Chapter VI
A month and a half had passed since the storm hit. Christmas was near and spirits were up again as the damage was repaired. Everything returned to normal. Mostly.
Akio had asked Ushio and Tomoya to join his baseball team for the upcoming neighborhood grudge match. Ushio readily accepted (anything for Aki!), while Tomoya begrudgingly said yes.
"Let's give 'em hell!" Akio chanted, and high fived his overly enthusiastic granddaughter. Tomoya face-palmed.
"Ushio, you're up to bat!" he said, his unlit cigarette bobbing in his mouth. Ushio paled. Now she wasn't so sure.
She walked up to the plate and raised the bat, shaking slightly and looking positively terrified. The opposing pitcher laughed when he saw her.
"Easy out!" he taunted.
"Don't underestimate her!" shouted Akio from the dugout. The pitcher huffed, creating a flight fog in the cold air, and threw the ball. It was a fast one. Ushio squealed and swung the bat, eyes shut tightly.
"RUN USHIO RUN!" screamed Tomoya.
"Huh?" Ushio said, and bolted across first, then second, and stopped on third.
"Safe!" declared the umpire. Akio, Tomoya, Nagisa and Sanae all cheered, along with her friends.
"How do you like that, asshole!" shouted Akio in his usual vulgar manner. He was up next.
He put his unlit cigarette to his mouth and pointed the bat at the pitcher.
"I'm fixin' to show you why they call me the Hercules of Baseball!" he shouted, an excited gleam in his eye. The pitcher paled as Akio cackled in delight, and swung the bat over his shoulder. "Throw the ball, you pansy!"
It was a 95 mile per hour fast ball, and Akio smashed the bat when he hit it, sending it flying over the field.
"Whoo whee! Now that's a home runner!" Akio said as he walked all three bases.
They won the game.
And Akio paid for the shattered bat, albeit grudgingly.
The Furukawa Bakery was the liveliest it had been in six years that night. The celebratory after party had attracted everyone in the neighborhood, including some of Ushio's friends from school. Everyone was laughing and having such a good time, so why did she feel so alone?
She looked into the crowd. Yoichi was smiling at a silly story Sunohara was telling her. Onimashi was in the middle of several giggling girls, stone-faced as ever. Akio was roaring in laughter as he recounted the baseball game. Oh, right. Hajime wasn't here. She sighed and put her untouched cake on the counter. Tomoya noticed and joined her.
"What's wrong, Ushio? Aren't you having a good time?" he asked.
"It's not that, it's just…" she faltered mid-sentence. Her parents knew about Hajime by now. She glanced outside the window. Hajime was walking by the bakery. Did he even know she was there, waiting on him to come inside? Waiting on his special greeting? Well, well, if it isn't my sweet Ushio!
He couldn't see her. She could see him, though. A million thoughts flooded her mind. Come in! No! Stay outside! But I want you to come in! Go away! Tomoya smiled and rubbed her back.
"I understand, Shio. Go to him. There will be more parties."
Ushio beamed at her father and kissed him on the cheek. Excitedly, she ran out of the bakery and attacked Hajime with a hug. Nagisa put a hand on Tomoya's shoulder.
"You spoil her too much, you know," she said. Tomoya smiled.
"Nah, she just reminds me of us at her age," he replied. Nagisa smiled. The two watched Hajime and Ushio chase each other in the snow-filled park, their silent laughter filling the winter air.