Quarter 6: Hello my calamity
"WHAT? I'm sorry. Can you repeat it?" Furihata Kouki requested the man in front of her.
"You heard me, Furihata-san. From tomorrow, you're gonna be the regular players' manager." Coach Shirogane Eiji repeated his words.
"What 'bout Higuchi-san(1)?" The girl asked. "Is there any problem?"
"Unfortunately, Higuchi has to leave the club for a while 'cuz of his health problem. That's why I'm assigning you to become the new manager for the regulars."
"I understood the situation, but don't you think Chikage-senpai or Akatsuki-senpai is better for the position?" The brunette said.
"It's not wrong, but I believe that if it was you, the team would have more benefits. I've investigated your previous work in Seirin High, and I think it was pretty splendid for a girl who had just become a manager." Her coach praised her.
"Umm, thank you, sir, but I'm not that ridiculously good as you said. There're better people like Momoi Satsuki from Too Academy, than me."she paused, "But, since this's an order from you, the coach, I'll try my best." Furihata bowed.
"Great, see you tomorrow." The old man said farewell.
"See you tomorrow, sir."
xXx
"Manager for the regulars, huh?" Furihata whispered to herself, as she walked back to her house. She signed in defeat. A couple of months had gone after she became a manager of the basketball team. But, up until now, she had to take care of the second string members. Even though she decided to become a part of the team, she was still trying to avoid Akashi and his scissors as much as possible. And, now she had just assigned to be the manager for him as well as the uncrowned kings. "What a ridiculous fate, is it?" She took out her cell phone to sent Kuroko a message about her promotion.
'Kuroko-chan, I've jux promoted to the manager of the regulars. I heard about your relationship with Kagami-kun. Congratulation.' A few minutes later a reply arrived.
'Congratulation to you, too, Furi-chan. This means we're gonna be opponents in the Winter Cup. I can't wait to face you on the court.'
'Opponents? Can I be like that with you guys?'
xXx
"I'm Furihata Kouki from class 1-C. From today i'm your manager. Please take care of me." She introduced herself again to the regular members, Akashi Seijuurou, Mibuchi Reo, Hayama Kotarou, Nebuya Echiken, and Mayuzumi Chihiro.
"I expect good outcome from you, Furihata Kouki. You'd better not fail my expectation." Akashi told her in cold tone. She knew that he mostly speak in that tone and had been hearing it for past months, but she still shivered inwardly every time a word came out of his mouth.
"Yes, I'll try my best." she said nervously as her slightly shaking voice appeared a little louder than usual. Akashi walked away after hearing her words.
"Please take care of me, too, Furi-chan." Mibuchi said happily. Among the regulars, he had become a good friend of her.
"Yeah, yeah, do your best, or you don't know what might happen to you." Hayama grinned widely and Mibuchi hit him on the head. Nebuya returned to his practice, saying something like "I wanna eat gyudon." or like that.
"Don't scare her, Hayama. And, Nebuya say some greeting to her." The taller boy scolded his teammate. The muscular, big boy did not listen him.
"My bad, my bad, but it's not something wrong, is it?" Hayama asked Mibuchi.
"Furi-chan, I figured that you also realize what kind of person Akashi is. So please don't try to get on his nerve as much as possible. I'm telling you for your own good." Mibuchi warned her. Furihata's hand reached out to the healed wound on her cheek.
"I'll try."
"It's a pleasure to work with you, Furihata-san." Mayuzumi told her.
"Same here, Mayuzumi-senpai." Furihata was surprised at first to see there was someone other than Kuroko who had little presence. But, being a friend with Kuroko, his sudden appearance and disappearance did not bother her very much unlike the other benched players and second strings, who were shocked every time he appeared out of thing air.
Just like that she became the manager of the regulars of Rakuzan. Everyday she worked hard to please the coach's and Akashi's demands. But, she did not have much things to do since it was Akashi who always made training schedule, tactics, etc.
xXx
Furihata leisurely walked in the corridors with neatly-folded towels in her hands. She was almost done with her club work. All she needed was to put these towers in the wardrobe of the club. She hummed a song as she walked. Suddenly she stopped because she heard a voice. To be exact, Akashi Seijuurou's voice. She decided not to make any noise as he seemed to be on phone. She passed the boy's locker room where she thought his voice appeared.
"How stubborn you are, Tetsuya." She heard him spoke.
'Tetsuya? Is he talking with Kuroko-chan?' She thought.
"I said that I would allow you to do as you like, but you can't run away from me. The fools learn from the mistakes while the wise from the history. I'll let you run wild with your foolish act for a little more so that you can learn yourself from your mistake. Well, Tetsuya, in this winter cup, I'll teach you how weak your new light, Kagami is and take you back to my side." Akashi broke out a laugh.
"Seirin isn't weak, you said. I know that it's quite a surprising fact for two-year-old team to be this strong, but Tetsuya, don't underestimate me and my team 'cuz I'm absolute. Please remember your promise that you'll return to me if Seirin lose in the Winter Cup. Until ..." He paused because the locker room's door was slam opened.
'WHAT KIND OF PROMISE IS THAT!' Furihata yelled in her mind.
'Kuroko-chan would never do such thing! Return to him and leave Kagami-kun?' She had always shown uninterested behavior to Kuroko's matter with Akashi, but this time she could not stand anymore. She envied her two friends for their beautiful relationship. They always showed deep affection towards each other. Her blood pressure rose and unintentionally she opened the door.
"Please stop with this nonsense, Akashi-kun!" Furihata shouted in her mind. However she realized that she actually had rudely opened the locker room's while Akashi was on phone and yelled at him when she met a pair of frightening dichromatic eyes looking at her. "Hiiiiiiieeee!" She yelped. All she could see now was a calamity waiting ahead for her.
'I'M DONE FOR.'
xXx
"How stubborn you are, Tetsuya."
"I couldn't help but stubborn, Akashi-kun. I deeply love Kagami-kun and this time I decided not to run away."
"I said that I would allow you to do as you like, but you can't run away from me. The fools learn from the mistakes while the wise from the history. I'll let you run wild with your foolish act for a little more so that you can learn yourself from your mistake. Well, Tetsuya, in this winter cup, I'll teach you how weak your new light, Kagami is and take you back to my side."
"Kagami-kun isn't weak so is Seirin."
"Seirin isn't weak, you said. I know that it's quite a surprising fact for two-year-old team to be this strong, but Tetsuya, don't underestimate me and my team 'cuz I'm absolute. Please remember your promise that you'll return to me if Seirin lose in the Winter Cup. Until ..."
"Please stop with this nonsense, Akashi-kun!" Kuroko looked at her cell phone in confusion when she heard Furihata's voice flowing out of the speaker.
'Furi-chan? Why's she with Akashi-kun?' A second later, she heard her yelp.
"Akashi-kun, do you hear me? Akashi-kun?" She called for her ex. Never in her life, she had encountered someone yelling at Akashi. She was shocked as well as happy at the same time. It was shocking because no one know what might happen if Akashi got yelled. The happiness was for having a friend like Furihata who stood still beside them with her unwavering friendship.
"Yes, Tetsuya, I can hear you perfectly. Unfortunately, I must end our conversation here for some business. I'll see you and your light at the Winter Cup." And just like that, the call was dead.
"I wish your safety, Furi-chan"
(1) Just for you know, Higuchi Shouta is the real manager, an official character, not an OC.
Julissa: Yeah, Qt. 6 finished. Cliffhanger again.