Chapter 28: The Baseball Idiot's day off

Way too early in the next morning a grumpy Sora was woken up by her phone that didn't want to quit buzzing. She turned a few times in her bed before grumbling displeased and grabbing her phone.

When she looked at the screen and opened her newest messages from the third year group, the blue haired girl couldn't hold back wholehearted laughter anymore.

Kominato had sent a new picture with a completely startled Miyuki and Kuramochi, panicked expressions on their faces and almost falling out of their bunks in Sora's room they had occupied against her will. Beside the shortstop there was Isashiki standing with an empty bucket showing a victory sign and a malicious grin and next to the brunette catcher Yuuki stood also with an empty bucket with his brows furrowed down on his successor captain. The two boys were fully covered with crushed ice and it seemed like their upperclassmen had not so gently woken them up by dumping it on them during their sleep.

Below the photo, Yuuki had sent a text message, promising that they had taken care of things, that he had lectured Miyuki and Kuramochi accordingly and that something similar wouldn't happen again, followed by a few answers of the guys who hadn't been partners in crime complimenting Kominato, Isashiki and Yuuki for the idea and also putting it into action.

After having calmed down a bit, Sora also sent a reply, saying: "Thank you very much Tetsu-senpai, Ryou-senpai, Jun-senpai! You guys are awesome, couldn't have done it any better! See you later at the café."

Then she opened the other group chat, restraining a second laughing fit.

Baseball Idiots for Life!

Cap Cannon: Okay Sora, I know you were the one setting the third years on us! Be prepared for revenge!

Cap Cannon: Sawamura, you too! What do you think taking pictures of us sleeping? Creep!

Cheetah: Goddamn right!

Cheetah: By the way… What the fuck did we miss yesterday?! So many messages!

Cheetah: SORA! What the hell do you think you're wearing?! You shouldn't be working like that!

Sora: Serves you right! That's punishment for breaking into my dorm room without me even knowing. And leave Eijun alone, who are the real creeps here?!

Cap Cannon: We didn't break in! I have a key! What are you taking us for, huh?!

Sora: You know that's not making your situation any better, do ya? Why in the ever-loving hell would you have a key to my dorm room without my knowledge and permission?! And how often do you use it?!

Cap Cannon: Aw, Sora… And there I thought I was always welcome?

Sora: Just why did I trust you with this?! It wasn't meant like that and you know that!

Cheetah: Wait, so you didn't give Miyuki the key?

Sora: Hell, no! Why would I?!

Cheetah: You bastard betrayed me?!

Cap Cannon: Small details…

Cheetah: I'm gonna kill you!

Sora: Please go ahead…

Lucky Boy: Sora-kun, you informed our senpais about this?

Sora: Yup. Your brother was very eager to help me out, actually. He's a caring one, Haru. You should be proud.

Lucky Boy: Oh my… Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling about this?!

Sora has sent a new picture.

Cheetah: AHHH! DELETE THAT!

Future Ace: Wahaha! That looks great!

Cheetah: Shut your face, Bakamura! We're sparring when I get back into our room!

Cap Cannon: I really don't feel like catching for any of you anymore…

Future Ace: Argh! Cap, no!

Sora: Fucking finally! I deserve a little bit of peace…

Cap Cannon: Oi! What's that supposed to mean?!

White Assassin: But I gotta say that freshly iced look has some style…

Master Scout: True. And it's probably healthy. Good for the blood pressure.

Missile Man: I like my crushed ice flavored.

Kane: The third years sure are merciless!

Guardian Spirit: Well, that's Ryou-san for you, I guess…

Power Batter: Just for the record, I as the official second vice-captain approve of the taken countermeasures.

OnoOno: Zono…

Nice Guy: Well said, Zono-senpai!

Sora: Omg, I love you guys. Hahaha!

The Kuramochi and Miyuki bashing went on for another few minutes until the blue haired girl decided to say her goodbyes and leave the group chat.

It was Sunday and a rare day off of practice to let the bodies of the players rest. Sora would've liked to sleep in a little longer, but the two idiots being pranked by the almost graduates had made up for it more than enough. The young girl made a mental note to show it to Ten after breakfast.

