"Managerial Mayhem"
SUMMARY: Wanted! A manageress for Hyoutei's Tennis Club. Applicant? Ito Himawari, an ambitious girl who wants to be anything but normal. What to expect: Headaches, sore legs, angry fangirls, flying tennis balls, and maybe even love.
DISCLAIMER: The Prince of Tennis was created by Konomi Takeshi. As usual, the characters in the franchise do not belong to me and belong to their respective owner(s). Aside from the characters I create, I do not mean to infringe on any current copyrights on the series. Thank you and have fun reading!
CHAPTER TWO: The Manager is a Bennet
Four hundred twenty five.
Four hundred twenty five resumes and Atobe Keigo was already on the verge of banging his head on a nearby wall.
Honestly.
By now, it had been already been more than a month since his music instructor and former tennis coach Sakaki Taro candidly made the observation that he needed to get a manager. The high school tennis teams in Japan didn't have coaches to aid them anymore, and the selected Captains usually got a capable manager, often female, to make things less troublesome for them. (1) However, the idea of someone else managing the team was quite absurd to Atobe and he quickly dismissed the idea aside, even when Sakaki enumerated all the benefits that would come with it.
"Keigo, stubbornness isn't very becoming at this age," Sakaki murmured tiredly the last time they had been on the phone.
Atobe liked to think of himself as a pretty managing person. After all, he had been groomed since his birth to succeed their family's multimillion dollar business company. Even at an early age, he practiced meticulousness, diligence and control when it came to his work. At a grueling two day summer camp, his own teammates admitted that if they were living in another era, he would have made a rather fine feudal lord.
The Hyoutei King allowed himself a secret smile. He then looked back at the resumes and sighed.
Kabaji had been helpful by giving him a list of the members who were included in his fanclub. Now, it may seem quite judgmental of him, but the truth of the matter was, most girls who were signed up in the "Atobe-sama Fanclub" were actually hopelessly clueless when it came to tennis. Of course they were remarkably useful whenever there was a match. After all, their only role was to yell their lungs out and cheer for him- and by extension, the entire Hyoutei team. But when asked about the basics of tennis, oh how Atobe would need an aspirin everytime he heard such ridiculous answers!
"Atobe-sama, your serve was really great today."
"Why of course."
"Too bad you couldn't make a love, huh? Love means the perfect score in tennis right?"
"…"
It also did not help that everytime he would try to engage with one of the members of his fanclub in a civilized conversation, nine times out of ten, a girl would go swooning or groveling to his feet. Sometimes, someone would even faint.
He knew he was intimidating and of course he knew he was nothing short of amazing. He couldn't blame the girls for being awed at his prowess. But proper conversations with a Hyoutei female seemed like a pointless venture because of such episodes.
As for those others who were not part of the club, they were mostly ordinary students who did not seem quite up to the task. Call Atobe fastidious if you want but if he had to find a manager, he might as well find the best manager there was out there.
Only two people stood out among the applicants, really.
The first person was a third year named Yukimitsu Rui. Rui, the Outdoor Chess Club's current president, was a bookish student who regularly liked to show off his knowledge about everything and anything under the sun. The only student in Hyoutei Gakuen to be showing signs of premature male baldness because of his prominent widow's peak, he is currently ranked number two in the Academic Placements, one spot below Atobe. He's quite a brainiac, no doubt about that.
However.
(There is always a however, isn't there?)
While Rui was quite smart, he ultimately fails at sports, constantly tripping and falling even if there were no obstacles impeding his way. People usually call Rui a 'self-absorbed obnoxious homosexual.' Now, just to make it clear, Atobe held nothing personal against the liberated few who chose to take the matter of their sexes into their own hands. But he also knew for a fact that Rui had numerous extremely noticeable personality quirks. Rui had been called a 'loony' by the gossiping body of Hyoutei more times than Atobe had been called 'charming,' which was quite a feat, if one would take the time to think about it.
The second person who stood out was another third year named Ito Himawari.
Himawari wasn't anyone really outstanding, but she had a clean record and a reputation for being one of the nicest students around. Basically a Choutarou, only female. He knew that he had seen her before, although his memory was fuzzy about that. She did make it to the Academic Circle of Ten last semester, according to her profile. Atobe could see how she could become desirable for the job.
Atobe had a moment to decide. Obviously, his deranged fangirls and uninteresting schoolmates were out of the running. He could pick either weird Rui or nice girl Himawari.
Was this even a competition?
