The knock came at an unusual hour.
Hiro looked up from his notebook, surprised. Visiting hours had ended an hour ago, and the nurses usually left him alone after eight.
When the door opened, it became clear to him why no one had stopped the visitor in the corridor.
Diego stood in the doorway.
He wasn't wearing the club tracksuit or carrying the tactical board that always seemed to be tucked under his arm. He had on a plain grey sweater, and without the badge on his chest, he looked older than Hiro remembered, with tired lines around his eyes.
"Coach."
"Hiro."
Diego crossed the room and lowered himself into the chair beside the bed.
Shun had sat there weeks ago, and so had Hiro's mother, and Lee had perched on the edge of it as though he expected to be asked to leave.
Diego settled into it differently. He sat like a man who knew what it was to spend long hours in a room like this, watching the light change on the wall.
"You look well," Diego said.
"You're lying."
