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 13

Eijun was inside Tohru's car, they were driving him back to Seido. Tohru had forbid him to celebrate to long with the team, even thought that was the last practice game since the excuse he made with his Seido team was just a light run, but it was almost sun down. He was at the back looking at the bouquet of flowers and boxes of sweets given to him after the game. This was a first for him, receiving such gifts, and at the same time the attention he got from the team after the game was so different compared to when he is in Seido. I wonder if this is how 'pro' games are like… Eijun thought as he was closely looking at the gifts on the side sit.

"Eijun you cannot bring those with you when you get back to Seido…" Tohru commented as he was driving. Their coach joined them on his drive back which made Eijun curious.

"Yes I know sempai" Eijun answered, Maki and Miro have vigorously inform and explained to him a while back that he could not take the sweets or the flowers back since it would be hard to explain where it came from.

"So… Sawamura, What happened in your spring game tournament" Shoji asked curiously, he was informed by Masato that Eijun lost thus unable to compete in his finals with Itsuki, however he have yet to see the tape of the game thus he is not aware what had transpire in the game.

Eijun's face morph into displeasure, honestly he has totally forgotten about what happened during that game. "Ahm… we lost coach… we were just included in the best 4 but unable to qualify for the Kanto games, thus we would have early practice for summer and golden week"

"Uhhuh… You did not answer my question though, you only inform the result, what happened in the game Sawamura?" Shoji asked insistently, he wanted to hear what the young pitcher thoughts are. He noticed the displeasure expression and Tohru has not spoken about the game, thus being a coach, he has a feeling something happened within the game.

Eijun sighed deeply, as he looked out of the vehicle. He wonder if he could go back to that game and if he was a pretty much reliable pitcher, then most probably they could have won that game and he would be able to compete with Itsuki. He sighed again, then turn to look ahead of the road as he explained every inning in the spring quarter finals games, including Furuya' performance, the five runs, Amahisa, Kosei pitching and their batters.

"Amahisa Kosei huh…" Shoji was thinking deeply, he cannot remember where he heard that name but it seems familiar to him.

"His a player for Sankou Ichidai, their ace pitcher, there are rumors circulating that he would be drafted after he graduate, his a third year" Tohru explained as he could see his coach expression. He knew that their head coach has tendencies to not give attention to names that are being submitted to his desk for reviews.

"I see, another strong pitcher huh… why does west Tokyo have powerful players? Isn't that where Narumiya Mei is too?"

"Yes coach" Eijun answered, surprised that their coach remembered Narumiya Mei, "You know Inashiro's ace pitcher coach?" Eijun asked curiously.

"Not really, Tadano just won't shut up when he talks about how good of a pitcher that guy is…" Shoji informs obviously not concerned of the said pitcher. "Anyways I want to know about when you got sub in, when you strike out those players, how did your coach handle it?" Tohru wrinkled his forehead as he listen to his coach's questioning towards Eijun, it is as if he was dissecting what was the coaching staff thinking in the game, though of course a high school player would have no idea that is what their coach was doing.

"Owh…Ahm… about that…" Eijun looked down, as he remembered the apology he got from their boss, and how frustrated he was since that was the time he understood the difference in the number of their jersey with the ace pitcher.

Shoji turn to look at Eijun closely, he could clearly see that Eijun was not happy remembering the game, and at the same time the frustration and disappointment in his demeanor, despite him not looking directly at his face. He sighed, he could much clearly guess what had happened next, since after all based on the information he got from Yukime before and how the pitcher was different with them, including his experience with coaching, things did not go so well. He could guess something might have happened why Tesshin had refused to let Sawamura sub much earlier, or perhaps with the performance of his ace pitcher during the Koshien tournament, it would be no surprise if he does not want to sub in Sawamura earlier as he could remember the games he watched in Osaka before.

