Archive of Our Own

The Possibility of Rain or Shine

Working for your family business meant a lot of things for you.

'Well, child…'

Your grandmother listed every advantage with such precision and detail that even you had a hard time convincing yourself that it was still a bad idea, but you knew that it was just your hero heart talking. Working for your family business meant giving up your dreams of becoming a hero and settling for a less satisfying life as the young head of a popular hero support company.

'You must understand, darling. Our bodies just aren't made for hero work at all.'

Yes, you blamed this poor constitution. Your grandmother was right about something and it was that your bodies weren't made for the hardship that hero work entailed. She already lost one granddaughter to that delusion of grandeur and she was determined to keep you alive, even if it meant tying you down to a job you never even dreamt of.

The family business had its own brand of hardship as well, and you were soon to find out what it was.

The news of your company takeover spread throughout the industry like wildfire. A young and glowing face in the midst of a hardline industry like this one meant you were bound to be the target of so much unsolicited affection and proposals, which is why your grandmother gave you a family heirloom, a simple golden ring with a single finely-cut diamond.

'You are to wear this on your left ring finger,' she told you firmly. 'You will find a suitable husband soon enough, but you'll have to ward off some of the horrible men who want to take advantage of you and your position for the meantime.'

It was a fake wedding ring, something that was passed down from generation to generation, and it was their family's most well-kept secret.

'If they ask you anything about your husband, you are to say nothing. You tell the press, the media, the annoying man offering you a drink… That your husband is a private entity and you'd rather not involve him in your business.'

For whatever it was worth, your grandmother stayed entirely true to that statement, because she had kept your grandfather completely safe from the media's curious and peering eyes. It turns out she wore the exact same thing even before she got married, and only changed into a real wedding ring once she tied the knot with your grandfather. The same went for your father, who managed to keep his own family completely under the wraps as well, except for that one time he had to speak about his eldest daughter, whom he sadly lost to her own hero work.

The public mourned for your sister, but they only knew so far as what was revealed to them.

Your first assignment as the new head of your family business, the XX Corporation, was sealing a partnership deal with one of the renowned hero agencies in Musutafu owned by the young Pro Hero Ingenium, who was hero number four in the rankings.

One of your friends, who eventually became a minor shareholder of the corporation, warned you of the young hero's tenacity.

'I can't believe you're gonna be working with him! Iida Tenya is a magnificent hero. He has a face to die for, too! But he's…'

'He's what?'

'A fucking workaholic is what he is.'

The large office you used to run around in when you were much younger now seemed a little smaller for you. The gilded table had photos of you and your family tacked to it, a pane of glass over it. It was a more practical display compared to having picture frames scattered everywhere. A single golden nameplate sat on the desk, your name and position engraved in the golden plate.

XXXXX. Shachou. (Chief Executive Officer.) XX Corporation.

To fit the role, you had to give up days of wearing comfortable jeans and sneakers and put on dark slacks and black pumps. It was true that heels made women feel powerful, and you were no different.

You read from the small profile given to you by one of your staff members that Iida Tenya, popularly known as Ingenium, was Pro Hero No. 4 in the Billboard Rankings. That was a considerably high position given how busy he was with his own agency. It said there that he also works cooperatively with the independent heroes Deku, Shoto and Dynamight.

"Birthday: 22 August. Age: 25. Marital Status: Unknown," you flipped through the folder. "No one knows if he's married or what?"

"That shouldn't matter much, ojou-sama," said Sakashita Yohan, one of your older staff members. The older man who stood by your side was assigned as a special adviser of sorts to you by your grandmother, who was his former boss. "We're sealing a business deal after all, not a marriage proposal."

"I guess you're right, Yohan-san," you placed the crisp folder on your table and sighed. Yohan turned to you again, and you observed how the fine lines on his chiselled face disappeared as he spoke. He was a fair bit younger than your grandmother, and the dark grey suit he had on matched his middle-aged look, a head of cropped salt and pepper hair and a gentle stubble on his chin.

"Ojou-sama, if this deal bothers you…"

"No, no, I'm sorry, Yohan-san," you raised your hand in defence. "I still feel a little tense. You know baa-chan won't be with me this afternoon, so it's technically gonna be my first job as the new head of the corporation."

"I will be there to guide you, ojou-sama," he assured you. "So please put your mind at ease."

True enough, the presence of Yohan, who was both enigmatic and familiar to you since he was a constant figure in your family's life, was enough of an assurance that you would do well.

"Shachou," Kari, one of your younger female staff members opened the glass door separating your office from everything else in the building. "He's here."

You thought your friends were overreacting when they said that he was good-looking, but even his silhouette in the dark conference room exuded the vibe of a strikingly handsome man. He had prepared a very detailed presentation for you to see and hear.