One of the nicest facilities of Hyoutei Gakuen was the library.
The architecture and design of the place was definitely luxurious. The warm palette of caramel, cream and beige brought a homey feel to the library. On the ground floor was the main reading room - this is where the bulk of the library's internet access terminals were located, and where wireless internet access was available. This is also where most of the books and documents were found. The books were all neatly arranged on geometrical, expensive-looking cherry wood shelves. On one side of the room, the portraits of the previous school heads could be seen.
The second floor, where the private collection of rare books and works of art were located, was much grander. Three key periods were incorporated in the interior design: the late 1890's, the 1930's, and modern times. From the 1890's come oak paneling and parquet flooring. Touches from the 1930's included the use of lacquered surfaces and rounded forms. Meanwhile, concrete and steel added a contemporary edge. In the more VIP section of the area, there were private reading rooms with matching fireplaces. Too bad that the only people with access to that are teachers and the Student Council officers.
Himawari really liked the library so she would frequently spend her time there. Most of the time, she would study. Sometimes, she would browse through the bookshelves in an effort to look interested in literature. There were also some days when she would hide in the furthermost section of the room, strategically hidden by the largest of bookshelves, and would then sleep comfortably.
The girl stroked her chin.
Tuesday. Today was a Tuesday right? She was half-expecting the tennis club freaks to congratulate her because she would've gotten the position by now. It wasn't just her confidence speaking; frankly, she knew that she was the most qualified one out of the lot.
Himawari let out a happy sigh. Oh, what would she do if one of the tennis club freaks fell in love with her because she was just too darn nice? What if her popularity skyrocketed? Gosh, of course it would! And people would love her, even Atobe would respect her!
Himawari was lost in her own exaggeratedly colorful daydream that she failed to take notice of the presence of a figure in front of her, patiently waiting for her to look up and become aware of him.
"Usu."
"Huh?"
Kabaji Munehiro stood like a statue, looking at her impassively. In her honest opinion, he looked like a freaky gargoyle.
"Kabaji-san, right?" She questioned, though she knew the answer already.
"Usu."
Himawari smothered a snort. Was that the only syllable he could say? "Is there anything you want from me?"
Kabaji nodded and turned on his heel.
The raven haired girl was taken by surprise. Was this the start of a twisted version of Alice in Wonderland? (2) With great hurry, she took her copy of the Japanese translation of Pride and Prejudice and caught up to Kabaji, who was walking in a pace that was definitely not sedate. (3)
They crossed over the room and climbed up the marble staircase that lead towards the second floor. This made everyone present in the library take a glance at them. Himawari was at first afraid; what if the librarian saw her there? She wasn't one of those special people who were granted access. When they approached a small room however, she suddenly had a vague idea of what was up.
'Ito Himawari, the new manager!' She proclaimed giddily inside her head.
The tennis player then stopped and turned to her as if saying in his own little way, 'Here we are!''
Himawari smiled at Kabaji and turned to face the door with a determined look.
Even though she never went to the second floor of the library before, she knew –and so did everyone in school- that the great Atobe had a study room all to himself located inside. Now, she didn't know if all Student Council presidents really needed one, since there was already the Student Council Conference and Club Room down the East Wing. Come to think of it, the Hyoutei Tennis Club had been also rebuilt when Atobe gained captainship, and she knew for a fact that there was also a room dedicated only to the regular players of the team there.
Is this guy the son of a business tycoon? Or is he secretly mapping out his future as an architect?
The world may never know.
Still, Himawari couldn't help the grin that threatened to form on her face. Who was she to question Atobe's plans for the future anyway? Heck, she won't even be surprised if he was actually aiming for world domination!
"Usu."
Himawari turned to Kabaji. Was he growing weary of waiting for her to come inside? "Patience is a virtue, Kabaji-san," she said unpleasantly as she knocked at the door.
"Come in."
No competition at all!
The great Atobe-sama's study seemed like the right place for the interview. Or the official confirmation of her position, Himawari hopefully thought. Atobe would wish to be in command, in control, and this would be emphasized in their meeting in his private sanctuary.
"Do have a seat," he politely said.
Himawari smiled and took the offer while she willed herself to look away from the mini Swarovski crystal chandelier that hanged on the ceiling. She sat down on a large leather chair, positioned opposite to his desk. There was a small table with a tray filled with small teacups and assorted sweets beside her.
