Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, the characters go with their respective creators of diamond no ace and I do not claim ownership of the characters or the world.

A/N: Hello everyone, i sincerely apologize for not updating for the past week. (sad) I have been sick for the past few days, and still under recuperation right now... but honestly stuck in bed is boring... So here is the recent update, and please please everyone keep safe and healthy ok. Peace out!

Chapter 5

Eijun was grinning widely as he was getting ready to bat. "Eijun…" someone called out to him, as he turn he saw Itsuki looking at him closely.

"I know you are good at bunting, so I think it would be best to just focus on not getting Sagato sempai into a good rhythm. On the first pitch just show a bunt, he would most likely throw his slider then." Itsuki informs as he watched Tohru talking to Sagato on the mound.

"Ehhhh… so I won't try to hit his slider?" Eijun asked confused.

"Actually we don't want you to hit anything kid… we want you to just stand there and destroy his rhythm by showing bunt signs, that's it…" Asano added.

"Huh…. Ehhhh… then how can we score if I won't take a home run from him?" Eijun asked surprised.

Everyone on the dugout turn to look at him dumbfounded, like hitting a homerun from him is next thing to impossible. They all knew the Eijun was working on his batting, however right now, they highly doubt he can make a clean hit without the captain, coach or Tohru telling him what angle to position his bat. "Ahm… not to burst your bubble, but I highly doubt any of us can guess what angle the ball would drop for you to hit the ball Sawamura…" Asano explained, trying not to laugh.

"Hmp…." Eijun pouted as he could clearly see that the team does not expect him to make contact with the ball at all.

"Well… just in case, if Sagato sempai first pitch would be a slider, then most likely the next pitch would be an outside fastball..." Itsuki informs as he was pretty much guessing in regards to the pitch sequence that Tohru was using.

"Yeah… so just stand there in the box Sawamura and look pretty" Asano ordered as he pushed him towards the field. "Once you are done, it would be our turn anyways so don't sweat it, we can score after."

Eijun was reluctant in what to do now as he slowly step in the batter box. He sighed, then noticed Daiki watching him closely, and for some reason he remembered what he told him the night he just came back from Osaka, 'being the ace does not limit you just on the mound but also in batting and the dugout' he could clearly see Daiki's serious look on his memories as he mentioned those words to him. He took a deep breath as he showed a bunting stance. He watched Sagato do his windup and threw the ball directly towards Tohru's mitt, he avoided the in high slider that was thrown. "Strike" the umpire yelled, 'owh it was a slider… just like what Itsuki said… then the next pitch would most likely be a fastball, if I would be guessing correctly, an outside fastball would have this kind of angle… Eijun thought as he made a batting stance instead of his regular bunt style of batting.

Tohru wrinkled his forehead as he watched Eijun relax his grip on the maple bat he was holding, and do a normal batting stance. Based from his observation, the team might have ordered him not to swing at all, yet he was their showing a regular batting stance. He look at Sagato, who was also obviously surprised in Eijun batting stance, well it cannot be help, we all know he could be so unpredictable and he is not yet good at batting unless someone is telling him what angles to take… Tohru thought, as he gave a sign for an out low fastball.

Eijun looked closely as Sagato did his windup, and threw the ball. He immediately grip the bat hard then did a step in the batter box, swinging the bat as hard as he could. "CLANK!" a loud sound could be heard as the ball was hit by the bat and it sailed out towards the bleachers stand of the BJ facility. Eijun was so surprised it actually hit, as he drop the bat and turn to look at Itsuki and grin widely. His team dug out was all staring at him with their mouth open, like a miracle just happened.

There was complete silence on the field, as Tohru stood up watching the ball bounce in the bleachers. He look at Eijun slowly jogging around the field, making him smile. "Sagato you ok?" he asked for the sake of just checking on his pitcher. However the pitcher look at him wide eyed, "Tohru… did you see that… the kid… the kid … just got a home run!" he answered instead all excited. Tohru smiled from ear to ear as he watched the excitement from his pitcher's eyes. Considering it was his pitch that was hit, he seems to be excited for the batter who actually hit it, well I cannot blame him considering we are talking about Eijun here.

