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The door of Seido's bathroom slammed open that made everyone from inside flinched at the sudden harsh sound that resonated within the four corners of the room
"Damn you, Miyuki Kazuya" Sawamura muttered under his breath with gritted teeth as he entered the bathroom. His usually bright and smiley face was replaced by a deep scowl on his face "Curse you, curse you! I'm cursing you to death, tanuki bastard!" He growled, stomping his feet like a child
His grumbling earned a collective sigh from his teammates. They aren't surprised by this natural occurrence anymore. Eijun and Miyuki are always at odds like that ever since the brunette joined their team exactly eight months ago and they are still going at it and they are sure as hell both of them will continue to be like this in the future
"What is it this time, Eijun kun?" Haruichi, like the good friend he is, asked the southpaw even though the pinkette already had an idea on what was currently going on
Sawamura whipped his head on the side to look at their second baseman "Harucchi!" He cried after seeing his friend "That jerk didn't catch for me! Again!" Eijun whined pathetically
"Yosh, yosh, Eijun kun" The young Kominato said, comforting the pitcher and trying to be sympathetic to his friend "Maybe he wants you to rest for today? You pitched yesterday after all" Haruichi tried to reason out
The brunette's lips formed into a cute pout "But! But today is my schedule! He should be catching for me, not Furuya!" He grumbled, nose flaring once again
Haruichi badly wants to sigh in defeat, and when he's about to say something to the latter, someone butts in. It was their shortstop, Kuramochi Yoichi
"Oi! Don't complain like a baby. Miyuki's trying to shape up Furuya for the Spring. We won our fall, ya know? And he's our new ace" The greenette chided, snorting after rinsing his hair
Sawamura falls silent, shoulder slumping down, eyes casting down on the floor
Eijun tried to swallow down the sudden lump on his throat "I know" He said, barely a whisper "I just want to practice my change up to quickly get back on track. I want to shape myself up too so I don't have to be a burden on this team this time. I finally beat up the yips, you know? I'm sorry for being all too excited" Sawamura mumbled to himself but they were in a closed room so they heard it all. And it broke everyone's heart when they heard it from the boy himself
"Eijun kun..." Haruichi tried to call the southpaw but the latter is already walking to the shower to wash himself up
Kuramochi bit his lip out of guilt. He realized too late that what he had just said was clearly out of the line for a person who just gained back his confidence to do the things he loved that he lost just a few months ago
The next day, Sawamura is all too sunny and energetic again. Like something, or someone didn't just hurt his feelings
Seeing his kouhai being happy again doesn't lessen the guilt that Kuramochi is feeling though. So before they went out of their shared dorm room, he called out his teammate
"Oi, Sawamura" Kuramochi hesitated, internally cursing himself for almost being a stuttering mess
Eijun gave him a glance before putting his phone down on his bed "Hmm? What is it, Mochi senpai?"
Yoichi gulped "Yesterday. I'm sorry for saying something like that. I shouldn't have said that" He grimaced
The younger blinks at him before giving a blinding smile "You don't have to say sorry, Kuramochi senpai!" Sawamura chirps "I've thought about it yesterday and you were right! Furuya is our new ace so the pressure of carrying the ace number on his back is sure tough" The brunette nodded firmly like he really do understand
"Sawamura... that's not---"
"Besides! Spring Koshien is nearing too and we need to win our upcoming tournaments so I totally understand! Hrrrnnghh!" Eijun grumbled before looking at his senpai once again "I should be the one apologizing for being shortsighted!" He grinned, assuring the older that it's fine before adding "We should probably go now, Mochi senpai! Boss will kill the both of us if we're late, whahahaha!" Sawamura laughed before dashing out of the room
Kuramochi groaned in exasperation as he gripped his hair he puts effort into styling it for almost an hour
"Miyuki Kazuya! Catch for me!" Sawamura yelled from across the field. He yelled like the one he was talking to was hundreds kilometers away from him when they were literally infront of him. Their teammates already knew what will about to happen next
Miyuki grimaced at the loud voice but he still managed to grin cheekily like usual that everyone will totally get annoyed at "Not now, pitcher kun~. Our ace asked me to catch for him"
An irritated nerve popped out on Eijun's forehead "It's my turn to pitch today! Furuya! Don't hog him all you want! I want to pitch too!" He screeched, but the tall pitcher fell on deaf ears
"Now, now. I'll let you pitch after him, okay?" The bespectacled catcher snickered before hopping away
"Not fair!" The brunette southpaw complained
Without so much of a choice, Eijun turned his heels so that he can practice his fielding. He can't ask Ono because he is also occupied by catching for Toujou so he doesn't really have a choice
Eijun and other first years who practiced fielding took a short break and formed a respective small group
Toujou noticed the frown on their southpaw's face and said "You're really that upset, huh?" He initiated carefully
Sawamura look at him with cat like eyes "Who wouldn't?! He promised!" He snapped to one in particular from their group
Haruichi observe the particular pitcher quietly "Say, Eijun kun. What do you think of Miyuki senpai?"
