The first time Machimiya heard about him, they called him the Wolf of Hakone Academy.
After school in an empty classroom 2- A, Ibitani and Machimiya went through folders of information regarding various teams. They did this for a few minutes before practice every day, and then based on who they thought were threats, curved their training regimen to combat them.
There was only one cyclist the redheaded sprinter ever actually looked at. Ibitani knew, but he still handed his ace the profiles of noteworthy cyclists and teams.
"The Wolf of Hakone Academy. He and that wolf guy," Ibitani says as he leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers together and stretching them high above his head. "They haven't lost a race together, Miya."
Machimiya catches the back of his friend's chair before he leans too far back. Pushing forward with his own weight, he swings Ibitani's chair back on its four legs
"Hakone Academy's number two." Ibitani selects a manila folder from the stack.
He flips to the first page and a pair of sharp eyes glares at him from a school ID photo.
"Arakita Yasutomo." Machimiya squints back at the squinty eyes. He snatches the photo from his partner's hand, flipping through the few pages inside of it. "Yokohama, eh? Probably a Baystars fan.*"
Machimiya paces the room with the folder in hand. "Played baseball in middle school. Least the guy's got some taste."
Ibitani pulls out a few more Hakone Academy files, comparing the thickness of the stacks. "He only became a regular in his third year, after all. But we can't forget how he works with his ace."
"With no strong history of cycling like the rest of his team, I'd say he's the weakest."
Ibitani sighs. He looks up at the clock with its shorter hand nearing five. "Enough about baseball, Miya. It's almost time for practice.
"I can't look at his ugly mug anymore, it's almost worse than Fukutomi." Machimiya slides Arakita's files back into its stack.
"Probably why they work well together."
Machimiya slaps the back of Ibitani's chair. "So, flats today. As if we're going for the goal."
"'Flats today.' Flats everyday, Miya. Did you forget?" Ibitani tucks his bangs behind his ear. "This year's in Ha-ko-ne."
This time Machimiya's hand latches onto Ibitani's chair, drawing it back. He leans into Ibitani's ear. "You think I'd forget? It's perfect!"
The classroom door slides open, startling the two sprinters. They lift their heads up to find Higashimura at the door way. "It's me, Eikichi-senpai, Ibitani-san." Higashimura steps in with a slight bow.
Ibitani cracks a U-shaped smile along with a raised hand. "Yo."
"You two weren't at the clubroom, so I was sent here."
Ibitani lowers his hand, he looks at the sprinter beside him. "Miya and I were just finishing up."
"Pardon, I heard you two as I was coming in." The underclassman scans the empty classroom, the sunlight filtering through the open windows casts his senior's shadows upon him. "How are mountains perfect for a team of three sprinters, Eikichi-senpai?"
Machimiya stands tall and a smile curves into his face.
"Not the mountains, Higashimura! You're thinking too small!" He laughs. "It's Ha-ko-ne. His home court."
"Get it? Mountains are too small," Ibitani chuckles. "You're so funny, Miya."
Higashimura blinks.
The grin leaves Machimiya's face.
Ibitani shakes his head and the smile off his own face. He mouths the next words that come out of Machimiya's mouth perfectly:
"I'll embarrass him the way he embarrassed me."
A shiver runs up Higashimura's back. There's an air in the room he's never felt before. "E-Eikichi-senpai…?"
Machimiya places a hand over his neck and cracks it.
Ibitani stands, gathering the files. "Hey, let's prepare Higashimura and the underclassman instead." He taps Machimiya's elbow with a folder. "You know, if you ever have to use that, worst-case scenario."
"But Bani, this is a best-case scenario." Like a flip of a switch, Machimiya is back to laughing. "What kind of 'worst-case scenario,' eh?"
"Something like," Ibitani aligns the papers with one swift tap. "A strong ace's assist."
#
Ibitani leans against a vending machine, pulling out a hair band from his jersey pocket. "We need to train for climbs, Miya."
"We can after." The ace sprinter squeezes the last bits of water from his water bottle onto his tongue.
"You're already training after school. Weekends." He pulls his hair back from his sweaty face into a small ponytail.
Still resting on his bike, Machimiya spits on the ground. "I need to be stronger."
