Aishuu Offers:
Second Singles
Disclaimer: Konomi Takeshi, manga-ka.
Many people made jokes about Jiroh's sleeping habits, and he knew he had earned them all. There were stories about what events he had managed to sleep through and the positions he had collapsed in, and the sad thing was that most of them were true. People found it amusing, and occasionally took advantage of his defenseless state... he couldn't count the times he'd woken up with signs pinned to him, make-up on his face, or missing a personal possession.
Still, he didn't like the comments that he was "lazy." He did well in school, was the second ranked player on the famed Hyotei tennis team, and got everything he needed done. There really shouldn't have been a problem, in his thinking, if he preferred to sleep through everything that didn't matter. Out of self-defense, he'd taken some of his precious few moments of consciousness and did some research.
Akutagawa Jiroh was an expert on sleep. He had learned about the circadian rhythm, REM cycles, narcolepsy, sleep apnea and every sleep disorder known to mankind before coming to the conclusion that the plain fact was that he LIKED sleep. There wasn't anything he's rather be doing... except playing a good game of tennis.
The problem was he was a genius, and there was little to challenge him.
Ever since he had been little, he had possessed a natural gift for tennis. His father, a professional player himself, had trained him for as long as Jiroh could remember, so much so that his skills were more instinctive than anything else. He didn't really need to think about skills, counters opponents and rivals - all he needed to do was step on a court and he would win.
It got boring, after a while. So he would sleep through tennis, practically sleepwalking as he took win after win. Then he entered Hyotei... and met Atobe Keigo. For Jiroh, playing against Atobe Keigo has been a wake up call of the best sort - and the most painful.
Atobe Keigo had moved from Hokkaido to attend Hyotei as a first year, since it was one of the most famed schools in the country - especially when it came to tennis. He had moved into the dorms, managing to secure a single - a practically unheard of feat for a freshman. But a lot about Atobe was like that. He was the exception to many rules, and he spent his entire junior high career proving that. Curfews, homework, uniform - Atobe was able to bend or break many of those rules.
The few who weren't under his sway called him an egomaniac and diva, labels which were probably true. But the thing about Atobe was that he wasn't arrogant - he never claimed anything that he couldn't do. The problem for his few detractors within school was that Atobe was good at just about everything.
Jiroh, though, didn't even notice him. The tennis club was large, 200 people, and Atobe wasn't looking at any of his peers as rivals. He was concentrating on steadily eliminating the senpai above him. That was, after all, the philosophy of Hyotei - step over those in your way to get what you wanted.
And Atobe wanted to be a regular.
Jiroh could have cared less what happened. He played because he had to, and experienced no joy in it. Parental pressure was an amazing motivator, even for someone who slept through getting yelled at.
The matches Jiroh played were won easily, but in a quieter, less showy fashion. No one really was paying attention to the kid who sleep-walked his way to wins. It was much easier to pay attention to the self-proclaimed tennis prodigy.
Sakaki Tarou, though, did notice. He was training the strongest players in the country, and he had a good eye for talent. Hyotei was lucky enough to receive more than its fair share of tennis prodigies, and he immediately recognize Jiroh for what he was. A meeting on the courts between Jiroh and Atobe was inevitable - and Sakaki was the only one who knew it. He was quite looking forward to the inevitable surprise awaiting the club's newest diva.
Hyotei was full of huge egos, but Atobe took it to a level Sakaki hadn't seen before.
It was after the Nationals that it finally happened. First years were beginning to vie for the five spots that had opened with the retirement of the third years, and desperate second years were trying to keep them down and finally earn the regular positions they had been striving for.
Sakaki was in a bit of a mood that autumn day, and wanted to see exactly what would happen if he shook up the foundations of the club. It was quickly becoming apparent to him that Atobe was growing complacent in belief he had no rivals among his year...
And complacency had no place in the dog eat dog world of Hyotei.
"Jiroh! Atobe! On the court!" Sakaki called, crossing his shoulders and settling in to watch. Around him, other first years began to gather, wanting to see Atobe play again. It was like watching a god of tennis, many of them believed.
Atobe smirked, ready to showcase his amazing abilities, but Jiroh had to be shaken awake. Oshitari, a fellow first year, actually opened his water bottle of Jiroh's head... only to receive a sleepy slap.
"Jiroh, you have a game!" Gakuto said, shrieking as loud as he could in the other boy's ear.
Even Jiroh couldn't sleep through THAT. "Huh? What?"
"B court, Jiroh," Oshitari said. "Against Atobe."
"Oh..." Jiroh stretched a bit, then actually rolled off the bench to land sitting in a heap. "I should get my racquet..."
