Tied Up 〔An Eyeshield 21's Fanfiction〕

Ch.16: His Plan

Since that day, Rie didn't come to school nor their training. She's not at her house either. At first, Hiruma brushed away his useless worries. He thought she would be okay on her own. She's not a baby, that was he said to himself. She might just need a time to grieve at her mother's death, then she'll come back to her normal self, the confident and cheerful Rie. But not after a couple of week. She had enough time, right? And, he couldn't hold it anymore, too. At a certain day, an unknown number called her and she answered it.

"Moshi moshi."
"..."

He didn't answer it, made the blondie somehow knew who called her.

"What do you want, Youichi?"

Her voice sounded tired, or maybe, annoyed. For weeks, she had tried to erase him from her mind. She had tried to convince herself that it's useless to hope for a romantic relationship with him, because it wouldn't happen, ever. She tried to distract herself, so she wouldn't remember him. But, it failed, completely.

"Why did you absent from the training, fuckin' girl? You know that we didn't have much time until--"
"You have her, don't you?" Rie cut his words harshly.
"Who?"
"Oh come on. Stop acting so clueless and dumb."
"That fuckin' assistant manager?"
"She's smart enough to manage the team. You don't need me, Youichi."
"That's not the point!"
"Then what is it?"

1, 2, 3 seconds passed. Silence approached both of them. Rie scoffed.

"You can't answer it because it's the fact, right?" She challenged him.
"Just get back here, you idiot."
"Why should I do that? I've had enough with Deimon. Also, there's no reason for me to stay in Tokyo. My mom died, remember? Or are you forgetting it since my existence for you is just nothing, make everything that happened to me aren't important at all?"
"If your existence is nothing for me, then why would I call you at the first place?"

Now it's Rie's turn to be silent. Somehow, Hiruma's words were true. But, being as stubborn as her usual self, she didn't want to admit it.

"It's to fill your obligation as a team captain."
"To call you out of the blue?"
"Yes, because I'm the team's main manager and suddenly I, 'poof', gone, without saying a thing."
".... That's right."

Rie raised an eyebrow, totally aware with sudden change of his voice. Yet, she chose to ignore it.

"You said it by yourself." She laughed sarcastically, "Well, if you don't have anything left to say, I'll hang up."
"Rie."

The call on her name by the demon always able to make her froze.

"What?"
"Where are you now?"

A totally unexpected question, if she may say. Really, she never expected that question from Hiruma. She thought that he just want her to back to Tokyo, get back to school like usual, and help him with many things related to the team and their tournament, not asking her location. But, once again, she just took it as a formality that every captains would do.

"Why do you ask me that?"
"Don't ask me back, you dummy."
"Okinawa."

Yeah, she has gone to Okinawa to calm her mind and release all of her grief and burden. No, she just wanted to get away, running from her problems and avoiding him, Hiruma Youichi.

"Until when?"
"I'm planning to stay here forever."

If you think that she's joking, well, don't be, because she was dead serious. When Rie told her father about her idea staying at Okinawa, Maruko Atsuhiro went against it immediately.

"You got a screw loose?"
"Yes. Since mom's death."

A long, frustrated sigh could be heard by her. 'What's wrong with him?' she asked inwardly.

"Okay then, I'll―"
"Hang on there. You still haven't answered my question. Why did you ask me that?"
"I planned to take you back to Tokyo, also," he paused for a few seconds, "to kick your ass and bang your head to any wall, so you'll get your sense back. I'll hang up now."

Rie was still trying to understand what Hiruma's words mean, yet he has already hung the phone. She tried to suppress her anger but to no avail.

"That bastard!"

✾✾✾

"Oi. Fuckin' assistant manager."
Hiruma casually walked, entering the field, then stopped beside the said assistant manager.
"Geez, stop calling me with that name!"
Hiruma rolled his eyes, ignoring her protest, "I need you to keep your eyes on those brats while I'm gone. And make sure that they do their practice, everyday, morning and evening." He handed her a long ―literally― list full of their practice schedule. Each one of them has a special kind of practice.
"Where do you want to go? We have a tournament in a week." Mamori reminded him.
He clicked his tongue, feeling annoyed, "I don't need your preaching, fuckin' assistant manager. I know what I'm doing and I'll be back before the tournament starts."

With that, he left the field, went back to the clubroom then went home. Next stop, Okinawa.

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I'm so sorry that I've made you guys wait for a long, long time for this chapter (T_T)

I intended to make one long chapter but decided to separate it into 2 short chapters.

Please give your thoughts about it, okay? Because, I think the story is kinda lame and sometimes, I think about discontinued it.