AN : Another one of the old draft that I rewrote the whole plot, lol.
Genre : Romance, Kind of AUish
Summary : The beginning of their battery for them wasn't the one that they form in Seidou, it all traced back to when they met in Tokyo since they were young, and since then, they were falling for each other but only to realize at the moment when they came to separate way but it wasn't long until they would meet and finally come to understand with their feelings.
It was on the morning of the holiday, Miyuki was sleeping peacefully until he felt something shaking insides of him arm, he slowly opened his eyes and in front of him was the idiot pitcher, sleeping adorably inside his arms. Miyuki placed a kiss on Sawamura's forehead before he pulled Sawamura closer, gently.
They were going out now, it has been months since they were going out and not many 1st strings player knew what was going on between them.
They didn't fall in love with each other at Seidou, it was all traced back into the past when they first met when they were still a kids, in elementary school or maybe even younger.
Both of them didn't know how to call or how to feel "Love" back then but as they met here again, they knew that they were missing each other and wished to be together as long as they can, enjoying every moment they could together.
It all began around 8 years ago when Miyuki Kazuya first met Sawamura Eijun, they were still in elementary school by then and their meeting was by pure chance, on that evening in the park on summer season in Tokyo was the start of everything between them.
It was so silly how their story began, no one would have believed it that they just met by chance and would fall in love with each other.
"Ah! A Catcher! Can you catch my ball?" The young Sawamura asked Miyuki who was sitting alone with his catcher gears besides him.
"Well, why not? What's your name?" Young Miyuki who was more casual and easy going rather than his adult self, replied to the strange kid in front of him
"I'm Eijun! Sawamura Eijun! You can call me Eijun! What's your name!" Sawamura shouted, his shouting habit began since he was young. "You can call Eijun!"
"Kazuya, Miyuki Kazuya. Where are your parents though?" Miyuki asked, afraid of dragging the boy away from his parents, even though judging by his actions Miyuki thought to himself that their age is not that difference.
"I-I'm waiting for them too! So let's play!" Sawamura eyes were glittered brightly.
"Okay." Miyuki took up the gears and as he get ready into the position. They made a distance between each other, about far enough to imitate the real mound.
"I'm going!" Sawamura threw the ball, although he was still a child around 6 years old, his pitch still moved at the plate although only by a few amount that none would notice it, but for Miyuki, he could see it as plain as a day that Sawamura pitched an interesting ball.
"Eijun…who taught you how to throw this ball?" Young Miyuki asked and threw the ball back to young Sawamura, as much as he was still young but Miyuki was serious about baseball since middle school.
"No one taught me…no one played baseball in my hometown…so I just started throwing the ball myself, Jii-chan bought me the ball and this ball have been with me ever since then."
"Oh…that's why the ball looks so old, no wonder…hmm I'll teach you about how to throw the ball, how about it?." Sawamura nodded and smiled, while Miyuki grinned at the innocent boy in his front.
They continued to throw while have fun with each other, Miyuki taught Sawamura about the baseball basic although Sawamura couldn't understand anything at the time.
"E-Eijun…Are you an i-idiot?" Miyuki asked straightly.
"Well, many of my friends said so! Hahaha!" Sawamura seemed proud of himself even though everyone used to call him an idiot.
They began to share their love for baseball through talking and their friendship had began since that time, they were laughing and smiling for almost an hour before a voice broke their moment.
"Eijun! Eijun! Where are you!" A deep voice shouted.
"Oh…looks like my gramp is looking for me…I gotta go…" Sawamura said as he smiled and waved his hands. "Thanks, Kazuya!" Sawamura ran off after he said goodbye to Miyuki, not leaving the chance for Miyuki to say goodbye to him.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
That was our first meeting, I remembered how he threw that pitch with that honest eyes of his, I found it to be very interesting, how could he enjoy throwing the ball that much? To me, baseball was all about winning or losing.
But that at that time, I didn't think anything of that idiot yet, even though we met a several times more, I didn't feel anything special with him, it was just a simple friendship or so I thought.
I had fun catching for that idiot although it was just the two of us, it felt like I can tell him anything at that time, he would listen to me and comfort me and before I knew it, both of us start sharing our daily life story since we would meet about twice a week, at the same place and around the same time for every week, we keep meeting for months and it was the best time of my life, I knew it.
I had fun teaching him how to throw the ball, although he wouldn't understand half of it but I was excited that one day we could form a battery, and I'll be able to lead him just like now.
Really, it was such a good time for myself, the only time and place I can relax and be myself is with that idiot, I thought that he was a best friend, not until our last meeting that I realized that I had fallen for this idiot.