"Here it is," Gakuto said. "Go play," he ordered, grabbing Jiroh by the collar and managing to host him to his feet and thrust him at the court in one smooth movement.
Atobe, who had been watching, wore a sulky expression. He wasn't happy about playing a first year when he could have been humiliating a second year and moving further up the food chain that Hyotei fostered, and he really didn't like how totally unconcerned the other first year was about having to play him.
He was Atobe Keigo, after all. Didn't the sleepy idiot know he was supposed to be terrified?
Jiroh, though, seemed to take no notice as he stumbled onto the court, wiping at his blurry eyes. He really should start considering quitting tennis club, but his mother thought it was the best way for him to get a scholarship for high school.
When it finally came time to serve, Atobe was fit to be tied. Jiroh hadn't even been concerned enough to sweat a little when they flipped for the serve, and had actually had the gall to yawn in his face.
No one yawned in Atobe Keigo's face.
"One set match, Atobe to serve!" the referee said, his voice shaking a bit as he noticed the way Atobe was smirking.
Atobe was determined to crush Jiroh like an ant under his foot.
The serve was fast, but Jiroh returned it, and before Atobe knew it, the other player was running towards the net...
"Careful, or you'll trip!" Atobe called, hitting a pinpoint shot at Jiroh's foot.
"Whoa!" Jiroh said, flying backwards as he avoided the ball, but Atobe's eyes went wide as he realized that the other player had managed to hit it as he fell.
"15-0, Akutagawa!"
Atobe stared in shock, unable to believe that someone else had taken the first point. Jiroh pulled himself to his feet, stretched slowly, and walked back to receive the second serve.
Another serve... Jiroh advanced... tripped...
"30-0, Akutagawa!"
What the hell is going on? Atobe wondered even as he heard the students who had been watching start murmuring. He served again, and again Jiroh returned it...
This time Atobe aimed for the corner, even as Jiroh advanced. Jiroh retrieved it, forced to the baseline...
Atobe smirked.
Opposite corner...
Retrieved.
Jiroh was fast on his feet.
Atobe's smile widened as he realized that he had to keep Jiroh at the baseline. Jiroh was playing solidly, but he was obviously more comfortable playing at the net.
To the opposite corner...
And that was how Atobe kept his serve.
Jiroh seemed to wake up Atobe's eyes went a bit wild as the boy began to bounce around the court, losing his previous lethargy.
"You're GOOD! I might actually have to take you seriously!" Jiroh said happily, apparently unaware of how his words could be taken as an insult.
Atobe's eyebrow twitched, but he took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He was used to players who tried to throw him off with insults, but it was rare he met anyone who was genuinely... naive.
Jiroh's grin grew as he served...
Atobe moved to return it, but was shocked to find Jiroh already at the net. The diva quickly recognized that Jiroh was going to be difficult to take down...
...but Atobe Keigo would do it.
He hadn't wanted to reveal his specialty against another club member, but...
"Hametsu e no Rondo!"
Atobe won that game, and every other one they played.
Sometimes Jiroh managed to make him drop a game, but Atobe would come roaring back, usually more vicious than before. Atobe was determined to keep Jiroh down, firmly behind him. It wasn't anything that Jiroh minded - as long as they played.
Jiroh was fascinated by Atobe. Atobe was graceful and in command on the court, his tennis refined and skillful. He would smirk and laugh, but there was an deep core of seriousness that made Jiroh have to pay attention. Jiroh knew that he was talented, but he always looked like he was tripping around the court.
Simply put, Atobe cared more about tennis than Jiroh. Atobe practiced, and practiced... and his devotion spread to his team mates. Hyotei, already a powerful team, grew in strength, mainly because many members were terrified of how Atobe would humiliate them.
By third year, Atobe and Jiroh were firmly established as the first and second players of Hyotei, unable to be removed by any of their challengers...
And Jiroh kept challenging Atobe for the first singles spot. He really wasn't interested in what his rank was, but it was a chance to play.
When he played Atobe, he felt... alive. Playing Atobe was the only thing that was worth staying awake for. He hadn't played another opponent who challenged him, and Atobe's every move was shining and brilliant.
"Match, Atobe! Six games to love!"
Jiroh laughed as he heard of the pronouncement for what must have been the hundredth time as they practiced right before they were due to enter the Kantou tournament. "Good game, Atobe!" he said, bouncing over to shake the captain's hand. "You've been working on your flat serve, haven't you?"
"Heh," Atobe said, smirking a bit, but his eyes were a bit distance. "Jiroh... we're playing Seigaku next week."