But…

Your eyes were drawn to his hands the moment you met him.

It was only natural, you thought, since Iida had this habit of raising his hands to make a point. The single silver band on his left ring finger pretty much answered the question you had in your head.

You couldn't help but spin the gold band around your own left ring finger, listening quietly as he pitched his partnership deal with your support company. Despite being a client, it was Iida who insisted on visiting the corporation with a proposal of his own.

"And thus, the plan would make XX Corporation a direct partner of my agency. However, as part of our direct partnership, we would like exclusive rights to your support products, meaning you aren't open to contracting with other agencies anymore. How does this sound for you?"

Your friends really weren't kidding when he said that he was a looker, but along with that gorgeous face came an absolutely overbearing personality.

How are we going to work with this?

"If this deal means you won't be contracting with other companies as well, then it sounds like a done trade to me, Iida-san," you smiled, signalling a staff member to turn on the lights. "I am a little curious, though. How exactly did you come up with the idea to propose a direct partnership?"

In the light, you could see perfectly well how good-looking Ingenium was outside of his hero costume. His swept-back hair made him look much mature for his age, and the crisp blue suit he had on was pretty much the icing on the cake.

"Otome-san, I'm sure you're familiar with Hatsume Mei-san," he replied, closing his laptop. "She's an associate of mine and she spoke highly of your company and the high calibre of products you produce."

Of course. Hatsume Mei was one of UA's top support department students and was a shining light to the scandal-embroiled support industry.

"I see… Then I guess I owe Hatsume-san a thanks for this," you gently scribbled a note onto your open planner. "I do have one favour I'd like you to consider, Iida-san."

"And that is?"

You lifted your eyes to fully meet his gaze, holding it firmly as you spoke. "As you know, our company works with both agencies and independent Pro Heroes... But since we are closing a deal here and making it an exclusive partnership, I would like you to consider the independent Pro Heroes exempt from the deal. I do hope you understand this since they have contracts with us as well and we consider them valuable and cherished customers."

Iida remained unfazed but managed a small smile. "I see… I have no qualm about that at all, seeing as a number of my close friends work independently as well."

You clasped your hands together, a bright smile gracing your face. "Thank you! This really is a done deal, then! I'll have the papers ready by this week, so I hope you can wait for it."

Iida held out his right hand to you. "It's a pleasure doing business with you, Otome-san."

Your smaller hand slipped smoothly into his grip, the warmth exceedingly inviting. "Likewise, Iida-san."

A tall and brooding figure approached Iida and his assistant while they were on their way out of the corporation.

"Iida-san, a moment of your time."

"Ah, it's Sakashita-san," the young man replied, handing over his briefcase to his assistant. "How may I help you?"

"I'd like to extend my thanks to you for giving an agreeable deal to our shachou."

"It was indeed a fair deal," Iida said with a sure smile. "To be honest, I expected to talk to the former boss of the corporation, but I guess I wasn't informed that she had already retired and left her post to her…?"

"Granddaughter."

"Granddaughter. Yes. Thank you, Sakashita-san," He took note of it. "She's pretty, that one."

Yohan quirked an eyebrow at the younger man, who was surprised by his own words. Iida raised his hand in defence.

"Ah, sorry. That sounded rather improper. I presume she's married as well and living privately, seeing as her family has this habit of keeping their personal lives away from the media."

"It's a family tradition," the older man replied. He shook the hand of the young man before him.

"Please give her my thanks as well for an agreeable deal," Iida stated. "I look forward to meeting her again."

XX Corporation was a small glass building that only had 30 floors. It was barely a skyscraper, but people in the area considered it a landmark because of the single golden statue of a tiger that sat before its entrance.

When the media first caught wind of the new partnership between XX Corporation and Team Idaten, it was a news storm in the making.

Your grandmother taught you to look and predict things beyond the present time, something you were greatly thankful for. Foresight was one thing, but exercising caution was another. Following your meeting with Ingenium, you made sure that security was doubled around the premises of the corporation.

"Iida-san ought to do the same," you said to yourself. "Yohan-san—"

"Shachou, a telephone call," Kari held the glass door open for herself. "It's Iida Tenya-san from Team Idaten."

"Ah, that's good. I was just about to contact him," You picked up the telephone on your table. "Hello, Iida-san?"

"Ah, Otome-san," the voice from the other side of the line was sharp. "I'm sorry for the short notice, but I'd like to ask if you're available for a press conference."

You looked out the window of the corporation and saw a crowd building outside. Your grip on the phone tightened. "A press conference?"

"You see, our deal is…"

You listened to Iida's voice on the other side of the phone and tried to compose yourself. "How terrible…"

"I know. I never thought that the media would paint us as elitists after that deal. However, I am determined to go through with it."

