Chapter Text
Kasumi hastily stuffed her belongings into her bag, eager to leave her classroom. However, her plans were interrupted when someone called out to her. She turned to face the speaker and put on a fake smile.
"Kasumi! Are you available? We're heading to Venus Fort for the Mountain Pancake Challenge. Want to join us?"
The Mountain Pancake Challenge was a seven-layered pancake with whipped cream. If you could finish it within 30 minutes, it was free of charge. It is her mission to clear this challenge one of these days but she has more pressing issues at the moment.
“ Sorry you have to go without me ! “ she apologies with a wink “ I have to practice baseball “
At her sentence, her classmates freeze and turn to each other as if asking “Do you want to ask ?” She knows what her classmate's skepticism is and what they are thinking of at the moment.
“Isn’t the baseball disbanded ??” A brave soul spoke up hesitantly in a soft voice, asking the question she hated to hear.
“ it has not disbanded,” she snapped, causing her classmate to flinch. Catching herself, she tries to contain her temper.
“ We are just taking a hiatus, that's all . “ she tried to explain in a more positive spin.
The sympathetic glance that followed her explanation was too much for her and she needed to be out of there now.
“ Kasumi …”
“Well enjoy your pancake! I have to go now !” She exclaims with a smile.
She didn’t wait for a reply and headed for the classroom door. Once she was outside, her smile faded.
So what if the baseball club is on hiatus at the moment and most of the members have quit? She and Kanata - Senpai are still in the club and they - well she will make the club stand back on its feet and make it to the national. That will show all those who are looking down on the baseball club!
Nodding to reassure herself, she spins on her heel and makes for the student council office. There is one thing she needed back from the mean old president.
~~
“And that is the summary for the orientation event. All the clubs have their booth and event plans submitted to us. We will keep coordinating with the different clubs “
“ Thank you “ Nana thanked the student council secretary for the update before giving a once-over around the room “Any other update from anyone? If not, I think this will be a good point to adjoin.
The murmur of “ no “ and “ thank you" broke out before the student council members started to disperse leaving just her and the vice president inside the student council room.
She was trying to ignore the vice president as she started to pack her stuff but the vice president's inquisitive stare never left her.
“ Is there an issue ?” She asked when the staring was starting to get to her.
“ you seem more … quiet these few days President “
Nana froze in the middle of putting her pencil case into her bag.
“ I’m sorry?? What do you mean “
“ I didn’t mean to offend you president it just … “ the vice president paused and seemed to think better of it “Don’t you have club practice today? You usually have to rush off after our weekly meeting”
Nana broke off eye contact and resumed putting her pencil case into her bag. She supposed that someone as smart and observant as her vice president would catch on to her recent behavior
“It's late. We should head home. Please go ahead I will lock up “ she replied instead. She could tell that the vice president wanted to protest so she added a reassuring smile.
“Thank you for your concern, I’m really ok “
The vice president doesn’t seem to believe her but lets the topic go. Packing her staff, the vice president left the room too, leaving Nana in the student council room alone. Nana sighed, her gaze wandering over to the window overlooking the empty baseball field.
“ We can’t make national like this !”
“ is national all you care about ?!
“ We just want to play baseball “
She was right to quit the club. they could make a new team without her.
Slinging her bag over her shoulder she took out the key to lock the student council room and once it was checked it locked, she headed for the building which holds all the clubroom.
She had noticed the baseball club nameplate missing from the student council room and she had a feeling she knew who had taken it.
~~
Waking up with a start, Kanata's eyes roam wildly around, trying to make sense of her surroundings. The room came into view and she realized she was in the classroom.
How long has she been asleep? And really no one has the courtesy to wake her up?
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she reached for her phone. Her eyes widen when she realizes how late it is. Setsuna is gonna kill her for being late to practice again!
She straightened up and was about to grab her bag and rush out when she remembered.
That's right, the baseball club is on hiatus, there is no practice. She keeps forgetting about these details. She leans back against the chair. What is she to do now? She still has some time before her part-time job. She supposes she should start her homework? She wasn’t proud of it but she had to admit her grade has been disproving and she is in danger of losing her scholarship.
Strangely enough, she used to feel tired from her full day previously with her club, study, a part-time job, and Haruka but now, when her day was freer, she felt a strange void, and she couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that came with not having her usual busy schedule.
She stood up, stretched her aching muscles, and reached for a Japanese textbook, maybe she would go to the batting cage tomorrow. If the club is to be revived she needs to maintain her skills after all. For now, though, she'll focus on her studies and hope that the void inside her will eventually pass.