"Kazuya…this…this is the last time I can come to see you…I'm going back to my hometown tomorrow." Sawamura said as he leaned against my shoulders, when I heard that sentence back then, my heart felt so empty and it was beating so fast. I didn't know how to react back then.
"Is that so…I'm…going to miss you…Eijun…" I said to him and put my head to rest over his head, I still remember to this day, the softness of his hair and the smell of the shampoo he used.
"I would miss you too…Kazuya, I will miss the time that I spent with you…" I could hear him began to sob softly. "I would miss the time…I spent…throwing the ball to you…" I pat his head, as much as I wanted to cry too, but I didn't, I felt like I need to act strong in front of him, although inside I felt torn apart.
The only person I felt like I could call friends even though he is younger, the person whom I felt like I'd like to be with forever, was it love back then? Or was it a friendship…even now I don't know, but I know this at least…that I missed him, and always think about him.
"I-Idiot…don't cry…it's not like we're not going to meet again." I hugged him and let him cried in my chest. "I'll always catch the ball for you…whenever we meet again." I slowly pulled him closer, I could feel him trembling in my arms.
"Mmm…" Sawamura slowly calmed down as he buried his face in the catcher's chest. "Promise…?"
"Yes, it's a promise…hey…say…Eijun…can you give me…that ball of yours? I'll want to have a keepsake from you…so that I don't forget the time I spent with you…I'll definitely treasure it." Sawamura nodded as he handed over the ball from his pocket. "I'll give you my mitt…so don't forget to keep it to yourself all the time too…okay?" He nodded and wiped his tears with his tiny hands.
"I…I'll never forget about you, Eijun…I'll always be waiting for you to come back to me." I slowly released him from my arms and smiled for him, for it to be a cheerful parting not only for him, but for myself as well.
"Me…Me too! Kazuya!" He slowly walked away, going towards his parents.
"Eijun! We…We'll be friends…forever! No matter how far we are, and no matter how long it is, I'll be waiting for you!" I shouted, but the last sentence that I was trying to say didn't hold any strength. "I like you…Eijun…" I saw him nodded to my first sentence as a replied before he left with his parents, leaving away from Tokyo.
I remembered that the next moment I knew, tears were falling down on my face and since then I'd always think about him every day and every night.
Even when I get into the middle school and join the baseball club, I couldn't find someone like him and whenever I think about him, I'd stay away from my club mates, they weren't playing baseball for either fun, or to win. They were playing just to show off and I hated that and even still now, I still hated them.
When I first lost against Chris-Senpai, seriously I was jealous of him how his teams were full of great player but otherwise, I admired him for being able to lead them very effectively, which I wasn't able to do. His lead, his catcher skills, and even batting was so extraordinary that I couldn't stop myself to admire him.
I wished to be like him and I tried but it ended up with myself began to interact less and less with my club mates and in the end it was only a few people left that I could really called friends, Mei was one of them but he couldn't replace Sawamura in my heart, they were different, totally different.
When I got into Seidou for the first years, that's when I finally found a place for myself, I enjoy playing baseball with everyone in Seidou, at least they were aiming for something rather than showing off like my middle school friends did.
But still, it was a shallow friendship for me, I couldn't open myself to anyone here, although we were teammates but still, I couldn't feel with them like how I felt with Eijun.
Then the next year, an idiot came to the school as a tour, I recognized right away when he said his name, it was my Eijun from back then although he had changed a lot.
I couldn't feel any happier for the time I was in Seidou, I'm glad that I met Rei-Chan, if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be able to meet my most important person again.
I volunteered to catch the ball for him, although it seems like he didn't remember me back then. Well, I didn't tell him my name so it would be normal for him not to recognize me.
It was the 2nd time of our battery, (if playing catch back then count) but otherwise it was our first time as a battery playing against someone, I couldn't keep myself from smiling and laughing, my blood was boiling to play a game with him as my partner.
After he strike out Azuma-Senpai, Rei-Chan went to send him back home, although I wanted to talk to him but I didn't get the chance, that night I went back to my room and looked at the ball on my table, I touched it and smiled, finally, I got the chance to meet him again and hope that it won't be for the last time that we will meet.
And then, we really met again, on the first morning of the 1st semester which is April, I wasn't able to get enough sleep the night before, hoping for Eijun to come to Seidou as the choice for his high school, and he actually did. But he didn't remember me even I told him my name, he didn't even flinch or get a hint about me, well that's to be expect considering that we were apart for so long, maybe he didn't share the same feeling with me so he forgot about me, can't blame him.
