Author Notes: Chris is finally here! I know y'all have been waiting for him.
This is set during Act I's off-season. It's set in late February.
This is part of my Summer Sky series, but you don't need to read the other parts to read this part.
I hope y'all enjoy it!
That Surprising Winter Sky
As soon as the lunch bell rang, Chris left his classroom, missing his classmates' and some of his former teammates' surprised looks.
He wanted to speak to Sawamura before he left for lunch.
Over winter break, Sawamura had texted him some surprising news.
That he was dating Inashiro's ace, Narumiya Mei.
And if that wasn't surprising enough, Sawamura had let him know that he had been dating him for a while now.
(When did this happen? And why was Sawamura only choosing to tell him now?)
Sawamura hadn't told him anymore than that, probably trying to respect his time or feelings by giving him time to think about it.
But although Sawamura hadn't told him a lot, he liked to think that he knew Sawamura.
It was obvious (even though Sawamura didn't say it) that Sawamura hadn't told the rest of the team about his relationship.
(Which, considering who Sawamura was dating, was probably a good idea.)
And it was obvious this relationship of his was serious.
Especially if Sawamura wanted to tell him before anyone else.
(Sawamura had let him know that he had already told his family about his relationship and that he had wanted to let him know next.)
He blinked, noticing the back of Sawamura's head.
And he wasn't alone.
Sawamura was walking with Kominato and Furuya, probably on the way to the school cafeteria.
"Sawamura."
All three first years' heads turned at his voice, Sawamura's eyes immediately lighting up once he spotted him.
"Shishou! What brings you to the first year floor?" Sawamura walked over to him eagerly.
He smiled apologetically. "I wanted to talk to you about something." When Sawamura only tilted his head and Kominato and Furuya stood nearby, looking interested, he felt tempted to clear his throat. "In private."
Sawamura furrowed his eyebrows before looking at Kominato and Furuya.
"We'll save a seat for you, Eijun-kun." Kominato smiled at him.
Sawamura beamed. "Thank you, Harucchi!" He glared at Furuya. "Furuya, don't you dare eat any of my lunch while I'm away!"
"You better hurry before it's all gone," Furuya said.
Sawamura growled, glowering at Furuya. "I said don't eat it!" He looked over at Kominato, pointing at Furuya. "Harucchi, protect my lunch so that Furuya doesn't eat any of it!"
"Why do you always have to bring me into it?" Kominato sighed.
Sawamura pouted, looking disappointed.
"… Alright, I'll do my best, Eijun-kun."
Sawamura immediately gave him one of his brightest smiles, almost blinding them. "Thank you, Harucchi! I'll pay you back!"
Was it just his imagination, or were Kominato's cheeks… pink?
Sawamura glowered at Furuya one more time before turning around and giving him a bright smile. "Sorry to make you wait, Shishou! What did you want to talk about?"
He almost needed to look away from that smile.
It was so bright.
He shook his head, gesturing for Sawamura to follow. "Not here."
(They probably shouldn't talk about Sawamura's relationship with Narumiya in the middle of a hallway where someone could hear them.)
Sawamura tilted his head again, but he nodded a couple of moments later.
He led Sawamura through the hallway and toward one of the exits.
They went outside, standing in front of one of the benches.
After glancing around to make sure they were alone, he cleared his throat. "Sawamura, I wanted to talk to you about your relationship with Narumiya."
Sawamura's eyes widened. He immediately gave him a deep bow, causing him to blink. "I'm really sorry I told you over text and not in person." But before he could tell him that it was alright, Sawamura straightened, rubbing the back of his head. "I just couldn't wait to tell you."
"I told you before, right? I'm not angry with you." Sawamura breathed a sigh of relief, giving him a soft, grateful smile. "I wanted to ask if it's alright that I meet Narumiya."
Sawamura blinked a few times. "You… want to meet Mei?"
He raised his eyebrows.
Sawamura called Narumiya by his given name?
And without any honorifics?
Interesting.
"I know both of you are busy with practice, but—"
"Yes!"
He winced at the volume of his voice. "Sawamura?"
Sawamura gasped, giving him another deep bow. "I'm really sorry I interrupted you."
He shook his head (not that Sawamura could see it), gesturing for him to straighten. "It's alright."
"I…" Sawamura straightened, giving him a hopeful look. "I really want you to meet Mei. And I hope…"
To his confusion, Sawamura never finished what he was saying. "When is good?"
Sawamura tapped his chin, causing him to blink, as he had never seen Sawamura do that gesture before. "I'll have to double check with Mei, but we have a day off on Sunday." His eyebrows furrowed. "Does that work with your schedule?"
Sunday…
That was in three days.
He could wait that long.
"Sunday it is." Sawamura's eyes lit up. "Let me know if something comes up."
Sawamura nodded, already taking out his phone and giving him a confident grin. "You won't regret this, Shishou! You'll like Mei, I promise!"
He… He said that as if Chris had never met Narumiya before.
… Which was true.
But while he had never met Narumiya before, he had heard a few things about the kind of person Narumiya was.
And none of them were good.
He mentally shook his head.
He would give Narumiya a chance.
It could be that the rumors about him were just rumors.
Sawamura typed out a text, giving his phone a really soft smile once he finished, causing him to blink a few times.
Was that the smile Sawamura reserved for Narumiya?
It was obvious Sawamura thought highly of Narumiya and liked him a lot.
But did Narumiya feel the same about Sawamura?
That was what he planned on finding out.
ZZZ
Between school and getting ready for graduation, three days passed quickly.
He would be the first to admit he kept getting distracted by the thought of meeting Narumiya.
(He didn't let it affect him during school, but somehow, his former teammates had noticed that he was distracted anyway, giving him surprised and worried looks. Thankfully, none of them asked him about it, as he wouldn't know what to tell them if they did ask.)
Maybe it was because he was a catcher, but he had already thought of several things to say and several questions to ask.
But he was prepared to throw them all away, as he knew studying Narumiya in that moment and then deciding what to do would be more important.
On the way to the café where they would meet Narumiya, Sawamura pointed out places he had been to before with Narumiya enthusiastically.
His lips twitched despite himself as he watched Sawamura lead the way.
If he didn't already know about Sawamura's relationship with Narumiya, he might've thought Sawamura had a crush on him.
Because Sawamura wouldn't stop talking about Narumiya.
How cool he was…
How he wanted to become an ace like him…
(Sawamura had quickly reassured him that he would never be as cocky as him, though, causing him to smile despite himself.)
How Narumiya looked out for him and supported him…
How he was there for him when he needed him most…
(Sawamura's eyes had darkened, causing his heart to clench. He knew without even asking what Sawamura was talking about.)
How he was so annoying sometimes, especially when he kept teasing him, but that he was really happy and grateful he was in his life…
How he was an arrogant jerk and could be self-centered at times…
But also really sweet and caring…
(Which, from what he had heard from rumors, didn't sound like Narumiya. Maybe Narumiya really did like Sawamura?)
