"If you can't even see my mitt from the mound, how do you expect the both of us to have a perfect coordination when you're acting like a selfish bastard. This was never a one-on-one game. And this is definitely not your typical loser junior team baseball match. You need to know the responsibilities your idiotic actions will cause on the team. The more you keep up that stupidity of yours, the more I hate being your catcher. I'm exhausted. I rather make a battery with Furuya than with you. Grow up, Sawamura."
.:The Wind Blew on the Wrong Side:.
I lost all the time, but I have never really questioned them. As long as the team performed their best to exceed their limitations. As long as I pitched with all my heart out. As long as the team never lost hope in the end. As long as everyone had fun playing. That was the game I experienced in my junior year. I didn't like losing, but I didn't despise it either. Because I was surrounded by amazing group of friends I called teammates.
But from what Miyuki said. For a brief moment; did I actually lose sight of that? The moral I always believed in and followed.
I really am an idiot. And more likely, everything he said was true.
But it hurt. It hurt so goddamn much. Because those words came from someone I admired the most and...possibly even loved.
©graylubitches Ace of Diamond/ダイヤのA Fanfiction
Anime/Manga owned by: Yuji Terajima
Featuring: Sawamura Eijun | Miyuki Kazuya | Kominato Haruichi
2014 presents The Wind Blew on the Wrong Side.
Chapter I
.:The Wind Blew on the Wrong Side:.
The small little droplets came pouring down like there was no tomorrow. The moon was up with the sky hovered by the clouds. It was already night. Everyone should have been already asleep. A brunette lad however laid awake on the wet grassy field. His hair, damp was spread flat on the ground, his shirt submitting his transparent toned stomach, pants plastered with mud, sneakers worn out from excessive running and hands rougher than usual.
His bangs covered his face, but even with that much protection, it was in visibility that the boy was broken. The quivering of his shoulders and uneven breaths—no, they were not caused by the chilly breeze—he was shaking with guilt. Tears slid down his face for minutes and longer, yet not once did he make a sound of cry. He cried motionlessly. As if he had given up in trying to find any sort of distractions he could use to avoid the voice that have been haunting his brain for the passed 24hours.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
After the long hand on the clock made its next never-ending move did the young man finally allow a bitter smile appear on his lips. The ache just won't stop. He had the urge to bang his head right there, right now and wish to lose conscious so he wouldn't have to think. "Just what the hell am I supposed to do? I can barely even move. Should I just stay here 'til morn—no, I'm going to get hypopotamus-termida [hypothermia]".
He focused his attention to his listening skills and heard no other sound but the wind and rain.
It was true that he would run every morning and night; every member in the baseball club knew about it. He was accepted in the first string so he felt that he had to train harder than anyone and improve more quickly since he was one of the pitchers. He overworked himself—that he just recently found out—and was secretly happy that his friends worried over him. If it wasn't Kuramochi-senpai and Masuko-senpai, it was Chris-senpai, or Harucchi, or Furuya or even Miyuki. They were the people who would drag him out of the night and make sure he rests instead of vigorously training.
But tonight no one came. Hundreds of balls were scattered everywhere, and the net gave out four strings from multiple throws. A lump was forming in the boy's wrist and blood trickled down from his elbow. He wasn't only mentally broken, but physically too. Eijun Sawamaru really was an idiot.
.:The Wind Blew on the Wrong Side:.
"Our game with Raizuka will begin with Furuya who will pitch for 4 innings, Kawakami will follow and we end the day with our ace Tanba. I expect a lot of steals from Kuramochi and Ryosuke. Masuko, do not hesitate to give a full swing. Tetsuya and Jun, its in your hands to get us those runs. Kominato, I'll be putting you in so be ready at all times. Miyuki, I can count on you tomorrow, right?" Coach Kataoka explained. He stole a peek at the boy who have been quiet all this time. "Any complaints? Speak now."
Eijun never once moved his gaze from the projector of Raizuka's game with JiruJi as the coach spoke. It may look like he's paying a real close attention to their ace batter Akaya Seiyo, but his mind was actually secured in his own little world. He expected this. After his lousy performance last game where he gave up 5 runs which almost made his team lose to Otokaru with a score of 9-8. If it wasn't thanks to Furuya who caught the ball in the end where runners were on third and second, two outs, one strike, three balls, Tanba facing their clean-up batter Yuno Koluna. The team barely won and was fortunately saved from being eliminated in their first national championship game.
Eijun Sawamura was no sadist. He was always the happy-go-lucky player on the team who would encourage everyone and inspire them to keep playing their hardest. But this time he felt that he had no right. And honestly, he just couldn't afford to let out a whole-hearted laugh. Because he knew—not only will it sound fake—it will also make him look like a pathetic dumbass.
The meeting ends and everyone got up from their seats. Miyuki left the room without sparing Eijun a glance and passed by him as if he was invisible. From that moment, the "substitute" pitcher acted as if he didn't care—took his leave without a word—although inside he felt his insides being crushed. He gave his chest a punch, directed to his heart and decided to head straight to the baseball field. With short yet quick strides, he exited the building before letting out a sigh of relief. "Well at least I survived," he chuckled sarcastically.
He pulled out a familiar cap from his back pocket and proudly wore it. Memories from the past with his previous teammates came flooding in his head. "I miss them so much," he confessed to himself. He smiles with distress before shaking his head back to reality. With a tall posture, Eijun Sawamura spends the rest of his day by going to his new-favourite place (the shed) to meet up with a very special tire.
.:The Wind Blew on the Wrong Side:.
