Note: Oota is a teacher in this fic, although I can't be certain based on the manga alone that he actually teaches anything at Seidou!
Protectiveness
In which Oota Kazuyoshi overhears a few things
Seidou's baseball club president and team mentor Oota Kazuyoshi could not believe his ears. He had followed the boys to keep an eye on them, because he'd known something was wrong upon spotting them in the corridor with Kawakami Norifumi.
It would have looked ordinary to most teachers and students – a few second-years talking outside the classrooms after the final lesson for the day. But not to Oota.
First, he was particularly sensitive to anything involving Kawakami, as he felt deep empathy with the boy. They were more similar than the kid knew – like Oota himself when he was a teenager, Kawakami was doing well in sports despite not having been born with the most athletic build. He was also saddled with a pair of plump cheeks, which, in Oota's own experience, made it an uphill slog to be taken seriously by a lot of folks. On top of that, he was unassuming, good-natured, and a skilled sidearm pitcher worthy of the admiration of anyone who appreciated high-school baseball.
Second, the non-verbal cues had made the scene in the corridor look wrong. There were no obvious signs of bullying or anyone spoiling for a fist-fight, but it was odd, the way the other three boys were grinning while Kawakami's face remained expressionless and his shoulders tense.
Third, it wasn't like the pitcher not to rush off from classes to training. Those other boys – members of the baseball team too, although not active players in the first or second string – might take their time heading for the batting cages and gym, but Kawakami was always prompt about changing into his training gear and zeroing in on the bullpen to warm up with the catchers and other pitchers.
So Oota had slipped into the doorway of an empty classroom and spied on them from a distance. He hadn't been able to hear what they were saying from there, but his sense of discomfort only got worse when Kawakami looked at his watch and moved away, and the boys caught up and walked with him – they evidently had no intention of leaving him alone. Oota stayed far back so that if other students greeted him as he passed, the kids in front wouldn't be alerted to the fact that a member of staff was on their tail. He kept his distance until it got easier to close the gap once they entered the shorter, more winding passageways of the wing housing the labs. This was the fastest route to the changing room nearest the training fields; the rest of the baseball team had already passed through and left the building at least fifteen minutes ago.
It was in these quieter passageways that he heard one of the boys saying: "…so, Nori, are you going to let him fondle the rest of you too?"
What was that?! Alarm bells went off in Oota's head. Someone had fondled Kawakami? How? Where? When?
"I've told you – it's nothing like that," came Kawakami's short reply.
"I can't believe we've only just heard this – after all, only about a hundred people saw him grope your crotch, right?" chuckled another boy. "And no one here breathed a word to us just because we happened to be stuck in remedial classes during that match, after failing the last history test?"
A third boy added: "Yeah, it's incredible how I found out in the most roundabout way two days ago, only because my cousin's best friend plays for Shuuhoku, and they all saw what Miyauchi-senpai did to you."
Miyauchi?! What had that Neanderthal done to Oota's sweet, innocent Kawakami? Why hadn't Kataoka-kantoku informed him about this?!
"Of course, Shuuhoku and Inashiro probably just think it's one of those weird, radical Seidou-style motivational things like Sawamura's crazy way of yelling 'Boss!' at the coach in public, but we know better, don't we?" the same boy continued.
"Miyauchi-senpai was just being his usual eccentric self. I told you – he didn't mean a thing by it," Kawakami said, a little irritably.
Oota could tell by the way their voices sounded that the boys had stopped walking. If Kawakami had stopped along with them, then they had to be blocking his path. With classes and even classroom-cleaning duties over for the day, the laboratories were empty – they were unlikely to be interrupted by anyone in a position to intervene on Kawakami's behalf.
"Come on, Nori."
"We're going to be late for practice," Kawakami protested.
"There's lots of time!" another of the boys laughed. "Give us the details already. What else has he done? Has he asked you out? Kissed you?"
