Author's note: It intrigues me a lot how Ryu said he got only giri/gratitude chocolate(s), so this is my take on it. This also serve as my take on (glimpse of) Ryu's baseball bits. The last chapter contains spoiler for chapter 82.

BTW, I'm aware I suck greatly as a writer (grammar, vocabulary, plot... In short, every single aspect of writing fiction), but I'm willing to learn. So, let me grow by your concrit :3

+ The Secret Admirer +

There was this second year guy, whom I got to know since I applied to be a team manager at baseball club at my school. If you were in the club, it'd be hard to overlook him, as he was kind of the star of our club. He was mainly a catcher, but he had been the fourth batter since his first year. His strategic views had been always a great help for our team. His defensive strategies were particularly so good that even the coach always asked his opinion. My first year peers looked up at him a lot. The second years relied on him a lot. I heard he used to have hard time when he was a first year due to jealousy from the senpais, but from what I seen for the past year, the third years were actually relied on him a lot as well.

His name was Ryu Sanada. He was mostly silent, but he wasn't cold nor awkward. He was kinda intimidating at first sight, but as you get to know him better, you would know he was actually very easy going and just went with the flow. And I had been secretly in love with him for the past few months.. Ah.. here I was again, daydreaming about him again in this boring class..

"Yuka-chan. Are you going to give it? To Sanada senpai?" Whispered a girl next to me. My seatmate Rei-chan was the only one who knew I like Sanada senpai.

"Uhm, what?"

"Come on! You know what I'm talking about. Tomorrow is valentine day!"

"Oh.. Chocolate uh? Well, I've made it, but I don't know if I can hand it to him.."

"Eh..? Why! Who doesn't want a chocolate from you. You're the cute Yuka Sakurai, after all.."

"But senpai never see me that way.."

"But aren't they, the baseball club's members, always adore you! Always chasing after you like you're a french doll or something.."

I didn't know what to answer.

"Hey, Cheer up! You know what! Each time I stumbled upon baseball club's boys at cafeteria or hall, they were always talking about you. How Yuka-chan is so cute. How Yuka-chan is so pretty and capable. How they're so lucky to have you as their team manager.. Stuff like that. And I swear! I often saw Sanada senpai was among them as well!"

I took a deep breath. "I bet he didn't actually engage to that kind of conversation, did he?"

"Ah.. Well.. that doesn't mean he didn't agree to them, huh..? He's the silent type anyway.. You said it before.."

"No. It's not about his silence. It just he genuinely doesn't care. Do you think I can't see it? I'm watching him for the whole year, and he never even speak to me if it wasn't for club's things."

"That's because you aren't aggressive enough!"

"No. You don't understand it. He likes somebody else.."

"Really..? Who..?"

I took a deep sigh. I had been a baseball club manager since middle school, and my live principal was to never fall for the boys in my team, but for this time, I really couldn't help it. Sanada senpai was so irresistible I wonder how come he had no girlfriend. That was what people keep says, that he had no girlfriend. Or maybe to be precised, that was what I want to believe. The thing was, if he wasn't engage in club activities, he was almost always seen together with this particular girl his year. A sexy tall girl, with such a sassy beauty. But people always said, they were just long time bestfriends.

Erh, this drives me crazy! But well, who knows..? Maybe they were just best-friends.

"You're right Rei-chan. At least, he get my name right.." I felt my cheeks got slightly pink.

"Eh..?" Yeah, people who didn't know him would never get the idea, how a small thing like that could cheer me up in my bad days.

"I'm going to ask it myself. It has to be tomorrow or never."

"Next chapter: The Silent Smile"