"I think they did not sub me in earlier because I was not that much of a reliable pitcher, or possibly not trusted much." Eijun could clearly remember the expression on Kataoka's face when he apologized in the field. "Plus I don't think that Miyuki sempai acknowledge me since I was depending on him when we were in the game, that was why I wanted to train and learn more about game calling and pitch sequence" Then Eijun look up giving a forced smile, as he knew that coach Shoji was looking at him intently. He does not want to be seen as someone weak, or someone who complains a lot. Aside from his Seido team, BJ is also a team that is important to him, so he does not want to mess things up by showing how frustrated or annoyed he was during their final spring game.

Tohru grip the steering wheel tighter, he could clearly see Eijun's forced smile in his rearview mirror and it annoyed him so much, he was about to comment when Shoji beat him to it.

"Sawamura it is not your fault, being not reliable, trusted or acknowledge for that matter. It was most likely a coaching staff error that is why you were not sub in earlier. Perhaps something was going on within your coaching team that is why the substitution was not done earlier, however being a player, you have no control when you would be in or out of a game, since players follow their leader and the current leaders are the coaching team" Shoji explained, "It is only natural to feel frustrated, annoyed, hell you can even curse them for it… that is what Daiki does most of the time however mind you don't get that habit ever and do not let yourself feel that you are lesser than what you are really capable off just because the people around you does not see you in that sort of way…"

"The coach is right Eijun, you are a strong pitcher, you are our ace pitcher… you don't need to act strong around us, remember we got your back… baseball is a team sport, means it is not just the pitcher, but the batters too" Tohru added seriously as he started to slow down, they were getting close to the dorms, and at the moment he does not want Eijun to get back to that damn School at the moment.

Eijun could feel his emotions going all over the place, his chest hurt, like it was going to explode. Tears started to swell in his bright golden eyes, yet as he watched their coach Shoji expression, he could clearly see the sincerity and seriousness in his words. "Thank you coach, Hero sempai, you have no idea how much that means to me…" Eijun answered as he wiped his eyes with his arm, trying to hide his tears.

Shoji sighed deeply as he tap Tohru's arm and made a sign to park the car for a bit, where the latter followed easily. "Sawamura… Honestly speaking, I don't know what happened within the game or your management team, however it does not mean you are weak or a not reliable player, you don't have to act strong, people have a certain breaking point, and it is bad to keep acting like everything is ok"

"Eijun… if you feel like everything is going downhill, and you feel all alone in a middle of the field, remember the first time we met, the first time you played with BJ in Tokyo dome, the cheers of the people and most of all, the call of your teammates who barely knew you. You are not alone, you don't have to carry everything on your shoulders, you have a team… you are special Eijun… you showed that to us… so you are never alone" Tohru said in a calm sincere manner, looking at Eijun in the rearview mirror. He was still gripping the steering wheel of the car tightly; he was barely keeping his calm, as he could see Sawamura for the first time breaking down. The usual bright, optimistic and cheerful person he have met was nowhere in sight, he could imagine how the pitcher was keeping himself together despite all the pit falls and experiences he had. He was mad at the moment, and he was not sure if he look at Eijun directly, he could successfully hide such emotions, because right now, he was seriously annoyed at Seido, and their coach could easily notice his tense demeanor too.

"Hero sempai, coach…" Eijun could no longer contain his emotions as he cried out. His frustration, anger, irritation, bitterness, and disappointment since his first year upon playing with Seido, game after game, he remembered the moment in the summer game where they lost when he pitched the dead ball, the moment he found out he can no longer pitch inside and having the 'yips', the time he was asked not to pitch and practice on his own, when he was pulled out during the ninth inning of the fall finals, the inability to pitch in the Koshien tournament, and the recent failure to compete in the finals of the spring tournament since he was sub in too late. All those emotions came rushing in that he could no longer contain himself as he tries to look down and avoid the stare of his BJ coach as he cried his heart out.

