Kuramochi glanced at Miyuki's side profile, as he checked on the screen for directions.
No matter how much the catcher proclaims that he's certainly sober, Kuramochi knows from experience, that it is not true. He offered to give Miyuki a ride back to the hotel, when Sawamura received an emergency work call.
Miyuki was still amused at the fact that Kuramochi currently practice as a physiotherapist.
"I've always thought you'd go pro, Mochi."
Kuramochi chuckled, as he rolled down the window slightly to allow fresh air. He glanced over again, Miyuki turned his face completely towards the window, and tilted his chin up slightly, seeking the breeze. He reached over, and pulled him back, "Baka, don't do that. It'll make you feel more drunk."
"You've never seen me being drunk."
Miyuki protested, and Kuramochi caught the slightest hint of whining in his voice. Kuramochi grinned, "You'd be too drunk to tell if I were there or not."
Miyuki shifted in his seat, and glanced over, eyes hidden behind the glare of his glasses. But Kuramochi could tell from his eyebrows, that Miyuki was lost in words, and couldn't come up with a better comeback.
The ride was short, when Kuramochi pulled into the parking lot of the hotel, instead of the drop-off zone, Miyuki pulled out a smile, "What, you're inviting yourself in?"
Kuramochi placed a hand behind the passenger's seat, as he turned around to backup stall park, "I don't need the entire Nippon Professional Baseball Organization all over my ass if they found out something happened to one of their catchers under my watch."
"Then they'll know they missed out on a shortstop superstar."
Kuramochi hissed at him to stop the tease, and only to be responded by Miyuki's stupid chuckles.
As they walked through the lobby, into the elevator, Kuramochi can't help but to curse under his breath, that what a luxurious life this bigshot catcher lives.
The elevator door closely slowly, and Kuramochi shifted his body slightly to shield Miyuki from other people in the elevator who are clearly drunk, returning from the club downstairs. Kuramochi frowned at all the noise they were making, and the mixture scent of perfume, body odour, and alcohol was quite unpleasant.
Kuramochi could hear Miyuki coughing lightly behind him, and then something touching his back, which made him standup slightly straighter to support the weight. And as the crowd existed the elevator, Miyuki also stood up, but he still held his scarf over his nose as he breathed out.
"All good?"
Miyuki twisted his eyebrows, and he muffled into the scarf, "We really should've taken the stairs."
Kuramochi looked at the digital number on the screen of the elevator, and laughed, "To the thirtieth floor, I don't think so... Maybe back in our Seido days."
Miyuki's room overlooked the ocean nearby. Christmas has already gone by, but the palm trees are still decorated with lights, adding an additional layer of livelihood to this already busy section of the city.
After Miyuki told him to make himself comfortable, he disappeared into his room before exiting holding a gift bag.
Miyuki grinned, "Hope it hasn't changed?"
Kuramochi was standing by the window, and he turned and saw a corner of baseball uniform sticking out from the gift bag, "Okay bigshot, how did you know I've always wanted to make good money selling your jersey?"
Miyuki shoved the gift bag into his arms, and then almost stumbled to the nearby couch to sit down, "Matsui-san was at the same fundraiser event with us in the spring, and luckily he sat at the same table. Because clearly you're not worth of going out of the way for!"
Kuramochi's hands shook as he unfolded the Seibu Lions jersey. Number 32. Kazuo Matsui. His hero since childhood. The reason why he insisted on being a switch-hitter was because how cool Matsui had made it look. Although Ochiai-Coach had talked to him multiple times to get him to favor batting from the left side, he still insisted.
"Miyuki!"
"Mm, you're welcome."
Kuramochi lifted the jersey up, and studied the autograph on the back with starry eyes. Matsui has retired now, and before then he had also did his fair share in the MLB before returning back to the Seibu Lions as a coach.
He has tried searching, but it's getting too hard, and also too expensive to get Matsui's original Lion's jersey and number in the market. He could really make thousands off of this jersey - not that he ever will!
"Thank you!"
"... Still not worth going out of the way for..."
Kuramochi threw himself over to the couch, and rubbed Miyuki's head violently, "Oh stop it! All these years, you still don't know how to accept appreciation!"
Miyuki winced at the force, but then chuckled, "Just don't tell Sawamura, he'd be jealous."
Kuramochi laughed with a tint of evilness, as he snapped a picture, "Absolutely not! I can't wait to see his face, Hyaha!"
"..." Miyuki sank into the couch, and positioned himself, so he could see Kuramochi's smile, and sighed, "I guess it's not always a good thing when a person doesn't change..."