Since she was used to morning practice, Sora went for a light jog and did some stretching. Nothing too exhausting because the coach was strict in his orders. During breakfast she asked her parents if they would need any help in the wellness center, but they denied and told her to have some free time for herself.

After a short shower and after her family had left, the blue haired girl was indeed alone and had nothing to do. When had been the last time she had felt so much freedom? Must've been a century ago already.

Her shift in the cosplay café wouldn't start until afternoon and there she would be able to see her senpais and later also Sawamura again. The young southpaw would pick her up and take her back to the Seidou compounds after work as always.

The blue haired girl made a spontaneous decision, got dressed in a hurry and left the house to go to the next subway station. It didn't take very long until she arrived at a certain huge and very classy High School compound. Not every baseball team would have a day off after all, right? She only had to watch out not to be noticed.

Of course she could've come in male attire, but somehow Sora doubted that it would've been much appreciated, so she tried to stay hidden in the massive crowd of spectators. That was much easier than anticipated, given the sheer number of squealing fangirls. Sora rolled her cerulean eyes as she spotted her target for the day grinning cockily and posing for the journalists in the middle of his baseball practice in the bullpen.

"Alright, we're done", the stern voice of their coach ordered just a few moments later. "Make sure to cool down and to stretch properly and be back for afternoon practice on time!"

"Yes, sir!" the team chorused.

Sora searched for a well-hidden spot, not too far away from the practice field. She could still see the guys stretching from the corner of her eye. With a little smirk she pulled out her smartphone, made a selfie and wrote a message to a certain someone right as she spotted him going back to his sports bag.

"Guess where I am right now?" it said and the young girl had made sure to catch the background with her camera properly.

The blue head watched the pitcher reacting to the buzzing of his phone, rummaging around in his large bag to get it out. He furrowed his brows while reading her message and suddenly his face lit up. His frown was replaced by bright sparkles in his blue eyes and by a wide smile, as he took off sprinting into her direction. Sora snickered, shaking her head.

"Mei-san?!" his catcher yelled after him, but the blonde was already around the next corner.

"Sooooraaaa!" Narumiya shouted happily before literally tackling her, flinging his arms around her waist and squeezing her tightly.

"Ugh… Hi, Mei…" she breathed.

"What are you doing here?" he asked eagerly, not letting her go yet. "Did you miss me? Did you want to see me so bad that you came all the way to Inashiro? Did you?"

"Mei… Can't breathe!"

"Ah, oops. Sorry, Sora"

Finally he loosened his grip around her body a little bit and Sora sighed in relief.

"We have a day off of practice today and I was staying at home anyway, so I thought I could come and visit you. How are you doing, Mei?"

She just didn't comment on the hug and their weird position because she knew it would be in vain anyway. Narumiya wouldn't let go of her only because she asked nicely, she was well aware of that much.

"I'm in absolutely perfect condition, of course! But thank you for asking", he replied proudly. "So, I was the first one you thought about in your rare free time, huh? That makes me happy, ya know"

"Well, it's true. Outside of Seidou I don't have many friends"

Narumiya's cheeky grin grew wider and wider, his cheeks were tinted slightly pink and he puffed out his chest in pride, finally releasing Sora of his hold and putting his hands on his hips. He seemed to grow a few centimeters too. The blue haired girl giggled.

"Then how about we go out together? I have time till afternoon", the blonde ace suggested. "I'm gonna have a shower real quick and then we can go somewhere fun"

"Alright, I'll wait for you at the vending machine", Sora agreed and pointed over her shoulder at a small bench. "But I have work today, so I need to leave early. Maybe we could have lunch a little later or something"

Narumiya blinked, taken aback for a second that the young girl was willing to hang out with him so voluntarily this time, but since she had come to Inashiro to see him, it actually made some sense, so he shook it off and promised not to make her wait for long. Then he basically skipped his way back to the school building and his teammates.

Only in a blink of an eye later, or so it seemed, the southpaw was freshly showered, completely dressed up and ready to go.

