Based on a true story of what happened to me today after school. Will this moment forever haunt me. Just saying.

"Be safe and have a good afternoo– oi, Sawamura-kun, be careful!" Ms. Kawashima warned.

Sawamura Eijun jumped over the last three remaining steps successfully and energetically sprinted out the front door of Seidou Highschool. Miyuki Kazuya, Kuramochi Youichi, Kominato Haruichi, and Furuya Satoru trailed after him like a normal person would.

"SCHOOL'S OVER!" Eijun yelled, capturing the attention of others around him. Kuramochi kicked him in the butt. "Quiet down! There's like, three more days of the week left!"

Miyuki snickered. "Put on your coat, it's cold," he said teasingly. "Unless you wanna catch a cold."

The first year pitcher whipped around and frowned. "I know; I'm not that stupid."

"Yeah, right."

"SHUT UP!" He pulled on his brown leather jacket and wrapped his red scarf that Wakana knitted for him around his neck.

It was rather chilly for an ordinary October. The leaves on the tall oak trees were beginning to turn light brown and yellow. The wind was unstable, oscillating past at its own tempo. The clear blue sky was littered with skimpy white clouds, ridding the sun of its limelight. Houses nearby were already decorated with Halloween-ish lights spooky skeletons.

As the group began walking towards the gate of the school, Haruichi suddenly remembered something. "Hey, Eijun-kun. I have five dollars."

"Me too! Let's go to Dunkin' Donuts!"

Haruichi turned towards the two second years who were busy rambling on about video games and Street Fighter. "Kuramochi-senpai, Miyuki-senpai, would you like to come with us?"

Kuramochi snickered. "Sure! Is it close by?"

"Yeah," the short first year said. "All we have to do is turn the corner, walk straight and then we're there."

"How long will it take?" Furuya asked, speaking up for the first time.

Everybody forgot he was even there.

"An hour," Eijun lied.

Haruichi frowned.

Kuramochi sucked his teeth. "Man, you bugging!"

The brunette laughed. "Haha, I'm just kidding! It'll only take five minutes!"

**5 Minutes Later**

The group of baseball players crossed the big, busy street.

"See, it's right there," Haruichi noted, pointing to a small shop next to a Walgreens and Checkers on the other side of the street.

Eijun could feel his knees quaking in anticipation. 'Today's the day!' he thought.

Miyuki rolled his eyes, literally sensing his battery partner giving off loads of happiness waves. 'What a baka.'

Kuramochi ran on the sidewalk and reached Dunkin' Donuts, sticking out his tongue as a sign of victory. "First one in gets to order first!"

"No fair!" Eijun shouted, turning his pace up a notch.

"Eijun-kun, your shoela–!"

BANG!

Eijun fell face first on the steps, the sound of his skin making contact with the smooth pavement sharper than lead.

Furuya winced. "Honestly, that's gotta hurt."

Miyuki sprinted over to the suffering first year and picked him up slowly, examining the huge red bruise on his cheek. "Man, you look horrible! Are you okay?"

"… I'M MORE THAN OKAY! I'M TOTALLY FINE!" Eijun stood up like a rocket and walked robotically to the door of the coffee shop.

"Yeah, he's definitely not okay," the rest of the gang whispered matter-of-factly, sweatdropping.

The rich and pleasant smell of brewing coffee mingled with sweet donuts smacked Eijun in the nose like a brick (that gotta hurt again.)

The shop was practically empty except for another customer who just left and a middle school girl who was taking out money from her bag.

The brunette stood off to the corner and gazed at the menus displayed on the tvs that lined up against the wall, pondering about what to order.

Haruichi sneaked onto the deserted line first and smiled at the female cashier. "Hi, Maria-chan."

"Hello," Maria Mikoshiba greeted back.

She was born in Mexico and raised in Japan by her grandfather Carlos. Her parents died in a hurricane that whirred by in her birthplace.

"What would you like to order?"

"Um, a small iced coffee with cream and caramel drizzle."

"That's it?"

"Yes, please."