"Ore-sama is glad to know that you applied for the position," Atobe stated. Himawari noted that he really was extremely handsome, with thick grey hair styled in a rather fashionable manner and eyes so blue you could probably drown in them. He smiled, showing his bright, white teeth. "It is a Tuesday, isn't it?" he suddenly inquired.
"Uhm, yes," the girl looked puzzled. What is it with the day Tuesday anyway? Just a while ago, she was wistfully thinking how she disliked Tuesdays. Was there going to be a badly written book entitledA Tuesday With Atobe-sama that she was destined to author? Hopefully not!
"Well, in any case, Ore-sama wishes to personally hear from you why you applied for the position of the tennis club manager," Atobe stated, his voice with a tone of command. "For formality's sake, of course. No pressure, Ito."
Ohohoho…!Himawari decided that she had already won the battle. This was her territory. Over the years, she had mastered the art of deception and lying while keeping an even face. Himawari finds this skill quite useful when she needed to tell white lies. Since she transferred to Hyoutei, she had been playing the role of the "perfect girl" without sweat and had even learned a thing or two about what ticked people off and what pleased them the most.
Anyway, it's not like she was a pathological liar. That's too much. She's more of a… More like a…
Actress.
Yeah. An actress.
Actresses were not liars anyway. They were required to play a part and be so good at their roles that the audience would have no choice but to wholeheartedly believe they were the characters they portrayed. They acted because they wanted to earn a living. Himawari acted because she wanted to earn popularity.
So she started her brilliant speech by first praising Atobe, exalting him to the highest. She then went on to express her deep respect and admiration for the sacred sport of tennis in her most sincere tone. Tennis, she confessed, had always been a beloved sport for her even though she never had the talent for it. Cue a wistful look. She then told him of her vision for the club's future and included all her plans so that the team could one day cinch this year's national championship tournament.
Meanwhile, Atobe had been looking at her with the same excitement he would show when presented with a rock. Sometimes, he would tap his for fingertips together, his hands forming a hollow triangle. Sometimes, he would look at the wall clock in boredom. Himawari was so into her speech that she did not notice that Atobe raised his eyebrows everytime she would utter her love for tennis.
"That is all," Himawari finally said with a ragged breath after more than five minutes of talking about nothing but direction, management and making the Hyoutei Tennis Team great. Unbeknownst to Himawari was the fact that Atobe didn't pay much attention to her speech, but instead focused on using his Insight on her.
At first glance, she really was ordinary. Long and slightly wavy raven hair that reached almost the waist. Owl-like eyes which were grey in color. She followed Hyoutei's uniform policies to the letter; she was very neat-looking, especially when compared to the other girls who liked to roll up their sleeves or preferred to use slouchy socks instead of the prescribed regular white knee ones.
Definitely a Choutarou.
But his ability made him see something else in her, something that made him uneasy. There was something wrong with her, and what it was, he didn't know. He decided to test something out.
"Atobe-san. I'm done," Himawari reminded as Atobe continued to assess her.
The Hyoutei King, who looked truly powerful behind his large mahogany desk, tilted his head very slightly towards her direction. "Anything else you wanted to add?"
Himawari blinked. A rather odd question, but something very simple to answer. "No. Nothing at all, Atobe-san."
"Oh?" He gave an amused chuckle. "None?"
"If there is anything else that I want to share with you, I would gladly say it right now," Himawari answered confidently, a radiant smile on her lips.
This time, Atobe groped for the right words to say. His instinct never failed him after all. "Even if it concerns dishonesty?"
Himawari thought she choked on air when she heard the word dishonesty. Without even realizing it, she drank the tea in front of her in one big gulp to recover from the slight shock. As she put down the tea cup on the table, she thought she saw Atobe smirk.
Right on the money.
"Not very ladylike of you, ne, Ito-san?" It was more of a statement rather than a question. Himawari simmered inside because she knew that Atobe was enjoying this.
"My apologies," she gave another smile, albeit more forced than the last time. "Your assumptions about me just threw me off."
"How rude!" Atobe threw his head back. "Ore-sama does not make assumptions, Ito-san. Ore-sama makes direct accusations."
"So you are accusing me of being a liar then?" She asked, trying to keep her tone as even as possible.
"Ore-sama cannot be faulted if people have their own interpretations of his words."
Frankly, the pompousness level in the air was suffocating her. She wanted to yell at him but instead, she smiled again, "Maybe you are correct. But like I said, you don't have any evidence to support your-"
"Ore-sama's Insight cannot be deceived," the Tennis Club buchou simply proclaimed, as if it was an explanation all by itself.
