Chapter 23
Furuya was dazed as he walked through the halls, the extra few hours of sleep doing little to keep him from being tired in the morning. A yawn was slipping passed his lips when He caught a blur of pink out of the corner of his eyes. The first year pitcher turned his attention towards the window to see Haruichi making quick haste out in the courtyard. Pushing the window open, Furuya did something incredibly out of character; he called out to him.
"Haruichi." The pitcher called, effectively grabbing the second baseman's attention.
When Haruichi looked up at him, it wasn't hard for him to see the pain written into his features, to see the anger that he tried to pass off as nothing, or the forced smile that the pinklet showed as if to hide his emotions from the pitcher that knew him so well.
"Good morning Furuya." Came Haruichi's voice before a timid wave was sent his way.
"Don't we have class?" Furuya asked.
Ever since Haruichi had started dating Kuramochi, it wasn't hard for the monster rookie to pick up on how the other continued to get bolder and bolder. Even from the first day he had connected the dots about the shortstop and second baseman, Haruichi had walked in, his fingers linked in Kuramochi's, before heading to the lineup for food.
Furuya shook his head in an effort to get rid of the images that were floating through it.
"Y-yea, I forgot something in my room." Haruichi said all too quickly.
"Class starts in less than five minutes… You won't make it to your room and back, if it's just a textbook you can borrow mine."
Haruichi seemed hesitant as the monster rookie spoke.
"Hold on, I'll meet you at the door." Furuya called before leaving the window.
0_0_0_0
Miyuki heard Furuya's voice before he saw him. It was kinda funny though, seeings how they weren't on the same floor.
Is Furuya yelling? I'd expect this from Eijun, but mr. Monster Rookie? Not in the slightest.
Looking down at the ground gave him his reason.
Kominato? Ah…
It hadn't taken long for Miyuki to find out that Furuya was interested in a certain short pinklet. It was his job as a catcher to know his pitchers after all.
He watched as the pinklet's shoulders tensed up as Furuya spoke, he watched as the shorter boy tried to escape the conversation to no avail. It was all easy for him to pick up, because right in that moment, he saw part of himself in Ryosuke's younger brother.
0_0_0_0
"Common, I'll pull my desk closer so that you can read off of my book." Furuya said before scooting his desk over towards Haruichi.
You're so funny Yoichi!
Haruichi felt his hands clench into fists and pressed them into his lap as he forced a smile to his face. Furuya placed his textbook in between the two of them, glancing towards Haruichi as he did so.
"Thanks." The pinklet said, pushing his bag, which contained the needed books for the class, under his desk and out of view.
I actually missed hanging out with you Yukki, it's refreshing.
Haruichi felt his finger nails digging into his palms.
No seriously, talking about anything unrelated to baseball is kinda nice.
Haruichi could feel his stomach rolling over, the breakfast he had eaten before heading to school making its presence known as it danced.
The teacher walked in, announcing that he would be taking attendance before he began to check off names, reading those he hadn't seen as he had stepped into the room.
"Are you ok?"
Haruichi turned towards Furuya, surprised to hear the concern in his voice.
"Yea, why?" The second baseman asked with a small forced smile.
"You seem really pale." Furuya reached out and brushed his wrist against Haruichi's forehead.
Haruichi tensed at both the comment and the unexpected touch.
"Y-yea… I guess I don't feel too great…" The second baseman divulged.
"We have a game this afternoon…" Furuya said with a small frown.
"I'll be fine though! Don't worry!" Haruichi quickly stated, waving his hands in front of himself dismissively.
"Kominato, Furuya, would you mind paying attention please?" The teacher called before sighing, causing both the first years to pale somewhat before nodding.
0_0_0_0
Kuramochi sat in class when his phone vibrated in his pocket. Glancing up to see if the coast was clear, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the message.
'How did this morning go?'
Kuramochi stared at the message for several long seconds before cocking his head somewhat. He glanced at the sender and felt even more confused. Ryosuke's name was sitting in the sender's box, causing him to feel rather lost and slightly afraid.
'I donno what you mean'
Kuramochi quickly hit send before returning his attention to the board. His eyes roamed the equations that spread across it, though he wasn't really taking any of the information in.
What could Ryosuke being going on about? This morning was nothing special? Not even practice… Seems rather strange.
A couple minutes passed before his phone vibrated again. Following the same procedure, Kuramochi checked to see if the teacher's attention was occupied before opening the text.
'Are you being smart with me Yoichi?'
Kuramochi stared down at his phone in pure puzzlement before typing a message back.
'I honestly have no idea what you're talking about'
He hit send before shaking his head somewhat.
Not even thirty seconds later his phone vibrated again, though this time, the sender was different.
'How naughty, dirty texting during class time.'
Kuramochi didn't even have to look at the sender before sending his response.
'Fuck off Kazuya'
The shortstop rolled his eyes before closing Miyuki's message and looking up at the board. The teacher was explaining an elaborate formula that he couldn't be bothered to care about at the moment. His phone was capturing his attention yet again.
'Nothing happened this morning?'
Kuramochi was at a loss for what could have happened that would have Ryosuke's attention.
