Chapter 28

Miyuki leant up against the wall, far away from the gurney in the middle of the room, with a crowd of doctors surrounding it. His head was pounding as he tried to make sense of the scene in front of him.

"He's lost too much blood…" Someone muttered.

"We can bring him back." Another said with determination.

"Doctor…"

"There must be a reason he chose this root…" Someone else muttered.

"Enough! We're not here to determine the ifs and buts about the attempted suicide, we're trained to save lives!"

Miyuki was chewing the inside of his cheeks as he listened to the words being spoken.

This doesn't make any bloody sense…

Miyuki just couldn't comprehend the scene in front of him. No one had noticed his presence, not that he'd really made a move to make it known.

"This isn't possible…" The catcher muttered as he caught a glimpse of a person only he himself knew so well.

Miyuki got up, leaving the room to find his answers.

"I want to know how he's doing! Tell me!"

The catcher knew that voice all too well. He turned towards the southpaw, a small smile making its way to his lips until his eyes landed on the boy. His heart fell as he saw the sling wrapped around said southpaw's shoulders.

"We all wanna know how Kazuya's doing Sawamura…" Kuramochi muttered.

Miyuki walked towards the waiting area that everyone was sitting in. He didn't fail to notice the close proximity that both Kuramochi and Haruichi were sitting in.

"Eijun…" Miyuki muttered, reaching towards his pitcher.

All he wanted to do was hold him in his arms. Whether it was to comfort the pitcher or himself, he had no idea, but the idea was soon squashed when his hands passed right though the unsuspecting southpaw's body.

When Sawamura shivered somewhat, Miyuki recoiled.

"Look… I know you're worried, hell, we all are… Just… Yelling about it won't change anything…" Kuramochi stated.

Miyuki was staring as his hands wide eyed.

"Why can't I touch you?" He asked, as if Sawamura would answer. "Yoichi. I'm right here." Miyuki stated, waving his hand in front of the shortstop's face.

"He'll be ok… right?" Haruichi whispered.

Miyuki took in the second baseman's appearance. His features were even paler than usual, making the bags under his eyes that much darker.

"He's tough… He'll pull through it…" Kuramochi whispered, silently slipping his fingers into one of Haruichi's shaking hands.

"Guys. I'm right here! Quit joking around." Miyuki was starting to get desperate.

"We'll be heading back now. The rest of the team will be wanting updates on both Sawamura and Miyuki's conditions." Kataoka said as he stood up.

Miyuki watched as Rei stood beside him, face set with grim lines. He watched as Kuramochi stood, helping balance Haruichi as they walked.

"I'm staying." Sawamura stated.

"You're operation is in the morning." Rei said, his lips pressed together in confusion.

"With Kazuya." Sawamura cleared up. "I'm not gonna make him do this alone."

The southpaw then turned on his feet and made his way towards one of the chairs that was just outside of the room Miyuki had just come from.

Miyuki made his way towards the chair beside Sawamura's, his legs shaking with each step.

"He's gonna be fine. I know he'll be fine…" Sawamura muttered to himself.

Miyuki watched the tears that brimmed his southpaw's eyes. It physically pained him to watch the boy he loved so much in so much pain. He hated that he couldn't reach towards the boy in front of him. He couldn't whisper comforting words in his ear, he couldn't tease him, to coax him from shedding tears for his sake.

"Damn it Kazuya… Don't you dare leave me alone…"

0_0_0_0

Kuramochi jumped slightly when Haruichi's head fell on his shoulder. The two Seido players were sitting in the back seat of Kataoka's car while the owner himself drove with Rei in the passenger's seat.

The shortstop didn't bother pulling away. He could feel the small trembles that were passing through the second baseman's body as the members in the car spent the drive silently.

He found Miyuki… he was the one that saw it first. That would scar anyone… Is he going to be ok?.. Mentally?

Kuramochi got out of the car, Haruichi right behind him as Rei rolled her window down.

"It's late… Try and get some sleep. We'll let everyone know in the morning." The assistant manager stated before offering a small smile as Kataoka pulled away to park the car.

Kuramochi nodded before turning and walking towards the Seido dormitory. Eventually, he heard feet falling into step behind him. As the infielders got closer to the dorms, Kuramochi decided turning in without a word would be far too awkward.

"Goodnight Kominato."

He didn't see the way that Haruichi stumbled, just barely catching himself, though the second baseman's following words surprised him.

"I didn't kiss him." Haruichi muttered softly.

Kuramochi glanced over his shoulder, eyes narrowing somewhat.

"What?"

"I didn't kiss him…" The pinklet repeated before putting his head in his hands. "I didn't kiss him, I wanted to apologize to you… I didn't text you so that'd you would walk in on that."

Kuramochi chewed on his bottom lip as the tears became evident in Haruichi's voice.

"I want to believe you Kominato… I want to believe you so bad… But I'm not going to disregard what I saw… You weren't pushing him away…" Kuramochi's fingers curled into fists as he spoke.