Yes indeed – what else did that caveman do…?! Then Oota pulled his screeching brain up short and mentally slapped himself, because this was not the time to be demanding answers of that sort. Kawakami was being harassed by schoolmates who were obviously gleeful about embarrassing him – this was borderline bullying, and Oota was going to put a stop to it at once…
"Oi." The low voice of another party sounded from the other end of the short passageway, which meant that someone else had come upon the group by approaching in the opposite direction from Oota. The voice was firm without being loud, and in that single grunt, conveyed an implicit threat.
Although Oota could not see them from where he stood, the shocked silence that fell over the group was palpable to him.
"M-Miyauchi-senpai!" one of the boys gasped after what felt like an eternity of three frigid seconds.
"Miyauchi-senpai…" a softer but no less surprised voice this time – Kawakami.
"No wonder you three can't make it even onto the reserve list of the second string if this is the kind of crap you waste your energy on," Miyauchi growled.
"Miyauchi-senpai! We were only–" the second boy ventured.
But the third-year catcher interrupted sternly: "Poking your nose where it doesn't belong? If you're so curious about my oddball behaviour, why don't you come over here and get a firsthand taste of it?"
Oota swore he could hear the popping sounds of powerful knuckles being flexed. It was sufficiently threatening to make him feel thankful that his balls weren't the ones in the line of fire.
"I – we – we're sorry! We're leaving for practice now!" squeaked a discordant trio of panicky voices.
The rapid shuffling of feet signalling the hasty departure of the three second-years – whose balls no doubt had all shrunk to the size of peas – was followed by another tense silence which had Oota itching to leap out and whisk Kawakami away to safety. But Miyauchi was speaking…
"Are you all right?"
"I – I'm perfectly fine… how did you even know they were…"
"I've been keeping a close eye on you."
"What?"
"I'm sorry that what I did is causing you embarrassment," the catcher said gruffly.
"It's okay, Miyauchi-senpai," Kawakami replied lightly. "We sorted it out after our last talk, didn't we?"
"Yes, but I was reminded not long after our talk by someone slightly smarter than me that it's not only about how stoically we take things on the chin – it's also about how other people may be affected."
Kawakami gave a nervous laugh. "I'm not bothered about what those guys think. You didn't mean anything by it, and if I can't handle a little teasing, how can I be expected to stand on the mound at Koushien in front of tens of thousands of spectators to pitch for Seidou?"
"Hmm. You're growing up, Kawakami."
"E – eh?" the second-year stammered, before going on awkwardly. "Ah – haha, I guess coping with teasing is as good a way of growing my confidence as any, huh? So don't worry about it – you don't have to swoop in to rescue me! Besides, Shirasu is usually with me – it's only that today, he had to go to the staff room to see the physics teacher about his assignment…"
"But it was my fault, and I don't want you to suffer for it."
"Ah, it's all right. Though it would have been funny to see you grope those fellows as well!"
"An empty threat. I'd rather drag my hand repeatedly over a cheese grater than grab those guys' balls."
"Huh…uhhh…?"
"You're the only one I could ever imagine touching that way."
"Ehhh?"
"Does that bother you?" Miyauchi sounded genuinely interested in the answer he would get to his question.
"Uhhh… I… senpai, I…" Kawakami's voice trailed off to nothing, which said it all, Oota thought.
"I see," Miyauchi remarked quietly.
"You see… what?" Kawakami asked uncertainly.
"Nothing. Forget what I said."
"Senpai?"
"Just regard it as meaningless rambling by an idiot of a musclehead," Miyauchi said briskly. "And if those guys harass you again, let me know – I'll drop my weights on their heads the next time they show their faces in the gym. Let's go for practice. Don't worry about being late – I'll tell the captain I was the one who delayed you."
"Miyauchi-senpai… I…"
This time, both Miyauchi and Oota waited several seconds for what Kawakami might wish to say, but no further words emerged. Neither did Oota hear any sound of movement from either boy. It seemed they were just rooted to their respective spots, waiting.
The silence was eventually broken by a familiar huff from Miyauchi, followed by the catcher saying: "You don't have to say anything, Kawakami. I hear you loud and clear. I'll never bring this up again. Time for training."
