A/N: This is a songfic based on the song "Season" from Dream Live Three. It will have four parts.
SPRING
Do you, do you remember?
--
Atobe Keigo remembered the first day that they had met.
He had been in his first year at Hyotei Gakuen, and he had already dominated the school, of course. He was Atobe Keigo. Everyone knew that he was superior.
So why didn't the kid next to him even acknowledge him?
Granted, the boy was asleep. But why hadn't he done anything when Atobe's new flunky (a senior named Takahashi whose mother worked for Atobe's father) had slammed Atobe's books down on the guy's desk? The boy had just opened an eye, seen the books, then had gone back to sleep.
"What's his name?" Takahashi wondered. Atobe sighed. Takahashi had the build and looks for a flunky, but he talked too much…
"That's Akutagawa Jiro," a voice spoke up from behind them. Atobe didn't like the voice. It was sly and knowing and sounded a little too confident when speaking to him. "He was in my elementary school. All he ever does is sleep." The boy moved to where Atobe could see him. "I'm Oshitari Yuushi. And you're Atobe Keigo."
That was the way things were supposed to go. People knew who he was.
"Of course I am," Atobe smirked.
"Figures, right, Yuushi?" the boy next to Oshitari spoke up. This boy (was he a boy? Atobe wasn't quite sure.) smirked right back at Atobe. "He's already so full of himself. A typical Atobe."
"Of course." Atobe forced himself to smile. The boy was mocking him, but Atobe would just turn the snide comment into a compliment. "I'm Atobe Keigo."
"I wouldn't recommend starting up with Atobe." Another boy joined the conversation. This one Atobe knew. He was Shishido Ryo, the boy who had clung stubbornly to the position Singles Two throughout elementary school. "It's not worth it."
"What are you, his representative?" Oshitari sneered. "Believe it or not, Atobe, you're only mortal."
"Yeah!" the other boy agreed. "And Yuushi and I could beat you at anything. Money isn't everything!"
"Is that so, Mukahi?" Shishido seemed to have taken Oshitari's comment very personally. "Anything?" Atobe stayed silent and patiently allowed Shishido to do his fighting.
"Anything!" Mukahi confirmed.
"Tennis?" Shishido challenged.
Oshitari and Mukahi exchanged smirks. "If he wants to lose…"
Atobe smiled. Already, an opportunity to allow his beautiful tennis skills to explode into Hyotei…
"Did someone say tennis?" Akutagawa asked, waking up suddenly.
Although Atobe had the feeling that he was going to be stuck with this group for a while…
--
Akutagawa Jiro remembered the first day that they had met.
He, of course, had been lying on a bench; but for once, he had been awake.
He was looking forward to seeing which of the new freshmen were talented, despite the fact that his space on the team was basically guaranteed.
"Excuse me," one of the freshmen said quietly to Shishido. "I think you dropped this." He held out a roll of grip tape.
"Thanks!" Shishido frowned. "I don't remember you. Were you playing with the freshmen earlier?" All of the freshmen in Hyotei this year were given the opportunity to play the top group of players on the team. Sakaki Tarou, the coach, didn't believe in allowing any freshmen talents to go unnoticed.
The other boy blushed. "I missed it because Kantoku wanted to see my Scud Serve instead."
"Scud Serve?" Shishido sounded curious. Jiro smiled. He had already met Otori Choutarou earlier that day and knew he'd be on the team soon enough.
His gaze wandered to where Atobe stood with his new lackey. "Your tennis has a lot of potential, Kabaji. Would you like me to help you expand on that potential?"
"Usu!" the hulking boy agreed. So far, it seemed that that was just about all Kabaji said.
Jiro heard a snort of disgust from behind his bench. He sat up and found himself face-to-face with another freshman. This one didn't seem to be interested in meeting his senpais or broadcasting his tennis skills.
"Who are you?" Jiro asked curiously.
"Hiyoshi Wakashi. And is Atobe-senpai always like that?"
"Just about," Jiro said thoughtfully. "Are you good at tennis?"
Hiyoshi looked a little taken aback. "I…don't know. Yes, I guess."
"He is," the boy next to him confirmed.
"Shut up, Taki!" Hiyoshi snapped.
"For the record," Oshitari joined the conversation effortlessly as he sat down on the bench next to Jiro. "That Kabaji is going to go farther than any of the other freshmen here. He's Atobe's new pet."
"And Atobe's pets go far," Mukahi agreed, somersaulting through the air, just to impress a few new freshmen. "So I'd recommend that you also go fawn over Atobe."
Hiyoshi sighed an exasperated sigh and wandered off.
"There may yet be some hope for him," Oshitari commented.
Jiro went back to sleep, confident in his knowledge that Hyotei had enough talents to keep them on top for another few years.
--
Do you, do you remember?