Sawamura feels sweat drip down his face. All fifty-three players including him were asked to assemble inside the gathering hall tonight. He glances around him. Standing straight, feet a foot apart and hands on their back, the atmosphere seem sober, tense with anticipation. In front of them, Kataoka stands staring seriously at them. Is this…the legendary war council?
"I have seen your hard work this past couple of weeks." Coach Kataoka bellows, voice stern. "And I will say I am proud to call myself your coach." He paces around them. "Hopefully this does not stop here. The fall tournament is coming - Koushien at our fingertips. I hope you will be ready!"
"We will coach!" The players around him shout.
His heart beats in excitement.
"I expect and need you to do your best." Kataoka continues. "High school baseball may just a blip on your lives. But every step you take, goal you set and every game you complete gets you closer to your true selves. Do it! Give everything you got!
"We will coach!" He joins them shouting.
Kataoka nods at them. "I am adding three more players to the first string for this tournament. Tanba Koichiro. Konimato Haruichi. Sawamura Eijun. You three will join the first string practices from now on. Give me your best." He bows his head. "The rest of the third years not called….Stay."
Chapter Three I want to play with you
"Congratulations, Eijun. Your wish is finally answered." Haruichi says smiling. "Coach Kataoka finally gave you a chance!"
Sawamura smiles back, excited. "You too! Haruichi! We're finally first string members!" He pumps his fist. "Can't wait to have our first game!"
Furuya sighs. "I just want to pitch."
"It'll be nice to finally be able to play an official game in the tournament in the future." Kanemaru affirms.
A couple of students ran past them, waving at them. They wave back before making their way to the dorms.
"Anyway, good luck guys!" Kanemaru says. "You'll be representing us first years out there so do your best!"
Sawamura makes a move to hug him. "Shinji! You do care!"
Kanemaru sidesteps his attempt. "Just show them that first years cannot be underestimated, Bakamura! Don't let it go to your head." He pauses. "I still can't believe we didn't get into too much trouble using the field as we did that day. I thought we were done for sure when we saw coach Kataoka after the game!"
"What are you saying, Shinji!" Sawamura chuckles. "Shogun loves baseball!. Of course, he understands why we needed to do it!"
The three of them look at each other and smile. They stop near the entrance of the dorms and were about to separate when a shout made them turn.
"Sawamura! Hey, wait!" Miyuki calls out, approaching them.
"What do you want, Miyuki Kazuya?" Sawamura asks, arm crossed.
Miyuki, the natto lover, grins. "Geez, you don't have to call me by my full name you know." He runs his fingers through his hair. "Anyway, I just wanted to say something to you." He glances at the others.
Haruichi, Furuya and Kanemary look at each other before looking back curiously at him. Sawamura signals for them to leave first.
Miyuki drags him to a more secluded corner near the vending machines. It was already 9 at night. The sky dark. Thankfully, the lights from the machines and overhead lamp were enough to illuminate the area even in the dead of the night.
Miyuki takes a deep breath. "Thank you for the other day. You don't know how glad I…WE all are to see Chris playing again." He says, looking solemn. He looks up at the sky. "Even if he is not on the first string roster anymore."
Sawamura stares back at him open mouthed. This is the second time he has seen Miyuki this serious, he thinks, incredulous. What do you know? Even a tanuki like him can really look like this. He doesn't quite know what to say.
"Who are you? and what have you done with google-sempai!" Sawamura settles instead. He points his fingers toward him. "You can't possibly be him. He loves to laugh too much to be this serious! A jokester among jokesters! A tanuki!"
Miyuki rolls his eyes. "Whatever, Sawamura!" He bows his head. "But I'm serious about this. Thanks."
The light from the lamp post flicker slightly. The area darkens slightly before brightening once more to what it was before.
Sawamura shivers feeling a small breeze rush past. "No need to thank me, google-sempai. I'm glad I was able to play with Chris-sempai. It was fun. I'm sad he wasn't chosen to be in first string but even though I don't know him that long, I feel he loves baseball enough to continue playing despite this." He smiles. "So don't go too serious with me now! It doesn't seem like you at all!"
Miyuki smirks. "Oh yeah? Can't have that now can we, Ei-chan." His eyeglasses glints. "Well then there's just one more thing to tell you."
Sawamura looks at him curiously. "What?"
Miyuki moves forward, backing him towards a wall. He leans toward him, hands resting on one side of his face. "Personal feelings aside, I won't give my starting position to anyone, Eijun" He declares, staring straight at him.
Faintly, Sawamura notes that Miyuki's eyes are not brown after all. More like amber with the way the light hits through his glasses and irises. His double eyelid only adding to its seemingly mysterious depth.