Shoji fisted his hand, damn it Tesshin, what the hell were you doing? I am so going to watch that damn game… Shoji thought gravely as he watched Eijun cries his heart out. He moves to hand over his handkerchief in his pocket, as he could sense Tohru's tense demeanor obviously trying to keep his cool in front of his battery partner. I guess this two are officially a battery now… being there for one another, Shoji slightly smiled on the thought, he handed his handkerchief to the young pitcher, "It is fine now… you are not alone… you are never alone Sawamura… you have never been alone so it is ok now…"

Eijun accepted the handkerchief being handed to him, as he tries to compose himself. He had never cried this much for so long, most probably when he was still a kid, but it was relaxing and at the same time refreshing to actually not pretend that everything was ok, and at the same time that heavy feeling he had on his chest and shoulders suddenly felt light. The feelings were still there, however compared to before; it was much lighter now, very much lighter.

Shoji clenched his fist again as he watched Sawamura tries to compose himself. He would have guessed the young pitcher was obviously bottling up all his pent up emotions ever since the failure to qualify for the spring final, no… based from how hard the young pitcher cried, he must have been holding it up since the Koshien tournament or even before that. Damn you Tesshin, wait till I get to talk to you… Shoji thought gravely as he watched Eijun obviously calming down now.

They were parked in the side of the road for a while, as Eijun started to compose himself and at the same time Tohru tries to lighten the atmosphere in the vehicle before he start to drive again going towards the dorm. The sun was obviously starting to set, and the last thing he needed now was a reason to be in front of Seido's coaching staff.

"Thank you Hero sempai, Coach…" Eijun informs as he move out of the vehicle, his eyes are a bit red but he was feeling great after crying out like that.

"I will tell Nina and the kids that these gifts are from you ok…" Tohru said pointing towards the flowers and sweets in the passenger sit, where Eijun smiled brightly and nod in agreement.

"Sawamura…" Shoji looked at Eijun closely and seriously as he watched the young pitcher's face. "Remember to never stop… and keep moving forward… we have your back… so… just keep going and never stop"

Eijun looked at their BJ coach serious expression looking directly at him. He could feel his heart beating fast, as if like the man was challenging him and at the same time motivating him to keep on moving to his dream, 'to be the ace of Seido'. He grin widely like a Cheshire cat and answered in full confidence and determination "Yes coach!"

Tohru and Shoji smiled seeing Eijun eyes wide and shining brightly, all serious and determined. Like the pitcher they knew who was on top of the mound of Tokyo dome. Tohru lightly wave, as he slowly moves his vehicle away from the Seido dorms. "Do you think I should have a word with Seido's management?" Tohru heard their coach Shoji asking seriously. Honestly speaking he wanted to have a talk with them too, however he feels like that now is not the time considering the timing of events. "I don't know coach; Eijun is in his top condition lately. I don't want to do anything that could probably hinder him in his dream, plus we are entering the season soon… the last thing we need is trouble" he answered honestly.

"I know… it was just a side thought… but that kid is on a roll lately huh… looking forward to his golden week performance…" Shoji grin on the thought as he looked out the window, he could clearly remember Eijun's performance in today's game where the young pitcher was standing confidently on top of the mound of Tokyo Dome. He needs to remember to ask one of his staff to check on Eijun's golden week games too.

Eijun feel lighter and happy than usual. As he stood out of the dorms up until he could no longer see Tohru's vehicle, he then move towards the dorm cafeteria where he noticed Furuya was about to go in. "Oi! You guys are back huh…" Eijun greeted cheerfully.

"Yes… where did you go?" Furuya asked curiously as he noticed that Eijun came from outside the dorms, he went to the field a while back and he did not notice the loud pitcher their either, plus he could see there was a bit of red mark around Eijun's eyes seemingly like he cried.

"Owh… just went out for a run…" Eijun answered easily as he passes their ace pitcher.

Furuya wrinkled his forehead, for someone who took a run, he seems to look fresh and sweat free, plus he was not on the field a while back. "Where did you run?" he inquired again.

"Out… we had free time remember…" Eijun commented while he opened the cafeteria door, "Hey cap! Catch for me…" He yelled as he step in the cafeteria thus he did not notice Furuya's expression of confusion and suspicious look at his back.