Chapter Seventy Seven: Refusing to Agree to Disagree

Disclaimer: I do not own Eyeshield 21.

Song Playing: Weapon of Choice

Theme 51: Restaurant

As a general rule Mamori was immediately skeptical when Hiruma suggested activities outside of their normal football friendship parameters. Being invited to a very formal dinner at a very upscale restaurant that required reservations months in advance on very short notice was so far out of their routine that she was convinced she had heard him wrong. "You want me to what?"

He continued to look her right in the eye. "Come to dinner with me on Friday."

"That's what I thought you said." She allowed herself a moment to collect her thoughts. "But why?"

At this he arched his eyebrow at her. "Do I need a reason?"

The Emperor of Ulterior Motives and Reasons not having a reason was a completely foreign concept to her. She was so startled that she found she didn't have anything else to say but, "Okay then."

"Okay." He packed up his laptop and slung his bag over his shoulder. "I'll pick you up at seven. See you tomorrow for early morning practice."

When Friday evening rolled around Mamori found herself feeling distinctly nervous. Her dress was gorgeous. Her jewelry was tasteful. Her stomach was in knots and if he didn't show up soon she was going to have a nervous breakdown.

Fortunately she was saved from a mental collapse by a slick black car pulling right up to the curb. While she was debating on whether or not she should get into the vehicle the driver stepped out of the front seat and opened the back door for her. Lounging in the back seat, smartly dressed in a tux, was Hiruma. As far as she could tell he was as confident and frustrating as ever.

Swallowing the lump in her throat she climbed into the car and sat as close as she dared to him. She buckled up her seatbelt and settled in for a long awkward ride.

It turns out it wasn't just the ride that was awkward. It was the ride, it was being escorted to their seats, it was sitting down together. Nothing about this outing was comfortable in even the loosest sense of the word.

She finally excused herself to the bathroom just to escape the uncomfortableness that was happening at their table. She was actually making her way back to her seat at the slowest possible pace when she was stopped by a large man that she had never met before. "Anezaki. Anezaki is that you?"

In retrospect it was rather stupid of her to look over her shoulder like there would be another person with her last name standing right behind her. But she did it anyway.

When she looked and nobody was there she pointed to herself and asked, "I'm sorry?"

"You're Anezaki aren't you?" The giant of a man stood from his seat while the rest of his party looked on. "That must mean Hiruma's around here somewhere. Where's he at?"

She opened her mouth to stumble her way thru an answer when a warm hand settled on her shoulder. A familiar voice resonated in her chest as the man behind her said, "Right here. I can't take my eyes off of her for two seconds without you trying to steal her away."

Hiruma and the man bantered for what felt like forever while she hovered uneasily between them. She was actually putting into serious stock in bolting for the door when the stranger gestured to his table, "Why don't you join us?"

She cast a quick glance towards Hiruma. "Well we wouldn't want to intrude-"

"Nonsense!" He waved over one of the wait staff. "We haven't even ordered appetizers yet."

It seemed they didn't have much choice as a waiter began to bring them seats and extra tableware. As they were situating themselves it suddenly it hit her why these people looked so familiar. Every single one of them were a very high ranking influential people among the football federation. They were donors and movers and shakers having a fancy dinner with their wives.

She felt herself relaxing. A candlelit dinner with a boy, she didn't know what to do with herself. Wining and dining important patrons for the team she could do with her eyes closed and one hand tied behind her back. Finally at ease she put on her best smile as Hiruma pulled out her chair and started making formal introductions.

By the time the main course rolled around everything was going smoothly. The patrons loved her and Hiruma was behaving himself. Now that she thought about it he hadn't said much of anything since they had all first exchanged pleasantries.

Though it was strange she shrugged it off. It was probably a part of some elaborate scheme to raise funds or gain equipment. He would fill her in when the time was right.

For now she was going to enjoy her night on the town.

This was not going the way he planned at all.

And his plans had been meticulous.

He still wasn't sure how his fail-proof strategy of getting her on a date had gone so far south. When he had initially set about arranging this dinner he had been convinced the hardest thing he had to do was actually ask her out. As it turned out the most difficult thing was to get her to pay attention to him instead of all these unwanted third-wheels. So he kept quiet and wrecked his brain on how to get her focus back on him

An opportunity presented itself as they were in the middle of their main course when one poor unsuspecting well-meaning individual asked, "So how long have the two of you been together?"

"Oh we're not together," Flew out of Mamori's mouth at the same time that Hiruma declared: "Three years."

Instantly a tension filled the table that made all of their dinner companions uncomfortable. Under normal circumstances Mamori would have probably been mortified. As it was she was just completely and utterly dumbfounded.

"Don't make that face at me." Hiruma, however, was completely undeterred as he continued his meal. "At this point we're basically married."

Now she looked absolutely scandalized. "We are not!"

"We are in everything that matters." He took a sip of his wine. "Besides you basically made it official when you followed me to Saikyoudai."

Her eyes flashed and he knew that her full attention was on him. Good, it was about damn time. "I followed you? I followed you! Don't you dare try to turn this around on me. If anything it was you-"

Their all but forgotten tablemates sank a little deeper into their seats. Hiruma, being Hiruma, took immediate notice of their discomfort but chose not to outwardly respond. Instead he focused on his date. By now her face was flushed and she was really laying in to her tirade. Her eyes sparked in indignation and she was staring at him with a tunnel vision he had become accustomed to during these little exchanges of theirs. Feeling satisfied that things were going exactly right he settled in for a good night.