He takes a deep breath. Despite the whole afternoon spent practicing, Miyuki manages to smell like fresh sunshine, mixed with autumn grass and fresh linen all at once. Like I''m back in Nagano once more, he thinks, before the sound of students' laughter nearby breaks his thoughts.
Miyuki leans back, a suspicious tint in his cheeks.
"I..I should go" Miyuki nods shakily at him before running back towards the dorms.
"Am I missing something?" Sawamura whispers to himself. It was only supposed to be a high of 75 degrees today. The sun has set hours ago. Why does he feel like it's getting hotter all of a sudden?
# #
"The first opponent is Kokushikan High." Takigawa tells him the next Friday afternoon.
The coaches have arranged some practice matches for the weekend against a couple of schools. Takigawa despite not being chosen in first string was appointed as manager together with Watanabe which is why they are now huddling in the dugout minutes before an upcoming game. The coaches watch from the sidelines assessing.
Unsurprisingly, they arrange Tanba, Haruichi and him as starting players in place of some of the regulars. More than likely, Sawamura thinks, they want to test how they will function in the team before using them in the actual tournament. He feels thrilled just by thinking about it. However… who can tell him why he was still designated as catcher in the roster? He thought he has proven himself already to shogun?!
Takigawa sighs. "Are you even listening, Sawamura?" He asks, breaking him out of his daze.
"Ah sorry, Chris-sempai!" Sawamura answers. He slaps his cheeks. Catcher or not, this is the start of his baseball career in Seido. He needs to give it his all! Maybe the coach needed more convincing?
"I'm just excited about the upcoming matches?" Sawamura ventures. "And call me Eijun! Eijun! Otherwise, I feel like your'e calling my grandpa! And he and my family's so far away from here!"
"Is your family not living here in Tokyo then, Eijun?" Takigawa questions. "I thought since you transferred, it was because your whole family had to transfer for work or something."
Sawamura scratches his cheek. "Yeah, well, everyone's still living in Nagano to be honest. Only my grandpa, mom's side, was originally from here. That's the only reason my mom finally agreed with my transfer."
Takigawa stares at him, eyes unreadable. "Then…you..…Aka-" He shakes his head. "-Sawamura. Are you really ok with this?"
Sawamura looks at him in confusion. "What do you mean, Chris-sempai."
"To play as catcher for Seido?" Takagiawa asks.
Sawamura grins. "Of course! Playing baseball anywhere is fun! And didn't I say call me Eijun! Eijun!"
"You really like baseball, huh..um..Eijun?"
"Sawamura here is a true baseball slave, Chris-sempai!" Kuramochi barges in, approaching from behind them with some of the first string starters. "He lives and breathes baseball! He even wakes me and Masuko-sempai up so early in the morning to train everyday… It's not even funny."
"That's not true at all!" Sawamura protests. "I also take the time to do other stuff too outside of baseball! Just the other day, I -"
"- run around the field with a tire to quote and quote train your stamina so you can play with Miyuki later?" Kuramochi suggests.
"-ask Haruichi and the others to go with you to the library so you can borrow some books about catching and talk to Miyuki about it later?" Masuko questions.
"Borrow the team's tv so you can review past games with quote and quote Miyuki if he is available?" Isashiki adds.
Kuramochi grins. "Wait! You might be right, wamura! You also ask and like to spend time with Miyuki too, all the time! But then, he IS the team's regular catcher so HAH that doesn't count!"
Sawamura pouts, looking for help.
"I'm sorry Eijun. I would have to agree." Haruichi looks at him apologetically. "I don't think I have ever really seen you do things outside of baseball."
"What great devotion you have, Eijun! To Miyuki and baseball!" Tetsuya states, eyes ablaze. "It's truly admirable!"
Sawamura flushes. Well okay…he admits that they are right about that. He is a baseball idiot if you put it that way…But wait did they also—his eyes sparkle. "Captain! How great of you to recognize this lowly peasant's heart!" Maybe joining the first strings is the right call after all even if he is a catcher right now! They are finally starting to understand his determination! His resolve!
He sneaks a peek at the back where said player sits lazily in a bench. Noticing his stare, Miyuki grins at him although he, in Sawamura's utmost confusion, for once didn't say anything.
"Okay-" Takigawa holds up a hand. "How about we stop that here for now." He gestures to the field where most of the players have already arrived. "We do need to get back on tract and talk about the upcoming game."
They look at him sheepishly.
"As I was saying" Takigawa continues. "Kokushikan was not able to make it to Koshien last summer but they are strong nonetheless - top 8th in their district."
"They also have a couple of players to take note of." Watanabe adds, pointing towards a blond baseball player. "Zaizen Naoyuki, one of the best clean up hitters in the league."