The deal already proved to be very unpopular, but for Iida to push through with it meant his hero ranking would be impacted in the future. "Ah, but your ranking!…"

There was a short pause from the other side of the line, but you could have sworn you heard him chuckle softly. "I appreciate your concern, Otome-san, but that's another matter I'll handle on my own. For now, let's focus on the matter at hand."

Your grandmother mastered the look of steel-cold resolve throughout her years as the boss of the corporation. The scandals and rumours that the company was involved in were kept to a minimum back then, but for you to attract a massive amount of bad publicity and attention on the very first day of your job probably meant that your luck was just terrible.

Iida, who arrived a bit earlier in a pressed grey suit and red tie, stood beside you in the elevator, your respective staff members left behind for a moment.

"Luck plays little in this situation, Otome-san," he managed to smile at you. "Our deal was carefully calculated and well-thought-of, but the people think they are being cheated on."

Yohan had a red blouse brought for you for the press conference. It would be the first time you front the media as XX Corporation's new head and it's all because of a scandal.

"Are you okay?"

You looked up at him, your painted lips pursed to prevent them from quivering. You looked like you were about to cry. Iida pressed the elevator's emergency button, the garbled sound of the radio echoing in the small space.

"Ah, yes, this is Iida from Team Idaten," he spoke into the receiver. "I'm with Otome-san and I'd like to ask for you to hold the elevator for a moment."

Strangely enough, the elevator slowed to a halt, and it felt as if time itself stopped at that single moment.

"Here," he handed you an ironed blue handkerchief. "I hope you forgive me for being too forward. I can understand your agitation since you're only new to the business but you're already faced with so much adversity. If it's any assurance for you, I am here to face the press with you as your new business partner."

You took a deep breath into the handkerchief that smelled of sea island cotton and citrus and tried to calm your senses. The concern on his face was odd, but you greatly appreciated it.

Ah.

"Th-Thank you, Iida-san," you feigned a cough before pocketing the handkerchief. "You know, baa-chan placed her and our family's hopes in me so I can't afford to screw this up. However, it is very assuring that you're here with me. Ah… Sorry for sounding so forward as well."

He clamped a hand on your shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "The press wants to break people down and squeeze out information from them. It's what they do, but we can't give them that satisfaction."

You gave him a sure nod before softly slapping your cheeks with your palms.  "Okay, Iida-san. I think I'm ready."

Iida threw you a thumbs up. "Otome-san, you were born ready."

Your father always made sure that you were shielded from the glaring lights of the media's cameras when you were much younger. The media and paparazzi alike were out to get the famous people that the common society wanted to talk about, even at the cost of their privacy, and it became a known fact that the more those famous people kept hidden from the public eye, the more relentless the media were in pursuing them. It was an endless game of cat and mouse and it looked like the media was out to tag you or drag you out from where you were hiding.

You tried not to be fazed by the lights too much, but it made your head ache terribly.

The corporation's lobby was quickly transformed into a conference area, a single long table affixed with a number of microphones placed in the middle of the area, a crowd of media personnel and the odd onlooker present.

You tried to prevent a scowl from forming on your face, but you couldn't help it. Your family hated the media with a wrathful fury, the last straw was how they tarnished your elder sister's reputation as a Pro Hero before her end. You couldn't help but look at their straight faces with contempt.

You turned to look at Iida, who had the same stoic expression on his face when you first saw him.

"Ingenium, your presence here mostly confirms the rumours that your agency has signed a deal with XX Corporation. How long has this partnership been ongoing?"

"A deal hasn't been signed yet," replied Iida, who took a step forward to lean into a microphone. "However, we do plan on making the deal official once certain things are ironed out."

"Otome-shachou, you took over from your grandmother as the head of this company not long ago and yet you're gradually making changes to how it deals with business."

"Certain changes are due where new leadership begins," you stated. "However, I assure all of you to the best of my power that our company's principles remain the same as ever, and it is to deliver quality products for every aspiring hero."

"Lies!" Came a shout from the crowd. "You're signing into an exclusive deal with a single hero agency! How can you say that you will still be delivering support products for all aspiring heroes?!"

"How selfish!"

"Otome-shachou, is it true that you are keeping your husband out of the spotlight just like how your grandmother and father did so with their own families?"

Iida suddenly threw his hand to the journalist who asked that question. "Otome-san is here to answer questions about our business deal. We aren't here to answer invasive questions from tabloids."

He slightly turned to you and saw how you were already shaking where you stood. Your hands that were placed flatly on the table were unsteady.

"Otome-shachou, how do you plan on dealing with the Pro Heroes you have certain contracts with? Will you be completely closing your services to them?"