And although the weather looked dark enough and felt cold enough that he wouldn't be surprised if it started snowing, it was as if the sun were out.
Sawamura was so bright and happy.
He looked as if he might start skipping any minute, although Chris couldn't tell whether that was because he was about to see Narumiya or because Chris was about to meet him.
(Knowing Sawamura, it was probably both.)
When they entered the café, Sawamura's already bright smile brightened (if it were possible) once he noticed Narumiya already waiting by some armchairs by the window.
And he didn't know why he was surprised, but…
Sawamura immediately made his way over to Narumiya, seemingly forgetting about him in favor of Narumiya (which stung a little, but he understood).
Narumiya looked up from his phone, eyes lighting up at seeing Sawamura making his way over to him.
And to his surprise, Narumiya stood up, wrapping his arms around Sawamura once he was close enough and… kissing him.
He flushed a little despite himself, walking over to them a lot slower than he had planned to.
Thankfully, they didn't kiss long, probably remembering that they were in public.
He was about to clear his throat so that Sawamura could introduce them properly.
But he found himself freezing a couple of steps away from them, taken aback.
Sawamura and Narumiya were looking at each other, their arms wrapped around each other. Sawamura was smiling that soft smile from three days ago. And Narumiya…
Narumiya was giving Sawamura such a soft look. And such a soft smile.
(And if he were honest, it was a little… weird seeing Narumiya like this, especially whenever he thought about how Narumiya would act on the mound. Was that look only for Sawamura?)
They probably would've continued looking at each other if it weren't for him clearing his throat.
He almost felt bad when they jumped and looked over at him, Narumiya narrowing his eyes and looking irritated.
As soon as they noticed him, though, they flushed, letting go of each other.
Sawamura was obviously disappointed and reluctant to let go of him.
But he was surprised to see Narumiya almost… looking reluctant, too.
(That wasn't an act… Right?)
After Sawamura bowed deeply to him and apologized for forgetting about him, Sawamura introduced him to Narumiya and Narumiya to him.
(He could've sworn Narumiya looked… amused (maybe even smug) when Sawamura apologized for forgetting about him. But that was probably just his imagination.)
At his suggestion, they ordered hot drinks, Sawamura and Narumiya greeting the baristas by name and briefly chatting with them.
Sawamura had mentioned that this café was one of their regular date spots, so he wasn't surprised they were friendly with the baristas.
He talked with Narumiya a little bit as they waited for their drinks and as they walked back to their table, politely asking how school was going. He even asked how practice was going.
And Narumiya was just as polite as him, answering his questions and inquiring how school was going for him.
To his surprise, Narumiya even… apologized for pulling him away from his studies, as he knew his graduation was fast approaching.
It was a very brief apology.
And he didn't know how sincere Narumiya was…
(Although going off Sawamura's reaction of giving him a soft smile and squeezing his hand, maybe Narumiya did give him a sincere apology.)
But he apologized, causing him to stare despite himself.
The Narumiya he had heard about would've never apologized.
And maybe would've claimed that he should be happy and honored to meet him.
Was this really the same guy who, with his merciless and almost perfect pitching, faced off against them in the summer tournament?
"Ah. That's right." Narumiya looked up from his cup to look at him, causing him to blink. "Katsuyuki told me to give you his regards. Even said that he's not looking forward to playing against you if he chooses a different university than you."
Before he could reply, though, Sawamura looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Shirakawa-san said that? That doesn't sound like him."
He furrowed his eyebrows.
Sawamura knew Shirakawa?
And he knew him well enough to know what kind of person he was?
When did that happen?
Narumiya gasped, eyes widening before snickering. "Oh, right. He told me not to tell you that." He shrugged. "Oops." He didn't look apologetic in the least.
"You're so horrible." Sawamura rolled his eyes good-naturedly, although he could tell by the way Sawamura was biting his lower lip, he was biting back laughter.
Narumiya looked over at Sawamura, giving him a cheeky grin. "You know you love it. Besides, it's funny, huh?"
And then it was as if Sawamura couldn't hold it in anymore, laughing a couple of moments later. "Yeah, especially if I picture his expression when you tell him what you said to Shishou."
"Oh, I didn't even think of that." Narumiya snickered again. "He's going to be so angry with me."
Sawamura gave him an amused grin. "I want to see his reaction. Let's go to Inashiro after we're done here."
Chris furrowed his eyebrows.
Sawamura had visited Inashiro before?
(Was that how he knew Shirakawa?)
"Oh, he'll love that," Narumiya said, rolling his eyes. "Promise you'll stay by my side the whole time?"
Sawamura gave him a devilish grin, causing Chris to blink a few times. "Of course. Someone needs to make sure he doesn't kill you."
Narumiya gave him an offended look. "Wait… Are you looking forward to seeing his reaction because it'll be funny? Or because you want to see me suffer?"
Sawamura furrowed his eyebrows, clearly thinking about it before giving him an innocent grin a few moments later. "Both?"
Narumiya gave him such a betrayed look that Sawamura laughed, Chris' lips twitching despite himself.
"Wait…" Chris' voice caused both to look at him, Sawamura looking sheepish. Narumiya didn't look sheepish, but he did look surprised, as if he had forgotten he was there. "Shirakawa remembers me?"
Sawamura nodded eagerly. "Of course he does, Shishou! You're such an amazing player! He can't forget you about you that easily!"
"I appreciate that, Sawamura," he said, flushing a little despite himself. "But you know as well as I do that I haven't participated in any official games in a long time."
Sawamura furrowed his eyebrows, looking as if he were about to say something.
But to his surprise, Narumiya spoke before him. "We were surprised when Kazuya became Seidou's main catcher in his first year." He sipped his drink. "My senpai were wondering about you and thought you were injured. They looked disappointed."
His eyes widened. "They did?" Narumiya nodded. He furrowed his eyebrows before looking down at his cup and letting out a sigh. "I see. I didn't realize I made that much of an impact."
It was too late to wonder what could have happened if he didn't get injured.
Or if someone had spotted the injury earlier.
But he was happy he got to play with his former teammates for as long as he did.
And he would never regret his decision to stay with the team even after he couldn't play anymore.
(Especially since it meant he got to meet Sawamura, and thanks to him, he got to play in his last official game and form a battery with him.)
He might not have played as much baseball during high school as he wanted to.
But thanks to his dad and Sawamura, he had the future to look forward to.
And it was… nice that even though he didn't play in a lot of official games, he made enough of an impact that the other schools' baseball teams (or at least Inashiro's) that they remembered him.
He looked up, meeting Narumiya's eyes. "I know this is asking a lot of you, and I realize how weird it is… But could you let your senpai know that I enjoyed playing against them?"
Narumiya raised his eyebrows, glancing at Sawamura for some reason before nodding. "I'll tell them, Chris-san." At his surprised look, he gasped. "Ah… Sorry. Eijun's talked so much about you I started calling you that out of habit." He rubbed the back of his head.
Chris couldn't help but stare.
