR REVIEWING.
A Midsummer – not gonna lie, literally read your review like a billion times. ROFL. I really like that you took the time to actually analyze it and address my worries ; _ ; I honestly do appreciate the effort, and I'm taking your suggestions! Anyways. DOOD LADY. I wanted to PM you but you don't have an account. GAHD. You should register so I can PM you – LOL.
Symbalin – LOL yeahh I like cliffhangers; but I didn't leave one here! HEHE.
Divine Psyche – LOL I KNOW RIGHT. I'd die to be in her position. /sigh. THANKS FOR REVIEWING.
Disclaimer: I do not own PoT.
At Hyotei, there were many 'tiers' of popularity – those like Oshitari and Atobe belonged at the very top, wherein they were no longer even classified in the same realms as everyone else. Nanao wasn't anywhere near there, but she wasn't unpopular, either; she always liked to believe that she was above-average, never firmly ensconced in any one clique, but comfortable flitting from group to group. She was a sociable, all around friendly girl, the well-known Vice President of the student council. She was likeable. She was everybody's girl.
She was well-known, without really being in the popular category, but enough so that she could share a smile and a laugh with most people in school.
All that was for naught since she'd become the girlfriend of Atobe Keigo. Suddenly, she was relegated to a class entirely of her own, so-labeled as the tier of being Atobe Keigo's girlfriend, a tier in which no person had ever belonged to before.
It meant being famous, and it meant being speculated over as though she were a new specimen recently arrived at a lab. It meant suspicion, curiosity, mild rage and intense jealousy, all directed at her. But no mistake was to be made-
Hyotei Gakuen's students were of the securely upper class – elegant, privileged young ladies brought up with class. Fans though they were, they were no common bullies; the screaming-and-fainting shock episode of just a day prior was as far as it went. Of course, girls still moped through the hallways, sobbing uncontrollably, breaking out in tears mid-class, but that was something Atobe had already expected (and, as Oshitari and Nanao suspected, relished in). The girls were grieving, though not angry-
-and not to mention, Suzuki Nanao had been most of their friend since the seventh grade, and everyone was well aware of the fact by now: the girl hardly had a conniving bone in their body.
It didn't mean the girls could understand why on earth somebody like Atobe Keigo would date someone like Nanao, nor that they were happy with it (evidently by the tear-tracks constantly dirtying the hallway floors, much to the grumpy dismay of the janitors), but it wasn't ladylike to be sore losers. No, they simply accepted it as they would the passing of a dearly beloved king; that, though, didn't stop the speculations.
After all, what would Hyotei be without its all-famous rumor mill?
"Did you hear? It was an arranged marriage since birth!"
That one had Oshitari infinitely amused at the irony, and Atobe sniffing and looking at his nails.
"I heard it's not just Suzuki-san – Atobe-sama wants to start dating around, and he's just starting with Suzuki!"
Atobe looked affronted when that one came to light.
"Maybe Suzuki-san blackmailed him?"
Nanao had blanched.
"Have you met the girl? She couldn't blackmail a five year old child even if she tried."
Now, that one Nanao was rather insulted by – she could blackmail if she tried, she liked to think.
"Well I heard it's a publicity stunt."
Atobe rolled his eyes at that one – right, because he needed stunts to get himself in the public eye. Preposterous.
"Maybe they just actually like each other – maybe Atobe-sama fell in love."
At that point, all three of them choked on their tea.
Right.
Nanao had only had one boyfriend before; it wasn't all that interesting, she remembered thinking, having a boyfriend. Back then, it had been all the rage to couple up, because they'd just entered high school and everyone had wanted to feel 'grown up.' Nanao, too, had gotten caught up in the whole trend, and had said yes with a timid smile when a pretty boy with a charming grin had asked her out because he thought she was 'cute.' Having a boyfriend had meant someone who waited for her after class, someone to always text, receiving cute little messages throughout the day, waiting for her boyfriend until his soccer practice ended-
At least, that's what it used to mean.
Nanao very, very quickly learned that dating Atobe Keigo deserved a verb of its own. Within just a week, she'd been able to draw up a small list in her mind.
One. Dating Atobe Keigo meant waking up to a honking limousine just outside her house's doors.
"Miss? Miss – please do wake up; there's someone at the door."
"Mmph."
"Nanao-san!"
