The Catcher and the Pitcher
Chapter Nine
Kuminato Haruichi let out an exhausted breath and pushed his damp hair away from his eyes, relishing the cool breeze now touching his face. He could already feel the summer on his skin and he had to admit, the heat were making him and his teammates all sweaty and grouchy.
He ran an arm over his forehead with a sigh, the sweats making him feel sticky all over. Running the course earlier might not have been the best idea to warm-up after all. He was already unusually tired from the heat beating down on him. Adding the uncomfortable sweat only made the high temperature more unbearable. Only Eijun-kun could withstand this temperature without being beaten by the heat, and Haruichi was pretty sure that if summer could only speak, his friend would've challenge the damn thing just to prove it.
Letting out another tired sigh, Haruichi turned and took in the scene before him, his teammates shouting and running, some of them joking around, while the others minding their own business. It was the usual scene.
Haruichi's eyes, however, didn't linger to his teammates much longer. For the umpteenth time that morning, on their own accord, his eyes automatically landed in bullpen.
The place where he has the most interest in.
It didn't take long for the Seido baseball club to settle down from the earlier mayhem with Miyuki-senpai and Eijun-kun. The situation was dealt with effectively (thanks to Coach Kataoka's blazing glares) and morning practice rolled back on its usual madness. Zono-senpai finally had calm down from his rage (at long last), and everyone was back to their own activities.
The senpais' started doing whatever they want and now being their usual old wacky selves. Eijun-kun's back to his own training menu, avoiding a certain megane catcher (and at the same time scolding himself of his own stubbornness). Miyuki-senpai, who was finally freed from his lectures were now discussing something with Chris-senpai and occasionally throwing the pitcher worried looks. Coach Kataoka was being in his usual cranky self, tormenting the second years and first years with rigorous training. And Furuya-kun…
…Furuya-kun's now immersed with his pitching practice with Miyauchi-senpai.
…and Haruichi…
…Haruichi's now engrossed watching him secretly from afar.
….and making his heart raced just a bit faster.
Gripping the bat he's using for practice tightly with both hands, Haruichi yet again couldn't help but be absorbed with his thoughts as he observed his friend, taking in his stance as he was about to throw a pitch.
The scene was simply beautiful for Haruichi.
So beautiful, that sometimes, he felt inferior just watching him like this.
Everything about Furuya-kun took his breath away. The determine glint behind his eyes as he throw a pitch, his lips thinning in a firm line when he concentrate, and his aura oozing out and burning intensely that Haruichi knew could almost melt any opponents' confidence the pitcher faced off regularly.
It was like Furuya-kun was trapped in his own world; playing, fighting, trying to prove himself. His mind's full only of baseball.
Haruichi stared at both his hands, his grip around the bat loosening a bit. What would it felt like to face off Furuya-kun? What would it feel like to have that sole concentration completely directed at him? Will he waver with his bat? Will he lose to the pitcher's resolve just like his other opponents?
For whatever reason, Haruichi knew in his heart he couldn't afford to lose. Not when he wanted those eyes, and his full attention, aimed only at him.
Peering over his shoulder for a hundredth time, Haruichi's heart skipped a beat, his stomach's fluttering in pleasant surprise when he saw the pitcher resting from practice and was now looking at his direction. Haruichi couldn't help but smile, somewhat giddy, and he was about to shot a hand to wave at him when he realized something's odd. Haruichi paused, disheartened.
No. He was wrong.
Furuya-kun was not looking at him.
Haruichi felt his heart sank, and slowly pulled his hand down, feeling slightly embarrassed from the misunderstanding. Furuya-kun's not looking directly at him. Furuya-kun was looking at someone at his back …
… Or more specifically…
… At Eijun-kun.
"As I thought…" Haruichi murmured, a small, conflicted smile gracing his lips. "Furuya-kun's really forcing himself too much earlier." Haruichi covered his face with a slightly quivering hand, letting out an equally shuddering breath. "He should really start thinking about himself sometimes… geez..."
And in that thought… Haruichi felt like his heart is breaking all over again.
He had known about it for some time now. The sneak glimpses, the playful banters, the rivalry. Haruichi knew Furuya-kun couldn't help but be conscious of Eijun-kun each time the other pitcher comes near. Furuya acted differently towards Eijun-kun. Sometimes harsh, sometimes uncomfortable, and sometimes, it felt like the two of them were on the world of their own no one can't get into.
No one else could see it, because his two friends refused to believe in it as well.
But Haruichi knew, because he was always there as well, watching, observing, and he always felt Furuya stiffening and looking a bit uneasy each time Eijun-kun appeared. Haruichi knew… and he realized Furuya's feelings a bit too late.
Furuya-kun likes Eijun-kun.
It's easy enough to see once you think about it and knew where to look. It may looked like both of them doesn't get along with each other, but Haruichi knew better. Furuya-kun and Eijun-kun understand each other well. And in a certain bitter level, they got along well with each other that sometimes; Haruichi felt he was being left out.
If he tried to put a depiction of it, it's like the way Miyuki-senpai and Kuramochi-senpai acted towards each other. Most of the time, they hated each other guts, and yet, there is a certain amount of respect and acknowledgement of each other's strength. They understand what the other possesses, and in return, they compensate of what they see as their weaknesses. That's why they couldn't help but become drawn to each other as well, no matter how platonic it is for Eijun-kun's case.
Haruichi didn't know when Furuya-kun started liking their other friend. Maybe since from the start, or maybe since the talk of Miyuki-senpai and Eijun-kun liking each other came up. But Haruichi always saw the signs of it. Some of them a simple show of support, like when Eijun-kun's been feeling out of sorts and Furuya-kun's siding silently beside him like it was a no big deal and he just happened to be there. The signs were always there. So plain to see from where Haruichi was looking.
But Haruichi wished he hadn't seen anything at all.
Because… what he realize after turned his world upside down.
When he realized that Furuya-kun maybe harboring a feeling for Eijun-kun, Haruichi felt like a dead weight settled on his stomach, and a swirling of emotions churned in his chest; a tightness inside of him that he felt he couldn't breathe through.
Haruichi felt like he was drowning.
…and that's when he realized it too.
He became conscious of Furuya-kun's feeling towards Eijun-kun, because he'd been observing Furuya-kun as well. Haruichi's awareness of him wasn't a simple case of supporting a friend secretly.
It was a case of being obsessed with another person.
Eijun-kun isn't just Furuya-kun's rival. He was Haruichi's as well.
Because…
Haruichi likes Furuya-kun. So much.
And that's why it hurts. Because honestly, Haruichi already felt defeated right from the start.
Haruichi bit his bottom lip, a slash of pain piercing through his chest from his thoughts. Is there any book out there that can teach him how to unlike someone?
No. That's wrong.
Is there any book out there that can teach him how to steal Furuya-kun's heart for himself?
Because Haruichi will pay no matter how much it cost.
Letting out a rueful smile, Haruichi closed his eyes from the pain. 'Baka… What a useless way to admit defeat.'
"Haruichi, what are you doing?" A voice suddenly spoke, jolting him away from his musings. Haruichi turned, nervous that he was caught by one of his senpais slacking from his practice. He let out a sigh of relief when he realized it was just his aniki.
Ryosuke lifted a brow, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Don't think I won't punish you just because it was just me who caught you slacking off. On the contrary, I just might punish you real good." Ryo lifted a finger and flicked his brother's forehead. Haruichi blinked in painful surprise and took a step back away from his brother. Ryosuke's smirk widened. "Stop spacing out and go back to practice. You're way too early to slack off, brat."
Haruichi couldn't help but smile. He could feel the pain inside of him lessening a bit as he felt the sting on his forehead ebbing as well. Just the mere presence of his aniki made him feel at ease. "G-Gomen, aniki. Just a bit tired from the heat." Haruichi threw another longing look back at the bullpen, his eyes lingering just a bit longer to his friend, before he grabbed the bat and face the practice net again. "I'll get back to practice now."
Ryosuke paused, taking a peek at the bullpen with curiosity before he returned to observe his brother's face. Haruichi swung the bat slowly at first, trying to balance the weight of the wooden bat to his own weight and readying his stance at the same time. Ryosuke could detect a slight slump on his brother's stance, his eyes' a bit dull.
Ryosuke looked back at the bullpen once again, intrigued, and saw Furuya squinting towards them; his eyes focused on his brother. Ryosuke twitched.
'Hmmm…I see…'
Casually, he made a beeline to the ball cart, taking a ball and throwing it at his brother for practice. "So…" He started, his eyes' sharp observing his brother. "What were you thinking so deeply earlier that you're slacking on your practice, huh, Haruichi?"
"Eh?" Haruichi blinked. "Uh… I'm not particularly thinking of anyth—"
"Got an exam today?" Ryosuke asked nonchalantly, throwing another ball. Haruichi hit it perfectly before answering.
"N-No. It's nothing."
"Hmmm… Someone's bullying you?" Ryosuke's eyes narrowed at that.
Haruichi shook his head frantically, afraid that his brother might hunt everyone down if he got the wrong idea. "No! It's not that. I-It's really just the heat."
"Hmm…" Ryosuke threw another ball, his voice coming out a bit tight. "Then, I guess its love huh?"