Kanemaru almost choked on his water. He's about to intervene but chose to close his mouth shut. He is also intrigued about what their resident idiot is going to say about their captain
Sawamura immediately scoffs after hearing that god forbidden name "That tanuki bastard? Why are you still asking that kind of question, Harucchi?! Of course he is a complete bastard! By just looking at his face is already making my blood boil!" His face scrunched up in distaste while saying that
"Well! I can't deny that he is a good catcher but it doesn't remove the fact that he is such a pure narcissistic jerk!" He huffed "If I have to choose between him and Chris senpai, of course I will choose my shisho over and over again! No doubt about it!"
Haruichi pursed his lips, trying not to smile fondly at his distressed friend. He can tell that Eijun is really pissed right now
"Oh, screw it!" Shinji impatiently chimed in
"Let me rephrase his question" He said before taking a deep sigh "Do you like Miyuki senpai? I mean, in a romantic way?"
"Eww, no!" Was Eijun's immediate answer
Kominato, Kanemaru, and Toujou blinks in surprise
"That's... kinda... uh... harsh" Hideaki had only managed to say
Sawamura made a displeased frown, a deep one at that "How did you came up with that ridiculous idea, anyway? Can't you see we're always fighting?!"
"That's exactly why we came up with that conclusion, Eijun kun" Haruichi sighed in frustration
Eijun made a face. He is so confuse right now 'What did they mean? Who likes whom?'
"I didn't know you were stereotypical about that, Harucchi!" The southpaw snorts "Don't tell me you're now into shoujo manga too?!" He gasped dramatically and the pink haired boy finds himself wanting to twist his friend's neck. Ridiculous
"Then what's your type, Sawamura?" Toujou helpfully changed the subject
Sawamura thinks for a moment before he flashed a huge smile on his face "I like a brooding type of a person but can also act cute at the same time. And can be a bit feisty too" He giggled, a faint blush appeared on his cheeks
"That's a bit specific if you tell me" Kanemaru commented, eyeing the southpaw
"Anyway! I don't like him that way" The brunette puffed out a breath
If the three of them didn't know any better, if they didn't know Sawamura better, they might think their left handed pitcher already had someone in mind considering how specific he is about his type or how sure he is at not liking their main catcher that way. They didn't know any better
"Hah! I won't even pitch for him even if he begs when he finally gets here!" Eijun added, making sure that Miyuki can clearly hear him from a distance, who in return, smirks in amusement at what he said before catching Furuya's fast pitch with ease
"Ono senpai, Please catch for me!" Sawamura yelled before running towards the said catcher
Something sinks in on the three first year's minds about what the brunette had said. But before they could ask on who he was referring to, Eijun had already left to pitch for Ono
On one evening after their practice for the day, Seido gathered in their dining room to eat dinner. After eating, Maezono screamed suddenly, asking them about their plans for Christmas so they began discussing what they would do or where would they go to spend their short vacation
"Huh? I've never really think of that. We only have a week to spend Christmas. And my hometown is a bit far from here too so I'm thinking of staying here like others and just practice" Kuramochi said while stretching his both arms
"I'm going back and spend Christmas with Okaasan and otousan. Oniisan will also be there" A shy smile tugged on Haruichi's lips, remembering that they will go back together
"Hokkaido's far. I'm not going" Furuya yawned, already slumping on the table
"I'm also going back for a quick visit" Kanemaru said before adding "What gifts do you think I should buy--- oi! Furuya! If you're gonna sleep then go to your room already!" He clicked his tongue in annoyance and continues to reprimand the raven pitcher. Toujou tried to help Furuya up, more gently than his friend
Kawakami laughed "I'm thinking of staying here too to practice" He answered and when he noticed that there is no certain loud voice that can be usually heard from everywhere, his eyes automatically landed on their resident loudmouth to ask. And to his surprise, the brunette is uncharacteristically absorbed in his phone, typing here and there from time to time with a short but fond smile on his face, contrary to his typical wide grin he is always wearing
The side arm pitcher saw the way Sawamura's eyes softens while reading the probably text he received from his phone. Kawakami's question suddenly vanished from his throat
The green haired shortstop also noticed this unusual silence from his kouhai "Oi, bakamura!" Kuramochi tried to catch the younger's attention by calling him and he successfully diverted the brunette's attention away from his phone
"Ah. Gomen" Eijun said sheepishly "I'm going to my friend's house this Christmas before continuing to practice in our off season. He is from Kanagawa too so I'll go together with Harucchi and Niisan, hehe!" He grinned happily before giving them a peace sign
Haruichi furrowed his eyebrows "Not Nagano?"