"Wah!"
Nanao awoke with a startled cry, darting upwards from her position sprawled across her bed. When she glanced to the side, she found the family maid standing beside her bed, an anxious expression on her features. Another glance to the clock: 6 A.M.
Nanao turned bewildered eyes to the maid. "It's only 6-"
"There's someone for you at the door!"
And so, Nanao, completely at a loss of exactly who the hell would be asking for her at six in the morning, and half-asleep, slipped out of bed. She padded down the stairs and upon reaching the front entrance, sleepily, drowsily pulled open the door-
-only to have her jaw drop at the sight of Oshitari Yuushi and Atobe Keigo standing at her door.
Oshitari leaned casually against the wall outside her door, one leg crossed over the other, nose buried in his latest romance novel. Atobe stood just beside him, tall and pristine and as glorious as ever. He had one slender finger hooked onto his tie, as though he'd been in the process of loosening it; but now, as he stared at Nanao, he paused in his actions.
He quirked a pointed brow at her as his eyes took in the disheveled hair and frilly pink pajamas.
Nanao, after several long blinks, finally realized exactly why he was giving her such a pointed, half-amused, half-exasperated look, and gave a quiet 'eep!' "Wh- Atobe-kun, Oshitari-kun – what are you guys doing here?" she asked at last, eyes still bulging.
"It's only what a gentleman does to pick up a lady to escort her to school," Atobe drawled, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. He pursed his lips, then raised his elbow to prop it against the open doorway and leaned in slightly. Nanao leaned back.
"Why are you not ready yet?"
Nanao spluttered.
"Because it's six!"
"Precisely. You're already late."
"School starts at eight!"
"Practice starts at 6:25."
"What practice?"
This time, Oshitari raised his eyes from his book to give Nanao a pointed stare. In the back of her mind, Nanao could only marvel at the sheer power behind these two's pointed stares. It was enough, really, to make her feel ashamed for even existing at all-
"Oh. Tennis?"
"No, cricket." Nanao heard the distinct sting of sarcasm in Atobe's voice, and sighed.
"…I'll go get ready," she said, tone resigned, eyes flattening.
"You have six minutes."
Two. Dating an Atobe meant gaining the status of a pseudo First Lady.
Nanao walked rapidly – or as rapidly as she could – down the hall, arms full of a stack of heavy papers. She staggered a few times in her gait, but managed to remain relatively balanced, and continued onwards. Really; this was supposed to be the council president's duties, not hers. The president was so terribly lazy this year, pushing all his work onto-
"Ah! Suzuki-san, let me!"
And before Nanao could even turn to face her greeter, she felt the papers being lifted out of her arms. She blinked at the unfamiliar face that beamed back at her. "I, um- hello?"
"Who let Suzuki-san hold such heavy things? Here, let me help you," the second-year boy eagerly continued, walking in the direction Nanao had been heading in.
Nanao took a moment to blink, before shuffling to catch up with the boy. "I, ah – do I know you?" she asked tentatively.
"Oh! I'm Miyaki Ren! It's an honor to meet you, Suzuki-san!"
An honor? Why?
"The precious girlfriend of Atobe-sama shouldn't be wasting her energy on such menial tasks!"
…Was he serious?
"It's fine, I can carry them myself," Nanao managed to say, reaching over for the papers; but she was quickly left behind by a protesting Ren, who then proceeded to carry the papers to the office and process the paperwork that she'd been in charge of.
And throughout the day, Nanao was constantly taken care of – in Literature, the teacher had called each individual student up to the front to receive their reports that they'd submitted the week before. Nanao hadn't even been allowed to get up from her seat, what with the mad rush of ten students scrambling to retrieve the paper for her. During break, Nanao had been standing in line for the vending machine, when the three students in front of her eagerly asked what she was intending to buy – and then bought her an armful of said drink. In Arithmetic, Nanao had left her textbook at home; but she didn't have to worry, for four nearby students eagerly shoved their books towards her desk.
In short, it was rapidly becoming a disaster.
Three. Apparently, even the teachers kept up with the love life of Atobe Keigo, because Greek's Takamura-sensei suddenly found her lack of proficiency in his class endearing.
"Ah, Suzuki-san! It seems you're a little behind – would you like to take the period off as a private study session? I'm sure Atobe-kun would be happy to help you out! There, there – here's a pass; you two go on to the library and study, alright?"
