Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was cold out.

But Miyuki expected that for the beginning of January.

The small breeze whipped at his cheeks as he walked under the bright moonlight. The wind was so cold that it felt as if it were stinging his face. He pushed his hands deeper into the pockets in an attempt to warm the tips of his fingers and shook his head to get his hood to fall down further so that it would cover his ears.

It was cold out. And it was late. It was probably nearing 11:15 at night, perhaps even later. But there was something about the night that made him feel calm. His thoughts were smooth as he walked even with the material of his denim jeans freezing against his legs.

It did him some good to get out into the cold to clear his head. He had been cooped up in his room all day finishing up packing and the restlessness was beginning to get to him. After a few hours of packing, he walked outside to toss the baseball around for a few minutes before he put it away and started walking.

He paused once he reached his destination. Miyuki stared up at the house that was all too familiar to him. He spent quite a time at this house. Granted, he spent a lot more time there as child. Still, it had become a second home to him. 

Miyuki's eyes squinted as he stared up at the house. It was dark, and the lights were turned off in all rooms except for one. A dim light poked through the curtain, seemingly twinkling at him. Miyuki smirked and stepped closer, letting out a deep breath before he climbed up the side. He shimmed onto the roof once he pulled himself up and knocked on the window that glowed with the dim light.

A second or so went by before the curtains pulled open. Hana, his best friend, gasped once she saw him and pressed a hand to her heart.

"Kazuya? What the hell?" She questioned as she pulled the window open. "What are you doing here? It's late."

"You weren't answering," He said, climbing inside the sill and stepping onto the floor. 

He sucked in a breath and breathed out once he stepped inside her room. The bed creaked beneath his weight. Hana sauntered over to the faded black laundry basket and continued to sort through her clothes, folding them neatly in placing them in her bag.

"I'm busy packing."

"Y'know, for a manager, that's a little irresponsible to be packing the night before."

She turned around to look at him and lifted an eyebrow, "Says the starting catcher who just climbed through my window."

"Hey, now," He lifted his hands in defense. "I had a good reason. Like I said, you weren't answering your phone. What if you were in trouble?"

Miyuki heard a soft chuckle as she sat on the ground and continued to fold. "What did you need?"

"I was bored."

He waited long enough before deciding to come over to her house. He had called her phone twice while he tossed around the baseball in a desperate hope that she would come save him from boredom. He had no other choice but to stop by her house. "I did coming baring gifts."

Hana glanced up at him from where she was sitting on the floor. Miyuki stretched out his hand and pushed a paper bag toward her. Hana was hesitant to reach for it, but she eventually leaned forward on her knees to grab it. 

"You could've just knocked at the front door. Or, I don't know, use the key I gave you."

"That's for emergencies... And I would have, but your light was on. I figured it would be better if I surprised you."

"That you did." She smiled softly at him.

Her eyes softened and his heart fluttered at the sight. Miyuki sighed, leaning back against her bed. It creaked as he moved. His fingers trailed and grabbed at the soft white material of her linen. It smelled like strawberries. It smelled like her.

And, Miyuki supposed, that was both a blessing and a curse for him. A blessing, because he loved the way that she smelled. It was soft and gentle, never too overbearing to where it irritated him. It was even a bit nostalgic. The scent was something that screamed out it was Her.

It was a curse, because, well, it just served as a reminder for what he knew to be a fact; That he'd been in love with her since he was five years old.

It was nothing short of cliche, he knew that. There were a myriad of reasons as to why it was a bad idea and he knew that too. But he couldn't help how he felt.

He couldn't remember exactly how it happened. But he could remember the first time that he met her. She had been tiny and just a smidge taller than he was. Her hair was fixed into two braids with bows donning the ends and she had the brightest smile he'd ever seen. She was loud and completely obnoxious as she asked him to play baseball with her, but that didn't stop him from agreeing. 

Miyuki didn't know who she was then but it was easy to gather that she was the new neighbor who moved in a few houses down based on her mannerisms. They were unlike anyone else's he'd known and it was quite clear that she wasn't from Japan.

Her Japanese was good, if not the slightest bit shaky and hesitant, but it was nothing that wouldn't improve with time. She was kind as she asked, and despite her being loud, he could tell that she was nervous. 

What pulled him in wasn't the fact that she was nervous. It had been her eyes. They were bright and eager, passionate and warm. He couldn't help but to give in to her and say yes.

Miyuki could never pinpoint any particular moment as to when he fell for her, but he always knew that it was a feeling that had just always been there. Every moment that he thought back on, like showing her how to cook, playing baseball, or talking for hours seemed to just contribute to all the reasons on why he loved her.

Perhaps it was at the beginning of their friendship and things continued to blossom from there. Maybe things had been planted then and it continued to grow.

Before she came along, he had been lonely. His mother had just passed a few months before she moved in. And maybe that had been the reason on why they took to each other so quickly, as Hana had lost her dad as well. 

She had been quick to intrude into his life. Hana quickly became a part of his daily routine and he came to appreciate her presence. She was always there for him when he needed it. She was there through the tough nights of grief when the tears wouldn't stop flowing and it felt like he couldn't breathe. Her warm hands would grasp at his cheeks and wipe his tears away as she sat with him for hours.

They'd play together for hours on end and talk to each other for even longer. She became something special before he could really acknowledge it. But it hadn't been something he disliked. He was lucky in that aspect, to have someone as good as her in his life.

Their friendship had taught him about trust. It started through baseball with their shared battery. She had been his first pitcher, and he had been her first catcher. An unspeakable bond started then and it only exceeded that as the months turned to years. He saw how art could be born through trust, through communication. He saw how it could go further even without baseball. 

Miyuki breathed shakily and turned his head to the side. The soft material of her blanket rubbed against his cheek with the faint strawberry scent surrounding him.

"It's too early for pre-season jitters." Hana said. 

He listened as she dug around in the bag of treats. Miyuki closed his eyes and sighed. "I'm not anxious, I'm bored."

A shuffling sound reached his ears, then Miyuki felt the bed sink beside him. He cracked an eye open and briefly looked at her sitting on top of the bed.

"You can stay the night if you want." She said.

"Oh? Was that supposed to be an invite?"

Hana hummed softly and he opened his eyes to fully look at her. She pulled her legs up to her chest and leaned rested her chin atop of her knees.

"Sort of," She said to him. "It's late... you can just spend the rest of the night here."

"Mm," Kazuya started, pretending to think about it. He hadn't planned on spending the night but he didn't want to walk back home in the cold. "If you insist."

"I should get ready for bed."

He looked at her and then toward her closed bedroom door. "Does your mom know I'm here?"

"Probably not. Why? Scared?" She questioned with a teasing tone. 

He couldn't remember the last time he stayed over her house without him sneaking inside her window. Staying in her room had become a force of habit. 

"She'd kill me if she saw me."

"Then you should be quiet," She said, giggling. "Besides, I sleepover at your place all the time."

"That's different." He insisted. 

She looked at him questioningly but Miyuki shook his head. He didn't want to have to explain exactly why it was different. He was sure her mother didn't know that she was sleeping in his room, and she definitely didn't know that Hana had been sleeping in his bed. Her mother trusted her enough, granted she had to as she worked most of the time during their childhood. Toku-San was different. He had the talk with him years ago once he noticed the tension between he and Hana. Toku-San, however, trusted him. He supposed now that there wasn't much that either of them could say now, anyway, Kazuya and Hana didn't even live there at the moment. 

Hana stood up from the bed and he sat up in his spot to look at her. She was already wearing pajamas. She wore a pair of fuzzy pink pants with hearts strewn all over them and a long sleeved shirt. How adorable.

"I'll be right back, just give me a second, okay?"

"Oh, great. That'll be nothing short of a half an hour." He smiled widely. 

She clicked her teeth and rolled her eyes as she grabbed a small bag from her Seidou duffel. He watched her as she left the room, the door almost coming to a close before it opened up just slightly. She stuck her head in through the crack.

"It'll be ten minutes at most," She told him. "You're such an ass, Kazuya, you know I don't take that long to get ready either!"

She teasingly blew a kiss at him and then back away. The door clicked softly into place. Miyuki bit at his lip. It felt as if his heart started jumping around and erratically pounding against his chest. His breath hitched in his throat as he sat forward and rested his elbows on his knees.

Damn, that feeling hardly ever went away. Miyuki was usually able to keep himself contained when it came to her, but it wasn't exactly an easy feat. Especially when the attraction you had for your best friend soared through the roof.

He'd grown used to it — the feeling. It was jarring for him because things weren't always this way. Attraction and experiencing the feeling of desire wasn't something he was familiar with, at least, it wasn't at the beginning. He'd thought she was beautiful when they were kids, of course. He would've been stupid to not think so. But beauty wasn't something he judged when it came to character. It was essentially irrelevant to him. 

Hana had about a million other attributes that he admired; like her love for baseball and how kind she was, or how she seemed so intelligent and beyond her years. It was the qualities that made her who she was, and he thought that in particular made her truly beautiful.

Miyuki still believed that. But he'd grown to appreciate other things about her, too. And it wasn't until he hit puberty that he realized that. He saw things that he hadn't seen before. It seemed as if he woke up one day and realized that he towered over her instead of her always having a bit of an inch on him. The way that he looked at her was in a way that wasn't bordering on platonic. Miyuki had found himself drawn to her, and he wondered how the hell he hadn't noticed how her lashes framed her beautiful bright eyes, or how he never noticed the curves of her legs and the fullness of her chest.

It was a bit of a mind-fuck, and it threw him through a loop for a good week. After about a week, he'd gotten his shit together. It only took her asking him where the hell his head was before he snapped back to normal. Or, as normal as one could be being in love with their best friend.

It didn't bother him now. Not as much as it did when he was younger, anyway. His feelings were complex, and he knew that. There was no need to complicate them any further by trying to placate them. He just let it be.

Miyuki stood from the bed and peeled his hoodie off. The room was warm and he was getting hot with it on. It was a complete contrast to how cold the air felt outside.

He carefully folded it and then neatly placed it on her desk chair. He leaned against her desk and glanced around her room. It had been a while since he stepped foot inside. It didn't look all that different. It was a bit sentimental seeing her trinkets and belongings basically untouched.

Pens were sprawled across the desk, notebooks were neatly stacked in the corner. There was a stray baseball sitting on top of her desk and next to it was her glove. It was broken into perfection. The black and purple colors were still vibrant and it still looked like new. Miyuki knew otherwise, though. She used that glove for years. 

Miyuki twitched but didn't move to touch it, instead, he could only stare at it. It had been a while since Hana quit baseball, a few good years at least but it still stings.

She'd been his first pitcher and that meant everything. 

He looked up at the door as the handle jingleg and turned but he didn't move from the desk. 

"Ten minutes, just like I said!" She said. Her eyes trailed over his form and then toward the desk where the glove was sitting. "Oh, I meant to put that away."

"Were you playing baseball without me?" He questioned teasingly.

Miyuki crossed his arms as she stepped toward him. Hana grabbed it in her hands, then put it in the top drawer of her dresser. 

"I came across it when I was going through my things. It's still in good shape, but I've got to clean it up a bit."

"Cleaning a glove you don't plan on using? Wouldn't that be a waste of time?" He sang.

Hana shrugged and sat back on the bed. He climbed in and sat next to her. 

"It feels weird being a baseball manager with my glove being in bad shape."

She hummed softly and leaned back in the bed, pulling her legs under the covers as she did so. Miyuki grabbed the stray blanket she kept at the bottom of the bed and laid on his back. It was still so warm in the room.

"Don't you miss it?" He questioned.

Fuck, he missed it for her. He missed watching her pitch with everything she had. He missed how she looked on the mound. He missed the way she always wore her hair in a bun and how the stray pieces of hair fell from it and framed her face. Most of all, he missed their battery. They still played together after she quit, but now she hardly ever even threw the ball around. 

She'd given up. He never questioned why. Miyuki figured that she would eventually tell him when she was ready. But she hadn't so far.

"It's not like baseball is out of my life. I'm still involved," Her voice was slightly strained as she said it. She shifted underneath the blanket uncomfortably. "Being a manager keeps me busy. You keep me busy. It's a good feeling to see you out there behind the plate. You're an amazing catcher."

His stomach tightened into a knot at her words and his eyes drifted off elsewhere. 

"It'd be nice seeing you on the mound again. The team would probably lose their minds." He chuckled. It was an attempt to change the subject. Compliments made him feel... strange.

"Coach first, then Rei-San definitely." Hana laughed.

She reached up to turn off the lamp light before settling deeper underneath the covers. Darkness filled the room but he could still make out her face as the moonlight beamed inside the window and onto her face.

"We'll be back on campus tomorrow." She mumbled. "And first year will be over soon."

"Yeah, soon."

It felt like just yesterday that he and Toku-San parted at the train station with the promise of doing his best. As Miyuki thought back on it, he realized that he had been such a different person then. Now, he knew what a loss felt like and it sharpened his mind for the future. There was so much he wanted to learn, so much more he wanted to experience with baseball.

"What are your plans for second year?" She asked him.

He chuckled at that. Because what else could he want other than going to Nationals? She probably already knew that. So, he said instead, "First year isn't even over yet and you're already thinking about second year? You're always so ambitious, I like it."

She laughed and readjusted in the bed. "The stakes are higher when you're in your second year."

"Yeah," Miyuki sighed, running a hand through his hair absentmindedly. "More pitchers to lead, more scouts watching the game."

"I'm sure you won't have any trouble with that. You're always up for the challenge."

Miyuki snorted and reached out to pinch at her cheeks. "You know me so well, Hanacchi."

"I'm excited to see the new pitchers."

"They'll all probably be egoists." He turned to her. She was already looking at him. "What about you, Hanacchi? What are your plans?"

She yawned and smiled lazily at him. "I wanna help the team get to Nationals, of course. And help out more as a manager."

"You're already a good manager, though. You're always helping everyone out."

"I want to be a better one." She said.

He lifted an eyebrow. "Oh? Trying to impress someone?"

She snorted and shook her head. "Shut up, Kazuya." 

It was quiet for a second as they sat there looking at each other in the dark. She was close to falling asleep. Good, he had always been the last one awake.

"We should get some sleep." He murmured. 

"Yeah..." She said slowly, her voice filled with sleepiness. "We should."

She blinked slowly and it looked like she was close to falling asleep. Her eyes were still so bright and warm that he couldn't help but to stare into them. He had always liked her eyes. Even when they were stupid kids. They always filled him with warmth and it felt like he could get lost in them. There was so much to see, so much he wanted to know from her eyes. 

"Goodnight," He said.

"Night," She muttered, her eyes closing.

Miyuki lied on his side for a while before he turned over and stared up at the ceiling. The bed was small but it was a comfortable feeling having her beside him. He listened to the tiny breaths coming from her that let him know that she'd fallen asleep. 

As he closed his eyes, the soft smell of Strawberries filled his nose. He smiled at that, and the warmth from her soft blanket and her body heat lulled him to sleep. Beggars couldn't be choosers, after all.

-

Miyuki woke up early the next morning. 

The room was still dark as he placed his glasses on and adjusted his focus. Hana slept beside him, still sound asleep and lost inside a deep slumber. He watched as her chest rose and fell with each gentle breath for a few minutes before he carefully pulled the blanket off of him and crawled over her sleeping form. Hana stirred, then muttered a faint noise. Miyuki paused and waiting to see if she would wake up, but she only pulled the blanket up higher over herself and moved deeper in the bed.

Miyuki walked quietly toward her desk chair and tugged his hoodie on. He reached for his sneakers that were neatly lined up below the window. As he pulled them on, he spotted a pink bottle in the corner of his eye. He turned and grabbed it from the top of her dresser to get a better look at it. Farewell to Spring, Strawberry scented 24 Hour moisturizing body lotion. He unscrewed the top and sniffed it. The scent made his cheeks redden. How familiar. Miyuki carefully set it back down and shuffled to the window.

Getting out of the window was a lot easier than it was climbing in it. The early morning air surprised him as it nipped at his cheeks once he stepped outside. It was freezing out. His hoodie was the only thing providing him with a sense of warmth, save for the slightest sliver of the rising sun. 

Miyuki started walking in the direction of his house before he stopped and reached for his phone. He quickly searched for Hana's thread and typed a quick message to her, 

'Text me when you wake up' 

He stares at the lone text before adding, 

'Let's meet back up at your place'

He read it over twice more before deciding that was good enough and started to jog back to his house. It had been the most normal he felt since he returned home for break. As much as a pain it was, getting up early and running at the ass-crack of dawn was his sense of normalcy. The only thing that was missing was Hana. She'd always be there on the field bundled in her manager's jacket smiling at him through a yawn and waving. 

Almost a year of being at Seidou and so much has already changed. He knew that things would be different the minute he parted ways with Toku-San and stepped onto the train. He had changed, his life was forever different. All of the experiences that he'd gone through so far already began to shape him.

Coming home after being away for so long felt strange. He didn't think that it was good or bad. Returning to a place that you were a part of and seeing that life continued moving without you was intriguing. Some things changed like the kids who lived down the street moving, or the bakery that used to sell Hana's favorite cake shutting down. Some things were exactly the same, almost as if he was stepping into a time capsule of some sort.

Childhood memories consumed him as he approached the factory and stopped at the entrance. Miyuki supposed that is hadn't changed much, though: stopping and staring in to look for his dad. He remembered sneaking by with Hana so that they could play baseball or looking in to make sure that he was where he left him. There was a difference, however. He felt different. He was different. But as he stood there and stared, he felt a greater appreciation for his early life. Everything hit him all at once; the things that he used to do, the person he used to be, and the person that he was becoming.

It was surreal.

"Kazuya!" One of the employees called out. He was tall and scruffy. But Miyuki remembered him from his childhood. "You heading back to Seidou today?" 

"Yes, sir." 

"Good luck. Take it to Nationals!" He chuckled. "We'll be watching."

"You got it." Miyuki nodded, waving. 

He glimpsed in again. Toku-San wasn't there. Miyuki walked up the steps to their apartment but it was as quiet inside as it was outside. 

"Dad?" He called out as he roamed through the house.

The water splashed in the bathroom and the vent was running. It was unusual for Toku-San to take the day off. Perhaps he wanted to see him off this time too. 

Miyuki tugged at the collar of his hoodie and pushed the door to his room open. His bag sat in the middle of the floor. He didn't bring much for the trip. They were only gone for three days. 

Miyuki washed up and changed out of his clothes quickly, throwing on a clean pair. An old pair of jeans for the train ride and a black hoodie. He backtracked on his way out of his room and grabbed a jacket from his bag. The weather was cold today.

Toku-San had still been making noises inside the bathroom as he padded out so he stood around waiting for him. He really should have been eating breakfast, but he wasn't hungry. He'd eat something quick on the way there. He glanced toward the corner of the living room before focusing his eyes on the floor. He flipped open his phone but there were no messages. It was still early, Hana probably wasn't up yet. 

Sighing, Miyuki looked over at the corner again. The familiar photo made his heart drop. Fresh flowers decorated the sides. Mom's shrine. He looked in the direction of the bathroom and then at the shrine before kneeling in front. 

For a while, he didn't say anything. Actually, he couldn't say anything because he wasn't sure what to say. Should he even say anything at all? 

He stared at the photo of her in silence. It's was a solo photo taken of her right after she graduated college. There was a little bit of sun shining in the photo and her eyes crinkled from her laughing. The chestnut color hair that he got from her swayed in the wind. It was stuck in time.

"Hey, mom." He said.

He didn't expect a reply back. Her picture looked at him and he swallowed thickly. His heart sped up and his hands were clammed with sweat. He didn't cry, but the feeling was there. It always was when he came here. 

"We didn't make it to Nationals this year. But... I'm kinda excited, y'know? For the new season... It's still a few months from now but second year will be starting. I'll actually be an upperclassman." He chuckled. "It's fun being a starter. And Hana's a really good manager. Great, actually. 

Miyuki paused. "I'll be going back soon. So, try to watch over Dad."

He rose from his seat just as the door to the bathroom opened. He looked up at Toku-San when he walked up.

"Oh, I didn't know you were awake already. Morning, Kazuya."

"Morning," Miyuki said. "I thought you'd be at work."

"I was there a little earlier to get the guys started. I'll probably head back down once you've gone."

"You've been working too much, Dad. You need a break." Miyuki pointed out.

Toku-San laughed and sat at the table. He sipped from a cup of coffee -- black, just how they both liked it. "I'll remember to take a break."

"You should really take a week off to just relax." 

"Yes, yes. I will when I find the time."

That likely meant that he wouldn't. 

Sighing, Miyuki pointed to the fridge. "Hana and I made you a week's worth of food and there's more in the freezer. Remember to eat, Dad, or you'll get sick at work."

"You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine." Toku-San waved his hand. "Focus on baseball, alright?"

"I will. I am."

"Good. That's all you should be worrying about."

"I'm worrying about you because you aren't taking a day to rest," Miyuki said. 

"Working keeps me busy. I get restless being in the house."

Or rather, being at home probably reminded him of Mom. Losing your partner so early seemed traumatic. One day she's here and you have a family, the next you're coming home looking at that empty bed you used to share thinking of how you'll raise your son. Miyuki understood it. He never judged Toku-San for being any other way. 

"Alright," Miyuki said.

"The visit was so short but I bet you're excited to be going back," Toku-San said.

Miyuki was a little unsettled at the thought of leaving Toku-San alone again for so long. But he had to believe him when he told him that he would be okay. Seidou was partly for him, too. After all the hard work, he hoped that someday he'd be able to care for Toku-San like how he cared for him. Miyuki was adamant that it would be through baseball, someway or somehow. He was set on it. 

"Yeah, I am. I've got a lot to do before the season starts back up again. My pitcher's injured, the new recruits will be coming soon. It's a lot. but nothing I can't handle."

Toku-San laughed, shaking his head. "Sometimes," he paused and looked away. His eyes glazed over. "Sometimes you remind me so much of your mother."

"Oh," Miyuki said.

Surprising, Miyuki thought. They never talked about her. Mom was a sore topic. Occasionally, they'd speak about her briefly but that was as far as it went. He didn't know much about her outside of her being his mother. He couldn't remember that far back. 

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No, no. Not at all." Toku-San said. "It's a good thing. Keep working hard, she'd be proud of you."

"Right, I will." 

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments before a knock sounded on the door. Miyuki looked up and over at Toku-San. 

"Is that Hana-Chan already?" Toku-San asked.

Miyuki shrugged as he stood to open it. Hana stood on the other side with her bag at her feet. She smiled at him and waved at Toku-San. Miyuki checked his phone, still no messages from her, and then raised an eyebrow. 

"I said we'd meet at yours."

"I read it, but I was getting bored waiting around so I just headed over."

Miyuki grabbed her bag and stepped aside to let her in. "Did you eat? We have bananas on the table."

"I had a little something," she turned to Toku-San and greeted him good morning. 

"A little something? How can you watch over everyone else and not yourself, baka?" Miyuki questioned, more so to himself. Hana glanced at Toku-San and winks. Miyuki ignored it. He was used to their inside jokes with him as the topic. He peeled a banana and pushed it into her hands. 

"Do you have everything? Let's do a once over before we head out." Hana said. 

"I already did. Why would I do it again?"

"What if you're missing something?"

"Ohh, you're right. I forgot to pack you in my bag."

"Very funny, Kazuya." She sat across from Toku-San at the table eating the banana.

Miyuki dropped her bag on the floor. "We can head the train in about half an hour."

He leaned against the arm of the couch and breathed out. Almost there, second year, almost there.

Chapter Text

Miyuki's phone buzzed. It was a new message from Hana that flashed across the screen reading:

'I'm outside, where are you??'

He squinted at the message of he thought of what to say. It was dark out, and the night was quite warm for a February night. Of course, there had been a slight chill from the evening air, but it was nothing unbearable.

The coolness of the air felt good, anyway -- Miyuki thought. His muscles ached and he was tired. He yawned about three times in the past five minutes, and he wanted nothing more than to get a full nights rest. But that proved futile with the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Miyuki hated when that happened.

He hated it especially because class started at 8:30 in the morning and practice began at 6:30 a.m. Breakfast followed shortly after. Miyuki really thought that he should be in his dorm and trying to rest, after all, it was almost 10:45 at night. He wasn't the least bit tired. He already knew that the next morning would be a pain. He would wake up groggy from being up late and then he'd be tired throughout practice.

Miyuki thought about staying in. He did. But after he weighed his options -either staying in bed bored and wide awake, or hanging outside and making Hana come out- the latter was too tempting to pass up.

Miyuki looked up from his phone. Hana stood just a few feet away from him with the glow of her phone illuminating her face. 

"Hey," Miyuki called out. "Wrong way."

They met each other in the middle of the grass behind the dormitory. It was even darker back there. There was hardly any streetlights except for the sole one about 10 feet away from them. 

Still, he could see her well enough. Hana was bundled underneath a puffer jacket with her hands crammed inside it's pockets. She had on pajama pants -- fluffy ones-- which were completely opposite to the gray sweatpants that he was wearing. Her hair was still tied up in a ponytail that she had been wearing at practice. Miyuki smirked at that. He had a soft spot for Manager Mode Hana.

She looked him over. Hana pressed her lips together in a thin line as she looked back up at him and their eyes meet once again. 

"Out of all places, why'd you decide to meet me outside? It's freezing out here." She hissed. She looked around tentatively and added, "And dark."

Miyuki chuckled a bit. He could still remember when they were kids and she'd glue herself to him once the lights were off. Small Hana eventually admitted with a bit of reluctance and embarrassment that she was convinced there was a boogeyman in the dark.

He was sure she didn't think that now. But she still keep a tiny night light in her room. 

"Hanacchi, we meet out here all the time," He paused and quirked an eyebrow. "Don't tell me that you've still been afraid of the dark this whole time."

"I'm not scared of the dark, Kazuya." She said quickly. Her voice went up a pitch and she glanced away bashfully.

"It's okay if you are. I'm here, after all."

"Kazuya." She said sternly. The wind whipped gently at the small frays of hair framing her face.

"Sorry, sorry... I was just a little bored. That's all."

"Aww, you missed me and wanted to spend time with your best girl." She smiled.

Miyuki frowned. "Sure, we can go with that."

Hana shrugged and shook her head. "I guess I'll take it."

"Good, because it's all you're gonna get."

Hana kicked her feet at the grass. "I was a little bored too. I was thinking about trying to turn in before you texted me."

"In that case, I feel a little special." He smirked.

"I guess you are a bit spoiled."

Miyuki shrugged, biting at his lip. "Call it even then. I spoiled the hell out of you when you were a pitcher."

And he still did. But he wouldn't say that out loud.

"You're a bit of a softie when it comes to your pitchers, Mr. Best Catcher in the Nation."

Such an honest and genuine compliment. She had the habit of doing that. His cheeks burned at that but he brushed it off with a laugh. 

"If a pitcher is good, then I'll humor them." 

Hana's eyes brightened. "Are you calling me a good pitcher? I love when Miyuki Kazuya gives such high praises." 

"Would that make you start pitching again?" 

"Nice try, wife." She said, laughing. "You're lucky that the fresh air is so nice. But still, it's cold out here."

"Don't worry, you won't freeze Hanacchi."

"You're lucky. I brought something to keep us warm."

Miyuki raised an eyebrow. "Ha? You got a whole blanket under your coat?"