"I need you to believe me…" The pinklet pleaded, pulling his hands away from his face. "I would never cheat on you Yoichi… I love you so much…"

Kuramochi felt his heart speeding up and cursed it angrily.

0_0_0_0

"But Furuya-"

"Furuya kissed me… We both know the crush he has on me. I didn't push him away because I couldn't. I was frozen in shock." Haruichi was rushing his words, as if at any moment, Kuramochi would disappear. "I was telling him about going to see you when he push me up against the tree. I couldn't think, much less move… And then you showed up… You were so mad… I couldn't get a word in edgewise… I just… I want you to know that it's not what you think it is… I want you to know that I'm not the type of person to-"

Haruchi's eyes widened when he was forced to stop talking. The long and elaborate explanation he had been brooding over for hours on end had been thrown aside in mere seconds as Kuramochi's arms wrapped around him and pulled him closer. The poisonous memory that had hurt the two so much was forgotten as Haruichi's words were cut off.

Haruichi's eyes fell closed as Kuramochi deepened the kiss. Excess tears slipped down the pinklet's cheeks as his shaky arms slowly made their way to wrap around Kuramochi's neck. Haruichi couldn't help it as more tears followed the others.

As Kuramochi pulled back, the pinklet buried his head in his shortstop's shirt. Kuramochi's hold seemed to tighten around him.

"I'm sorry." Haruichi whispered.

"I'm sorry for not listening…" Kuramochi muttered.

Haruichi shook his head, biting his bottom lip before he spoke.

"I don't blame you… I don't know what I would have thought if I saw what you did…" The second baseman mumbled into Kuramochi's shirt.

"Sleep in Sawamura's bed tonight? It's going to be too quiet with him gone…" Kuramochi asked.

"I don't think I can fall asleep right now…" Haruichi admitted before sighing.

"Let's watch a movie or something… We need to unwind a little." Kuramochi let his arms fall from around Haruichi, and the pinklet couldn't help but miss their warmth.

0_0_0_0

Miyki watched Sawamura's knee bounce as the southpaw try to expend some of his pent up anticipation. Sawamura hadn't left that seat in three hours, not even to use the washroom.

"Common…" The southpaw muttered as he squeezed his good hand.

Miyuki's attention was grabbed when the door to his room opened, a doctor stepping out. Sawamura didn't hesitate in standing and walking towards the seemingly exasperated doctor.

"How is Ka- I mean, how is Miyuki? How is he?" Sawamura demanded.

The doctor seemed to be looking over Sawamura's head.

"Is there any family that I can speak to? A father or mother perhaps?"

Miyuki could feel his mood dampening.

"I'm here, tell me if he's alright." Miyuki watched with a frown as Sawamura's fingers clenched and unclenched.

"This information is for family members only… I apologize-"

"Please… Please just tell me if Kazuya's alright or not…" Sawamura begged.

The doctor showed the teenager in front of him a piteous look before speaking.

"He's lost a lot of blood, but whoever found him, found him almost right after the… attempt. We've stitched up what we could. It's up to him for now. It's out of our hands. The only thing we can do is keep an eye on him, and hope for the best."

Sawamura listened to the doctor before stepping back.

"The nurses are taking him to his room right now… I'll have one of them come and take you there once he's settled in." The doctor said before patting the southpaw's shoulder and heading down the hall.

"Was it my fault? Did I push him to do this?..."

Miyuki's body went rigid as these words fell from Sawamura lips.

"No. No. Don't you start thinking that. God no." Miyuki was pleading upon deaf ears.

"I'm so useless… I tell you I'm always here for you… But then I'm not when you actually need me…" Sawamura said before tears started rolling down his cheeks.

"Eijun. Please. It's not your fault. I would never…. Never because of you…"

"I'm supposed to make you smile… but instead all I do is hurt you…"

"That's not true…"

"You don't need someone that's going to drag you down…" The southpaw whispered.

"I need you! You're the only thing that keeps me going…" Miyuki could feel his stomach churning at his pitcher's words.

"Sir?... We've got Miyuki Kazuya in room B-326, if you'll just follow me, I can take you there right away."

Miyuki watched as Sawamura nodded numbly before following after the nurse. Of course, Seido's catcher fell into step behind him, not wanting the pitcher to be alone, even if he didn't know he was there beside him.

0_0_0_0

Sawamura thanked the nurse before shutting the door behind him. The light made Miyuki's face look ash stricken with how almost grey it was in contrast with the pale white sheets he was laying on and covered in.

"I'm so sorry…" Sawamura whispered.

The southpaw was fairly upset with how cold to the touch Miyuki's fingers seemed to feel as he brushed his good hand over them.

"I wonder if you can hear me…" Sawamura mumbled as he traced Miyuki's fingers with his own. "If you can, I want you to listen to me Kazuya… I want you to fight this… If not for yourself…Than let me be selfish… fight for me… I love you so much… How I managed to fall for such a sadistic demon catcher as yourself… I'll never comprehend… But I did… and the only thing you have left to do is to fight this… whatever this is… fight it for me… So I can tell you face to face, with both of our eyes open, just how you've managed to make me fall for you."