"How much did the deal cost?"

"Is a company merger in your future sights?"

"Our company, just like every other one out there, wants what's best for it," Iida's voice sliced through the noise of the lobby, the raised questions hushed to silence. "And what's best for this company is to make sure it provides all it can to satisfy its clients. I don't see anything wrong with that."

"To answer your question… No, XX Corporation will not be cancelling the contracts it made with the Pro Heroes equipped with our products. We will continue to provide good quality products to Pro Heroes working independently."

"What about those working in agencies?"

"As part of our deal with Team Idaten, we will only be providing our products and services to them, thus closing our doors to dealing with other hero agencies."

Iida slowly turned to look at you, the steel in your voice drowning out the buzzing of the crowd.

"Our partnership with Team Idaten is the very first exclusive deal that XX Corporation has ever signed," you stated almost angrily. "It's an honour to be working with a prestigious agency such as theirs and we wanted to straighten out a few things before even speaking about it… But the media never even gave us a chance to finalise things!"

The journos in the front row were evidently surprised by your sudden outburst. You were ready to speak again, but Iida gently squeezed your hand to prevent you from saying any more, shocking you back to your senses. "As you heard from Otome-san, no deals or contracts were imperilled by our business deal. The media can wait for the finalisation of this deal should you wish to ask any more questions. That is all."

Yohan came to shield your figure from the media's peering eyes, Iida following your figure closely behind.

"Yohan-san," you said. "Get them all out of here."

"Of course, ojou-sama."

A single wave of his hand brought forward a number of security personnel who ushered the media out of the premises almost forcibly.

"I really hate them…" You muttered to yourself, crossing your arms over your chest closely. "They're absolutely heartless."

Iida saw how you were still visibly unnerved by the incident. He gently held your shoulder from behind you. "Otome-san?"

While his touch startled you, it wasn't unpleasant at all. You turned to him and gave him a deep bow. "I can't thank you enough, Iida-san."

"You did well for your first media conference, Otome-san. Here's to hoping the next time won't be so hard."

"I hope there won't be a next time," you nervously chuckled. When you looked up to face him completely, you saw that he had an incredibly warm smile on his face. "You look very nice. Your wife is very blessed to have such a good-looking man as a husband!"

The smile quickly melded into surprise. "A-Ah, well…"

"Iida-san, your vehicle," Yohan, who suddenly appeared behind you, gestured to the building's entrance, where Ingenium's dark car was waiting.

"Otome-san," Iida took your hands into your own. You weren't bothered much by how the diamond on your finger twinkled in the light, but the sight of the silver band on his left ring finger made your head spin.

What was he doing?

"I-Iida-san…?"

"Please feel better," he told you. "You can always let me know if there is anything you need from me or my agency."

"O-Of course," you nodded at him.

"Ahem. Ojou-sama," Yohan's voice and feigned cough was enough to surprise you back to reality. You hastily took your hands from Iida's grip and tucked your hair behind your ear.

"Thank you again, Iida-san," you managed to smile at him. "Please take care on your way back."

"Ah, right," he straightened his stride and gave you a short bow. "You're always welcome, Otome-san."

It turns out your girlish thoughts aren't easily managed, even after the most stressful week of your life as the company's new shachou. Yohan was thoughtful enough to clean up after your shortcomings, but he knew that something was up.

"Ojou-sama, is there anything bothering you?"

"Yohan-san," you turned to the older man standing beside your table. "Isn't there any way for you to know if Iida-san really is married?"

Your question was enough to elicit a curious look from him. He slowly took a seat on the maroon settee across your table. "Ojou-sama… Do you like Iida-san?"

"Wh-What?" You squeaked. "O-Of course not! I'm just c-curious!"

"Did you just hear yourself?"

You couldn't help but groan. Nothing ever slipped past him. Yohan was both a mysterious and familiar figure in your family business and life. He was younger than your grandmother, but he merited her respect. He was older than your father and was a good mentor of sorts to him, but here he was at an age when he should be resting, guiding and advising what he called a little dove in a hens' pen.

"Shall I have a background check run?"

You shook your head at him, spinning the gold ring around your finger. "Ah, no. Seeing as he's always wearing his wedding ring, he's pretty much flaunting that he's already married."

"But still," Yohan murmured. "Ah…"

"Yohan-san?"

He couldn't say it. He knew that no one deserved to get their hopes up based on baseless actions, but he couldn't just shake off the sight of Iida's warm and wondering gaze as he rested his eyes on you during the press conference.

"How careless," he stated all of a sudden.

"I'm sorry, Yohan-san. I tried to be careful," You bowed down and rested your forehead on your table before letting out a guttural groan once again.

"What will you do if you find out the answer?" He asked you, prompting you to meet his gaze.

