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Mukahi had somehow convinced the regular team, to visit a "McDonald's". It took him an hour of whining and stealing Oshitari’s glasses, but the captain caved in after Kabaji politely requested so. Atobe was unfamiliar with this foreign sounding concept, that's to say, his father was probably business partners, with this "McDonald". Nevertheless, after their hellish practice was done, they would get a free ride in the AtoLimo, Atobe’s own brand of limousines, towards the closest McDonald's.
Because this arrangement was quite unexpected, Atobe didn't have any time to research, or at least order someone to research the specialities, food-rating, and even more important, the etiquette. Being the sugar daddy of the team, he had an image to uphold after all.
Dressed in his usual purple chiffon blouse, he silently contemplated how he should approach the dire situation.
"Ootori, you've been to McDonalds before right?", Mukahi asked, letting himself sink into the soft cushions made of Atobe brand leather.
"Of course, Mukahi. I went with Shishido after night training.", Ootori answered.
Atobe looked unconcerned. He was in possession of the Atobe Platinum Card, so if anything disastrous were to happen with his rowdy bunch, he could bribe his way in. He had faith in his teammates, but one glance at the sleeping fuzzyhead on the floor of the limousine made him retract his statement.
If by any chance the owners of the restaurant don’t know my name, which is impossible anyhow, I’m going to need the card. Kabaji always carries cash with him, so I shall ask him to handle the receipt later, I don’t want to baffle the commoners with this. It might even bring some of them in danger…
"Yuushi, you look like some kind of rich prick that has never eaten at McDonalds before. Have you ever eaten there?”, Mukahi asked, throwing his feet in the air and on the cushions. Kabaji looked at Atobe, expecting some kind of remark, but was met with silence.
“ Gakuto, are you saying I'm a rich prick?", Oshitari answered, looking a bit hurt at Mukahi.
"I didn't say that Yuushi. I guess you know how to eat streetfood, at the bare minimum. Like, I know this guy that didn't even knew how to eat cotton candy.", Mukahi grinned. “How do I eat this, it’s stuck in my hair, help me Mukahi!”, Mukahi jeered, letting his back fall against Oshitari.
"That was one time Mukahi.", Hiyoshi unabashedly said.
"Hiyoshi was so bad at it, he actually believed me when I said he had to squeeze it with his hands and lick it up . You're so embarassing Piyo, really!", Mukahi taunted, invading Kabaji’s space with his legs.
Street food? Surely that was beneath his status, but he knew that commoners food had a devilish attracting smell. He didn't understand why they would want to fill their stomachs with it, but he merely accepted it without any further thoughts.
"One time...", Hiyoshi sighed.
"Don't worry about it! You don't need any knowledge to eat here!", Shishido said.
"I still don't understand why you'd want to eat there Shishido. Aren't you all about training? Unnecessary fats will make you worse at tennis...", Hiyoshi sneered.
A sound reasoning from the Gekokujou hayhairguy. It seems like this "McDonalds" dealt in a lot of fatty food, hardly suitable to my palate. Would it be a Chinese restaurant? It has been a long time since I went to one.
"Master Atobe, we have arrived.", the chauffeur said over the intercom.
"Time to eat!", Mukahi yelled.
"Shut up Mukahi.", Hiyoshi responded, not amused by Mukahi’s leg also flailing towards him.
"Shut up Piyo.", Mukahi said, ready to pounce on his junior at any moment.
"Don't call me that.", Hiyoshi muttered under his breath.
I shall deal with this personally.
"Kabaji, wake Jirou up.", Atobe commanded.
"Usu.", Kabaji responded, as he slowly kneeled towards the floor.
"Mukahi, I trust you have made the reservations?", Atobe asked. He was met by weird stares and silence.
Silence. Did I say something inappropriate? Or did Mukahi not do it, because he assumed the payer would make the reservations. Foolish. But it might have been that he thought I knew about it. In that case, I should quickly make the reservations.
"I see, everyone, please wait outside, I shall deal with it.", Atobe stated, and had Kabaji open the door with great flair. A couple of girls that wondered about the deluxe car and had been standing around, got blinded by his radiance, as he tread out in style.
This building... is very shoddy. Are those grease stains on the wall? Why are there mini-adults running around?
He observed the small cheap playground that was stationed outside. To call it small was an understatement, this plastic abomination would have fit into his dog house. It didn’t seem to be a problem for the the mini-adults at least.
"Did he just use his handkerchief to open the door?", Shishido asked. The others were still waiting inside the limousine and had gathered a fair bit of attention by now. Most of them were already used to it, so they diverted their attention to something more interesting, their captain.
