Haruichi and Hotaru had presented their project, and were no longer obligated to conduct research. Even so, in unspoken agreement they continued to meet and eat lunch together. Some times they chatted, or played handheld games, others they sat in companiable silence, simply content to be in one another's presence.

Currently, Haruichi was telling a funny story about his teammates antics. Hotaru was listening intently, occasionally looking down at her sketchbook or jotting something down in her notebook. The team had some interesting dynamics. Hotaru found personalities and relationships in general, because they fell in her main area of weakness, but she especially loved Haruichi's stories. In was in truth, partially because it was Haruichi, and she loved having a friend with which to jump though the window of opportunity. All sorts of doors opened to fun things they could only do with multiple people, and they enjoyed being able to confide.

That being said, Hotaru particularly enjoyed Haruichi's stories and the characters they starred. The way he told it, Seido was like a strange family, one where the tree was all twisted and tangled, with branches stretching unexpected directions, however, this entertwinement made it all the more strong and stable.

Sawamura, for exampple, was like a little brother not just to Hotaru, but to th team. They couldn't help but want him to succeeed, no matter how annoying he grew. Kuramochi's unacknowledged protectiveness of him went a step further and could almost be called fatherly. He was a mixture of rowdy older brother and overprotective father , the kind that would never let his daughter go near any possible romantic interest. Miyuki's protectiveness took on an entirely different tone. Though on the surfaceit appeared to stem from Miyuki's caution surrounding interferances to his personal agenda, and te ways he was discreetly affecting Sawamura, Hotaru had other suspicions. Miyuki consciously influenced many people, so unless Sawamura was some sort of crowning jewel project, there was a deeper reason backing Miyuki's focussing of attention.

Haruichi actually had a biological older brother on the team. Ryousuke seemed cold and distant like the meaning of his name, at first, but his reflexive gentle smile was not entirely false. Much like Miyuki, Ryousuke took advantage of the way others respected and viewed him to have any potentially soft expressions written off as a smug or scheming unless the atmosphere was right. Additionally, Hotaru felt that baseball was not the only area in which Kuramochi learned from Ryousuke.

A nearby excited murmur grew audible, escalating into high pitched squealing, and they looked up to see a group of girls cooing over Miyuki.

"It's nice being somewhat under the radar." Haruichi commented.

"I can't tell if he likes the attention or is irritated by it." Hotaru nodded.

They heard Sawamura's loud voice as he boasted shamelessly. Miyuki took that as his cue, and slipped away from the throng of girls while they were momentarily distracted.

"That's why he insisted Eijun go with him." Haruichi realized aloud.

"Smart. Though I can see why he says Miyuki's manipulative."

"Should we have Miyuki use Eijun as a distraction in our story?"

"For sure."

They opened Hotaru's notebook and began adding to their already substantially developed story.

All of a sudden, Miyuki popped up behind their bench. Startled, Hotaru jumped up, sending her sketchbook clattering to the ground from its place next to her on the bench. Miyuki's sniggering was abruptly cut off as he noticed the drawing revealed by the open sketchbook. It was of Sawamura, but not like Miyuki had ever seen him. Sawamura's face wore an expression somewhere between admiration and adoration. The open happiness and sincerity his features held was breathtaking. Hotaru had captured the image beautifully.

"How did you get him to make that expression?" Miyuki asked incredulously, unabashedly ignoring the thought that he might be prying into something private with the extent curiosity.

Hotaru, noticing the page it was open to, shot forwards, flipping her sketchbook closed and slipping it into her bag with urgency in one fluid motion, "What expression?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

She glanced around nervously. The girls duped into listening to Sawamura had not yet dispersed, and were huddled like a sports team.

"I didn't get him to make it. He doesn't even know I drew it." Hotaru admitted, "It's just...opportunities like that are rare. Please don't tell anyone about it!"

Miyki raised an eyebrow, "If you didn't put that look on his face, then who did?"

"I can't say."

"Can't or won't? I'm his senpai, I only want the best for him."

"It's Eijun's information to give out when he's ready." Haruichi said, "I mean-that is-he looked so happy, getting involved might get us into an unecessary sticky situation."

Miyuki let out a sigh of resignation, "You're no fun, but I can see where you're coming from. At least let me know if there are any developments."

"Eijun will likely let us know off his own accord if there are."

"Besides, I don't stalk him!" Hotaru protested, "It was a coincidence. Why are you so focused on him anyway?"

Miyuki was silent for a moment. That line brought back memories. He had used it many times himself. As a child, whenever best friends had arguments and 'broke up', subsequently spending the next breaks beating around the bush, and fighting in an attempt to make up, he'd watched from afar, thinking that, if someone was that horrible to their best friend, then maybe they weren't worth associating with. When he had said so, he had received numerous shocked and dubious looks, as if he was suggesting an alien concept. He hadn't really had many friends of his own, so the reasons that people felt pursuing reconciliation was worth anything were beyond his comprehension. Rather than keeping their friends close and their enemies closer, most children that age were better off avoiding enemies altogether. Now, though, after he had seen how Sawamura drew others into easy companionship with his radiant aura, he felt differently. Instead of wanting to learn to use people most effectively, he was genuinely curious about how someone could get Sawamura to shine as brigthly as in the sketch without something silly like strings of festive lights.

"I saw him making eyes at his tire, and I'm getting suspicious." Miyuki came up with, knowing that while his statement was not a lie, it did not supply the entirety of the truth. But then, being earnest had never been his strongest suit. Why open a door when people are only going to pillage and loot? Laying yourself bare is making yourself vulnerable. That makes you a target. No strong outward appearance, even backed by physical strength, can protect you from every attack. The outskirts of honesty were sufficient for Miyuki's requirements.

"It's interesting how fickle people can be." Hotaru said suddenly, "The ace can be both the highest or lowest valued card, and in the game President, two is the highest, even though in most games, since people like a high ace, two is seen as the lowest card. People try to avoid it, and dislike having to deal with it, until the time where it's use is most blatantly obvious."

Miyuki wondered what she was getting at. He was unsure how deeply she understood baseball, but if she knew about catchers, pitchers, and jersey numbers, the metaphorical meaning was blaringly obvious. Just how far did she read into things, between the lines even?

"Do you thinnk that our characters should struggle with this realization?" Hotaru mused, "Miyuki could use a little more depth."

"He's still right there." Haruichi whispered.

"Miyuki the card and the human Miyuki have different destinies and are shaped by different experiences. Miyuki's choices are entirely his own."

Haruichi and Miyuki gave her matching quizzical looks.

"Well, the human Miyuki anyways. Miyuki the card is at our mercy." She grinned conspiratorially.

Miyuki laughed, "You're still working on that story?"

Haruichi flushed and confirmed, "We are."

"I'd like to read it sometime. It sounds like it would be worthwhile."

And with that, Miyuki left, not bothering to assess the expressions left on the faces of the first years behind him.