Hiyoshi noticed the stranger first, and decided that he’d regret it for
\n the rest of his life. This was especially true since the last time a stranger
\n had appeared on the courts, Jirou had run off with him and there had been
\n some business about an antichrist, the explanation for which Hiyoshi was
\n determined to ignore. <\/p>\n
\nThe stranger seemed to hover innocently by the side of the courts, but it wasn’t
\na hovering Hiyoshi was used to. Fans came and watched Atobe or, occasionally,
\none of the others with rapt attention. Scouts came and watched with a measuring
\nsort of concentration. While the man did seem to be weighing Atobe as the boy
\nplayed a rare game with Oshitari, Hiyoshi thought that there seemed to be too
\nmuch of an edge of amusement for a scout.<\/p>\n
\nHiyoshi marched over to the interloper. “Can I help you?” he asked
\npolitely.<\/p>\n
\nThe interloper eyed Hiyoshi for a moment, then smiled a bright, unnerving smile.
\nHiyoshi backed up a step before he could stop himself, even as the man said, “Oh,
\nI’m sorry. I’m here to talk with your captain…that boy playing,
\ncorrect?” He inclined his head towards Atobe.<\/p>\n
\nHiyoshi nodded reluctantly. “You’ll have to wait until the set is
\nover.”<\/p>\n
\nThe man strolled over to settle himself on the bleachers. “Then you can
\ncome and talk with me.” He patted the seat beside him.<\/p>\n
\nHiyoshi settled there uncertainly, painfully conscious of the fact that it would
\nbe rude to leave an elder alone, particularly one who seemed to have business
\nwith his captain. “Talk with you?”<\/p>\n
\nThe man smiled brightly. “Oh, yes, of course. You see, I think that you’re
\na very observant boy and can therefore answer some of the more pressing questions,
\nlike whether you noticed that your coach is an angel, or that one of your fellow
\nstudents is possessed.”<\/p>\n
\n“…well…everyone found out just recently,” Hiyoshi said.
\n“The person inside Jirou ran off with him.” Hiyoshi twitched at the
\nsudden gleam of interest in the man’s eyes, and had to suppress another
\ntwitch as the man very deliberately set the interest aside to continue.<\/p>\n
\n“I expect, though, your being brought up in a proper home as you were, you
\nnoticed something beforehand,” the man went on blithely. “Now, I understand
\nyour not coming to me over it, but I still find it terribly disappointing.”<\/p>\n
\nHiyoshi scowled and eyed the man. “I…you…”<\/p>\n
\n“Exactly,” the man replied. “But I forgive you.” Hiyoshi
\nlistened, more or less, for a few more minutes as the man went on. He was lost
\nenough, in fact, that he didn’t notice when Atobe came over to glare at
\nthem.<\/p>\n
\n“Excuse me, but I’m afraid we don’t allow visitors during practice,”
\nAtobe interjected. The man looked up at Atobe with an expression of polite disinterest
\nthat Hiyoshi recalled from Atobe’s own repertoire. <\/p>\n
\n“Of course,” the man said. “You know, I thought you’d
\nbe more entertaining.”<\/p>\n
\nAtobe hmphed and lounged against the air. “I’m eminently entertaining
\nat all times.”<\/p>\n
\nHiyoshi felt a spike of terror go through him as the man’s look turned thoughtful.
\n“Of course, Atobe-kun,” the man said smoothly. The man’s smile
\nwas the brightest Hiyoshi had seen him give yet. “I have a modest proposal
\nfor you.”<\/p>\n
\nAtobe straightened to give the man a hard look. “I especially cannot tolerate
\nscouts interrupting practice,” he said coolly. “While I sincerely
\nappreciate your interest and will be willing to talk to you should you come at
\nanother time, my first responsibility is to ensure the well-being of my team,
\nwhich means that practice should not be interrupted.”<\/p>\n
\n“Of course, Keigo-san,” the man replied, rising. “I only intended
\nto offer my assistance in this rather confusing times. I could prevent incidents
\nlike, say, the one that occurred with Akutagawa-kun, but I understand if you’d
\nrather take the risks that you’ll be facing in the Nationals on your own
\npower. I certainly admire it.” The man turned to walk away.<\/p>\n
\n“…wait.” Atobe stared hard at the man, and Hiyoshi noted that
\nhis captain’s mouth turned down in a rather sour frown usually associated
\nwith Jirou running off the court to tell Atobe something interesting. “What
\nrisks are you talking about?”<\/p>\n
\nThe man waved expansively. “Oh, Archangels backing up Fudoumine and Seishun
\nGakuen, and a high level demon adopting Rikkai. You’ll be pleased to know
\nthat Seigaku’s archangel has taken care of ’Mitsu-kun. That’s
\nTezuka Kunimitsu.” <\/p>\n
\nHiyoshi noted that Shishido, who had just walked over with Ohtori, looked as if
\nhe wished he had a camera to catch the appalled look on their captain’s
\nface. Atobe’s mouth worked silently for a moment before he said, “Do
\nyou know him, then?”<\/p>\n
\n“’mitsu-kun?” the man said. “Of course I know him. He sent me
\nout of concern that the matches would be unbalanced with the support you have.
\nKunimitsu is very concerned with fairness, as I’m sure you know.”
\nThe man returned Atobe’s suspicious look with unbelievable innocence. “In
\nany case, should you wish for my assistance, you’ll find my card behind
\nthe photograph by your bedside.”<\/p>\n
\n“You’ve been in my room?” Atobe asked, frowning. “You
\nshouldn’t have been able to get in.”<\/p>\n
\nThe man nodded. “I wasn’t able to get in, Keigo. And if you don’t
\nwish to contact me, my card will not be there. It will only be there if you do
\nwish to contact me.” The man turned again to walk away. <\/p>\n
\n“What’s your name?” Shishido asked him, as Atobe didn’t
\nseem inclined to speak to the man again. The man smiled sunnily at Shishido and
\ninclined his head to him.<\/p>\n
\n“Hiiragizawa Eriol, at your service.” With that, the man disappeared
\nin a cloud of cherry blossoms. Shishido dashed over to where Eriol had been standing
\nand looked around, but Hiyoshi was already turning back to Atobe, who suddenly
\nlooked thoughtful.<\/p>\n
\n“Hiiragizawa,” Atobe murmured.\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Eriol visits Hyoutei and makes Atobe an offer.