Wednesday, July 29
Atobe did believe that people could change. It was important to keep this in mind.
It was a day without tennis practice, and so he took the opportunity to confirm a student council meeting with the other members. It took him in a path around the school grounds. On a hotter day he would have told Kabaji to search out anyone he needed to speak to, but today was unusually mild for a Tokyo summer. It was a day made for walking, and Atobe had an exquisite sense for the appropriate.
A lump, prone on the schoolyard grass, attracted Atobe's attention. It was a familiar sight to most of Hyoutei's students - Akutagawa-kun dozing on the lawn. Since it was getting well past the usual school hours, Atobe went over to send Jirou home.
Only, Jirou wasn't asleep. He lay on his back watching the clouds, looking quite comfortable.
"Jirou, you're - awake," Atobe said, taken by surprise. "By your own volition. Are you all right?"
"Huh?" Turning to look up at Atobe, Jirou's expression was alert. A manga volume lay beside his hand. It had been flipped through, at least. "Of course I'm fine. Why?"
"You don't feel tired?"
Jirou looked surprised at the question. "Not right now. Weird. I guess it was a pretty exciting manga."
To that Atobe had to lift an eyebrow, especially in light of someone's recent coma. Nonetheless, he passed it over and let it go. "You ought to be getting home soon, then. Or do some homework."
Jirou had the grace to look a trifle embarrassed as he demurred, with a little laugh, "Well, I rescheduled that match with Fuji-san to today. I have to get to the street courts soon. Want to come?"
"I see. No, I have plans to write the history paper today. It'll be easy, but I can't throw off my schedule."
"Oh." Jirou threw puppy eyes at Atobe, but Atobe valiantly withstood them. "Then, see you tomorrow, Atobe." Atobe gave him a hand up, briefly registering the strong grip of a callused hand. Then it was released, and Jirou went to play his game.
Atobe watched him go. He shook his head - once didn't mean much. Stranger things had happened. Maybe Jirou's sleep last Saturday had been stored up, somehow, and he was operating on reserves. It didn't make any sense, but Atobe could admit that there were many things in the world that weren't fully understood. In any case, tomorrow would come, and probably Jirou snoozing throughout trig lessons would come with it.