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.

Chapter 10

Tohru watched Eijun nod in agreement for a changeup. It was the start of the 7th inning, and the 3rd batter was standing in the batter's box where the count was 3 balls and 2 strikes. He looked at Eijun do his windup and threw the changeup where the batter did a swing, but failed to hit the ball due to the timing being off, thus it landed directly towards Tohru's mitt. "Strike! Batter out!" the umpire yelled, making Tohru breath out the air he took in for the last pitch. As he watched the next batter coming in, he smiled gravely, standing up and asking for a timeout from the umpire. He then jog towards Eijun where the latter look confused.

"Hero sempai?" Eijun asked curiously as he hid his mouth with his mitt.

"Sorry, I just want to make sure if you feeling good? Are you pressured or anything?" Tohru asked as he step close to Eijun's space and also moving his mitt in order to hide his mouth from the people around the field.

"Eh… I am feeling great sempai" Eijun answered easily with a bright beam of smile.

"I see… I thought you feel disappointed in the play a while back"

"Owh… hahahaha… not really… I was actually surprised and excited in all honestly…" Eijun remembered in their last offense after their captain taking a home run, Maki sempai was able to get on a base, however Towa sempai was jammed sending the ball directly to the short stop tagging Maki and Towa out, a superb double play that has resulted to end their turn for the offense in that inning.

Tohru smiled seeing Eijun cheerfulness after they failed in getting another run; he really is a ball of sunshine and an optimistic player he thought. "Well then I guess there is no reason to take a break then" Tohru commented turning all serious.

Eijun noticed the change in Tohru's expression, as he nod in agreement and focus on whatever his catcher would be instructing.

"Eijun they are starting to swing less with the balls, so I am expecting they are studying your pitches now, to know how many pitches you have. Honestly I don't want to show them that much, however facing this kind of batters is rare. Hawks is one of the top 5 batting team together with us, so I want to actually see how your pitches would compete with them"

"Mhm… I noticed Hero sempai, their coach have also started to show more signs compared to the first innings after I got in" Eijun added

"Owhh…" Tohru grin widely, that was unexpected, he was not aware Eijun has noticed that the coach of Hawks was giving more signs this inning compared to the other innings. He is improving in a fast pace doc… I feel like I would be left behind… this is kind of exciting… Tohru could sense the competitiveness inside of him while watching Eijun's serious expression; his bright golden eyes shining brightly focused only on him. "Then we are going on offense Eijun… don't hold back… understood" He instructed firmly.

"Yes sempai!" Eijun answered seriously.

Tohru turn around, and jog towards his catching position. He took a deep breath to calm his beating hard. He had never felt this kind of jealousy and at the same time anticipation in being able to catch for this kind of pitcher. He wanted to stand on that mound again as he looked at Eijun golden bright eyes looking straight towards him, and want to actually compete with the mound with their young pitcher. He smiled brightly; pull down his catching mask, as he then gave the sign for his changeup.

Eijun watched Tohru expression and seriousness, for some reason when they were talking he noticed a bit of longing and ache in his catcher's eyes that made him worry for a bit, however before he was even able to ask what was going on, the expression suddenly disappeared and instead turn into seriousness as he was instructed to focus. As he watched for a changeup sign, he drop the resin bag he was holding then nod as agreement, he did his windup and threw the changeup, where the batter did not even bother to flinch and just watched as the ball landed on the catcher's mitt. "Ball!" the umpire yelled. Eijun took a deep breath in, it does seem they are already checking on his pitching repertoire as what had Tohru guessed. He closely notices Tohru smiling behind the catching mask as he motioned for an outside fastball. He nodded, then threw the ball directly towards the catcher's mitt making a loud sound. "Strike!" the umpire yelled.

"Damn it…"

Tohru smirk hearing the batter cursing upon the fastball landing directly on the mitt with no space to spare. He then again asked for his number 7, where he could clearly see Eijun seriousness as the latter did his windup and threw the ball, he watched as the batter swing but then the ball sharp break to the right making the swing totally miss the ball, making it seem like the ball disappearing in front of the batter. "Strike!" the umpire yelled yet again, causing more loud cheers inside the stadium. Tohru was able to catch the pitch easily, as he threw the ball back towards Eijun, he notice that his pitcher concentration was not breaking. He hit his mitt to fix it as he crouched back to his catching position, that new cutter of his is superb, he is the only pitcher I know who could create such breaking balls, damn it… I cannot believe I am getting annoyed over his other catcher developing such pitches... Tohru gravely thought, first he was jealous of Eijun being a pitcher, now he was getting jealous of his high school catcher too, he never thought he could be a selfish person making him take in deep breaths to calm his mind. It was now 2 strikes and 1 ball, as he gave a sign for his number 11, he have not tried this pitch yet thus he was quite curious how it would go.

