Chapter 2
OKUMURA MET A STRANGER
The sun was shining brightly from an unusually clear blue sky. Only a few clouds on the horizon gave a hint of possible rain later. Sawamura remained silent and motionless. Within moments, the school nurse was in the clinic working over the young boy, taking his temperature, blood pressure and performing other test as they waited for a doctor.
"Yeah, he won't wake up. He's running a high fever. The nurse have got to call the doctor immediately and he rushed him to the nearest hospital, right Furuya?" Kanemaru said to them in the dinning hall.
"Yeah. Everyone panicked... except me." Furuya lied.
"Oh, no." Maezono worried.
"I noticed he's not okay since morning while we're both practicing the numbers." Miyuki said.
"Did Kuramochi-senpai kicked him too much that makes Sawamura sick?" Toujo wondered.
"Probably." Haruichi nodded.
"Shut up!" Kuramochi yelled.
Miyuki turned to him, "What happened afterward?" Miyuki asked that everyone turned towards Kuramochi.
"Hmph! That idiot told us he had a bad dream about kidnapping and murdering someone. He's so annoying." Kuramochi sounded worried.
"Oh, it was just a dream." Shirasu said.
"Yeah and he's doing fine yesterday in the practice game right?" Kawakami said.
Asada looked at his senpais and said, "This morning, Sawamura-senpai's headache started while changing clothes. Kuramochi-senpai had already left the room. And then, within a few seconds, Sawamura-senpai felt chilled. Then a few minutes later, he was burning up, sweating and vomiting."
Everyone turned to Asada with wide eyes and slightly ajar jaws.
"Why you didn't tell us?!" Kuramochi yelled.
"Hey, relax!" Maezono said.
"I'm so sorry senpai! Actually his fever lasted one hour and then he took a nap. When Sawamura-senpai woke up, the fever was gone but he said he ached all over." Asada said.
"Case closed. Kuramochi's fault." Miyuki nodded.
"You jerk! You're talking crazy! Why are you accusing me of doing something to that idiot?" Kuramochi said angrily.
Outside the dinning hall, Okumura was running alone in the field. Then he stopped, panted and grabbed the towel hanging on his shoulders to wipe the sweat running down his forehead. As he was resting he notice the sky starts to turn cloudy and gray. Wind blew in, the rain was coming soon. Okumura could smell it. He started to run again then, but had only taken a few steps when he suddenly stopped and turned to the man who was calling him outside the fence.
"Hey, can I ask you something?" the young man said.
Okumura don't like to talk to the strangers but couldn't persuade his feet to move.
"How can I help you, sir?" Okumura walked towards the man.
"If you don't mind, Koushuu-kun. Where are the other boys?" the young man asked, worriedly.
Okumura frowned as he heard his name, "We don't have practice today, sir, and a bunch of my senpais were resting."
"Is that so? I'm just waiting on your pitchers to show up in the practice field but I didn't see them around. And I got to wondering where your ace player was. I haven't seen Sawamura Eijun yet." the young man asked, smiling.
Okumura was staring at the stranger for one minute, then he raised his eyebrows.
"Well, if I know Sawamura-senpai like you do then he will be here if I just know it."Okumura lied.
"Yeah. Well, he's the most jolly and hardworking person I know. It's so rare not to see him around." the young man laughed.
"I am sure it has nothing to do with you, sir. I want to make sure that Sawamura-senpai is protected from anything." Okumura said, loud enough for the stranger to hear.
"Wow, you're so rude. I'm just asking." the young man said, trying to be nice. "Well, thanks. Weird guy!" he added and started to walk away.
Okumura didn't respond as he watched the man walk away. He wasn't sure how much time passed while he was talking with the stranger but he snapped out of it when Seto entered.
"Koushuu! There you are!" Seto smiled.
Seto paused as he saw Okumura looking at the man walking away from the fence, "What's the matter?" he asked.
Okumura glanced at his friend and told him about everything.
Entering hospital room, Kataoka and Rei carrying flowers, they find Sawamura asleep on oxygen. Rei set the flowers down on a dresser across the room so Sawamura will see them when he wakes up.
"Sawamura-kun has developed a high fever. His x-rays indicate that there is pneumonia in his right lung. We are keeping him on oxygen for now and treating him with antibiotics but if his condition worsens we may have to move him to ICU." the doctor carefully explained.
"Pneumonia?" Rei shocked.
"Yes, madam. He needs to take deep breaths and cough when he is awake and for now I have him on bed rest. His fever has been as high as 104. He needs a lot of rest to get well but he is strong and I am optimistic." the doctor added.
"Thank you doctor." Kataoka bowed and extends his hand to the doctor.
"You're welcome and see you later." the doctor bowed his head, leaving the room.
"Right now we have concentrate on getting Sawamura well and healthy again." Kataoka said.
"Yes. I will inform his family immediately." Rei said. "How about the boys?" she added.
"I'd already told Oota-sensei. I will talk to the school tomorrow and see what arrangements can be made." Kataoka said as he sat down in the chair, "We also need preparations for the players for an upcoming match. I'll ask coach Ochiai if he's available to observe the pre-game to make adjustment."
"That's a good plan. How about Sawamura's visitors?" Rei asked.
"I think it would be best for now if we put a 'No Visitors' sign on the door so they won't be here all of the time when he should be resting." Kataoka answered.
"He doesn't want to see them worried anyhow." Rei sighed.
