Chapter 4: The Pain a Demon Child Caused
There was nasty cracking sound that filled the air. The whole stadium erupted in gasps as they watched the pitcher cradle his wrist and sink to his knees. His cries of pain soon followed after.
I turned to Kanade, her usual emotionless expression painted it on her face, "That sounded like it hurt."
"Of course, breaking a wrist is supposed to hurt, Yuzuru," she said, matter-of-factly. "How else are we supposed to get you into the game?"
"I didn't want to get in the game," I pointed out, guilt clawing my whole body.
"Why are you so surprised, Otonashi?" Yuri asked, crossing her hands. "You knew what we were planning plus, if they were to catch us, it'd be Kanade, not you."
Anger charged through my body, "You don't get it, do you? If Kanade was caught for this, I don't know if I'd be able to live through that! I don't want the girl I love taken away even if she was influenced by her older cousin who is trying to get something back from the past! But guess what, it's impossible, Yurippe!"
Before I could say another word, Yuki's fist met with my right cheek, causing me to fall out of the chair. Damn, I forgot never to argue with Yurippe, she can really bite if you do.
"I know that, you damn idiot! But if I knew Kanade's gonna end up in prison or something, I would've never allowed her to do it. I have everything covered and you know I do, Otonashi. If you haven't noticed, I do care about her and we are related!"
The announcer interrupted my words:
It seems like the pitcher's wrist, somehow, is shattered. The substitute pitcher will now step up.
Again, his wrist is completely destroyed. And the one after that, and the last pitcher after that.
These girls are determined, I glanced over at Kanade. She appeared so innocent, a child just hugging a boy's jacket. But underneath that, the fangs of her true self breathes.
I have no idea how this is happening but it seems like the Ember Tigers might be out of pitchers and we just barely started the first inning.
I looked at the batter; he was looking around, as confused as all his peers on the scene unfold in front of his eyes. Of course, Hinata's the batter. I watched him closely, as he focused on the pitcher's plate as the medics tended to the injured. I nearly smiled when I saw a look of recognition pass through his face.
The Ember Tigers called an immediately timeout and left the field. Hinata's team took the time to practice while they waited for their opponents.
"Alright, Otonashi, I need you to go down there and talk to him," Yuri smirked, as if our argument didn't happen.
Without a word, I leapt off the short wall and onto the field. The stadium, were too busy gossiping and trying to figure out what might've happened to notice a random person just strolling across the field.
My eyes searched for the familiar blue hair but wasn't too successful. I knew if I were caught on the field, I would be kicked out and the whole operation would be a failure.
"Hey you!" Chills ran down my body but I recognized the voice.
I turned and saw his face.
Hinata's smiling face.
Except the smile, I knew, was a fake.
"What are you doing down here, you're gonna get in big trouble if you get caught."
Nevertheless, I returned his smile, "Same goes for you. Aren't you supposed to be practicing? What if those Tigers come back out with Tyler Chatwood or Koji Uehara?"
He chuckled before giving me a small push towards the benches, "Then if means we just have to play harder."
We ended up walking side by side. I cast a glance back towards the two girls. Yuri gave me a small serious nod. Kanade mouthed, 'Hurry and be careful'.
I nodded back once before they left their seats and disappeared among the crowd.
I sure hope they're not planning anything illegal. Those two, were terrible when they were enemies now that they're best friends and related, a city's bound to explode.
Before long, I found myself safely in the River Dragon's rest bench. Some of Hinata's teammate immediately questioned him about my presence but he answered with, "A friend who came to wish us luck."
He asked his coach, an old balding man, if he could rest and talk to me. The coach was hesitant but agreed before leaving the box.
I sat down awkwardly reciting and choosing my words carefully.
"Here," he gave me a small cup of water. "Sorry. This isn't exactly my house so I can't offer you some African Black tea."
He laughed again, as if nothing is wrong.
I accepted the cup without a word as he continued, "My girlfriend loves that. I usually get it for her. Once, when one of my friends went to Africa, he brought home some and gave it to me. To tease her, I hid it from her so when she found it, I guess you can say I got a huge beating."
Stop it.
"She also loves to sing and tends to get all hyped whenever she has some. That's another reason why I hide them from her."
"Stop it," it came out no more than a whisper.
He laughed as he continued, "You must be thinking, how can I still be dating such that devil. But after all the beatings, she always makes me some dinner and cuddles with me in the living room while we watch action movies. She's-"
"STOP IT, HINATA!" I yelled, causing him to stop his laughing and just look at me in surprise.
"I know," I replied. "I know everything. Why are you doing this to yourself, anyway? You're already in pain, why cause more."
He looked at me as if I was speaking Dutch to him or something but part of me wants him to understand.
Understand that there is no point to inflict so much pain on him.
My friend's mouth then formed a smile, "Well aren't you special? Mr. Know-It-All."