"Oi… who is next to bat?" the umpire inquired obviously seeing no one was making a move to stand on the batter box.

"Owhhh… sorry coach!" one of the team players answered immediately as he was standing their also looking at Eijun passing the second base. Tohru shook his head, it seems that everyone was in shock since no one expected Eijun would be able to hit a homerun.

Itsuki was so surprised, he was already out of the dugout waiting for Eijun, as the latter reach home base, a boom of cheer suddenly sounded not just in their own dugout but on the opposing dugout out as well.

"Nice hit Sawamura" Sagato cheered on the mound, smiling brightly.

"Good job Eijun!" Tohru greeted as well,

"Ehhh… Thank you Sagato sempai and Hero sempai…" Eijun blushed as he reached home plate. It was obvious that coach Shoji also wanted to praise Sawamura, however he was acting as umpire thus he was unable to praise him, but he did show a thumbs up as Eijun turn to look at him. Eijun grin widely, as he also heard the cheers not just from his team dugout but also on the other end. He turn to look at Daiki, who was smiling proudly as he look at him.

"Eijun… oh my gosh… good job!" Itsuki greeted the moment Eijun move towards them, slowly removing his batting gloves, and then he flinched.

"Yeah… kid… the heck… how did you even do that…" Asano asked. The other members of the team were also starting to huddle towards Eijun greeting and praising him for the homerun, however Itsuki noticed Eijun was not answering and was more like he had a clouded expression upon removing his batting gloves.

"Eijun… you ok?" Itsuki asked curiously.

"Itsuki…." Eijun answered while bead of tears started to show in his eyes. He slowly raised his hands, and it could be noticed that both his hands were swelling.

"Ehhhhh…" Itsuki look stunned.

"The hell… What the heck were you thinking Sawamura… this is why we told you not to swing… someone get some ice pack…" Asano yelled, the cheers of happiness turn to worry as they noticed Eijun's hands turning red.

"Eijun… you are so careless… we have a spring tournament too" Itsuki informs as he sighed.

"Stupid… you do realize what happened; what if you got injured… the hell… Stupid!" Asano was now yelling, as he immediately put the ice packs in Eijun's hand.

"What is going on?" Shoji asked slowly as he noticed a bit of commotion on Eijun's side of the bullpen. He understood the excitement, but it seems something else was happening.

Tohru heard the coach's question behind his back; however he was getting ready to receive a pitch from Sagato. As he watched their pitcher do his windup and threw the ball directly towards the mitt, having the batter do a swing and miss. "That was a strike coach…" Tohru answered, as he stood up and threw the ball back to Sagato. He then put his attention towards Eijun's dug out. Huh… what is happening… As Tohru watched closely he could clearly notice Eijun's teary expression, and at the same time Asano holding Eijun's hands with some packs. He removed his catchers helmet, you have got to be kidding me… that Stupid Eijun… he immediately left the catchers position ignoring their coach and Sagato's call as he jog towards Eijun. "What the hell is going on?" he asked, though he has pretty much have a guess, as Itsuki and the others gave way to Tohru who came jogging in.

"Hero sempai…" Eijun was now obviously tearing up as he showed his hands with icepacks. He remove his mitt and handed it over to Itsuki as he immediately hold Eijun's hand then tried to check if there are any injuries from his hands up until his shoulders. He sigh in relief, however his seriousness and annoyance did not disappear from his face. "How can you be so careless on this matter… you have a competition coming up, the last thing we need is the Doc finding out we got you injured. You should have not hit that damn pitch if you were unsure of the angle that was so careless of you. Though it seems it is just from the impact of the hit through the bat… your lucky we have been using a maple bat instead of your regular steel bats that high school use" Tohru tirade as he was relieve checking there are no serious injury but at the same time worried in seeing Eijun's distressed expression.

"It is still better to have it double check… Masato…" Shoji called one of the coaching staff as he move close towards Tohru's group, he got the gist of the situation after watching the panic stricken face of the other players and Tohru's tirade. "Take Sawamura to the Harashi hospital, we just need to make sure there were no injuries…"

"Ehhh… you don't have to go overboard coach…" Eijun tried to disagree, now that the numbness was fading away he does not want to make it a big deal, however he immediately shut his mouth as soon as he saw the horrible expressions staring right at him.