Hana unzipped the top part of her jacket and reached inside. He could tell what the item was once he saw a glimpse. He knew it all too well. Her eyes didn't meet his, but there was a shaky breath that came from her. 

"Think this will do?" She questioned.

"Oh, definitely." Miyuki said.

"We're just playing a game of catch, though." She reached inside her jacket again, pulling out another glove. It was a spare judging by the plain brown design. She grabbed the ball that was resting inside the glove and passed him the spare. It was ugly based on the sole fact that it wasn't his glove, but he didn't object to wearing it. Not when he was being graced with a once in a lifetime chance of playing catch with her.

He thought about asking her why she brought her glove as he slipped his own on. But he doesn't. He hasn't been asking for a while now. The air between them is a bit awkward now, maybe even slightly intense. He can't bring himself to look at her directly. 

It's difficult to try to understand what she wants or how she feels about baseball. The only thing that he knows is that the whole situation is complicated. It's part of the reason why he won't ask. He doesn't want it to get even more complicated.

They toss to each other for a little while before a rhythm builds up. The ball lands in their gloves in heavy thuds. It's a sound that's refreshing. It brings him a bit of a happiness hearing it. This sort of happiness was reserved specifically for moments like these where it's just Him and Her and their battery. Communicating without words, it feels like. 

She faced the streetlight, and it made it easier for him to see her. He looked in her eyes and tried to find an answer there, any tiny bit of an answer. As always, there was so much in there that he couldn't pinpoint it.

He wasn't sure that he wanted to pinpoint it though because he liked when he got lost in there. Her eyes were so bright and so animated that it made him just want to keep looking just to try deciphering it. To get to know everything about her. Her views, her beliefs. It was so different from the way he thought about things.

It was in times like these that Miyuki wondered how she saw him. That thought didn't come to him often. Some days it did, and he was glad because he didn't have to think about it. Because most of the time, it didn't matter how she saw him. Because he saw her, friend, love, partner. And that was all that mattered.

But, still, curiosity could be a bit of a pain.

And those some days, he couldn't help but wonder if she noticed intricate details about him like he did for her. Or if she felt warm when he smiled. Did she feel those overwhelming feelings that one shouldn't feel for their best friend? Did she get pent up the way he did when she hugged him and inhaled his scent?

He questioned it every once in a while. However, it was in a way that felt like a game. Something that he could think about, not something that was necessarily important.

After all, the love that he had for her was enough.

"So," Hana eventually said, cutting through the tension, "Are you ready for the night game?"

The upcoming night game was a sort of celebration for the current team before the new first years arrived. It was their only night game on the roster.

"It’s still a ways to go from now. But yeah. We hardly ever get to play at night, so I'm looking forward to it."

"It's not just a night game. It was basically your 'commemoration'." He threw the ball to her glove and she caught it with ease. She tossed it back to him easily. Their connection as partners hadn't wavered. Even after all the time that had passed, it still felt right being there. Being across from her.

"It's nice to play with the team as it is before the new semester," he admitted.

"Yeah, and it was under the lights. That, along with a few activities. It sounded so fun, I couldn't wait," she said. "I'd get to watch you from the dugout, too."

She threw the ball back to his glove. It was slower than a usual throw with hardly any spin. Miyuki wondered if she did it subconsciously. He rolled the ball inside his glove and sighed, looking up at the sky and then down at her.

"Yeah, but, I should probably walk you back to your dorm now... It’s getting late."

Hana's eyebrows furrowed. "You don't have to walk me back every single time. It's out of the way."

"Ha? You said you weren't afraid of the dark anymore?" Miyuki chuckled. "And you don't use a nightlight?"

"It's easier to see things," she defended. "But, thanks."

"Yeah, yeah. You ready?" he questioned while sliding the glove off his hand.

Hana didn't move from where she was standing. She shot him an awkward look while playing with the stitching on her glove. She breathed in slightly and exhaled.

"Maybe... a couple more tosses?" she asked.

Miyuki's eyes widened. It was a bit of a surprise to him to hear it and it took him a split second to process it. Eventually, he laughed, more so to himself as he slid his glove back on. It was late, definitely a lot later than it was when he first came out. Practice would be hell tomorrow and he was aching all over. He should be resting, but who was he to give up an opportunity like this? He didn't know if he'd get another one anytime soon.

He couldn't say no. And especially not to her.

"See, this is why you're awesome," he grinned.

"I'm getting top tier Husband treatment."

"Hana," he frowned.

She still insisted on referring to them as such. Apparently, once you were someone's first battery it meant you were married for life. At least, that's what Hana thought.

"Bestest girl treatment?"

Or, the Hana treatment, he thought.

"See? I told you you're spoiled."

-

Miyuki knocked softly on the door. Tiny droplets of water dripped from the strands of his hair and onto his shoulders. A few moments later, the door swung open. Hana stood on the other side, mouth slightly agape and her eyebrows furrowed once she looked at him.

"Did you just leave the showers?" she questioned. "Where's your coat, Kazuya?"

"Sorry, mom. I forgot it and I didn't feel like turning around."

He brushed past her and pulled on the strings of his hoodie. Her dorm room was small and it was a lot different from the one back home. There was still a lot of similarity too considering she was still the same person. But the last visit home reminded him of something like a time capsule, all the different stages of life that he'd seen her in stared back at him when he was there. In here, it reflected who she was now.

It was interesting to note the growth that she'd gone through in just a year. He wondered if she saw the same for him. Did she get reminded with moments of nostalgia when she saw his old things?

Bright yellow yarn was thrown onto the bed with the end strings brushing the floor. He was careful not to disturb it as he sat on the edge of her bed.

"I'll go and get you a towel," she mumbled. "I can't believe you walked over here like that."

Miyuki chuckled and leaned back. "Do you know who we'll be playing yet? For the night game?"

Hana shrugged and looked through her clothing rack.

"I don't know yet. The schedule block is still blank." She glanced at him and smiled. "Buuut, I think it's a practice game against Nekoma."

"Mm, it's been a while since we've played them. Where'd you hear that from?"

"From Sachiko-Chan," she answered.

Right, Sachiko. One of the other first-year managers and her other best friend.

"Ugh," Miyuki huffed loudly.

"I won't tell her you said that." Hana laughed, handing him the towel.

It was soft and pastel blue and it smelled faintly like her and fresh laundry. He patted at the strands of his hair, watching her as she pulled at the zipper of her jacket. Her shirt puffed out around her waist in a way that looked like it was haphazardly tucked inside the waistband of her skirt. There was a tiny Nike logo sitting right at the chest. Miyuki squinted and looked harder before clicking his tongue and asking,

"Is that my shirt?"

She looked down and pressed her lips together, humming softly before replying, "No?"

"Oh, so all of your shirts bunch up like that?" he questioned.

"Yup."

Hana sat back and picked up the pins. She started to knit quickly and quietly. Miyuki reached over and tugged at the ends of the shirt.

"That's clearly my shirt. Unless you've started wearing men's sizes now."

"You act like I've never worn your clothes before." She laughed.

"Yeah, when we were like ten," he pointed out. "It's different now."

"How?"

"Because you didn't have boobs then. They're too big and they're stretching the fabric all weird at the top."

"I did have boobs then, asshole," she muttered under her breath.

"Ha?"

"I said that six missing shirts aren't going to kill you."

"Yes, it i-," Miyuki paused. "Wait, Hanacchi. Six? Did you just say six?"

"No, I said three missing shirts."

"I heard six. No wonder I can't find my clothes. It's because you're treating my closet like a shopping mall."

"You hardly even noticed until now," she giggled and the pins clicked together. "And it's three Nike shirts. I have three Under Armor shirts."

Miyuki sighed and pulled out the team scorebook.

"Oh, right, even better."

"Would you like me to give them back?"

His cheeks burned as he flipped through the pages. "You can keep it."

"Well, good, because I wasn't gonna give them back anyway."

Fuck, how awkward. His face was burning. It shouldn't be this weird, it's just clothes.

Miyuki breathed in and lifted the scorebook higher.

"We could switch shirts. Then we'd be even," Hana said.

"I'd love to wear a pastel crop top."

"You'd look good in it."

The room grew quiet for a bit as he read over the book and Hana knitted. Quiet, but comfortable. His thoughts broke away once his phone started to buzz softly inside his jeans pocket. Readjusting, he sat up against the wall and looked at the caller. Kuramochi.

"Hello?"

"Where are you?" his voice crackled.

"Ah, getting straight to the point now, aren't we?"

"Shaddup," Kuramochi hissed.

Faint voices spoke in the background. Maybe Jun-San was there too.

"What's up?" Miyuki asked.

"Give me the phone," the other voice said. It was definitely Jun-San.

The speaker muffled before Jun's gruff voice came through. "We're in your dorm."

"Oh, yeah. I'm not there right now." Miyuki chuckled.

"We can see that, asshole. Where the fuck are you?"

"Mm, why?"

"He's probably with Manager-Chan," someone else said. Definitely Tetsu-San.

"Are you with Manager-Chan?" Jun-San asked.

"What do you guys need?"

"He's definitely with her," Jun said. "We need you to come back to the dorm. We're about to review some tapes."

"And we need the password to your laptop," Tetsu-San added.

"Fine," Miyuki sighed. "I'll be there in like twenty minutes."

"You can bring Manager-Chan too."

Miyuki hung up.

"So much for going to your room to escape the team's antics," he said to Hana.

-

Days later, Miyuki trudged into class. 

He was late, but it wasn't because of his own accord. It was the simple fact that was Valentine's Day. Miyuki wasn't quite sure what to do when he saw two Valentine's Day letters drop from his locker. One white envelope, and another one that was bright pink cut into the shape of a heart. They were both written in fancy script detailing their admiration for him and signed as 'Anonymous'. He spent a few moments glancing around, hoping that he didn't see anyone watching him. 

Miyuki almost felt bad that he planned on throwing them out. Valentine's Day was a holiday he didn't have much of an opinion on. Romance in general was something he didn't bother to pay much attention to. He was too busy most of the time with baseball. And if he did have an interest in something as counterproductive as romance, then he would-

No. He wouldn't even entertain that idea.

He slipped into the classroom and into his desk seat. Kuramochi was already in class slouching in the desk behind him. It was ironic that they were in the same class and desk mates.

"Yo, you just missed Manager-Chan," Miyuki turned to him. Kuramochi lifted up a bright red envelope between his fingers. "She asked me to give this to you."

Miyuki took it from his hands and turned back in his seat. He chuckled quietly to himself as he looked at it. It's been years since the tradition started and yet, she still remembered every February. Miyuki's never cared for Valentine's Day. He didn't like chocolate and he wasn't a fan of romance, that was true. But there was this, the card Hana gave him every year. 

Perhaps he didn't associate this particular thing with being romantic because the beginnings of the tradition were rooted in the complete opposite. Loneliness is what started it for them. After they formed a battery together, she felt like she should gift him something. She'd said it was because they should understand each other. Miyuki knew that it was because his Mother was gone and she didn't want him to feel the pain of loneliness. 

Hana was certainly ambitious, but it only translated to scorched pans and the smell of burnt oatmeal. Nonetheless, it was still something he appreciated it. And an exact month later, he made her batch of chocolates the right way. 

"And there's this." Kuramochi tapped his shoulder and placed a packet beside him. The homemade protein bar that came consistently with the card every single February 14th. 

Miyuki looked over the card. It was handmade like always and decorated in swirls and glitter. His name was written neatly at the top.

'一也' 

It's not chocolate. Promise. 

-Hana' 

He smirked to himself and turned the packet in his hands. From the looks of it, she hadn't improved much from last year. But it was an effort that he could appreciate. Miyuki slipped the card inside his desk.  He'd have to add it to the rest. 

Kuramochi snickered from behind him. Damn, he almost forgot that he was there.

"You guys make each other Chocolate?" He questioned. 

"Nah, it's a protein bar."

"That's still proving my point."

"You don't have people who care about you? That's so sad." Miyuki frowned. "If you want, I can give you some extra chocolates."

"How about shove it up your ass," Kuramochi said. "Has anyone ever told you that your personality is shit?"

"Only a few."

"Well, add another. Your personality is shit, my guy."

Miyuki laughed in response. "Thank you. I've actually been working pretty hard to perfect it, y'know?"

"There's no need to perfect it, I'm sure it comes natural."

Valentine's Day... definitely not romantic.

-

She was cute like this—Miyuki thought.

Manager Mode Hana had been something like a special edition. She differed from Regular Hana because she came equipped with a ponytail, a clipboard tucked under her arm, and of course the manager's uniform. (That had been a blessing all on its own).

Hana in Manager Mode also meant that she was straightforward and responsible. It contrasted her shy and meek personality at the beginning of the year when she hadn't known anyone. She had been a little lost at first before she grew comfortable in her role as manager. She had grown a lot since then. He couldn't help but think that this leadership role suited her well. As much as he had selfishly wanted her to play baseball, or pitch, or even anything, he thought that this fit her.

Miyuki had thought that all pitchers were egotistical. Hana had had her bouts of selfishness. It hadn't been anything that was unhealthy. He never complained about it. All pitchers needed to have a hidden ego of wanting to be the best or the idea that they should hold down the team. He liked that.

But above all else, Hana was kind. And he liked that too.

They were all good traits that contributed to being a great manager. She was stern when she needed to be. But there was always an underlying kindness that made you feel comfortable. It was endearing.

Even now, with her standing beside him and scolding him.

For what? He couldn't quite remember. Had it been the fact that he was late to practice again? Or was it because he had said something? He couldn't quite remember.

"Hanacchi, how can you yell at someone like me?"

"There are plenty of reasons for that," she said. "You can't mouth off to the upperclassmen! It's rude."

Right, he remembered now. Something with Azuma-Senpai. But he couldn't remember what it was that he had said even now.

"I don't remember mouthing off."

"Of course you don't. You probably can't keep up with yourself."

"Yikes," Miyuki pressed a hand to his heart. "How can you say that? To your favorite?"

"I don't play favorites on the field, Kazuya."

"Sure, sure."

Hana blinked at him, then smiled. "Alright, I'm done now."

"Good, because I was about to cry."

She shook her head and sighed. "Practice is starting soon. You should be getting ready."

"I am. I'm getting my glove," he chuckled. "Wanna come?"

She glanced around. Her fingers tapped along the clipboard that was pressed tightly to her chest. "Fine, but we have to be quick."

"See, I knew I was your favorite." Miyuki slung an arm around her shoulders.

Hana rolled her eyes. "Kazuya, can't you try to be a bit nicer? People are counting on you as the starting catcher, and a friend."

"A friend?" He frowned. "Who said anything about friends?"

"You play with these guys every single day for hours. I'd think they'd count as friends."

"We're teammates. It's not the same," he insisted.

Hana puffed out slight laughter. "Of course that's something you'd say."

"You know me well then."

"Well enough to know that you'll be happy to hear that the game against Nekoma was confirmed," she said.

Miyuki looked at her in surprise. Nekoma, it'd be a tough game. Albeit, it was just a practice game but still a game. It would look silly if they lost during their celebratory game. They had Azuma-Senpai for the points, but Tanba-San was still out with an injury. It was worrisome for the team and he told her so.

"I know," she said. "That'll be a problem. But I was talking to Sachiko-Chan and I think she had a bit of information that would be useful."

"It's never too early to go over game stats," he singsonged.

They reached his dorm and he pushed it open. Hana sat on his bed, bouncing slightly on the mattress. She hummed to herself and scrolled on her phone as he sorted through his practice gear. Glove, bat, bag.

He listened for a second. It was soft and short but it sounded good. He tried to pick out what song she was singing. He wasn't sure. So he asked.

"Mm, it's not a song. Just some beats from earlier when I was knitting."

"What are you knitting now?" he asked.

She had been dedicated for the past few weeks. Every so often she'd drop the hobby and then pick it back up after some time.

"Gloves, this time," she said. "I think I'll try a scarf soon."

Gloves—he thought. He had forgotten to put his gloves back in his bag. He turned his back to her as he searched through his drawer. He pushed random items of trinkets to grab them. There was a small picture underneath the gloves. It was a small one that she had given to him for his birthday when he turned 12. It was before things started changing. A photo that marked their innocence. Before she quit baseball, before his feelings bloomed.

Miyuki breathed out and shut the drawer.

"Thanks for the protein bar by the way," Miyuki said. "The card was nice too."

"I'll do without a card then next year if you want. I'm not sure if it was too much."

"Relax, Hanacchi. You know I'm joking." He threw his baseball gear into his bag and zipped it closed.

"You're such an annoying little jerk."

"But you love me and I'm your most favorite catcher ever, remember?" He grinned. He squatted on the ground and carefully arranged his bag.

Her eyes dropped to the floor and a small smile tugged at her lips.

"There's that..."

"What kind of chocolate do you want this year? I can do a variety."

"You still want to make some this year?"

"Why wouldn't I? I do it every year," he questioned.

It had been a tradition. It had been their thing. Consistent and something he could always rely on. He wondered if there had been another issue at hand. But he decided not to ask. The idea of more things building up for them to talk about had started to eat at him, but he hadn't been sure what to say. Nor had he been sure how to say it. The only thing that felt right had been to wait for her. Being open and vulnerable had been intimidating. It had a chance of backfiring in his face. His way with words had left a lot to be desired. He hadn't wanted to make her upset saying something that felt accusatory.

"Yeah, I know. But we're here now and you're busy."

"You're busy and you still made it."

"I have a bit more free time than you do, idiot."

"You act like making chocolate is the hardest thing in the world." Miyuki laughed. He thought back to the beginning. Black pans and the smell of burnt oatmeal. "Well, maybe it is for you."

"So rude... I worked hard on it this year."

"I could definitely taste it," he nodded. He looked into her eyes. They shone bright. "We don't have to stop. We've always done it. So, we should keep doing it."

He thought about the card he had gotten today and how he would add it to all the others. He wasn't sentimental but he liked things that meant something. Every year, even when she had left the smallest notes, it reminded him of the compassion that she had towards life. He hadn't wanted to part with that.

"Milk chocolate." She answered eventually.

"Milk chocolate it is." He chuckled. He stood and pulled his bag on his shoulder. "Ready?"

She smiled and looked back at him. But it hadn't been the usual smile. It had been warm and it made him glance away.

"Yeah, let's go."

Chapter Text

Miyuki's fleece blanket was warm.

The linen was old, probably nearing ten years or so. He brought it from home after a last-minute decision to tuck it away in his bag. It was worn, but not tattered, and it was one of the things that reminded him the most of home. Not so much in the way that he thought about Toku-San or his mother, but in the way that he remembered early Saturday mornings. Being tucked away in a makeshift cocoon with the bright morning sunlight sifting in through the window. 

It reminded him most of being a kid. It reminded him of how he felt when he had nothing else to do but sleep because the whole day was waiting for him. 

It was why Miyuki liked Saturdays. Even if they weren't exactly the same. He still got to hold onto an extra hour or two of sleep with the sun hitting his cheeks while wrapped up in his childhood blanket. He hadn't been one for nostalgia because the present was the focus. But occasionally, he'd indulge.

He wasn't sure what time it was and he didn't care. He knew that it was early and that he'd just woken up from his second dream or so, and that he was already drifting back to sleep.

Miyuki turned and settled deeper in the bed. He didn't hear any noise except for the faint buzzing coming from his fan. His roommates probably weren't here. 

"Kazuya," A voice called out.

Soft and hushed. His eyebrows furrowed at the noise. It sounded as if it belonged to Hana, but he had been sure that he didn't hear the door opening. 

"Wake up." The voice said again. 

He wondered if the voice belonged to Hana after all. If it did, then that meant she was either in his room or that he was still dreaming. If he was, then it made for a damn good one. Not at all unwelcome.

Miyuki felt his arm being gently squeezed. He was now certain that it wasn't a dream. He breathed in heavily through his nose and grumbled, "What time is it?"

"It's a little after seven." She replied softly.

"Fuck me," Miyuki groaned. His fingers pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's early, Hana."

Miyuki turned on his stomach and pressed his face into the mattress, then pulled the pillow over his head to muffle the noise. Hana sighed and pulled at a piece of hair that stuck out from beneath the pillow.

"I know, I'm sorry," She said. "It's my turn to prep the snacks and I'm scared that I'll mess it up. So, I kinda need your help."

A moment of silence went by. Miyuki breathed in deeply once more and turned to look at her. He pulled down his sleeping mask just slightly to catch a glimpse of her. She was blurry as she stood in front of the bed. He considered reaching for his glasses, but instead, he placed the mask back over his eyes. 

"Shouldn't you still be asleep, though? You have at least an hour or so before you need to start cooking."

The bed sunk under her weight as she shifted closer to him. Instinctively, Miyuki shifted towards the wall to make room for her. His roommates were definitely gone because there wasn't a hint of snickers or giggling at the sight of Hana in the room. 

"I couldn't sleep." She explained. 

"It's earlyyy," Miyuki said again. "Girls like you should be getting their beauty sleep and whatnot."

Hana whined and pressed her forehead to his shoulder. His breath hitched. "Kazuya, I'm scared that I'm gonna ruin the whole thing. Then I won't have any food for anyone." Hana grasped his shoulder and breathed shakily before adding, "What if the rice gets burnt?"

Miyuki waited a moment before he replied. It was a weak attempt at holding out because he knew that the answer would ultimately be a 'yes'. He was hooked, whipped, and anything else that meant completely indulgent for your best friend. 

Her loose hairs tickled his neck as she lay behind him. Had her hair been loose, or was it up when he looked at her earlier? He couldn't remember from the glimpse earlier. He didn't think it was in a ponytail. It wasn't a weekday.

"Fine," Miyuki eventually said. "Just give me a second to get ready."

Hana sighed in relief. He could almost see her smile. "Thanks, Kazuya. You're the best."

"Mhm, I know, I know. I'm the best person in the world. There's no need to remind me or I'll get a little too shy." 

Miyuki sat up and yawned before he reached for his glasses. The focus of her went from blurry to clear once he placed them on his face. The sunlight seemingly illuminated her face, highlighting her bright smile and the look of excitement. So, Miyuki decided, it wasn't a dream. This was better. 

His earlier thought of her forgoing the ponytail is confirmed. Instead, Hana had on backward-facing baseball. It was blue, and on the front 'Edogawa Dragons' was printed along the bottom in neat blue kanji characters. The hat was his. Or rather, it used to be. He had given it to her years prior.

"I can't believe you still have that," Miyuki chuckled, pushing the brim of the hat forward so that it covered her eyes. "This thing is old."

Hana hissed at him and swatted his hands away then shifted it back in place. Her eyes narrowed up at him before she pushed her stands back neatly. Miyuki grinned cheekily at her before he climbed out the bed and walked to his desk chair. His hoodie draped across the clothing rack and he reached to tug it on. He didn't remember which one it was, but it was soft and warm and that was all he needed for an early morning. 

"Let's try to be quick. I'll walk you through the steps," He said to her. The fabric of his sweater muffled his voice as he spoke. "I wanna take a nap before practice."

She stared at him from the edge of the bed. Her eyes softened as she stared and a small giggle flitted through her. 

"Hm? What's up? Something wrong?"

"Nothing," She waved her hand. "It's just that... your bed hair is so wild."

His cheeks burned and he combed through the wild strands with his fingers. Hana jumped forward off the bed with her hands outstretched and held his hands in hers. "No, stop!! Don't fix it." 

He raised an eyebrow. "You're so damn backward sometimes, Hanacchi."

"I was just making a comment. I like your hair. It's silly." 

"You're silly." He bit back.

Hana dropped his hands and smirked. "That seemed a little snappy, don't you think?"

"It's seven in the morning and I just woke up," He tapped her nose with his index finger, laughing as she scrunched her face. "Therefore, you have to forgive me."

"I suppose."

"Good." Miyuki grabbed the towel that hung at the end of the rack and then turned toward her. "I'm gonna head to the washrooms. You can stay here if you want."

"I'll come with you."

"So, you're taking up being a personal bodyguard now?" He teased. 

"You'll end up back in the doghouse with that mouth of yours," Hana smirked. 

The two of them walked down the steps and to the washrooms. Hana pointed to the tap and leaned against it. He nodded and stepped inside. Maezono stood up at the sink. He was holding a pair of clippers in his hands with his finger hovered over the button. He squinted at himself, and then his eyes followed Miyuki to the sink that was 2 down. Maezono looked at him briefly and then turned back to his reflection.

"Morning," Miyuki greeted.

"What are you doing up so early?" Maezono questioned.

"Nothing," Miyuki shrugged. He bent down and brushed his teeth, then glanced at Zono. "What about you?"

"Nothing," Maezono yawned. "Kuramochi's standing in, though."

"Yeah? Who's pitching?"  Miyuki asked.

"Tanba, I think."

"No shit." Miyuki said. It had been months since Tanba had gone out with the injury. They were all lucky that Chris-Senpai had noticed the injury when he did and made him sit it out. The new season was already approaching them, and Miyuki knew that Tanba had it in his mind too. The new semester would be starting and with that came new players. Tanba wouldn't give up a chance at being the ace so there was no other option but to start conditioning again. 

Miyuki was filled with relief. Without him, reaching Nationals would just be a dream. 

"I thought maybe you were catching for him."

No, he had just been preoccupied with another pitcher at the moment. Former pitcher if she wanted to call herself retired. He chuckled at the thought and bent down to wash his face. He wiped it with a clean towel and folded it back together. He needed to hurry up and get outside. Hana was still out there waiting.

"Tanba hates me. I'm the last person that he'd ask to catch for him." Ironic, Miyuki though. He, on the other hand, actually liked Tanba-San.

Zono laughed and lifted the clippers to his head. The clippers erupted with a soft buzzing noise once Zono pressed the 'on' button. "Yeah, that's true. But you're still the starting catcher. He's not that dumb to not get in any combos down."

"I'll head down in an hour or so," Miyuki said.

He looked at himself and the mirror and sighed. A stray piece of hair stuck up oddly. The rest had fallen back into place. He leaned forward and picked at it. Silly, his ass, he thought. Try half-baked.

 Maezono nodded and shouted out to Miyuki as if left the bathroom a gruff, "See you there!"

"See you where?" Hana asked once he came out. 

Her arms were crossed and she looked at him with a questioning look. Miyuki smirked and muffled the hat. "Nosey, aren't we? Tanba's pitching again and Zono asked me if I was catching for him."

"Are you?"

Miyuki looked down at her and smiled. "I will after I help you whip up something edible."

"My hero." She smiled back.

-

"Anddd, it's done," Miyuki said. "It's perfection at its finest."

He pushed the last onigiri neatly onto the metal tray. Hana stood next to him and nodded. She hummed to herself a nodded. "They do look pretty good."

"Of course they do. If we left it to you we probably wouldn't have anything edible."

Hana snickered, pointing her finger into his chest. "You're so annoying. It's no wonder that you don't have any friends."

"All, right, I admit you make pretty good muffins." Miyuki agreed. "And the last time I checked, you're my friend."

Hana frowned. "How unfortunate for me."

"Don't be cynical."

"Seriously, though," Hana said to him. "Thanks for helping me."

Miyuki's eyes slowly widened. He didn't mind helping her. Even if it was an early Saturday morning.

Being at Seidou threw their relationship a curve ball. He hadn't been naive enough to think that things would stay the same. Things were different, they were different. It had been a long time since they stood together in the kitchen and cooked a meal together. Their routine had been so in sync as kids: practice, walking home together, eating together. Now their days were filled with being at practice and discovering who they were now.