That was such a Sawamura gesture.
He never imagined he would see Narumiya doing the same one.
(Narumiya liked Sawamura and knew him well enough that he picked up some of his gestures?)
He shook his head, giving him a small smile. "I don't mind. You can keep calling me that."
"See? I told you Shishou wouldn't mind!" Sawamura nudged Narumiya, grinning at him.
Narumiya gave Sawamura what could only be described as a fond look. He looked back at him, tapping his chin, causing him to stare. "You resemble Masa-san."
Come to think of it, Sawamura had done that gesture three days ago.
Did that mean Sawamura picked it up from watching and interacting with Narumiya?
"Harada? You think I resemble him?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows.
Narumiya nodded, furrowing his eyebrows. "I don't know how to explain it. I guess it's how you two present yourselves?"
… What did that even mean?
He was a catcher and a third year.
But he didn't think that was what Narumiya meant.
Sawamura gasped, eyes widening. "I know what you mean!" He looked at Narumiya. "You're talking about how they both look out for their teammates and lead their team to victory, right?"
Narumiya's eyes widened. He smiled at Sawamura. "Yeah, that's it!" He grabbed one of Sawamura's hands and squeezed it.
Sawamura flushed, giving him that bright smile from earlier and squeezing his hand back.
So Sawamura knew Harada, too?
(Sawamura was friends with everyone on the Inashiro baseball team, wasn't he? He really wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.)
It felt nice Sawamura and Narumiya thought he resembled Harada.
Especially when he knew Tetsu had a high regard for Harada.
"I see. Thank you." He gave them a soft smile. "I'm happy you think I resemble him." He almost gasped, remembering what they were talking about before and looked at Narumiya. "Give Shirakawa my regards. It's good to see him doing well."
Narumiya nodded, sipping his drink again. "I will." And before he could say anything else, Narumiya looked over at Sawamura, nudging him. "You're not drinking your hot chocolate." He gave him a cheeky grin. "Is it still too hot for you?"
Sawamura huffed. "I've been drinking it! You just haven't seen me!"
"Actually, Sawamura," Chris said, causing both to look at him. "He has a point." To his amusement, Sawamura gave him a betrayed look. "Compared to our drinks, yours doesn't even look like you've been drinking it."
Sawamura pointedly sipped his hot chocolate, pouting. "So unfair. I can't disobey Shishou."
"Oi, what about me?" Narumiya complained.
Sawamura rolled his eyes. "What about you? You know I don't like it when you tell me what to do."
"But you like that part of me!"
Sawamura gave him another devilish grin. "Why would I like it when you're annoying?"
His lips twitched as Narumiya glowered at Sawamura.
Narumiya was… a lot different than what he had been expecting.
But maybe that was because they've been dating for a while?
He blinked a few times.
Come to think of it…
"Sawamura."
Sawamura, who had been snickering at Narumiya, immediately stopped and looked at him, confused. "What is it, Shishou?"
"I told you not to call me that," he said, almost sighing. "You two have been dating for a while now, right?"
Sawamura beamed. "Yes, that's right! We've been dating for over eight months!"
His eyes widened.
It had been that long?
Sawamura had somehow kept this relationship from the team for that long?
Narumiya blinked a few times, looking surprised. "Has it really been that long?" He nudged Sawamura, giving him a cheeky grin. "Remember when my teammates were convinced we wouldn't last?"
(… Ah. So Narumiya told his teammates about their relationship, and they hadn't approved. Was that why Sawamura wasn't in any hurry to tell his teammates about their relationship?)
Sawamura snickered, nudging him back. "We showed them, huh?" His eyes softened. "I hope we stay together for a long time."
To his surprise, Narumiya's eyes softened, giving him that soft look from earlier. "I'm not going anywhere."
Sawamura gave him that soft smile from earlier, squeezing his hand.
When they started leaning in, probably about to kiss, he coughed politely, causing them to flush before looking at him.
He wasn't sure why exactly, but he found himself… amused.
It was a little embarrassing that they didn't care about showing affection in public.
(If he were honest, though, it didn't surprise him that much, considering both their personalities.)
But it was a little funny seeing them, especially Narumiya, get lost in their own world.
He decided not to bring up that they almost kissed in front of him.
He blinked, realizing something.
"Eight months… Didn't you first meet each other back in June?"
Sawamura rubbed the back of his head. "About that… We actually bumped into each other in the city a couple of days after the round robin."
… That was the day Sawamura went out on an errand for Kuramochi and Masuko.
Come to think of it, they said Sawamura had been acting strange when he got back from the errand.
Was that because Sawamura bumped into Narumiya?
Narumiya nudged him, giving him a cheeky grin. "I didn't like him that much at first."
Sawamura glowered at him. "Well, I didn't like you that much either!"
"But…" Narumiya's eyes softened. "After getting to know him better, I found myself… enjoying my time with him." Sawamura flushed, giving him another soft smile. "It got to a point where I wanted to see him again and wanted to date him."
Chris looked at Sawamura, raising an eyebrow. "What about you, Sawamura?"
"I…" Sawamura looked over, frowning deeply when he noticed Narumiya's smug look before looking at him again. "I really didn't like him that much at first." His eyes softened. "But even though I didn't like him, I… looked up to him. Wanted to become an ace like him." He smiled softly. "I thought I only looked up to him, but I was actually crushing on him. So when Mei talked about going out on another date with me, I was really happy."
And they started dating not long after that.
If he were honest, he was… surprised these two had been dating for that long, especially considering their personalities.
(They are pitchers after all.)
But what surprised him the most was that Sawamura was dating Narumiya and not…
Maybe he shouldn't ask about it, especially when Narumiya was here with them, but…
"What about your crush on Miyuki, Sawamura?"
Sawamura squawked, his flush darkening, causing Narumiya to furrow his eyebrows and look over at him. "I… My what? S-Shishou, what are you talking about?"
"You had a crush on Miyuki, right? Did that go away when you started dating Narumiya?"
Narumiya's eyes darkened, glaring at him. "So you did have a crush on him. I knew it."
Sawamura looked at Narumiya nervously, tugging on his sleeve. "It was only a small one, I swear!" Narumiya huffed. "It went away sometime after we started dating." Sawamura's eyes softened. "My confession… I wasn't lying when I said I like you. When I said that, I wasn't thinking of Cap." He tugged again, leaning closer to him. "I was thinking of you. And only you."
For a few moments, he thought Narumiya wouldn't believe him or that they would start arguing.
But to his surprise, Narumiya's eyes softened. "Yeah, I know." He grabbed the hand on his sleeve, squeezing it. "I know you like me and not him. And I also know you won't leave me for him."
Sawamura shook his head, giving him a serious look. "Never. I like you. And no one else."
He raised his eyebrows as Narumiya beamed.
It didn't last long, Narumiya giving him a smug look, but he felt very surprised Narumiya could have an expression like that. "Well, I am the prince. I'm not surprised you like me."
Ah.
There was the Narumiya he remembered (and heard about from the rumors).