"Hahahahaha… now I can surely say… you are a batter Sawamura!" Daiki greeted cheerfully as he move towards them in all smiles. Honestly he was the only person who seems to be happy about the situation, which earned him a glare from the other players. Miro immediately hit Daiki's head, as he also step in looking at Eijun with a displeased expression. "If I am betting you will say you can still pitch?" he asked.

"Yes I can!" Eijun answered immediately, making Itsuki sigh, and the other players groan. "Ehhh…" he look unsure, though there is still numbness in his hands, he think he can still pitch.

Shoji sighed, yet he was trying to hide a smile from his face. He step in front of Eijun putting his hand on the young pitcher's shoulder. "I highly doubt you can pitch with the same quality pitches since your fingertips are most probably getting numb from the ice pack. Don't worry Sawamura… I am pleased and happy with the result of the game… so you can just get yourself check…"

"Ehhh but…" Eijun still tried to resist, however he noticed Tohru removing his catching gears as he look at Eijun seriously raising an eyebrow trying to dare him to refute.

"Masato-san I will take Eijun to the hospital, do make a call first so we won't be having issues when we arrive…" Tohru ordered, as he handed all his gear to Itsuki, and the latter does not seem to mind at all.

A middle age man acting as one of the referee on the field nodded, as he immediately took a phone out of his pocket and step away from them. "Ehhh... it is not that bad anymore…" Eijun still tried to resist, though Tohru already went in the dug out and grab Eijun's bag.

"Eijun let us go…" Tohru called out.

"But… but the game…" Eijun still want to pitch, plus he just got a home run… though based from the expression of the people around him, they are not happy with his resistance and have totally forgotten the homerun he just did.

"Go Eijun… I will see you in the spring tournament…" Itsuki commented instead as he smiled brightly.

"Sawamura… if you do not go with Tohru right now… I will make sure you will never hold a baseball ball again…" Shoji threatened.

"No sir… I am going now!" Eijun answered immediately as he gave a salute, and run towards Tohru who was patiently waiting for him.

As Itsuki watched Eijun walked away, he suddenly felt relieve. He did not think he was tense upon seeing Eijun swelling hands. "He will be fine right?" He still voiced out his question, just to make sure everything is ok.

"Yeah… that is only a post-impact vibration…" Daiki answered casually as if it is an everyday occurrence.

"Post-impact vibration?" Itsuki look at Daiki curious.

Shoji look at Itsuki as he was removing his umpire gear and was handing it to the other coaching staff. "When Sawamura hit the ball, he did not hit the sweet spot on the bat thus it cause the bat to vibrate violently after the collision, good thing it was only a maple bat, if that is a steel bat it would hurt more" Shoji explained.

"Yeah… well almost all batters experience that kind of sharp pain sensation… that is the reason why I said Eijun is now a batter" Daiki said proudly, making the other players look at him in disbelief.

"What is surprising is that, even though he did not hit the sweet spot of the bat, he was able to still hit it out the field" Maki answered smiling.

"It seems Eijun's bat swing strength and power has improved huh…" Towa added.

Itsuki smiled, he can't wait for the start of the spring tournament. If Eijun was able to actually bat that way in the tournament without anybody telling him which angle to take, it would indicate that he could be a player to fear not just in the mound, but also in the batter box.

"Anyways… since our ace pitcher and catcher are gone… do we still need to continue the game?" Asano asked curious if they were still going carry on with the small game. They are after all in the start of the 3rd inning. All players turn to look at Shoji who was obviously no longer interested in continuing the game considering the coach has already removed his umpire gear. Shoji sighed and scratch his head, his main catcher is gone including his main pitcher. "Well I guess you guys can still play if you want too…" He answered instead making the other players smile widely. "Masato… be umpire… I am just going to watch on the sidelines…" he ordered as he went to sit in the dugout and observe the players scramble to resume the game.