And just like that, Haruichi blanched; hitting the ball back in so much astonishment it nearly hit his brother square on his face. Ryosuke simply shifted his head to the side, avoiding any fatal hit.
Haruichi fumbled with his bat, cheeks' flushing furiously. "What—"
"So you have someone you like, Haruichi?"
"E-Eh? I d-don't… I mean—"
"There's one," Ryosuke said with conviction, the corner of his eyes tightening a bit. "As usual, you're too easy to read."
"E-Eh…? n-no… that's not..." Haruichi gnawed on his bottom lip, suddenly feeling uneasy with their conversation.
Ryosuke simply shrugged, still acting nonchalant. "I'm not going to ask who it is. It's not like it's any of my business—"
'Yeah, right. I know exactly who it is'.
"—and I'm sure you'll let me meet her when the time is right—"
'That bastard Furuya… I'll kill him later.'
"—I just hope she's a good girl since you chose her—"
'Tch. Over My Dead Body.'
"—nah, Haruichi?" Ryosuke swung an arm over his brother's shoulder; his eyes scorching as he casually looked towards the bullpen.
"H-Haaa…" Haruichi eyes softened as he stared at his brother, his heart warming a little, and chasing the coldness he was feeling earlier. Despite his aniki's terrible attitude towards him when he first came to Seido, Haruichi knew his brother never really hated him. He was convinced it was his brother's inexplicable ways to show that he cares, that he was expecting something from Haruichi far greater than he had ever shown his aniki. And that he was expecting Haruichi to gain something more remarkable that he could be proud of.
Haruichi smiled, leaning in his forehead against side of his brother's face.
As he thought, his aniki's still the same. He's still the greatest. The coolest. And remained the most amazing person who knows him best.
Just like now.
His brother has found out about his feelings. He was like an open book to him.
No one can still beat his aniki.
Haruichi let out a stuttering breath, his chest tightening with the onslaught of too much emotion. Suddenly, his eyes felt hot and wet at the same time.
"It's okay." He murmured, burying his face deeper at the crook of his brother's neck. "I-It's just an unrequited love, a-after all. I-I'll get over it soon. It'll be gone before I know it, you'll see."
Haruichi feels ashamed from being so weak, and a bit regretful that he had to show it to his brother, but he couldn't help but feel grateful at the same time. The pain was agonizing, but with his aniki beside him, the burning was something he could bear.
Eyes widening in disbelief, Ryosuke could only tighten his arm around Haruichi as he stared at the top of his head, his mind full of sudden confusion and his heart hurting from the sound of his brother's shaky voice.
Wha—What the hell is his brother talking about?
Unrequited love? With who? Huh? Was Ryosuke wrong with his assessment earlier about Furuya? But Furuya is—
Huh?
No. HUH? No. no. no. no.
Eh— Huh?
Ryosuke suddenly felt his temple throbbing. "W-Wait a minute, Harui—"
"Nee, Harucchi! Stop being buddy-buddy with onii-san and come help me with practice! I need to—GEH!" Sawamura stopped on his track and shuddered when Ryosuke shot him a deathly glare.
Haruichi let out quivering laugh, swallowing with an effort to get rid the pain lodging in his throat. He took a step back away from his brother's arms over his shoulders and turned towards the direction of his friend. Sawamura looked like he would faint any minute from receiving Ryosuke's Don't-Disturb-Us glare.
He turned back to his big brother, blinking away the unshed tears and smiling a tad shyly. "I—uh— gomen, aniki, that was—uhh—" Haruichi brushed a hand over his now heated face, trying to remove any remnants of his embarrassing state. "I-I'll go help Eijun-kun. Let's continue our practice later, na?"
Ryosuke could only give a small nod in silence and Haruichi jogged towards his friend, his heart feeling a bit lighter. Only his aniki could make him feel better so quickly. Sawamura pulled him to his side, hugging him from behind as he tried to hide from Ryosuke sight.
"I thought I'm going to turn into barbecue from onii-san's glare! Scary! Haruichi, are you alright? Did onii-san bully you? I thought he was strangling you at first! Scary!" Sawamura clung onto his back a little more tightly, still shuddering from the thought of a sizzling Sawamura-barbecue. Haruichi ruffled his friend's hair, his smile widening.
It was one of the reasons why he could never hate Eijun-kun despite being his rival in love. His friend was just too cute for his own good. Although at times, he's jealousy got the better of him, Haruichi was always reminded just like now why Eijun-kun remained his best friend.
"Let's go, Eijun-kun, or you'll fall behind Furuya-kun. He's been practicing this whole time while you're having you lover's quarrel with Miyuki-senpai."
Sawamura grinned. "Ho-yo!" Then he paused, processing what he had just heard. He sputtered a protest, flushing. "Wha—?! Who's having a lover's quarrel?!"
...
Ryosuke watched as his brother snickered from his friend's flushing protest, Sawamura still clinging onto his back. Ryosuke's eyes narrowed when he remembered what just happened earlier.
What does Haruichi meant about being in an unrequited love?
Ryosuke shifted his gaze towards the bullpen once again, his eyes landing on their other first-year pitcher. Furuya moved towards near the door with his eyes glued to Sawamura and Haruichi, a frown marring his handsome face and his lips thinning from watching the somewhat intimate embrace between his two friends. What Ryosuke saw in his eyes as Furuya watched Sawamura is a confirmation of what he saw in his eyes while he was watching Haruichi earlier.
It was plainly obvious.
The pink-haired third-year returned his gaze back at his brother with a frown of his own, a sense of dissatisfaction swirling inside of him.
"Just what side of Furuya are you seeing all this time, Haruichi?"
Idiocy's definitely contagious. Sawamura's rubbing off pretty badly with his brother.
...
If there was something like a heart-shredder that exists in this world, Furuya knew that the damn thing had made a home quite nicely inside of his chest. He could feel his heart thumping irritably, squeezing tightly, a frustration that made the pit of his stomach clenching in a painful spasm he felt like he was going to throw up. The scene before him was simply unbearable.
And Furuya didn't have any slightest idea why the hell he feel that way.
Is it because they were his first friends since forever that he felt anxious being left out? Furuya knew he doesn't hate Sawamura. Sometimes, he even enjoyed being with him.
But each time… each time Sawamura and Haruichi enjoyed each other's company just like now…
Furuya couldn't stand it.
It's just that… he hates someone holding Haruichi the way Sawamura's doing at the moment. Furuya hates it when Haruichi smiled towards the other pitcher with so much warmth, so much admiration that the mere sight of it makes him want to throw something hard. Ironically, that feeling let him threw more accurate and powerful pitches like never before.
Furuya jerked away from his musings when Sawamura yelled louder, his face lighting up as he grabbed Haruichi and pulled him towards the mound. As Sawamura tightened his hold around Haruichi's hand, Furuya tightened his grip around the ball in his hand, almost crushing the poor rounded object.
He knew he couldn't stand watching them anymore. So why can't he moved his eyes away from them? Why does he feel betrayed and threatened at the same time? Is it because…
…Because Haruichi likes Sawamura?
That thought sent his already confused heart into twisting flip flops Furuya was sure the feeling will permanently live in his throat. Furuya doesn't know what going on, but he knew this feeling well.
The jealousy is excruciating.
Furuya knew. He had always known. It was pretty obvious each time he looked at Haruichi.
His friend is secretly in love.
It was so obvious that it's painful for Furuya to watch sometimes. Each time Sawamura comes near, Furuya felt like pulling Haruichi away for himself, or every time Sawamura's feeling down, Furuya felt defeated whenever Haruichi was always there to makes things better for the other.
Furuya felt always left out.
He can never be number one in Haruichi's heart. That's why he keeps trying harder. If he becomes the ace, would Haruichi like him just as much as he likes the other pitcher? Despite Sawamura liking Miyuki-senpai, Furuya couldn't help feeling uneasy. Being ahead of him in baseball could be the only way.
Sawamura isn't just his rival in baseball. He's also his rival in Haruichi's attention.
"If you're face gets any grouchier, your fan base will crumble to pieces. You're face looks scary, Furuya." Kuramochi stopped at his side and slapped his back with so much force it nearly sent him stumbling on his feet. "You okay, teme?"
Furuya hid a grimace, reaching a hand over his back to soothe the pain. "Kuramochi-senpai, if you're going to sneak around here often, please stop the sexual harassment. I'll tell Kuminato-senpai."
"That's far from being sexual harassment, ahou."
"Then violence."
"That too. Tch. Stiff as usual. Loosen up a bit, will ya?" Kuramochi clacked his tongue. Lifting a brow, he tilted his head towards the two other first years and looked at Furuya curiously. "Sawamura did something again? You looked tense earlier." Tense was putting it mildly. More like overly upset. Kuramochi's gossip-antennae were now fully activated.
Furuya avoided his gaze and shrugged nonchalantly, or as composedly as he can afford while he tried to cool off the raging of emotions inside of him. "It's nothing."
"Oh…" Kuramochi scrutinized his kohai, noting the tension in his shoulder. "Mah, it's not like it's my business, so whatever."
"No, it's not. So whatever." Furuya deadpanned, a hint of defiance in his voice. Before Kuramochi could scoff back a reply, he lifted a brow as he watched Furuya toeing the ground absentmindedly, gawking at his two friends with his entire body practically screaming with uncertainty.
