Chapter 8 - It's Over
"COACH, I'M SORRY!" Miyuki bowed in the coach's office as he apologised.
"Miyuki-kun, you don't need to apologise. I'm sorry for what you have to go through. Please take care and make a recovery." the coach solemnly said as he placed a hand on the catcher's shoulders with a reassuring grip.
"You have everyone here in the baseball team that would support you." the coach continued.
"Ummm, can you please not tell anyone about this? I don't want them to be effected, especially since the team's doing so well..." Miyuki requested. He had spent the last half hour talking to the coach about his resignation from the baseball team. It had only been a few days since the doctor told him the news, but the pains were getting worst.
The coach was surprised by the request, but nodded in agreement.
"Let's tell the team that you're at least resigning..." the coach said as he walked the catcher out of the office and called everyone to gather around for an announcement.
"Everyone, it's to my regret to say that Miyuki-kun will be leaving the baseball team. He has some personal issues that he has to take care of, and will no longer be able to join us. Please give him your support and wish him the best." the coach sternly shouted before looking at the catcher.
Miyuki felt nervous, his heart was beating fast, it felt as if he had let everyone down, as if he had abandoned all his friends. It was silent with all eyes on him in anticipation on what he would say.
"I...I'm sorry everyone!" Miyuki shouted as he bowed down to everyone. That was enough to tell everyone of his intent on leaving the baseball team, which caused murmurs to erupt amongst the quiet crowd. As Miyuki raised his head back up, one face caught his attention.
'Eijun...' Miyuki stared at the shocked, confused and worried pitcher.
'I'm sorry Eijun...' the catcher could feel tears building up, but he held them back. He couldn't breakdown in front of all his friends.
"What do you mean you quit?!" Kuramochi yelled out as he walked up to the silent catcher. The shortstop placed both hands on the catcher's shoulders in attempt to shake the answer out of his friend.
"I'm sorry...I have person matters I need to take care of. Please win the Koshien everyone. I'll be supporting you all!" Miyuki said loudly under Kuramochi's grasp.
"Kuramochi...please look after everyone...especially Eijun..." Miyuki whispered to his third year friend in a diminishing voice.
The catcher bowed again, then bid his farewell to a still shocked and flabbergasted group of baseball players before quickly walking off towards the dorm room.
"Everyone, back to practise." the coach shouted shortly after.
As everyone dispersed, one single player stood still at his spot staring off into space.
"Sawamura..." Kuramochi went up to the younger teen only to see a scared boy.
'What...Sawamura didn't know either?' the shortstop thought as he placed a hand on the pitcher's shoulders.
"Kuramochi-senpai." Sawamura jumped as he felt the hand on his shoulders.
"Go after him..." Kuramochi stated while looking at the direction of the dorms.
Sawamura nodded and ran off towards his and Miyuki's room.
By the time the pitcher got there, Miyuki was walking out with his bags.
"Kazuya! Y-y-you're leaving?!" the pitcher was surprised and it was evident in his voice.
"I'm sorry Eijun, I'll be leaving now. You should forget about me." Miyuki said with a mixture of sadness and uncertainty. He then proceeded to just walk past Sawamura without another word.
Sawamura stood there stunned at the catcher's behaviour and lack of emotions. He quickly turned around, reached and grabbed Miyuki's arm to pull the catcher such that they were facing each other again.
"Why?! Did I do something wrong? What happened?" Sawamura burst out loud.
Miyuki was deep in contemplation the whole day on what to do with his relationship with the pitcher. He was very confused and couldn't come up with an answer.
'End it with him Miyuki...you're going to die! Cut the relationship off...don't drag him on...' Miyuki thought as he stared into eyes that seemed to be ready to pour its emotions out at any instant.
"Eijun...I...it's over, we're done. Please leave me alone. We shouldn't see each other anymore. I'm sorry for everything, but it's over." Miyuki's free hand grabbed Sawamura's hand and slowly pulled it away from his arm before releasing it.
Sawamura's arm just fell limply to his side as if all life had disappeared from it. The pitcher stood alone staring at the catcher walking away. Tears started to roll down his eyes. He didn't know what to do. He was scared and he couldn't move. All he could do was just stand there and watch the person he loved walk away.
- The next morning -
"Shit, I hope Sawamura's ok..." Kuramochi mumbled as he made his way to class. The pitcher had disappeared yesterday after Miyuki's announcement. The shortstop and a few others tried to look for him, but couldn't find Sawamura anywhere.