"Usu."
What is this establishment? Are those employees? Why do they look so... impoverish?
"Yuushi, he isn't moving. At all.", Mukahi observed.
"Let him be, Gakuto.", Oshitari said, as he wiped his glasses that got dirtied by Mukahi’s antics in the car.
They are taking a long time. Is this perhaps an establishment where one can choose to seat themselves? Like some kind of cafeteria? No Keigo, those are practices that have been outlawed in quality restaurants. Besides, this inviting ugly clown statue is probably their speak table.
One had to wonder where the speak table part was, but Atobe merely brushed that off as an artistic difference.
5 minutes later, Atobe decided that his presence had gone unnoticed for too long. He went to the servers with their funny hats, and asked them upfront about their management.
"Is it my imagination, or did he just cut the line?"
"He did."
"Excuse me, can I get the manager?", Atobe requested, in a commanding tone.
"Sir, please get in the line.", the server said.
"No, no you don't understand, get me the manager.", Atobe commanded. He had no patience to deal with this.
For how much his “atmosphere reading” skill was close to zero, he still felt angry stares from men, woman, and in particular their little kids.
“Mom, why is that ugly man before us?”, one particular kid asked.
Not showing any sign of the comment getting to him, he turned around and strode past the clients.
I can wait a bit.
"He went to the back!", Shishido exclaimed.
"Is Atobe developing... manners?", Oshitari contemplated.
"Usu."
There are a lot of waiters here, but I don't see any customers. How can such an inelegant building have that many staff members?
"Why did you want to go here anyway, Gakuto?", Shishido asked.
"Because like, you know Taki?", Mukahi said.
"Haginosuke?"
"He works here! It's real fun to scam him into giving discounts.", Mukahi jeered, searching around for his wallet with the proof.
“Look”. Mukahi opened his wallet and let out a stream of receipts. Most of them were marked reasonably cheap as well.
"He doesn't want anyone to know, but lately he has been getting stingy with his discounts, so I guess I'd out him for the team.", Mukahi said.
“Mukahi-senpai, isn’t that kind off mean? I mean, he’s just doing his job…”, Ootori said.
“Ootori, don’t expect Mukahi to be one that practices mercy.”, Oshitari interjected.
I finally reached the end of the line. If I had to wait any longer I would've called my lawyers. Waiting times like this are ridiculous.
"Good day sir, how can I help you", the server asked him with his best smile.
"Finally, I would like to have a dinner wit... Haginosuke, is that you?", Atobe exclaimed. It was hard to tell, as his beautiful hair had been rolled up and tucked beneath his awful hat. Without that distinguishing trademark of his, he would’ve been impossible to be recognized, but the pathetic desperation in his voice tipped Atobe off.
"KEIGO!"
What is he doing working here? Could it be that Taki was an affluent individual in this society? I would never have expected that...
"Taki, you could've told us.", Atobe sneered.
"No Keigo, it's not what it looks like, really, believe me!", Taki begged, frantically trying to hide his face behind one of the dining plates.
"How could I have put you on the team as a regular without knowing this...", Atobe silently wondered.
"Please , don't tell anyone!"
"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."
"Wha-?". Taki was surprised.
"You're a restaurant manager at such a young age, I respect that.", Atobe exclaimed with a hint of fatherly pride.
"That's no-"
"You should have told us earlier. We might have taken that in consideration when you lost to Shishido.", Atobe interjected. Atobe couldn’t expect anyone to have the same mental prowess as him, so he simply accepted people for what they could do.
"Re-really? So I can be a regular agai-"
"No.", Atobe interjected.
Still, he felt great sympathy for the young man.
"Hey Atobe, we came in without your permission, but we're very hungry.", Mukahi shouted.
"Don't worry about reservations, this one doesn't need any.", Shishido said.
Atobe's mind went blank. What kind of restaurant is this? Being able to walk in without making reservations.
"Hey Taki, didn't see you there, if I knew you were working part time I would have gone a tad easier on you. Let me order.", Shishido said, pushing Atobe aside. Kabaji retreated to a large table to drop Jirou on it.
Shishido must already know the preference of the regulars. Would his palate suit mine?
"So that's a party box chicken wings, one Happy meal, two menu six, one pizza special, one menu three, a salad, 12 piece churros and a soda for all of us."
"Who picked the Happy meal?", Hiyoshi wondered.
"Jirou, he collects the action figures.", Oshitari answered.
"Atobe, what about you?". Shishido had turned his attention towards the unusually silent captain.