"Where are you gonna find more time?" Ibitani wipes the sweat of his forehead with the back of his gloved hand.
"Let's do another 150 kilometers."
Ibitani continues, "You have to watch how you eat and sleep for the next few months, so you can't give up that time either."
"Put your helmet back on." Machimiya looks down at the speedometer on his bike.
"And then don't forget, there's Kana-"
"I said, put your helmet on."
Before Ibitani raises his own helmet over his head, Machimiya kicks off into a sprint.
#
The Wolf of Hakone Academy stood between Fukutomi and Machimiya. He stabs daggers for eyes through Machimiya's face, fearless.
When the pack swallows a number two Hakone jersey, Machimiya's face lights up.
When the ace sprinter loses it, Ibitani draws his arm across Machimiya's back and composes him. This is the worst case scenario they've prepared for. This is why Machimiya made the extra time.
They race head to head. Meter after meter.
And when a number two Hakone jersey disappears into the distance, Machimiya is the first to take his helmet off.
#
After school, Ibitani stands outside of classroom 2-A. He grips his school bag.
"I've already said goodbye to Miya and the others," he says under his breath. "Once more, for old time's sake."
The door slides open by a slight push of his hand. An orange red sunlight fills the room and hits his face. He squints against the light.
Inside, someone is resting his head on Ibitani's desk.
"Miya..." Ibitani steps inside. "It's me." He moves as close as he can to the other sprinter before he notices the slow up and down breathing accompanied by soft snoring.
Ibitani places his hand on Machimiya's back.
"Miya, I'm sorry." His hand follows the boy's breathing.
He remembers a number of things-how this same back shivered in pain after the crash on day one; how it beat with fury on the second day when Hakone took first; and how, in disbelief, Machimiya's breathing was stopped by a single boy on day three.
"We spent so much time here," Ibitani removes his hand. "You spent so much time with us."
He squints as his vision begins to blur. He grits his teeth but it feels like they're shaking in his mouth.
"It's all...wasted." His hands cover his face and soak up globs of tears with his palms. "M-Miya, I'm so s-sorry. Y-You worked so hard."
His whole body trembles as if he were cold. He kneels down in an attempt to control his shivering.
It's a shaking that can't stop until, a hand lands on his head. It moves back and forth in a pattern familiar to Ibitani. And then the shivering stops.
"Hey Bani, I said no more crying." Machimiya leans over, bringing himself at face level with his best friend. He draws his hand back with a smirk. "You look like a girl I just broke up with."
"B-But, Miya…" Ibitani starts wiping his wet palms on his pants.
"Eh? You were supposed to laugh." Machimiya leans back in his chair.
"Miya, sorry."
"We're graduating tomorrow, Bani. No crying. Or I'll mess up your hair."
Ibitani stands, wiping his own wet hands onto his uniform slacks until they're dry.
"No regrets." Machimiya smiles.
Still pouting, Ibitani sits on the desk closest to him. "Like number two said, huh?"
"Hm? U-uh, yeah." His smile doesn't go away. "Besides, if you wanna look at the past...we should've prepared more for that 'worst-case scenario.'"
"You've been doing nothing but quoting him since." Ibitani crosses his arms.
Machimiya leans further back until he tilts his chair. He turns to the window and the sunset outside colors his cheekbones red.
"His words really meant something, you know?"
Ibitani nods even though Machimiya isn't looking. "Yeah, and now you've come to some sort of realization about yourself-"
"I was all tangled up." Machimiya kicks forward so his chair is back on its four legs. "I was too obsessed with Fukutomi-kun to realize."
The sun dips further until it's coated Machimiya and the classroom into a warm red.
"He's like one giant star in the sky."
With his back facing Ibitani, Machimiya is a silhouette against the sunset. It's a back Ibitani's followed for the last three years. He knows it well. He knows when its breathing skips a beat like it does now.
"Arakita Yasutomo. He's a star."
A/N: Thank you for reading. Don't let Ibitani's tears go to waste, please shoot me a review!
This ended up being Ibitani-centric, and somewhere along the way he ended up crying...
*The Yokohama Baystars is a major baseball team in Japan and Yokohama's hometeam. Arakita is from Yokohama. Machimiya is a fan of Hiroshima's hometeam, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.