KAIJOU'S SHIRO
Chapter I
The next afternoon, just a little after class ends, Shiro has to ask several people for directions on where the basketball club's gym is located. Mainly because the first six people she asked were all guys who ended up stammering and blubbering and having relapses the minute they see her. The seventh was a girl who barely managed the first six syllabuses of her sentence before she ended up blushing and asking the white-haired author for an autograph.
Now, she's fifteen minutes late to meet the coach and is already panting when she makes it to the gym.
"Ah, there you are," Coach Takeuchi Genta's voice clashes with the white-haired girl's, "Sorry I'm late" as he catches her running towards his direction. He's a portly man, with some stubble on his chin and looking at her like he's permanently stoned. Shiro does not have the best impression of him as she quickly smooths out the wrinkles of her skirt and grey sweater. She's aware that she looks like hell after pulling an all-nighter on the second chapter of her novel last night and she's sure that her ponytail is too lose and there's bags under her eyes.
"Ichijou Shiro, am I right?" Kaijou's Coach says, before suddenly realizing what he had just said.
"Eh, aren't you're the one who wrote We Live in Eden?" Coach Takeuchi asks in shock, not noticing the slightly exasperated but satisfied look on his future manager's face at the mention of her very first story submission in Zunon Boy. She's amazed that somebody actually remembers that story, which really shouldn't be called a story, now that she thinks about it. She recalled feeling like she just wrote a self-help enlightenment article for lonely, heartbroken, middle-aged men.
"Yes sensei, and I'd really appreciate if you don't treat me any differently because of that," Shiro says, giving a low bow, hoping that it'll distract her teacher slash coach from pressing any further.
"Ah! Of course I won't. Rest assured," Coach Takeuchi reassures her, before quickly getting down to business.
"Let's get this out of the way, then. Normally I don't accept manager applications, seeing as most of the students who apply for it are girls who are only interested in ogling at our Ace," Coach gestures to the locker room, "it has become very troublesome to weed out an unbiased manager because of that."
Shiro sweatdrops. She's not that surprised to hear that. In fact, she's waiting for the fangirls to start storming in at any moment.
"However, Kise has greatly recommended you, and we're in great need for someone who can handle club management and administrative work." Shiro can't help but smile slightly at the thought of Ryouta hounding after his coach and pestering him to 'accept Shirocchi!'
"He's also mentioned that this will be the first time you're doing something like this, so I'll guide you for a bit," Coach Takeuchi pulls out a keychain with the words 'Nationals #1!' on an orange lanyard. There's three keys on it.
"These are the spare keys," Coach Takeuchi points to each key in turn, "every day after school, you have to lock up the gym, equipment room and the club room. I'll give you my phone number, and I'll tell you in advance when I need you to set up the audio-visual equipment for meetings. I'll get the Captain to assist you with team and game statistics as well as sorting out the training menus. Other than that, you have to clean the locker room once a week. We spring clean the club room every month so you don't have to worry with that." Shiro watches, deadpanned, as the coach appears to look gravely sick at the mention of cleaning the club room. The white-haired girl can't help but get the feeling that 'Coach has seen some shit'.
"In games, you need to make sure that only the regulars and reserves are sitting on the bench and wearing the correct numbered jerseys. Keeping them hydrated is your top priority, and supplying towels, ice packs as well as the occasional light snacks during half-time. I recommend honey-soaked lemons." Coach Takeuchi suddenly has a blissful expression on his face that he badly masks. Shiro badly masks the need to facepalm.
"Otherwise," Kaijou's Coach coughs slightly to get back on track, "you'll be mostly doing errands for me. Anything else that I haven't mentioned I'll tell you in due time. Also, I am aware of yours and Kise's job situations, but you'll have to inform me a day in advance if you need to leave early from practice. For starters, I'll introduce you to the team, and your job for now will be to familiarize with them and learn their positions, abilities and training menus."
There's a pregnant pause where Coach doesn't say anything, but stares at his student with surprising calmness and seriousness that goes comically well with his chubby face.
"Are you prepared for this, Ichijou?"
Shiro doesn't miss a beat and affirms with, "Yes Coach."
Coach Takeuchi nods at her in approval, just as the boys finish changing and are gradually emerging from the locker room. Shiro winces slightly when the Coach barks at them to hurry the hell up just before he jauntily pats her shoulder.
"I also expect you to sign my limited edition copies of We Live in Eden, Continuing Eden and Leaving Eden on my desk," Coach Takeuchi adds just as he walks away from her to start practice, "please see to it that they are autographed by the end of practice, Manager."
Shiro has never felt the urge to punch a middle-aged man so much in her life.
Kasamatsu wants to die.
No, he wants to die bringing Kise down to hell with him. Death by Face-Kicking would be Kasamatsu's modus operandi.
He recently threatened the blonde that if he hears him fanboy over 'Kurokocchi' one more time he's drop-kicking him down Mt. Fuji.
Kise doesn't. Now he's fanboying over some person called 'Shirocchi'. It's three in the afternoon and the Captain of Kaijou's Basketball Team is almost at the end of his tether.
"Eh? We're getting a manager?" Moriyama gives an overdramatic sigh and slumps moodily while tying his laces, "it's probably a guy…"
"You can blame Kise for that, Moriyama," Kobori – who's doing his stretches – adds dryly.
"Wah! So mean, senpais ~suu!" Kise cutely pouts, arms folded in indignation.
"That's so co[ol]! I bet he's sup[er] [cool], [ri]ght, Kise!?"
Kasamatsu doesn't miss the devious smirk that crosses over their Ace's face at the question. The captain is starting to feel a little unsettled by the sound of their new 'manager'.