"Wow, that was fast!" Sora commented, throwing away the empty can of her coffee she had bought. "Did you dry your hair properly? You could catch a cold"

"Aw, Sora. Are you worried about me by any chance? It's cute how you show your affection today, I like it"

He received a slap on the back of his head as a response and a flat look of annoyance on Sora's face.

"Ow, hey!"

"Just don't be reckless, stupid!"

"I know, okay! I got it! I can be responsible once in a while if I want to!"

The two teenagers walked side by side around in the city and were chatting away lightheartedly, stopping every now and then to have a look at something in a shop window. They were just casually taking a stroll in town, but the blue haired girl could feel her mood lightening up significantly.

Narumiya was a bundle of glowing, positive energy and just the right distraction for her current dilemma with two certain idiots she didn't want to think about. Speaking of which…

"Ah, right! There's something I wanted to show you!" Sora suddenly blurted out, piquing the ace's interest immediately.

The young girl took out her phone and showed Narumiya the picture of Miyuki and Kuramochi being shocked out of their sleep by a load of crushed ice. The blonde boy was a laughing mess in an instant, holding his stomach with both hands and panting for air.

"T-That's so hilarious!" he gasped, wiping away some tears of laughter. "Oh Sora, please you have to send that to me! Pretty please!"

"Sorry Mei, but I'm still loyal to my team", she apologized. "As funny as it is, I wouldn't want you to post it on social media to humiliate Kaz or to use it as blackmail against him"

The blonde pitcher ruffled his hair.

"You really don't trust me, do ya?!"

Sora raised her eyebrows at him.

"Hmpf, fine! I understand!" Narumiya pouted, averting his gaze. "I hope that Kazuya knows how lucky he is to have you!"

The young girl barely managed to suppress her blush and cleared her throat.

"He doesn't have me!"

His shit eating grin only grew wider and he wiggled his eyebrows meaningfully.

"Hmmm… Are you so sure…?!"

"Gee, Mei! Let's go eat!"

The two friends mutually decided to visit a monjayaki restaurant together and Narumiya being his usual self, insisted on treating her to it, much to her dismay.

"Mei, I don't come and visit you so that you can pay my food for me, you know", she sighed in exasperation.

"I know, that's why I do it"

"Huh?!"

"Don't huh me! Just be grateful!"

"I am", Sora admitted defeatedly. "Thanks for keeping me company today, Mei. I think I really needed that"

"Trouble in paradise?" he teased and she let out a chuckle.

"Shut it!"

"Hey, it's never too late. You could still transfer to Inashiro"

"No, thanks"

"Oi!"

They started laughing together and the blue head felt warmth bubbling up inside of her. As annoying as Narumiya could be, he was a good guy at heart, although his attempts to cheer her up were still as smug as ever.

"So, uhm…" the blonde began more seriously and scratched his cheek. "You wanna talk about it or somethin'?"

For a second she honestly took his offer into consideration, but her gaze soon enough shifted to a clock hanging on the wall of the restaurant, causing her to sigh again.

"Thank you, Mei, but I'm sorry, I have to go to work now"

"That cosplay café thingy?"

"Yeah, that"

"What's the theme this week?"

"One Piece"

"Wha-?! No way, seriously?! I loved that as a lil' kid! Which character is yours?"

Sora showed him her phone again. This time it was one of the pictures with Sawamura as Luffy and her as Vivi.

"I'm princess Vivi. The Alabasta arc version"

Narumiya's face flushed furiously red.

"Y-You're working like that?! Wow!"

Sora rolled her eyes. What was with that kind of a reaction every single time from different people?!

"Well, it's a cosplay café, so I work in cosplay. Obviously"

"Y-Yeah, no… I mean sure. That makes sense, indeed" the blonde ace stammered helplessly, trying to regain his composure. "Maybe I'm gonna drop by some time in future. I could bring along some guys from the team and introduce them to you"

"Sure, if you guys like sweets, you're very welcome. We have some hell of a good chocolate parfait"

"Parfait!" Narumiya cheered like a little child, his blue eyes shining with excitement. "Okay, then I'm definitely gonna visit you at work!"

"Alright, I'll be waiting for you then", Sora said, getting up from her seat. "I think next week will be Pretty Cure theme"

Narumiya helped her to get into her coat and let out a sarcastic snort.