Kataoka flips open his cellphone and calls Oota, the club president of the baseball team. He heard it begin to ring. After what seem like a week, he finally heard the phone pick up and said, "Good evening Oota-sensei, I'm spending one night with Rei-san here on hospital to make sure Sawamura is all right. Can you please ask the boys if they ever found Sawamura running in the rain these past few weeks?"
Oota nodded, "Okay, one moment coach! Guys, did anyone see Sawamura-kun blah blah—"
Kataoka heard Oota's voice on the other end of the line asking the boys, while Rei's watching him. Over the cellphone came the voices of their players talking and murmuring.
"Coach! Confirmed!" Oota's voice broke in, "Asada-kun saw him two weeks ago."
"How long was Sawamura out in the rain?" Kataoka asked.
"Okay," Oota nodded, Kataoka was put on hold.
"Asada-kun said it's probably about an hour and a half or two hours." Oota replied.
"Thank you, Oota-sensei. I will call you back just in case there's a problem with Sawamura." Kataoka said and turned off the phone.
On the spirit dorm, everyone was quiet and has a worried look on their face obviously.
Oota looked around to make sure that everyone was paying attention. He sank into a chair and took a deep breath before starting to speak, "He's got pneumonia."
Everyone was shocked when they heard the news.
"Pneumonia?" Kuramochi shook his head, "How can he? He hasn't been sick. He had sniffles for a day or five, but noting that would give you pneumonia."
"Haven't you heard? He's running in the cold rain two weeks ago. A person may not feel it until two or three weeks after becoming infected." Miyuki said.
"Oh, okay. Thanks for explaining cap!" Kuramochi rolled his eyes, feeling like an idiot.
"How is he? Can we see him, sensei?" Haruichi asked.
Oota clear his throat, cautioned the boys. "Coach also said Sawamura-kun was not allowed to have visitors except his family."
"Have coach Kataoka said anything about Sawamura's current condition?" Ochiai asked, that make everyone startled.
"He said Sawamura-kun is in stable condition... for now, but he is unconscious." Oota replied.
Everyone went quiet and listened to the sound of the rain outside.
"He should be fine. Sawamura-kun is strong." Oota smiled, trying to cheer the players, "Coach Kataoka and Rei-san are taking very good care of him. He promised to call us if there is any change or if they decide Sawamura-kun need to be moved to ICU." he added.
"Will he be all right tonight?" Furuya asked.
"Yes, of course, Furuya-kun." Oota smiled.
"That's good." Furuya said.
The boys noticed how tired the baseball club president appears, his shoulders are slumped as though he is carrying a great weight since Kataoka was not there, and there's worry and concern in his eyes.
"You are tired Oota-sensei, let me take you to dinner tonight and you just relax, please." Ochiai said.
"Yes, that sounds nice coach Ochiai, just let me change into something nice." Oota smiled.
"No need for that, you look fine." Ochiai told Oota as he walks him to the exit door before turning his attention back to the players.
"Since it was still gloomy outside, just relax and enjoy the evening. Things will look better in the morning." Ochiai said before he left.
"Wow, is that really coach Ochiai? I hadn't thought about that. How careless of me." Maezono amazed, scratching his head.
"Well, it's time to go back to our room guys and then we can get some rest." Miyuki said as he rose up to stretch his muscles. "And... finish everything on your plate first years!" Miyuki grinned.
The seniors quietly left the dinning hall except the first year squad who stayed behind to finish their meal. Mogami glanced from side to side, as if seeking a way to flee.
"Finish your meal, Mogami. You can't waste it." Yui said.
"It's easy for you to say! But, what if we can't finish all this food?" Mogami said, ready to puke.
"Oh, don't worry about that. Masashi can eat at least half of this on his own." Seto laughed.
"Really?" Kuki and Asada both blinked.
"That's not true." Masashi said.
"Of course I'm just joking, right Koushuu?" Seto grinned.
"Instead of talking, why you guys just shut up and finish your meal and leave." Okumura said in a deep irritated voice.
They agreed and just sat there, remained silent for a few moments. In the middle of the evening, the sky was still covered with dark heavy clouds but the rain sounds so beautiful. After dinner, the first years gathered to clean up. Asada and Mogami were cleaning the table when they noticed Okumura and Seto were whispering to each other. Of course that made them want to know what Okumura and Seto were saying. So Mogami moved over and busied himself at the table nearest them. He had to look like he's not interested. He just heard small things but when Seto noticed him, he started talking to Mogami that he shouldn't be eavesdropping but Mogami just couldn't help, his fellow first years were that curious.
"I think we should tell them, right Koushuu?" Seto smiled at Okumura.
"About what?" Yui asked.
Seto and Okumura looked at each other, thinking together in silence. After a moment, Okumura nodded, and then Seto.
"Koushuu told me that there's a stranger standing outside the field. He's watchin' Koushuu while running and then called him and asked about Sawamura-senpai's whereabouts." Seto said.
Asada, Kuki, Mogami, Masashi and Yui were speechless. But outside the dinning hall, Miyuki was standing there listening, completely bewildered. He finally broke the silence.
"Who's that man? Tell me." He said.
NOTE:
It's me again! Thanks for reading the chapter 2. I noticed coach Ochiai is kinda OOC here hehe or it's just me, but I'm glad to put some minor characters here in the story. While making this, I notice about some similarity with Our Future Ace fanfic because Sawamura is sick *scratching head* I'm so stupid. I'm really sorry guys but I'm trying to not make this stroy like OFA. Perhaps, I'll make Sawamura alive and get well. Well, I dunno. Thank you~