The idea of a change in dynamics didn't scare Miyuki. He could see the potential for growth for the both of them and he wanted to experience as much as he could. But he couldn't deny that warmth that filled him as she eased back into a role they left behind. It felt good to know that even through all of the changes that happened and were soon to occur, that deep down she was still Her. His best friend and the girl that he was in love with.

"You mean, thanks for doing all the cooking?" He teased. 

"Yeah, thanks for being the best chef ever." She grasped his arms and squeezed, her bright eyes looked up at him before glancing away. "Kazuya, what the hell have you been eating? You're bulking up."

Miyuki's eyes settled briefly at the sight of her hands touching his arms and swallowed deeply. His heart squeezed, then paused before thumping heavily. "Mm, it's nothing really."

He wondered if she had been looking at him. Hana laughed softly and released his arms. She turned back to the trays of onigiri and pulled out a marker, carefully labeling the food. 

"Guess what?" She asked.

"What's up?" He awkwardly ran his fingers through the strands of hair on his nape. 

Miyuki kept his eyes trained on the wax paper that covered the food. 

"The new season for Foreign Lovers just came out."

Miyuki frowned and feigned a sigh. "Y'know watching that is gonna rot your mind, Hanacchi."

"Then add yours to the list, too, because you're always right there with me."

"I just so happen to be there to analyze the drama." It had been six seasons that they watched together. Eight if he counted the spin-offs.

He started to reply, but the buzz from his phone caught his attention. He fished it out of his pocket and looked at the caller. Kuramochi popped up and a new text appeared.

'Wya?? Tanba said you can catch'

"That Zono?" Hana questioned. 

'Omw' He texts back.

"It's actually Kuramochi." He responded.

"Ahh, I see." She picked at a piece of onigiri that she pulled off the tray. "Well, go on. I kept you long enough. It's guy time."

"It's supposed to be practice, not leisure time." He said. "They can wait. It's not like Tanba's gonna learn to side-arm in the fifteen minutes that I'm not there."

"Never say never. But yeah, I'll see you later."

"I'll let you put on Foreign Lovers for the inconvenience. He reached forward and pinched a ball of rice off to taste. "This is good. Damn, I'm a genius."

"Hey, quit it!!" She hissed.

Miyuki chuckled and left the cafeteria. He quickly jogged to the bullpen. The sound of baseballs slapping against leather gloves continued to get louder as he approached. Kuramochi looked at him and circled the side entrance. Kuramochi whistled loudly as Miyuki met him. 

"It's about time you showed up," Kuramochi said. "I'll fill you in on what you missed."

"Did Coach come by?" Miyuki asked.

Kuramochi nodded. "Yeah, and he asked me to pass along the message that Tanba's gonna be pitching an inning or two. It depends on how he's pitching."

"And Nori?"

"Last three innings for him," Kuramochi said.

"He can probably hold the runs down if he doesn't get too worked up."

"For sure," Kuramochi nodded. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "Coach is letting me lead off in this game."

Miyuki lifted an eyebrow. He wasn't surprised. He figured that Kuramochi would move in the batting order sooner or later. Especially because they were approaching their second year. It was a perfect time for Coach to test it out. "Naturally, you've got fast legs, y'know?"

Kuramochi cut his eyes at him and scowled. "I hope you aren't being a smartass."

Miyuki shook his head. "That was actually genuine."

"Ha! Like I'd believe anything that comes outta your mouth." Kuramochi squinted at him then laughed. He turned toward the baseball field and pointed to where the grated fences were. "That shit is gonna be all decorated with hearts and glitter and stuff."

"For White Day?" Miyuki asked.

He already knew that the game fell on White Day. His preparations were already finished. The card was filled out neatly with a short message and tucked neatly inside his drawer. The box for the chocolates had already been picked out. All he needed now was to make the chocolate. 

"Yeah, the managers insisted. They're making little chocolates to hand out to people for team funding. It'll probably be pretty popular."

"Figures." Miyuki agreed.

Specialized events were popular. Everyone liked to attend them. 

"Now that we're on the topic of White Day... you making chocolate for anyone?" Kuramochi smirked and elbowed him. "Any return chocolate?"

Miyuki continued to feign ignorance. "What do you mean."

"Don't act stupid... Manager-Chan?"

"Oh," Miyuki said. He tapped his fingers along his arm. "Yeah, maybe. Probably."

"What kind of answer is that?" Kuramochi scowled. "

"Are we talking about White Day?" Aso called out from behind them. He stepped out from the bullpen and slung an arm around Miyuki's shoulder. "I'm making chocolate this year. There's a super cute girl in my class."

"Did she even give you anything for Valentine's Day?" Miyuki asked him. Kuramochi chuckled in response.

"I mean, like, she gave me courtesy chocolate." Aso's lips tightened and he glanced at the ground. "I'm just putting it out there."

"That's a massive L, my guy." Kuramochi said.

Aso looked behind him in the bullpen. Kominato acted as a stand in for Tanba while Jun and Tetsu-San stood off to the side. "Maybe by my third year, I'll get lucky like Tetsu-San. He got like 7 chocolates this year." 

"Have you seen him?" Kuramochi asked. "He's fine as hell and a goddamn tank."

Miyuki nodded in agreement. "You're right about that. Everyone loves Tetsu-San."

"His rizz is unmatched. It's the mystery thing he's got that's probably drawing him in. And the quiet side borders on himbo territory." Aso said.

Miyuki doubled over onto Kuramochi's shoulder and laughed. Kuramochi tossed his head back and cackled. "Where did you even get that?"

"Takakao-Senpai."

"How many did Jun-San get? There's no mystery charisma behind that." 

A bat slammed from the bullpen and Miyuki turned to see Jun-San glaring at him. "None of your goddamn business! That's how much!"

Miyuku sighed and muttered, "That means zero."

"Fuck you, Miyuki!" Jun-San shouter. "Get changed and go catch!"

-

Miyuki leaned against Hana's desk chair. He cleared his throat and she looked up at him from the scorebook. "You got any Icy Hot?"

"Yeah, it's in my bag on my desk." She answered and looked back down. "Need to stretch, too?"

"Nah, I'm good." He replied.

He turned and rummaged through her bag. He pushed passed the simple things like Chapstick, her keys, and an array of other things. The Icy Hot sat on top. He chewed at his lip and reached for his bag. Inside was a raspberry red box of chocolates wrapped in a white ribbon. He wondered if she remembered that tomorrow was White Day.

It would be hard to forget considering she had been busy the last few days cutting out pink decorations for the game tomorrow. Maybe she thought he forgot. 

"Find it?" She asked. 

"Yeah, yeah." He didn't look any further and pushed the candy inside of her bag. 

Miyuki quickly uncapped the Icy Hot and rubbed the gel on a sore muscle. "What are you doing?"

"Listening to music," She sat up and leaned on her elbow, pushing her earbud out toward him. "Wanna listen?"

"Are they cleaned?" He chucked.

She rolled her eyes and laid on her back. He did the same and pushed the earbud in her ear. Soft music played through the ear piece and they sat in silence for a brief moment. Hana hummed softly with her hands resting on her stomach. 

"I can't believe the game is tomorrow already." She said.

"Yeah, it came fast. And just so you know,"  Miyuki said, turning to her. "It's gonna be a little cold. So wear something warm because I probably won't have a jacket with me."

"I'm prepped." She assured him. "It's gonna feel so different with me in the dugout during the game."

"You get to watch me up close." 

Hana nodded, then turned to look at him. "You know what I miss?"

He looked at her and she smiled once their eyes met. "Hm?"

"I miss going to games together."

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Yeah," She nodded.

"We could always go to one when we have a day off." 

He understood what she had been saying. She laughed softly, and Miyuki felt like she understood too. Things were evolving.

 "A day off sounds like heaven. I hope once the new team comes we'll have more time to ourselves." Hana said.

Miyuki thought about the day in the kitchen a few days ago. He blinked up at the ceiling and moved his fingers along to the rhythm. "I miss cooking dinner together back then."

"Really? Why?" She asked.

They stared at each other for a moment. A piece of loose hair fell forward and he considered pushing it back but he stopped the urge to reach out. Instead, he breathed steadily and turned to look back up at the wall. 

Because of you, idiot -- Miyuki thought.

Them cooking beside each other, sharing a meal together. It invoked a feeling inside Miyuki that he couldn't even begin to process, much less relay that information to her. He chewed on his lip and said instead, "It was comfortable." 

He hoped that she understood that too. 

-

Later that night, Miyuki sat back in his desk chair. His phone buzzed and he grabbed it once he saw Hana's contact picture come across the phone. 

'My bag? Sneaky?'

Miyuki smirked. So she found the chocolate.

'Hm? Wym?'

'🙄 thanks for my chocolate Kazuya'

'I'm the best, aren't I?'

'mhm 🙂‍↕️'

'haa no back talk?'

'🙂‍↔️ you're off the hook' the text said. Another quickly followed her last message. 'today'

'call it lucky then' He hovered over the send button and stared at the message. Miyuki quickly added on, 'did you think I forgot?'

'Of course not.

night'

His smile widened. 'night' 

-

Miyuki walked down the grass path that led him to the baseball field. Hana stood next to him with her hands in her pocket. She was still dressed in her practice clothes but Manager Mode had rescinded. Rei-Chan quickly stepped out of her office and waved to them.

"Miyuki-Kun! Can I speak with you for a minute?" She looked at Hana and smiled. "Hana-Chan, you're welcome to wait inside."

Hana shook her head. "Thank you, Rei-San, but I'd better get back to my dorm to get ready." She turned to Miyuki. "See you on the field."

Miyuki waved at her and walked in after Rei-Chan. Inside, she opened the door to her office and rummaged through her drawer. Miyuki sat comfortably in the chair that sat in front of her desk. He had a strange relationship with Rei-Chan. It was one that he could only equate to as some strange form of her being something like a surrogate mother to him. He couldn't help but wonder if she did that with all the boys who didn't have a mother. Perhaps it was a subconscious thing. 

It made him feel guilty sometimes that he was able to speak to her so easily. It made him feel like he was replacing his mother when he confided in her. Miyuki had been careful not to say too much. He never teetered the line of vulnerability. 

"So, how have you been liking your first year here so far?" She questioned as she sat in her desk seat. 

She leaned back and folded her arms. Her relaxed nature meant that it wasn't a meeting. He didn't look to be in trouble either. Maybe she needed to talk to him again about Chris-Senapi. Miyuki sat up straighter as she looked him over. 

"It's good." He answered.

She nodded in response, then cleared her throat. The wheels squeaked as she leaned forward. 

"I want you to know that your focus on baseball is very important, Miyuki-Kun. You're extremely talented and if you put in hard work, then I have no doubt that you'll have a strong baseball career should you decide to go that route... But, I always wanted to speak with you and tell you that it's important to keep a focus on your feelings. Baseball is undoubtedly important, but so are unresolved feelings. It can not only affect how you play but also who you are as a person."

He wasn't exactly sure what message she was trying to convey to him but he felt that he understood enough. It's too vague to be specific. She spoke as if there was a larger topic at hand that she purposefully avoided. But it was obvious between the two of them that she was referring to Hana. 

Miyuki didn't think that they had unresolved feelings. He had the, no doubt about that. But he kept them under control. Hana didn't know about it, he was careful when he was around her. It was possible that she would never know about it. Baseball and Hana weren't mutual outside of their shared love for it. His playing was still sharp. He was in control.

He laughed in response. "Rei-Chan. What are you talking about?"

She squinted at him and stared. It was obvious between the two of them that she understood that he knew what she was getting at. Still, he continued to on. "Hana and I are friends. We're always going to be friends."

And Miyuki meant as much. He didn't hold onto childish and unrealistic dreams. The chances of his developing bonds with the guys making it out of Seidou were slim to none. He doubted that he would ever speak to even one guy five or ten years down the line. Hana, however, she was different. She had been a constant presence in his life from then to now. He couldn't imagine not being there for her and vice versa. Above all else, whenever they had no one, they had each other.

"That very well may be true. But, there are other factors that can complicate things. I won't get into it since it's getting pretty late. But I wanted to put the thought out there."

Miyuki nodded. He tried to ease out of the awkward conversation as best as he could. Hana had her own place in his life. She was always understanding about his devotion to the sport so he wasn't sure what else to say to Rei-Chan. Silence filled the room as she smiled warmly at him. He almost laughed at the strangeness of it all but he stifled the laughed. Rei-Chan glared at him from behind her glasses.

"...Okay," Miyuki said, standing from his seat. Rei-Chan stood up and walked to the door. 

"That's all I wanted to say. Have a great game."

Unresolved feelings? Miyuki couldn't help but question it as he walked to the field. 

The bright lights of the field shone bright as he approached. He looked around, the whole team was there already and the benches were starting to fill. He was late. 

He reached into his bag and grabbed his jersey. He could worry about the possibility of unresolved feelings later -- he decided. He needed to focus on winning the game. It would look bad if they lost on White Day. 

The field was decorated with a minimal amount of White Day decorations. He found Hana standing under the lights. She didn't notice him at first. For a moment, Miyuki watched her. It felt as if his whole body softened at the sight of her. 

She beamed brightly as she looked around at the field. She waved over at him once he caught her eyes. His stomach stirred as she walked over to him. Her hair was braided and fastened with a bun. She wore a soft pink sweater and a small white heart was painted on her cheek.

As he looked at her, Miyuki began to wonder, was it possible? What if they...

But he quickly stopped the thought. He decided then that it wasn't worth it to think about it. 

"You're late!" She said to him.

"Sorry," He replied. He was just the tiniest bit of sheepish.

"Why were you just standing there like that?" She looked up at him with her bright eyes. And damn, he thought, they were always so bright.

"Why were you?" He questioned back.

"I was waiting for you." She pressed a finger to his chest. "I wanted to show you everything."

"You look nice," He smiled. He really did mean that. "And so does the field. You and the other managers did a great job."

"We wanted to make it special for you guys. You guys worked hard your first year."

Miyuki pulled at the end of her braid. "Show me the rest before warm ups."

Hana nodded and linked her arm with his. Miyuki's heart continued to stammer. He almost felt nervous. "C'mon, let's go."

Chapter Text

Miyuki would do anything for her. 

That was likely the reason why he found himself in this particular predicament at hand. Miyuki sat quietly on the floor with his back pressed against the frame of Hana's bed. His lips were tightly pressed together in a thin line as he fixed his eyes on the baseball magazine he held in his hands. 

Every so often, he would glance up and look at her whenever she pressed him for his opinion on the set of outfits she had laid out neatly on her bed. It wasn't that Miyuki didn't want to be here. That was far from the truth. He wanted to be there, granted, a lot more than he probably should. 

Miyuki was stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, whenever he was on Hana's side of campus, it meant that he could relax. It was calm, private, and undisturbed. Her room had become his safe place at Seidou. It was the only time when he was able to sneak away from the rest of the team. Hana didn't have pesky teammates who barged into her room at all hours of the night asking for a baseball or begging to use your television. 

There had been too many times when Miyuki had came back from a shower to see Masuko-Senpai, Kuramochi, and their newly promoted captain settled around his room and scrolling through Netflix categories. Miyuki could expect their company even more when Hana was over.

"Sorry, hope we weren't interrupting." They'd say. 

Even when he resorted to locking the door, it still didn't keep them out. Now, he had to rely on designated dates in order to hang out in his room with her. He'd been the slightest bit envious that her friends respected her privacy and called before coming over.

The other problem for Miyuki was that he had front-row access to this impromptu fashion show. He considered it a double-edged sword. He thought of moments like these quite often, but it didn't align with his value of not "oogling your best friend when she was in front of you". He tried hard to keep his thoughts respectful, especially when he was in her company. Of course, he would slip at times but Miyuki knew that was a given. 

It was borderline torture -- Miyuki thought. His hands gripped the pages tightly as he tried to keep it neutral. The thought of her cycling through clothes would be stuck in his head for weeks. And Hana had been none the wiser.

Miyuki felt the heat rising up his neck and reaching his ears. He quickly turned to the next page.

Hana threw another shirt into the "Not Wearing' pile. Miyuki cleared his throat and looked up at her again while she looked at her options. He realized then that he was in for it and they would be there longer than he thought. Their original plans for the night had been to watch the latest season of Foreign Lovers, but that quickly changed the minute she opened the door in exasperation with her shirt thrown on haphazardly. 

"So," Miyuki swallowed thickly. He set the magazine down. "Remind me why I'm here and not Sachiko? I'm sure that she'd give better advice."

Hana didn't miss the snark that fell from his tongue. She flashed him a sour look and stuck her tongue out at him. "Because you're spending time with me, obviously. Your best friend? Your bestest girl?"

"More like you begged to see me," Miyuki laughed. "And what is this all for?"

She picked up a shirt with a white skirt. She lifted it into her view before she turned it toward him. "Well, Mom wants me to send her pictures for when the semester starts. So, I have to look nice."

Miyuki rolled the magazine up and raised his arms high to stretch.

"The thirty other outfits you've tried on aren't enough?" He teased and pointed to the outfit in her hand. "You should wear that. It looks fine."

It's more for himself than for her. If he had to spend one second more watching her sort through outfits then he'd have to get up and take a walk. He felt like he was being closed in.

Hana ignored him and sat on the bed. "But does it look nice?"

Based on the speed of his heart and the uneasy feeling that stirred in his stomach, Miyuki was sure that she'd look more than nice.

She looked for a moment longer before she looked the clothes onto the hanger. Hana stretched and then pulled a sweater over her tank top. His eyes lingered on the exposed skin along the collar of the sweater. Be good -- Miyuki reminded himself and turned his focus away before she noticed. Hana padded over to the bed. She hopped skillfully on each foot to pull on a long pair of socks.

"Kazuya," Hana said. "If I look ugly in that outfit, then I'm not talking to you for a week."

That would be impossible. But instead, Miyuki replied, "More peace and quiet for me, then."

Hana climbed into the bed and dropped next to him. Miyuki sat above the duvet and watched as she turned on her laptop. Foreign Lovers appeared on the screen with a bright red banner that stated 'New Season!'. The two of them were more than behind but the preparation of the Spring season kept the both of them busy. Miyuki was glad that things were beginning to slow down and as second years, they had more responsibilities and less busy work. Now that they could be trusted with the more difficult tasks, they could have more downtime. 

Miyuki was relieved that they no longer had to resort to sporadic plan-making that squeezed in during an hour that wasn't busy. It was not to say that he didn't enjoy them sneaking out to play on the field or sneaking behind the dorms, but he was glad that they'd be able to do other things, too.

Hana clicked play and leaned back on her arm to watch the screen. The series fell into unhinged drama within the ten minutes. Miyuki watched as the guy on the screen went to meet his fiancee for the first time, admitting in the confessional that he was disappointed with how she looked. The other couple was a woman who proudly admitted that she was just in it for the money. She would soon figure out that her fiance's promises had been lies all along and that he was actually in debt. 

Miyuki felt his lids get heavier as the time went on. He yawned in an attempt to keep him up, he felt that he could manage but he felt himself being pulled into a deep sleep. 

He began to drift awake a little while later. The feeling of slowly waking up from a deep sleep hit him first. Confusion, drowsiness, and the stiffness from being curled in one place. He found it difficult to wake up completely. It felt as if he just fell asleep not too long ago.

Tiny fingers tangled through his hair. The touch was soft and gentle. It was comfortable. So comfortable that Miyuki felt like he shouldn't bother waking up and instead sleep in for even longer. He groaned at the feeling of his sore muscles. Moving from his current position sounded like hell. The strenuous exercise regimen must have made him more tired than he thought. 

"Kazuya, wake up." Hana's voice muttered after a few moments of her running her fingers through his hair. 

Her voice clouded in his thoughts very slowly. He almost doesn't register her voice. 

"Hm?" He gripped the pillow tighter. 

He made no effort to move. Hana hummed and brushed his bangs back from his forehead. Her hand disappeared from his hair after she ran her hands through the strands, then reappeared to playfully squeeze his nose between her fingers. Miyuki grabbed her hand with his own and squeezed it. 

"C'mon, you have to go back to your dorm." She said.

"No, 'm staying." He replied drowsily.

Hana laughed in response and the bed shifted as she moved closer. "You can't. Remember when you said that you would show the new guy where the field was?"

His eyebrows furrowed as he recalled the memory. He offered after the first year seemed to be shaking like a leaf in their newly shared room. He figured that he wouldn't suffer too much if he was late.

"He'll be alright," Miyuki said. "It'll build character if he's late."

"Don't be mean," She continued. "I tried to let you sleep a little longer."

Miyuki sat there and thought about it. It would be better if he left now because if he left any later then he wouldn't go anywhere at all. He sighed and opened his eyes, blinking slowly as he adjusted to the room. Hana's hand was still clasped inside of his own. He looked down at it and then let it go to search for his glasses. She quickly placed the frames onto his face. 

The room was dark. The only light came from her laptop and the light that hung outside her dorm room door.

He squinted as he read the time. It was almost three. It would only take him five minutes to get back to Seidou Spirit. Two if he was jogging. 

But it wasn't the walk that irritated him. He didn't want to get up at this time of night and leave the comfort of his favorite place. Albeit, it was for the best. Miyuki didn't need to be seen coming from her room on the first day of practice. 

Miyuki sat up from the bed and grabbed his bag that rested on the floor. The hand that had been holding herself felt strange. It tingled and it felt as if her hand was still in his grasp. He tried to shake the feeling by shoving his hand into his pocket.

Hana yawned as she pulled the blanket back. She looked tired, but he didn't think that she fell asleep. She did say that she tried to give him extra time to sleep. Miyuki's lip curled as he reached the door. 

"Night!" She said from the bed.

"Night," He replied. She blinked up at him from her spot. "See you on the field."

-

 "You're such an asshole," Kuramochi cackled. "I can't believe you used the first year to sneak into the line."

"Ha, me?" Miyuki feigned innocence. He leaned over to examine the weight that rested in Kuramochi's hands and carefully watched his own hands support the metal bar. "You and Masuko-San let him oversleep. Besides, I didn't actually think that he'd try to sneak in."

After all, Miyuki was only half-serious when he gave the suggestion.

Kuramochi glared up at him and then rolled his eyes. He huffed, clenching his teeth as he pushed the weight up once more and then lowered it to his chest. 

"Uhh, he deserves it. How the fuck does a first-year have a girlfriend and I don't?" Kuramochi mumbled under his breath.

Miyuki lifted an eyebrow and snorted at Kuramochi's unabashed admission of jealousy. "I dunno... maybe because your mug scares away all the baddies?"

"Fuck you," Kuramochi hissed.

Miyuki doesn't miss the way he added a hushed, "Asshole" under his breath. Miyuki laughed and helped him move the weight back onto the rest, then sighed. "Yoichi, are you talking about yourself?"

Kuramochi sat up and sipped from his water bottle. He moved from the bench so that he and Miyuki could switch places. Kuramochi carefully supported the bar as Miyuki gripped it. His hands ghosted the metal as Miyuki lifted.

"And by the way, I have been with girls before." He said. "I've just never had a girlfriend."

"What's the difference?" Miyuki questioned. 

Miyuki almost laughed but covered it up with a sigh instead. Kuramochi's face twisted as he thought about it. The situation was ironic because of the mere fact that the two of them were in the same boat. Miyuki had never had a girlfriend either. If anything, Kuramochi held a one up over him because Miyuki had also never been with anyone before. 

He glanced at Kuramochi to see if he noticed the slip-up, but his face was still scrunched in thought. Miyuki thought about pointing it out but he would rather the bar stay where it is instead of crushing his chest because he knew that Kuramochi might actually do it if he pointed out the gross lovesick look on his face.

"I guess having a partner is different because they're your support system. Rather than when you're just fucking someone, you don't have that closeness." Kuramochi sighed deeply. "I just want someone to share my feelings with... I mean, there was this girl from back home. But she moved before we had the chance to get together. I kinda miss her."

"Aren't you a romantic?" Miyuki teased.

 "Shaddup, dickhead." Kuramochi scowled, he mumbled for Miyuki to slow his pace. "Moving on. What's your new roommate like? If you got a good one while I got that idiot Sawamura, I swear."

"He's quiet." Miyuki offered. 

It's really all he can say about him. They didn't speak that much considering Miyuki staggered into his room late last night and went straight to bed. Leaving Hana's room was for nothing because he ended up oversleeping. The first year managed to find the field without him.

Miyuki wasn't worried. He knew that there would be plenty of other opportunities to get to know each other. After all, they shared a bunk.

"Why were you late? Too busy being a terror to your new roommate?" Kuramochi asked. 

Kuramochi grasped the bar to support the weight as Miyuku pushed it back against the rest.

"I missed my alarm." Miyuki responded, which wasn't a complete lie.

Kuramochi eyed him suspiciously before shrugging and lifting his arms to stretch. "So, my new roommate. Stupidity aside, what do you think about his 'I'm gonna be the Ace' shit? Think he's got it?"

"It's too early to be sure." Miyuki started. 

He breathed out and leaned forward on the bench, his elbows resting on his knees. Miyuki thought back to the morning's practice. Sawamura, the new first year, was absolutely terrible. He couldn't field worth shit, his batting left a lot to be desired, and he was louder than any person he had ever met. But still, Miyuki can't shake the thought of him mouthing off to the coach. Not to mention, their brief battery when he came to visit Seidou. 

Miyuki grinned as he thought about the natural curve of the ball. They struck Azuma out together, and his pitch was wonky. The gears turned in his head. A pitch that could mess with a batter's timing could be a useful skill. It was something Miyuki wanted to polish. That would be up to Sawamura. There was an array of other things that he needed to work on, and that included Coach's respect.

"But if what I think is true... I think that he's got real potential to be something nasty."

"You're always up to something," Kuramoch said. "Personally, I think he sucks."

Kuramochi was right about that. But if Sawamura had the drive that a dedicated pitcher has deep down, then he would learn. Seidou had a way of weeding out the people who couldn't keep up. The people with no drive nor determination were cut right at the store. 

If that hot-headed idiot really wanted to become the ace of Seidou, then he needed to work for it. It was a bitter truth to learn that a dream doesn't fall into your hands because you want it. It came with hard work and resolve. It came with a certain fire that burned in your eyes. Miyuki felt like he just might have it.

Miyuki's phone buzzed in his bag, distracting him from his thoughts. He reached for it and flipped open the screen. There was a new text from Hana.

'Late on your first day? Embarrassing!' She messaged. He smiled before replying,

'I remember that being your fault.' Miyuki sent back. He typed out another text. 'I don't say anything when you're late.'

A  laughing emoticon was sent first. 'Nonetheless, I can't overlook it. I  have to set a good example as a manager. I can't play favorites'

'Responsibility. Cute.' 

'I'm afraid I'll have to punish you' She sent shortly after.

'Punish me, Senpai! ;)' 

'Oh.. that's not...' she sent, then another text came in. 'Anyway, I can overlook the tardy if you do my laundry'

'Resorting  to extortion just to see me?' He typed back. Miyuki glanced up at Kuramochi. He moved on to the dumbbells. Miyuki stood from the bench and grabbed a dumbbell with his phone in his other hand. Another text dinged on his phone. 

'For free labor, of course'

Laughing, he sent back, 'That's why you keep me around?' 

'Exactly. See you tonight <3!'

Miyuki closed the phone and tossed it back into his bag. Kuramochi looked at him with a dumb smile plastered on his face with wiggling eyebrows.