"Well, someone has to put up with you." Sawamura grinned devilishly.
Narumiya scowled, poking his shoulder. "What do you mean 'put up with'?"
Sawamura laughed. "I'm just kidding." He laughed again at Narumiya's pout.
"Such a mean boyfriend," Narumiya muttered. He perked up, a smile coming onto his face when Sawamura leaned over and kissed his cheek. And before Sawamura could pull away completely, he leaned in, kissing his cheek and whispering something into his ear, grinning when Sawamura pulled away with flushed cheeks.
Sawamura gasped, eyes widening, as if realizing something. "You knew about my crush on Cap, Shishou?" He gasped again, looking horrified. "Did the whole team know?"
Chris shook his head, a small smile on his face. "You weren't being that obvious. But I'd like to think that I knew you well enough to know when you had a crush on someone."
"I don't know if that makes me happy or not." Sawamura frowned, Chris' lips twitching despite himself. "Does that mean everyone close to me knew about my crush?"
Chris hummed. "I can't say. You'd have to ask them yourself."
Sawamura huffed, sipping his drink.
Narumiya furrowed his eyebrows, looking over at Sawamura. "Wait… Kazuya never realized you had a crush on him?"
"Why would he?" Sawamura scowled, looking over at him. "He only saw me as his idiot teammate. We weren't close or anything like that."
For some reason, Narumiya's eyes softened. He leaned in, kissing his forehead, causing Sawamura to give him a small smile. He grinned a cheeky grin a few moments later. "Kazuya's such an idiot for not realizing you had a crush on him." He shrugged. "Not that I care, as Kazuya not realizing you had a crush on him led to your liking me."
"When you put it that way…" Sawamura furrowed his eyebrows, clearly thinking about it. "You could say it's thanks to Cap that we're together."
Narumiya snickered for some reason. "Oh, he'll love that."
Sawamura frowned deeply, almost pouting. "Don't tell him that. He already hates that we're together. I don't want him to hate you anymore than he does already."
To his surprise, Narumiya's eyes darkened. "I could care less what Kazuya thinks of me. Or our relationship." He nudged him, giving him a serious look. "And I keep telling you his dislike of our relationship has nothing to do with you."
"But…"
Narumiya leaned in closer, kissing his forehead. "He dislikes me. Not you," he said softly but firmly.
Sawamura still looked unhappy, but he reluctantly nodded, giving him a small smile when Narumiya kissed his other cheek.
Miyuki knew about Sawamura's relationship with Narumiya?
He wasn't surprised Miyuki didn't like that they were together.
As he knew Miyuki liked Sawamura.
And had for a while now.
(He was pretty sure he wasn't the only one who noticed how Miyuki enjoyed having Sawamura's attention. And how he would always tease him or antagonize him more than anyone else.)
When Sawamura wasn't looking, Narumiya looked over at him, holding a finger to his lips.
… Ah.
So Narumiya knew about Miyuki's feelings for Sawamura and hadn't told him.
He nodded, blinking when Narumiya gave him an almost… relieved look.
(Sawamura liked Narumiya, and it was obvious he was really happy with him. If Sawamura learned about Miyuki's feelings for him, Sawamura would be troubled and… sad. His heart clenched at the thought of it.)
He watched as Narumiya looked over at Sawamura, Sawamura beaming at him and tugging on his sleeve, asking to try his drink.
"You do realize you have your own drink, right?" Narumiya raised an eyebrow.
Sawamura huffed, almost pouting. "But I want to try yours! It's different than mine!"
"You've never tried white hot chocolate before?" Narumiya scoffed. "You're missing out. It's the best kind."
Sawamura tugged on his sleeve again, pouting. "Does that mean I can try it?"
"… Alright, but just this once."
Sawamura's bright grin brightened even more, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "Thank you!"
Narumiya flushed, looking away briefly before picking up his cup and holding it out to Sawamura. "Here. Be careful, as it's still warm."
"I'm always careful!" Sawamura protested, accepting the cup and causing Narumiya to snicker. He sipped the drink, eyes lighting up at the taste. "This tastes like the chocolate I gave to you for Valentine's!"
Narumiya accepted the cup back, puffing his chest out. "I know, right? This is my favorite drink at this café. They make it with the good white chocolate and not the overly sweet kind."
"That's the kind you kept annoying me about, right?" Sawamura furrowed his eyebrows.
Narumiya shrugged, giving him a smirk. "I was right to remind you. You would've forgotten otherwise."
Sawamura frowned deeply. "I would not!" His eyes softened. "When it's for someone I care about, I put in the effort and remember things that are important."
"… Well, I'm happy you do." Narumiya cleared his throat before giving him a soft look. "I feel the same about you, you know."
Sawamura gave him a soft smile. "I know."
When they leaned in, clearly about to kiss, he coughed politely, causing them to flush and look at him.
… Seriously, these two were so embarrassing.
He could feel his cheeks heating up.
"How's your tea, Shishou?" Sawamura rubbed the back of his head.
He didn't know how, but he could tell they didn't do it on purpose.
They liked each other so much that they get lost in their own world, forgetting about everyone around them.
(Even him.)
But…
If he were honest, he was… happy Sawamura found someone who liked him for who he was.
(Even if that was Narumiya Mei.)
He nodded, giving him a smile. "It's good, Sawamura." He looked at Narumiya. "Thank you for the recommendation, Narumiya. This is some of the best tea I've had in a while."
"You're welcome." Narumiya puffed his chest out. "I'm not surprised you like it. This is the best café in Tokyo."
But before he could respond, Sawamura snorted, causing Narumiya to glare at him. "How do we know it's the best when we only visit this café?"
"It's the best because I know it's the best."
Sawamura snorted again. "What's with that logic? That doesn't make any sense."
"It does to me!"
Sawamura rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Not that you make much sense anyway."
Narumiya glowered at him. "Is that so?" He gave him a smirk a few moments later, causing Sawamura to blink. "I'm pretty sure you're the one who doesn't make a lot of sense a lot of the time. Especially…" He leaned in closer, whispering something into Sawamura's ear, his smirk widening when Sawamura's whole face, even his ears, turned red.
"You…!" Sawamura glanced at him before glowering at Narumiya. "Don't talk about stuff like that in front of Shishou!"
Narumiya pouted, leaning in closer. "Fine. I'll behave. You better thank me later." He grinned as Sawamura looked away from him, clearing his throat.
Chris sipped more of his tea, hoping the cup will hide his smile.
Narumiya could be acting…
(Which if he were, Narumiya should become a famous actor instead of a professional baseball player.)
But it seemed as though Narumiya really liked Sawamura.
He was relieved and happy Narumiya liked Sawamura just as much as Sawamura liked him.
(Maybe even more?)
And it seemed as though being on different teams (and rivals for that matter) didn't affect their relationship.
(If anything, it seemed as though their relationship had brought Sawamura and Inashiro's baseball team closer together.)
