Youthful Days (Book 1)

48. Jealousy

"That was much better," Atobe remarked as he tossed the tennis balls back into the machine's basket. "Like I said, you can reduce the aim range if the power came incrementally from your arm instead of your wrist."

Ayuna nodded. "You're absolutely right, captain Atobe. Thanks to you, I feel less sore and have much more control over my shots."

"I see you aren't going to drop the 'captain' anytime soon."

Ayuna grimaced. "I'm sorry... It just doesn't seem right to drop the honorific with a senior."

"You do it with Fuji Shuusuke, don't you?"

"Well, that's different..."

Atobe decided to drop the thorny topic and shifted his focus back to tennis. He strode across the court until he was at Ayuna's side. "In any case, although I'm seeing a dramatic improvement, the biomechanics of your forehand swing still isn't quite right. I suspect it's a sign that you're still transitioning out of your badminton form. Your take back before the swing is inconsistent."

"Is that so?"

He motioned for her to hand over her racket. Tossing a ball in midair, he made an impeccable stroke, his arms relaxed while the shot darted across the court with explosive power. With a satisfied grin, he turned back to her, "That's how it should be done."

Ayuna gawked at the point of impact. "Surely it's going to take a lot more practice for me to even get close to that kind of forehand swing—"

"You'll get there faster than you think," said Atobe with certitude.

He didn't say it out of sheer flattery: having run the tennis club for years, he'd never seen anyone improve as fast as Ayuna. In fact, he'd never expected younger female tennis players to match up to the skills of their male counterparts. This is mainly because most high school girls lacked the attention span to take in all the technical details and commit to stoic training.

This didn't seem to be the case with Ayuna, who was a remarkable observer and had clearly devoted time to consistent practice. All she needed was a few pointers to accelerate her learning process.

He returned the racket to her and kept his hand there. "I'll guide you through the motions so you can get a feel for an effective forehand swing."

Standing behind her, his arm shadowing hers, Atobe helped Ayuna trace the racket smoothly from back to front, finishing the shot with a clean wrist whip and with her hand pronated.

When the shot was finished, Atobe didn't immediately let go. With their faces mere inches apart, he said in a hushed voice, "See? Do you know how it feels when it's done correctly?"

Ayuna turned. She didn't realize how close they were until she came face-to-face with him, their cheeks nearly grazing. Before she could speak, her answer was replaced by a voice from the tennis cage entrance.

"Now I see why my forehand swings don't always work out the way they should," said Fuji icily. "Seems like I've still got a long way to go."

Atobe straightened himself. Meanwhile, Ayuna recoiled from him like she'd been bitten by a snake.

Facing Fuji, he countered with equal hostility, "Keep underestimating yourself like that, Fuji Shuusuke, and you'll never become the ace of Seigaku."

Fuji ignored his inflammatory comeback. Eyes landing on Ayuna, he remarked, "I didn't know Hyotei's captain was offering free tennis lessons."

"I don't mind teaching someone who isn't going to become an opponent," answered Atobe flatly. He glanced at Ayuna, whose expression was somewhere between unease and embarrassment. "Besides that, it's a shame to see wasted potential. Someone like her should be put into good hands."