Kuramochi smirked, feeling mischievous. "Ho~ho… bit jealous they're having fun without you, huh?"
Furuya shoot him a glare. "'Am not."
"Hmmm… Ja, you want to slack off like them too, ain't ya?"
The glare grew ten times sharper. "Absolutely not."
"Eh? Then what? The way you keep looking at them, you're acting like you've got monthly period."
This time, Furuya's glare turned homicidal. "Sexual harassment, senpai."
He laughed. "Yeah, yeah. Geez." Kuramochi crossed an arm over his chest, leaning back at the pole behind him. "Then what?"
Kuramochi hid a grin when Furuya yet again spared a glance over his two friends, frowning as he watched Sawamura's hands all over Haruichi.
"Do—" Furuya coughed and smoothed his expression."Um… Don't you think they're being too close?" He muttered. "It wouldn't be good if Miyuki-senpai got the wrong idea." Furuya shrugged. Kuramochi could see the other trying to act nonchalant and hiding the hint of displeasure in his voice.
Kuramochi's smirk turned downright sly. "Hmmm… you're right."
Kyahaha! Crap, I want to laugh! I really want to laugh! I can't stop it! This idiot's too obvious!
Kuramochi wiped a hand over his mouth, suppressing a snicker. "Uh… I think it's no big deal. Two 'catcher-potentials'—" Kuramochi flicked his pinky maliciously, leering. "— aren't just compatible like that, ya know?"
"…"
"…"
Furuya blinked, slowly turning to look at his senpai with a frown. "Huh?"
Kuramochi blinked back. "Eh?"
"…"
"…"
"Senpai—" Furuya finally spoke in a monotone voice. "—are you sick?"
Twitch.
"Huuuh?" Kuramochi gaped.
Furuya patted his shoulder, an annoying deadpanned expression on his face. "Have you forgotten senpai? They're not catchers. That guy—" He nodded towards Sawamura, his voice sounded condescending. "—he's a pitcher, right?"
Kuramochi blinked back some more, taken aback. "E-Eh? U-Uh… haaa… y-you're right. T-That's true."
Silence.
"….."
"….."
Blink. Blink.
"….."
"…"
Blink. Blink. Blink.
Eh? EH? Huuuhhh…?
Kuramochi snapped. "WAIT! Wait! Wait! Wait a damn minute—!" He shouted, eyes growing wide in disbelief. "A-Are you for real?" He sputtered. "I didn't mean that kind of catcher, ahou! No, I meant, that kind of catcher! Uke! Not seme! Get it?!"
Furuya's now the one who looked taken aback, blinking back in confusion. "Hai?"
Kuramochi slapped a hand over his forehead, exasperated. "Are you a moron?"
'Oi. Oi. Oi. Oi. Is this guy for real? Like, for real? Is this idiot's going to be alright? Wha— Oh crap. I can't believe it.'
Now, it was Kuramochi's turned to stare at Furuya with pitying look. Kuramochi patted his shoulder, voice soothing as he spoke. "When the time comes that you finally need to learn about what I meant with the words 'catcher' and 'uke' and 'seme', I'll be here to teach you the ropes, alright?" Kuramochi swung an arm over the confused first-year's shoulders, comforting the pitcher with a friendly hug. "Ahh… geez, Furuya-kun, you're suddenly making me so worried. You're just so pure~"
Furuya could only stand there listening to the dejected muttering of his senpai, brows scrunched in an even more puzzlement.
Uke? Seme?
"H-Hai?"
...
Everyone stumbled from their seats as the bell rung in the entire school ground, signaling the start of lunch break. In every direction, student started sauntering about, some of the students stretching, others laughing as they went out of the room in easy pace after finally enduring the torturous time studying the entire morning, while the others started getting ready to eat their bentos.
Inside their classroom, Furuya flopped over his table with a sigh of relief, burying his face in his arms. That math problem nearly killed him. If the bell hadn't rung, his math teacher would probably start spitting nails at him.
Well it's not like it's his fault he couldn't answer any of it, his teacher's explanations was just that shitty…
…and well, it wasn't his fault why his other classmates could answer those questions just fine.
One of his classmates slapped him on his back and Furuya cringed, but he didn't dare to look up from his position.
"Don't worry about it, Furuya! Just get that baldie good next time!"
"Right, right. Stop being depress. Kuminato will surely help you again during exams." Another one piped in.
That's even worse. Haruichi witnessed him in such an embarrassing situation. Haruichi was probably now thinking that he was even stupider than his rival.
Ugh! He's such an idiot!
Not to mentioned that he was being an unreasonable brat earlier when the three of them were walking together to school from practice this morning. He keeps avoiding the other, and he didn't even try to talk to him when Sawamura went to his own classroom, not even between breaks. He knew he was being petty, but Furuya could still feel the uncomfortable weight on his chest just remembering his two friends being so buddy-buddy earlier, bordering to almost intimate. He didn't really understand what Kuramochi-senpai was talking about earlier, but it didn't quell the bubbling jealously twisting inside of him.
He sighed dejectedly. 'So childish.'
Furuya was still moping in despair when he felt someone poked at the blade of his shoulder. He tried to shrug it off, a bit pissed off. But after a few seconds, the poking came back albeit a tad hesitatingly. Irritated, Furuya shifted his head to peek and look up, trying to intimidate the owner of the offending finger to back off with a glare.
Instead of one of his boisterous classmates who always disturbed him with some stupid conversation he couldn't understand one bit, Furuya nearly choked on his own tongue when he realized who it is.
"You…"
Haruichi gave him a small smile, his eyes peeking under his bangs with a hint of uncertainty. "Furuya-kun, are you coming? E-Eijun-kun will get mad if we don't hurry."
Furuya couldn't answer right away, too mystified as he stared at the beautiful eyes peeking at him from above. It's not often that he had the chance to see Haruichi's eyes, but each time those eyes were fixed on him, Furuya felt like his entire being was engulfed in a shockingly strong heat, his heart skipping a notch. The color of his friend's eyes is just too beautiful to marvel in sight.
Haruichi blushed from the intense stare, and he started to gnaw on his lower lip. "Um… Furuya-kun?"
The pitcher blinked and he jolted from his momentary trance. He flushed, realizing what he had done from the way his friend started shuffling uncomfortably on his feet, blushing. Furuya cleared his throat. "Uh... okay." He stood, completely flustered.
Facing one another, they stared at each other, both waiting the other to move towards the door. Their two classmates who were speaking at Furuya earlier looked on from the sidelines, gawking between the two of them in suspense breath. After a whole minute of silence, they watched as Furuya and Haruichi turned bright red from staring intently at one another.
"These two are too obvious." The first muttered at his friend.
"Yeah. It's so obvious I want to knock them both for being lovey-dovey in front of us." The other snorted back, rolling his eyes.
"Um… well, l-let's go." Haruichi stuttered. He spun around and walked hurriedly towards the door, hiding his flushing face.
Furuya muttered a response, striding after his friend with an uneasy look.
The two classmates who were left behind watched until Furuya walked out of the door and they looked at each, both letting out a simultaneous exasperated sigh.
"They're idiots."
Outside, Haruichi was finally able to calm himself and waited for Furuya to catch up with him. When Furuya stood beside him, Haruichi tried to smile in an effort to lessen the tension, but the instant their eyes met, both of them flushed so hard they started to walk beside each other in an awkward silence.
"Ne…" Furuya started to speak.
Haruichi gave a start and looked up at his friend, trying to hide the sharp pain that sliced through him with a simple questioning smile. There was it again. Just a simple call. No names, nothing. Had Furuya ever called his name before?
As far as Haruichi could remember, never.
Haruichi wouldn't ever admit it out loud, but it hurts all the same. It simply showed how insignificant his existence was in Furuya's opinion.
"Ne…"
Blinking, Haruichi shook his head to dispel any depressing thoughts. He smiled sheepishly as he looked up at his friend. "What is it, Furu—?"
"Heeeeyyyy~ Haru-chan~!"
"Haru-chan~ wait for us~!"
Astonished with the nickname, Haruichi blanched, and he turned around in disbelief. He found three of their senpai running towards them, waving enthusiastically. Furuya grunted beside him, his brows rising in confusion.
"Haru-chan who?" Furuya asked quietly, a pinched look on his face.
"Uhh… not sure." Haruichi sweat dropped, temporarily forgetting the awkwardness between them.
Yeah, who's Haru-chan?
'It's not me, is it?' Haruichi hoped not.
"Who are they?" Furuya inquired, now looking displeased for some unknown reason.
The pink-haired first-year sighed. "They're senpai in our club, Furuya-kun. Second-years." It's so like Furuya not to remember all of his teammates.
"Hmm… Can't we just leave?"
Letting out another sigh, Haruichi shot Furuya a stern look as their three senpais stopped beside them. Haruichi warned his friend with his eyes and turned towards the three second-years with a confused but rather polite smile.
"Ano… Can we help you, senpai?"
"Had lunch yet, Haru-chan?" One of them asked, smiling sweetly.
"Eh? Er—not yet." Haruichi absentmindedly reach out at Furuya's back to comfort when he felt the other stiffening beside him.
The three senpai all beamed and Haruichi blinked in surprise when all of the sudden, three wrapped bentos were fished out of nowhere and was now being shove to his face.