Sawamura and Narumiya joked with each other about something that happened on one of their previous dates, their attention on each other rather than on him.
But for once, he didn't mind.
As it gave him the opportunity to study Sawamura.
It wasn't just Narumiya who was surprising him today.
Sawamura was showing sides to him he didn't even know existed.
(Was that because of Narumiya's influence? Or did Sawamura always have those sides but never showed them to the rest of his teammates? He wasn't sure which one saddened him most.)
And he seemed… a lot more mature for some reason.
It wasn't that Sawamura was really immature before now.
(Inexperienced? Definitely. A bit of an idiot? Definitely. But immature? Not really.)
Sure, Sawamura was a little immature whenever he bickered with Miyuki.
And sure, he could be quite selfish when it came to wanting to pitch.
(But that was because Sawamura was a pitcher. Outside of pitching, Sawamura wasn't a selfish person. In fact, he was one of the most unselfish people he had ever met.)
And yeah, he did talk big about his pitching even when he couldn't pitch that well.
But he wasn't really immature.
And yet…
He didn't know how else to explain it.
This Sawamura who clearly liked Narumiya a lot seemed so mature to him.
Sawamura and even Narumiya for that matter weren't letting their egos get in the way of their relationship.
If anything, it seemed as though they accepted that part of each other.
… No, it looked as though they… accepted each other.
Completely.
But he had to make sure.
Maybe it was none of his business, as their relationship had nothing to do with him, but he felt as if he… had to look out for Sawamura.
After everything Sawamura did for him, he wanted to see him happy.
Always.
(His heart clenched at remembering how Sawamura was when he had the yips. He never wanted to see Sawamura like that again.)
And if that meant he had to warn Narumiya, he would.
He frowned at his empty cup.
But how would he get Narumiya alone?
(He could ask Sawamura to give them privacy, and he knew Sawamura would listen to him. But something about that bothered him.)
His eyes widened as he noticed his empty cup.
And all the people waiting in line at the cash register and waiting for their drinks.
Of course.
He could just do it that way.
He looked at Sawamura, about to call for his attention.
But before he could, Sawamura looked at him, furrowing his eyebrows. "Shishou? Is there something wrong?"
Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he gave him an apologetic smile, gesturing to his cup. "I seem to have drunk all my tea. I hate to ask, but could you get some more?"
Predictably, Sawamura beamed. "Of course, Shishou! I'm happy to help! I'll be right back!" But instead of getting up right away, he turned to look at Narumiya, eyes softening. "I'll be right back."
"Hurry back, okay?" Narumiya gave him a soft look. He grinned cheekily a few moments later. "We wouldn't want you to miss me too much, huh?"
Sawamura only shoved him, causing Narumiya to laugh loudly.
Sawamura picked up his cup and got up.
"Ah… Eijun."
He raised his eyebrows.
Narumiya called Sawamura by his given name?
Sawamura looked back at Narumiya, raising an eyebrow.
"I seem to have drunk all my white hot chocolate. Get me some more?" Narumiya winked.
Sawamura huffed, glaring at him. "You should get it yourself, you jerk." But he still picked up Narumiya's cup, rolling his eyes. "But I guess I can get yours while I'm getting Shishou's refill."
"What do you mean 'you guess'? I'm older than you, you know!" Narumiya gave him an offended look.
Sawamura huffed again, walking away from the table. "Only by a few months. You don't need to keep reminding me."
"Impertinent brat." Narumiya clicked his tongue.
Sawamura paused to look back at Chris, giving him a bright smile. "I'll be back as soon as possible, Shishou!"
"Oi, what about me?"
Sawamura looked back at Narumiya. "What about you?" He snorted. "Shishou's tea is much more important than your white hot chocolate. You can wait."
"What's with this preferential treatment? I'm your boyfriend, you know!"
Sawamura gave him a devilish grin. "Oh, is that what you are? I thought you were a brat pretending to be my boyfriend." And then he walked away, snickering.
"I don't want to hear that from you, you impertinent brat! Don't walk away from me!"
But Sawamura only shook his head, not looking back or even stopping.
Narumiya let out a loud huff, glowering in Sawamura's direction. "He's so impertinent sometimes. I don't know why I put up with him." And yet, it didn't take long for his eyes to soften, giving Sawamura's back a fond look.
Chris gave Sawamura's back a fond look of his own before looking back at Narumiya.
To his surprise, Narumiya furrowed his eyebrows, giving him a scrutinizing look. "You just did that on purpose, didn't you?"
He blinked a few times, caught off guard. "Eh?"
"That just now." Narumiya gestured to the table before gesturing to where Sawamura was waiting in line. "You asked him to go, knowing he wouldn't be back anytime soon."
He frowned. "Was I that transparent?"
He didn't think he was.
But maybe Narumiya was observing him more than he had thought?
"You weren't. But I've been watching you."
He raised his eyebrows despite himself at how blunt he was. "Is that so?"
Narumiya shook his head. "I don't mean anything bad by that, Chris-san." He tapped his chin. "Eijun's not the most observant person." He grinned cheekily. "Even though he's a pitcher." He tapped his chin again, looking serious. "You see, Eijun's popular."
He nodded.
That was a bit of an understatement.
As it seemed like anytime he saw Sawamura, Sawamura was surrounded by people.
"Eijun's really handsome, and with his personality, it's no wonder a lot of people have crushes on him." Narumiya clenched his fists, causing him to raise his eyebrows again. "But sometimes, he attracts… unwanted attention." He shrugged, relaxing his hands and looking down at them. "So I have to pay attention so that I can look out for him."
Chris had thought this earlier, but…
Was Narumiya the type to get jealous easily?
He frowned deeply. "And you were watching me because of that?"
"No. I didn't mean…" Narumiya pursed his lips, closing his eyes briefly before looking up at him. "Today was out of… habit. And curiosity." He gave him a small smile. "Eijun's told me so much about you that I couldn't help but study you and see if I could tell why he likes you so much."
That made sense.
He wasn't surprised Sawamura told Narumiya a lot about him.
(And Narumiya was a pitcher. He didn't know how much Narumiya knew about game calling, but Narumiya probably studied all the batters who step in front of him to see what they were up to and how to get them out.)
Chris couldn't help but smile at him. "Is that so? And did you find anything?"
Narumiya tapped his chin. "You definitely resemble Masa-san. And Eijun's told me about how much you've done for him." He grinned cheekily. "To tell the truth, he's talked so much about you that there have been moments where I wondered if Eijun likes you more than me."
He felt his cheeks heat up. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that."
"And he's told me about how you were there for him when he needed you most." Narumiya's eyes darkened, although he got the sense that Narumiya wasn't glaring at him. "When everyone else abandoned him."
His eyes widened despite himself.
Sawamura… had told him about the yips?
(Sawamura had trusted him that much back then?)
And what did he mean by 'abandoned'?
Sawamura's teammates hadn't abandoned him.
… Or did they?
Sawamura had looked so happy and relieved to see him.
It was as if Sawamura had been… waiting for someone to check on him.
