What if Takeshi never left the Tobita Club? And Kouya never met Jirou, Kuroudu or Kyousuke… would everything change? Would the soul mates still be united?

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Soul Mates

Chapter 7 – Friendship x Jealousy

By: Klyukaizer

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"Takeshi is such a jerk sometimes!" Kouya muttered angrily as he walked on the street heading home, but suddenly stopped when he remembered Takeshi's face.

/"Go, Kouya! You can join them and miss practice all the time!"/

There was a hint of sadness on Takeshi's eyes. Despite from all the anger he just released. This made Kouya realize something… that Takeshi really does care. "But… he doesn't have to blame everything on me!" Kouya softly said, "It's not my fault… I wanted to do something else aside from Crush Gear too!"

The image of Takeshi walking away came into his mind again, "I'm sorry Takeshi…" And with that, he ran to his home… to call Jirou.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"Don't be so nervous!" Kouya tried to cheer his friend up. "Y- yeah… it's just that- it's a really great honor having you here as my guest!" Jirou blushed.

"You act as if we're perfect strangers!" Kouya said with sarcasm at the tone of his voice. "Oh! I want to introduce you to my best friend!" Jirou changed the subject, which made Kouya sigh out loudly. Jirou could really heal that fast. This made him grin.

"Kouya, meet Hiromi, Taki!" Jirou introduced as an indigo-haired boy walked up to the two, "It's nice to meet you, Champion God!" Taki raised out his head for Kouya to shake. Kouya hesitated at first, but shook it anyway, making sparks of jealousy fly out of Taki.

"Jirou has told me a lot about you, Marino­-san!" Taki smiled, a fake smile.

"Umm… Uhh… I- I don't know what to say!" Kouya smiled nervously, "I heard some things about you too, Taki-kun!"

The nerve of him calling Taki "–kun"! Taki raised an eyebrow.

"Really…" It was more of a statement, "But I don't think it's as much as I've heard of you from him!" Taki glanced to Jirou, "Excuse me… I would like to prepare myself for the game!"

"A- Aa!" Kouya nodded anxiously, "Gambate!"

Taki stared at the brunette for a while, then muttered a "Hn!" before leaving. Kouya jumped in surprise for a moment as both Jirou and him stared at each other for a long time. "I think I'll go prepare myself as well!" Jirou said nervously as he followed Taki to the shower room.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"What was that all about?" Jirou half-shouted, which made some of their team members watch them. "What was what?" Taki asked as if nothing happened. "Don't play dumb with me, Taki! Anyone can see that that attitude you had back there was for wimps!" Jirou yelled angrily.

"Well, he is a wimp!" Taki laughed, "Who would've thought that the Champion God had such a low esteem!"

"Shut up, Taki!"

"And what're you going to do to me, Jirou?" Taki shouted, sounding a little hurt at his best friend's sudden actions, "Are you going to punch me just because of that kid you just met? He might've been the Champion God, but he's no different than a wimp!"

The next thing Taki knew, a fist made contact on his face… leaving a red, swollen bruise on it. Taki touched the part where Jirou punched him and stared wide-eyed at the bigger boy standing before him.

"Don't you ever talk to him that way!" Jirou snapped, and walked out of the shower room.


~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"It's the Home team with 10 and the Visitors with 23. What a disappointment from the previous years of victory!" The announcer sighed out loud on the microphones.

"This isn't going to be good! What's Taki doing out there?" Jin, a raven-haired batter, conversed with Kelvin, another raven-haired batter. "He's just staring at the ball, man! What's that idiot doing?" Kelvin exclaimed, with anger in his voice. "Do something! Get him outta there!" Jin whispered to Kelvin, hoping Jirou won't be able to hear him.

"Taki!" Kelvin called.

There, Taki was just holding his bat, as if he was staring out into space. 'He never did this to me before! He would never do those things to his best friend… because- because…'

"Strike 1!"

'Because… he said so himself!'

"Strike 2!"

'I'm his best friend!'

"Strike 3! You're OUT!" Taki snapped back to reality as he was engulfed by all the "boo"s from the bystanders. He turned to face them all as everyone on the top benches glared at him.

"Get out'ta there, kid!"

"Go home where you belong!" Taki trembled as he turned in every angle, watching everyone in horror, and in embarrassment. A hand suddenly went in contact to his wrist as he was pulled back to the team. The next thing he knew, he was staring blankly at everyone with a wet towel on his head.

"Heat stroke?"

"No… I don't think so!"

"Maybe we should just cancel the game, coach!"

"No! Taki wouldn't like this! I know Taki and he would never give up!" He recognized this voice. "We're going to continue playing…" It was Jirou, "…for Taki!" He added.

'Jirou…'

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Jirou stood at the base of the pitch as he prepared himself. With a few hand signals, he got the strategy in mind. He stared one last time at Taki with Kouya and the other team members on the benches; he was going to do it for Taki – No – for the whole team!

'I'm sorry, Taki… this isn't your fault!'

And with the pitch, everything went by in slow motion.

'It's mine.'

Jirou stared at the ball. Kouya crossing his fingers. The team at the edge of their seats, and Taki… snapping back to reality.

It all went really slow… there were excited expressions on the Home team's faces. But it all went away, as the clunk of the baseball making contact to the bat, echoed through the stadium.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Taki gave one last look at the stadium as the sun began to set. He sighed out loud and placed his hands on his pockets, swinging his backpack on his back. He was about to leave, when he felt someone come near him.

"Hey."

"Hey…"

"I thought you went home with the Champion God." Taki said, burying his eyes at the shadows of his bangs.

"Kouya's still waiting. He wanted to know… if- if you're okay."

"Y- yeah, I- I'm fine." This was certainly, and obviously a lie.

"Taki, It-"

"Don't say it, Jirou! It was obvious in everyone's eyes that it was my fault! I shouldn't have blacked out during the game!" Taki chuckled, "Guess I was exaggerating a bit, ne?" Jirou blinked sadly, "Taki…"

"I know what you're going to say, Jirou…" Taki said, facing his best friend, "That it was your fault for hurting me in the first place. That it was your fault that you had to punch me in front of our teammates."

Jirou just stared at Taki.

"Well, I want to say 'Yes, Jirou! It was your goddamn fault!'…" Taki said with tears in his eyes, "But no matter how much I'll say that, it'll only bring me hatred towards you… people won't believe me anyway! It's my fault I had to bring such personal affairs on this kind of special event!"

They were left in silence for a while, despite from the wind's song and Taki's silent sniffs and sobs. With one last sigh, and a smile, Taki bid his farewell. "Goodbye, Jirou…" Taki left Jirou to stare at his back, the horizon filled with the orange color of the setting sun.

To be continued…

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Klyukaizer: Finally!!! XD;; Update! I can finally update as much as I want, guys! It's Christmas Vacation! XD;;

Taki: Waaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! ToT;; Don't leave me Jirou!

Klyukaizer: Umm… Taki, you're the one who left him! ¬_¬;;

Taki: O_o;; Oh yeah…

Klyukaizer: *whispers something into Taki's ear*

Taki: Oo! Oo! I can't wait for the next chapter!

Klyukaizer: Neither can I! XD;;

Kouya: *gulps* Eep! O_O;;

'Til next time!