"You'll see ~suu."
Okay, Kasamatsu is definitely going to murder the blonde. But he can't. Because whatever – or whoever – is facing him, is making his entire face go red in 0 – 100 and his brain is malfunctioning so hard he's afraid that the next few words that come out of his mouth is going to condemn him to social suicide.
Because there's a girl standing less than a meter away from him and is staring at him like he's an extremely interesting specimen she's ready to dissect.
And it's not just any girl either, it's freaking Ichijou Shiro, part-time model for Zunon Boy and author of bestselling murder mystery slash tragedy novel Remember Me From the Dead. And damn him that she is actually really, really pretty. Kasamatsu is conflicted between avoiding her gaze and staring intently at how her ponytail is slung very loosely over her shoulder and the way her long fringe is lazily pinned up with black, cross-shaped hair pins. It's her silvery-blue that are startling though. From a brief glance, Kasamatsu can tell that she's one of those types that look like cinnamon rolls but can actually kill you, fuck you over, before reviving you so she can use you for her military project.
"Listen up! From today onwards, we will be having a manager to help out with assisting the club!" Coach Takeuchi announces loudly, and beckons the young girl to start her introduction. The white-haired student steps forward before taking a short bow. There's no expression on her face as she introduces herself.
"My name is Ichijou Shiro from Class 1-A, and I'll be the manager for Kaijou's Basketball Club for the next couple of years. I hope we can cooperate well to make Kaijou No. 1 in Japan."
Immediately, excited murmurs and chatter resonate across the gym.
"Oi oi, isn't that the author of Remember Me From the Dead?"
"Uwah! I can't believe she's gonna be our manager!"
"Hey, do you think I can get her phone number?"
"Isn't she a model too? Same as Kise!"
From the corner of his eye, Kasamatsu can see Kise waving his arms frantically at the stoic girl, who catches notice of him at once and her lips twitch slightly at the sight. The captain doesn't need to know how Moriyama is reacting, as he can already feel the flirty teen's flowery aura from half a mile away and can already hear him starting to spout overused pick-up lines like a broken recorder. Hayakawa is blushing and his jaw is dropping in shocked awe and overall looks like he's going to badly shit himself. Their resident megane Nakamura Shinya only looks faintly surprised, but otherwise seeming to be the only hormone-riddled teenager present who is not looking at their new manager like some sort of ancient relic from the Dark Ages. Kobori is acting impassive as usual, but the stiffness of his stance is already telling Kasamatsu that he's a few seconds away from breaking composure and asking their new female manager to sign his hardcover copy of Remember Me From the Dead for him. As well as literally every single story submission the girl had written.
Yes, Kobori is a fucking Shiro fanboy.
"I expect every single one of you to treat her with the respect she deserves. If I hear that she's being harassed in any way possible, I'm quadrupling everyone's training menu." The poisonous threat silences the room immediately as everyone pales at the thought of quadrupled training. Since they lost to Seirin, their Coach had been practically grilling them with harder drills and even more strenuous training menus. Quadrupled training could even make even Aomine Daiki drop dead from fatigue.
"Kasamatsu."
The Captain stands to attention sharply, and purposely avoids the younger girl's stare as he brings his attention back his Coach, awaiting his order.
"I'll leave Ichijou to you. Teach her the ropes. She'll need to be in the know of how our team works. If there's anything important that you need to tell me but I'm not there to receive it, relay it to her. I'll be leaving it to the both of you while I decide whether we should accept a practice match with Kamakura High School. Other than that, I having nothing else to say. Commence practice!"
The blow of Coach Takeuchi's whistle spurs everyone into movement, while Kasamatsu freezes completely on the spot, looking like a petrification victim from H*rry P*tter and the Chamber of Secrets.
NONONONONONO THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING I CAN'T WORK WITH A GIRL NONONONO SHE'S CUTE BUT NONONONO THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE COACH WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME –
"Yukio-senpai, please take care of me."
Suddenly the white-haired girl is just so close to his face, their noses barely touching and he feels her way-too-emotionless silvery blue eyes meeting his own. Her skin is so amazingly white that the Kaijou Captain's eyes can't help zeroing in on the sharp contours of her exposed collarbones. No he is definitely not looking at her bre –
"Are you okay, senpai? Your face is very red." And – dear mother of god and everything holy does this girl not know the meaning of personal space – their foreheads are gently touching. She's leaning so damn close to him and their lips are just barely millimeters apart and oh god he can smell the faint scent of green tea deodorant on her –
Kasamatsu passes out.
"K-KASAMATSU-SENPAI!"
"O-OI CAPTAIN!"
"This happens EVERY SINGLE GODDAMN TIME KASAMATSU GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER MAN –"
Kasamatsu Yukio could feel his soul leave his body just as the entire team rushes over with a stretcher while he practically face-plants onto their manager's lap. Kasamatsu darkens even more feeling his warm face rest on the soft, pale expanse of the girl's thighs and if it's any possible, his soul leaves him even faster.
Moriyama…please kick Kise in my stead for me…
For the first time in Kasamatsu Yukio's life, he feels completely, absolutely, irrevocably screwed.
"Does Yukio-senpai need CPR? I can perform –"
"SHIRO-CHAN/SHIROCCHI/MANAGER-SAN NO."
Author's Note: I do not own KnB. All rights belong to my bae Fujimaki Tadatoshi.
Yes, as a reminder, Shiro has written story submissions for Zunon Boy and several other lifestyle magazines. Her first published novel that kickstarted her career is a story called Remember Me From the Dead which is a murder mystery series she's planning on continuing. Just wanted to let you guys now.
Also, is it *changing rooms or *locker room?