And make sure he was alright.
Miyuki had asked him for help, but Sawamura didn't know that.
And everyone else was more focused on their own practice and getting into the first string.
(Maybe everyone really did abandon him. Sure, it probably wasn't on purpose, as he knew certain people would feel horrified if they had heard what Narumiya just said. But Sawamura didn't know that.)
Sawamura had to have felt really alone.
Just the thought of it was enough to make his heart clench.
"He…" Chris felt tempted to clear his throat for some reason. "He told me that, too." Narumiya furrowed his eyebrows. "He told me that you were there for him when he needed you most."
But instead of looking smug or happy, Narumiya's eyes darkened again. "Eijun tried to do the same for me. But I…" He clenched his fists. "I pushed him away. I hurt him."
Was he talking about what happened in the fall tournament?
"You didn't like him?" Chris furrowed his eyebrows. "I thought you two were dating."
Narumiya winced for some reason. "I don't know if Eijun or Kazuya told you, but I dated a lot of people before Eijun. I didn't treat any of them well, and I never liked them like I like Eijun." He clenched his fists tighter, causing him to worry about his left hand. "But at the time, I… didn't know I liked Eijun. No…" He shook his head, closing his eyes briefly. "Even if I liked him, I would've done the exact same thing."
A part of him wanted to scold Narumiya, especially when he thought about how much pain Sawamura had to have been in.
(Another part of him couldn't help but feel surprised. Narumiya was so self-aware in a way a lot of people weren't.)
But scolding him for something that already happened…
Especially something Sawamura had clearly forgiven him for…
It felt… wrong somehow.
And if that wasn't enough, it was obvious Narumiya regretted what happened.
Even now.
"But you never left Sawamura. And you've been there for him since."
Narumiya gave him a wide-eyed look. "You… You're not angry?"
He frowned deeply. "After what Sawamura did for me and knowing the kind of person he is, I can't help but look after him. So I won't deny that there's a part of me that's angry." Narumiya nodded. "But you apologized to Sawamura and clearly regret what happened. And seeing what I've seen today…" He gave him a soft smile. "You're good for Sawamura. I trust him and his judgment."
Narumiya looked so confused his lips twitched despite himself. "Wait… So you… believe I'm good for Eijun? Even after I admitted I hurt him?"
"This might be unneeded advice, but you need to forgive yourself." Narumiya's eyes widened. "Sawamura clearly has forgiven you and doesn't treat you any differently. You need to forgive yourself so that you can enjoy what you have with him."
Narumiya shook his head, an amused grin on his face. "You really do resemble Masa-san. And Eijun was right."
Narumiya didn't elaborate, but the fond look he gave Sawamura told him everything he needed to know.
"You know, Narumiya, I've been watching you, too." Narumiya nodded, clearly expecting that. "I knew Sawamura had stopped liking Miyuki and started liking someone else. But I never expected it would be you."
Narumiya chuckled. "After what happened at the summer tournament, I don't blame you."
He didn't know why, but he could tell Narumiya wasn't trying to offend him.
(Maybe it was because Narumiya told him he resembled Harada a little bit? Narumiya seemed to respect Harada, although he knew that didn't mean Narumiya would respect him because of that.)
"Sawamura was so happy we were going to meet today." He smiled, shaking his head fondly. "He wouldn't stop talking about you."
Narumiya flushed, smiling softly. "I can imagine that. A happy Eijun is infectious."
"I agree. And I'm glad I came. You obviously like Sawamura a lot."
Narumiya's eyes widened before giving him a relieved look. "Thank you. I really do."
"But…" He narrowed his eyes, a part of him liking how Narumiya flinched. "If you hurt Sawamura again, and I hear about it, I won't forgive you."
Narumiya gave him a serious look. "I can't promise that I won't hurt him in the future. But I'll do my best not to. That time when I hurt him…" He winced. "It's something I think about constantly. And I really don't want to see him that upset again." His eyes darkened. "I don't understand how…"
To his confusion, Narumiya never finished what he was going to say. "You make Sawamura happy. Keep doing that. That's all I want," he said, giving him a soft smile.
"Thank you, Chris-san." Narumiya smiled. "I can see why Eijun respects you so much. He really cares about your opinion, you know."
He felt tempted to clear his throat. "He cares about it a little too much." Narumiya snickered. "But I can't say I mind it that much."
"I can tell." Narumiya grinned cheekily. "You seem really fond of Eijun." He gave him a serious look, causing him to blink. "But seriously, I am happy I got to meet you. And I know this might be asking for a lot, but I hope you stay in Eijun's life for a long time."
He shook his head fondly. "I couldn't forget about Sawamura even if I tried. And as long as Sawamura wants me around, I plan to stay."
"That makes two of us," Narumiya said, smiling softly. He gave him another serious look. "I know I already asked you this, but about Kazuya…"
He nodded. "I don't plan on telling Sawamura about Miyuki's feelings for him." He frowned deeply. "If Sawamura learned about them, he would be troubled and sad. But he'll also reject Miyuki, don't worry."
Narumiya scoffed. "I'm not worried about Eijun. I know he'll reject Kazuya if Kazuya ever confesses to him." His eyes darkened. "I hate the thought of Kazuya making a move on him, though. All he'll do is hurt Eijun."
"I'm going to be graduating soon, so I won't always be around." Narumiya pursed his lips, nodding. "But if I'm ever around and Miyuki decides to try something, I'll intervene. Because I care about Sawamura's happiness."
Narumiya gave him a relieved look. "Thank you, Chris-san. I appreciate it."
"Sorry to make you wait, Shishou!"
He blinked, looking over and seeing Sawamura approach their table.
Sawamura huffed, setting his and Narumiya's cups in front of them. "I can't believe it took me that long!" He gave each cup a worried look. "Hopefully, they're still warm enough."
Chris picked up his cup, smiling as he could feel the warmth through the cup. He sipped it carefully before looking at Sawamura. "It's still warm, Sawamura. Thank you."
Sawamura perked up, giving him a bright smile. "Of course, Shishou! I was happy to help!" He looked over at Narumiya, biting his lower lip as he watched him sip his drink.
"I don't know what you're worried about. This is still warm." Narumiya gave him a cheeky grin. "I can't say the same for your drink, though."
"Shut up! I couldn't say no to Shishou, and you know it!"
Narumiya snickered, nudging him. "Well, what matters is you're back. I was talking to Chris-san while we were waiting for you."
Sawamura tilted his head. "Really? What did you guys talk about?"
"You."
Sawamura flushed, looking between them before looking at Narumiya. "Me? What do you mean?"
"We were talking about how difficult it is to look after you."
Sawamura narrowed his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Narumiya snickered again. "You can be a handful at times."
"That isn't true!" Sawamura looked at Chris, probably seeing him nod out of the corner of his eye. He looked horrified. "Shishou! You think so, too?"
Chris' lips twitched despite himself. "I'm sorry, Sawamura, but I have to agree with Narumiya. You can be a handful at times."