Maria punched some numbers into the cash register and a receipt came up from a small machine. "That'll be $1.82."

Haruichi handed Maria the exact change and walked to the other side of the shop to wait for his drink.

"Next?"

Miyuki hit Eijun on the head. "You're next, baka."

Eijun growled. "You're making the pain I feel right now worse, Bakamiyuki!" He marched up to the line and stared at the menu again. He raised a brow and then sighed. "L-Lemme get a large iced coffee…"

Maria nodded. "With milk or cream with sugar?"

"… Uh, I… uh… I don't really know how to order stuff like t-this…"

Kuramochi scoffed. "Really? I know how to order from Starbucks."

Furuya huffed from outside. He's had enough. He stepped inside and pointed his finger at Eijun dramatically. "Add milk. Just do it." The raven head turned around and headed back outside with his head held high, a sense of accomplishment making him smile. For once.

Eijun blinked. "What just happened?"

Everyone shrugged.

"Y-Yeah, I'll take a large iced coffee with cream and sugar. Also, t-two random donuts."

Maria chuckled at the first year's nervousness. "That'll be $4.95."

"EHHH?! I'll only have a nickel left!"

The second year shortstop doubled over, laughing his wits off. "That's what you get, Sawamura! You should've gotten a small!"

"Or a medium!" Miyuki added.

"Shut up!" The brunette retorted. Maria took out a small Dunkin' Donuts bag and picked up a pair of tongs. "Which type of donuts would you like?"

"… A–"

"Boston cream," Haruichi whispered.

The pitcher smiled. "A Boston cream and… a Halloween one." Maria stuffed the two donuts in the bag and handed it to Eijun.

"Small iced coffee with cream and caramel drizzle," a lady in her late thirties called out.

Haruichi walked over to the counter and retrieved his drink. 'It looks tasty,' he thought dreamily. He plucked a straw from a container and unwrapped it, forcing it down the little hole. Forget two straws. Furuya and him were sharing. They loved indirect kisses since no one knew that they were dating. Yet.

"Large iced coffee with milk and sugar!"

"HAI!" Eijun shouted. He dashed to the counter and snatched his beverage, jammed a straw down the hole and grinned. "Finally! Today's the day! I now declare October 28th, 2014 the day that Sawamura Eijun drank iced coffee for the first time in six years! Amen!"

Here's where everything went downhill…

"AHH! IT'S BITTER!"

"What?" Haruichi asked, curious about his best friend's ear-splitting shout.

"THERE'S NO SUGAR!" Eijun yelled again, his facial expression (that looked like he just witnessed a gruesome murder) telling it all. Haruichi pulled his straw out of his cup and put it in Eijun's, taking a sip. He shot back a million feet. "It tastes horrible! Did they add any sugar or cream at all?"

Miyuki slapped his forehead. "There's probably sugar on the bottom, dummies. Shake it."

As they began to walk back outside, Eijun shook the large cup as hard as he could, but the same taste remained. "I can't believe this! I didn't wait six years for this bullcrap! I want my money back~"

Furuya eyed him carefully. 'Sucks to be him, I'm afraid.'

Haruichi held out his iced coffee. "You can have some of mine if it'll make you feel better, Eijun-kun," he offered.

The brunette nodded and took a sip. "IT'S SWEET!"

"Well, Miyuki, Furuya and I have to catch our bus, so see ya!" Kuramochi said.

"Bye!"

Furuya gave Haruichi a surprise peck on the lips. "You got some cream on there."

The latter blushed.

"ALRIGHT, BRING IT!"

Eijun ended up going to Haruichi's house to put more sugar and hazelnut cream in his iced coffee.

"Is that enough? Taste it."

"MORE! MORE! MORE"

"Eijun-kun, that's the fifth cup of sugar and cream! How on earth is it still bitter?! Aniki's gonna kill me, I swear."

The pitcher fumed. "I WILL NEVER TRUST ANYBODY IN MY LIFE AGAIN! OSU, OSU, OSU!"

I can't… the pain of that bitterness will never go away…