"Interesting," she muttered, briefly curious of this amazing ability called Insight. She heard that Atobe used a skill called Insight to analyze an opponent's weakness during a tennis match. She never thought that it could come in handy when dealing with people too. After all, if Atobe's Insight helped him sniff her out, what surprising things can this ability further do? But of course she couldn't lose face. "Do you mind to explain to me how you came to that conclusion, Atobe-san?"
Atobe glanced sharply down at the girl, his blue eyes meeting her grey ones. "You're a contradiction," he told her, his brows furrowed together. "And frankly, you smell of ambition."
The raven haired girl struggled to hold the smile on her face. How did Atobe do that? She drank her tea again and spoke, "Atobe-san, you were merely operating on your instincts. I don't-"
"Now you sound angry," he pointed out.
"I am not," she said, and she was rather pleased with how positively sunny she sounded.
There was something intriguing about her. Was he attracted to her? He doubted it, but he knew that she was like a mystery that he wanted to solve.
"Though Ore-sama frowns upon your… actions," Atobe started as he rose from behind his desk. "Ore-sama would also be the first person to admit that he cannot find anyone else competent enough for the position." He managed a sigh. "Sometimes, Ore-sama wonders if truly capable people are decreasing in Hyoutei."
Himawari thinks of something along the same lines too whenever she encounters all those airheaded fans of Atobe.
"You should be grateful because Ore-sama is giving you a chance to prove yourself." With a graceful flick of his hand, he held out a finger in front of her. "One week. Ore-sama will give you a week so that he can determine if you are truly up to the task. A managerial position isn't very easy, Ito-san."
She nodded. "Nobody ever said it was."
Atobe looked at her again. Well, she seemed feisty enough. Even without his Insight he knew that she at least had drive.
"Good. Ore-sama is glad to know that we understand each other on that part." He started to walk back and forth the room. "Ore-sama would also like to make it clear to you right now that he does not like being cheated. Ore-sama does not like it when people lie too. To Ore-sama, it is a grave insult. It only means one thing: that Ore-sama is not deserving enough of the truth."
Himawari nodded again and then longingly glanced at the door. It had never looked so enticing before.
"You still do not have the permission to leave Ore-sama's office," Atobe declared while he sauntered towards her with the slow, deliberate steps of a man who was well familiar with his own power. Himawari, meanwhile, was alarmed that he even recognized her desire to escape from his lecture. Another brilliant use of his Insight? She regarded that possibility.
"Starting tomorrow, you are to report to the tennis courts at exactly one in the afternoon. Ore-sama does not tolerate tardiness, Ito-san. If by any chance Ore-sama is not there, you can look for Oshitari. You know him of course, since you are classmates."
The distressed girl sucked in her breath when Atobe leaned forward, their eyes meeting.
"Did you get all of that?"
"Yes," she smiled weakly. "Of course." Smiling had always been an unconscious habit of hers. That was not a lie.
"Now," he also smiled, though his was a smile of smugness. "Do you have anything else to say, Ito-san?"
"Now that you mention it, I feel like I should be straightforward with what I think of you."
"Aan~?" Now it was Atobe's turn to look quite surprised. He was not expecting her to say that. Maybe she was made of stronger stuff than he thought. "Why don't you tell it, Ito-san?" Truthfully, he was interested to know what the girl thought of him.
"You," she smiled again, but it was an odd sort of smile, and he couldn't quite tell what it truly meant. "make Mr. Darcy seem only mildly arrogant." (4)
Atobe looked at her, confused. But before he could order the girl to explain, she scrambled towards the door and left the room. Alone, Atobe pondered her words, but then he decided later on that tennis paperwork was far more important than a girl's enigmatic declaration.
The pieces connected together just after his dinner. Quite impressed, Atobe thought that maybe, just maybe, there was hope for a proper conversation with a female schoolmate after all.
(1) This is mostly true in public schools in Japan, so I used it as a reference to my story even if Hyoutei is a private school.
(2) Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll is a famous story about a little girl who likes going off in crazy adventures instead of going to school and studying.
(3) One of Jane Austen's most celebrated novels, Pride and Prejudice tells the love story of a witty and lively woman who becomes courted by a proud and slightly judgmental gentleman.
(4) Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, or Mr. Darcy for short, is the main male protagonist of Pride and Prejudice. He is wealthy and highly sought-after, but he is sometimes arrogant and concerned with his social status.
AN:Himawari's really baaaaddd... Poor Kabaji! *sighs* Anyway, here's the second chapter of this story!