Four. Being the girlfriend of the tennis team's captain meant sitting during their after school practices, and being forced to interact with the quirky string of infamous regulars.
"You're Keigo's girlfriend? No fucking way."
"Gakuto, language."
"But Yuushi-! She makes Greek sound like Chinese-"
"They say love makes a person blind. I guess in Keigo's case, it's deaf."
"Sh-Shishido-senpai! That's mean!"
"I'm only being honest, Chou."
"Hrmm- ah? Wha's goin' on?"
"Go back to sleep, Jiroh."
"Gekokujo."
"Hiyoshi, how the fuck does that word even apply right now? What, you want to overcome Suzuki and take her spot as Atobe's girl?"
"…Gekokujo."
"Seriously, somebody teach this kid a new catch phrase. How about 'mada mada dane'?"
"Pfft."
"Kabaji, raise the umbrella a little higher. Ore-sama wants a little sun."
"Usu."
Nanao squirmed under the simultaneous glance of all eight boys.
Five. A relationship with someone like Atobe Keigo was as closely observed as perhaps that of a celebrity.
"Nana, Nana-chan!"
When Nanao looked up from her notes, she found six pairs of wide, huge, glittering eyes staring at her. The pencil slipped from her hand. "…Yes?"
Six lips broke out into identical grins and giggles.
"C'mon Nana, it's already been a week! Spill."
Blankness. "Spill what?"
One of the girls rolled her eyes. "You're dating Atobe Keigo, Nanao – do you even understand the situation right now? You're literally dating the emperor."
Nanao could envision the smug grin that would've taken over Atobe's lips if he'd heard. She found herself struggling to hold back laughter at the image, before-
"Nana! You can't not tell us!"
Tentatively, Nanao lowered her notebook. "Tell you what?"
"You know…how you met, when you guys went on your first date, where you went- everything!"
"…Oh."
Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach.
Was she allowed to make up whatever she wanted? Or was she supposed to follow some imaginary script- For a moment, Nanao pondered simply saying 'we went to the park' for the first date question, but she could already hear Atobe's dramatic sigh and mourning over the 'plebeian nature of such a horror.'
She grimaced.
"Um. I- I don't remember?"
Disbelief mirrored itself on all the girls' faces, and Nanao cringed again. "I mean- Oh! Would you look at that!" Nanao pretended to fish her phone out of her pocket as though she'd received a message. "I have to go – I'll talk to you guys later!"
Nanao hurriedly gathered her things and bolted out the door, grimacing when she heard outraged cries of 'NANAO!'
Nanao tugged the embroidered pillow closer to her chest and allowed herself to sink into the plush cushions of the luxurious couch. Ah, ah – Atobe really did have the finest upholstery she'd ever had the pleasure of sitting on; he'd made it a point to declare it as such when she'd first sat down. Across the table, Oshitari sat on the loveseat, and Atobe was sprawled elegantly, carelessly, in the single chair beside them both.
He held a glass of wine in his hand, bright, dark red, gleaming in the crystal holder. Nanao had briefly thought to remind him that he was a minor, but one glance at Atobe, and she'd laughed at herself. He was Atobe bleeding Keigo; since when had laws ever been of consequence to him?
To be honest, though, Nanao secretly thought he liked the way he looked holding the wine, more than the taste of the beverage itself. Nanao personally abhorred the drink, and found it disgusting. That was just her, though.
Oshitari's tea had cooled, for he'd left it untouched in favor of, again, his book.
"A story, hm?" Atobe's voice cut fluidly through her thoughts, and Nanao raised her eyes to him.
She nodded.
At that, Oshitari's book closed itself with a sharp, loud thump, causing Nanao to jerk slightly in her seat. Atobe continued to stare through bored eyes at Oshitari, rolling his eyes faintly when he saw that familiar creepy glint in his friend's gaze.
Oshitari pushed his glasses up his nose with his ring finger, and they glinted ominously.
"It's a good thing you've an expert here," Oshitari chuckled in a low tone. Nanao felt a creeping suspicion-
"As the avid reader of over nine hundred and sixty three romance novels to date – in English, French and Japanese – I'm the most knowledgeable of proper romance of the three of us," Oshitari declared, with a hint of pride in his voice, and Nanao almost spluttered with laughter. She managed to contain it with a cough, though, but Atobe slid her a knowing, amused smirk.