"Ah… I guess I'll be a little relieved," you replied. "Well, Iida-san is very good-looking. My friends weren't joking at all. But he's…"

"Oh, you're still wearing it."

From across his own office, Iida looked up from the documents he was browsing through and saw a familiar smiling face resting against the doorframe. "Nii-san!"

Iida Tensei was the one who was formerly known as Ingenium, and he moved almost effortlessly with the single silver cane in his hand. He wore a pleated shirt over a dark inner shirt and lighter pants, along with a pair of comfortable walking shoes with uneven heels.

Nine years ago, the doctors said he would lose the ability to walk forever, but here he was, defying gravity with his stance and stride. "Tenya, how many times did I tell you to—"

"Nii-san, please," the younger brother retorted. "Just take a seat for a moment."

"I saw you on TV the other day," Tensei took a seat on the chair across his little brother's office table. "Is she married?"

Tenya sighed and placed the papers down. "She had a ring on, nii-san. That pretty much answers the question."

"And so do you," the older brother stated. "Tenya, you have to be a little more honest with yourself."

"I think it's better to assume that she really is married, nii-san. I respect Otome-san very much especially since she is a valued business partner."

"Tenya—"

"Business and pleasure can't stay in the same room at the same time, nii-san," Tenya stated. "Married or not, personal feelings shouldn't get in the way of professional matters."

Tensei stood up and walked over to his little brother before ruffling his hair. "All your nii-san is saying is that you should loosen up and get yourself a girlfriend. You've done nothing but work ever since you started this."

"And I wonder who's fault this is," Tenya joked as he caught his brother's wrist. "Honestly, nii-san… Don't you plan on coming back?"

"Me? Come back?" Tensei sighed. He smiled as he held the handle of his cane. "So much time has passed, Tenya. And along with it was all the experience I could have gained that could have helped this agency work much better."

He shook his head and grinned. "But you haven't missed a beat."

"If I don't get married, there's only you to blame, nii-san."

"Don't say that while wearing that damn thing on your finger."

Cafe Lilico was one of the very few buildings to retain its rustic appearance despite the rapid gentrification of Musutafu. The small brick and wood cafe was situated between glass buildings, flower pots in full bloom lined outside its perimeters, concealing most of the inside of the cafe to curious passersby.

Yohan was kind enough to let you go out on such a mild-weathered day. He found it troubling that you insisted on spending an afternoon of peace and quiet alone in your favourite cafe, thinking a crowd would gather and find ways to gang up against you.

Which is why he insisted on staying in a shop across the one you were in, just to be sure.

The anonymity you once had as the daughter of XX Corporation's former shachou was now forfeit following your succession to the position.

"Ah, it's Otome-san."

The sound of his voice was surprising but pleasant. You looked up from your book and saw Iida standing by your table. 

"Iida-san!" You exclaimed. "What a coincidence!"

"Is this seat taken?"

You shook your head at him, a small smile on your face as you bundled your journal and pens scattered on the table. A brunette waitress was quick to arrive at your table with a menu for him in hand, but he already knew what he wanted to order.

"I'll have a chocoffee and kaya toast."

"Oh, and I'll have a refill of chocoffee as well," you raised your mug towards the waitress, a curt smile on your face as you saw her beaming at Iida. He paid no mind to it, though, seeing as most of his attention was directed towards you.

"I just came in to grab a quick drink," he said cooly, gently spreading his legs under the table. "But I thought it was quite inviting when I saw you seated here so comfortably. I hope I'm not disturbing you or something."

"Never," you told him, a sure look on your face as you did so. "You aren't a disturbance at all, Iida-san."

"Ah," he remarked with a grin on his face. "If I didn't know you, you sound like you're picking me up."

"Says the man who thought sitting down with me was rather inviting," you replied with a small laugh. You raised your left hand to your lips, a glint of light shining on your fingers. Iida turned away from you for a moment and rested his gaze outside the cafe window.

"The weather's really good today."

"Mm, it is," you took that as a chance to gaze at him. He was wearing a dark blue flannel shirt with a black inner shirt. The silver ring on his finger was still very hard to miss. "Ah…"

You shook your head. "Iida-san, you—"

"Two chocoffees and a kaya toast!" The waitress returned with a tray in her hands. She still had a bright smile on her face as she placed your orders on your table. "Ah—"

"Here you go, Otome-san," Iida placed your cup before you, a smile still on his face. He was clearly paying no mind to the waitress beside him. "The kaya toast is very good, too."

You shot a glance at the waitress and tried to hold back a small laugh. "Thank you, Iida-san. I think I'd like to order a grape tart. Miss?"

The brunette waitress tried to hold her smile as she took your order. "Of course!"