"Smiling at your phone again, huh?" Kuramochi smirked. "Must be you-know-who... 'Aren't you a romantic'?"

"It's not like that." Miyuki said. 

He turned and chewed his lip. 

"Bullshit. You made her chocolate. It is, for sure, like that."

"We're childhood friends." Miyuki added.

He wondered if Kuramochi could see right through him. Did he really know how he felt? Or had it just been a guess because of Hana and his unconventional relationship?

"Yeaah, whatever."

The door panged against the well just as Miyuki was about to reply. Jun-San walked up to them with a red blush dusted over his cheeks. Tetsu-San followed closely behind. "You two better not be talking about romance when our first game is coming up. If you miss an at bat because you're thinking about candy and ass, I swear I'm gonna beat the shit out of both of you and make you run 100 laps!" 

Jun-San huffed and sat on the lifting bench. Kuramochi looked over at Miyuki and smirked at the same time that Miyuki grinned in amusement.

Tetsu-San slowly nodded in agreement as he crossed the room. He then looked up at the two of them with his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Who's missing their at bat?"

Kuramochi looked at Miyuki and muttered, "Wasn't he just reading 'Maid-Sama!' at lunch earlier?"

Miyuki snorted in response. Jun-San sat up from the bench and glared at him. The blush from his cheeks spread down his neck. It was a well known fact throughout the team that Jun-San read Shojo and Romance novels, and yet, and he was reluctant to admit to it. 

"Are you saying something smart over there, Miyuki?"

"Of course, not, Senpai." Miyuki said, then glanced at Kuramochi who had been holding in a laugh.

Jun-San sat back against the bench as Tetsu-San grabbed the metal bar to help spot. "Captain, I keep telling you about him and the smart-ass mouth. You've gotta crack down on him."

-

Miyuki stood inside the lobby of the stadium later that week. Their first game was only a practice match to gauge their current skills. But it was a practice match between their rival and they needed to take it seriously. It was loud and filled to the brim with supporters. Despite it being a practice game, it felt like the stadium would be at full capacity today. It made sense. After all, it was a game between two powerhouse schools. 

It seemed as if reaching the semi-finals in the summer doubled their fans. It was like clockwork. Fangirls lined up at the entrance gate outside of the stadium in order to catch a glimpse of the team. Likely in hopes of getting a picture of them or maybe even a picture with someone from the team.

Miyuki wasn't keen on fan-girls and rabid fans. It was strange to see rows of people showing up just to watch him play baseball. He would rather ignore it. Before Seidou, he didn't have that many supporters. Granted, he was short with a bad mouth so he understood why people weren't jumping at the chance to watch his game calling. 

After taking over for Chris-Senpai and his featured image in the baseball magazine, he started seeing more and more fans showing up at his games and practices. Fans who were only there to see him. Miyuki didn't think that he would ever get used to such brazen behavior. Hearing his name shouted, his initials pasted on large signs, and his jersey number painted in bright blue. It was... weird to him.

Class was different. Rather than unabashed screams, he was met with wandering eyes and blushed faces. He'd been getting gifts more often now, like candy and drinks, but it wasn't anything that made him feel too overwhelmed. Not so much like Mei Narumiya and his fans. He also debuted in the summer. The difference between the two of them was that made ate the attention up happily and left no crumbs.

Miyuki looked down the hallway at Hana. She stood away from the team with a sour look on her face. She eyed a group of girls that walked passed him and then looked down at her clipboard. She didn't show it outwardly, but Miyuki could tell by the faintest expression that she was jealous. Her lips were pulled back into a frown and her eyebrows were slightly furrowed. She had the same look as when she was ticked off on the mound.

He didn't think that he had ever seen her jealous. Hana was usually optimistic. No one ever got under her skin too much, nor was it too long. Miyuki had to admit that it was flattering. The game that he occasionally played when he was curious about her feelings ran through his mind. Was this Platonic or Not? He'd been thinking about it more than he usually did in the past couple of days. There wasn't harm in thinking about it. Thoughts were just thoughts after all. It didn't mean that he had to act on it.

Hana didn't say anything to him once he approached her. The two of them always talked after a game, so he had been right to think that she was upset. Hana stayed silent as she scribbled onto the clipboard in her hands. She stared down at the seating chart and counted over the names for what seemed to be the third time. As he looked at her, Miyuki wondered if her jealousy was something that was platonic or romantic. He wondered if she knew how ridiculous either scenario was. Hana was beautiful and she had her fair share of suitors.

There wasn't a reason for her to be jealous. Miyuki had no interest in anything else other than baseball. He had no interest in any other person either. If Miyuki ever opened up to the idea of dating, then his first and only choice was Hana. The little bit of attention and time that he had to spare had been hers since they were children. She knew almost everything there was to know about it. She had been there throughout the grief and his baseball games. No fangirl would ever come between their bond. 

He rested his hand on top of her head. "I was thinking about going to get something to drink after dinner. You wanna come?"

Hana looked at him for a second and then looked down at the clipboard. It felt like they stood there in silence for a few minutes. Eventually, she shrugged and said, "Zono-Kun can go with you. You should take him."

"Oh, what's this? I don't remember Zono being my..." Miyuki paused and tried not to cringe before he eased out. "Best friend and bestest girl." 

She took her eyes away from the clipboard and laughed. He hoped that she understood the gist of what he was trying to say. She tucked her clipboard under her arm so he guessed she calmed down. 

"You sound like you really forced that one out."

"How dare you question my authenticity? I'm not sure you deserve a drink."

"I think I'll be needing a drink once we get back. Those new first years Sawamura and Furuya were supposed to be here but they weren't. So, now I have to track them down and send them to the Rei-San's office." Hana pushed the clipboard up to his face and pointed to the list of names. SAWAMURA, Eijun, and FURUYA, Satoru were circled in bright red ink along with a question mark. Hana sighed and tapped their names with the cap of her pen. "I know it's only one practice game. But it's the first one and it was against Ichidai. We're down on pitchers this year and we need to start training."

Miyuki wondered if Kuramochi's new roommates was heard-headed, an idiot, or both. If he had stuck to punctuality and improved his fielding, then he would probably make second-string in his first year. He didn't recall seeing Furuya in the last couple of days but practice had only just started. 

"If that's the future of Seidou then I have a lot of work to do." Miyuki sighed, then he grinned. "But, if I can make two monsters out of self-serving bench warmers. Then the sky is the limit."

"That's an evil look." Hana commented, pressing her pen into his cheek. "Well, if you happen to see them around, please tell them that I'm looking for them. I have to go give this to Takakao-Senpai, so I'll see you back at campus." 

Hana waved bye and walked down the hall to Takakao-Senpai. She paused halfway and then turned around, shouting, "Good job hitting that home run!"

Miyuki averted his eyes and tried to ease the heat rising on his cheeks. He blew out a breath and grabbed his bag to meet back up with the team in the lobby. He scanned the crowd. Maezono was yelling in the far corner about something Miyuki didn't care too much to hear about. He cringed and turned so that he could avoid being lumped in with the conversation. Kuramochi wasn't anywhere to be found so he walked up to Chris-Senpai who stood with his arms crossed in the corner. 

Things were working themselves out with Chris-Senpai. After the injury in the summer, it took a little while for them to start speaking again. After a few weeks of Chris being in the hospital, he had asked him to stay behind once everyone left. Miyuki hadn't been sure how to speak to him. Carrying the team? Miyuki remembered being slightly taken aback when Chris-Senpai started the conversation with a joke. His voice had been quiet like it usually was and he spoke about the food in the rehab center, then about the redundant exercises at the rehab facility. After a few minutes, he finally faced Miyuki with serious and unwavering eyes and said,

"I haven't given up on the team. But I wanted to tell you that there isn't any other person that I trust more with the team than you." Chris had told him.

Miyuki wasn't sure what to say. Even with all the experience he gained at Seidou, Miyuki still didn't feel like he was on Chris-Senpai's level. So instead, Miyuki told him, "The team isn't the same. So, you need to get well soon."

Chris had cracked a small and nodded. "Yeah, I'm gonna try... Oh, and Miyuki?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't push yourself too hard."

Miyuki wasn't sure how, but he respected Chris-Senpai more than he already did at that moment. Chris-Senpai was someone that Miyuki could never try to be. He was honest and upright, and the confidence in his leadership skills was something that Miyuki admired.

Whenever Chris had time off from physical therapy and rehab, Miyuki occasionally sat beside him on the bus to share their thoughts about the game. Although Chris-Senpai was quiet outside of baseball, they never failed to speak about their own theories and strategies about the other team. Miyuki always got the feeling that Chris-Senpai was just one of those people who you could talk to.

"Hey," Miyuki started, leaning against the wall next to Chris-Senpai.

Chris-Senpai nodded at him. "You called a good game, Miyuki."

Chris-Senpai's face was just about emotionless. His eyes were cold and hard and his mouth was pressed into a thin line. He didn't talk so much to anyone either. It was completely different compared to last year when he had been eager to spread his knowledge to the pitchers. Now, the pitchers under his tutelage only lasted a few days.

"Oh, thanks." Miyuki said. "I don't think it's good enough to get us to Koshien, though. I heard Inashiro's been polishing up Narumiya. They're always the challenge to beat."

"That's not something that usually deters you." Chris commented.

Miyuki nodded and chuckled. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall watching as the new kouhai gathered their equipment and sports bags. From the corner of his eye, he saw Kuramochi speak to a first year and then let out his shrill cackle. He held out his bag for him to carry. And somehow, Miyuki was the one torturing the new first years?

"Yeah, I'm not all that nervous yet. We haven't seen anything. But, I wouldn't be surprised if he came out with a curveball or a change-up. We'd be fucked then." Miyuki laughed.

Chris-Senpai lifted an eyebrow in surprise. "You think he might? Already?"

"Yeah," Miyuki nodded. "He's up to something for sure with the way that he's been texting me."

"Our batters at the moment are good and they keep improving. But, I'm not sure about Tanba, though..."

Miyuki nodded in agreement. Tanba-San had multiple injuries in addition to a lackluster performance whenever he got the chance to throw. They needed a backup pitcher. One who was good and reliable. Extra support would give the team breathing room for keeping potential rubs at bay. Miyuki thought that Nori had the talent to do it, but Miyuki wasn't sure that Nori knew he could do it. 

Being a relief pitcher was a complicated job. You had to match the pace, keep up with the score, and then close the game. Sometimes, Nori just didn't have the confidence and the pressure would take over.

"I don't want to get too excited about the new first year who throws left. But he might be able to trick up the Inashiro batters."

Chris-Senpai's face tightened at the mention of the new first year. "He's trash from what I can see."

"You think?" Miyuki asked curiously. 

He took the chance to pick at Chris-Senpai's brain.

"He's too unfocused." Chris-Senpai nodded. "I haven't talked to him yet. Have you?"

"Not about anything serious." Miyuki shook his head.

The team began to file out of the lobby as the bus pulled up outside. Miyuki caught sight of Hana already out the door. Chris-Senpai nodded at him and Miyuki grabbed his bag and boarded the bus. The ride home was relatively quiet for it to have been their first game of the season. The energy on the bus was tense, and it was likely because Tanba-San was relieved from the Ace position. Chris-Senpai didn't say much either. Miyuki thought about the potential of the two new first years for the remainder of the ride.

-

The next few days had become even more tense in regard to the unspoken predicament that was Tanba-San being relieved of the Ace position. There had been hushed conversations and rumors about who would step up and take the vacant spot. Miyuki knew that there wasn't any talk of potential replacements. 

Furuya had sought him out and begged him to catch for him. Miyuki gave in once he saw the desperation in his eyes. His powerful fastball was certainly a thought Miyuki kept in mind about its potential in a scrimmage. It was intimidating enough. Miyuki had faith in the lineup as they seemed to get better with each practice and game. Sawamura had still been running with a burning passion in his eyes that only seemed to burn brighter whenever he had been knocked down.

Miyuki didn't talk to him much, especially because his pitching status was under constant moderation. Miyuki thought that Coach would let him pitch sooner or later. He had been running for days. He decided that he'd speak to him at dinner to gauge his thoughts about the status of their team. 

After Miyuki showered, he headed to the cafeteria and grabbed his food tray. Sawamura sat at an end table and scarfed down rice. Miyuki watched for a moment and tried to figure out if he had even been chewing his food. He grinned as he sat down. 

"Dude, you're swallowing the whole plate. Didn't you puke it up on your first day?"

Sawamura looked up at him with puffed cheeks and defiance.

"Oh, how the time flies. Kids grow up so fast these days." Miyuki commented. "You should be eating slower. Pushing it all down at once is only gonna make you sick."

Sawamura scowled and then swallowed. He leaned in closer and whispered, "Why is it so tense? What happened?"

"You didn't hear? The scrimmage with the second and third years is tomorrow. First years don't usually focus on making the first string. I mean... unless you're me," Miyuki explained, smirking. "But tomorrow things might be different. We needs spots filled and if a first year has the ability to do it, then we're taking the chance."

"What the fuck?" Sawamura yelled. He grabbed Miyuki by the collar. "I never heard anything about a scrimmage! Am I playing? Can I play? Am I allowed?!"

"Uhh," Miyuki started. "I'm not the coach."

"Excuse me." Someone else said.

Sawamura released his collar and looked at Furuya standing in front of them with his tray. He looked briefly and Sawamura and crunched his nose, then looked at Miyuki. "May I sit here?

Furuya didn't wait for an answer. He pushed Sawamura out of the seat and settled into it, then started to eat. "Miyuki-Senpai. Do you think that you can catch for me tomorrow? I don't think anyone's gonna be able to catch my pitchers."

"Oh, that's a little presumptuous." Miyuki said. 

People from the tables behind him started to stand up and approach Furuya. The mood had gone from tense to hot fiery testosterone. Furuya missed the vibe change and continued to eat as he watched everyone start hurling out threats.

"Hey, chill out!" Tanba-San cut in. "We'll get this all settled on the field." 

The guys who stood behind them snickered and reluctantly went back to their tables. Some exited the cafeteria. With the words of the former Ace, the room had settled down just enough to where it was comfortable. He glared at Furuya from where he sat and Furuya rolled his eyes back. Ah -- Miyuki thought. A cheeky pitcher. He would have to put them in their place and guide them it seemed. He was up for the task. Miyuki commended the coach. By including the first years, he introduced a threat to the rest of the team. It would be all hot competition tomorrow. 

"I'll think about it." Miyuki told him. "Maybe after the scrimmage."

Furuya's mouth opened and he gasped. Sawamura seethed angrily on the other side of the table. 

"You're an ass!" Sawamura hissed, leaning on his elbows to get the point across.

Miyuki sighed and leaned back in his chair so they could argue with each other. He looked at the manager's table and watched as they debriefed the game. Hana smiled over at him and waved. He mouthed a wordless, 'HELP ME'. Hana looked at the girls and mumbled something before she stood up from her chair. She waved bye and them and stepped over to their table. Furuya and Sawamura didn't seem to notice her there. Sawamura continued to his out profanities while Furuya ignored him, he occasionally scrunched his nose and shot Sawamura a dirty look.

"Hey, boys. Hey, handsome." She greeted them. Hana shifted his hat so it faced forward. Miyuki questioned why she was like that. He could feel the heat as it traveled down his chest. The blood rushed through his veins and his heart pumped hard. "Kazuya, can you come help me with my homework?"

Sawamura stopped and looked at Hana. His eyes widened as he took the two of them in and then his mouth turned up in disgust. "Manager-Senpai... are you dating him?"

"What's wrong with dating me?" Miyuki asked.

Hana laughed in response and rested her hand on Miyuki's shoulder. "I thought you liked Kazuya, Eijun."

Sawamura looked off into the distance. He mumbled to himself as he tried to find the right words.

"Maybe when he's not being a smart-ass." He admitted, rolling his eyes. "And that's a heavy maybe."

"Mhm, I get what you mean!" Hana agreed and nodded her head. "But, I think it's his selling point. But to answer your question, I'm Kazuya's best friend."

"Really? He has friends?" 

Hana nodded again. "Yeah, we met as kids." 

Miyuki frowned. He needed to end the conversation because she'd soon start to detail embarrassing childhood stories that she considered endearing. "Well, ready to go, Hanacchi?" 

"Mm, not yet." She said to him and then turned back to Sawamura. "Are you playing in the scrimmage tomorrow, Eijun-Kun? I've been waiting to see your pitching again."

Miyuki sighed and stood from his seat. He placed his tray in the cleaning rack. Hana spoke out as many details about the scrimmage as she could and then made her way over toward him. She walked backwards and added on last minute details. Miyuki grabbed her arm for stability so that she wouldn't fall in front of everyone. Damn, Miyuki figured that this was a recipe for disaster. His two new pitchers and his very first pitcher joined forces. He knew that he was going to have his hands full with them.

Chapter Text

Miyuki thought that the best part of being a pitcher was the sole fact that no pitcher would ever be the same. It was the very fact that no pitch thrown would ever be thrown in the same exact way. He loved being able to call for the pitch that he wanted and to be able to see the outcome of his meticulous game-calling. It was his passion. 

He had only talked to Furuya for a few minutes before he came to the conclusion that he held the same characteristic that all good pitchers had. Pitchers were nothing short of egotistical, Miyuki thought. They liked to strike people out and they liked to look great on the mound. That didn't bother Miyuki because he also knew that their selfishness was what made them selfless. If a pitcher did their best to keep the runs down for the sake of the team, then Miyuki didn't mind it. If anything, it lit more fire underneath him. He liked to guide people who were just as passionate about the team as he was. If he could see their fire, then Miyuki had no problem with helping them shine. After all, it was what he did the best.

Miyuki only had a short time left until summer preparations with the others and he was preoccupied with three vastly different pitchers. They were all self-centered but came with their own flare. The first was Tanba-San, the injured ace who Miyuki couldn't decide if he would make a comeback or not. The second was Furuya, the new first-year who absolutely despised Hana. It had been both unfortunate and so absolutely stupid that Miyuki couldn't stand it. Hana was an experienced pitcher and a great manager. Furuya would learn and progress a lot quicker if only he listened to Hana's pointers. 

He needed to fix that problem within the upcoming days. Miyuki considered himself to be accommodating to great pitchers but he would never let a cocky first-year make demands. Especially when it regarded a person who was crucial to the team and also someone important to him.

The last pitcher was Sawamura. He technically hadn't even been a pitcher yet. Sawamura made second-string but everyone within distance knew that he wasn't happy about it. Miyuki understood this. Everyone who entered a team had a dream of being a starter. However, he thought it was the best possible option for Sawamura. He had a growing talent, that was undeniable. But he was less than average in other fields. He lacked basic skills. Miyuki hoped that his meeting Chris-Senpai a few days prior would help Sawamura but they were in the 'worse before it gets better' phase,

The Furuya predicament would be first -- Miyuki decided. He wouldn't step in right away. No, not now. 

He needed to understand why exactly Furuya disliked Hana. Miyuki didn't need to intervene right away, not as long as Furuya wasn't actively disrespecting her, then he would wait to step in until he knew everything. Perhaps, Furuya didn't think Hana was experienced enough. He said that Miyuki was the only person that he trusted to catch his pitch. Furuya was wrong, though. Hana's pitching was exceptional when they were kids. Furuya would learn useful information once he let her in. 

Miyuki sighed as he thought about how to smooth out the conflicts. The time was ticking and he was on a time crunch. It was up to him. After all, it was quite literally his job to fix it. Pitchers had the tendency to think that they were the ones who were in charge, but it had really been the catchers who called the shots and watched the whole game. At least, that was how Miyuki called the game. His pitchers were always allowed leniency. He didn't dictate what was thrown but if he called for a ball to his mitt then it was something they were going to put out.

Miyuki dropped his pen onto his desk and squeezed his shoulder. He was restless and he needed a break. His day was tense and he was in a pissy mood due to the prior events that happened in Rei-Chan's office earlier that day. The ugly phase of Sawamura and Chris-Senpai was begininng to turn turmutlous. Miyuki saw it during practice, and Hana would update him whenever they checked each other's notes. He hoped that it wouldn't escalate further than that.

He stood from his desk and grabbed his bat. A practice session in the night air would calm him down. It was dark outside as he stood under the streetlight. He was alone. Everyone else had either been practicing on the grounds or swinging on the other side.

Miyuki soon lost count of the number of times that he swung his bat, but it only seemed to push him further. If he swung more, then he had lost thoughts to waste and rot away. His heart rate quickened with every harder swing and the stress alleviated with every deep breath he exhaled. It felt good to get out and suck in some air. He didn't see anything else but the clear imagination of the next ball that he'd swing at. He wouldn't think about egotistical pitchers at the moment.

"Kazuya!" Hana called from behind him.

Except that one.

It was almost embarrassing with the way that Miyuki's shoulders relaxed upon hearing her call his name. Small footsteps sounded against the grass as she approached him. She tucked her hoodie strings and stepped in front of him. She breathed out shakily and set down a white laundry basket that she held in her hands. Miyuki peered into it and then looked back at her.

"There you are." She said.

"Looking for me?"

"Yeah, hey" She stood up straight and rested her hands on her hips. Her hair was loose and it curled wildly. It looked to be slightly damp. Hana stared down at the bat gripped into his hands and then smiled. "Remember when you said you were gonna do my laundry? Well, I'm cashing in."

Miyuki matched her smirk and sat his bat on the ground. "I did say that, huh? Or maybe you just coerced me so I wouldn't be written up."

She laughed and rubbed her arm. There was a slight chill in the air but the weather was beginning to change. Miyuki bent forward to grab her basket and she held his bat. "Alright, c'mon. Let's get this over with, Hanacchi."

They entered Seidou Spirit laundry room after they crossed the front entrance. Miyuki knew why she picked today of all days to cash in but Hana didn't approach the subject. At least, she hadn't yet. He knew Hana. She gave him the space that he needed until he had the time to process. She continued with small talk about what she had been doing before she came to find him.

The laundry was empty when they stepped inside. Both the washers and dryers were empty. Sole baskets had been pushed to the side with clean clothes haphazardly thrown in. Hana sighed and sat on a chair that was lined up against the wall. Miyuki placed her basket on top of the counter and sorted through the contents. 

Hana already separated the clothes. He neatly placed them into the washer and added detergent. Miyuki hated doing the laundry but he had been used to doing the chore since he was 7. His uniform was always in pristine condition. He was damn good at getting grass and dirt stains out of the fabric of his uniform. 

They listened to the water rush from the laundry as they sat next to each other. Miyuki stared as their knees just barely touched each other. Hana scribbled away in the manager's binder. She wrote carefully and neatly while he sat with his head pressed against the wall. It was quiet but not uncomfortable. They could go hours sitting in silence and being comfortable. Miyuki guessed that there was just a different feeling sitting in complete silence next to someone that you trusted completely. 

Hana doesn't speak until he transferred her clothes back into the dryer and sat back in his seat. Hana placed the binder in the chair next to her and bumped his knee playful. She gave a lopsided smile. "So, I heard about today... from Rei-San." Hana said with nonchalance. "Are you okay?"

Miyuki furrowed his eyebrows at the mention of what happened in Rei-Chan's office. He had calmed down in the hours since.

"Yeah," He said. "I'm good."

Hana hummed and gave him a questioning look. He smiled sheepishly at her and she turned her gaze to the floor. "You hardly ever lose your temper, though. You think you're gonna apologize?"

"Nah," Miyuki replied.

"I think you scared him. I haven't seen him anywhere on the campus." Hana laughed.

Miyuki leaned on his knees and brushed his thumb over his lip. He could apologize, but he didn't want to. Sawamura deserved the shake-up. Chris-Senpai was their senior with a vast amount of baseball knowledge. Furuya and Sawamura had been spitting on their upperclassmen. He had his work cut out for him in the coming days.

"He's gonna get over it." Miyuki nodded. "He just has to learn that sometimes he doesn't have all the answers. Same for Furuya."

"Yeah, him too. They'll learn. Especially with you around." Hana said. "I just hope the practices start going better. I'm worried. Chris-Senpai can really help Sawamura-Kun grow his potential. I think if they both communicated with each other then he could understand with Chris-Senpai is coming from."

"He needs to learn how to curb his ego or else he won't make the first string."

"It'd be such a waste of talent." She said. "Next practice I'll bring it up to Chris-Senpai. I'll see if he can go a little easier on Sawamura after I do my observation with him. It's a good sign Sawamura hasn't quit on him."

How often had Hana been with Chris-Senpai? Miyuki thought back to their recent practice. They often conducted practices together, but that wasn't unusual as they were both managers. Sometimes he would see them in the cafeteria chatting but that was normal for friends. But then again, he was her friend and he had feelings for her. Could it be the same for her and Chris-Senpai?

The dryer chimed and paused. Miyuki sat up and cleared it out. Hana stood from her chair and followed after him, then leaned against an empty dryer. "Are you ready for the summer? The final line-ups are coming soon. You aren't worried someone will take your spot in the line-up, right?" She grinned teasingly.

Someone like Chris-Senpai? Miyuki wondered. 

He wouldn't be mad at that. Chris-Senpai was the reason he came to Seidou, after all. 

"Yeah, right." Miyuki laughed and pulled the clothes onto the dryer. "If you miss baseball that much, Hanacchi, you can just say so instead of trying to take my spot."

"You'd really let Miyauchi be my catcher? Just so I can take your spot?"

"Don't flatter yourself, Hana." He pinched her nose. "You know I'm the only person who can catch your wonky pitch flawlessly. Perfect at its finest, y'know?"

"It's the confidence for me." She commented, smiling.

"Ah, you mean saying the truth?" Miyuki chuckled and folded her clothes.

He separated them into two piles. Fresh laundry filled his nose as he sorted through her practice clothes and t-shirts. It was mostly an array of white t-shirts, her Seidou baseball jacket, and a few pairs of black leggings that he liked to look at. He pulled another pile and pulled out a pair of red lacy material. Miyuki looked up and then back down at the fabric to confirm what he saw. A pair of deep red laced panties.

They were simple, soft, and laced. Based on the cut and the lack of material, he knew that it was a thong.

Miyuki breathed shakily. Hana didn't notice him staring. She mindlessly transferred her clothes into the basket. Miyuki looked down again. He considered the fact that they may not have been hers. But this was the male laundry room at Seidou Spirit and no one hooked up in the laundry room. That, included with the fact that it was tangled in with one of her shirts. 

He doesn't say anything. The words couldn't process right in his head and all he could do for the moment is to open his mouth and close it as he stared. His throat tightened as he looked at the red contrasting with his skin. Hana continued to ramble off to the side but he hadn't been listening because all he can think about were her panties in his hands.

His mind raced with thoughts about what they might look on her. He thought about it countless times before (more than that if he were being honest with himself). Miyuki had been able to ignore raunchy thoughts, especially if she had been around. It felt disrespectful to be so dirty around her, almost as if he tainted her with what he was thinking. He tried his hardest not to look too long and he would always look away if her skirt flipped.

Explicit thoughts were kept for his own private time in the showers. Miyuki wasn't thrilled that he jerked off to his best friend, but when it came to her, he was a pathetic loser. He usually spared his thoughts to ones only of her. But this was different. He held the real things in his hands and it made him freeze with shock. 

Shit, shit, shit -- he thought. 

He needed to do something before she turned around. He wasn't sure what Hana might do if she saw him perved out over her underwear. He didn't even want to think about it. The last thing that he wanted was for his best friend to think he was a weird loser and never speak to him again. It wasn't likely and he knew that, but just the idea made him feel off. 

