From under the shade of a large tree overlooking the field, Ejiun watches as the second-string players run their final laps for the day, bathed in the glow of the late sunset. Behind him, a stern voice calls his attention.
Trapezius, quadriceps, deltoids, pectorals—Eijun listens as Chris explains all the different muscles he could have strained from his recklessness, all the muscles that could have ended his baseball career before it even started. The freshman would normally heed his senior's advice, take down notes even, but right now all Eijun can think about are Chris' hands and how damn good it feels to be touched by them.
Every hair on Eijun's body stands as he feels Chris' breath on his neck, the tip of the older boy's nose brushing against his skin, that small point of contact enough to overload his senses. Chris' hands travel up and down the length of his back, palms kneading and fingers squeezing, and if this massage couldn't get rid of Eijun's fatigue, the adrenaline rush surely would.
"Sorry, I'm not very good at this," Chris admits.
"No, senpai, it feels great! But you, uh, don't really have to do this, you know." Eijun mentally kicks himself as soon as the words leave his mouth. If possible, he wouldn't want this moment to end.
Chris doesn't answer, propping himself against the trunk of the tree instead, beckoning Eijun close. The pitcher reluctantly turns around, now sitting face-to-face with his mentor, hoping the shade and the fading daylight would hide the blood rushing to his cheeks. Chris places his hands on either side of Eijun's shoulders, giving a light squeeze before resuming his regular massage rhythm. With the setting sun casting shadows across the catcher's face, Eijun finds it hard to make out his expression, but he could almost swear Chris is smiling fondly at him.
"Senpai…"
'Hm?"
'Thanks."
"Well, we can't have you tearing a ligament now, can we? Make sure you warm up properly next time, Sawamura. Don't end up like me."
Don't end up like me—Chris' cold words contrast the warmth of his hands, and somehow this pisses Eijun off. He makes it sound like he's such a bad person.
"But I want to be like you, senpai."
"You want to graduate in the second-string with an injured arm and broken dreams?"
"What? No! I want to be a person who never gives up and helps other people realize their full potential and—" He stops when he hears Chris laughing. Chris Yū Takigawa, actually laughing, and Eijun thinks it's the most beautiful sound he's heard all day.
"I was kidding. But thanks for the compliment."
Eijun didn't think it was possible to blush any harder, but he does and he lowers his head in embarrassment. If he had looked up to meet his senpai's eyes instead, Eijun might've noticed the older boy flustered as well, and that Chris is, in fact, smiling fondly at him. If Eijun had paid more attention, he might've noticed that Chris had been smiling at him the entire day.