Unconditional

By: bloodysword99

"Underestimated"

Bright, it was too bright. It blinded him. Where was he? What happened? What's this he felt under his fingertips? It was soft and a little damp. He was laying on it as he clenched a bundle and tore it from its root. When he did, he smelt earth. Was it wet soil? He needs to adjust to this brilliant light so he can see well. When he forced himself to stand, he heard his name being called.

"Hey, Mihashi!" Was that Tajima?

The pitcher was still as he lay on the green pastures just near the stream. He was not responding to his call. Tajima dropped his bike and things to the floor to see if Mihashi was alright. And when he saw, the pitcher was less than alright.

"Mihashi?"

Eyes glazed over, Mihashi was pale, unresponsive, and looked sleepier than usual. The cleanup hitter was worried so he resulted to violently shaking him until he acted or at least put on that silly expression. A few good hard shakes, Mihashi finally sat up and gazed at Tajima with a lifeless face.

"You ok, Mihashi?" The small teen offered concerns but the pitcher doesn't want it.

"…" Nothing.

He hasn't opened his mouth once. Even when he was up on his feet and both were headed to school, you wouldn't hear anything from Mihashi. Something was wrong but Tajima thought it was best to consult Abe first before doing anything.

"Hey, guys!" At the end of all their classes, Tajima gathered the team around the mound excluding Mihashi who Tajima made sure was going to be late by asking him to fetch some stuff from his desk.

"What's up?" Mizutani asked first.

"Mihashi that's up." The cleanup hitter announced. While the rest of the team was puzzled by the subject, Abe looked away in shame as Tajima continued.

"He's been really distant lately. And yesterday, I tried to share my delicious lunch and he didn't want any!"

"So? Maybe Mihashi wasn't hungry." Sakaeguchi made an explanation but Tajima was stubborn. He kept ranting that something was off about him until the team was tired of hearing it and consulted the closest person to Mihashi.

"Hey, Abe, Has anything happened to Mihashi these past days?" Hanai asked.

The catcher froze for a minute and stuttered a bit with his answers.

"N-No, not that I know of."

"There you go, Tajima. If Abe says nothing happened, then nothing happened. You're just paranoid." Nishihiro closed the case walking away from the mound.

"I'm not paranoid! I saw him! His face was dead!" The cleanup hitter tried to convince them while making a dead face by stretching his cheeks down. The team sighed as they dispersed to do practice.

Abe felt empty. He felt like shit. How the hell would he do that to Mihashi? It was difficult carrying so much regret and knowing that he trashed something that was so precious to him. He was the lowest thing that ever lived that's what he thought. And the only thing that can save him now was to apologize to him.

"Oh, look its Mihashi!" Izumi pointed.

Their attentions were stolen when the pitcher came in, his head was down and his motions were slow as he made his way through the gate to the field. And when Mihashi straightened up showing his face, they were horrified. Tajima was right; he looked pale, lifeless and expressionless.

"Mihashi?" Oki muttered.

The pitcher didn't say a thing. As he was about to pick up a mitt, he was grabbed by the arm by Hanai and dragged to the mound. In a state of panic, he cried and yelped for help.

"W-Wha?" Mihashi was scared. He thought he was going to be punished.

"Keep your focus, Mihashi!" Hanai scolded but it was no use. He knew and everyone knew that only one person can talk sense into him. Abe.

The team glances at the catcher who was startled by the looks given to him by the team.

"Watanuki, did you retrieve what I asked for?" Yuuko asked as she was blending her tea with a small tea spoon.

"Yeah, but, It doesn't really add up." The teen came in with a little stack of papers and handed them to the witch while taking a seat beside her. Eyes glued to the documents, she herself gave a look which Watanuki expected but her expression was off. It's like she expected that something like this would happen.

"Kerstin Hanamura, enrolled in Angel academy in America in a graduating class but his diploma was terminated that year but he was given a transfer to Japan in order to continue his middle school…" Mokona read from a far opening his big eyes.

"That's it?" the bunny questioned. Then, Watanuki asked Miss Yuuko to move onto the next paper that's what intrigued Mokona and the twins.

"I got it from the record from my school." the teen starts.

To everyone surprise, it was a picture of Kerstin in the same uniform as Watanuki and documents of him being enrolled there but…the date.

"WOW!" The twins exclaimed.

"It's dated 30 years ago and he seems he has graduated too." the witch stated as she gazed at the photograph closely.

"So, what does that mean, Miss Yuuko?" Watanuki asked nervously to her.

Yuuko calmly set down the papers and glared slightly at the multiple photo's of Kerstin in different uniforms and documents dated years and years ago.

"I'm not entirely sure but it's best if we keep a close watch on him. I have a hunch if something goes wrong then Mihashi's judgment will be clouded and this will be all for nothing."

"So, what now?" Watanuki asked.

"I'll take this matter into my own hands. This one should never be underestimated."