"Here. You can have these."
"Eh?"
"Here, here." They all shoved it in his arms, and the first-year didn't have the time to refuse any of them before the three ecstatic senpais started to walk away. "Enjoy it, Haru-chan~!" They called out back, waving cheerfully.
"Eh? E-Eh?! W-Wait! Senpai—?!"
"Hope you like it!" And just like that, the three second-years were out of their sight.
Haruichi looked at the lunchboxes on his hands, all of them so huge he had no idea how they expect him to eat all of them. In the first place, why did they even bother making these for him?
Haruichi sweat dropped. Did they like the 'little-brother type' thingy character? Uh… Otakus?
He paused.
Nah. It's not like that. Right?
(It is like that, Haruichi.)
Mah. Guess it's not that bad. He looked up at his friend, smiling a little.
"Well, we've got ourselves some free lunch, Furuya-kun. I'm sure these will be really delicious. They sometimes gave me snacks and they were really good." He smiled warmly. "We're so lucky to have wonderful senpais in our club, nee?"
Furuya didn't answer and watched as his friend beamed at the lunchboxes, looking somewhat delighted. For some unknown reason, Furuya had the sudden urge to pluck those lunchboxes out of Haruichi's grasp and stamped on them so hard they'll be buried underground for the next thousands of years. Unfortunately, the smile on his friend's face prevented him from doing that. Furuya could feel the raw raging emotions awakening inside of him, his hand twitching to grab something (preferably those damn lunchboxes) and crumpled them to pieces.
What the hell is this? Furuya knew his friend could be extremely adorable. Haruichi had the soft, feminine quality that could make even the guys noticed him, but three rivals out of nowhere? He was already having a hard time with just Sawamura alone, and now another three competitions?
Furuya grabbed his stomach, urging the twisting knots inside to calm down so he could think properly. He knew at the moment Haruichi likes Sawamura, so it's basically nonsense to get worried about those three, but it that really alright? What if entertaining some naïve thoughts like that became the reason to lose Haruichi completely?
Just the mere thought of it send a fire so hot and so painful in Furuya's heart that he started to tremble, his mind were suddenly full of images of Haruichi being together with someone else. Furuya felt like crushing something, anything. The emotions' riding him so hard he staggered on his feet.
"Furuya-kun?" Haruichi turned to look back when he realized Furuya was no longer following in his pace. "What's wro—?"
Within the blink of an eye, Furuya yanked Haruichi forcefully, shoving him inside the empty classroom on their right and slamming the door shut with so much force it left Haruichi's ear ringing.
Eyes widening, Haruichi was about to raise a protest, when what happened next rendered him completely speechless.
Furuya didn't know if it was the anxiety, the building of unease he was constantly trying to purge inside of him each time Haruichi was with Sawamura. But these feelings… these feelings were making him lose his mind, all his coherent thoughts.
Furuya couldn't take it anymore.
Pushing any rationality out to the wind, Furuya grabbed Haruichi from behind, hugging him so tightly, and so close, he wished they're body could become one, until they merged into one entity and the loud thumping of his heart could be heard within just the two of them.
He ignored Haruichi's gasp of surprise, or the way his body stiffen in his hold. All Furuya could think was the body pressing against him. The warm, soft and pliant body he held in his arms.
Haruichi belongs to him. Only to him. No one else.
Furuya tightened his arms, burying his face against Haruichi's hair as he inhaled softly.
'I want to stay like this. I want to lock him up so bad, so far away from here that nobody could ever take him away from me. I want to stay like this.'
'Always.'
"Haruichi…" Furuya whispered against his ear huskily, making Haruichi gasped.
Haruichi felt like his world tilted in its axis, and suddenly, everything stopped moving. He inhaled a stutter breath, his heart pounding wildly.
His name. Furuya spoke his name.
And it sounded so beautiful, so lyrical, and so magical, Haruichi felt like crying.
Oh God.
He bit his bottom lip as he willed his racing heart to slow down. Pushing himself slowly away from the embrace, Haruichi turned and tilted his head to look up at Furuya, eyes cautious and a tad hopeful.
"F-Furuya-kun?"
And just like that, Furuya snapped away from his stupor, finally realizing that his arms were circling around his friend. Furuya suddenly turned pale, his usual deadpan look now gone in exchange with an alarmed expression. Pushing Haruichi away by his shoulder, Furuya let out a noise between a stupefied gasp and a distressed curse, grimacing from his stupidity.
Before Haruichi could say anything else, Furuya bowed down, muttered a quiet apology and made a dash to the door, leaving the other behind in a state of confusion, and a deeply blushing face.
Haruichi clutched a hand over his heart, trying to even out his breathing as he inhaled shakily.
"W-Wha— E-Eh…?"
...
On the other side of the school, the three senpais who gave Haruichi bentos were talking animatedly, their eyes gleaming in pleasure.
"Hyaaa~~Haru-chan was really cute, ne?" One of them said.
The other nodded. "Yes, yes. So cute, I really want to squeeze him." He hugged his arms around himself and squirmed in delightful shiver. "He's so cute I'm sure he'll fit right into my arms."
The third one let out a happy sigh. "I hope he'll like our bentos…"
They were so busy daydreaming that they hadn't noticed a dark aura burning furiously behind them before it was too late. When the other students on the hallway suddenly darted away in terrified rush, the three senpai stopped on their tracks, frowning in confusion.
"What happened—? "
"Heeh~ you gave Haru-chan a bento, huh? You three are so kind~" An ominous voice, full of false friendliness suddenly spoke from behind.
The three of them froze.
Ooooh, shit.
'We're going to be killed!'
"Ahahaha… why do I get the feeling it suddenly turned cold? Ahahaha… the weather these days is so confusing, huh? I'm even starting to hear voices…" the first one said, already sweating bullets.
"Y-You're right. O-On my part, I-I feel so hot. Haha… I-I wonder why?" the second's squirming now turned into terrified trembling.
"B-Baka. I-it's just your imagination. D-Don't think too much about it." The third one insisted, and he may have sounded convincing if it weren't for his shaking knees.
The burning aura intensified, and they gulped down a scream when the voice spoke again in a very pissed off tone. "Like hell, you morons. I'm right here. And don't even think about running away or I'll kill you." Ryo warned as the three tried to run and escape his wrath. Nevertheless, the three of them smartly (or stupidly) choose to ignore the warning and tried to make a run for it. They all yelped like kicked puppies when Kuramochi, who they noticed a bit too late, pounced and grabbed the three of them around their necks, smirking evilly.
"Hiiiiii!" The three idiots shrieked.
Kuramochi tsked. "Think you can actually escape Ryo-san, huh?"
"Sumimasen! Sumimasen! We won't do it again!" And they shrieked some more.
"Obviously." Ryo gritted out, popping his knuckles loudly with an evil smile of his own.
"Listen, you idiots." Ryo popped his thumb. The sound made the three sweating listlessly. Ryo smirked, showing off his knuckles cheerfully.
"Don't—" He popped another. The three started shaking, their eyes wide with fear. "—ever come—" And he popped another. Kuramochi's now grinning with manic glee. "—near Haruichi—" Ryo finally popped his last finger, watching as the three struggled not to pass out, terrorized from the display.
"—Again. Understand?" Ryo's eyes turned icy cold.
The three nodded their heads frantically. "H-Hai… S-Sumimasen…" They sobbed tearfully.
"Che. Get out of my sight before I change my mind." Ryo scowled, watching as the three idiots scrambled on their feet and scurried away in every direction, earnestly trying to put a distance between themselves and the nightmare that's called Kuminato Ryosuke.
Kuramochi shook his head, his eyes gleaming teasingly as he watched the scowl on Ryo-san's face fondly. "I thought you said you're not going to interfere, Ryo-san. You said something about Haruichi finding things on his own and doing things with his own power to gain happiness or whatever earlier, right?"
Ryo sneered.
On their way to class this morning, Ryo-san spoke to him about what he found out about Haruichi's feelings and what he think Haruichi misunderstood about Furuya's feelings too. Kuramochi even told him about his own discovery about Furuya earlier and Kuramochi was pretty sure Ryo-san wouldn't approve. Saying Kuramochi was completely shocked when Ryo-san simply shrug and said nonchalantly that he won't interfere was an understatement of the year. He nearly choked to death in his disbelief.
Ryo-san, with his huge (and hidden) brother-complex, deciding not to interfere with his brother's love life?
Haha. Impossible.
"That's not called interfering." Ryo snapped at him. "Those three idiots have nothing to do with Haruichi and Furuya." He justified, face tight with stubbornness.
"Right." Kuramochi hid a smile, while Ryo's scowl deepened when they stumble upon Furuya running in the hallway, looking tense and flushing furiously. Both of them were secretly watching earlier when Furuya shoved Ryo-san's brother inside the chemistry lab. The way Furuya's acting now, something definitely happened.
Something interesting Kuramochi was pretty sure it's making Ryo-san's blood boil in protective mode.
"Ryo-san. You said you're not going to interfere." Kuramochi teased.
Acting like he was being force-fed with a platter of poisonous snakes, Ryo gritted out a reply, his handsome face twisting in a demonic frown.
"I-AM-NOT."
The second- year snickered. "Right. That's great."