'Nothing'
He sent back to confirm the prior second baseman's prior text.
0_0_0_0
"Maybe you should head to the nurses office…" Furuya said as the teacher rambled on about some historical event.
"I'm fine…" Haruichi replied with tersely.
"I don't believe you." Furuya said so quietly that the second baseman almost missed it.
"And why's that?" Haruichi asked, his eyes narrowing somewhat.
"You're way too tense." Furuya said before sighing.
The pitcher had never been the overly calculative nor observant type, except for when Haruichi was involved.
"Boys, if I have to say something again, I'm gonna split you up." The teacher said, effectively directing all stares towards both Haruichi and Furuya.
"Fine." Haruichi mumbled.
He stood up before looking at the teacher.
"I don't feel well, can I head down to the nurse?"
The teacher regarded him coldly before sighing and heading over to his desk. He quickly wrote Haruichi a note before letting the pinklet leave the room, leaving Furuya and his textbook alone with an empty seat.
0_0_0_0
As Haruichi made his way towards the nurse's office, he felt his phone vibrate from within his pocket.
'You chickened out.'
He sighed heavily at his brother's text, very much not in the mood to deal with it, but, unfortunately he had opened the text and so now Ryosuke would be waiting for a reply.
'I didn't chicken out, I chose not to' He sent before knocking on the nurse's door.
"Come in!" Came a gentle voice before Haruichi pulled the door open. "What can I do for ya?"
A petite lady with blond hair occupied the tiny desk in the nurse's office. She had a kind smile that had soon pulled one from Haruichi as well.
"I'm not feeling well and was wondering if I could rest here for a bit?" The pinklet asked softly.
"Of course hun. Use that room right over there." The nurse said kindly, pointing towards a small room with a tiny bed.
"Thank you." Haruichi said before making his way to said room.
Somewhere during the conversation, his phone had vibrated, so as soon as he was laying down, back facing the nurse, he pulled his cellphone from his pocket and opened the message.
'Stop hiding when the going gets tough. The issue isn't gonna fix itself, carry your own weight sometimes.'
Haruichi stared at the message, the words sharp, not holding back any punches. He read the message over several time before shutting his screen off and dropping the phone onto the mattress. As he mulled his brother's words over, a memory came floating to the surface.
I saw some of your practice yesterday, Yoichi is trying to sync with you more than you are with him. Make his life a little more easier and meet him half way instead of dumping all the work on him ok?
They were his brother's words once again. Ryosuke never seemed to pull back his metaphorical punches. His words always held a sharp side to them, but he also never said them without reason. Maybe he was right. Haruichi couldn't remember the last time he'd been able to prove Ryosuke wrong, or if ever at this point.
I have to meet Yoichi half way… I can't just expect him to fix this… Even if he cut things off… I… I'm not ready for us to be done.
The second baseman resolved as he let his eyes fall shut.
0_0_0_0
Miyuki was starting to get anxious. Scratch that, he'd been anxious since early morning. Why was his father coming to the game? Why today's game out of everything? It was just a practice game after all. Was there a significant meaning to his father coming to see him on this date?
The catcher tried to focus on the board in front of him, though to no avail. Thoughts of his father watching him during the game kept invading his mind.
Does he expect me to talk to him afterwards? What if he finds out about Eijun…Oh god… What if he expects something from me? I don't know what he'd want…
"Yo, Kazuya."
Miyuki looked up to see Kuramochi raising a brow at him.
"Hm?" The catcher mumbled.
"I donno about you, but I'm starving, so let's go." The shortstop said before heading out of the room.
Miyuki hadn't even heard the lunch bell, much less everyone leave the room. He glanced around the room before standing and following after Kuramochi.
"I think I'm gonna head down to the first year's floor." Miyuki stated casually.
Kuramochi glanced over his shoulder before shrugging.
"Say hi to the idiot for me."
"Which one, yours or mine?" Miyuki asked with a smirk.
"Very funny Kazuya."
"I do try." The catcher said before waving over his shoulder.
0_0_0_0
"Did you see that second year? The one with the brown hair?"
"The one with glasses right? What a hottie!"
"I wonder if he's single."
"Who knows, I'm too chicken to ask anyways."
Sawamura looked up when he heard the word glasses. The first year listened to the girls gossip before turning towards the classroom door.
"Miyuki?" He asked in surprise as said second year popped his head into the room.
"Finally found your classroom." Miyuki said before rolling his eyes. "Wanna go for a walk?"
Sawamura's eyes flickered to the clock before he shrugged.
"Sure, why not." He said before pushing up and making his way towards the door.
"Kuramochi says hi." Miyuki said before smirking.
"Why are you smirking if all he said is hi?" The first year asked suspiciously.
"Classified information." Miyuki said before shrugging.
"You're so full of it." Sawamura grumbled before rolling his eyes.
The sound of Miyuki's chuckle cause shivers to run along his spine and down to his fingers.
Ah… I want to hold his hand…
The first year turned to look away, forcing his hand to stay by his side. There was no way he was going to force the ever so prideful Miyuki Kazuya into something he didn't want in the middle of a crowded high school.