It's funny how a woman could be so strong and independent and yet such a fucking coward at the same time. Mamori slumped over on a curb by the flower bed and covered her face.

Everything was going to be ruined. Nothing would be the same. Over three years of patiently waiting for the right moment was going to be thrown out the window thanks to a damn football tabloid magazine.

One month ago.

"Don't forget the CF Monthly, fuckin' manager!" yelled Hiruma.

Slinging her messenger bag over her shoulder, Mamori acknowledged his request with a slightly raised eyebrow as she closed the clubroom door upon her exit.

She usually bought the subscriptions to all the known football magazines but CF Monthly was a new magazine that was being released this month, focusing mostly on college football. If it turned out to be a good information provider, she would subscribe to it for the club.

To her utter confusion but pleasant surprise, the very first volume of CF Monthly featured her prominently on the cover. "Saikyoudai's Secret Ace: Anezaki Mamori" it read in bold red print. Picking the magazine up, Mamori stared in amazement at her likeness in glossy print. It was an unusual choice for a football magazine cover.

From the shirt she was wearing in the picture, she figured out which game the photo must have been taken at. It was a practice game against Oujou University that took place almost a month ago. They had lost the game by 2 points since the Oujou University team now not only included the Golden Generation but now also had Shin, Sakuraba, and the others.

Mamori was tempted to flip through the magazine right then and there to see what they had written about her, but she knew Hiruma was probably torturing some poor souls back at the clubroom. It was best if she got back quickly in case any of the wounded needed attention. She paid for her purchases and walked as quickly as she could back. The sooner she got back, the sooner she could read the magazine.

"Guess who's on the cover of the new magazine?" she announced as she closed the clubroom door behind her. Setting her bags down, she quickly flipped through the magazine to find the titillating article.

Hiruma didn't say a word as he continued to type on his laptop. However, Agon and Ikkyu immediately gathered around her to view the magazine and everyone else paused from putting their things away and was all looking at her expectantly.

Grabbing the magazine out of her hands, Agon flipped to the cover and exclaimed in disbelief, "ANEZAKI MAMORI? What the fuck! What the actual fuck! I'M Saikyoudai's ace." He tossed the magazine angrily onto the floor. "That magazine is a piece of shit. I'm going to the gym," he yelled and slammed the door behind him.

Ikkyu picked the magazine up and read the main cover title, " 'Saikyoudai's Secret Ace: Anezaki Mamori'." He laughed and handed Mamori the magazine. "Here, M-Mamori, you read it t-to us," he stuttered, blushing slightly and unable to look her in the eyes.

Mamori flipped through the magazine eagerly until she found the main spread about herself. The article was very flattering. It talked about her intelligence, dedication to the team, diligence, and most of all, it mentioned how she was an invaluable team asset. The author justified calling her the team's secret ace by mentioning her ability to analyse plays from the bench and communicate with the team captain using their secret hand signs. Overall, she was pleased as punch about everything it had to say about her.

The magazine spread also contained more clandestine photos of her, taken during various games. The most prominent photo was a full page image of a close up of her head and shoulders at the end of the spread. The photo was of Mamori staring in a somewhat dreamy lovesick way, looking slightly to the left. There was a large caption at the bottom.

"Saikyoudai's beautiful team manager appears to be in love. What or WHOM is she looking at? Find out in next month's issue." Ikkyu read aloud in wonder.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and Mamori's eyes widened as she saw this particular picture. She remembered exactly the moment this photo must have been taken and on what day. This particular photo was from a practice game three weeks earlier against Enma U. And she knew exactly what or rather whom she had been looking at.

Mamori couldn't prevent the blush that spread across her cheeks.

"I bet she was drooling over a box of creampuffs," cackled Hiruma.

He had silently snuck up right behind her and was looking at the magazine from over her shoulder. He quickly snatched it from her hands and started flipping through it.

"I can go through it and I'll let you know if it's worth subscribing to. You don't have to waste your time, Hiruma-kun," said Mamori. She tried to take the magazine back from him.

Hiruma narrowed his eyes at her while holding the magazine above his head and entirely out of her reach. He smacked his gum, blew a bubble, and craftily replied, "That's OK, fuckin' manager. Why don't you analyse the video from the last game, I'll handle the magazine."

He immediately stuffed his prize into his own bag and loudly announced, "Practice is over for today, everyone go the fuck home. I want you all here at fuckin' 0600 tomorrow morning for morning practice." Hiruma fired a few shots at everyone to clear the room.