"I'm going to double your practice menu tonight, YOUICHI."
"Wha—E-EH?!"
...
The day ended so slow for all the students of Seido High. But for Haruichi, the time went so fast, that the thumping of his heart hadn't let out the entire day even for a second, making him dizzy from all the blood rushing through his head. The afternoon practice came and went, and Haruichi and Furuya tried very hard to avoid each other.
Furuya decided to shut himself inside the bullpen, completely distracted that when Miyuki asked for a pitch, the ball miraculously went straight to Miyauchi-senpai's crotch, sending the entire bullpen (with Miyauchi's damaged precious balls) in complete chaos. Miyuki got so pissed that Furuya was nearly kicked out of the bullpen.
Haruichi, on the other hand, couldn't help but blush each time someone mention Furuya's name, and his name for that matter. Just earlier when Sawamura called out to him, his friend's voice suddenly overlapped with his memory of Furuya's husky voice whispering his name, and Haruichi turned completely red just from remembering. He walked hurriedly away from the field when their Coach announced the end of practice, embarrassed to see the object of his affection.
To the confusion of Haruichi's roommates, the first-year didn't even make a move out of bed for dinner. They started to get worried, but Haruichi simply mumble an apology, insisting that he's perfectly fine. Zono thought that anyone who buried their face deep within their pillows with ears so red he looked like he was going to burst can't be called perfectly fine. But he didn't make a comment anyway. If it's not about the body, then their kohai was probably starting to become crazy. They simply decided to leave Haruichi alone to deal with his own problems (craziness).
And now, all alone, Haruichi felt the burning of his face increase tenfold. He clamped his hands over his ears, trying desperately to erase the feeling of Furuya-kun's hot breath fanning over the side of his face, and the sound of his voice endlessly echoing in his mind.
'Haruichi…'
Oh God. Oh God. No, no, no, no, no! Closing his eyes tightly, Haruichi curled into a ball, his fingers clutching the pillow closer as he felt his face burning hotly.
'I can't… I can't! Stop it! Please stop it! I'm going to die!' What is he going to do? His felt like his heart's going to burst. Haruichi felt like he was melting from all the feelings swirling inside of him. His heart is trembling. His body's shaking. He felt like he's going crazy.
What the hell? What's going on? What the hell is going on?! It was just his name!
Just Furuya-kun saying his name and Haruichi felt like he was being confessed to. Like Furuya-kun feels the same way he does.
Pause.
Wait. The same way?
Haruichi shot out from the bed, eyes widening. The same way?
F-Furuya-kun…?
That's right. What was the meaning of what happen earlier by the way? Why did he suddenly embrace him like that? Haruichi felt his body burned as he remembered the heat coming from Furuya-kun's body holding him tightly from behind. It feels so… so… so…. warm, so… so safe... and… and…
So… hot…
NO, no, no, no! Back to the point! Back to the main point!
What if—? What if Furuya-kun feels— No, no, no, no. Impossible. That's impossible. Furuya-kun likes Eijun-kun. He knew. He knows. He had always known.
But… but what about earlier then—?
'Stop it, Haruichi! You're just being carried away! Something like that couldn't possibly be—'
—couldn't possibly be…
…B-But… What's stopping him in finding if it's true? Because of Eijun-kun?
No. Eijun-kun already has Miyuki-senpai.
Is it because Furuya-kun couldn't possibly return his feelings? Because he couldn't be as good as Eijun-kun?
…But good in what way—?
Haruichi 's breathing came out in small puffs, his heart racing from the blossoming hope kindling inside of him. Biting his lower lip, he a rubbed a hand over his face, trying to clear off his mind.
There was nothing to hold him back. Nothing at all. He could make Furuya-kun his.
Furuya-kun that belongs only to him.
Haruichi shot towards the door, panting in haste.
'Furuya-kun…!'
...
If Furuya ever ran any faster than he already was, he was pretty sure Coach Kataoka and all the senpais would probably kill him. He was already so tired that he felt like all his limbs were going to fall off from his body. The tire he kept dragging behind was now even starting to get heavier every minute.
But Furuya couldn't possibly stop.
Every time he remembered what he did during lunch break, Furuya had the sudden urge to dig from any earth surface he could find and stay there for all eternity. The embarrassment and regret was so strong he couldn't possibly be still alive.
Forget about stopping from running, he couldn't even pluck the courage to run back to the dorms. What if he stumbled upon Haruichi on his way back?
No. No way in hell.
He's not ready yet.
"Furuya, teme! I knew it!" Sawamura's voice suddenly rang around the field that it almost made Furuya jump out of his skin. Jolting away from his musings, he grimaced when he look back and found the other giving him a fist.
Crap.
Furuya ran faster, trying to put as much distance between the two of them as possible. Not only was he indeed using Sawamura's tire, he was not exactly in a mood to be cozy with his rival. Being with him right now is out of question.
He'll only remind him of Haruichi.
He made a run for it. Panting, Furuya made sure he already run a long way away when he suddenly felt a prickling at his nape, the feeling of someone behind him intensified. Suspicious, Furuya took a peek and looked back…
…And found Sawamura running inches away from behind, panting irritably down his neck with his face scrunched in fury.
Furuya stumbled on his feet from shock, and found himself falling face down onto the ground. Unfortunately, Sawamura couldn't break out his own pace, and the other fell on top of him, knocking the air out his lungs.
"Ughf!" Furuya doubled-over.
"Give me back my tire!" Sawamura screeched, unaffected with their fall. He used his weight to trap Furuya underneath, digging his elbow on his side.
Furuya winced, pushing him away. "Alright, alright! Just move. You're heavy."
"Like I care!" Sawamura huffed, but started scrambling on his feet anyway.
"Why are you even following me?" Furuya let out a sigh, accepting begrudgingly the hand Sawamura's holding out to him.
"Do you even need to ask?" His friend looked like he was ready to spit fire.
"Isn't it okay once in awhile?"
"It's not okay today! I just cleaned it earlier after practice!"
Furuya had the sudden urge to roll his eyes (but of course he didn't). "Ahhh… That's why it feels good in my hands when I fetched it earlier from the shed. I see, I see…"
"I'm going to kill you teme!" Sawamura gritted out. Furuya hid a smirk and let out an exaggerated sigh.
"I get it. I'm going to clean it now."
"Obviously!"
Furuya exasperatedly heaved the tire off from the ground and halfheartedly walk towards the shed, Sawamura following behind in an even pace, muttering protest and insults under his breath. Putting the tire unceremoniously on the ground (which gained another complaint from the other pitcher) Furuya fetched Sawamura's 'cleaning tools' inside, and proceeded to clean the tire with a bored look on his face after he came out.
Sawamura felt a vein popped on his forehead as he watched. Furuya blinked up at him. "Huh, you're still here?"
"I'm going to strangle you."
Sawamura's grumbling got even more agitated when Furuya simply shrugged and continued on his apathetic cleaning.
"Oi! Not like that! Rub it a bit more gently! No! Don't spray too much water; it's going to wear down more easily! No, not like that—! Do it like this! No, like this! Are you stupid? I said like this! A geez, give it to me! I'm going to do it!" Huffing irritably, Sawamura plucked the rug out of Furuya's hand, and started lovingly cleaning his precious tire.
"Bastard. Can't even clean my tire properly."
"Hm."
"Stop talking or I'm going to shove this rug into your mouth."
"I'm not."
"Don't—! Just shut up!"
After a few minutes of silence, Sawamura finally let out a pleased hum, looking at his tire proudly. Beaming, he hauled the tire inside the shed, putting it out of the way from the other baseball equipments.
Left alone outside, Furuya couldn't help but looked at the field, imagining Haruichi playing there enthusiastically like always, smiling merrily that it never failed to warm his heart.
He had always wondered what's the meaning of these feelings, the meaning behind his jealousy, his greed towards Haruichi's attention, and the urge to protect him from any harm.
Furuya finally found his answer earlier while he held Haruichi warm body against him.
It's not a matter of friendship. It's a matter of love, desire, and affection.
Furuya likes Haruichi. The kind of like that made his heart squeeze painfully he couldn't even manage to breath properly just thinking about him.
He could still feel the soft body encased in his arms. The weight of Haruichi strength, his hesitation and trembling. Haruichi felt so right inside his arms.
Haruichi felt like home.
But after what he did, will they stay forever like this? Avoiding each other, being too aware of one another? Haruichi probably already got wind of his feeling towards him. Furuya knew it was pretty obvious. Did Haruichi avoid him as well because he felt awkward that he couldn't return his feelings? Was he pitying him? Or probably, did Haruichi feel troubled that he needed time to think on how to treat Furuya's delicate feelings?
Furuya's not asking anything at all. They were the first friends he had. Sawamura as his rival, and Haruichi…
…Haruichi as his first love.
He just wanted to have Haruichi beside him forever. Even just as friends.
"Oi."
Looking at his side, Furuya eyes landed at something Sawamura's holding out to him.
"Nani?" He eyed the box of Pocky like it was something out of this world. He was even inclined to poke the damn thing just to prove that Sawamura was actually trying to give him something solid.
Sawamura rolled his eyes. "Uhm." He held out insistently, his own mouth now chomping at least ten chocolate-covered biscuit sticks.
"You're giving it to me?" He asked.