"Huh?" Jiroh had heard the name before, of course, but he hadn't focused on it. It was a good team, but Hyotei always won when they played seriously. "So? Which regulars are we using?"
"Jiroh... all the regulars are playing. And it's going to be a hard match..." Atobe grabbed Jiroh's chin, forcing Jiroh to meet his eyes. "Jiroh, Tezuka Kunimitsu and I will be playing in first singles."
"That's assuming that you get to play..." Jiroh said, knowing that first singles didn't always get a chance to play, but Atobe shook his head.
"Seigaku will drop second doubles and third singles - Oshitari/Mukahi and Kabaji won't lose. But they'll win first doubles - the golden pair is that good. Jiroh... Tezuka and I are going to play." His grip became painfully tight, and the tone of his voice demanded obedience.
Jiroh's eyelashes fluttered as he processed what he was being told.
Atobe... wanted him... to LOSE.
It didn't matter to Jiroh that he would be immediately kicked off of the regulars. What mattered was seeing the determined fire in Atobe's eyes, the sheer desire to play. Jiroh didn't say anything, but jerked away, going over to the bench and lying down.
Atobe... wanted to play someone. He had never seen looked like that before...
And if he lost his spot, there would be no more matches with Atobe. Jiroh would have to claw his way from the bottom, but as third years, he doubted they would have the chance to play again...
Atobe had been a constant in his life - and now he was asking Jiroh to leave? Surely Atobe realized the repercussions of losing as well as Jiroh did... and apparently didn't care.
Jiroh wondered why his chest felt so tight. Not knowing what else to do, he shut his eyes, promptly falling asleep.
The match against Seigaku didn't go the way Atobe had predicted, which was unusual. Atobe usually was very perceptive but he hadn't foreseen Kikumaru being placed in second singles without his usual partner. The result, though, was the same - Seigaku and Hyotei split the doubles matches... and then amazingly, Kabaji was taken out.
Jiroh, though, slept through all of it. It wasn't that he wasn't interested... he just didn't want to deal with his inevitable choice. He had been sleeping more than usual, trying to avoid thinking on it.
Finally, though, it was his turn and they shook him awake to face Fuji Syuusuke. Jiroh had heard rumors of the prodigy, but he hadn't paid attention to those, either. He always beat prodigies - they always seemed to be unnerved when the faced Jiroh's net play.
"No matter what, wake up, Jiroh," Atobe told him before he went to play.
Jiroh checked the score board, and realized what had happened. With third singles as a no game, Hyotei had to win the last two singles matches or be forced into a tiebreaker of some sort. He yawned sleepily, unconcerned again. The decision about winning or losing had been taken out of his hands.
He wouldn't be losing his matches with Atobe, but he did wonder why he felt alone.
Jiroh was still sleepily considering what to say to Atobe later when Fuji Syuusuke began the game with the disappearing serve... and in doing so, managed to awaken something inside of Jiroh he thought only Atobe knew how to summon.
Jiroh's eyes went wide as he was unable to return the shot...
A second time...
"This is seriously amazing! Did you see that? Just now! Just now! Just Now!" he began to babble, racing over to where Atobe stood. "Atobe! That guy is really amazing!"
Atobe gave him an amused looked, but there was something resembling relief in his he chided him.
Jiroh raced back to the court...
...only to lose.
It was the second person he had lost against... and Fuji Syuusuke was as different from Atobe as night from day. Fuji was full of tricks, and while he was skilled, he didn't have that same brilliant light that always made people turn and gaze in awe at Atobe.
As they went to shake hands, Jiroh felt a thrill of excitement well inside of him. He couldn't beat Atobe, but... maybe someday, he would beat Fuji...
He almost tripped as he realized that he was starting to view Fuji as a new rival. And... he had to know. Fuji seemed to be as perceptive as Atobe, though a mystique clung to him.
"Is there someone stronger than you?" Jiroh asked.
Fuji's eyes opened wide, and Jiroh's breath caught as he indicated both captains. Fuji's voice was soft and serious as his eyes lingered on Tezuka, and Jiroh realized that he and Fuji were forever to be the seconds to two people who transcended what tennis was known as.
Suddenly Jiroh understood why Atobe had chosen Tezuka over him.
With a yawn, he went back to the bleachers and curled up, not wanting to witness the match that would forever put Atobe beyond his reach. He would have tight muscles later from not cooling down properly, but that tightness would match the pain in his chest that Jiroh didn't understand.
Tomorrow, he would see about challenging Fuji to a match sometime in the future, but today he wanted to sleep.