"These are kinda racy." He said as smoothly as he could. 

Had she been able to hear how his voice shook? Could she see this flush on his cheeks or how he shifted his leg?

Hana looked over at him in confusion first before her eyes settled on them. She paused awkwardly and a minute or so passed before she let out a short and dry laugh. 

"Oh, sorry," She said awkwardly. "That wasn't supposed to be in there. It must have gotten tangled with my shirts."

She grabbed them and balled them up in her hand. Miyuki could almost cry.

Miyuki turned back toward the basket and busied himself with folding another shirt. They stood in silence. He wondered if she actually wore that. Right next to him? Right in front of his salad? Was she trying to kill him?

He doesn't think asking her would do him much good. But he found himself doing it anyway. He wouldn't put the answer in the spank bank or anything. The question was purely for educational purposes. She knew what kind of underwear he wore (Calvin Klein to be exact, Hanes occasionally), so they would be even with the knowledge.

"Do you, um, actually wear those?" He finally asked.

Hana doesn't answer right away. He wondered if it made it awkward but things were hardly ever awkward between them. She eventually whined and turned to him with a bashful look. 

"Kazuya, why do you say it like it's gross? Did you lump me in with the rest of the guys and assume I wore boxers?" She asked. "Yes, I wear racy things like plenty of other girls."

Gross? Miyuki thought. It was the complete opposite of gross that he was thinking. He wondered where she got the idea that he lumped her in with guys. If anything, it was a constant reminder that she was a girl in more ways than one. 

Miyuki began to laugh at how personally offended she looked that he couldn't have possibly guessed that she wore red underwear. He opened his mouth, about to crack a joke but the door to the laundry room opened. Furuya stepped inside and looked around. His eyes widened as he took the two of them in. He bowed slightly and then crinkled his nose at Hana. She laughed under her breath and turned her head to smirk at Miyuki.

"Miyuki-Senpai," Furuya turned his head to hide his frown. "Can you please catch for me?"

"Right now?" Miyuki questioned. The clock on the wall read ten at night. "At this time of night? We just had a session earlier. You're going to over-exert yourself if you pitch too much."

Furuya pouted childishly and averted his gaze to the corner. Miyuki sighed and looked at Hana who had shrugged in response, still smiling. He looked at the dwindling laundry pile and then clicked his tongue. 

"You're so damn eager. Alright," Miyuki agreed. "But you have to wait. And I'm only going to be there for fifteen minutes."

Furuya's lips quirked up and Miyuki counted it as a smile. He nodded in agreement and stood up straight, crossing his arms as he waited at the door. Miyuki continued to fold the clothes neatly. 

"Are you scared I'm gonna change my mind?" He teased Furuya.

Furuya shook his head no. His cheeks were flushed bright. Miyuki laughed at his childish nature.

"I still need to walk Hanacchi back to her dorm. I'll meet you there in ten minutes." Furuya continued to pout and his shoulders sagged as he looked at Hana. "Actually, can you go to my dorm and get my glove so I can meet you there quicker. Since you're soo impatient."

"Okay," Furuya agreed quickly and left the laundry room

Miyuki laughed and shook his head. Hana giggled on the side and covered her mouth with her hand. The tension that had been growing between the two of them had dissipated as they laughed together.

"He hates me!" Hana exclaimed.

"Damn, what did you do to him at practice?" He teased her.

"He probably thinks I'm stealing you and interrupting his practice time."

"He'll come around." Miyuki nodded and folded the last shirt, then neatly placed them in the basket. 

He'd make him come around. 

"He's been pitching a lot." Hana said.

"Yeah, I can hardly get away from him," He agreed, grabbing the laundry basket. "Ready?"

"It would be rude to keep our future ace waiting." 

The door clinked behind them as they left. They walked the same shortcut across Seidou Spirit and entered the small area for the females dorm rooms. They were small and only had a few rooms for baseball and basketball managers. 

They walked alongside each other slowly. An odd feeling bubbled inside of him. It was hard to ignore that he was holding a laundry basket with her underwear bundled up at the bottom. Hana would probably forget everything that happened tonight, while he would still be thinking of it. From the sight to the feel of them against his hands. 

Miyuki and Hana made it back to her dorm room and he stood behind her as she unlocked her door and turned on the light switch that sat off to the side. She turned around and reached out for the basket. She sat it down and then looked at him. The night felt incomplete. Like they weren't ready to part yet. It felt as if he should hug or something along the lines in order for their night to be over but Miyuki decided against it. It would be weird. Hana usually sought out affection, not the other way around.

"Well, have fun." She finally said with her hand resting on the doors edge.

"Yeah," He replied. "See you tomorrow."

-

 He swore that Furuya would be the death of him. 

Hard-headed and extremely clueless made for a horrible combination. 

"Miyuki-Senpai, do I really have to wait in order to pitch?" Furuya asked with wide eyes. 

It was the most emotion that Miyuki saw from him since they met.

Miyuki blinked and stared at him blankly. Had the idiot not heard Coach kataoka when he told him he was to be off the mound for two weeks? Did the idiot not understand he ripped his finger nail? Miyuku doubted that his finger was finished healing. Even if it was, the two weeks were meant to be a punishment. No pitching, only learning. 

"Yes, you do." Miyuki told him. "And you're lucky it isn't any longer."

Furuya rolled his eyes but Miyuki decided to let it slide.

Miyuki eyed Hana stretching in the corner. She raised her hands above her head and then stretched side to side. Her glove hung out from the opening of her duffel bag that had been kicked in the corner. Excitement shot through Miyuki's body down to his fingers. It had been ages since he last caught for her. It had only taken an injury from his pitcher to get her to agree to a brief demonstration. 

Hana pulled her hair tie from her wrist and then tied her back. She turned toward them with her hands on her hips. She was fully in Manager Mode node. A serious, no-nonsense version of her that made Miyuki swoon. Furuya tsked under his breath and pressed his lips together.

"Alright, Furuya," She said. "Let's see you how your posture is. Act like you're throwing, okay?"

Furuya sighed and turned toward the catching net. He stepped back and winded up his pitch and demonstrated it twice. Hana watched with an intense look. She leaned her head to the side and said, "One more time."

He wound up his stance once more. 

"I can see how much power you put into your throws. It's great," Hana nodded. She then paused and looked him over. "But I can see why you got injured."

Furuya stood off to the side with his eyebrows furrowed. His face showed all signs of stress. Hana went on for a little while longer and explained concise details. She paused mid-sentence and turned her head. 

"Furuya-Kun, are you ignoring me?" She questioned with a slight giggle toward the end. "Okay. Um, Kazuya? Do you have any input?"

Miyuki sighed. Furuya-San and Hana's non-existent relationship hadn't been close to being mended. It was completely one-sided. Furuya had been hell-bent on ignoring Hana. 

He stood up from the stool he sat on and slung an arm around her shoulders. He pointed a thumb in her direction. "Look, I know she can ramble. But Hana knows what she's talking about. You need to listen to her."

Hana gasped and jammed her elbow into his ribs. "How are insulting me and praising me at the same time?"

She turned to Furuya and pressed her fist into her palm. She sighed, "You're going to hurt yourself, Furuya. You aren't holding yourself back enough and that causes you to put too much strain on your body. That's a risk for injury. And an injury means that you won't be able to stand on the mound."

"That means you won't be the ace." Miyuki added.

"I'll be the ace!" Furuya shouted out. His eyes widened due to the shock of hearing his booming voice. Miyuki shook his head. The only way to get Furuya riled up was just a matter of mentioning the number 1 on his back. 

He mumbled to Hana, "Kids these days." He cleared his throat and looked at her bag. "You ready?"

Hana was hesitant. She looked to her bad awkwardly and made a small noise, then nodded. She walked over to get her glove from her bag. Furuya stared at her through narrow eyes. He understood exactly what Furuya was trying to say based on his look and body language alone. Furuya was a quiet person but he didn't hold back in expression. The longer that Miyuki spent with him, the better he understood him. Perks of being a catcher.

Furuya cleared his throat and stared. 'How does she get to pitch for you and I don't?!' Furuya pretty much said.

Miyuki ignored the look and looked at Hana. She stood in place awkwardly at the opposite end of him. He couldn't remember the last time. Her glove still looks the same way as he saw it last time. Broken into perfection. The memories weighed on his heart as he looked at her. He wondered if she was feeling the same. Perhaps the memory of baseball was painful for her because she no longer played. Her eyes wavered from his as she shuffled into position. It had been so long, that he almost forgot how easy it was to read her from here. It seemed if as she did too.

"Ready?" She asked impatiently.

Miyuki nodded and lifted his glove. She glanced at Furuya to make sure that she had his full attention before she took a deep breath. "Alright, Furuya. Everyone has a different pitching style. A guy that's your size packs a lot of power. But, it's different for me because... y'know, I'm a girl. But still, the basic mechanics of it all are still the same. You need to relax your body." 

Had that been the reason that she was so hesitant to pitch? When she first quit, she confessed to him that she wanted to leave baseball the same way that she remembered it. But did that reason include the developing differences of her as a woman? Miyuki never thought of it that way until now. He understood it. Baseball kept growing while she would stay the same. Was that the reason? Because she felt less than as a girl?

Miyuki wondered how she couldn't tell just how valuable she was with just her experience. Her natural intellect was a bonus.

"When you're winding up, I want you to relax. Everything should feel natural," She said, faking a windup. "Remember to keep your balance on the windup and mind your stride. You can't put everything into it because then you'll start to get tired. It should look something like this."

Hana's fundamentals were as beautiful as he remembered. Perhaps, even better. The sound of her pitch hitting his mitt sparked an interesting feeling. It was a feeling that he hadn't felt in years combined with the change in her fastball. It was different from when they were younger. But nonetheless, it still gave him a feeling that no other pitcher could give him. 

He yearned to see her knuckleball to see how it evolved but Hana only agreed to demonstrate her fastball and he had been grateful for the gratuity.

"Nice pitch!" Miyuki said.

Hana looked away bashfully and coyly, then slipped her glove off and into her bag. 

"I want to see you try it again, Furuya." She said to him. "Then we can start a little exercise."

Furuya nodded. For the first time, Miyuki didn't see a frown. A little nudge and understanding were all that they needed to move in the right direction.

-

 The weight room was full. The first string all gathered in to get training done before the summer training camp. 

The excitement was beginning to grow but it hadn't been completely there yet because their bench hadn't been completed. After they finished the roster, they would all be going into the trenches together. After today, two spots would be filled. This game would determine the outcome. 

Miyuki was anxious to finish his weight training so that he could get a look at the game. It didn't matter to him who was picked. But deep down, he couldn't help but to have his own personal preference. 

"Who do you want to take the final spot?" Kuramochi asked him.

Miyuku shrugged. "I don't really have a preference."

He would never say that he hoped Chris-Senpai would be able to pull through for the lineup because he knew that it was impossible. The top prospect was the young Kominato brother, Haruichi-Kun. Miyuki's thoughts on Sawamura had been 50%. Everything that he knew about his improvements were based on Hana's words, so he hadn't been able to see for himself. But Sawamura had the habit of keeping everyone on their toes. 

After the debacle in Rei-Chan's office, he hadn't talked much to Sawamura at all. Sawamura instead turned to Chris-Senpai which was exactly what Miyuki had hoped for. Chris-Senpai taught him the basics, and he had faith that he was a good teacher.  Chris-Senpai excelled in direction and leadership. It was the same sort of power that Tetsu-San had.

"Now aren't you just a chill little guy." Kuramochi commented sourly while rolling his eyes.

"I always am." Miyuki smiled.

"Yeah," Kuramochi snorted. "Okay. Little asshole is more like it."

"Nabe-Chan wouldn't agree with that. So it ultimately just proves me right."

Nabe-Kun laughed in response and grabbed a new weight off the rack. Technically, first-string were the only ones on the schedule for weight training today but no one minded Nabe tagging along. He spotted the best on the team.

"Don't put words into Nabe's mouth, stupid." Kuramochi hissed. "He doesn't like you like that."

"Maybe we can put a word in with Coach so that we get Haruichi for shortstop and Miyauchi for catcher." Jun-San cut in. "That way, we don't have to hear the two of you bickering like a married couple."

Tanba-San chuckled, then sighed. "What a dream."

Miyuki faced him and placed his hand over his heart. "Tanba-San... I thought our relationship was actually going somewhere."

Tanba-San turned his back toward him and snorted. "Y'all hear something?"

"Tanba practices with the second-string catcher just to get away from you." Kominato-San deadpanned. "What relationship?" 

Miyuki laughed to himself. Tanba-San really disliked him. Miyuki knew that he was to blame because it dated back to their first meeting. Their personalities were too different for them to get along. He just couldn't help but irritate Tanba. He wasn't as nasty as he had been in his first year. After he moved up to starting catcher, Miyuki knew that he needed to be more team-like and professional. Their relationship was okay now, but it still left a lot to be desired. The main thing was that Tanba-San didn't seem to respect his opinions as a catcher. 

"Miyuki loves to say whatever the fuck he wants." Jun-San said.

"Yeah, he's a dick." Kominato agreed.

The weight room bubbled with sounds of agreement. Miyuki cheesed and ran his hands through his hair. "Guys, you're all so nice. Thank you <3."

The door burst open and a first-year stood in the doorway. He panted as he held onto the handle. 

"Guys," He panted. "I think Chris-Senpai is gearing up to take the catcher's box."

It was all Miyuki needed to hear. Miyuki sat his weight down on the rack and grabbed his bag. He jogged to B field and made it there in record timing without breaking a sweat. Seeing Chris-Senpai catching again was everything he could have asked for. It was the perfect start to summer.

Excitement tingled in his body as he approached the fence. Miyuki tried not to get his hopes up, but he couldn't help but wonder if maybe Chris-Senpai would be able to pull through. They would figure it out then who was the better catcher and who would rightfully earn their spot. It was, however, a far cry and Miyuki knew that the chances were slim. But he couldn't help but to have hope. 

Sawamura yelled anxiously from where he stood but it seemed to spark up the crowd with excitement. He must have been the reason that Chris-Senpai was gearing up. Sawamura was turning out to be something detrimental to the team.

Miyuki looked at Hana standing off to the side. She stood with the other managers and peered through the linked fence. Her back faced him, but he knew her just by the way that she stood. He'd be able to recognize the curve of her body anywhere considering all the time he spent looking. What a simp -- Miyuki thought. 

Takakao-Senpai looked behind her and then nudged Hana's side. Miyuki stood next to her and looked through the fence. The game hadn't resumed yet, but even Hana looked excited. He slung an arm around her waist and tickled her side in order to grab her attention. Hana yelped and swatted at his hand. 

"Kazuya, you stink." She reached over and pulled his hat over his eyes. 

"I do not." Miyuki said as he fixed his hat into position.

"I know, I know. You never smell when you're sweaty." Hana laughed and leaned against the fence. "Come to see your man doing his thing?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Chris-Senpai? Oh yeah, absolutely."

Hana lifted her hand in the direction of the field. Chris-Senpai and Sawamura spoke quietly off to the side. 

"Behold, the fruits of our training. Sawamura still has a long way to go but look at how far he's advanced in just a few weeks." Hana said proudly. 

Miyuki winced slightly at the use of "our" but smiled through it. He needed to focus on her accomplishments rather than pick apart her words. Takakao-Senpai giggled in response and Sachiko held onto the fence, leaning behind Takakao's back to face him. "Your girl is always working hard. It's a miracle that Sawamura's even on the mound!"

Hana shot a look at Sachiko who only beamed brightly at her. 

Hana huffed and looked back through the fence. "His girl" Miyuki wondered. What was that about?

"Oh look! They're about to go into the bullpen!" Hana said quickly. "Go stand in the team section so you don't get kicked out of the game."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm going," Miyuki muttered, walking around the fence. The other members of the first string still hadn't shown up. But he did leave them with all of the equipment out of place.

Sawamua and Chris-Senpai stood in the bullpen. Chris held his mask in his hands and Sawamura sputtered in disbelief. Seeing Sawamura pitching would give Miyuki a better idea of what to expect from the unpredictable first-year.

"Look at the difference in practice versus a real game." Miyuki chuckled. "Make sure you're learning lots."

Sawamura looked behind him and then jumped. He tugged at the hairs at the nape of his neck. "I can't talk right now."

"Quit playing around and get in the bullpen." Chris-Senpai looked between them and narrowed his eyes at Sawamura. "Miyuki, you come in too. You should see this."

Miyuki felt the tiniest inkling that maybe Chris-Senpai would get the spot on the team. They would finally be able to have a proper battle for the starting catcher position. He held onto that hopeful feeling even as the game dragged along despite knowing the answer. He knew how things like this worked out. Miracles happened in baseball, but they tended to be just that; miracles. The reality was that Chris-Senpai was a third-year who took two years off. Miyuki knew that. He knew that as he watched the game. He knew it when he ran over. But it was the simple fact that he needed to watch the person who sparked it all for him. The one who was responsible for awakening his thirst for the competition.

-

That night, Miyuki stood outside the practice grounds door. 

It hadn't been Chris-Senpai.

Miyuki knew that it wouldn't be but it still stung when their names were called. However, he wasn't surprised. It was the most logical option to have another pitcher in the rotation, especially with Tanba's unpredictable pitching and batting. Haruichi-Kun and Sawamura made the most sense to fill those roles. It didn't make sense to take on Chris-Senpai was still in the middle of rehab. It would be dangerous. Why jeopardize a sure future? 

Miyuki wasn't able to tell who had been more upset; him or Sawamura? The difference was that he bit through and pulled himself together. Sawamura had been shocked, to say the least, and guilty over taking the last spot. Masuko-Senpai and Kuramochi needed to straighten him up before they pulled him off to their dorm. That was a good thing. Sawamura needed people to trust on the team. Now that he was on first string, Miyuki needed to guide him through it.

"We're going to have to see this through,"  Kazuya told him after the meeting commenced. Though Sawamura only  tensed up even more, hands balling into fists as he took in his words. "That goes for you and me both." 

He couldn't dwell on what had been lost. Miyuki knew that. He needed to push through because that was the only thing he could do. He would form a stronger team, one that would make it to nationals for the Senpai who weren't able to go. He only hoped that it resonated enough with Sawamura. This pain was only the beginning of his career of playing baseball. There were a lot more obstacles along the way.

Hana bid the other managers goodnight and handed off her folder. She approached him and tapped her food on the ground before she nudged his shin with the top of her shoe.

"Hey," She said. "Wanna go to the field?"

Miyuki laughed softly and stared down at the ground. He fiddled with his fingers before curling them into his hand and then setting his fist into his open palm. They weren't allowed to be on the field after curfew. But the rule wasn't harshly enforced. Getting yourself caught, however, was a different story.

"Alright," He nodded.

Hana grinned and dug into her pocket. Her hand moved and fished out a few coins of loose change. She stretched her hand out and placed it on the bench next to him. "Can you get me a Water-Ade?"

"You know they don't have those at the vending machine near the fields."

Hana nodded and patted his shoulder. "I'll meet you at the field."

Miyuki sighed dramatically and pulled himself to his feet. He stretched his arms above his head as Hana walked off toward the field. Miyuki walked in the opposite direction. The night was quiet and the cool breeze fit the circumstances. When cuts were made, there was a particularly solemn feeling that filled the air. It was difficult for the ones who made it because it also meant that someones career ended early. 

Once he approached the vending machine, he placed her coins in his pocket and pulled out his own dollar. He couldn't figure out why she even gave him money in the first place. She never paid for anything when he was there. 

Sighing, Miyuki pressed the button twice and two cans fell out in a thud. He looked around to see if he could find a sign of Coach Kataoka or Rei-Chan walking around. If he ran into them, they would grill him on what he was doing and where he was going. It was always worse when they were together. 

Once he saw that no one was in sight, he walked over to the field. It was already cleaned and raked over. The signs that anyone had been there hours prior were absent. Hana sat on the mound and stared up at the sky. He smiled as he looked at her because he didn't expect anything less. Hana was still Hana, and the mound wound always have her heart. 

She sat with her hands outstretched behind her and her palms holding her weight. She wore white headphones plugged into both ears. She was distracted as she sang lowly. Perhaps it was because the place brought back so many memories. Some memories he probably didn't know about. It was special in that way because there was always something that he could learn about her. 

Miyuki stepped up behind her and pressed the cold can to her neck. She jumped at the contact and whined, turning around to look at him.

"Here," He handed the can to her. Miyuki sat next to her on the mound. It was quiet for a second as she unplugged her headphones. Soon after, music filtered through the speaker on her phone. Miyuki quirked an eyebrow and asked, "Did you send me to the other machine just so you could have alone time with the mound?"

He wondered what parts of baseball had been painful for her. He never missed the way she winced at any word that uttered pitching. He never missed the slightest look of longing whenever she gazed at the mound. Miyuki could never find an answer. For the most part, Hana kept a brave face.

"That's a weird suggestion." Hana said to him.

"You just... look happy." Miyuki managed to get out. 

"Oh. No, I just..." Hana started, leaning her head back more and then turning to look at him. "I just really wanted a Water-Ade."

Miyuki clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. He was sure that it hadn't been the truth but he wouldn't push her on it. The song that was playing on her phone eased into the outro and then a new one began to play. Hana sat up with excitement and grabbed her phone. She raised the volume with five clicks and swooned.

"Ohhh, I love this song!" She sang out. "Sing it with me, Kazuya!"

"Nah, you're good." Miyuki told her.

He sat back as she started to sing the beginning of the song. Her phone was clutched tightly in her hands as she rocked back and forth to the beat. He smiled to himself as her lashes fluttered through the song. Her glossed lips shimmered in the moonlight. 

"And I can't believeeeee, you're hurting me, I met your girl what a difference."  She belted out wildly. 

It was completely different from her usual soft singing tone. She sang wildly out of tone. Miyuki chuckled, he wasn't a stranger to Hana's mood where she'd bolt out in a tone-dead karaoke mood. Soon after, she would ask him to be her singing partner. 

Hana grabbed at his arm and nudged him. She raised her tone even higher. "What you seee in herrr, you ain't seeeeen in me. But I guess that was all just make-believe."

Miyuki laughed and then shook his head before he reluctantly began to sing along with her. He took a deep breath and belted out along with her, "Oh, loveeeeeee, never knew what I was missing! But I knew once we start kissing, I fouuuuund, found youu."

"I knew that you wouldn't abandon me." Hana said. 

She was always right. Because he would never be able to.

Hana pressed the volume down button and then wrapped her arms around her bare legs. She went silent for a moment and then muttered quietly. "Do you think Eijun-Kun is going to be okay?"

"You worried about that?" He asked.

"A little." Hana shrugged. She played with her fingers. "He can be so emotional sometimes. He really latched onto Chris-Senpai's guidance these past few weeks."

Miyuki understood her concern, but the cuts were still fresh. They only happened a few hours prior. That hadn't been nearly enough time to begin to be getting worried. The best thing that he could do was to give him time before he got concerned. If Sawamura went into a funk over it, Miyuki would do what he could to pull him out of it. 

Reliable as a catcher, and reliable as a son -- Miyuki thought. The two went together.

"He's gonna be okay."

"How do you know?" She asked.

"Because... he's got me."

"I don't knowww. That seemed to be giving something a little villain-like." Hana made an apprehensive look and hummed. "I'm kidding, of course. I think you're a great catcher and one of the reasons is because you're really considerate."

Miyuki was taken aback by her bluntness and turned slightly toward the other way. His stomach turned and he pasted a grin on. "I know that I'm a good catcher."

He doesn't comment on the 'considerate person' aspect of the conversation. It was too much praise for him to accept. It felt awkward to hear it. But his heart oddly thumped because of it with a strong sense of pride. Platonic or not? She sees you as considerate -- Miyuki thought. 

"Are you disappointed that Chris-Senpai didn't make the bench?" She asked slowly, almost as if she was being careful asking him.

"I wasn't expecting him to make it." Miyuki admitted. "But it would've been nice if he did."

Hana nodded. "Yeah. I want him to make the bench too."

Hana's words lingered in his mind. He thought over her words once more and he couldn't make out why he felt so... strange about it. He wondered if he was feeling some sort of confliction about it. Miyuki had known for a long time that there would be no one else to ever make him feel the way that she did. He was sure of that. 

But he never thought too hard about what he would do if she had feelings for someone else. He didn't think that he considered Chris but Miyuki remembered the sunken feeling from a few days ago. Chris-Senpai was the better catcher. He was kind, and he was quiet. That was popular with girls. She had been rambling about him more often the past few days and they spent a lot of time together when they trained Sawamura. Maybe they had been playing catch together too and that was the reason why she felt uncomfortable playing with him. 

Maybe Hana actually liked Chris.

Miyuki cringed at the thought. His insides turned, and perhaps even his face twisted too due to the concer the fell over Hana's face. He cleared his throat. He needed to compose himself. 

There would be no good that came from knowing. What would it mean then? That he should move on and let her be with Chris-Senpai. How would he even move on? Miyuki couldn't imagine how he would process that information so he turned toward her with a burning in his chest and asked. It's nonchalant as he eased out her name and then looked at her. 

"Do you like Chris-Senpai?" He asked carefully, yet smoothly.

"Chris-Senpai?" She questioned, trailing off as she did so. "Yeah, I do."

It was over, Miyuki thought. He lost to Chris again. As a catcher, and in love. Miyuki took a deep breath and tugged at his hair as he thought her words over again. Of course, she doesn't understand what he's trying to ask her. Miyuki breathed out and then continued. "Do you... like, romantically?"

"Ohh," She said. His heart raced in the anticipation of her response. She then giggled and shrugged. "No! He's like a big brother to me. I couldn't see him that way!"

Miyuki exhaled the breath he was holding and tucked his shaking hands into his pocket. Good. That was... good.

Why? Miyuki wasn't sure. Hana deserved someone. Eventually, she'd be with someone.

He pondered of her admission. A brother? He understood that. Chris-Senpai had a leadership personality that looked for others. Miyuki's stomach then dropped once more and the feeling of dread washed over him. What if she thought of him as a brother? It was a stretch but it was a possibility. They grew up together, after all. 

The game he played always considered her feelings being platonic. But he never took in brotherly. It was exceptionally awkward and he found himself thinking that he wanted to throw up at the thought. 

"Do you think of me as a brother?" He quickly asked. 

"Kazuya," She stared at him. "That's disgusting. How could I be into my wife? I'm not into incest."

Miyuki bit at his lip and the confusion settled deeper inside him. Chris-Senpai wasn't an option and he wasn't a brother to her. Platonic or Not came rolling into his mind as he thought about how she saw him. She thought he was a great catcher, and she thought that he was considerate. 

He steadied his breathing as he looked at her form. Her body language was calm and she doesn't appear to fidget awkwardly. She continued to sing from the songs coming from her phone. Had her emotions been suppressed? Was she thinking what he was thinking? His thoughts fumbled over each other as he tried to make sense of it all and what had been happening between the two of them. His heart pounded rapidly in unsteady beats and his breathing began to shake. 

He clenched his fists. It didn't matter.

It shouldn't matter, at least. That's what Miyuki told himself. Nothing would ever come from it. If he entertained that thought, then things would be different between them. Even if Hana didn't know what that thought was, he would be the one to see her differently. Miyuki knew that. And perhaps, that was why he was so adamant on blocking it out. It shouldn't matter to him, he told himself. Things were fine the way that they were. 