You waited for her to completely disappear before slowly leaning in and whispering. "She's being all very cutesy around you. I'm surprised you haven't noticed."

He let out a small chuckle. "How childish. I can't stand women still act all cute around me while disregarding the ring on my finger."

Your fingers circled the warm cup before you, steam swirling over the hot content before you blew it away. "I think it's actually hard to miss."

Iida knew that he was risking quite a lot by making a grand revelation, but there was nothing to lose and nothing to gain if things don't go as planned, anyway.

"Let me let you in on a little secret," his voice was low as he held the handle of the coffee mug. "The ring's just for show."

What?

"Eh?"

"I use it to ward off women," he said with an odd smirk on his face. "I just wanted the whole eligible bachelor thing to die out quick."

"Ah…" you exclaimed, but the look of pure surprise on your face didn't go unnoticed at all.

"Is something wrong?"

"Ah, well..." you started nervously. "I always thought that you already had a wife and all, especially since you strike me as a family man."

"I thought you'd know a family man when you see one since you already have a husband."

You turned your eyes away from him shyly. "W-Well... That's where you're wrong, though… Since I wear this ring for the exact same reason that you do."

It was his turn to look visibly surprised. "O-Otome-san?"

"It's a family tradition," you replied with a nervous smile, the blush on your face already too evident to even try to hide. "My grandmother said I should wear it for the meantime... While I haven't found a suitable husband."

Iida slowly reached for your hand. "I'm sorry for sounding too forward, Otome-san, but I... would like to express my interest in courting you, seeing as I've found out that there's nothing holding me back."

"I-Iida-san?…"

He was smiling at you, the bright kind that was obviously very different from the formal, business-like ones he does for show.

"On a cloudy day, you can't tell the possibility of rain or shine, because it could always go either way," he stated, the warmth of his smile unlike anything you have ever felt. "I think you're someone I'd like to walk hand in hand in either way the weather goes."

"Ah, w-well…" You stammered before finally bowing before him, squeezing his hand back as you did so. "Then I will leave myself in your care!"

Neither of you knew that the small beam of sunshine you saw on that day would quickly be covered by ominous rain clouds.

It was scandal after scandal for you, and even Yohan was stressed out following the release of a tasteless tabloid that targeted your personal life.

"It's one after the other," you sighed to yourself as you dropped the tabloid on your table. "Whoever did this was smart enough to get past me and Iida-san."

'A SPARKLING LOVE AFFAIR! A secret deal between the popular support company and Team Idaten?' was printed on the newspaper in bold text, along with a stolen photo of you and Iida inside Cafe Lilico.

"Shachou," Kari poked her head in your office. "Iida-san is on the line. Will you be taking it?"

You lifted the receiver on your table. "Hello?"

"Otome-san," you heard the concerned voice from the other side of the line. "I was hoping I'd reach you first before the papers did, but I'm sure you've already seen it."

"I'm all right, Iida-san," you replied, a small smile on your face. "I know they're trying to rattle us into giving a response, but didn't you say so yourself that we shouldn't give them that satisfaction?"

"I'm actually on my way there," he said. "I hope it's all right."

"Of course it is. After all, I think Yohan-san deserves an explanation," you laughed. "He asked me earlier why I wasn't wearing my ring anymore."

You heard him chuckle. "Then that makes us two."

"Please head to the building's back door. I'm sure the press is out there."

True enough, the silver ring on his finger was gone when he entered your office. Iida was quick to bow before Yohan, who had a knowing smile on his face.

"It was already pretty obvious the moment you called her pretty, Iida-san," the older man remarked. "As for you, ojou-sama, you broke the golden rule of never mixing pleasure with business."

Yohan could only sigh at the two figures bowed before him. A small chuckle escaped his lips. "However, you could say that I am a little pleased with the outcome."

You and Iida both raised your heads to meet the older man's sight, a smile on your lips as you took his hand. "Thanks, Yohan-san."

"You know it is my pleasure to be of service to you, ojou-sama, but how do you plan on addressing this issue at hand?"

"Iida-san and I have no obligation to answer these rumours," you replied surely. "These are our personal lives and we owe them no explanation."

"Let the media believe what they want to believe, Yohan-san," Iida stated. "It will still be business as usual for us, anyway."

"A word of advice then, little birds," Yohan started. "As someone who has witnessed a number of scandals unfold in this company, let me tell you that nothing ever came out of sweeping things under the rug. I think it's best for you two to quash the rumours before they even take root."

"Ah…"

"And you can start that by getting to know each other much better, yes?" He grinned at you. "I'll have Kari prepare some coffee."

It took the two of you a number of months to finally quell the rumours, and they only did so after you made a public appearance following the debut of one of Iida's prized apprentice heroes.