Sawamura shook his head "No"
"I didn't know you had other friends from a city other than your friends in Nagano" Kuramochi squints his eyes in suspicion at him
"He's... sort of from Nagano?" Eijun answered, a bit unsure
And when his senpai raised an eyebrow at him, he scratched his hair "He and his family used to live in Nagano but they moved to Kanagawa when he was eight"
"Oh. A childhood friend then" Kawakami smiled, much to Sawamura's relief 'You're such a lifesaver, Kawakami senpai!' He internally cried
Kuramochi leaned on his seat "So that's why you're so glued in your phone these days. Catching up?"
Sawamura didn't answer. Instead, he gave him a nervous smile
Going back to their respective dorm, Eijun is still on his phone, eyes never leaving the screen. Kuramochi already noticed this lately and he wanted to ask why the pitcher is always looking at his phone. But assuming that it was his friends from Nagano and a friend from Kanagawa, he refrained himself from doing so. Instead, he lay down to his bed and sleep
Sawamura let out a contented hum before moving his fingers to type something on his phone
Kuramochi took a deep sigh before throwing the scarf on his kouhai's face as hard as he could
"Uuuffmmphh!"
"You really are an idiot, aren't you?" The greenette huffed out of annoyance "What? You're too occupied to your phone that you forgot your own scarf? I swear I'll kill you if you catch a cold before our spring tournament starts, you understand?!" He said in an empty threat
Eijun pouts before smiling "I got it, Mochi senpai! Arigatou!"
Kuramochi rolled his eyes before saying "You are really into your phone lately, huh? What? You got yourself a girlfriend, Bakamura?" Kuramochi teased, knowing the younger would be too innocent to have that. Besides, this brat might like Miyu---
Sawamura blushed "I... I think? But not quite? Uhh...? Something like that?"
Hearing those words from their very own southpaw pitcher made Kuramochi literally froze on his spot. After processing those words, his eyes widen in bewilderment that his eyes almost got out on their socket. He gawked at Sawamura like a total idiot. 'Wha-- what?! How?! When?!'
Kuramochi smiled darkly, his head turning slowly to Sawamura. But before Kuramochi can pounce on his prey and made him spit all of the information he wants to know, Eijun had already run as fast as he can to get away from the devil incarnate
Kuramochi even tried to chase the boy but the brunette are already far to reach him so he yelled instead "Oi! Come back here! Is it Wakana?! Bakamura!"
After coming back from one week vacation, Kuramochi didn't miss his every chance to stare at his kouhai intently. He isn't asking anything but he is pretty much burning a hole the way he stared at the poor pitcher with killing intent
Sawamura shivered while avoiding eye contact with his senpai as much as he can
Seido had lost to Hokkaido's Komadai Fujimaki on Spring Koshien, making them part as best eight
Sawamura didn't get the chance to play more on the said tournament and while there are disappointments he felt from the same game, he is still thriving to get much better. Especially now that spring season is here. Summer is just around the corner too
April comes quickly. Sawamura always gets up early in the morning. Probably earlier than the rest of them to start running around the field but today is different for Eijun. It's kind of special
While being a senpai is one thing that gets him excited, there is also another thing, or someone rather, that gets him all too nervous at the same time
"Stop fidgeting, idiot" Kuramochi hissed
"Gomenasai!" Sawamura apologized in a whispered yell but he still keeps moving that it's grating on Kuramochi's nerves
"Eijun kun, are you alright?" Haruichi asked, starting to get worried
Sawamura nods "I'm okay, Harucchi!"