"No! I'm just giving you some!"
Furuya stared. Looking down at the Pocky's box once more, he reached out pulled two sticks out with hesitation.
"Domo." He mumbled. He couldn't help but stare at the treat in his hand, looking uncertain.
His friend let out a huff. "It's not poisoned geez. Stop staring and just eat it. And besides—" Sawamura shrugged, flushing a little. "You look like you really need it." He grinned and put another stick to his mouth.
Furuya blinked, a bit surprised. Despite himself, his lips lifted a little in a small smile. Need it, huh? Why could he never truly hate this idiot again? The answer was probably can be found from these two Pocky sticks he was now clutching in his hand.
"I guess you're right." He murmured back, and started munching on the snack.
Sawamura beamed, looking pleased with himself. They stayed for a while like that, exchanging the box of Pocky back and forth in a comfortable silence that somehow served as a soothing balm in Furuya's conflicting emotions.
"Ne, Furuya." Sawamura called out quietly, breaking the silence between them.
"Hm?"
"Y-You… I-I mean… Ah, geez!" Sawamura coughed. "W-What kind of practice menu did M-Miyuki came up with f-for you?" He asked, suddenly looking uncomfortable.
Without looking at him, Furuya answered in a nonchalant voice. "He said I can't tell you."
Sawamura gaped. "E-Eh?!"
"Miyuki-senpai and Chris-senpai said that if you find out, you'll try to do it secretly and that you're going to overdo it again. I don't really mind that you may self-destruct, but they said they're going to cut off my own practice time if I ever tell you. I want to practice more so…" Furuya shrugged. "I agreed."
"Nani?!" Sawamura wailed, looking extremely livid. "Chris-senpai too?! Waah, I can't believe it! That's unfair! And that bastard Miyuki! Saying something like that behind my back!" He sobered immediately from the sudden sharp pain slicing through him with that thought. "And he's always busy to even practice with me... Why is it always you?" He mumbled with a pout, now looking dejected.
"You've always been his first priority."
Furuya watched as his rival started grumbling under his breath, a hint of disappointment reflected in his eyes. Sawamura fiddled with the box of Pocky absentmindedly, the disappointment in his eyes now turning into sadness. Furuya let out a sigh, and snatched the box of Pocky back.
"It's because you're acting like that, that its makes Miyuki-senpai want to tease you more." He muttered, pulling another stick. "Stop being a grouch. It doesn't suit you." Sawamura has always been a ball of energy. Anything but that was just downright wrong. Furuya let out another tired sigh, resigned with what he was about to say.
"I admit Miyuki-senpai is important to me." He stated in a monotone voice, acting like he hadn't just said something outrageous.
Sawamura choked.
"And I would really hate it if you take him away from me." He continued, sending the already alarmed Sawamura into a full-blown shock-mode.
"W-Wha— w-w-what— F-Furuya, y-you—! I-I thought—!" Sawamura stammered, now starting to actually panic and couldn't admit that he was now jealous because of a completely different reason.
"He's the first catcher that could catch my pitch with no problems—" Furuya went on, ignoring his friend's near hyperventilating state. "And honestly, I want him to become my sole catcher from now on." Furuya shot him a hard stare.
Sawamura froze from the sudden change in Furuya's voice. With furrowed brows and eyes full of determination, he met Furuya's sharp gaze head-on. They stared at each other for a while, challenging one another.
Furuya averted his gaze. "But you know—" He murmured, loud enough so he could be heard, and in return making the other jerked up.
"You haven't seen Miyuki-senpai when he catches for you."
Sawamura blinked. "Eh? "
Now, it was Furuya's turn to fiddle with the box of Pocky in his hand. "With me, Miyuki-senpai is always on edge. Always on alert. He keeps on wondering when will I reach my limit, and if I could still go on to play the game. He encourages me, I pitch and he catches, nothing more." Furuya lifted another stick to his mouth, trying to cover up the tightness in his voice as he went on. "In Kawakami-senpai's case, he's always worried, and always desperate to make it easy for him. He always made it a point to let him feel at ease to end the game. "
Furuya gave a small smile, albeit a bit bitter. "But with you—Miyuki-senpai… always looks thrilled…"
Sawamura blushed. "W-What are you saying…?"
Furuya pulled another stick from the box, staring at the snack without really seeing it. "With you… He's always on edge, he's always on alert. He's always worried and always tries to make thing better. In the field, he believed that you could pull impossible things off that may bring miracles for the team. He anticipates playing with you, and he's always thrilled when you improve. You're all things Miyuki-senpai could feel in one pitcher." Furuya threw the box of Pocky back at his rival, sighing. Sawamura caught it instinctively. "…With you," Furuya mumbled, a tad bitter. "…Miyuki-senpai always looks like he's having fun."
The silence stretch for so long, neither of them felt comfortable saying another word. They knew what Furuya words implied. Things may be better for now, but at the end of the day, they're still rivals. Sooner or later, they will face against each other to finally determine who really deserve the title of number one. Furuya remained silent, fully aware that in terms of one fundamental characteristics of being a pitcher, between the two of them, he had already lost. Sawamura never spoke a word in respect to his rival.
"Hey." Furuya called out after awhile.
Sawamura jumped, unknowingly nervous. "Eh? N-Nani?"
"I want more." He held out his hand, face blank.
"H-Huh? A-Ah! Oh, here." He gave the box of Pocky back. "You really can eat."
"I love Pocky."
The other beamed. "Really? Me too! That's unexpected!"
Furuya paused, thinking. "Then I take it back. I hate Pocky." He shoved the chocolate-covered biscuit inside his mouth, munching on it nonchalantly.
Sawamura blinked. "Huh? Wait— you've just said you love it!"
"It's my right if I love it or hate it, right?"
"You—!" Sawamura hissed. "I'm going to get you one of these days, you bastard." He muttered under his breath, frustrated that he had lost this round. It was always Furuya who won their arguments these days.
Just how in hell is he going to make this bastard lose face? Is there something in this world that could make this moron flustered? Something interesting that—
Wait.
Huh…? Something… interesting?
Something… that could make Furuya extremely flustered?
Wouldn't that be—
In a flash, Sawamura expression turned evil, and a creepy smile broke out of his face.
Hohohohoo…
How could he forget? He'd still got a trump card on his sleeve. This bastard probably thought he hadn't notice, but he had discovered something really interesting about him. Something extremely interesting…
Hooo~hoo~hoo~hoo~…
Wiping the smile out of his face, Sawamura trained his eyes towards Furuya, watching the other putting another biscuit stick to his mouth. The inner-devil Sawamura smirked, while his outer appearance simply smiled, inquiring innocently.
"Sooooo… Did you already… confess to Harucchi, huh, Furuya?"
And just like that, Furuya spitted out the Pocky out of his mouth, sending the chocolate stick, and all the saliva draped over it, flying towards Sawamura, and nearly poking him in the eye. The other pitcher let out a surprise yelp, looking disgusted, while Furuya thumped his chest frantically as he choke on his own tongue.
"Teme! That's gross!" Sawamura snarled, conveniently forgetting that it was entirely his fault. Rubbing a palm over the side of his face, he glowered at the melted chocolate stuck on his hand. "Ewww… "
Annoyed that he didn't get any points from his secret weapon, (and got a damage in return with his face now covered in chocolate-flavored saliva)) Sawamura pounced at him without warning, tackling Furuya to the ground and aiming to use the other's shirt to wipe off his face.
It was Furuya's turn to let out a yelp this time as he was slammed unceremoniously onto the ground, winded. "W-What do you think you're doing!" He wheezed out.
Sawamura started to fumble with the hem of Furuya's shirt, pulling it forcefully to his face and started wiping the chocolate (and the saliva) off his right eye and cheek. Furuya struggled from his position, pulling his shirt back from the other grasp. "Stop that! That's gross!"
"It's yours to begin with, so it's okay!" Sawamura hissed, struggling to pull the shirt back as well.
"Baka—!
"Stay put—!"
"Don't pull too hard!"
"Just let me wipe it off—! I said stay put—!
With their attention completely focus with their struggling, they didn't notice the footsteps coming towards them before it was too late, not until they heard someone gasp loudly.
They snapped their heads towards the direction of the voice and froze.
Oh shit.
"W-What are you two doing?" Haruichi asked in a small voice, his eyes wide as he gaped at their rather intimate positions.
Furuya's flat on his back, his left hand on the top of Sawamura hand gripping his shirt, while his right hand gripping tightly on Sawamura's waist for balance.
Sawamura position was even worse. With both his legs straddling Furuya's stomach, his other hand was underneath Furuya's shirt, right on his naked chest. Both of them were breathing heavily, flustered, and definitely looked like they were on the midst of something hot and heavy.
Shocked, Furuya couldn't even gather enough strength to push Sawamura on top of him. He was suddenly seized with a feeling of an impending doom, and he couldn't move a muscle.
"Haruichi…" He murmured softly, taken aback.
Haruichi jolted from that one word, realizing that it was the second time Furuya-kun uttered his name. But this time, Furuya-kun had spoken it underneath of the person he likes.
Haruichi felt like all the air inside his lungs was being crushed from the sudden emotions that ominously seized him. Shock, jealousy, and a gigantic amount of pain. The sight of Furuya being with Eijun-kun at that moment ceased all his ability to breathe, ridding him of all the ability to think straight.