Suddenly, he caught sight of the catcher walking into the classroom.
"Miyuki!" Kuramochi shouted as he ran over to his friend.
"What's up Kuramochi?" the catcher replied as if nothing had happened.
"You and Sawamura ok? I didn't see either of you after your..." the shortstop paused momentarily.
"...announcement. Also, why are you quitting? Is everything ok? That's not like you..." Kuramochi quickly moved onto the next thought in his mind.
"Like I said, I have personal stuff to take care of...I'm just back here today to wrap things up. I'll be leaving after that..." the catcher said in a normal voice, but deep down, it was hard for him to stomach those words. He didn't want to put any burdens onto the team about his sickness, especially Sawamura. He knew he was as good as dead if there was no donor in the next few weeks and he couldn't phantom how the pitcher would react when he was on his death bed. He had to cut off all ties.
'He's hiding something...' The shortstop knew something was up, but didn't pry into it.
"IF you need someone to talk to, I'll be there for you..." it was unlike the shortstop to be this sentimental.
"Thanks." The catcher found it weird, but waved it off since he was in no position to talk either.
Half the day passed by with a blink of the eye. It was nearing the beginning of the second half of the day.
Miyuki and Kuramochi sat in the classroom eating silently. Usually they had a lot to talk about, but today was awkward. Miyuki didn't want to talk and Kuramochi didn't want to pry into anything.
*BAM*
The classroom door slid open with force, catching the attention of the few people in the room.
Miyuki looked towards the door, to see a red eyed, distraught, panting pitcher.
"Ei...jun..." Miyuki softly spoke.
Sawamura marched up to the catcher and stood looming over the older teen. The pitcher had caught wind of the catcher returning today. It was Kuramochi who had told the pitcher prior to lunch.
"Kazuya..." the pitcher started as he took a glimpse at Kuramochi.
*RIIINNGG* the bell suddenly sounded indicating the beginning of classes and end of lunch. Sawamura looked towards the door and saw students coming in, so he made haste.
"Kazuya, can we talk after school? I'll meet you here after cleaning duties...please..." the pitcher's voice diminished as he spoke.
Miyuki slowly nodded his head and upon seeing acknowledgement, Sawamura quickly left the classroom.
"What the hell did you do to him...he looks like he hadn't slept the whole night..." Kuramochi asked in concern, but all was left to deaf ears as the catcher mind wandered after Sawamura's wake.
'Eijun...please let it go...dammit Kazuya, end it with him today, it's better if he gets hurt from this than from what's going to happen later...' the catcher's mind started to give reason for his to be actions.
The rest of the day went by slowly. Miyuki could hear the second hand ticking as his world was drowned out by his anxiousness on how to deal with the pitcher. He was dreading the talk that was to come. All he wanted was to be with the pitcher. To be there with him to win the Koshien. To wrap his arms around the frail pitcher and whisper sweet nothings into the teens ears all night long. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with the one and only one he loved. But that was now impossible. Before he knew it, tears started rolling down his eyes, his heart started to ache and his breathing becoming laboured. Luckily, he was at the back of the room and everyone was too engrossed in the lesson to have noticed.
Alas, the hour came. Everyone in the classroom was gone. The sun was setting and Miyuki leaned against a desk in front of the window waiting for the younger teen. He recollected his composure with eyes wiped out of any emotions.
Before he knew it, Sawamura ran into the room and stopped just a few feet in front of Miyuki. The catcher's figure was intimidating. Although Sawamura couldn't see the catcher's eyes clearly, he could feel the glare it emitted. He was scared and nervous.
- Short excerpt from Ch1 -
"Miyuki..." Sawamura shyly said in the empty room while basking in the flood of the evening sun. He was staring at the figure shrouded by the sun's ray in front of him. The older teen's face and entirety was shadowed in darkness as he stood in front of the windows, only the occasional shine came from the glasses worn by the figure.
"What did you want to talk about?" the other teen asked in curiosity as he pushed the glasses upward to readjust them while staring at the younger teen in anticipation.
The conversation went on. The atmosphere in the room became stale as if time had stopped, while everywhere else continued normally. The sound of a baseball being hit outside echoed through the air, while birds continued chirping on a nearby tree. Everywhere seem serene, except for the events unfolding in the room. Suddenly a loud shout was heard from the room, scaring off the birds as they panicked and flew off into the distance.
"Ha...*sniff*...aaah...*sniff*...I'm pathetic..." the pitcher said in between chokes of sobs.