"I played against him in junior high." Isashiki states. "He was very good. Hit the pitches out of the park without problem. As a matter of fact, wasn't he your teammate then Chris?"
Takigawa glances towards the other dug-out. "Yes. So make sure you watch out for his at bat, Eijun. He's batting average is high." He turns to his side. "Tanba, is your injury fully healed?"
Tanba nods. "It should be. I'm ready whenever."
"I'M ready whenever." Sawamura challenges. He looks at the back once more. "So please watch me play, Miyuki Kazuya!"
"Must be tough having someone coming at you fast, huh, Miyuki?" Sawamura hears older Kominato say as he and the other starters run to the field. "How fun… it's nice to watch people struggle."
I don't care what Haruichi says, Sawamura thinks, but his brother can be really scary.
The first innings starts relatively calm. Even with the loss of Miyuki, Seido's regular clutch hitter, and Kominato, their regular second baseman, they managed to get more than 5 points so early in the game. What's more, Tanba was able to shut out most of Kokushikan batters for defense.
It's at the third inning that it changes. The opposing players start trying to steal. One or two tries weren't a problem. It's when every batter at-bat started trying to steal bases with bunts that cause some disturbance in their rhythm. They were a relatively new battery after all. As it is, they lose 4 runs and were left with a runner in first this inning. Then, Kokushikan calls for a substitution. Zaizen, the announcer calls, will come in as a pinch hitter.
Sawamura grins. Now isn't this familiar? He looks up at the batter dragging his bat towards the plate. Guess, what they say about not doing something to others you don't want done to you do have some fact.
"Tsk, you're only a first year and your'e already a starter despite Chris there?" Zaizen mumbles getting in position. "Let's see what you can do."
So he's one of those huh? A natural challenger with little confidence for someone younger than him. Sawamura feels a familiar burst of excitement come up. He positions his mitt low and outside. He signals. Tanba, unsurprisingly, answers his call.
"Strike!" The umpire calls.
"You might want to do more glute and core strengthening excises." Sawamura offers, throwing the ball back to Tanba. "Your left leg was a little shaky when you swung."
Zaizen raises his eyebrows. "You can tell from my first swing?" He stares at him from head to toe. "Kid, who are you again?"
"Sawamura Eijun." He introduces himself, briefly glancing at the runner on first. "And you're going to help me be one step closer to my true goal"
"Oh yeah?" Zaizen grips his bat. "Whatever that is...You have to get through me first!"
Zaizen bunts. The ball makes contact. It flew up and Sawamura quickly signals towards second base before Haruichi catches the ball and throws it to Kuramochi and Kuramochi to Tetsuya.
Double Play! The crowd cheers.
Sawamura grins. He never did like runners if it's not his team.
The game ends 12-4, Seido's favor.
Sawamura gets surrounded by his fellow teammates laughing excitedly. He glances back at the dugout. The coaches continue to watch from afar silent but looking pleased. Miyuki, beside them, meets his stare grinning. Surprisingly, though, he stays put there amidst everyone else gathering around him.
# #
"What do you think, google-sempai?" Sawamura asks during dinner that night. He dumps his tray on the table choosing a spot beside Miyuki. "Am I worthy of first string now? Wanna meet me in the training area later?"
Miyuki looks at him bemused.
"You bothering Miyuki again, wamura?" Kuramochi asks nearby. "I know you're very assured of yourself. But you don't have to ask the same question over and over you know. We've talked about this earlier."
"Well, he did win against Kokushikan with his catching." Isashiki states, rubbing his chin. "So I guess, he gets a free pass tonight?"
Tetsuya nods. "Baseball duels are truly a sight to be hold!"
"And fun!" Older Kominato, Ryosuke, adds. "Especially when you crush your opponents will."
Sawamura pouts. How else will he convince Miyuki to be his partner if he doesn't ask? His lip wobbles.
Kuramochi rolls his eyes. "Fine, I guess you did do a good job. But you better not slack off!" He reaches out to ruffle his hair. "There's only nine positions as starter in the actual tournament and only the strongest survive! Make sure you make this bastard work for it!"
"Of course! Cheetah-sempai!" Sawamura answers, brightening up. "I will try my best! Isn't that right, Miyuki Kazuya?"
"Um, I don't think he heard you, Eijun." Haruichi points out beside him.
"Miyuki?" Sawamura tries again but Miyuki is already gone. To make it worse, he didn't see him anymore after dinner either. No matter how hard he looked, he didn't see him until practice the next morning. Even then, he didn't have much time to talk to him before he was dragged to the bullpen to practice catching.