All he can see was Furuya-kun being cozy with Eijun-kun. He couldn't see anything pass that. The fear that he they may be both harboring feelings for each other, that Furuya might had confess to Eijun-kun sent all his nerves frayed with anxiety, and unexpectedly, anger.
"Uh… e-eto…" Sawamura sat upright, nervous. He had no idea why, but the atmosphere between his two friends was suddenly too thick that not only could he slice it like bread, he could probably eat the damn thing whole. He flapped his arms in a pacifying manner, bit by bit moving away from Furuya. The look of pain and anger on Haruichi's face were so palpable, Sawamura was starting to feel panicky of the situation. Slowly, he tried to entangle himself away from the top of his rival.
Furuya, on the other hand, was fixated at the varying emotions playing on Haruichi's face. He could see the pain, and all the anger that almost made Haruichi tremble from where he stand. Haruichi was looking at him with so much jealousy and pain that the sudden realization of what might cause it cut him on his gut.
Is it because he was holding Sawamura in his arms? Is it because Haruichi couldn't stand Furuya holding the person he likes that he was now seething in anger? The thought sent a sharp pain inside his chest so much that Furuya was now starting to feel his own anger mounting. He wanted to crush something. He wanted to crush all Haruichi's feelings for Sawamura as much as he wanted to make Haruichi feel the same pain he's feeling right now.
Furuya wanted him to feel utterly distressed. Because that way, it may also ebbed his own feeling of agony.
With those emotions riding him hard, Furuya forcefully yanked Sawamura back into his lap. His eyes flickered towards Haruichi in a challenging manner, and seeing the reaction of utter astonishment on his face, Furuya grabbed Sawamura's head towards him, planting an unexpected, kiss at the corner of his resisting lips.
Two simultaneous gasp (four in reality) rang out throughout the field. One from a flabbergasted Sawamura, who were too dumbfounded to even sputter another word, and one from Haruichi, whose face turned blank from shock and extreme fury.
Before Furuya could make another move, Haruichi stomped towards them with his eyes blazing angrily. Sawamura saw the vehemence beneath his eyes and frantically, he tried to struggle out of Furuya embrace. Haruichi stopped before them, and it was now Furuya's turn to let out a small gasp from the misery he found in Haruichi eyes, blowing his own lingering pain.
"Haruichi…" He murmured, heart squeezing from the sight before him. "I… I'm sorr—"
Haruichi didn't let him finish his words.
"Furuya-kun, you IDIOT!" Haruichi jumped, twisting his body with an unexpected agility, and shot his foot in a backward twist. Furuya saw the oncoming kick before it connected at the back of his head. He dove out of the way hastily.
Diving to the side to dodge the deathly kick, Furuya forgot something extremely important. And he was sorely reminded of what it was when he heard Sawamura's muffled cry of pain as the kick connected to his face. Snapping his head towards the other, Furuya's jaw dropped to the ground as he watched his rival flew five meters away, slamming face-down flat to the ground.
Aw shit! He forgot about Sawamura sitting on his lap!
"I…" Haruichi spoke in a small and tight voice, making Furuya jumped anxiously. Slowly, He shifted his gaze towards his friend, and the breath got caught in his throat. Haruichi's eyes were gazing down at him full of unrestrained tears.
Haruichi blinked rapidly, pushing the hot tears away. "I-I... h-hate you… Furuya-kun." He whispered, clenching his fist tightly. He was trembling from the emotions overwhelming him to the core. "I hate you so much."
Haruichi then spun around and ran, leaving a gaping Furuya behind with his heart breaking to the point that it felt like he was being stab straight to his chest.
No…
Furuya slowly stood from his sitting position, clutching the shirt over his heart, trying desperately, and unsuccessfully to stop his stomach from twisting excruciatingly.
No, no…
Hate… Haruichi said he hates him now. He had hurt Haruichi. Is this the price of wishing that, at least for a minute, he could dull the pain and quell his disgusting jealousy? Does the price of that kiss is losing Haruichi?
Furuya wished he could turn back time. Maybe then, he wouldn't have done what he did. Maybe then, he could stay at Haruichi side forever even as a friend.
"Aw, shit… that hurt! What was that for?!" Furuya heard Sawamura cursing, but he couldn't care less to even spare him a slightest of attention. Furuya was too busy saving his heart from breaking into millions of pieces.
"Oi, Furuya! Don't ignore me! What the hell is going with Harucchi?!"
Looking at the direction of the muffled voice of his rival, Furuya found the other frowning towards him and nursing a bleeding nose, his cheeks blushing a bit. "And what the hell with that kiss teme! Are you trying to pick a fight?!"
Thank goodness it wasn't fully on his lips, or there'll be hell to pay. Just imagining that he had to explain what happened to Miyuki made Sawamura trembling a bit. Shit, Furuya was trying to get him killed!
"Crap… What the hell? Harucchi now mad at us! Stop using me to make him jealous!"
"Who's going to do that…" Furuya replied, his eyes dull.
Sawamura threw him an irritated look. "Really. Then what was with that kiss?" He said sarcastically. "He even kicked me because of that! Apologize! I'm sure Harucchi's now mad at me. He didn't even help me up— Waah! What the hell, my mouth even bleeding!"
But Furuya wasn't listening anymore. Something about what Sawamura said struck him in surprise.
'He didn't even help me up.'
What the—?
Wait. That's true… Normally, whenever Sawamura gets hurt, Haruichi was always there nursing him to get better.
Then—Why?
Why did he leave him just like that? Haruichi was the one who kicked Sawamura. If he really likes him, shouldn't he have been more concern? On the contrary, Haruichi never even spared him a glance.
Haruichi was only looking at Furuya from the very beginning of the encounter.
Furuya felt his heart started racing. It was like— Furuya was… his…only… main concern…
Wasn't Haruichi's looking at him with jealousy in his eyes? Furuya thought Haruichi was jealous of him. What if— Haruichi was jealous because—
Slowly, he turned his head towards Sawamura, his gaze connecting with the other. Sawamura lifted a brow, confused, while Furuya stared at him like he had never seen him before.
What if—?
"What is it? If you're going to apologize, I'm not going to forgive that easily— Ah, Oi! Let me finish talking, you bastard! Ah geez…" Sawamura watched as Furuya ran to the direction where Haruichi ran earlier, his pace frantic. Dabbing the hem of his shirt to his bleeding nose, Sawamura grumbled under his breath.
"What the hell is going on?"
...
Haruichi ran and ran, not comprehending where his feet were taking him. All he wanted was to stop the painful throbbing inside of him.
He had always known that Furuya-kun likes Eijun-kun. So why did he stupidly raised his hope just because Furuya-kun acted oddly earlier? Just merely calling his name, why did he believe Furuya-kun share the same feelings he has?
Just thinking about it made him feels so ashamed, and so stupid, he could feel the burning of tears in his eyes.
After running for several minutes, Haruichi collapsed on his knees, wiping the tears away with an arm. The trembling had stopped, but the pain remained as intense as ever. Just the memory of Furuya-kun kissing Eijun-kun was enough to make his stomach clenched like he was going to throw up.
He couldn't do this anymore. He wanted to forget. To escape. Haruichi wasn't even sure if he had enough strength to face Eijun-kun. He may just break completely from within if he saw them being together.
Haruichi felt the tears on the verge of falling once again.
"So pathetic…"
Haruichi snapped his head up, his heart skipping a beat in surprise when an extremely familiar voice spoke in front of him. Looking up, he found his brother looking down at him, his eyes unreadable.
"Aniki…" Haruichi dropped his eyes, totally ashamed of what state his brother was seeing him.
A flashed of irritation crossed his brother face, and with his lips pursed with disapproval, Ryosuke turned his back on him. "Is that all you can do, Haruichi?" He asked tightly. Haruichi flinched, biting his lower lip. "Running away and acting so cowardly? Heh, what an eyesore." Ryosuke sneered as he started to walk away. Why don't you take this opportunity and leave then? There is no longer a place for you here."
Ryosuke looked back at him, smirking unkindly. "I hate indecisive people the most."
Haruichi didn't have the time to stop them, and his tears fell incessantly from the harsh words. Trying desperately not to show his weakness any more than he already had, he wiped them away hastily, swallowing the sob lodged in his throat.
Just as always, his brother knew how to make things right. Without asking anything, without doing anything, his brother had shown him how feeble his resolve was with just simple words. He had shown him how pathetically weak he was, and how easily he gave up.
Yeah. So pathetic indeed.
"Haruichi!"
Haruichi closed his eyes tightly, willing the pain in his heart, and the tears in his eyes to go away.
Why? Why is here? Why did he follow him?
He heard the footsteps coming closer, bringing to him the reason why he's hurting, and why his heart crushing deep within him. Should he run away?
'Running away and acting cowardly? Heh, What an eyesore.'
NO.
It's the least he can for his brother's effort to comfort him. He will face Furuya-kun head-on. Wiping the remaining tears away, Haruichi slowly stood and turned around, facing his probably worst nightmare made in reality.
"What are you doing here?"
Furuya swallowed hard, resisting the strong desire to run up to the other and imprisoned him in his arms. The mark of tears on his friend's cheeks spoke volume of his own stupidity. Furuya felt compelled to dry those tears away.
