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For 30_characters: Never Too Late - Tennis no Oujisama

Title: Never Too Late
Character: Atobe Keigo, tiny teeny hint of AtoSaku
Theme: 24. It wasn't supposed to be like this
Rating: G
Note: Spoiler for - the cover of vol. 35?
Tennis no Oujisama © Konomi Takeshi, et al.


"You had a - bad day, and nothing more," Sakuno offered, careful to avoid that one word. Atobe did not fly into a rage, but he could display an icy scorn that she was always at a loss to handle. "There won't ever be any other day when your personal hairdresser suddenly has to leave on urgent family business, or when you can't find a beauty parlor that perfectly meets your criteria."

Atobe raised an eyebrow. "I suppose. Hand me that mirror."

He watched his reflection for a long time. When he lowered the mirror, she smiled, gamely determined to hold on to that smile regardless of what he would say. "Your hairdresser has got a near-magic touch, hasn't he? He'd be able to fix it when he gets back."

"Did I say anything about wanting to fix this?"

"But you said the color is horrendous - the cut does not bring out the best of your features - "

She stopped, expecting a long-suffering sigh. Instead he tapped his finger on the surface of the mirror. "This is nothing a couple of days' growth and adeptly applied hairbrush strokes can't improve. The color I can manage on my own. Don't make such a mountain out of a molehill, Ryuuzaki."

Sakuno released her breath, trying not to show her relief. "I hope no one would laugh at you and say you'd be better off bald."

"Not to my face, no," he agreed. "But they'd be wrong, of course."