# #
The next couple of practice matches that follows end up similarly. Despite some fumbles here and there, Sawamura is pleased to be able to lead their three main pitchers and call games with wins. He loves it. It is fun to finally be able to play with the first strings.
There are, however, occasional games that are particularly annoying. More so because of the fact that these teams either ignore or dismiss him before the game when they see him wearing Seido's catcher gear.
He gets it. Miyuki Kazaya can be awesome but how is he going to get recognition if he doesn't play?
"Hey, where's Seido's regular catcher?" A tall batter from Yakushi High, Mishima, asks him during another one of their practice games. This time against Yakushi High. "Why is he not playing?"
Sawamura looks at a corner where said catcher was talking to a good looking - the manager's words not his- opposing player with a number 1 on his back. Sanada Shunpei, they tell him when he asked, Yakushi High's ace pitcher. He grits his teeth. What's he doing fraternizing with the enemy?!
"You're not pretty enough for him to catch for you." Sawamura tells him matter-of-factly.
Mishima gapes at him before the umpire clears his throat to start the game.
Sawamura at once, calls for Furuya's fastest ball. Mishima, tensing, misses out cursing. Strike! Batter out! The umpire calls and he exhales, heart lightening. 1 out. He glances back at the corner, gaze challenging. Pretty boy meets his stare with a hint of curiosity.
Mishima is replaced by a small boy with wild hair, canine teeth and x-shaped scar on his face. Judging by his stature, he looks to be around the same age as him. They stare at each other curiously.
"I'm Todoroki Raichi." The boy says, grinning. "You sure are interesting the way you strike out Mishima-sempai but I'll hit it! KAHAHAHA I will send any ball flying my way!"
Sawamura grins back. "You're welcome to try!"
Todoroki, true to his word, was able to hit Furuya's pitch once and twice making Furuya aura burn.
Sawamura rushes back to the dugout searching for a familiar brown haired catcher.
"Google-sempai did you-" he starts to ask but Miyuki just nods at him before talking to coach Kataoka beside him about something.
"Die pretty boy!" He heard Mishima tell Miyuki later during their obligatory post game handshake. And he really should feel guilty about it but he can't. The game ends as a tie. His coaches and new teammates, he likes to think, are still pleased. And right now, he has other things to worry about.
Miyuki, despite the tanuki-sempai that he is in front of their teammates, has taken to avoiding talking to him since that night.
Sawamura drums his fingers on the table. He is proud to refer to himself a patient young man. He, after all, has spent countless of hours after hours practicing just to be able to play baseball like he does right now. He can be patient.
He needs to corner Miyuki Kazuya to get some answers once and for all.
"Are these the last of it, Haruno?" A female manager asks walking past him.
Haruno nods. "Yeah, we just need to put them back and we should be done!"
Sawamura's smiles.
# #
"What are you doing, Sawamura?" Miyuki asks holding a box filled with baseballs. There was a bang followed by the sound of a lock engaging. Miyuki found himself standing in the middle of a closed storage shed, box in hand.
Sawamura puts down a similar box of baseball supplies in a nearby table by the door. "I thought it wise to have some time to talk with you alone." He states slowly approaching.
"Um, we're also here though?" Haruichi asks confusedly. At another corner. Holding a similar box. "Didn't you say the coaches asked us to help with the equipment." He looks between them. "We can leave if you want?"
Furuya, also with a box, yawns beside him.
Sawamura didn't look at them. "You've been ignoring me Mi-kii…" He says, clucking his tongue. "That's not very nice." Especially after he tried to give everything he got to be recognized in the first string.
Miyuki raises his eyebrows. "So you decided to lock us in the storage shed?" He glances at his watch. "Just as dinner is starting?"
Sawamura's stomach grumbles.
"Um..do you want to give us the key first so we can leave you guys alone?" Haruichi tries again. Furuya, his box now put down, leans against him getting ready to sleep. "Satoru don't sleep yet!" He says worriedly.
"This is more important!" Sawamura yells. Grandfather always say best be upfront and direct about your intentions right? "WHY ARE YOU IGNORING ME YOU-YOU DOUBLE EYELID!" He lunges at him.
Miyuki, in surprise, drops the box he was holding. The balls fly around them and Sawamura, not noticing a ball underneath him, steps on it and slips.
Sawamura groans, opening his eyes to see a wide eyed catcher up close. He is straddling him! He gasps. A chance! He leans in closer! "I want to be with you! Miyuki Kazuya…be my part-!"
The door opens.
"Sawamura!" Kanemaru interrupts, another set of keys in hand. "What are you taking forever for? You have a visitor!" He enters followed by a smaller blond haired male wearing a scarf.
"…What are you doing, Eijun-sempai?" A familiar voice asks.