He was the only one running. The next turn—making it his 20th lap. The third-year players (Tetsu, Jun and Masuka) were hitting homeruns with power, the second-years (Kuramochi and Ryosuke) were catching the ball and making double plays with agility, and the pitchers (Tanba, Kawakami and Furuya) were in the bullpen practicing.
No one has spoken to him since the game he performed badly in front of everyone (including the coach), except for Miyuki Kazuya who was very confident in voicing out his opinion. He suddenly wanted to dig a deep hole and hide himself in there for the rest of his baseball years. He didn't know what he was doing anymore. Or know if it was right to even be there. In the field. The embarrassment was eating him out alive. He was exposing himself to the teammates who probably hated his—"Eijun-kun."
The lad tripped on his foot then landed on his arms. He quietly winced in pain before looking up at the person who called out to him. Haruichi Kominato stared at him with a confused look and Eijun hoped he hadn't heard the soft curse that escaped his lips (and tried his best to hide his left arm with the long-sleeve shirt he wore). "Oh, Harucchi! What's up? I thought I was certain that you'd be swinging your wodden bat with the other first-years?"
The pinkette chose not to respond and merely looked at the boy before him. "Harucchi?" Eijun stood up then waved his right hand in front of the boy. "Yoohoo~Are you ther—" "Let's play catch."
The petite first-year held Eijun's hand and led him towards the dugout to get two gloves and a ball. The players who were practicing stopped what they were doing and everyone's attention were suddenly on the two who were 'mindlessly' walking through the middle of the field. Haruichi may have not minded it, but Eijun definitely did. He cowered with his head down and contemplated whether to run out of the scene or not. The tension arouse in the air and every steps gradually became heavier and numb.
"You're kidding me, right."
Eijun froze, which halted Haruichi back. Miyuki Kazuya stood in front of them with a disgusted expression on his face. The brunette's heart began to beat rapidly and he predicted himself to hyperventilating any minute now. He couldn't bare the humiliation he was facing and the position he got himself into. Immediately, he pulled his hand away from his first-year colleague and attempted to run as far away as possible when Haruichi grabbed his right hand once again.
"Will you humbly let us through, Miyuki-senpai? Because I would like to play catch with my bestfriend, Eijun-kun."
Miyuki directed his glare towards the pink-haired male. He didn't like the 'soft' tone he used because somewhere he knew that the boy was mocking him. He especially didn't like the innocent look he portrayed in facade. The relaxed fingertips of his bit by bit curled into his palms as he tried to control himself from doing anything violent. After a long pause, he opened his mouth to give advice to the lad. "Don't try getting yourself into other people's business, Kominato. It's not your role."
The wooden batter wore a pokerface on. "And if you show any kind of sign that you're letting go of something—that was already yours—expect someone to take it."
The catcher turned away with a sour face and left without another word.
"Harucchi?" Eijun tilted his head, not understanding what the boy meant.
The pink-haired male only smiled. "Wanna play catch by that shed?"
.:The Wind Blew on the Wrong Side:.
Practice ends with the managers bringing onigiri to the fatigue looking players. 98% of them were sitting in front of the dugout while the other 2% were hidden under the shed. Haruichi admired the brunette who was sleeping soundlessly beside him. He lightly swept the fringes to the side to get a closer look. Eijun-kun have always had such pretty lashes. His hand drifted from his eyes, to his nose, to his mouth. A cute nose and plump lips.
The sound of footsteps made the lad move back to his seat. "The coach told everyone to go back to their rooms," a voice exclaimed. Haruichi looked up to find his older brother standing in front of him. "We have a game tomorrow so rest is important."
Before he could even reply, Kuramochi popped out of nowhere then held out his arms towards the sleeping figure on his left. "I'll carry Sawamura so go back to you own-" "No. I'll take him back. You two can go on ahead." The first-year boy quickly interrupted before nodding his head towards the two older males. "Senpai. Aniki [brother]."
They gave him an uncertain look. However, the firm tone he had used was all it took for the two to turn away and leave without another word. Haruichi turned his attention back to the boy beside him. He drapped an arm around his shoulders then gently carried him up. The other baseball members might think that he was going to take him back to his room, but they were confused about the term 'his room'. Just for the night, he wanted to be with Eijun. The broken look he found on the brunette's face said it all that he needed somebody. Someone who could comfort him. And Haruichi Kominato decided that he was going to be that person. Eijun-kun's saviour.
.:The Wind Blew on the Wrong Side:.
He laid the boy on his bed after changing his jersey with a plain, yellow shirt. The lad shifted to face the wall. But before the pink-head could drape the blanket over the lad's figure, something caught his eye which made him gasp. He stared horrifyingly at Eijun's elbow. It was badly bruised. A deep cut with dried blood came in the view.
His hand unconsciously reached for the wound. The brunette flinched at the touch. "I-It hurts." Haruichi pulled his hand away in an instant. Then his eyes gradually widen at his friend who suddenly began to softly cry. "I-II can't throw anymore, M-Miyuki... I'm s-sorry."
The day he pitched for Otokaru.
Has Eijun-kun been hurting all this time.
Yet he didn't tell anyone of us.
Why?
! messejii from graylubitches: whats up? this is a short story i have recently come
up with. as you can see i've been addicted to Diamond No Ace lately
and couldn't help myself from writing a fanfic about the anime.
i will not go into detail by detail that refers to the past because i honestly
think that 70% of you wouldn't even bother reading it
most of you probably only want the cutesy and fluffy moments that are bound
to happen with the characters. anyways, hope the first chapter wasn't too boring.
like i said this will only be a short story. 4-5 chapters? R&R
positive and negative comments are both appreciated
although by saying this, do be a little bit considerate on what you write/type
in the comment box. peace out~