They left without another word between them that Oota could discern, and as the final soft scuffing sounds of their indoor shoes faded away, he let out the huge breath he'd been holding, exhaling the oxygen-depleted air along with his pent-up bewilderment about what was going on. He felt furious with Miyauchi for having – what was it – groped Kawakami? During a game? The horror! One of the boys had mentioned Shuuhoku and Inashiro – did that mean it had taken place during the three-header? If it had occurred while Oota was away from the dugout with the other half of the Seidou team, why hadn't anyone told him what had happened to his gentle, defenceless Nori? And if Miyauchi was trying to protect Kawakami, why had the catcher just… good grief… had he really just confessed to the pitcher that he was attracted to him? How the hell would that help Kawakami feel better?
That idiot of a musclehead catcher!
Kawakami had said something about sorting it out after their last talk – which Oota figured must mean that Miyauchi had cleared the air with him previously, making Kawakami think everything was fine. Only for the catcher to now drop the bombshell of…
"Oh, well done, Miyauchi," Oota snapped out loud sarcastically, muttering to himself in the empty lab he had taken refuge in. "What on earth? 'You're the only one I could ever imagine touching that way'? Moron! And 'Does that bother you?' Does it bother him? What do you think, you idiot boy? Of course he rejected you – did you think he would accept you?"
He suddenly remembered where he was and realised he was on the verge of yelling to himself – Sawamura and Isashiki must be rubbing off on him, and not in the best way – as he heard other voices and footfalls from further down the corridor. He quieted his emotions and waited until the whispered exchanges, giggling and footsteps came closer. Soon, he heard a whisper: "Don't worry, I've got lab locking-up duties today, so I can just lock us both in!"
A girl's giggle was the answer to that statement, followed by more soft footsteps as they moved right up in front of the room Oota was in. He counted one-and-a-half beats before he pulled the lab door open smartly and stepped out into the passageway, startling the pair – a boy and a girl, as their voices had indicated. They were holding hands, and the boy had his other hand on the girl's bottom – they were obviously seeking a safe room for privacy to do whatever teenagers did with one another out of their teachers' and parents' sight.
The students jumped apart quick as lightning when he appeared, for they knew perfectly well that teachers and parents frowned upon dating until kids were at least of university-going age. And parents would complain loud and long to the school if they found out that their children were romantically involved with their schoolmates. Oota recognised these youngsters as second-years; their form teacher had recently mentioned having to counsel them when they were seen kissing on the street after classes. The boy wasn't on the baseball team, thank goodness.
"Oota-sensei!" the girl gasped in dismay. "We – we were just…"
It was practically an echo of how the three boys had panicked earlier when Miyauchi had appeared, and Oota sighed heavily. He looked at these two sternly and said: "If I catch you so much as brushing against each other again for the rest of the academic year, you'll be in a lot of trouble. Don't think I haven't heard about you two from Yamada-san."
"We're very sorry, Oota-sensei," the boy mumbled, darting nervous glances between his own feet and the teacher's stony face.
"Give me the keys to the labs – I'll lock up today."
"Yes, sensei," the boy murmured, handing the keys over.
"Go home at once and do some proper studying."
"Yes, sensei."
As they began shuffling away, Oota muttered under his breath, almost as a reflex: "Though at least you have the sense to grope someone of the opposite sex."
"Sensei…?"
"Never you mind. Get out of here, and stay out of trouble."
"Yes, we're leaving at once."
The pair scuttled off, leaving Oota alone again to groan and slap a hand over his eyes as he struggled mightily to decide whether it was worse dealing with the problem of boys dating girls and perhaps ruining Seidou's reputation if they went too far and a girl got pregnant, or the problem of boys growing interested in other boys, which would not result in any scandalous teenage pregnancies, but would be all kinds of scandalous all by itself.
Whatever the conclusion might be – and he was in no mood to think his way logically through to one right now – he decided that Miyauchi the moronic molesting musclehead was going to have a lot of explaining to do to him for violating his pure, helpless Kawakami.