The two of you were often seen wearing matching items such as similar-coloured ties and shirts, but never the rings.

"While a lot of people may think that this is a very convenient relationship, we would like to affirm everyone that there were no conflicts of interests and no deals were compromised," Iida stated as he addressed the media, standing closely next to you. "I think our feelings surprised us as well."

The teal blouse you wore matched the tie around his neck almost seamlessly and the crowd loved it.

"What do you like about Otome-shachou?"

The question surprised the both of you and you were rather nervous over how he would respond to such queries.

"Well," he started, a warm smile on his face as he gently grasped your hand. "I think we can all agree that Otome-san is very pretty."

"What about you, Otome-shachou?"

"Ah, er… I, uh," you stammered, obviously caught off-guard. You looked up at Iida with a crooked smile. "I quite like his, uh, shoulders?"

Surprisingly, the media became so much more compassionate to the both of you following the confirmation of the rumour about your relationship. It seemed like the two of you were a favourite topic of recent magazines as well.

Your prominence in the support industry has seen a boost in young people's interest in it as well. You were keen on taking in young support course students as interns and apprentices, much like how young heroes in the making commit to Hero Work Studies.

In the privacy of your own office, the walls you built around yourself would slowly break down. It took you a while to get used to someone holding you tenderly, but even you eventually learned how to express affection through simple actions.

"I can't let them know too much," Iida chuckled, drawing you in close to an embrace. "Don't want everyone falling in love with you."

"Sorry to interrupt," Yohan poked his head into your office. "She's here, ojou-sama."

The two of you gently broke your embrace and straightened yourselves out. You reached out for Iida's hand and grinned. "You've met her before, so I'm sure you'll be fine."

"These are different circumstances, though," he chuckled nervously. "Let's hope her good impression of me lasted."

From outside the office, you could see the small figure make her way inside, her flowy floral blouse and brown pants a far cry from the suits she used to wear when she walked those halls.

"I thought you'd be making trouble again like always, young Iida Tenya," the small old lady started as she stood before the two of you. "And here you are, causing trouble for my dear granddaughter."

"Baa-chan!" You said with a laugh. "Don't scare him."

The old lady's stern face melded into a smile. "Of course I was just joking."

"I know you've met Tenya before, but I'd like to introduce him to you again," you stated warmly, taking your grandmother's hand and clasping it close to Iida's own. "Baa-chan, this is Iida Tenya, my boyfriend."

"It's nice to meet you in different circumstances, shachou-sama," he bowed down before your grandmother. "I will surely treasure Otome."

"You can call me obaa-san, young Tenya, since you're practically a part of this family now," she replied with a knowing smile. "Good choice."

You could tell that the last statement was for the both of you, and it made things all the better.

Iida Tensei thought you were almost too good for his little brother.

He laughed carelessly as the three of you conversed light-heartedly over dinner at the brothers' childhood home.

"You two have been all over the media for so long but it still took Tenya a year to introduce you to me, Otome-chan," the older brother remarked, raising his fork at his younger brother. "It's almost like he doesn't want us to meet at all."

"I'm sure that's not the case at all, Tensei nii-san," you said with a smile. "I'm sure Tenya was just busy with things."

"The agency is practically running itself now," Tensei replied. "And all Tenya does now is patrol the streets whenever he can. Which part of the day is he busy?"

"The agency does not run by itself, nii-san," Tenya replied curtly. "And I'll have you know that I have duties as Pro Hero No. 4."

You weren't particularly into the whole hero ranking system, but it was a thrill for you to see your boyfriend's dream come true. The recent rankings still showed no sign of change, though, and Tenya, along with his friends, were still ranked below Lemillion, who has been Pro Hero No. 1 since his graduation from UA. 

"What'll happen when you actually become number one?" The older brother asked as he nipped at a marble potato.

"Well, you'd practically be responsible for a lot of things…" Tenya replied, droning out a number of duties and responsibilities the number one hero has to uphold.

"I... actually wouldn't want Tenya to be Pro Hero No. 1…" You stated calmly, eliciting curious looks from the brothers. You raised your hands in defence. "Ah, well it's because he'd be too busy for me! It's really just a trivial reason… That's why I'm kind of grateful that he's still at a very good ranking."

"Oh," came the rather surprised response from Tenya. "I… never thought of it that way."

"Now that you mentioned it, you are at a pretty good place to start a family," Tensei stated, still munching on marble potatoes.

"Ah, that's—"

A family wasn't really part of the immediate future the two of you had set then, but the smile on Tenya's face and the way he gently grasped your hand pretty much said everything you needed to hear.

Not even once did you doubt your father's plans for his family. You were part of all those, after all.