"Stop joking around!" I suddenly got very angry. "Yui's in the hospital in a coma! I know you don't have the money to pay for her surgery! I know her mother doesn't want you to see her anymore once everything blows over! I know," Pause. "I know you are suffering right now."
He blinked twice. Of course I sound creepy but he needs to know this isn't a joking matter. He needs to know, that even if he doesn't remember, I'm still always a friend to him. He helped me in the past and now it's my turn to return the favor.
Hinata offered me a warm smile, "You were always a good friend, Otonashi."
My whole body cringed. He remembers my name.
"You remember who I am?"
"Kinda," he admitted. "It's fuzzy but I tend to have dreams about you. When I saw you, Angel, and Yurippe in the stands earlier, everything flashed back to me. The Unnamed Battlefront, shadows, you calling me gay, everything. Yui would, too. Oh and when you see Angel, tell her its plain creepy to be stalking people."
A sweat drop formed, "It's at the top of my list. But how about you tell me. How's Yui doing?"
He brought one knee up on the bench, "Like you said, still in the coma. Her mother still doesn't allow me to see her no matter how hard I try to."
"She's being kinda unreasonable, don't you think? If Yui loves you, wouldn't it only cause her more pain to not be able to be with you."
"Too late," he leaned his head back. "I bet Angel told you about what happened. She didn't tell you that Yui broke up with me right before she left."
"She left that part out."
"Ha ha, don't blame your girl, alright? Yui whispered the break up and how she hated me before I started yelling at her."
"What was the fight about?"
He closed his eyes, "Not now, Otonashi. If I tell you about the fight, then I don't know if I can concentrate. I need to win this game."
"Why?"
Hinata lifted a finger and pointed to the private booths opposite of the stadium, "I'm being evaluated by collages. If I play really well, I'll receive about $1,000 American dollars and an easy entrance to one of the best collages in America, UCLA."
UCLA? That's in California, right? Wait a second…..
"What about Yui?" I asked. "Are you planning to just leave her or something?"
He opened his eyes, his usual spark gone, "Her mother told me that since it's my fault for the accident, I should be the one paying the bill. Her mother in this life is kinda cruel, you know? Not like her old caring one. She refuses to lay down a single dime to help her daughter recover. Instead, she's more focused on punishing me then Yui."
"Don't worry though; I already have a plan, Otonashi. I'll attend school there and get a job. I'll send them about half of my salary each month until it adds up and the surgery is performed. That way, I follow her mother wishes and can move on. Everybody's happy."
I grabbed his collar, unable to bare any more of this stupid plan, "You idiot! You know you will never be happy with yourself plus you still have a whole senior year coming up! Are you planning to just let Yui lay in a coma until you earn more money for her?"
He grabbed my wrist glaring into my eyes. An emotion I don't really see often and I regret ever turning it on. Rage and Anger, "Thanks for pointing out the obvious, Otonashi; but there's no other way! My hands are tied, alright? Do you think I want to let her lay there in a coma for that long? There's just no other way! So don't be saying things like that! I don't want one of my best friends to be worrying about me as well!"
I released my grip of his collar and stepped back. He looked down before covering his face with his hand, "I'm sorry. You're always so worried about me and I still yell at you for no good reason. I just don't want you to worry so much about me, alright?"
"What if Yui wakes up from the surgery and asks for you? What if she still loves you, Hinata, ever think of that?"
"There's just no way," he sighed, "We weren't able to be together during our time in SSS, remember? We constantly bickered and fought. It just never was meant to be. We were meant to love be never to stay together. It's just how God wanted."
A tear trickled down his cheek, causing me to glance away as he continued to talk, "Dammit. Who would know, that little demon child, would be the one I love the most and brought me happiness but at the same time, be the source of all my heartbreaks and pain."
"If you keep thinking like that, you're gonna end up in SSS again," I stuffed my hands in my pocket. "Listen Hinata, what if I told you, Yuri, Kanade, and I have a plan."
He looked up at me, "A plan?"
I nodded with a small smile, "The ultimate plan is to get all the Battlefront squad back in at the same school together. That way, we all stay together."
"Ultimate plan?"
"Doesn't that sound a lot less depressing than your whole going to UCLA on the other side of the Pacific and leaving Yui?"
His eyes finally lit up. He opened his mouth but a booming voice caused us to turn around.
"This guy?" a big man wearing the Ember Tiger's uniform asked…
"Kanade?!" we both exclaimed in unison.
She just had a small finger pointed directly at me, "This is the man I told you about."
He turned and looked at me, "You are coming with me, boy."
"I'm sorry but could you please explain-" before I could say anymore, the bigger man grabbed my arm and slung me over his shoulder.
"Hey! Hey! Put me down!" I yelled but gave up when I saw Kanade shake her head behind him, my jacket still in her arms.
"Would you shut up, pipsqueak?! Oh and remember to thank your girlfriend later for this."