Could it be that simple? All this time, was he so blinded that he hadn't seen the truth? What if he was wrong, could he risk his heart to be exposed to another possible rejection?
Furuya watched the uncertainty and the vulnerability playing in Haruichi's eyes, and he knew, it was the only choice. The best choice. And If he was wrong, and he was destined to be rejected, then so be it. He couldn't hide it anymore.
Furuya looked straight into Haruichi eyes, making the other tensed.
Furuya smiled softly.
"Haruichi… I like you."
...
If you could replay a certain memory a hundred times, what memory will you choose? Haruichi finally found the answer. Probably, it'll be the image of Furuya-kun standing here in front of him. With a soft smile so out of place, and looking so hesitant, he uttered his name so softly as he confessed.
Haruichi couldn't think of any memories that could par to the happiness growing inside of him, rendering him completely speechless, and the lack of response from him was now starting to make Furuya feel dejected.
But what response should he say? What's the best way to convey his feelings, this happiness that sent his heart into twisting flops?
"I…" Furuya spoke, not meeting his eyes. "I…I guess that was sudden. I… I think…" He stole a glance towards him, and their eyes met.
Haruichi felt his whole body growing hot, flushing.
Furuya now was starting to think this wasn't such a good idea. Haruichi was now sporting a troubled expression on his face. With a blank face to cover up the pain, Furuya took a step back. "I think I better go." He spun and strode away briskly, trying to hide the disappointment and hurt in his face.
With his breath caught in his throat in panic, Haruichi snapped from his trance.
Oh no. Oh no. Oh no, no, no.
He's leaving!
Not again. He's not going to suffer the feeling of being in an unrequited love ever again. Furuya-kun already confessed his feelings! It was now his turn!
'Furuya-kun, wait!'
Haruichi gave chase.
Fifty meters ahead of Haruichi, Furuya rubbed a hand over his face as he walked, doing his best to breathe out properly.
He was rejected. Haruichi didn't accept him. Haruichi rejected him.
Shit. It hurt more than he thought.
He pushed a flock of hair away from his eyes, blinking rapidly from the sudden wetness coming behind his lids. Ah geez. So fucking hurt.
"Furuya-kun!"
Furuya felt like his world suddenly stopped, rendering his feet, and all his entire being immobile. Hope started to blossom inside of him. He started to turn, still in disbelief of what he's hearing. But before he could fully turn around, Haruichi jumped.
Instinctively, Furuya snaked an arm around Haruichi's waist, curling his body around the other protectively as he tried to break their fall.
It was no use.
Haruichi used his entire weight to tackle him with an embrace, sending them both sprawling onto the ground. Furuya let out a muffled yelp as he was thrown flat with Haruichi on top of him.
"Ouch…E-Eh… Haruichi—?"
"Me too!" Haruichi burst out, his arms wrapped around Furuya tightly. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry I couldn't respond earlier. I-I don't know what to say! I was just… so shocked… and so happy… I…" He buried his face deep in Furuya's neck, his arms tightening around him. "I'm so happy…" He whispered, voice clogged with tears.
Furuya felt his own throat tight with emotions, and he swallowed hard. Hugging Haruichi closer, Furuya buried his own face at the top of the pink hair he loved so much. "I thought…"
Haruichi tightened his arms, shaking. "I know! I know…"
Letting out a stuttering breath, Furuya sat upright, pulling the other into his lap. Loosening his arms around Haruichi, he cupped the smooth cheeks between his hands, and their eyes met. Furuya's heart hurt from the tears swimming in Haruichi eyes.
"Haruichi… Do you like me?" He asked quietly.
Haruichi grabbed the hands over his cheeks and nodded, smiling tearfully. "So much."
Furuya's eyes softened. "I know you don't belong to me, but I want all of you."
Haruichi shook his head. "I'm yours, no one else."
"Always?" Furuya touched his forehead against him, closing his eyes tightly.
Haruichi felt like his tears were never going to stop. Grabbing Furuya's cheeks with both his hands as well, Haruichi pulled Furuya towards him, capturing his lips in a scorching kiss.
Furuya's breathe hitched, surprised at the soft incessant lips pressing against him. But that didn't deter Haruichi to stop. Furuya confessed his love for him earlier courageously. This time, Haruichi will show him how much he loves him in return.
Now fully comprehending what's going on, Furuya felt the intense heat engulfing all his senses, blowing all this reasons away. Pulling Haruichi closer and flushed against his chest, Furuya took over, kissing him back deeply.
Haruichi let out a soft moan, and Furuya smiled between kisses. Nipping his bottom lip gently, Haruichi jerked from a jolt of pleasure running over his spine. Furuya swiped his tongue to soothe it, and Haruichi melted in his embrace.
The kiss lasted for a long time. Feeling all his breath leaving his lungs, Haruichi gasped softly and pulled away from the kiss, their breaths entwining together as the stared at each other eyes. Gasping breathlessly, Haruichi let out a small laugh, flushing furiously.
"See?" Haruichi spoke between harsh puffs of breath, giving Furuya another small kiss before continuing.
"Always…" He whispered softly.
Sharing another kiss, Furuya wished the time would stop, and they could stay like this forever.
Haruichi pulled a little away from the kiss, lips tingling deliciously as he smiled, and wiping the last remnant of tears away from his eyes. "You taste like chocolate." He murmured, diving in for another kiss.
Furuya hammed in affirmation. "I just ate Pocky earlier." He replied in a throaty voice, drawing out his words between kisses.
Haruichi pulled him closer. "I love Pocky."
...
"Eh… Ryo-san? Remember what you said." Kuramochi gave an awkward laugh, scratching his head uneasily. "No interfering."
Kuramochi cringed as the already burning aura surrounding the other him burned more angrily, almost to the point that he was already sweating bullets from all the heat. At this rate, he was going to lose ten pounds before he could escape. Ryo-san's burning aura's more effective than any sauna he had ever been to.
"That bastard Furuya. Try using your tongue again and I'm gonna cut it out for you." Ryosuke seethed, looking extremely murderous. Kuramochi was even tempted to rub an arm over his eyes just to prove that he didn't see any after image of Jason holding an axe behind his senpai.
Wait. On a second thought, never mind. What if he rubbed his eyes and Ryo-san face completely turned into Jason? Kuramochi wasn't sure if he could stay in love with his senpai with a horrifying Jason mask covering his face. Better leave him be.
Love is blind, anyway. Blurred vision is sort of close in the category.
Kuramochi jerked upright when a voice spoke behind them.
"What are you doing here Kuramochi-senpai? Eh—? Onii-san?!" Sawamura looked ready to bolt away when he saw the fuming Ryosuke in front of Kuramochi. They were hiding behind the dorm building and watching the entire scene between Furuya and Haruichi.
"Oh! Sawamura!" Kuramochi stood from where he was crouching beside Ryosuke, smirking evilly as he swung an arm over his kohai's shoulder. "Oh, oh, oh! Congratulations! For being the most fantastic 'Innocent Bystander' of this love story, Good Job!" Kuramochi gave him a thumbs-up, cackling devilishly.
Sawamura blinked in confusion. "Huh?"
Innocent Bystander who? Huh?
(Someone please explain it to our Sawamura.)
Kuramochi cackled harder. This idiot wasn't even aware that he was involved in a love triangle.
"So…" Kuramochi grinned, calming himself a little. "How's the feeling of being the receiver of one of the best flying kick I've seen besides Jackie Chan?" Kuramochi couldn't help it anymore, and he doubled-over laughing. Oh, God. Just remembering the looks on their faces when Haruichi performed that kick was enough to send him into a complete hysterics.
"What the hell, Kuramochi-senpai! You were watching earlier!? Then why didn't you help me!" Sawamura ganged up on him, fisting the front of his shirt angrily.
Kuramochi's laugh turned into giggling fits. "Sorry, sorry. But we were sort of busy since Ryo-san suddenly ran off to his brother. Can't be helped. Well… so… how's the nose?" Once again, Kuramochi slumped over at Sawamura as he laughed harder.
"I'm going to kill Furuya tomorrow!" Sawamura hissed. "And what the hell? Is Harucchi's not a reincarnation of a horse or something? That kick nearly killed—Ughof!" It was now Sawamura's turn to double-over from the kick that came out of nowhere and straight into his stomach.
"Ryo-san…" Kuramochi sweat dropped, watching his partner stomping away angrily. So much for not interfering, geez. Kuramochi turned towards his kohai, who was now sprawled on the ground groaning and clutching his stomach
"You okay there, Sawamura?"
"W-What do ya think?" The first-year hissed back sarcastically.
Kuramochi grinned. "You look cozy."
Well let's just say, Miyuki was pretty pissed off the next day as he demanded who marred not only Sawamura's gorgeous face, but his delicious-looking abs as well.
...
Chapter Nine: A Pocky-Flavored Kiss
End of Chapter…
A/N: I wanted to make their story a bit different from the others but… Waaaaaah…! I made my adorable Haruichi suffer in this story! Just stab me now! (T_T)…
PS: To those who have no idea what Pocky is, it's a biscuit stick covered in chocolate and a popular Japanese snack, though I'm not sure if it originates from there. Oh, well. I love it anyway.
