Date: 02 Nov 2007

Title: Foolish Games

Disclaimer: I don't own Eyeshield 21. I'm quite poor, really. I don't even have my own PC.

Warning: Some readers may find the two main characters OC. Well, I can't please everybody. I'm feeling especially dismal and lonely nowadays and it's affecting everything. And oh, this chapter's a bit of a song fic.

x x x x x

You took your coat off and stood in the rain; you were always crazy like that…

It's raining outside. In late afternoon Tokyo, the lights are slowly becoming a glare. She watched him walk under the drops; he's not even trying to cover his face and his wild blond hair. She had offered him her umbrella, as with everything else, he turned it down, saying that a "fucking drizzle" won't kill him. She sighed inside herself. He's just too far out of her reach

I watched from my window, I always felt I was outside

Looking in on you…

Her thoughts went back to their conversation which ended abruptly just a few minutes ago. He came in earlier as usual, after she called him in his mobile from a payphone, feeling rather guilty and ashamed. By the time she walked inside the café, he had ordered black coffee and was furiously wiping his Walther P60, not really empathic about the worried and nervous faces surrounding him. She thanked the gods that the place wasn't even half full as she sat down across the table from him without a word. It seemed like they've ran out of things to say to each other, ever since she left football behind.

"I think it's going to rain", she greeted him. Where did that come from?

He just stared at his mug, clearly annoyed that she's wasting his time, which he could be using devising new tactics and truly demonic plays, and inventing ways to exploit his talented teammates. She looked at him, at his gray shirt and leather jacket, to his left ear as pointy as the right one, to his eyebrows perpetually arched in that patrician expression. Her gaze rested upon his eyes…

Why is he so beautiful?

You were always the mysterious one

With dark eyes and careless hair…

"Anou, Hiruma -- I was -- I well, I just --"

" I don't have the whole fucking day, Anezaki", he spat, then took a sip of his coffee.

Instead of being hurt, she felt quite embarrassed. Here she was thinking about doing the "offense" and putting her "great play" into action, but oh no, she just couldn't help herself to say it and really do it. She was also a bit angry, and ashamed, and a great big deal frustrated.

"Well, I just found out that you're looking for a new team manager", she said almost in a whisper, with her head bowed down and eyes focused on the embroidered mantelpiece, which was why she didn't see his expression -- a cross between curiosity and shock.

"I just, well, if it's okay-- if I can apply for the position", she added breathlessly, trying to discern the reaction she unknowingly missed. She failed at this and immediately went back to scrutinizing the table. She felt quite dizzy, which was why she didn't see the small crooked smile that played at the corner of his mouth.

You were fashionably sensitive

But too cool to care…

"Is it the fucking pipsqueak?", he suddenly asked.

"What?!" Pause.

"Oh, you mean Sena? What about him? And please stop calling him that; he's hardly a child", she answered explosively, almost stringing the words together into a meaningless jumble.

"Isn't he the fucking reason why you're applying?"

Of all people, he should know that she'd let go of being overprotective to Sena a long time ago. Why is he trying to confuse her now?

"No. I guess I just miss it; football, I mean", she answered casually, still unable to tell him the real reason why. Her mind was in shambles, her thoughts all dislocated like some really huge linebackers had just tackled them.

"Tch. I don't want any fucking problems", he tried to explain.

But in case you failed to notice,

In case you failed to see…

"Of course I won't make problems. I know Sena can handle himself now. And you have to admit that you need me", she said, slowly regaining her lost composure.

He took a sip of his coffee, which was probably already cold. He looked as if he's really having second thoughts, which seemed so unlike him. Hiruma never showed uncertainty. There was this gutsy air around him that just never failed. She was almost disappointed by his doubt. She had no illusions, no dreams, and no plans of misleading him. Her intentions will be clear as it was before when she first joined the Deimon Amefuto Club, except that, well, it's not for the same reason she'll be joining his team now.

"Have you told him? Won't he mind?" he asked bluntly, eyes focused somewhere outside the glass windows of the café.

"…"

"Who are you talking about?" she asked back, confused.

This is my heart bleeding before you;

This is me down on my knees

"The fucking egghead, damn manager, remember?! Your fucking boyfriend!" he abruptly looked away as he said this and the way he said the word boyfriend looked like he just swallowed a pile of dog vomit.

These foolish games are tearing me apart

And your thoughtless words are breaking my heart…

So that's who?

x x x x x

Three days ago:

The newest couple was having coffee: well, she was drinking milk tea and he that "fucking vile" green stuff that's so popular with health buffs. Unsui was unusually silent, given that he is silent most of the time, Anezaki worried that she had said or done something un-girlfriendish.

"You need to tell me something"; it was a statement, not a question.

She was greatly relieved to hear him talk to her but also equally confused by his cryptic manner. Or maybe she did not hear him right for her thoughts were hmm.. elsewhere?

"I know this is a mistake", he said with grim seriousness.

Anezaki didn't know what to say so she just smiled consciously, feeling baffled by the whole "conversation". It was supposed to be a date. They're supposed to get better acquainted and act as couples should, but it was definitely not going that way.

