In the coming week, Mayu was called into exclusive meetings—ones with older men wearing Harry Winston watches. It astounded her to think these chain-smoking executives were calling the shots for an athletic association. But she kept her mouth shut; in these highly gender-biased settings, she knew better than to express too many opinions.
As Mayu had hoped, the German team agreed to participate in the national tryout, citing it as an extraordinary opportunity for them to witness the Japanese selection process and expertise all at once. Confirmation received, Mayu finalized the schedules, sent out instruction pamphlets and set up the reception for foreign visitors.
As the tryout processes and results were confidential, Mayu limited her interactions with the German athletes to make sure they understood tournament structure and rules. All other communications with Tezuka and Ryoma, she delegated to another staff and kept her distance. After three weeks of grueling evaluation, the panel finally announced the names on the new national team.
On the last night of July, Director Yanagi picked a high-end restaurant in Aoyama to celebrate a successful tryout. The organizing committee was seated in a VIP room in the back. Art deco lights were strung along the ceiling. On the inner wall was a shelf filled with oddly shaped glass bottles and fine ceramics.
Like all other meetings Mayu attended, the room was populated with men. The handful of women present were who she presumed to be wives of various executives. Minister Yazawa again sat at the head of the table even though he only attended the last match. Mayu was seated next to Tezuka on the opposite end and across from Ryoma.
When the room filled up, Director Yanagi raised his glass and gave a few perfunctory remarks to start. He then passed the speech to Tezuka.
"The national tryout couldn't have been reinvented without your assistance," Tezuka said to the table. Giving a nod of respect to Minister Yazawa, he added, "Especially that of the Minister. We appreciate your direction and input that contributed to this success."
The Minister gave a hearty laugh but other attendees, with cigarettes lit up and glazed over eyes at the end of a long day, had already started drinking.
As the co-chair, Ryoma was the next to speak and he stood up without a delay. He picked up a spoon and clinked it against his glass to catch everybody's attention. As with before, this earned him a round of disapproving scowls.
"Everyone did hard work to make this happen, certainly." Breaking off here, he turned to Mayu and said, "But I think we're overlooking somebody who did fantastic work: Ohara-san pitched the idea to add foreign players to the tryout. I believe we should take a moment to recognize her outstanding efforts. Without her, this tryout wouldn't have been so revolutionary."
Met with Mayu's appalled look, Ryoma merely smirked and raised his glass. "To Ohara-san."
"Well said!" The Minister picked up his glass. "Ohara-san is an absolute gem to the association. Well done."
Following the Minister's lead, the rest of the table gave her a hand. In return, Mayu hastily stood up and bowed to the senior executives.
With the remarks ending on a positive note, everyone at the table was in a joyous mood. One waiter went around the table to take everybody's orders while another refreshed drinks.
"Thank you for that, Echizen," said Tezuka. "It was my oversight to have missed recognizing Mayu." To her, he said solemnly, "I'm sorry."
Before she could respond, Ryoma replied, "No problem. I catch the important stuff you miss. That's why I'm the co-chair, right?"
"That's right."
"Plus, I had to announce it since she's always staying behind the scenes and hiding her contributions, to the point that she wouldn't even come talk to us." Looking at Mayu pointedly, he said, "You're too modest."
Mayu smiled but said nothing more. The waiter conveniently came over to ask for their orders. Tezuka ordered the sole filet. Mayu ordered the seafood stew.
"And I'll have wine-braised chicken," said Ryoma when it was his turn.
"That's a fine French dish," remarked Tezuka.
"I know. Someone recommended it to me and it's become a favorite."
Mayu sipped on her wine as if she didn't hear anything. Tezuka and Ryoma stayed with water. In this pause, a director's wife dropped in on their conversation and asked about Tezuka and Mayu's relationship. Tezuka politely responded that they met in high school and had been with each other since.
"So it's been eight years!" gushed the wife. "Yet you two still aren't married? Tezuka-san, what on earth are you waiting for?"
"We're getting married next spring."
"Now that's more like it." To Ryoma, she asked, "Is that what you have in mind with Ryuzaki-san?"
Ryoma shot her a look of confusion. "Who are you again?"
The wife seemed flustered and scrambled to introduce herself, but Ryoma had already tuned out. Embarrassed, she said a few more words and scurried off to the other end of the table in a hurry.
Seizing her chance, Mayu asked Ryoma, "Speaking of Ryuzaki-san, why isn't she here with you?"
"This sort of dinner will bore her to tears. I know I'm bored."
"Well, did you ask her?"
"I don't have to ask. I know."
"Are you always this presumptuous with women?" she retorted.
"It's not presumption," he answered. When Tezuka was pulled into another conversation, Ryoma leaned in and said in a low voice, "I've got a fantastic intuition, that's all."
At that instant, Mayu felt a light touch against her foot, and following it, a smirk slowly forming on Ryoma's lips. All but reflexively, Mayu leaned back and kept her feet against the legs of her chair.
After the food was served, Tezuka redirected his attention to the table and Ryoma also regained himself. In disbelief that Ryoma had blatantly flirted with her in front of her fiancé, Mayu concentrated on her stew to repress a rush of mixed emotions and hoped he would know when to stop.
Yet Ryoma refused to quit: each time Tezuka was spoken to, she'd inevitably feel the nudge against her ankle.
***
a/n: unlike previous chapters, Ryoma is taking more aggressive action, and things can only escalate from here >:)
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Second to None
Fanfiction"I like you, Ohara-san," said Tezuka all of a sudden. "This is not how you should confess to a girl." "I'm sorry. I guess I should've brought something. Maybe flowers." "That's not it." "What should I do?" "You're supposed to ease into it, not tell...