It shouldn't matter.

It definitely shouldn't matter... right?

Chapter Text

"Please," Miyuki begged. "Can you please come? From the kindness of your heart?"

Hana laughed from where she sat at her desk. Her hair moved as she shook her head and flipped through her binder.

Miyuki had been busy observing Sawamura after Chris-Senpai had been cut and he hadn't improved within the few days that passed. His behavior was beginning to become reckless, and his hot-headed personality had become gloomy and unresponsive. Sawamura may have thought that it was headstrong determination to prove himself as a first-string member, but it was actually stupidity. 

He was overworking his body by running constantly and shouldering an intense burden that should have been shared by the whole team. Sawamura would injure himself sooner or later if someone didn't come in to stop his bad habits. 

Granted, Miyuki felt disappointed inside as well. But he knew that carrying your Senpai's will is what furthered the team's determination. Sawamura didn't understand that yet.

Miyuki sighed. The plan that he concocted was almost in order. He had everyone on board from Chris-Senpai to Kuramochi and Masuko-Senpai. All he needed was Hana, who was undoubtedly Sawamura's favorite manager. Everything was almost perfect. Except for the fact that Hana had refused to come. 

"I didn't ask for you to appoint me as a guest speaker." She pointed out after he told her. 

"I thought you were worried about him," Miyuki said. "And you aren't a guest speaker. You're just stepping in."

"Well, intervention then," She corrected herself. "And I am worried about him."

She continued to hunch over her desk and scribbled inside the prep binder. Miyuki sighed loudly from where he sat on the bed and threw himself back onto her pillows. His dramatics failed to earn more than a glance from her so he performed the action again with more emphasis.

The chaired squeaked as she pushed it away from the desk. The wheels scraped the floor as she swiveled around to look at him with a raised eyebrow and an annoyed stare. He cheesed at her. 

"Are you done?" 

"Not yet," Miyuki said, peeking out at her from the bottom of his glasses. "I don't get it. You don't have anything important to do."

"I do, actually. It involves sitting in my dorm with a face mask on, eating popcorn, and watching Sunset away from everyone." She said. "You don't need me there. Chris-San will be there and I'm sure Eijun-Kun will appreciate him more than me."

Idiot, Miyuki thought. He wanted her there. He kept that thought to himself and sat up. Miyuki leaned forward and cocked his head to the side. Hana and her romance flicks were inseparable. Miyuki mentally rolled his eyes at the memory of watching all the Walt Princess Movies during a week long marathon. 

"You've seen Dusk about a million times, Hanacchi. Does missing it this one time make a difference?"

Hana laughed. "Yes, because Dusk comes on right after. Tomorrow, Midnight comes on. And if I go to your intervention then I'm gonna miss the first movie. You can't pick up from the second movie. You know this, Kazuya."

"Sure, sure. If your memory is that bad that you can't remember what happened in Dawn you can just say that." Hana rolled her eyes and turned toward the desk. Miyuki hummed to himself and bit his lip. "I can find the movies for you. And then you can watch them all once we're done."

"It's 'Dusk', dummy. Plus, your phone is prehistoric. How do you think you're gonna find a movie on there?"

"My phone is simple and it's by choice."

"Mhm..." She sang.

Miyuki snickered and stood up, walking over to her desk. He pushed back stray papers and leaned against it with his arms crossed.

"I'll find them. I promise." Even if it meant getting Kuramochi to help him download them. "And then... I guess we can watch them together."

Hana was quiet for a second before she leaned up and smiled at him. Up close, he noticed the glittery shine of her lip gloss. Cute.

"The whole Saga? Face masks included?"

"Of course. Who in the world would ever miss the chance of watching such the cinematic masterpiece that is 'Dawn' while also keeping you company?"

"It's Dusk." She hissed, squeezing his arm. "But.. your offer is reasonable. I have my demands, though."

"Okay, shoot."

"The whole saga, no back-talk, you provide the snacks - then I'll be there bright and early."

Miyuki smirked and nodded, extending his hand. "You got it."

-

The next day, Hana was there bright and early just like she said she would be. She was even earlier than he was. She stood next to Chris-senpai as he entered the Indoor Training Grounds. Miyuki nodded at them and Hana excused herself so that she could talk to him. 

"Morning," She smiled brightly at him. "I told you bright and early."

She brushed the dampness from his hair that had been wet from the rain. She then looked and smiled at Furuya, who had been staring at the two of them. 

"Morning, Furuya-Kun!" She called out, skipping over to him with a smile.

Furuya glanced over at her with tightened lips, then bowed. "Good morning."

Miyuki groaned. Furuya still disliked Hana. But he was glad that he spoke to her. It was small progress.

"He should be leaving his room now. Kuramochi just texted me," Chris-Senpai said as he approached them. "Why don't you go and get him."

Miyuki stared in surprise. They agreed that Chris-Senpai would do most of the talking because Sawamura admired him most. Miyuki would be the backup as a slow start to their partnership. Ever since the day in Rei-Chan's office, they hadn't talked much. 

Chris-Senpai cracked the tiniest smile and cocked his head to the side, crossing his arms. "Do you not want to?"

"He might come along easier if it's you," Miyuki admitted.

He shrugged in agreement, nodding. "Probably. But I was talking with Manager-Kun and she said that you should be the one to do it. I thought that it was a good idea because you guys should be getting used to each other."

He was slightly confused. Knowing each other came with putting your faith in someone to call your pitches for you. Even Tanba-San had been used to him by now.

Miyuki looked at Hana. She turned and smiled, trying to hide her laughter as she spoke to Furuya. Chris-Senpai smiled at him. It led him to the conclusion that perhaps they weren't trying to tell him about trust, but about getting to know Sawamura in general. Had they been trying to say that his personality was shit?

"Yeah," Miyuki nodded. "I'll go get him."

"Great, we'll start once you get back."

Miyuki turned to leave. He brushed by Hana and she grabbed his arm on his way out. "Pitchers and catchers have a common interest, y'know?"

"Right." He replied to her with a half smile.

Hana smiled back.

Miyuki walked outside to Sawamura's dorm room. The knob to the door had just turned as he arrived. Miyuki leaned against the wall and waited for Sawamura to notice him before he said anything. 

"What are you doing here?" Sawamura asked once he laid eyes on him.

"Come with me for a sec."

Sawamura looked at him blankly before he processed what he said. His eyebrows furrowed and his mouth curled into a frown. "Why? I'm about to go for a run."

 "Precisely that," Miyuki muttered to himself as he pushed off the wall. "Just come."

Sawamura hesitantly zipped his jacket and followed him back to the indoor grounds. His mouth ran a mile per minute, equipped with a million questions, vents, and pure curiosity. It was hard for Miyuki to catch on to what he said.

"Can you tell me if you guys are planning on jumping me?" Sawamura asked. "Because I know I'm no Chris-Senpai. But... you don't think they're that pissed, right?"

Miyuki shoved his hands into his pocket and smiled as he lied, "Yeah. They're pretty pissed."

"Shit, I knew something was coming." Sawamura muttered, completely missing the grin that grew on Miyuki's face.

Miyuki  cleared his throat as they walked into the training grounds. Sawamura nervously glanced around before he set his eyes on Chris-Senpai. Furuya stood beside him staring down at his hands.

"Come over here, Sawamura."

"Okay," Sawamura agreed, eyes glossed over.

"Listen you two," Chris-Senpai started. "Pitchers have a big responsibility."

Miyuki wandered over to the bench and listened as Chris-Senpai spoke. It felt like he was a first year again. It was a relief to see the passion that lay behind Chris-Senpai because he thought it had been gone forever. Miyuki had forgotten how deeply Chris-Senpai felt about baseball. It felt good to have someone who felt the same way as you did.

Hana gave him a thumbs up from where he stood. Miyuki chuckled to himself. Of course, that had been Hana's thinking. She wanted him to know that the common interest between him and Sawamura was not just the goal on the field, but also their passion for baseball and their admiration for Chris-Senpai. He was their idol. Maybe that was the key step that she was trying to achieve for them to understand each other. 

"You don't want to end up like me," Chris-Senpai told them with a shaky voice. "So, we should start with some light training, alright?"

Sawamura sniffed then the tears fell out in streams. Miyuki stared in amusement. An expressive, hot-headed idiot. It was an interesting combination and Miyuki wondered how far he would go as a pitcher. He wondered how far they would get together with him calling his pitches. Would it translate into magic? Would the art speak for itself when their battery was in sync? It always made Miyuki excited to see how talent bloomed under his hands. 

The door pushed open and Kuramochi stood in the doorway next to Masuko-Senpai. "Did y'all get started without me?"

Sawamura turned to look and sobbed harder. The stream of tears fell passed his cheeks and onto his lips and chin. He blubbered unintelligible words to them. Hana sighed and patted his back before she handed him a tissue.

"I don't want you to be mistaken," Chris-Senpai looked at Miyuki, then Sawamura. "I haven't given up on being a player."

Miyuki laughed shortly. Of course, Chris-Senpai wasn't the sort of person to give up. He felt stupid for even considering that he might. Chris-Senpai's resolve was strong and it had always been there. It was what made Miyuki follow him to Seidou. Sawamura just had the brightness to pull it out of him. 

Chris-Senpai's declaration to play made him happy, but a bittersweet feeling filled him at the same time. He would never get to see him play for Seidou again. If only he had gotten one more game. He wondered if Hana had planned all of this: if she had the whole thing planned out to further his own resolve for baseball. 

She doesn't give him confirmation. She stood with the group and spoke gently to Sawamura as he had been stuck in Kuramochi's headlock. Miyuki smiled. It was exactly why he needed her here today. Hana had a balance that made things okay. She always did.

Miyuki cut his eyes to Furuya, who had been standing awkwardly off to the side as he watched the group. His introverted nature was a stark difference to the picture in front of them full of extroverted butterflies conversing and laughing together. In the past few days, Miyuki noticed that Furuya didn't have any friends at Seidou. The only time when he looked genuinely happy was when he had something to do like pitching or running errands for Senpai.

"Hey," Miyuki said as he stood next to him. "Don't you want to join them?"

Furuya let out a small noise. Miyuki sighed as he looked at the group and then back at Furuya. "Sawamura's an odd creature... but isn't being yourself enough? You draw out your personality when it counts."

"Mm." Furuya hummed. 

"Who wants to lead the same kind of pitcher, anyway? Having a variety is what makes baseball fun."

Furuya stared at him. "Miyuki-Senpai? I've been thinking and... your personality is a little wicked."

"I'm glad that you see it that way!" Miyuki laughed.

He knew that he was outward and a smartass bold since he was a kid. It was one of the things that came with Miyuki's genius, he guessed. His self-awareness was impeccable.

The group had broken off into groups. Hana moved to the side with Sawamura and gauged his pitching position. Miyuki caught Furuya staring at them with a look that he couldn't quite place. He wasn't sure if it was envy or a blatant loathing. Miyuki knew why he disliked Sawamura. The two were opposites who had a budding rivalry. But even after a few weeks, Miyuki failed to understand why Furuya disliked Hana.

She was sweet and tended to be outgoing. But she wasn't as boisterous and loud as Sawamura. Granted, Miyuki knew that sometimes people just didn't like each other, but Miyuki felt if he knew the why then maybe he could try to make the situation easier for everybody. He decided then that he should try to fix the situation before it escalated. 

"Furuya. Do you dislike Hana?" Miyuki asked carefully.

It was soft in his usual way of speaking to everyone; something that bordered on being a joke but serious enough that he needed to know why he disliked her so much. Furuya didn't reply. He gave him an upturned face and cast his eyes downward. Miyuki sighed in response and rolled a baseball in his hands.

"That was kind of a stupid question." Miyuki sang out in response to the silence. He set the baseball down and leaned back on his hands. "But I guess that doesn't matter. What does matter, is that Hana is trying to help you by giving you great advice. She was a great pitcher, so you can learn a lot from her when I'm not always available. If you give her a chance, it'll be easier for all of us. You don't have to like her, Furuya. But you do have to respect her."

Miyuki left out the bit about her importance to him. It wasn't exactly relevant. 

"... Okay." Furuya replied.

"Well, that's progress." Miyuki sighed.

He looked at Hana as she spoke with the guys. He always liked how she was able to brighten up a room. Perhaps, Furuya's issue had been his own insecurities. Before Seidou, he was alone. Hana could be pressing. Her optimism was appreciated by a lot of people but Miyuki understood that it could be intimidating for someone like Furuya. But Furuya didn't know that Hana was easy to get along with. She cared about what made people uncomfortable and what people enjoyed. Maybe if they had more time alone without him there, then things might go better for the two of them.

Miyuki looked to Furuya. "You should have her look over your pitch with the net. I think you might like her more than you think."

-

Miyuki had come to two conclusions. One, he was sure that Tanba-San hated him. And two, he was dead tired. Exhausted, even. Training camp had started and he was already in pain and tired. But it was worth it to see the improvement from the last year. 

He grabbed his bag and leaned against the fence to drink water. He watched as Furuya and Sawamura ran extra laps. It felt odd because it hadn't been that long ago since he was in that position. As he thought about it, the memories were now fond to him. He could remember how Hana got concerned one night when he went into the washrooms and fell asleep in for over an hour. Miyuki chuckled to himself at the memory.

Hana jogged from the dugout to the fence where he stood. She heaved out a breath and then stood up straight. "Tough practice, huh?"

Miyuki nodded. She had been referring to Tanba-San storming out of the bullpen in the last minutes of practice. She eyed him carefully and then leaned against the fence next to him. 

"You still coming by tonight?" She asked him.

He'd been sleeping in her room for the past couple of nights because the whole team stayed over for the training camp. His room had been ransacked by brutes and he was lucky to even try to get any sleep with the light on until two a.m.

"I don't know," He sighed dramatically. "What will people think."

Hana rolled her eyes at him and clicked her tongue. "I'll just leave the door unlocked."

"I'll text you when I'm on my way over. I have to shower first and then the guys are probably gonna be in my room."

Hana nodded and rolled her sleeves up. Hana looked behind him at Sachiko and Yui who had been carrying equipment into the shed. Yui called out for Hana to hurry up and she nodded at them. 

"I have to finish up so we can go close up the kitchen." She told him as she backed away. "I'll see you in a bit. Don't be late!"

"When have you ever known me to be late?" He called after her.

He watched as she met up with the managers before he headed back to his dorm. His arms ached as he moved. It undoubtedly would be an early night. Despite the blaring lights and his room being ransacked, training camp nights were filled with relaxation. Kuramochi had brought his Xbox over the previous night.

Miyuki climbed up the steps and pushed the door open. His room had already been hijacked by the brutes. Kuramochi and Nakada sat on the floor with gaming controllers in their hands. Tetsu-San was in the middle of bringing out an old wooden Shogi board.

"You're late." Jun-Senpai said to him.

He was stretched out on his back with his hands folded behind his head. Miyuki wondered how the hell he was late to his own damn room.

"I was talking to Tanba-San." He told them.

The game that Kuramochi and Nakada were playing beeped loudly and they squealed in excitement at the race. It looked to be Mario-Kart, but then again, Miyuki didn't know video games. 

Miyuki looked down as Tetsu-San cleared his throat. They had been playing Shogi for three days now and in every single game Miyuki had beaten Tetsu. Simply put, he sucked. Miyuki considered going straight to Hana's room but he knew that he needed to shower first and his duties to entertain and perform as a kouhai hadn't been finished. Even in his second year, he had responsibilities to wait on his Senpai.

He pulled out a clean pair of gray sweatpants and a black t-shirt along with his bath caddy, then turned to the group. "I'll be right back. Make my first move, Tetsu-San."

"Who's gonna massage my legs tonight?" Jun-San asked.

"I got you, Jun-San!" Miyuki pointed a finger gun at him as he walked out. 

Miyuki showered quickly and once he was done he checked the time on his phone. He still had a little while before Hana would be done so he sank into the hot water of the bath. He leaned back against the edge and stared up at the ceiling for a few minutes before the water grew too hot. 

He stood from the bath and toweled himself off. As he got dressed, faint voices appeared to get closer. Miyuki sighed. It was almost like those two first years had a goddamn 'Miyuki Locator'. Or perhaps, a sixth sense. Miyuki wondered if they were waiting for him to get out of the bath. 

Miyuki grabbed his laundry and left the washroom. Sawamura's voice was louder as he exited the room and came face to face with him. Furuya had been engaged in a conversation with Miyuki. They both were dirty, unwashed and smelled ripe. Idiots -- Miyuki thought. 

"Why haven't you two been to the baths." Miyuki questioned as he toweled his hair.

"Miyuki-Senpai," They both shouted in unison, then turned to each other and scowled. "Please catch for me."

Ironic -- Miyuki thought. An hour ago they could hardly stand with the extra base running. Now, they wanted him to catch for them for the rest of the night. 

Miyuki watched as the bickered about him without consulting him. They were interesting creatures obviously drawn by their desire and pride. He could admire that, though.

"Ha! You guys are something else." Miyuki pointed out. "And you guys have so much energy... Y'know? Sure. Once you guys are finished with your baths, come passed my room, okay?"

They sped and Miyuki smiled cheekily. It was almost heartwarming how easily things fell into place. 

Miyuki turned and walked up the stairs to his room and went over his plan for the rest of the night. He would get the two first years to split Kohai duties for the night. It would get him out of it, but it would also give them a chance to get to know everyone on the team. As a first year, upperclassmen were often intimidating. Miyuki was providing them with a shortcut to building trust and getting himself a full night of sleep.

"I invited the first years over." He said to them once he walked back in.

He noticed that Masuko-Senpai was a new addition to the posse. He sat in the corner quietly as he ate a pudding cup. Kuramochi and Nakada now played a game that Miyuki didn't recognize. 

"Oh, so they get invited over but when we want to come by and watch the game you just lock the door." Jun-San growled from his spot.

He sat on the other side of the Shogi board while Tetsu-San stared at the pieces and debated his first move.

"That's because Manager-Chan is in the room." Kuramochi cut in.

Suddenly, his focus hadn't been on the game. Tetsu-Sun hummed at that and looked down at the Shogi board.

"What are you guys doing in here with the door locked?" Nakada questioned.

"Oh,  I have an idea," Kuramochi cackled. "And it probably involves something like 'Oh, Kazuyaaa! Can you catch it like you catch those baseballs'."

Jun-San and Nakada laughed. Miyuki snorted and leaned back on his hands. "Y'all wanna kiss me so bad. Look, lineup because I'm here all night."

Miyuki knew that he was not, in fact, there are night. His phone had been buzzing since he stepped into the room. That only meant that he was late.

"Pass." Kuramochi said blankly.

"Yeah, I'm good." Jun-San said.

"My offer stands."

"No thanks, Miyuki. But please, prepare for your move because I'm almost ready." Tetsu-San told him.

Miyuki sighed as he looked at the board. Jun-San grinned at him sneakily. Tetsu-San didn't reply and he only flipped the page of the game instructions. 

A soft knock on the door made Miyuki turn his head. Sawamura and Furuya stood inside awkwardly. Great -- Miyuki thought, plan in action. It was rather brave because if it were him, then he would have skipped out on it.

"Come in," He told them as he stood from where he sat. 

He couldn't help the smile that grew on his face as he beckoned them in further. He leaned and muttered. "Since you guys have so much energy, I figured that you could help me out. I'm tired as hell and they refuse to leave my room. Jun-San needs a massage and Tetsu-San needs a Shogi partner." 

"But-" They both started. 

Miyuki lifted his hand. "Masuko-San somehow made it into my bed. Now, you might have to do a few juice runs but it shouldn't be too bad. Think of it like a... bonding experience. Maybe even a sleepover!"

He crossed the room to his bunk and grabbed the pillow that Masuko-San pushed to the floor. Miyuki tucked it under his arm then looked at his fledgling pitchers and waved. "You got this, guys! I'm heading out to Zono's now! Goodnight." 

Miyuki shut the door behind him and continued to walk passed Zono's room to the female side of the campus. He hadn't been as late as he thought but he was still late. 

Hana opened the door after his first knock and let him inside. He brushed passed her and sat on her bed. The room was a stark difference from the cool summer breeze from outside. Miyuki pulled at the collar of his shirt and glanced at the air conditioner that had been working overtime to cool the room down. The chilly air that came from it slowly started to wrap around and cool the room down, but the humidity still seeped inside. 

"Hanacchi, why is it so hot in here?" He asked. "Hell must be jealous."

He placed his pillow on the bed next to hers and set his bag up on the floor next to the bed next to his shoes. 

"I know, I forgot to turn it on before I left for practice," She fanned herself. "Do you have any water?"

Miyuki shook his head and pointed to his bag. "Only mine. But you can have it."

Hana groaned and grabbed his gym bag. She bent over and unzipped it and grabbed the sports bottle that was tucked inside. She sipped it as she carried it back to her desk and then set it down. Miyuki questioned whether he should bring up the fact that that was technically an indirect kiss but he decided against it.

She scribbled away inside the journal that all the managers had. It was like the team's journal but Rei-Chan oversaw the managers. It was filled with the same things like goals and basic things for the future. Every few weeks or so, Rei-Chan would hold a private meeting that was For Managers Only. Rei-Chan was adamant about keeping it private. He'd been in the waiting room waiting for Hana too often to count.

"I have to finish this up so just give me a second."

"Why were you rushing me if you weren't finished then?" He asked. 

"I was bored," She whined. "So I started doing this instead."

He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her journal. It was filled with cute doodles and scribbles that surrounded her sentences. She finished her last one and then closed the journal. She then moved from her desk and sprawled out at the bottom of the bed. Her t-shirt crumbled as she stretched, and the shorts that she had been wearing had started to rise up her legs. Miyuki wondered if she had been wearing a bra. And if she was, then did it match the panties that he saw in the laundry room?

Miyuki squeezed his hands at the thoughts of the red lace on her skin. Perhaps, he had been better off doing Kohai duties tonight so that he didn't have to think about it. It had been throwing him through a loop since the night in the laundry room. His thoughts were torturous. Lately, just being around her sparked off thoughts. The only thing that helped was taking an ice-cold shower. He glanced to the floor. Out of mind, out of mind? There was no sight, just his explicit thoughts.

"What was the hold up, anyway?" She asked, turning to look at him. 

He wondered how her skin would feel against his palms. Miyuki pushed the thought out. He'd never thought about the two of them in that way.  "I ran into the first years and they demanded my presence as per usual. So, I told them to just come by the room so that they could deal with the upperclassmen instead. I figured that since they were so energetic then they'd finish in record timing."

"They're gonna end up hating you." She hummed. "But, at least they'll know who they're playing with on the field."

Miyuki smiled. It was something about them always having the same thinking. They never had to explain much to the other because they just knew. 

Hana looked up at him. "What?"

"Oh, nothinggg." Miyuki sighed.

Hana shrugged and sat up. Her shirt was still crooked. He swore that she was doing it on purpose.

"Were you able to find Dusk?"

If only people knew how much he really loved her. It had taken doing Kuramochi's class notes and paying for his snacks for the week to get all four movies downloaded in HD with the extended scenes. 

"Dusk?" Miyuki feigned ignorance. "What's that?"

"You're annoying!" 

"Aw, you love me, Hanacchi? You say I'm the bestest person ever? How sweet!" Miyuki laughed.

Hana blew at raspberry at him and then yawned. Everyone was tired from the early mornings and the double practices. The boys had to be on the field by six a.m. and fit their breakfast in. The managers had to wake up at five in order to get everything ready and prepped.

"Tired?" Miyuki questioned.

Hana nodded and rubbed her eyes. He moved over to allow more space.

"You should go to sleep then. But maybe turn off the air first because it's gonna be cold by the morning."

"Mm, I think it'll be fine." Hana insisted.

She crawled from the bottom of the bed and climbed under the duvet. Miyuki reached over to turn off the light and settled fully underneath next to her. He rested on his back and used his arm to lay on. The sleep still hadn't settled over him so he sat staring at the blurry room. Hana was quiet next to him but still awake. He wondered if it was considered strange that they slept next to each other so comfortably. 

Miyuki turned to her with a half smile. "What do you think your future boyfriend would say if he knew we slept in the same bed?"

It was a joke but Miyuki cringed over the thought of having to share Hana with another person. Their time would be split and their relationship would be changed out of respect for her boyfriend. It was an uncomfortable feeling but one that he was likely to feel.

Hana only laughed and turned on her side so that her back faced him. 

"Shut up," She mumbled. "Goodnight, Kazuya."

Miyuki breathed in deeply and tried to ease the discomfort. He reached up and remembered that he had forgotten his sleeping mask back in his room. He was in such a rush that he forgot it. Miyuki slung an arm over his eyes to cover them. 

Hana shuffled next to him, pressing on her pillow and pulling at the duvet before she muttered softly, "Kazuya? You up?"

"Yeah." He said.

She made a small noise as she gathered her thoughts. Her body was still but he could feel her hands moving. 

"Have you ever had a girlfriend?" She muttered.

If Miyuki wasn't lying so close to her then he didn't think he would have heard it. She was quiet and slightly awkward as she asked. Miyuki tensed up. It was mostly due to surprise. He didn't think she would ever ask him a question that was so blatant. 

They knew a lot about each other, that was true. It was only natural that they spoke about a topic like that. He hoped that was. Miyuki never had feelings for anyone else and he had never shown interest in anything other than baseball. 

They spoke about things like the other sex occasionally but it was nothing that flagged alarm. Hana would always tell him that she didn't think about things like that. 

Miyuki contemplated on her reason for asking. Had it been curiosity? Was it just a random question that popped up before going to sleep?

Miyuki breathed out quietly. He doubted that she was able to hear it despite them lying so close to each other. "If I did... then you would have known about it."

"So you've never... been with anyone before?"

Oh.

That.

The question flustered him. He had been asked several times by teammates and friends but he always replied with a vague answer. Talking about it with her was different. It was not so much the feeling of embarrassment, but more about how candor the conversation was. His blood rushed with nervousness. They never spoke about it, but he didn't mind it. Kissing and sex were an awkward fit in their relationship. He never told her that he hadn't had his first kiss. 

He never thought about it with anyone else, He wondered how that would translate into a sentence. I've never had a girlfriend before because I've never thought of anyone other than you? That would make for an interesting conversation.

"Doesn't that go hand in hand with having a girlfriend?" He asked.

They were both quiet next to each other. Hana pulled the blanket up higher. "Not always..."

His cheeks burned. The topic felt as if it were approaching hot water. It felt different talking about it with her rather than with people like Kuramochi or Maezono. He could bullshit his way through with them. With her, he didn't like lying to her. 

"Well, for me it does." He answered honestly.

After middle school started, Miyuki thought he was weird for not experiencing attraction in the same way that others seemed to. He wasn't fond of the idea of romance or having sex without knowing someone deeply. When he was younger, he didn't understand how people were able to not know someone or even hardly like them and still fuck them. It was confusing and it made him slightly curious to understand why. 

As he grew older, he realized that his perspective of things was just different compared to others. The fact didn't take Miyuki long to get used to because he had always been private and withdrawn. It became one of the things that made sense about him. He didn't mind listening to other peoples escapades and drama but he was hesitant to talk about his own life. Of course, Hana was different. She wasn't just anyone. But explaining how he felt was slightly embarrassing.

"Would you tell me if you did?" She pressed.

Her hands were tangled on the ends of the blanket. Her fingers squeezed at the ends of the fabric. Miyuki wondered if she was trying to play it cool or trying to keep herself from falling asleep. It was difficult to tell in the dark and with her body turned away.