"Y-you're...right...who would...*sniff*...want a...dumbass...like me..." the crushing words of realisation came out of Sawamura's mouths as his breathing heightened and whimpers got louder. Sawamura clasped his left hand over his mouth in attempt to stifle the cries.
Miyuki was left speechless, he didn't know what to do but watch. It had pained him to see what he had done to the pitcher. A once cheerful happy pitcher reduced into a crumbling heartbroken teen.
"...I shouldn't..." a sob escaped the pitcher's lips.
"I shouldn't...have been born..." the pitcher mumbled as another loud sob broke out followed by multiple sniffs and deep panting. He quickly got up scurried towards the door.
"I won't bother you anymore...Ka..." Sawamura stopped mid sentence, not finishing the catcher's name.
"...senpai..." Sawamura whispered as he exited from the classroom.
The catcher was left alone in the silence of the setting evening sun. The scene was almost serene, except for the lingering atmosphere of a young teen's torn heart, potentially crushed into an irreparable state.
"DAMMIT!" Miyuki shouted before hitting the desk with his fist multiple times. Not long after that, the catcher fell onto his knees with his left arm wrapped around his abdomen, while his right hand clasped over his chest.
"Dammit...Eijun..." Miyuki cursed at himself as he knelt on the floor wincing in pain.
- End of excerpt -
The damage was done, the message was delivered. Miyuki's soul was ripping apart as he cursed his actions.
'It had to be done...' the catcher slowly got up and started walking towards the door. His head was looking down as he stumbled from desk to desk. As he walked out, a sparkle on the ground caught his attention. He walked over to the object on the ground, it was located exactly where Sawamura had fallen.
Miyuki reached for the figure and clasped it in his hands. It was the catcher figured keychain that he had given Sawamura.
'Eijun...' Miyuki looked at the keychain as he reminisced every moment he had with the pitcher and as he did, tears broke out as he fell onto his knees.
'What have I done...why...' he started weeping as his hand clasped into a fist around the keychain. He pressed his fist against his mouth in attempt to stifle his cries.
'Eijun... I'm sorry for being weak...I'm sorry for hurting you...I'm sorry...' the catcher started to tremble in heartache. His breathing became irregular as his chest heaved up and down in big motions.
"I love you Eijun...I...I love you..." Miyuki whispered. The words haunted him, it was like a taunt, something he desired which he could never have and that caused his blood to surge with anger.
"ARRRGHH" the catcher shouted before whipping the keychain against the wall, causing it to break in half.
He slowly got up and stumbled brokenly out of the room, out of the school premises, and slowly down the street. His composure was gone, he had lost everything. 'Good bye...Eijun...'
- Back to Sawamura -
'It hurts...why...WHY...' Sawamura found himself on the roof top. He was questioning the events that unfolded as he collasped onto the floor. One hand was pressed against his heart, while the other was clasped over his mouth in attempt to stop his cries from emanating in the quiet evening skies. His vision was blurred from the tears that cascaded out. He was a wreck.
*BUZZZ* suddenly his phone started buzzing. In hopes that it was the catcher messaging him, he quickly reached for his pocket and pulled it out. Flipping it opened, his heart sank after seeing that it wasn't from Miyuki. As he placed his phone into his pocket, he realised that something was missing.
'Kazuya's keychain...' the pitcher panicked as he started digging into his pockets, but couldn't find it anywhere.
In a frantic motion, he got up and started to retrace his steps, while searching for the keychain at every corner. Eventually, he found himself back in the classroom. He walked in to see it empty. His heart started beating faster in remembrance of what happened not too long ago. The pitcher wanted to get out, so he quickly ran in and looked around.
'There it is...' the pitcher saw it laying on the ground at the location where he fell. He crouched down and upon seeing it up close, he saw two pieces.
His heart sank, it was broken. The head and the body had snapped apart. With shaking hands, he slowly reached and grabbed the two pieces.
"Kazuya..." the pitcher whispered as he clasped both hands together with the pieces within and pressed it against his chest. Tears erupted again as his heart shattered like the broken keychain. It was the first and only gift Miyuki had given him, and it broke. The only memento that was given to him by the catcher had broken. The pitcher rolled up into a ball with the keychain clasped right against his chest, as if in an attempt to protect it from breaking any further while quiet cries filled the desolate room.
'I'm sorry for being useless, I couldn't even keep your gift safe...It's all gone...I'm sorry...I'M SORRY...Kazuya...' the pitcher continued crying alone as the skies got darker and darker.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be out in 1-3 weeks.