"Dunno much about it, but lemme guess, you're gonna be one of the blue characters?"

"Most likely. Beauty, Diamond, Mermaid or Marine, maybe. We haven't decided yet. Tomo-chan will let us know today. Also depends on which costumes she's got ready by then"

Sora pulled the blonde pitcher into a friendly, warm hug as she said goodbye to him. Narumiya tensed, but returned the gesture as soon as he had realized what was going on, nuzzling his face a bit in the crook of her neck and her fluffy muffler.

"See ya, Mei"

Stepping out of the small restaurant she shot him a last glance over her shoulder and waved her hand at him before she was finally gone.

The arrogant ace plopped back into his seat, exhaling audibly. His heart was still racing and the joy about Sora's visit was still vibrating through his whole system. His mood had skyrocketed since reading her message on his phone and now it was already over again.

"Ahhh! Goddammit!" he whined. "I hate you, Kazuya! I swear, I hate you! I've never hated you more!"

Narumiya didn't even recognize the other guests staring at him quizzically.

Back in the cosplay café, where Sora finally arrived, her senpais were already holding a study session for college entrance exams at their usual table and Tomo-chan and her colleagues were providing them with hot drinks and sweets. She entered through the backdoor, slipped into the locker room to put on her Vivi cosplay and then went to greet everybody happily. Thanks to Narumiya she was completely back to her usual cheery self.

Until shortly before closing time. Since Sora had to follow the Seidou curfew now thanks to coach Kataoka, she always had to leave a little early. Thankfully, Tomoko was an understanding boss and manager, so that wasn't a big problem. Most of the guests were already gone at that time anyway, including the third years who had excused themselves an hour ago. Usually Sawamura would be the one coming to pick his blue haired friend up to accompany her back to Seidou, but this time things were a little different.

When the front door opened and the little silver bell rang, the blue haired girl and her blonde manager who were currently busy cleaning tables in the back of the café heard the familiar cheer.

"Ao-chan, I'm here to get you!"

"Ah, Eijun-kun. Good evening!" Tomoko chirped and was the first one to turn around to greet him. "Oh my, you brought your friends. How nice of you to come all the way from your school compounds. And isn't that Kuramochi-kun? We meet again!"

"Cheez Tomo-chan!"

"Ah, U-Uhm… yeah. Hi there"

"Good evening. I'm Miyuki Kazuya, nice to meet you"

"What a well-behaved and handsome young man! So, you are Miyuki-kun, I see. Very pleased to meet you as well, my name is Tomo-chan and I'm the manager. Thank you very much for always taking care of our Ao-chan"

"Likewise"

Hearing the voices of the two idiots she honestly didn't want to see right now, Sora stiffened, but since Sawamura had already called out to her and they had to go back to Seidou anyway, she sighed and turned around with a smile.

"Eijun!"

The young girl greeted her brown haired friend with a hug and eyed their other two teammates suspiciously. They never came to pick her up. Never! She lowered her voice a bit.

"And what are they doing here?!"

Sawamura shrugged.

"They forced me to bring them along! It's not my fault!" he grumbled.

"But why?"

"I don't know!"

Meanwhile Miyuki and Kuramochi had learned to stare at Sora a little bit more subtle than obviously gawking at her with enlarged eyes and open mouths.

"Someone really should forbid him to work looking like that!" the shortstop hissed under his breath, making Miyuki chuckle.

"That cosplay thing seriously will need some time to get used to…"

Without paying the two others any more attention, let alone greeting them, Sora turned around and made her way to the locker room.

"I'm gonna get changed, I'll be there in just a sec"

"Did he just completely ignore us?!" Kuramochi asked in astonishment.

"Yup", Miyuki affirmed dryly, but his expression showed something entirely different as his caramel eyes glinted dangerously.

"I told you he's pissed!" Sawamura chimed in. "You didn't want to believe me!"

"Shut up, Bakamura!"

"Oi!"

Tomoko just giggled and resumed her work.

"What a lively bunch of friends…" she hummed to herself with a genuine smile.