"I just said that," He chuckled. "Yes. Would you?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to make sure that you kept up on your end. Now go to sleep, you're keeping me up."

"Okay, goodnight," He said to her.

His shoulders relaxed and he looked up at the ceiling again. Good -- he thought. They were good, just like they always had been. 

He closed his eyes and adjusted, trying to fall asleep but she continued to shift next to him. 

"Kazuya," She whispered again.

"Yeah?" He replied.

"...I'm cold." She said quietly.

A moment of silence went by. Then another. Miyuki swallowed and turned over so that he was facing her back. He slowly moved close to her and wrapped a loose arm around her middle. He was careful not to move any closer, but still be close enough for warmth. It was enough to remain comfortable and still be a platonic type of cuddle.

"I recall telling you to turn the air off," He said and laid on his bent arm. "I'm not getting up to turn it off."

"...Fine."

It was quiet with only the sound of the steady flow of air coming from the air conditioner. They had been so close to each other that it made him nervous. His heart stammered in his chest. The nervousness wasn't an unpleasant feeling. It was warm. 

For a brief moment, Miyuki thought about countering her question with his own. He thought about asking why she asked him, or maybe the full truth on her hesitance to pitch, but he decided against it. It was too late and the warmth from her body and the smell of her hair lulled him to sleep before he knew it.

-

Miyuki first felt a tickle on his nose before he woke up. He felt her hair tickling his face first. Then he felt the rest. He could feel it first before he opened his eyes. And fuck, it was a problem. He considered that perhaps he had been dreaming, but he could feel the difference. 

He was reluctant to open his eyes because he knew that it would be confirmation. But he does so anyway. And fuck, fuck, fuck -- He thought. It was a problem. They were so close together and his cheeks were hot and flushed. The warmth spread to his ears and neck and suffocated him in a way that made him feel confined. His stomach knotted and burned. If it hadn't been for the air conditioner working in unison with himself, he thought he might overheat.

It was colder than it was when they fell asleep, and yet he felt like he was burning. 

Miyuki stilled and blinked away the groggy feeling. He breathed out and analyzed the situation. His arm has been draped over his side and his hand ghosted the bare skin of her stomach. Her own hand rested on top of his. His chest was pressed to her back and the curve of her ass was pressed up against his hard cock. 

Panic settled in. Miyuki regretted every single thing that led to this situation. He felt like an idiot. If he had turned the air off then... Now what? -- Miyuki thought. 

He took a deep breath and exhaled. He needed to move but it felt like he was frozen in place. His body hadn't been listening to him. All he could think about was her pressed against him and the small noises she made as she moved back against him. 

Miyuki sighed and tried to ignore the feeling. He flexed the hand that rested on her stomach and slipped it out of her grasp. He turned slowly and carefully so as to not startle her awake. He was still tense as he stared up at the ceiling once again. The tent in his boxers throbbed uncomfortably. 

He considered his options. He could try to slip out and jerk off in the boys' restrooms. It'd take care of the problem, but the door clicking into place would wake her up. If she woke up, he didn't know what he would say to her. Sorry, I'm grinding against your ass while I'm asleep? That idea seemed perfect -- Miyuki thought sourly.

Miyuki clenched his hands and slowly sat up, slouching with his head leaned against his hands. He brushed his knuckle across his bottom lip. He needed a moment to decide what to do next.

He quickly glanced behind him to make sure that she was still sleeping.

He wondered exactly what brought his thoughts to depths of lewdness. Perhaps it was the pent up thoughts about the underwear set. It could have been the sex talk. Miyuki laughed and shook his head. He knew exactly why. Holding a woman like that in his arms made for an inevitable situation. 

It was odd because he never had a situation like this, even through the years of childhood. He'd been lucky that his first wet dream happened when he was alone. He never went through the uncomfortable period of having to kick her out of his room because he got his situation under control within a week. He'd been lucky to have the strength of a catcher and the knowledge of knowing that bodily functions were a part of life. It made it easier to understand himself. 

The panic from the situation didn't particularly come from the guest appearance of his dick, but because they were in such an intimate position.  

Miyuki felt as thought only a minute or so passed but he felt like he had been there forever. As a distraction, he reached under the pillow and grabbed his phone. When he clicked it on, the time read 3:30 a.m. A few messages filled the screen.

One was from Kuramochi;

'Damn so you really left me with these first years?'

Absolutely -- Miyuki thought.

Another one was from Mei that read;

'When I catch you, Kazuya, you better have shot your shot!

Dramatic ass.

He cleared the notifications from his screen and clicked the phone closed before he slid it back under the pillow. The blanket ruffled beside him and he looked at her. He wondered if he had woken her up. He watched for a moment but she doesn't move to show that she's awake and only snuggles deeper into her pillow. 

Miyuki slid down onto his back and pushed a hand through his slightly damp hair. What had she been thinking about before she fell asleep? Was it awkward for her to be so close to him? They had cuddled before during movies, but they were children then. As the years went by, there was always a precautionary distance between them. It was something that was comfortable enough for friends.

The situation was painfully awkward but he didn't feel awkward. He felt warm and happy and flustered and the slightest twinge of anxiousness. Miyuki breathed in, and then breathed out before he slowly moved into place. Things were fine now and he didn't need to leave. His stomach bubbled with an odd excitement. One that he couldn't explain. He wanted to hold her again, but there was nothing about the situation that warranted it. 

Miyuki moved on his side so that they were face to face. She really was beautiful. Long lashes brushed down and full lips that slightly parted. Miyuki lifted a finger to ghost along the tiny scar that sat right below her cheekbone. The scar that you couldn't really see unless you were up close. He had committed most of her quirks and appearances and scars to memory. He could map out the curve of her lips and things like the softness of her cheeks and how her eyes widened when she was happy and how they shined bright enough for someone to get lost. 

All of it was committed to his memory. They were things he always wanted to know and he hoped he never forgot it. They were everything that he wanted to know more about. Like, what did she think when she thought about love? What did she think when she felt flustered and embarrassed? 

The thought scared Miyuki because he could feel it as it wandered along his thoughts. He tried to fight it, but he was weak against it. And finally, he allowed himself to think about that question. He allowed himself to ask... What if she was mine?

Because he had always been hers. As long as he had known her, he knew that the feelings he felt were intense. There was no question on whether he would stick around forever because he would if she let him.  As long as she was Hana, then he would be there for her until time stopped. He wanted her to be there for him when baseball had gone. His feelings were strong and unwavering, strong and persistent. The love that he had for her was genuine, and it was impossible to ever consider a future with anyone else. Miyuki had always known that.

But it mattered now because he wanted her to want him too. He wanted to think about them together in a romantic and intimate way. He wanted to think about her with no shame, and hold her and kiss her breathless. His own feelings of selfishness made him want to know if maybe she thought about him too. 

His hand ghosted the middle of her back. The night's events playing on his mind in a loop. It was too late, he decided. He couldn't go now. He couldn't push his thoughts away. 

Miyuki was slow and uncertain, but he finally pulled her closer to him. She settled in closer to his chest and rested her hand on his lower waist. His fingers tangled in the knots of her hair and he finally thought about him and her and what it might have meant for them now.

Chapter Text

"What happens next" is the first thing that Miyuki thought about as he shut the door to her room the next morning. 

He bit his lip as he leaned against the door surface. Things would be different between them after last night and it worried him because he didn't know what would come from it. It made him feel conflicted. Miyuki wasn't sure what he should do next or where he should go from after his revelation had been made. Everything seemed jumbled inside his head and he wasn't sure how to sort it.

The thoughts were scary. But deep down, Miyuki felt excited. His fingers twinged as he grabbed the straps of  his duffel bag and a bubbling feeling rushed through his stomach as he thought about things that he never allowed himself to think and feel before. He felt a slow burning warmth as he thought about them being together. He figured that there was no harm in thinking about it but it always made him feel like he shouldn't. 

Would he confess? Would he even be a good boyfriend? He wondered if she even felt the same way. Platonic or not had only been a game to him. Something to think about occasionally but it felt like he had been thinking about their interactions more lately. What would he do if their interactions were more romantic than platonic? Miyuki had never thought about being someone's boyfriend. 

He felt uncertain as he stood against the door. Miyuki knew that he was weird and his personality sometimes left a lot to be desired. He couldn't see it translating well into a relationship. But for Hana, he was willing to do what made her happy. He always was. But there was baseball and he didn't know if he had what it took to dedicate himself to a relationship and still hold baseball in importance. It would be wrong to neglect one or the other. 

Miyuki didn't have the best idea of what relationships looked like. Coach Kataoka and Rei-Chan were single as far he he knew, and both his father and Hana's mom were widowers. He wanted to give a relationship his all, but he wasn't sure if he could do that.

Then there was the possibility that Hana didn't share his feelings. He would have to accept that and the devastation of unrequited love. He would need to because he wasn't willing to lose her over it. It was a distressing thought because he'd be devastated if she never spoke to him again. 

Miyuki's stomach twisted into knots as he picked his head up from the door. He straightened himself up and readjusted his grip on his bag. 

There was also the possibility that nothing would ever come from this. It was all new and conflicting for him to think about. It was too early to come to any conclusions. Miyuki would have to be okay with waiting to see what would happen next between them. Coming to a thorough and thought-out conclusion would take time -- a lot more time than he gave himself this morning by pushing her alarm back an hour.

He walked slowly to his own dorm lost in his thoughts. The morning was bright and sunny with the promise of a summer day. Despite his confliction, a small smile played on his lips and his heart skipped a few beats.

If they were together, then a night like that could mean every night. In theory, Miyuki thought things would be relatively the same if she were his and he was hers because, after all, they had been by each other's side for so long that he couldn't imagine a stark difference. Their exclusive relationship would be the added bonus. He'd be able to kiss her whenever he wanted and he'd be able to hold her at night. It opened his eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. A whole new world of daydreams to think about when he was bored or during the minutes before he fell asleep at night. It was all so exciting.

As Miyuki approached his room, his decision had been made. He would wait and see if they were Platonic or Not. He'd analyze whether her actions bordered on romantic or friendly before he decided on the next step. After all, he always watched the first pitch before he decided on the course of action. Of course, Hana wasn't a baseball game, and deciding on how to alter one's relationship was more personal, but they communicated best in baseball terms. It was how they started. She was his Ace.

And Miyuki was glad that no one was around to see his dumb goofy smile as he accepted that fact.

-

 Perhaps a proclamation of love through cookies wasn't genuine enough. The idea of making romance themed cookies now seemed a bit... insincere. It was too late now, however -- Miyuki thought as he held the bag of ingredients. Granted, he still would have made her cookies without the underlying romance factor. 

Miyuki knew that she was stressed. It was a combination of exam season and the team recovering from the training camp. In addition to that, the beginning of the season was beginning to cast a certain doubt of uncertainty over the team. Tanba was injured and they only had Nori, Furuya, and Sawamura, and they weren't anywhere near prepared to take over as the ace. They weren't there. 

The ace meant that the team looked to you to pull them through a sitch. They weren't prepared for that responsibility. To some, it was a burden. 

Hana had been hard at work studying and keeping the team in order. Her textbook had been permanently attached to her side during practices. She had been stressed and eating sweets for meals. Even when Miyuki told her that they were unhealthy, she'd wave her hand at him and tell him that she was fine, it was crunch time. 

Miyuki decided cookies were a sweet and customizable comfort food. He only considered making them slightly more romantic once he came across the heart-shaped cookie cutters in the store. At the time, it seemed like a good idea. Now? He wasn't too sure. Hana was dense and he doubted that she would be able to catch on to what he was trying to convey to her.

Miyuki stood outside the cafeteria freshly showered with the bag of ingredients weighing in his hands. It was a quiet night with everyone studying. Even Sawamura and Furuya were trying to study in order to pass their exams. Chris-Senpai or Kanemaru would probably be there helping them. 

He sighed and reached for the door but Hana beat him to it. She smiled as she twirled her key of rings around her finger. His original plan was to ask Sachiko for her set of keys to get in but he didn't want to have to explain to her why he needed them.

"Beat ya." She said to him.

"I've been here for a couple of minutes already."

"Yeah, but you were just standing there so I win." She laughed. "By the way, if we get caught, I'm blaming you."

"Mhm, yeah, yeah," Miyuki chuckled, grabbing her keys and slotting them in the lock. "I'm not the manager, though."

"You're right. We should be discrete," Hana nodded.

Miyuki checked the door again to check that it was locked. Once he was sure, he handed Hana her keys. All she needed to do was leave through the kitchen door and he'd be good to start.

He's a bit surprised when she clasps her hands together and smiles at him. 

"Now what?" She chirped.

"You don't have to stick around, y'know. I'll probably be here for a bit."

He could feel the blush rise upon his neck and onto his face as he pushed open the kitchen door. Miyuki didn't account for her staying and watching. Now he would have to make heart shaped cookies while she was standing right beside him.

Miyuki quickly unloaded the items and she watched curiously from behind him.

"I'll get the bowls." She told him.

She rummaged through the cabinets and grabbed utensils and mixing bowls to place on the kitchen island. Miyuki frowned slightly. "Don't feel like you have to stay."

"I'm staying if that wasn't obvious," She winked. "It's been a while since I've seen you tend to your wife duties."

"You just want to avoid studying," Miyuki pointed out with a smile. "I guess it can't be helped. Just don't blame me because you got a bad grade. I'll just say I told you so."

Hana replied with an annoyed sound. She walked toward the counters that were placed on the outskirts of the kitchen and put her bag on top of it. Miyuki was quiet as he grabbed more tools. He sorted through the items while she scattered the content of her bag. He looked at her and purposefully moved so that his back was in her view so that she couldn't see him staring down at the cookie cutter. 

He chewed at the inside of his cheek as he contemplated. There was a slight hesitance as he reached out to grab it. He stared, considering on whether he should place it back in the bag or use it. It was too late to back out now. He took in a deep breath and exhaled. Platonic or Not? The sleepover from a few days ago had him flustered since the next day. She had him feeling more flustered. The door had been opened and his feelings only seemed to evolve into something more intense. Miyuki knew that he wouldn't be able to ignore it. Not anymore.

The cookie cutter didn't grasp her attention. Miyuki quickly looked over his shoulder again. He could see her leaning on her elbows against the counter and flipping through her textbook. Every so often, she would turn to her notebook and scribble something down. 

Miyuki set the oven on and started to dump the ingredients into the mixing bowl. From his new position, he watched as she flipped a page before she returned to the previous one and then closed the book on her finger. Hana turned and looked at him and he quickly looked at the bowl. She didn't seem to notice him looking at her.

"I was thinking about Narumiya-Kun's change up. Do you have any idea of how you're gonna counter it?"

"I have a few things," Miyuki said off handedly and watched as the contents mixed into a batter.

His focus shifted to the cookies. The soft scent of sugar filled his nose and a faint rush passed through him. He worked on autopilot as he mixed. Miyuki didn't like sweets, but he would occasionally enjoy a cookie. The last time that he was in the kitchen was when he made Hana White Day chocolates. 

Cooking made him feel good. It was one of the things that he remembered doing with his mother. Everything he learned came from her. He would always be in the kitchen helping her make dinner whenever he got home. 

Miyuki blinked as he stirred the contents. An uncomfortable feeling stirred in his chest. It had been so long ago now that the memory was distant. It wasn't too often that he thought about his life before he met Hana and started baseball. It was hard to. It made him think about what it would have been like if he knew her now. Every child's perception of their parent was different from how they actually were. He wondered how she was as a person outside of being his mother. He had heard about some of the quirks and habits that she had but there was a difference between someone else's words in passing and actually getting to experience it for yourself. At times, he considered asking Toku-San about her but he always changed his mind. The wound of losing her always felt like it was too fresh. It always felt too soon.

Hana hummed from beside him and Miyuki blinked to bring himself back into focus. She leaned on the kitchen island next to him and elbowed his arm. He wondered how long she had been standing there.

"Can I help you bake?" She asked.

Miyuki cringed and laughed nervously over the idea of accidentally eating a raw cookie. "You can ice one."

"No," She rolled her eyes, slapping her palm on the surface of the island. "I want to help you make the cookies. I'm bored just standing here."

He looked at the abandoned textbooks that were pushed off to the side and then cocked his head. "Aren't you supposed to be exercising that big brain of yours?"

"Excuse you, jerk," She sighed and watched as he pushed the cookie dough onto the island to roll it out. "I could use a break."

Miyuki looked at her, then the dough, and then back at her. "Okay, I guess. Here, don't mess up."

He grabbed the heart shaped cookie cutter and placed it in her outstretched hands. She gave no reaction toward the cutter, only nodded as she looked at it. Miyuki sighed in frustration at the difficulty of the whole damn thing. He had been eager to see her reaction to the gesture and yet, it seemed as if she didn't have any reaction at all. The lack of reaction could mean plenty of things. She could be playing it cool or she could've simply just not noticed his bleeding heart.

"What do I do first? Just cut the shapes?" Hana questioned as she brought the cookie cutter up to look at it.

"Oh, Hanacchi, you're just too cute." Miyuki started to roll the dough with a pin to make a thin layer. Hana stepped closer to watch him. "Once I finish rolling this out, then you can cut the shapes."

Hana nodded. Miyuki pressed the dough neatly, then stepped back once he finished. He nodded at her for her to continue. Hana pushed the cookie cutter into the dough. Her shapes were uneven and shaky but they looked decent. She continued to cut the shapes and Miyuki grew nervous. What was she thinking?

They worked together seamlessly despite his nervousness but he had grown rather quiet. He moved around her with caution and peeled back the extra dough from around the hearts.

"What do we do with the extra dough?"

Miyuki moved it to the side and rolled it. He pressed into them and made them flat. "They're gonna be the ugly cookies."

"Can I place them on the pan now?" She asked.

"Do you think you can be careful?"

Hana snorted and bent down so that she was at eye level with the cookies. 

"Yes, housewife. I will be sure to protect the precious pastries from all harm. You made them for me after all," She looked at him and the corners of her mouth ticked upward into a small smile. "Thank you, Kazuya... for making me cookies."

His heart panged and it felt like his heart was trying to claw it's way up his throat. What could that have meant? Hana still looked at him as he began to speak, a slightly questioning look on her face. 

"Can I move them now?" She asked. Her lip gloss shimmered under the light.

"Mhm," Miyuki managed to get out. 

Miyuki let out a breath as she leaned over to carefully transfer them to the baking sheet. Once they got to the end, they added the ugly cookies to the sheet too. Miyuki set them in the oven and then washed his hands.

"Now, it won't be too long." He told her.

Hana washed her hands next to him while Miyuki stared at the clock. Hana looked at him and then at her textbook. Her throat cleared but he didn't hear her.

"You okay?" She asked him.

"What?" He questioned, furrowing his brows as he looked at her. "Oh... yeah. I'm fine."

It was quiet. Her face was concerned. "What were you thinking about?"

"What do you mean?"

"You were so zoned out a little when we were making the cookies... like something is on your mind, y'know?"

Miyuki shrugged. There were about a million things on his mind; the summer season that was approaching, Mei Narumiya's new change up paired with his non-stop texting to his phone that asked if he saw it. Then, of course, there was the problem of him having feelings for his best friend. That wasn't counting the responsibilities that he had throughout the day like looking after pitchers and trying to keep up with his own skills. It wasn't stress, per se, but it played on his mind.

But he knew what she meant so he won't play dumb. After all, if there was anyone who knew what it was like to live with a parent being deceased, then it would be her.

"It's... my mom." He confessed.

"Oh," She said. He didn't miss how she gasped in surprise. "What about?"

Miyuku shrugged. It felt like a ball was in his throat that made it hard to speak. It was weird to be so vulnerable. But he felt like he could be... maybe because he was with her.

"Just about what it might be like if I knew her right now." He explained. "I don't really know much about her in general."

"I know Toku-San doesn't talk about her often, but doesn't he even bring her up?" She asked. 

Miyuki shook his head. "Not really. Do your mom... y'know, talk about your dad?"

It was something he never really asked. It always felt intrusive. He remembered the lack of photos of her father throughout her childhood. Hana only had one personal photo of him and it was kept inside her of drawer.

"Sometimes... we don't talk about him every day. But I do know things about him and I hear stories every so often. Not so much from ma, anymore though." She said. "She does a little. Like things I got from him or my features."

"Dad is still grieving," Miyuki offered awkwardly. 

He felt like he needed to provide a reason on why Toku-San didn't talk about her. Hana gave him a sorrowful look but not the kind that showed pity. It was a look that was genuine and emphathetic. 

"You're still grieving, too. And honestly, I don't think that we ever stop grieving our lost ones."

His eyes widened at that. Miyuki couldn't find the words in himself to reply to it. He only managed to turn his head away to look at the clock again and count the time. 

Hana stepped into his view so that he had no choice but to look at her. Her hands reached out to squeeze at his sides so that he was looking into her eyes. "What do you want to know about her?"

"Mm," He mumbled. 

He grabbed at his neck awkwardly as he thought of what to say. He wanted to know anything. Now, it felt like his mom was someone he had never known. She was just a person he conjured up in his mind for his own comfort. He wanted to know her like how he knew his father or like how he knew Hana.

"The usual... Like, I remember her cooking dinner with me and I remember when we went shipping. But what did she like? Did she hate cooking or did she enjoy it? If I knew her now, what would we talk about? Baseball? I just wish I knew what kind of person she was. Like, I'll always know that dad prefers Saporro every night when he gets off of work. I know that you like to sing and that you always have lip gloss and your pocket and that sometimes you're a little sarcastic."

And fuck, he was rambling.

Hana nodded. "Have you ever thought about asking him about her?"

"Yeah, a few times. But I don't know... it felt weird." He left out the part where he wasn't good with feelings or things that made you vulnerable. 

There had been plenty of times when he wanted to ask Toku-San about her but he ultimately never did. He couldn't see his father being sad by having the memories brought back about someone who was dear to him. Dad kept himself straight and strong for him. If that was how he bit through the pain and moved on, then Miyuki wouldn't interfere with that.

"I know you want to protect him, Kazuya. But there's no harm in asking. I know she was his wife, but she was also your mother," She said gently. "It might even bring the both of you together."

Miyuki sighed. "He's already so lonely."

Hana smiled at him and gently squeezed his arms once more. "You're so kind. You know that?"

His cheeks burned at her words. It was so candid that it made him feel strange. Did she actually think that about him? That he was kind? Miyuki never saw himself in that way. Did that count as flirting for them or was it something that was just between friends? Or was it both? He didn't have the time to dwell on it because the timer soon went off. Miyuki would have to think about it later. 

Miyuki moved from the counter and grabbed the oven mitt. He swiftly slid passed her and opened the door to grab the cookies. There was a soft hand on his arm and then she squeezed again so that he looked at her. Those bright and kind eyes stared into his with such intensity that he felt like he was drowning inside.

"If and when you're ever ready to talk to him, you know I'll be there for you."

"I know. You're pretty nosey." He nodded and took the cookies out.

"You're the nosey one." Hana bit back at him.

Miyuki snorted and placed the cookies on the kitchen island, then slid off his mitt. The cookies were bare and ready to be iced. He figured he'd let her have a try and they could ice it together. 

"I mind my business. I stay in my own lane." 

"When?" She lifted an eyebrow, laughing. "Because you just asked me if Yuki and Takakao-Senpai were dating."

Miyuki slammed the knife down. He was sure of it. They had been close since their first year but in the recent months, they had been spending a lot of time together. They always looked happy and laughed off on the side during practice. It was suspicious. Tetsu-San hardly ever said more than a sentence at a time but he had full conversations with Manager Takakao. 

"Because there's something going on with them. You cannot sit there and tell me that there isn't. You just can't."

"There isn't!" Hana laughed.

"Has she told you that herself, though?" Miyuki questioned.

He finished adding the icing to the piping and squeezed it out, carefully spreading the frosting out with precision. Damn -- he thought, he could've been a Chef if baseball wasn't his calling.

"No, she hasn't, because there isn't anything going on."

"That's because you're dense, Hana. They could be having a full on make-out session right in front of you and you'd think it was nothing. It's basically foreplay on the field with them."

"It is not!" She laughed, then pinched his arm. "And I am not dense."

Miyuki held in a laugh. His first show of love for her had gone basically unnoticed. What person would be willing to stay up into the late hours of the night baking heart-shaped cookies for their best friend and download every single movie of a horrible romance franchise and not consider it to be bordering the edges of flirting? Miyuki didn't have experience in wooing people, but this had to have sparked something inside of her. He couldn't have been that bad at it.

He took the chance to look over at her cookies once he placed his piping down and stretched his arms. She was only on her third cookie and slowly icing it to keep them looking neat. Her hand shook as she went along and Miyuki shook his head. 

"You're doing it wrong," He carefully guided her hand around each cookie for the perfect finish. "Try it like this. Do the outline first, and then fill it in. It looks prettier that way."

"Ohhh," She nodded as he picked up his own. "You never told me what you think about Dusk."

"I don't like Edwin that much. Or Jonah for that matter. They're both a little fucking weird... if I were Izzy, I'd tell them to fuck off and leave me alone."

Who cared about the supernatural anyway -- Miyuki thought. He couldn't imagine why Izzy even wanted to be a vampire. Blending in for the rest of eternity sounded like a special hell, not a life. Who wanted something like that?

"You're saying that you want two guys after you? Mm, freaky."

"It's all I dream about, actually." Miyuki dramatically replied. He bit his lip to increase his theatrics. "Can't you tell? I'm Izzy, Furuya is Edwin, and Sawamura is Jonah. They're fighting over me."

He finished his last cookie and leaned over to watch her finish her own. It wasn't skillful but she breezed through it with his guidance. Hana left a single cookie untouched before she went back to it and drew something on it. Miyuki noticed the small heart drawn in the corner. That had to have meant something, right? 

Hana leaned back and then nodded before she placed the cookie in her palm. "This one is for you."

Had that been a glimpse of satisfaction on her face? Miyuki took the cookie and smiled. It was certainly unique. Other than the heart in the corner, he needed more time to decipher the rest. The cookie was bare and only filled with a few drawings. It looked to be a pair of glasses and perhaps a baseball. It was perfect because she knew that he didn't like sweets. She looked prideful as he picked the cookie up from her hand and ate it. Miyuki sighed in relief at the taste because it was good. It was soft, just the right amount of sweetness. He didn't think he had the heart to tell her otherwise.

"It's an 'A' for effort." He told her. "It's good."

She rolled her eyes and set the piping down. "Shut up. You're such a dick."

He reached out to touch her shoulder. "I'm being so for real. You did a good job."

"Really?" Hana asked. Her eyes brightened up as she looked at him.

"Yeah," He nodded and pinched her cheeks between his fingers. "Now we just need to work on those cooking skills."

Hana swatted his hand away and gathered the cooking materials. "Okay, Mr. Evil Catcher."

Miyuki breathed out and grabbed the Tupperware he purchased from the grocery store. He neatly placed her cookies in so that she could take them with her. While he wouldn't call the baking session 100% successful, Miyuki considered it to be good enough for him. Even if he wasn't anywhere closer to finding things out, the look of happiness that graced her face as she nibbled on a cookie made him think that everything was worth it. 

He'd try again next time. Miyuki needed to be more direct in order for it to be clear to her. Only then would her response be clear to him. 