She flushed.
"This is how your story went- Suzuki-san is heartbroken over her last breakup-"
"…That was in first year, Oshitari-kun."
Oshitari sent her a sharp glance and Nanao immediately quelled. It seemed that romance novels really got him going.
"-and as she grapples with the harsh reality of loneliness and despair, Keigo comes across her crying form in a classroom one day."
Atobe sighed deeply, as though this were nothing new at all.
"Slowly, they bridge a friendship. Keigo discovers that Suzuki-san is actually suffering from brain cancer, and only has one year to live. And Keigo, the friend, asks her what her greatest wish is-"
"-and Suzuki-san desperately, dearly wants to fall in love."
"So he takes her hand, kisses the back of his chastely-" Oshitari gave a dramatic pause, eyes glinting manically. "And from there, the two fall rapidly into a delirious sort of love that threatens to consume their very souls, to the point where Keigo would gladly die himself if it means joining his love in the afterlife."
"The day of Suzuki-san's passing, she dies in his arms at the private beach owned by the Atobe's in Cancun-"
"Oh, that beach is quite nice," Atobe comments.
"I die?" Nanao asks instead.
"-and Keigo pulls out a small, white capsule from his own pocket. He kisses his love one last time on her pale forehead, before swallowing the pill; and within moments, he, too, has passed, hand held tightly in hers-"
"And why am I dying in such an unsightly manner? If anything, I should be dying on a grand stage, before millions of people chanting my name-"
"Why do I have cancer? And why did I die? And Keigo-kun, why would you ever be on a stage in front of millions of people and die-"
"Naturally, people will hold a great event in honor of my passing; hundreds of thousands of candles lit at night, released with lanterns into the sky-"
"Keigo-kun, are you planning your death right now? And Oshitari-kun, why did I die?!"
"Because, Suzuki-san, it's for the romance."
"Yuushi, your romance is a pile of tacky rubbish. Ore-sama refuses to die on a dirty beach and less than at least six thousand people watching."
"I still don't understand why we die at all-"
Oshitari gave a long-suffering sigh. "You two are such uncultured simpletons. Read a book every once in a while, will you?"
"I read books, Yuushi. You read unholy bindings of silly fluff."
"I protest that sentiment."
"Why don't you die for it? Apparently that's what you do for things you love."
"I don't-"
"Why don't we just make up a normal story? Like, um. I don't know – Keigo-kun and I ran into each other studying in the library-"
"The Atobe private collection is far better than Hyotei's – why on earth would I ever spend my time in that dingy place?"
Nanao had spent enough time with Atobe to learn that such statements could go safely ignored.
"-and we just started spending more time together, and started liking each other, and now we're dating-?"
Oshitari and Atobe gave her a simultaneous, dry look, and Nanao found herself flushing red. "What? I think it's nice-"
"Clearly, neither of you understand what real romance is. Allow Ore-sama to educate you heathens."
Nanao saw Oshitari roll his eyes behind his glasses out of the corner of her eyes, and concealed a quiet smile behind her hand.
"Obviously, Nanao fell for Ore-sama's obvious, overwhelming glory, and proceeded to follow me around for three months-"
"…What?"
"And finally, Ore-sama felt pity for the poor girl, and graced her with an afternoon tea, upon which she impressed him with her devotion and loyalty."
Oshitari snorted.
"The following week, she asked me out so sincerely, with such desperation in her voice, that Ore-sama acquiesced."
With a flourish and a smug smile, Atobe turned to face Nanao and Oshitari. Nanao gave him a slack-jawed, raised-brows look, and Oshitari simply sighed, as though he hadn't expected much else from the boy in front of him.
"…So how about the library thing-"
"Don't be so unromantic; it simply must be the illness-"
"Ore-sama refuses to die on a beach."
"I just don't want to die!"
Needless to say, it was another few hours before they left the Atobe estate.
"So?"
Nanao faced the expectant, six smiling faces again, and felt a tug of déjà vu.
She sighed.
"I was just overcome with his fabulous glory, and couldn't help but to approach him. I was further charmed by his overwhelming charisma. And somehow, things ended up like this."
Six. There just was no 'winning,' when it came to dating Atobe Keigo.
A/N: So. Review? 8'D