"S-Shishou!"
Narumiya laughed loudly, Chris hiding his smile behind his cup.
They sat and talked some more, Narumiya pestering Sawamura about how practice was going. And about Seidou's strategy for Koushien.
But Sawamura didn't tell him anything, huffing and telling him it was a secret.
When Narumiya pouted, Sawamura leaned in, kissing his cheek and telling him he wouldn't tell him anything.
Narumiya huffed, but he perked up, a cheeky grin coming onto his face as Sawamura kissed his other cheek. He pulled him closer, whispering into his ear, grinning when Sawamura flushed.
Chris decided to be nice and look away, letting them kiss.
Once they finished their drinks, they got ready, Sawamura rolling his eyes good-naturedly as he helped Narumiya into his winter coat, causing Narumiya to grin smugly.
They walked around the city some more, Sawamura offering to buy Chris dinner somewhere.
But Chris shook his head apologetically, telling him he should get back to Seidou.
And while Sawamura was obviously disappointed, he reluctantly agreed, his smile returning to his face as he suggested they walk him back.
… Which was good, as he still had to talk to both about something.
Chris wasn't surprised to see them holding hands the whole time, Narumiya moving closer to Sawamura each time the cold wind blew.
They talked and joked with each other, catching up on what they've been up to lately.
Sometimes, they would include him and ask him a question or direct a comment toward him.
But he mainly stayed quiet and watched them interact with each other.
Watching them interact now…
How could someone believe they weren't together?
The way they looked at each other, especially when the other wasn't looking…
(… Well, they gave each other looks regardless.)
But those soft looks…
Did he somehow miss these looks during the summer tournament finals?
(Well, according to Narumiya, he didn't know he even liked Sawamura back then but still.)
Were they shooting each other looks the whole time and he never realized?
(Not just him. The whole team didn't even realize. Or if someone realized, they hadn't said anything about it.)
… Maybe he didn't know Sawamura as well as he thought.
Sawamura always seemed so honest.
(Well, he was a horrible liar anyway. But sometimes, Sawamura could be too honest.)
He probably wasn't the only one who thought Sawamura couldn't hide anything.
And it was true in a way.
All someone had to do was ask Sawamura something, and they could tell whether he was lying.
But that was it, wasn't it?
No one (besides Miyuki and now him) even knew about Sawamura's relationship with Narumiya.
The rest of Sawamura's teammates (or at least those who liked to hang out in Miyuki's room) had heard about Sawamura's supposed girlfriend from Nagano.
But everyone knew she probably wasn't coming to visit almost every evening and almost every weekend.
Of course, they had all assumed Sawamura's significant other was someone in Tokyo.
But as far as he knew, no one had asked Sawamura who he was dating.
And he supposed he couldn't blame them.
Even he didn't ask who Sawamura was dating.
He almost sighed.
He wasn't even a little curious.
Sure, it was good Sawamura was happy.
And it wasn't as if Sawamura let it affect baseball.
But…
He still could've asked.
Well, Sawamura would've been forced to tell the truth if he had asked.
And after what happened with Narumiya's teammates, Sawamura probably felt even more reluctant to tell the truth.
If Sawamura had told him about it before now (or even sometime during the summer tournament), he didn't know how he would've felt.
Angry?
Disappointed?
Ashamed?
He shook his head, frowning deeply.
Although he didn't know Sawamura as well as he thought, he felt confident he wouldn't have felt ashamed.
(As he knew Sawamura. This… mature Sawamura with sides he had never seen before was still Sawamura. The same Sawamura who helped him and brightened everyone's lives.)
When Sawamura told him he was dating Narumiya, he had mainly felt confusion.
Sure, there was some hurt, especially after learning he had been dating him for a while now, and he hadn't said anything.
(Not that Sawamura had to tell him anything. But he wasn't blind nor oblivious. He knew he was important to Sawamura. Even Narumiya said as much.)
But he hadn't felt angry or disappointed.
Or ashamed.
And after learning what he did today, he understood why Sawamura hadn't loudly proclaimed his relationship with Narumiya.
(And Sawamura had told him right after he told his family. Which… spoke volumes about his relationship with him.)
Even he didn't know how the rest of Seidou would react when they heard who Sawamura was dating.
(Hopefully, they wouldn't give Sawamura a hard time about it. Especially once they saw how happy Sawamura was.)
They wouldn't hurt Sawamura or treat him differently…
… Right?
Sawamura and Narumiya stopped under a tree just outside the Seidou dormitory.
To his surprise, they looked at each other for a few moments before Narumiya nodded, giving Sawamura a cheeky grin. "I'll allow you two to talk in private. I'm feeling generous today."
Sawamura rolled his eyes good-naturedly, but he also gave him a soft, grateful smile.
He walked with Sawamura, stopping a few meters from the entrance to the Seidou dormitory.
… Well, he did want to speak to Sawamura alone, so this was perfect.
But Sawamura spoke before he could, giving him an expectant look. "What did you think, Shishou?"
It was obvious what Sawamura was asking.
He gave Sawamura a soft smile. "I'm glad I came, Sawamura. Sorry for taking up so much of your time."
"Eh?" Sawamura gasped, eyes widening before quickly shaking his head. "No, that's my line. I'm sorry I…" He looked over at where Narumiya was standing before looking at him again. "I mean, I'm sorry we took up so much of your time. Especially when you're so busy."
Chris shook his head. "Don't be. It was a nice change of pace." Much to his amusement, Sawamura's jaw dropped. "Sawamura?"
"I… I just realized…" Sawamura glanced over at Narumiya before stepping closer to him, giving him one of his brightest smiles. "You… Does that mean you approve? Of Mei?"
He nodded. "I'm glad you're happy Sawamura. And I can tell Narumiya really likes you."
To his confusion, Sawamura looked down at the ground, lifting his fists up to his chest. His body started shaking, causing him to feel concerned.
He was about to ask what was wrong.
Only for him to jump as Sawamura let out a triumphant yell, throwing his arms into the air.
It was as if Sawamura had been holding it all in.
"Mei got Shishou's approval! Shishou approves of our relationship!"
Honestly, this kid…
(Sawamura was still Sawamura after all. He supposed he should've expected this reaction.)
Sawamura let out another triumphant yell before looking in Narumiya's direction and yelling loud enough so that Narumiya could hear. "We did it, Mei! You got Shishou's approval! Do you realize how important this is? This is Shishou we're talking about! Shishou!"
"Alright, alright! I understand! Now shut up!" He couldn't see Narumiya's expression from this far away, but there was no mistaking the amusement in his voice. "Or do you want all of Tokyo to hear you?"
(Or the rest of Sawamura's teammates for that matter.)
And as if Narumiya had said the magic words, Sawamura immediately shut up. But he didn't stop beaming or bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Thank you very much, Shishou! You have no idea how much this means to me!"
Oh, he had an idea.
He almost needed to look away, Sawamura's bright grin almost blinding him. "And don't worry, Sawamura. I won't tell anyone about your relationship without your permission."