"Er- what are we talking about exactly Unsui-kun?", she asked with the same smile.

He just stared at her in return. She looked at his face, still unable to comprehend. He's not at all unpleasant, she thought (definitely more pleasant than his twin brother). But she can't understand why there's nothing to feel for him; why there's nothing special. Is it his icy demeanor? His well-modulated and very manly voice? Is it probably his neat hairstyle? Or maybe his eyes which are not fierce enough?! She shook her head, trying to chase away the demon who barred her consciousness.

He looked away and said with almost certain sadness: "You can't fool yourself forever, Anezaki".

"Unsui-kun, you can call me Mamori now, remember?"

He went back to examining her face and she began to get annoyed.

"If he can't make his move, then you just have to do it for him", he said with a great air of mystery.

What?!

"He's probably as scared as you are with the prospect of having a romantic relationship, with a close friend, nonetheless", said the wise ex-quarterback.

What?!

Finally, out of annoyance (and/or dread), she asked: "Who's he?"

"Hiruma Youichi".

BAM!!!

That one hurt.

Well, one thing that she liked about him is that he is direct, as in no fooling around, in an earnest way.

"What made you think tha---", she trailed off when she saw the knowing look in his eyes. Anezaki never realized he knew her that well; or maybe she's just that obvious.

"Love is like football. It's full of risk. And when the other team is on defense, then the other should take the offense. With this, we make a great game", Unsui explained with much fervor.

Shish. Why does it have to end in football every time?

But he was right. Perhaps it's time to put matters into her own hands; to finally take the "offense", take over the field with her really cool plays. She's had much practice, anyway.

"I know we understand each other", he said.

"Arigatto, Unsui-kun. I'm sorry if I --"

"You don't have to be", he answered then smiled. It was a rather stiff smile and all he needed were dreadlocks to make it look real scary. Yet, somehow, the thought that it was a well-meant smile of a friend comforted her.

Walking home later on, she just realized that her first ever "relationship" just ended; it didn't even last a week! And she wondered if her decision was right, if everything will be worth leaving a good man behind and to run after a bad boy.

x x x x x

"No. He won't mind, because we're not together anymore".

If he had something to sputter on, he might have sputtered. This revelation clearly shocked him because he suddenly whipped his head towards her and looked at her face as if she was some apparition.

"So you accept my application? Do I have to take any test?" she asked cheerfully.

"Tch. Just don't make any fucking trouble. College football is way different than what you're used to", was his reply.

Well excuse me, 'cause I've mistaken you

For somebody else…

"Is that a yes?" she asked teasingly.

"Tch".

"I do have one condition, though". It's finally time for confession.

He looked at her again and spat: "What fucking condition?! You're the one applying damn ma--"

She raised an eyebrow as I sore imitation of how he does it. "But you admitted you needed me".

"I did not fucking admit anything", he said as he pointed his gun at her, much to the horror of the other customers that they have almost completely forgotten. She, however, reveled in this kind of action.

Somebody who gave a damn,

Somebody more like myself…

"Yes, you did, not directly of course. And don't worry, it's not such a big thing, really", she answered back furiously. Everything's falling back to what they used to be.

He must have been desperate, or maybe curious, or impatient, because he settled despite himself and asked: "What the fuck is it?!"

It's time. This is it Anezaki, she thought.

"I want you to go out with me on a real date".

He almost pulled the trigger. She cannot be mistaken about the fact that his ears twitched violently and his brows rose even higher. There were gasps all around. An old guy choked on his latte. Another lady dropped her mug. The waiter, who was just trying to avoid being fired upon, stood gaping at the two of them. After that, the silence seemed unreal. Anezaki bit her lip, looked at him straight, and continued her speech which she had rehearsed more than once inside her head the past night.

"-- without the guns and all the flair, of course. I want it to be real peaceful and simple: A REAL NORMAL DATE", she emphasized on the last four words.

His reply was a great big disappointment. Any man in his right wits that will hear those words from such a lovely girl like her would definitely swoon with delight. Eavesdroppers (everyone inside the café except for a toddler playing with his bib) sighed in unison. They must have had just one thought with regards to his reply: HE is the most pathetic jerk born in the entire universe. But to her, it was almost identical to what was expected: cold, curt, and hurtful.

"Whatever", he answered.

These foolish games are tearing me apart

And your thoughtless words are breaking my heart

You're breaking my heart…

He stood up to leave, while making up some sort of excuse about having an exam the next day and buying new pencils. He left as peacefully as he entered, much to the great relief of everyone else in the room. She gave them the most apologetic look she could muster. An old woman at the next table came to her and patted her wrist with a sort of pity in her eyes as if lamenting her fate of falling for such a fearsome man.

She looked out of the window, at his hazy figure caught up in the middle of the lights and the drops of rain.

You took your coat off and stood in the rain;

You were always crazy like that.

She must be crazy falling for him. But for the first time, after so long, she felt like everything's going right. She is crazy, while he is difficult. But well, you can't expect the ride to be nice and peachy when you're running after the devil, can you?