Some quick thinking was needed here.
"I'll take... a King burger.", Atobe slowly said, as if he was treading on dangerous grounds.
"A King burger it is.", Shishido confirmed.
The only reason I picked it was because it had King in the title.
"Atobe where are you going?, Shishido suddenly asked.
"I'm searching for a comfortable place to await my consummation.", Atobe answered.
"Like, no way, carry it yourself.", Mukahi yelled.
I got a plate pushed into my hands. It's greasiness made me almost drop it, but for the sake of manners I tried to hold it.
"Kabaji!"
"Usu."
"Don't let Kabaji carry it, look his hands are already full with his pizza. Kabaji, you can't carry it.", Mukahi objected.
"Usu?"
"Mukahi, you're confusing Kabaji, he's more than capable of carrying multiple plates.", Atobe claimed.
"Usu."
"No Kabaji, this is a valuable lesson for Atobe, what would he do if you weren't there? He might die and you don't want him to, so he better learns it now.", Mukahi said, as he pushed the plate back into his captain’s hands.
"Usu!"
After a lot of scrambling and stumbling around, they finally got to their table.
"Let's dig in!"
Atobe saw Shishido, Mukahi and Jirou directly munching into their food, grabbing the weird smelling chicken with their fingers. Oshitari was picking at his food with a small plastic tool that he likened to an elaborate toothpick. Kabaji was gulping down his pizza like a torrent. Hiyoshi sat on the far end, so he couldn’t clearly see what he was doing, but he assumed that he was eating like the others did.
"You guys, your hands are getting dirty.", Atobe stated.
"Hn? What do you mean Atobe, you're supposed to eat it like this.", Oshitari said.
"But. My hands will get dirty.", Atobe replied.
"Dude, it's just a burger, wrap your tissue around if you mind it.", Shishido said, half munching down on his burger.
"Don't call me dude, Shishido."
"Sorry."
This burger is oddly warm, I can't stand to touch it more than necessary. I'm supposed to bite it directly, without cutting it seems.
"This tastes awfully bready.", Atobe exclaimed. He was used to bread based food, particularly from British cuisine, but this was a bit overdone.
"Atobe, your burger fell out.", Oshitari pointed out next to him.
As for how much I didn't want to admit it, it had fallen out. Its cheap meatiness was mocking me from the not-recently cleaned table.
"Aristocrats leave the best for last. Mukahi, hands off.", Atobe explained.
“It’s not like you’re going to eat it anyway.”, Mukahi said, getting ready to eradicate another piece of fake chicken.
Mukahi's greasy grubby hands are not to enter my personal radius of 2 meters anymore. I should make note of that. I can't understand how he's getting all that fake-chicken into his mouth.
"Atobe, Oshitari stole my figurine!", Jirou whined from the other side.
"Oshitari, give it back to Jirou.", Atobe commanded. He wished for no childlish activities during this rare team bonding moment.
"Akutagawa was drooling on my salad.", Oshitari complained.
"Give it back! Who would eat a salad anyway in a fastfood restaurant!", Jirou argued. The flourishing salad in front if Oshitari’s face was not pleased with this comment.
"Who falls asleep during a dinner?", Oshitari solemnly argued back.
I can't believe this fake aromatic tissue is suitable to clean my hands.
"Atobe, I suggest putting Taki as semi-regular so I can beat him as well.", Hiyoshi suggested. “I’m grateful for having it made to the regulars, but there was no personal satisfaction involved in watching Shishido get it for me.”
"Wakashi, you should try to relax more.", Ootori said. “It’s no good to get riled up by other persons, the most important is that you have the position now and that you should do your best!”
"Getting riled up by other persons, huh? Says the guy that chose the same menu as his doubles partner.", Hiyoshi passively responded.
"Tha-That's a coincidence!", Ootori responded.
"You're allergic to pickles.", Hiyoshi stated, pointing with his toothpick towards the various pickles that piled up on the backside of the burger.
"I asked you not to tell that!", Ootori whined, a bit flustered.
"Really?”, Shishido, pondered.
This ketchup sachet, it's premade?
"Look Gakuto, you made Kabaji cry, don't take his pizza.", Oshitari said, diverting everyone’s attention to the other side of the table.
"Usu."
"It's not like he was eating it any ways.", Mukahi said, as he dumped a piece in his relatively big mouth.
I can't believe how frail these boxes are, are they made of carton? I’m not repeating this kind of convention soon…
And that's how Hyotei's regular team (+Taki)'s dinner went by, like a fleeting moment in a summer breeze.