I met him at the dorm's front, both of us were waking up late for the first morning call of the very first session, although I made him angry back then because I just feel like teasing and playing around with him a little, I guess it was a bit too much of a prank and he viewed me as a nasty Senpai since then.
After that morning, I've been trying to find a private time to have a chat with him as he was struggled with the training and not to mention that 1st strings had many practice matches.
I watched him struggle as he tried to get the acceptance from the coach and maybe everyone, seriously I didn't know what got into his mind back then, it seemed he changed a lot more than I expect but well, it's not like the time I spent with him back then made me know his true personality but at least it was slightly different than this, only one thing stays the same, that is his joy in playing baseball.
Then the following day, when Rei-Chan assigned him to Chris-Senpai, honestly I was feeling so disappointed but I didn't protest anything back then, comparing forming a battery with Chris-Senpai and myself, Chris-Senpai was obviously the better choice I have to accept that.
But then I didn't expect myself to get angry over him, when he talked badly about Chris-Senpai, my reflexes were faster than my brain and I made him surprised, even I found myself in surprised that I acted that way, I never meant to hurt him I'd never hurt him but I ended hurting him, badly. It left a terrible taste in my mouth afterwards, torning between the person I respected and the person I like…
But I heard from Rei-Chan later that because of my action, Sawamura made a change of heart toward Chris-Senpai, and it later paid out well as they formed the battery against Kiryu, I was so jealous and happy back then, to see the person I admired in play, and to see him form a battery with Eijun.
Eijun began to hold respect for Chris-Senpai very highly, I didn't envy the respect he have for Chris-Senpai, but I envy the attention he paid to Chris-Senpai, I wondered did I show that out on my face or expression or not.
And then the day I hoped for finally came, the day I confronted him and talk to him alone. When I handed over the ball, he looked puzzle asking what's the important of the ball, until he took it into his hands and playing around with it that he finally remembered that it was his ball that he gave it to me back when we were kids.
"You're…Kazuya…? That Kazuya from back then…!?" He shoured, I was feeling annoyed but his question though seriously, how could he remember the ball and forgot about my name?
"What was that supposed to mean? 'That Kazuya' I remembered you cling to me before you left Tokyo…"
"Well…you always made fun of me but back then…you were so kind and gentle…" He was right…perhaps the one who changed wasn't him but it was me who has changed.
"When I told you my name, it didn't make any click inside your head? Seriously, I was hoping that you would remember my name since I recognized you right away when you told me the name when you came here with Rei-Chan."
"I-I'm sorry…I didn't expect to meet you here, out of all places…"
"Or you simply forgot about me…"
"I-I didn't forget about you, in facts…I've been thinking about you since we've parted our ways…I missed you a lot…" He said and blushed…blushed…I was wondering if…if he felt the same way with me back then so I decided to give it a push.
"Eijun…" I cupped his cheek and pulled him in for a kiss, I didn't know what got into my head back then to start a kiss with him but then much to my surprised I remembered him kissing me back, and since that night we've been starting going out. "I...like you...what about you...?
"W-Well...I don't know...what's it like to like or...love someone...do you know Kazuya...?" He asked me, blushing badly.
"I don't know either...but...all I know is that I want to be with you, never to be separated again...is that what everyone called love?"
"I don't know...but...at least...I know that I feel the same way...I...don't want to be separated from you again...by the way...why did you kiss me just now?"
"I-I just...feel like it...I'm sorry...if you don't like it then I won't do it again..." I apologized to him, it was all of a sudden, it wouldn't be weird for him to dislike it.
"I..don't mind actually...I like it...when your lip touches mine...I felt happy? Gah...this is weird...I don't know how to...describe it." I smiled before pulled him into another kiss, we were so young and simply stupid couple who just fell in love with each other innocently. But...in the end...was it really love? Or was it just a simply like between friends? Or because he was a place of my comfort that I wished to be with him and wanted him to be only with me.
"Kazuya…?" Eijun called out to me as he shift his position in my arms before he leaned his face to kiss my cheek and went back to sleep.
Oh, well…it doesn't matter what it is…as long as I can stay with him and he wanted to stay with me, that's all what's matter to me I guess…I brushed his hair softly as I looked at him falling back into the sweet slumber in my arms. One could call us a couple or just a best friend…it doesn't matter, all that matter is that we have each other right now and we won't let anything separate us again.
Yay...full fluff fic...at long last.../die of overdose. If possible, please leave me a review of what you think, just a short review is enough :). I want to know how I fare in this fic. Thanks for taking my fic to read as always!