Kataoka stood to the front as new first year starts to line up. New recruits take their turns to introduce themselves
A certain blonde first year stepped forward "I'm Okumura Koushuu from Daikyo senior of Kanagawa. Position. Catcher" He paused for a moment before roaming his eyes around the players in front of him and stopped when his blue eyes met the golden one "I don't like any of the players in particular" He said without breaking an eye contact to Sawamura, who in return, can't also take his eyes off the young catcher with a bated breath
"Yoroshiku onegaishimasu" Okumura was the one to break their staring contest as he bowed to their coach before stepping back
Sawamura also averted his gaze with his lips pressed tightly to each other because if not, he will surely be smiling so wide and big like a true idiot. It isn't helping that he's also blushing like a girl. He can also feel his cheeks and ears gets warmed from that staring alone. He can only pray to god that he isn't as red as a tomato because surely, Kuramochi and Kanemaru will be the first in line to tease him to no end
The introduction continued and Kuramochi snorts, an amused grin is making it's way to his face "So he doesn't have a girlfriend, but a boyfriend. Huh. Interesting" He said purely to himself
The shortstop is happy for the brat but Sawamura can't get away just like that without Kuramochi embarrassing him. Kuramochi slyly laughed, oh so wickedly while thinking some things that he can use to blackmail the other boy
Unbeknownst to the green haired shortstop, Miyuki had heard him. Miyuki's ears perks up after hearing that to his friend. He even thought for a moment that Kuramochi deliberately said that to make fun of him but it isn't the case
Even though someone didn't mention it, Miyuki can clearly tell that they are by just seeing those silent interactions from the pitcher and apparently new catcher. Those kind of stare. It's also the way he stare at Sawamura when he knew no one is looking. That mirth on Eijun's eyes, those giddy, shy expression he is currently making. Everything. Everyone can tell that there are something between them. Something special that he doesn't have with the southpaw. And Miyuki can't do anything other than to clench his fist unknowingly, even to himself
Right after the new first years joined the team, Sawamura and Okumura seemingly fell into a perfect rhythm. Like it's so natural for them to be like that or to act like that. Both of them knew what the other wants without even saying anything. They just know what to do by just staring at each other. They more than often do that as their silent conversation. Like both of them spend their entire life being with one another to have that kind of deep communication to each other
Kuramochi yawns, rubbing his eyes as he walk with a bat on his other hand. He got up quite earlier than he supposed to be. That isn't a problem when he can just go back to sleep again. However, he saw that the bed Sawamura is occupying is empty. He can't just wake Asada up so just he can ask him if he knew where the idiot had gone up to
The greenette's eyes twitch "That idiot. He's overexerting himself too much" He grumbled, knowing that his idiot of a kouhai is already practicing this early. He can't go back to sleep now that he's wide awake so he decided to got up to practice his batting. And maybe while he's at it, he will look for Sawamura and punish him to the point that he'll regret practicing this early. It's becoming almost everyday
The shortstop yawned once again when he saw a familiar figure coming out from the shadow that is approaching him
"Miyuki? You got up already?" Kuramochi asked, perplexed. Who wouldn't? This bastard is always the last person to get up from bed
Miyuki feigned hurt "What's with that reaction, Kuramochi? You hurt me" He said, trying his best to annoy his friend
Kuramochi's face contorted in disgust "You don't have the ability to get hurt with that thick face of yours" He retorted and the latter snickered before resume walking
The greenette cast a glance at his friend "Seriously. Why are you up? It's not like you"
Miyuki grinned "Our new catcher kun is missing. So as a good senpai and a captain, I should go look for our teammates, right?" He proudly responded
Kuramochi almost said something to spite this narcissist bastard when he remembered something "Sawamura aren't---" He was cut off by the sound of the ball thumping on the mitt and then it followed by the familiar obnoxious laugh they knew so much
Both of them look at each other before following where the sound was coming from. They are brought in their indoor field and there, they saw Okumura and Sawamura playing catch
Kuramochi watch them silently. Seeing them converse to each other is something he already used to see nowadays
But looking closely, he saw Sawamura smiling most of the time but something is just different the way he look at the blonde. It's so fond and tender that he wants to look away
Now Kuramochi realized why Eijun was always on his phone, smiling like a pathetic fool that he is. Now it makes sense. It all makes sense now that the new recruit is here
Kuramochi snatch a glance at his friend and smirks in triumph "You can't do anything now. You're too late" He snickered before turning around. He waved his hand and walk away while humming happily
"... I'm not late though" Miyuki whispered to himself, eyes transfixed at the pair from the distance. The boy starts to actually pitch now. 'He seemed more livelier and energetic than ever' He mused
Eijun grinned blindingly as he winds up "I'll get serious from here now. Here I go, Koushuu!" He informed before whipping his left arm
'BAM!'
"How was that?! The sound felt good to hear, right?! Whahahaha!" Sawamura said proudly
"Please lower down your voice. You'll wake others at this rate, Eijun senpai" Okumura reprimand his senior who just laughed at him, straight up ignoring his words
Miyuki sighed and forced a small smile "By looking at them, how can I be too late when I don't even stand a chance in the first place?"