"Of course I believe you, Shishou! I trust you!"
He swore Sawamura's eyes were sparkling.
But that was probably just his imagination.
(Sawamura should be looking at Narumiya that way. Not him.)
Sawamura suddenly frowned, stopping in place, causing him to blink a few times. "To tell the truth, Shishou, I don't plan on keeping my relationship with Mei a secret forever. I do want to eventually tell the rest of the team. I just…" He shrugged, his heart clenching at the sad look on his face. "I'm waiting for the right time, I guess."
"Take your time, Sawamura. If you're not ready to tell them, don't. It's your choice who to tell and not tell." Chris gave him a soft smile.
But Sawamura's frown remained on his face. "That's not it." He huffed. "I… Cap knows about our relationship."
… Ah.
That was right.
Sawamura had mentioned that earlier, too.
"Come to think of it, you didn't tell Miyuki about your relationship?"
Sawamura shook his head, huffing again. "He found out one night. By eavesdropping on me." He narrowed his eyes. "Can you believe him?"
So it had been an accident.
(It was stupid and probably a little childish, but he felt… relieved to hear Sawamura didn't tell Miyuki. Like Sawamura did with him.)
Chris furrowed his eyebrows. "You're worried about Miyuki knowing?"
"I…" Sawamura pursed his lips before nodding a few moments later. "I just… He hates that we're still together. I want to believe in Cap… But sometimes, I wonder why he hasn't said anything."
As much as he hated to admit it, he understood where Sawamura was coming from.
And normally, he would reassure Sawamura or try to come up with a reason.
But he couldn't help but think of Miyuki's feelings for Sawamura.
Maybe that was why?
"That's why…" Sawamura gave him a determined look. "I will tell the rest of the team one day. Besides…" He gave him a soft smile. "I really like Mei. And I'm not ashamed of our relationship."
He shook his head fondly. "You know I support you, Sawamura. And if anything comes up, let me know."
He wanted (badly) to reassure him.
That… the rest of the team would understand.
That they wouldn't get upset or treat him differently.
But Narumiya was their enemy.
He wouldn't be surprised if some of them got angry with him.
And didn't understand why Sawamura was dating Narumiya.
To his relief, Sawamura gave him a bright smile. "Thank you very much, Shishou! I can do anything with Shishou's support!"
"Sawamura, is it alright if I speak to Narumiya alone? I won't take long."
Sawamura blinked a few times before beaming. "Of course, Shishou!" He looked over at Narumiya, beckoning him over before giving Chris a deep bow. As Narumiya walked over, Sawamura walked past him, knocking his left shoulder into Narumiya's left shoulder.
Once Narumiya came over, Chris gave him a soft smile. "I just wanted to say I'm glad I got to meet you."
"I'm glad I got to meet you, too, especially after everything Eijun's told me." Narumiya smiled.
He gave him a scrutinizing look, causing Narumiya to blink a few times. "You know, Narumiya… I wasn't sure what to make of your relationship with Sawamura at first, as I have heard… rumors about you."
Narumiya nodded. "I'm not surprised."
"But because it's Sawamura, I decided to give you a chance. And I can see now I was right to give you that chance." He gave him a soft smile. "While some of the rumors about you are true, it's obvious you really like Sawamura. And that's the most important thing."
Narumiya gave him a relieved smile. "That means a lot, Chris-san." He gave him a serious look. "I promise I'll continue looking after him and making him happy. And as long as Eijun still wants me in his life, I won't leave."
"I'm glad. I'm sure things won't be easy once the season starts back up again, but you and Sawamura have been making it work so far. Whatever it is you two are doing, keep doing it."
Narumiya's eyes widened for some reason before giving him another serious look. "We will. I don't think things will be easy, but I am really happy we're together. And I want to make this work no matter what."
He knew their relationship was serious, especially if Sawamura had told his family about it.
But it almost sounded as if Narumiya… never wanted to break up with him.
(He could understand, as he could tell Narumiya really liked Sawamura and was really happy with him.)
They were still in high school, and none of them knew what the future had in store for them.
But…
He really hoped these two stayed together for a long time.
"I'm sure Sawamura feels the same as you."
Narumiya beamed at him, causing him to stare and almost gape. "Yeah, I know he does!"
Part of him knew he shouldn't feel surprised, as Narumiya made that expression earlier.
But that was while Narumiya was talking to Sawamura.
Not him.
Narumiya looked good with a smile on his face.
And he hoped Narumiya would smile a lot more in the future, too.
(He will if Sawamura continued to stick around, that was for sure.)
Chris talked to Narumiya a little bit more before gesturing for Sawamura to join them, wanting to say goodbye to both at the same time.
Sawamura bowed deeply, thanking him once again for coming and for approving of Narumiya and their relationship.
Narumiya didn't bow as deeply as Sawamura, but he did bow for a few moments, thanking him for everything and wishing him luck with university baseball.
He felt really happy he met Narumiya.
(Especially since Sawamura liked him so much.)
Narumiya really liked Sawamura.
It was difficult when none of them knew what the future had in store for them…
But he felt confident he could trust Narumiya to look after Sawamura and make him happy.
And he hoped that if their relationship ever got any more… serious, Sawamura would let him know.
Because he truly wished for both to be happy.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Author Notes: I hope y'all enjoyed this fic.
Reviews/favorites/follows are appreciated.
Wow, I can't believe I managed to write over 10k in Chris' point of view. This fic is a lot shorter than a lot of the fics I've been posting lately, but that's mainly because I was writing in Chris' point of view. Hopefully, I did Chris' character justice, as I know a lot of people really like him.
When I was thinking about the conversations Chris, Eijun, and Mei could have, I knew I wanted to include certain ones (like Chris warning Mei and Mei admitting how he hurt Eijun in the past). But then I remembered the connection Chris and Mei have. Chris was on the same Senior team as Shirakawa, and I feel like Shirakawa (and maybe even Mei and Shirakawa's senpai) would've remembered Chris and wonder why he wasn't playing when Miyuki became the main catcher in his first year. So I knew I had to add that in, especially if Eijun's been telling everyone at Inashiro (or at least most of the first string) about Chris.
Can't remember where I saw it, but someone mentioned how Harada is like Chris. And I wanted to add that in, as I feel like Eijun and Mei will notice that and want to mention it. I was thinking of adding in a conversation between Eijun and Mei where they would talk about how Chris is more handsome than Harada, but I couldn't fit it in.
We're getting pretty close to Act II, which is pretty exciting! It depends on how many plot bunnies I can come up with, but I'm thinking we might have one or two more fics before Act II starts? I'm thinking my next fic will be set on White Day. White Day is set a month after Valentine's, and it's a day in Japan where people give reciprocal gifts to those who gave them gifts on Valentine's. I haven't figured out all the details of that fic yet, but I'm thinking it'll have some type of Meisawa date and Eijun and Mei thanking each other somehow. I'm looking forward to writing it!
See y'all next time!