Mamori sighed loudly. Would it kill him to call me Mamori, or even just "manager" and leave the "fuckin' " part out? She had been over this with him a hundred times before and she knew she would get nowhere. She was on a first name basis with everyone else on the team and she knew Hiruma simply enjoyed aggravating her and she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. Not today.

Grumbling a bit she grabbed her own bag, tossed the bag of purchased supplies at him and left.

The month passed by in a blur. Hiruma had insisted on checking out the magazine for a few more months before deciding if it was worth subscribing to.

Mamori was dreading the release of the 2nd issue and was desperately thinking of various plots to prevent anyone she knew from reading it. She couldn't afford to just buy all the available copies so that was way out of the question. She had tried to convince them the magazine was no good, but to no avail. Hiruma was adamant about buying the next issue at least.

Damn.

Mamori's floral scent blew in the open clubroom door moments before she entered with her hands full of shopping bags. She had just returned from the trip to the store for supplies and the much anticipated 2nd issue of CF Monthly. Most of the team was finished with practice and were just lounging around in various states of undress. Hiruma was sitting with his feet propped up on the desk, tapping away on his laptop.

"What do you know, they were sold out of CF Monthly," she said as she started to put away all the newly purchased supplies. She was out of ideas and had resorted to lying. "I guess we'll have to check out another store tomorrow. By the way, you should try to keep the door closed, you're wasting the air conditioner." Mamori chided as she closed the clubroom door, hoping to distract him with a petty argument as per usual.

There was no way she would get away with it for long, but it would buy her another day, at least, to come up with the courage to face it. Maybe she could use the same excuse tomorrow and maybe, eventually, everyone would forget, she desperately hoped.

Hiruma blew a bubble and stroked his gun, all the while staring at Mamori. She found various things to do to avoid looking him in the eye. He would know she was lying immediately. He might already know.

"That's ok, fuckin' manager, it's not a big deal," he said magnanimously.

It was so out of character for Hiruma to be forgiving that Mamori was instantly put on guard. He was up to something. She'd bet her favourite Rocket Bear plushy on it.

BAM! The clubroom door slammed open.

"Sorry," apologized Ikkyu in a muffled voice, "My hands were full so I had to kick the door open."

Ikkyu had several bags in his hands and one clamped between his teeth. Mamori immediately went to help him.

"I got the magazine you asked for, Hiruma," Ikkyu beamed proudly as he withdrew the CF Monthly from one of the many bags.

The world stopped spinning momentarily for Mamori. Her breath hitched and her heart appeared to stop beating for a split second as, in seemingly slow motion, Hiruma closed his laptop, put it on the table, got up, and reached for the dastardly magazine.

"NO!" Mamori cried and tried to grab the magazine but Hiruma was too fast. "Please don't read it, Hiruma-kun. Please, please, please? I've never asked anything of you. Just this once, please do this for me!" she begged as he held the magazine out of her reach above her head with one hand.

The entire team stared in shock.

Picking his proverbial jaw off the floor, Hiruma continued to hold the magazine above her head while eyeing her thoughtfully. Whatever it was that the fuckin' manager didn't want him to see, it was definitely blackmail material.

In all the years he had known her, she had never lost her cool like this. She had never begged for anything. She didn't get her way only because she was pretty. Mamori was a champion haggler and could convince a blind man to give her his walking stick if she wanted.

Hiruma blew a bubble thoughtfully.

"Give me one good reason, fuckin' manager," he declared, "why don't you want us to read this magazine?"

Mamori's eyes began to tear up. She had known Hiruma Yoichi as a friend for 4 years now, 2 years at Deimon High, and 2 years in Saikyoudai University. And for more than 3 of those 4 years, she has been in love with him. Mamori didn't know when it happened or the exact moment it began, but she knew the exact moment she figured it out.

As she had watched him get tackled by Gaou-kun in their final football season at Deimon, her heart had stopped. In that moment, she knew that she cared deeply for the pointy eared demon. Over the years, simply caring for him grew into love. She secretly and privately loved him from the shadows, doing her best to support him and waiting for the right moment to confess.

This was not that moment. Mamori had often fantasized how she would confess to him, but reality was so much scarier. In her fantasies, her various confession scenarios were romantic and organized. It would never be forced and embarrassing like this.

"Please, Hiruma?" she pleaded. She was so distraught she didn't even notice that she had neglected to use an honorific with his name.

The entire team held their breath, awaiting the demon quarterback's decision. How could he say no to the beautiful pleading manager?

"No," he said with finality and proceeded to flip through the magazine.

"Nnn-," Mamori moaned and ran from the club room.