It didn't help that it was in the middle of winter. Rumors went about of mysterious burn marks on several pieces of property belonging to Baseball fields; leading children to name this phenomenon the Blazing Player. They made stories saying that the fires started on those fields were only that spirit, or ghost, playing baseball by himself, running at undefinable speeds and throwing pitches like no other person could. Of course, teachers caught on to this trend, and tried to put a stop to it as soon as possible. This was hogwash, right? There was no such thing as the Blazing Player! It was all folklore and child's play!
That's what they liked to think.
One day, as it was snowing, one student in the ninth grade, a girl by the name of Sayaka Maizono, with the aid of a professional detective which was said to be her classmate, went investigating one of the many scenes. Sayaka looked out into the distance and saw a fiery spirit standing off in the distance; its back turned to her. She approached nearer once the detective drifted their attention away from her, watching the spirit turn around at the crunching of ice below her feet. They locked eyes, and the spirit grew closer and hotter. No wonder there was a puddle of water below its feet! For the second they locked eyes, the strange fire ghost planted a kiss on Sayaka's cheek, sending her flying back with incredible force. It was his chance of getting away. When Sayaka regained her consciousness, it was gone.
This was reported on local news channels across the city. Sayaka was interviewed, saying the spirit was a male, with shackles on his wrists and 'beautiful' blue eyes. They asked if she got its name, and she did not answer. Children claimed that the Blazing Player was real, and now it was proven true; there was indeed a fire spirit lurking about the baseball fields. The only thing no one caught on to was the strange symbol scorched onto her cheek. That's where Sayaka said it kissed her. This baffled all scientific studies and theories. Strangely enough, it was in the shape of a mere heart. Did he love her…? Something about her made her special in the Blazing Player's perspective; what was it?
The townspeople sent her back on yet another snowy day, and Sayaka encountered him again; this time, on camera. Broadcasted once again, citizens from around the country watched as the Blazing Player was introduced to them for the first time; however, when the spirit turned around to look at her, he immediately vanished into a funnel of fire. From that point on, whenever Sayaka came to the baseball fields accompanied, the spirit would not be there. It was as if he really were a ghost. There was something about him though that made him different…
He looked surprisingly human.