He wasn't always elusive when it came to the media, but he decided that the best way to protect his family was to keep them away from their sight, especially after they slandered his eldest daughter's memory.

The appearance of Shiny Hero: Goldrush back in the days was deemed a fake memory by the media, and while you thought it was awful that your sister was reduced to a myth, your father was rather glad.

That way, he could protect her memory.

Iida was surprised when you planned a date at Hosu General Hospital. The place brought back so many memories for him, after all, but he was about to witness one more that would be etched in his mind forever.

"Ah, Otome-san! Welcome!" A nurse who just left the room you were about to enter greeted you warmly. "She's awake, so you can come in if you like."

"Thanks."

In your hands was a plastic bag of thing you didn't like much, like salt and vinegar potato chips and mango yoghurt. Iida followed closely behind you and he could see your shoulders trembling.

"Otome?"

You turned back to him with a nervous smile and softly reached out for his shirt collar, popping one button open. "Listen, Tenya… I hope this won't bother you too much. You're gonna meet someone very important to me, so I…"

"Otome, you know I can hear you from out there," the voice from the inside of the room stated. You groaned, a smile on your face as you pulled your boyfriend into the room with you.

"Onee-chan, this is…"

Iida promptly bowed down before the figure sitting up on the bed. "It's an honour to meet you!"

Your older sister blinked at him. "Got yourself an odd one, huh? But he does look cool on TV."

"A little odd, but he got otou-chan's approval anyway," you replied, placing the plastic bag of goodies on her bedside table. "Tenya, please raise your head."

Your sister was a living legend, at least for you, and you could tell that Iida had a hard time comprehending what was happening.

"Otome, you've been together with this bloke for how long now?"

"Mmm… A year or so?"

"And you only told him about me today?"

You took the flowers in your boyfriend's hands and concentrated on placing them in the vase. "Well, I didn't want to overwhelm him, so…"

She looked exactly like how the media made her out to be: slender and elegant with a sharp smile and a knowing look in her eyes, and ageing was definitely good to her, save for the fine lines on her face and the growing number of white hairs on her head.

"Everyone thought you were really gone," you heard Iida's voice crack a little. Your sister took a deep breath before drawing out a sigh.

"The media wasn't kind to me during those days," she shrugged. "Our father wanted to spare Otome from this kind of fate, which isn't so bad considering that she met you."

"Ah…"

"Tenya-kun, I am thankful. I knew Otome needed something to tie her down to her job because she would've definitely followed my steps," it was her turn to bow down before the tall figure standing by her bedside. "I told her that she could either live the dream and die by its hands or kill the dream and live a different life instead."

You had just finished placing the fresh flowers on your sister's window sill, turning back to her with teary eyes. "Onee-chan…"

"Otome," she stated firmly. "Live this life you have now, no matter how confined you think you are, but whatever you do, don't let it kill you."

The cooler weather at this time of the year meant Christmas was coming.

"Of course we'd be seen walking out of a jewellery shop," you chuckled, shoving your hand into one of Iida's beige coat pockets. "Just wait 'til this is in the magazines again."

The once-sordid love affair you had with the media now bloomed into a casual relationship, but there are still times when you can't avoid a bad article or tabloid. Regardless, you knew how to handle yourself better now, and it somehow made the entire thing much sweeter for you.

A photo of you and Iida in matching beige long coats quickly circulated in social media this afternoon. The image was snapped while you were walking out of a lovely jewellery shop in the city and it was every bit of interesting to the people. The two of you made a hasty escape from the quaint store and tried your best to get back to your home near the corporation completely unnoticed.

The spacious apartment unit you lived in overlooked the corporation perfectly, and you chose it because you could see clearly whether it was safe for you to head out and not be bombarded by the media. Strangely enough, there always seemed to be some waiting for you and the latest scoop on your life.

A light snow had started falling earlier today, cold white swirling from the dark sky covering the streets and everything on it. It was the first snow of the year and you couldn't help but sing. "Baby, it's cold outside…"

You turned your attention to Iida, who was still standing by your door. His beige coat was speckled with snow, his nose a bit red from the cold. The cheeky smile on your face made him nervous and you could tell that he was.

"Otome?"

"Tenya, why don't you stay over for the night?"

The night was long and the morning was strangely short. You never thought that working for your family business would be the start of an absolutely wonderful and terrifying rollercoaster ride of scandals and emotions, but you probably wouldn't have it any other way.

"It's a cloudy day," you murmured against Iida's bare shoulder. You were bundled up in your light blue sheets. "D'you think it's gonna be rainy or sunny?"

The gentle ruffling of your hair felt a little surreal for a moment. Iida brushed a kiss on your cheek before engulfing you into a warm and tight embrace. "As long as I'm with you, I'm okay either way the weather goes."

End.