Eijun tensed for a bit seeing the sign for his splitter. He nodded as agreement, as he fixed his grip on the ball. He took in deep breaths and out before doing his windup and throwing the ball towards Tohru's mitt, however as the ball sailed towards the batting plate, it did not break as much as expected thus the batter was able to take a hit making it sail in between the 2nd base and shortstop. Damn it… Eijun thought as he watched the batter run for first base, but since the relay was fast enough the batter failed to move to second base.

"Eijun!" Tohru called out, seeing Eijun's displeased expression in having the batter hit his failed splitter.

Eijun turn to look at Tohru who was smiling, informing it was fine since he just wanted to know the condition and status of that particular pitch. He closed his eyes then took in deep breaths with five seconds interval as a way to calm himself, the same way how he was taught to. The moment he opened them, he could feel his heart beat was back to his normal rhythm, and as he watched Tohru the latter was beaming brightly towards him.

I guess that breaking ball is still not complete huh Tohru thought as he called out Eijun's attention sensing the latter annoyed expression, but I guess this is enough experimentation, let us finish this game nice and clean, as he noticed Eijun doing his calming method. He crouched back down to his catching position as he watched Eijun opened his bright golden eyes, looking at him seriously. I cannot have enough of this kid… his giving me chills, Tohru was smiling brightly behind his catching mask, as he then ask for his in high fastball the moment the next batter step in. Eijun nod, did his windup and threw the ball directly towards the in high position of the plate, making the batter flinch and unable to swing. "Strike!" the umpire yelled. Next Tohru requested for his old cutter, where the latter delivered it in accuracy jamming the batter the moment he tried to hit the pitch making it sail towards second base where Towa was able to catch the ball in midair throwing in directly to Miro who was able to tag the running batter to second base who was pretty much surprised and then throwing it to first base tagging the other batter thus completing their perfect double play.

Eijun jaw drop, he was not expecting that kind of acrobatic play from his seniors as he heard the umpire yelled "Out and Change!". That kind of play was pretty much normal with Haruichi and Mochi sempai, but with this seniors who were older, it was unexpected.

"Why are you looking like that?" Towa asked as he move pass Eijun pushing him off the mound back to their dugout.

"Oh my gosh… Towa sempai… you were incredible… you could jump like that, and then and then Miro sempai was like zoom and bam and and…" Eijun was super excited, as he was like trying to literate what happened in the game.

The other players moving towards the dugout snicker as they heard Sawamura tries to literate what happened in the field, but his words were all jumble up and funny. "Well I am glad you like the gameplay kid, it is not like you are the only player on the field" Miro commented as he tries to hide his laughter.

"I think he is more surprised you can actually still move like that Kiseki considering your age…" Daiki commented snickering.

"Huh… what!" Miro turn to look at Daiki surprised.

"Oi…oi… now is not the right time, we are back on offense ok!" Tohru commented still trying not to laugh and move in between his captain and co-captain in front of their dug out.

Eijun watched his team move towards the dugout like the game play that happened a while back was a regular thing. He was getting more thrilled as the game progress. They are tied with the opposing team, yet for some reason he wanted to go into extra innings. As he looked at his sempais laughing and making jokes of the last game play together with their coach who was also grinning widely commenting on the nice gameplay, he could feel a bit emotional, being able to be with a team like this. This is a kind of team he wanted to be around for a long time. I wonder how many games we can play together, Eijun thought as he could sense all kind of emotions bubbling up in his chest. I don't want to stop, I don't want to not play together with this people. He grab his chest as he tries to control his emotions, this was a different team compared to his high school team, and yet at this very moment he does not want to stop playing with them.

"Oi… Sawamura, why are you standing there? Come in here it is getting hot!" Daiki called out as he saw Sawamura still standing outside of the dugout.

"We will win this!" Eijun yelled as he return back in the dugout while at the same time grinning brightly.

"Just two more innings, lets us finish this then…" Shoji commented as he looked serious towards his batters.

Tohru smiled as he move back towards the field, "Eijun you get a bit of rest as we go get the lead for you…"

Eijun nodded in agreement then went towards the back in order to get something to drink and out of the heat of the sun.

"You seem to be in a good condition today Sawamura…" Masato commented as he watched the young pitcher closely.

Eijun look at Masato and smiled brightly, "Of course Masato-san since we will this game!" he answered brightly, and the moment he said those words a big sound of a ball being hit by the bat could be clearly heard.

CLANK! A loud sound from the field got all of their attention, as Eijun run towards the railing of the dugout he watched as the ball sailed out of the field, giving them their fifth homerun. They are now on lead, as Eijun watched Tohru who was grinning back at him giving a thumb up. He beamed brightly in return as he also raises his pitching arm. BJ continued to attack, however the Hawks pitcher was not making it easy for their team to make another score. As their 5th batter Miro was able to get on base, the 6th batter Mitobe and 7th batter Youji were strike out, and having the runner stuck in 2nd base. Their 8th batter Kaneki was taken out by a grounded ball, thus ending their turn on the offense of the 7th inning.