"Kuramochi-senpai, Miyuki-senpai, we can wait outside now. Sora usually leaves through the backdoor since he can't walk through the café as a boy in front of the guests", Sawamura mumbled quietly and his two upperclassmen nodded, following him outside and giving their goodbyes.

When Sora as her male version finally came walking around the corner of the café, she joined the small group of her teammates without a word, still ignoring Kuramochi and Miyuki and walking beside Sawamura who told her about his practice free Sunday with a jolly smile. Luckily the young girl always had one set of the Seidou Sora attire in her locker at the café, in the locker of her family's wellness center, at home in her room and of course several of them in her dorm room on the compounds anyway. She was a girl who liked to be prepared for all kinds of scenarios.

As soon as they stepped through the main gate of their High School, Sora gave her brown haired pitcher friend a short sign and he understood and excused himself, waving her and his senpais goodbye. The blue haired girl turned around, a sharp glare in her cerulean eyes and crossing her arms over her chest.

"So, what do you want?!" she asked icily. "Why did you force Eijun to take you with him to the café to get me?"

"Oi, oi, why so hostile…?" Miyuki asked in a teasing tone of voice, while Kuramochi was wise enough to gulp and to keep his mouth shut.

"Miyuki Kazuya!"

The brunette catcher froze.

"I want that key back! This instant if you know what's good for your health!"

"Eeehh?! You're still mad about that-…?!"

"Of course I'm mad, you jerk! You broke into my room without asking me first and without my permission! Who wouldn't be mad?!" Sora snapped.

"But you told me I'm always welcome!" Miyuki shot back stubbornly, almost sounding hurt as if it had been a lie.

"You would've been if you just had asked normally!" the blue haired girl shouted, having lost the last bit of temper she had tried to contain. "I trusted you with this! I gave you my keys whenever you needed them, no? I never refused, even if I was at work and you were completely alone in my room, so who in the ever-loving bloody hell would ever get the idea to go and make a copy of the key of someone else's dorm room in secret?! And to invade my privacy when I'm not even around on the goddamn compounds! Not to mention, you're not sorry at all and you don't even understand why I'm angry at you!"

"I thought it was more efficient. I didn't want to bother you each and every single time…" the young captain tried to elaborate. "Instead of troubling you, I just thought… Oh hell, I didn't even imagine you being so furious about me being in your room anymore, okay!"

Kuramochi facepalmed. That wasn't what people called an apology…

"You still don't get it, do ya?!" Sora sighed, shaking her head in exasperation. "I'm not angry about you being in my room. I could've been perfectly fine with that, just as you assumed. I'm mad about you doing stuff behind my back. Because that's what's called betrayal, Miyuki!"

Both boys gasped at the usage of the brunette's last name instead of his usual nickname. Miyuki's caramel eyes were wide with shock, finally realizing how serious Sora was about this whole matter. The blue head wasn't teasing or trying to teach him a lesson, Sora was deadly serious and felt betrayed.

"Sora, I'm very sorry, you know", Kuramochi spoke up, keeping his gaze lowered to the ground. "I should've stopped him. Miyuki told me that it was fine and that you had given the key to him voluntarily, so I went along with it, but I promise you, we both didn't mean any harm. We weren't snooping around, rummaging through your private stuff or something like that. We'd never do that to you!"

The young catcher nodded along, running one hand through his already wind-swept hair.

"I-I never… I mean I… I didn't think anything bad of it. I even wanted to tell you. That there was no need for you to search for me before going to work with Sawamura anymore, since I have the key now…"

"Don't make me regret trusting you! I told you that…"

"I know! I won't, I promised… Sora…!"

She held up her hand to him without another word, gesturing for him to hand the key over already. Miyuki complied, pulling the small dorm room key out of his pocket and letting it fall into the small palm of the young girl's hand with a defeated sigh. The catcher looked deflated and Sora wondered if he even noticed that he still hadn't said sorry or please forgive me or anything like that at all. Unlike Kuramochi who sincerely looked like the personified regret.

"If you don't have anything else to say, I'm going to bed now!"

And with that said, she turned on her heel and let the poor boys stare after her back in a heavy silence.