Hana gathered the dishes and carried them over to the sink. It was late and he was a bit worried over the fact that she didn't finish studying. He would have to take her word for it that she just needed a break.

Miyuki checked his phone and there was nothing from his roommates. That was good, it meant people were probably still practicing or studying. It would give him the chance to slip back inside.

Hana cleared her throat. "Kazuya?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you lonely?" Miyuki paused for a moment. He almost asked her why she was always coming up with such random questions at the oddest times but he doesn't. "It's just... earlier."

She didn't say anything else but Miyuki didn't need her to. He understood her perfectly. He knew that his lack of friends worried her. At a point in time, he definitely considered himself to be lonely. But it had been a long time since then. Now, he had a team that he could trust not to jump him out of jealousy. Even before Seidou, his loneliness had been gone once she came into his life. As long as they were together, he would never be lonely.

"Not really." Miyuki answered.

"No?" She asked, turning around to look at him. 

He smiled softly at her. Even without the complicated relationships he formed without the team, he wants her to understand that it was her and her always. She was more than enough.

"No," He confirmed. "I have you."

-

 Number 2 was exactly what Miyuki had been expecting. He ran his fingers over the stitching of the number that had been sewn neatly onto the back of his Seidou jersey. A faint smile played on his lips as he looked down at it. The summer was almost there, just a few more weeks. All the training and all the prep had been leading to this very moment; for the chance to go to Koshien. Miyuki wanted to see it. He wanted to experience the feeling of victory after all the dedication and hard work that he put into the sport. He wanted to be at the place that he could only dream of as a child.

Miyuki could see Sawamura as he shrieked of happiness. He was already wearing his new jersey and posing for photos. It was the last number, but nonetheless, he made the team. Miyuki knew that he deserved it. Sawamura worked hard in order to prove his skills. He knew that he had a long way to go but this was just the first step. That meant something.

Hana was chatting among the managers but he managed to catch her eye. She waved at him and then turned to Sachiko and Yuki before she bid them goodbye. She walked to him and Miyuki's heart sped up. He couldn't help but notice that things continued to change between them. Things felt... different. It didn't feel like it was a scary or bad thing, but he could feel it. The night in her room wasn't the start but it was the trigger. Miyuki knew that things would change but he wondered if it was something that she could see too. Could she feel it like how he did?

"I sewed that number on for you. You should thank me." She told him as she approached.

"Aw, how sweet. Thank you, official manager," He said, referring to the blank uniform in her arms. "Are you feeling any different?"

Hana folded her uniform jersey and looked up at him. "No. Not any different than last year... I have to say, though. I'm actually a little relieved. I was afraid that you weren't going to make the starting lineup."

"Me?" Miyuki gasped dramatically.

"Yeah," She grinned at him, then pulled touching the stitching of '2' on the jersey. "Congratulations, miracle boy. Again."

"Thanks manager." He said with a hint of sarcasm. "How were your exams?"

"I texted you right after I read my results."

Of course, Miyuki had known that she passed with flying colors. But he wanted to know how they went for her specifically. She had been studying so hard and he was curious to know if she struggled at all. Miyuki doubted it. Hana was intelligent. It was one of the things he loved about her.

"I know... but how were they? War it hard?"

"Kind of. Only some parts, though. How were your exams?"

Miyuki shrugged. Studying and retaining information was always easy for him. He really only needed to look over notes once or twice. He'd been in advanced math and science classes most of his life. The rest... well, to be frank, he didn't care about much. 

"Easy enough. Since neither of us have to take a makeup exam, I'm thinking that we should celebrate. And since you didn't ruin my jersey and the stitching, I'll treat you."

"What do you have in mind? We can bake again!" She pointed out with glowing eyes. "Maybe even cupcakes this time."

Miyuki made a mental note to bake a whole batch of cupcakes for her. He contemplated on changing his original plan to a late night of baking but he figured he should leave it up to her.

"Would something called 'Midnight' work? Or should we just go to the store instead? You pick."

Hana stopped and gasped. She pressed a hand to her mouth. "You didn't just ask me that. Of course we're watching Midnight tonight!"

He would have to make a leave of absence before he fell asleep. It would have to be both convincing and borderline true so that he wouldn't be lying to her. Miyuki didn't want to lie but he felt more than nervous about it happening again. The night had been awkward and confusing enough. Being so close to her made him feel things and it was becoming increasingly more difficult to block it out. Being in her room and in her bed? Someone help him.

They walked off and he watched as she rambled excitedly about the next movie and how it wasn't her favorite one but nonetheless, essential to the plot. 

"How difficult can the plot be if it's just a simple romance story?" He questioned.

Boy loves girl, girl loves boy. Enter another boy who loves girl and then girl is confused. But, of course, she always goes with the first option.

Hana shook her head. "No, it's deeper than that. It's all in there, Kazuya, you just aren't looking hard at the parallels and all the connections."

-

 "Anyway, that's my input. What do you think, Miyuki-Kun?" Rei-Chan questioned. 

She sat on the edge of her desk as she spoke. Her eyebrow was raised as she waited for a response. He hadn't heard much of anything she said in the last three minutes or so. The snow globe that sat on her desk grasped his attention as he thought about the last few days. 

Admittedly, Miyuki had been nervous the past couple of days. He wasn't sure how watching Midnight with Hana would go. At first, it was awkward for him. He couldn't stop his heart from pounding against his chest. His attention was elsewhere as the movie played. After about forty-five minutes, he finally started to relax but he still didn't take the opportunity to stay the night. Instead, he had told her that Jun and Tetsu-San needed him.  

He wondered if he was giving himself away. Had she noticed his strange behavior? Had she even noticed anything different? 

Miyuki wasn't sure if his message was being properly conveyed. It was that fact that made him conflicted because he wasn't even sure if he wanted to convey that message to her. The first step was just to gauge her feelings for him before he decided to do anything else. He was basically telling her how he felt with the heart shaped cookies. Miyuki couldn't believe that something like this could be so damn confusing. 

In one moment, things could feel perfect as he thought about the two of them together and the relief that he would feel about not having to hide something like this from her. He would feel a warmth in his chest as he thought about kissing her, holding her, and having her as his girlfriend. It was nice to think about. Then, the reality of the situation would hit him and he would think about what he would do once she knew. Would he keep things the way that they were? Or would he confess?

It was all too much.

"About what?" He finally asked Rei-Chan.

Rei-Chan inhaled sharply and cocked her head to the side. She pushed a few papers out of her way and moved toward the edge of her desk so that she was looking at him square on. She didn't say anything for a moment as she looked him over. He held her haze with raised eyebrows. He was going to have to bullshit his way out of this.

"Were you listening to anything I just said?"

Miyuki nodded. "Oh, yeah. 'Course I was. Though I didn't really get the last bit."

"Hm," She chuckled and tapped her nails along the desk. "Okay, well, you seem distracted. Do you want to talk about it?"

Talk about it? Talk about what exactly?

Confusion... unresolved feelings?

That was probably what Rei-Chan was talking about back in his first year. How stupid of him to not know what she was talking about. He thought that he did,  but he had been wrong. He had been so naive. He had never been more confused. Where did he go from now? He thought of asking Rei-Chan a vague question more than a few times but he backed out each time. She would know what he was talking about and he didn't want to explain himself.

"I'm fine," He assured her.

And he was fine. He was just slightly confused. But he would figure it out. He just needed to stick to his original plan and look at each and every angle.

"Right... well, if there's anything you want to talk about, then you know where to find me."

"Yeah, yeah," Miyuki nodded.

She sighed and stood to walk back to her desk chair. She reached for a piece of paper and slid it over toward him. "Before we get back into game details, I wanted to let you know that I was contacted again by the same recruiters and a few more. They sound like they're getting very interested in you and I suspect that they'll be at the finals. By then, you'll be getting serious offers. Have you thought about what you'd like to do?"

Miyuki looked over the list. Three recruiters had contacted him. Last week it was two. It was refreshing to get this recognition but he hadn't thought about a specific play. In his first year, he said he'd go with whoever wanted him. Now, he had a real chance to pick where he wanted to go. It felt so close and yet, so far away. One decision would start his professional career. He had the skills, he knew that. But there was always the knowledge that anything could go wrong. It felt premature to start making definite plans without researching every option.

"Is baseball all that you want to do?"

"I think so," Miyuki admitted. 

Deep down, he knew that.

It was silly but as a child, there was a clear image of him in his mind playing professionally. He pushed it to the back of his mind as he got older once he realized that dreams weren't that easy to achieve. He was cocky enough to know that he could do it, but there was a tiny spot in his mind that said what if he couldn't? Hana and Toku-San believed that he would and they would always say that they'd be there in the crowd watching him and he wanted nothing more than to give them that. He wanted to show them that their support had always meant something to him. It was the thought that things could go wrong that worried him.

"Then you should really start to look into your options. Look, I'm not just saying this because I scouted you... but I think you're an amazing catcher who is going to go far."

"Aw, Rei-Chan, I'm flattered." He cheesed.

She scoffed and rubbed her forehead. "Coach and I are always here to help you go over your options. The bridge between second to third year is important. Many people are signing their contracts by the end of their third year."

Way to put on the pressure -- Miyuki thought. He hadn't even started the summer yet. He had been looking into every single recruiter but he didn't want to make any serious decision until he was sure they were serious with a firm offer.

"Don't worry, Rei-Chan," He started, setting the paper back down on the desk. "I'm keeping every option in mind. All of my options."

"Great, that's all I ask." She nodded. "But back to our upcoming game. I was saying earlier that the summer prep went very well. But I'm worried about the pitchers. Without Tanba-Kun, do you think the first years can pull this off?"

"I've been working with them along with  Hana and Chris-Senpai. They both have a lot to work on but Furuya seems to be proving himself. We'll just have to wait and see how he performs during games. If he can handle the pressure, he might be stepping into the beginnings of an Ace title. I see a bit of talent with Sawamura, too, but honestly, they both can be  unpredictable."

"Unpredictable?" She asked.

"Yeah,  both Sawamura and Furuya are fast learners but they're also lacking  experience and it shows with rookie mistakes. I didn't even  consider that Furuya might not be able to pitch at his best with the  heat since it's so much cooler in Hokkaido. There's nothing we can really do about it except for knowing that they can pull it off and have them rely on each other. I'm not too worried because we have Nori  supporting them."

It was a challenge to get the two of them to where they needed to be for the summer but it was a challenge that he enjoyed. They both had heart and passion. He just hoped that the bits of game experience would further along their training.

-

 A few days later, Miyuki stood in the middle of the lobby.

"It's already so damn hot," Miyuki complained.

He dropped his bag down on the floor and pulled at the collar of his uniform to fan himself. It had only been nine or so, a little bit before the game was due to start, and they were still checking in the team inside of the stadium. He could already feel the heat radiating around them. If they won against Akikawa, then they were due to be there all day to watch the next game with Ichidai. The summer heat was something Miyuki had been used to, considering that he was born in Tokyo, but it didn't mean it was something he enjoyed. He knew that he could bite through it. What worried him was Furuya standing off to the side with his hands on his knees in an attempt to fend off the heat.

"Should I tell him to drink some water?" Hana asked from beside him.

"I don't want him to get sick," he told her. 

If Miyuki told him to take a slow sip, then Furuya would hear him saying gulp the whole damn thing. He looked around and noticed the younger Kominato digging through his bag. Miyuki quickly squatted to dig in his bag to grab a sports drink to hand to him.

"Haruichi-Kun, do me a favor. Hand this to Furuya and make sure he drinks slowly with small sips. We need him to stay hydrated. If he isn't listening, find Kanemaru."

Haruichi stood quickly and grabbed his bag to sling over his arm. Miyuki couldn't see his eyes, but Haruichi nodded as he took the bottle from his hands and crossed the lobby to get to Furuya. He quickly snatched it from his hands without even looking up. Miyuki eyed him for a few seconds to ensure that he wasn't swallowing the whole thing before he turned back to his bag. He squatted down to push through the contents, grabbing at undershirts and counting them. Five should have been enough to last the day with extras to spare. Still, it might not have been enough. What if Furuya needed extra?

"Hanacchi, do you know if we have extra t-shirts?" he asked her.

"Yeah, Sachiko should have them. I'll make sure they get down to the dugout."

"Thanks..." he mumbled as he zipped the bag.

Hana glanced towards the doors of the lobby and frowned. He turned his head in the direction where she was looking and saw a large group of fans. Odd, it was too early for them to be there. Usually, the baseball team would be led back before they had access to fill the lobby. Perhaps the heat had everyone bewildered and confused. Hana eventually blew a raspberry and looked back down at the sheet list.

He stood as the fans were ushered through the lobby towards the stadium seats. Like always, they were loud and bright with Seidou Merch over their clothes and screaming as they passed their favorite players. It seemed to only be a small group that got in. The game against Maimon had brought a lot of people there to support them, and it only seemed to grow with each game. He looked towards Hana as they made their way through yelling the lineup's names and screaming their love. Thank god he wasn't online. He probably would have had to private every single account. Hana continued to look at the clipboard with her lips pressed tightly together.

"Uh oh, is someone upset?" he questioned.

Her reaction wasn't very different from last time, but he still couldn't get an answer that he felt comfortable with. Things felt different, but going based on a feeling wasn't something that he could rely on. It wasn't something he could make a decision on.

"Definitely not," she laughed finally. 

Judging by the way she was gripping the pencil in her hand, he doubted that she was even aware of what she was feeling. Platonic, romantic, or conflicted?

"Alright, let's start making way!" Coach Kataoka bellowed.

Miyuki stood up straight and gathered his bag. "Well, see you after the game."

"Wait, hold this," she said as she pushed the clipboard into his hands.

Her hands flew to the buttons on her Seidou Jersey to quickly fasten them. She smoothed her hands over the material once she was done to rid the top of wrinkles.

"Good?" she questioned.

He nodded. He had always liked when they wore the same jersey. He would've preferred if it were his jersey that she was wearing, but considering they were nearly identical, it was easy for him to imagine it.

"It's good," he agreed.

She grinned at him as she grabbed her clipboard back, a quick hand reaching out to smooth his down too. A rush of warmth rising from the place she had just touched. Definitely not platonic.

"See you after the game," she told him. "I'll be in the stands!" she added while rushing to join the line with the managers.

He hadn't believed in good luck charms as a kid and he still didn't now, but he knew he played his best when she was there watching and supporting him. The image from his youth came back to him and it was clearer than it had ever been. Him, a professional with Toku-San and Hana watching him as he played. The only difference was that she'd have on his jersey. Oh, what a sight.

-

 Even after winning the game, Miyuki felt like he couldn't relax. Not after the shock from the early afternoon. The growing strategy that he had planned against Ichidai was worthless now that Yakushi had come in to swoop the win. The loss was a surprise but not something that was uncommon in baseball. Miyuki groaned and stretched his neck. He wanted to talk to Hana about the game, but she was busy with the managers. He eyed the phone in his hand and contemplated calling up Toku-San. He figured he'd probably still be working, and he really only called on weekends, but the conversation he had with Hana in the kitchen had him thinking that he should do something to alleviate his loneliness. He wanted Toku-San to know that he was still there for him even if he was away.

He flipped his phone open and clicked over to favorites, hovering over Toku-San's contact number before pressing dial. It rang for a while, and Miyuki expected it to go to voicemail, but he finally answered on the last ring.

"Kazuya, how are you?" his father said.

"Hey, Dad. Everything good?"

"I'm just downstairs, summers are busy, you know. Everything's fine."

Right. Everything was always fine with him. He didn't have a way of knowing any different. Toku-San was probably just working all day and then settling in during the early hours of the morning with a beer to relax. It made Miyuki feel uneasy to have his father all alone. He wondered if he should bring up the topic of dating to Toku-San, but he wasn't sure if he'd be ready for that. He didn't know how Toku-San even felt about that, if he even wanted to move on with someone else. He wondered if he would ever be able to move on and find comfort with someone else. That would have been a hard thing to do, though.

 Miyuki couldn't imagine deciding to spend his life with someone and starting a family together only for them to just pass away and be expected to do it all again. It would have been devastating. He could only guess how Toku-San really felt about it. But the idea of losing Hana had been more evident these past few days, and that alone scared him. If she were to be gone permanently, his heart would probably break physically.

"That's good." Miyuki let out a breath. 

He spotted Sawamura walking across the campus and quickly turned around before he got the chance to see him.

"How was the game?" Toku-San questioned.

"The game went good. We won."

Although it was still too close for comfort. If Akikawa's batters hadn't choked, then they might have lost. Two more games, but they still didn't have the reliability of an ace.

"How's the summer going for you? Is Hana-Chan doing well?"

"Hana's good. She's been a lot of help getting the team together. She's really good at it."

"She's always been like that." Toku-San made a noise that sounded a bit like a laugh.

"I probably won't be able to make it for the summer, but Hana should be able to drop by."

Toku-San chuckled. "I really am okay, Kazuya. You don't need to come check on me."

"I know," Miyuki told him. 

His grip on the phone got tighter, and it didn't really feel like this phone call was any different from the others he'd had with him. "There's only two more games until the finals."

"How's the team looking?"

"Alright."

"Mm, I see."

"Yeah..." Miyuki sighed into the phone.

Miyuki wondered if his mother had been here, would he and Toku-San have been able to speak to each other without this tense feeling? What would their relationship have been like then? He thought about how Hana said there was no harm in asking, and perhaps there wasn't. He didn't just want to exist like Toku-San was doing without his mother; he wanted to live for her and be someone that she would be proud of. He didn't know much about her, but he knew for sure that this was something that she could be proud of.

"Um, Dad... I-" He started. Miyuki paused and thought of what to say... what to ask. But it all came up blank. He couldn't do this. "I'll try to come see you soon. Maybe we'll have an off day."

"Alright, then," Toku-San said.

Miyuki leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes as the frustration bubbled. What would it have been like to tell his mom that he won the game? What would it have been like to talk to her about love? How did she even meet Toku-San? He figured Toku-San was a rather closed-off guy, just like Miyuki was, and she came across him and opened him up. And without her, he just put the walls back up and didn't let anyone in. But that had just been a guess. He couldn't know for sure.

"Okay. I'll call you later then, Dad."

"Okay," he said.

Miyuki clicked the end button and shoved his phone back into his sweats pocket. That hadn't gone well at all. Maybe he'd ask Hana about it and see what she thought about it. She might have been able to tell him what to say. He knew that he was bad at things like that. He walked to the cafeteria thinking about if and how he should bring the topic up. She said that she was there for him, and he knew that she was. But how should he ask for her opinion?

Once he reached the cafeteria, he opened the door and caught sight of Sachiko cleaning the tables.

"Looking for your girl?" she asked him.

"Ha?"

His girl? That was an odd way of putting it. Sachiko snickered as Natsukawa stepped in from the side while laughing.

"He's trying to steal our Hana-Chan again," Sachiko told her.

"It isn't stealing if she's willing to go, Sachi." Natsukawa turned to look at him. "She's cleaning, but we'll send her out when she's done."

"You know, I've been working on her cooking skills. You should let her back in the kitchen," he told Natsukawa.

They had only trusted Hana with making the rice, but he supposed that was better than the new first-year manager who was hardly even allowed in the kitchen. Now that he thought about it, she matched the energy of the other two first-years. What a scatterbrained group.

"Noted," Natsukawa said. "We'll put her up for a trial run."

Sachiko laughed and then turned towards him with her hand on her hip. "What do you want with our Hana-Chan anyway?"

"You know I've known her longer, right?" he replied with an eye roll.

The friendly rivalry between her two closest friends, it seemed. He wouldn't let Sachiko faze him. He knew his place in Hana's life, and he was confident in that.

"Your point?"

"That's the point." He smiled cheekily.

Sachiko rolled her eyes and went back to wiping the table off. Natsukawa peeked into the kitchen, and soon Hana stepped out with her. She looked between him and Sachiko and giggled.

"Hey you two, no fighting."

"Me? I'm an angel," he pointed to Sachiko and shook his head behind her back.

"A twisted angel," Hana pointed out as she rounded the corner. Sachiko flashed her a smirk. Hana shook her head and pushed open the door to the cafeteria to step outside. She crossed her arms and kicked her foot behind her on the wall to lean against it.

"Well, good game," she told him.

"Too close for my comfort." He sighed. "But, damn, that was an amazing pitcher."

Hana raised an eyebrow before saying, "Oh, are you cheating on me with a new pitcher?"

"You know you'll always be my favorite pitcher," he quickly said. 

His heart dropped suddenly at his quick and sincere response, but she only smiled with pride.

"Hm, I better be." She nodded, poking him with her finger. "I was quite fantastic actually."

"I wanted to ask you-"

"Miyuki Kazuya!!" 

And, fuck, there went those two idiots interrupting him. Hana peered over his shoulder with a laugh being suppressed. Footsteps gathered behind him, and he turned to see the two devil duo looking at him with their gloves tucked under their arms and still clad in their practice clothes.

"Hey, when you gonna pitch for me, you evil tanuki?"

Both Sawamura and Furuya looked oddly out of breath, and even with the two of them standing there beside him, they looked like they were competing. They had been meant to do light practices after the game. He didn't want to know what they had been getting into.

"We just had a game. Don't you ever sleep?" he looked towards Furuya. "And aren't you supposed to be recovering? You could hardly stand after the game."

Furuya furrowed his brows in a way that read, 'What's that got to do with now?'

Sawamura pushed Furuya out of the way and pointed to himself with his thumb. "Sleep is for the weak. We—I, need to prove myself a King against Yakushi."

"You can't even throw a breaking ball, idiot," Miyuki bit back.

"What I can throw are these hands, Miyuki Kazuya!"

"I'm so scared. Anyway, there's plenty you two can be working on other than pitching. Let's see, ball control, stamina, just to start," he trailed off.

Hana made a noise that made the two of them turn to her. She shook her head and moved her crossed arms to place her hand on her hips. She wasn't wearing the uniform anymore, but she still looked nice, as per usual.

"How about tomorrow, bright and early? That way we can go over strategy for the Yakushi game."

Miyuki grinned; it had been exactly what he was about to ask her before he was interrupted. She looked at him smugly and then winked. Looked like she had the same thing on her mind.

Chapter Text

It was late by the time Miyuki left the outdoor training grounds. A breeze whipped at his arms as he walked back to his dorm. He was relieved that the night was cold. It had been so hot lately that a bit of cold air was refreshing. Their game had finished hours ago and yet, Miyuki's stomach was still turning over with excitement. It was almost as if he could feel the adrenaline passing through him.

Once he reached his dorm, he knocked twice before he turned the knot. He smiled to himself once he realized that the room was empty. Kimura and Tanaka-San were likely still training or giving him space before they came back to the room. He appreciated the privacy more than they probably thought. Sometimes winning felt like a long day of excitement that having a few minutes of peace and quiet was enough to get himself together and recuperate. 

He breathed in deeply and flexed his wrist as he tossed his sports bag off to the foot of his bunk. Miyuki fell face forward onto the bed and exhaled as his face pressed against the fabric. The bed sink perfectly under his weight in a way that felt like he was finally able to relax. At the moment, all he wanted to do was sleep. He was exhausted despite being so antsy. His adrenaline was high and he knew that he wouldn't be able to rest. 

Miyuki felt like he needed to be doing something... anything other than lying in the bed. He saw his bat peaking out from behind the dresser. He sighed and decided that he should probably getting some swinging practice in before he called it a night. It would definitely shake the restless feeling that he had.

It seemed as thought the bat was too far from him to get up and go to. Miyuki sighed once more and took off his glasses then closed his eyes. They burned as he did so but he reveled in the feeling of relief to be off his feet and relaxing in the bed. He would get up to get the bat in a little while and then be on his way. For now, he would rest.

He remembered when he was younger that he had nights likes this where he had been so restless that he wasn't sure what to do with himself. He always ended up throwing a baseball around with Hana. The memory made him grow warm. It felt so nostalgic for him now. It was ironic that there were about a hundred different guys who would be billing to play some simple catch with him but the only person he really wanted to play with didn't want to.

Miyuki shifted his head and pressed his face into the pillow. God, she was killing him. It made him feel weird that there wasn't a plan in place for him to execute. Everything had did proved to be unsuccessful and ended up sinking. Perhaps he would just lie in the bed and wallow in silence about it. Yeah, right -- Miyuki thought. There was only one thing he could do to get his answer and that was to be more direct that he was. It was just a matter of how direct should he be?

There was a quick knock on the door the broke him from his thoughts. A groaned escaped him in response. Miyuki closed his eyes for a slight second. Maybe he should ignore it. A second went by and he lifted his head to yell out "It's open!" to whoever was at the door.

He looked at the door knob turning.  He expected to see Sawamura or Furuya but Hana was there instead. She peeked her head in first and then stepped inside. It reminded him of whenever she would take a look in on Toku-San whenever she came to visit.

"Oh," He said, but his heart skipped all the same. He cleared his throat and rubbed at his eyes. Why did she make him feel so strange? Perhaps now was a good time for a more direct approach. "What's up?"

Hana shut the door behind her and lifted a bag of ice that she had tucked under her arm. She shook it slightly. "You need to ice your hand."

He flexed it at the memory of the ball slapping into his wrist hours earlier. "I already did. You're welcome to do it again, though."

Direct, yet subtle. That might have worked.

"Mm, right... okay." She replied. "I don't want your hand to swell overnight."

She crossed the room and opened one of his top drawers. She pulled out a spare towel and wrapped the ice in it before sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Okay, Nurse," he said and lifted his hand up.

She placed the bag of ice in the center and then sat back against the frame of the bunk. She looked off to the side before taking in a shaky breath. Dense, he decided. But he thought that counted for progress.

"How was the meeting with the pitchers? I know Eijun-Kun was a little freaked out over Todoroki's home run."

Miyuki shrugged and moved so that he was off his stomach and on his side to face her better. "He's alright. I noticed that they all expected a lot out of themselves. Sawamura just had to realize he was growing at the right pace. He had learned a lot in three months, but there was always something to improve on. Even with that, he'd earned a spot as an important person in the rotation. He's just so stupid he can't see it."

"It takes time sometimes, y'know?"

"It didn't take time with you," he pointed out. He smirked up at her, and she cracked a smile.

"I was a headstrong kid with too much energy, and I've grown out of it. It'd be a different story if I were a part of one of the top-ranked teams in the nation," she replied. "Both he and Furuya were having a bit of a culture shock being in Tokyo. Add that into a high-stress environment with a bunch of guys after living in a small town their whole lives."

"Those poor, simple-minded, country folk."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head at him. "But, like you said, they're already important for the rotation. They just need time."

"For now, they'll just run until they collapse for some reason. It kinda feels masochistic."

Miyuki had told them to get proper rest and cool-down time. If they actually listened? That he was unsure of.

"You sound worried, aww."

"Me? Hardly," he replied.

"Sounds like it to mee," she sang.

Miyuki laughed. "Those two don't ever listen to me. If they exhaust themselves from running and we have to switch them out, can you imagine what I'd have to do then? How much work it'd be."

"You like challenges, though."

True.

He sat up slightly and leaned on his elbow. "Sometimes I liked when things were easy-going. Like a pitcher with good control who actually listened to my suggestions. You did."

"Well, Chibi Kazuya didn't think so. If he had anything to say about it, I was the bane of his existence and wild."

"Not wild. Free-spirited," he corrected. "And I guess you still are."

"Says you. The guy who insists on marching to his own damn orchestra!" she laughed.

"Everyone's just not keeping up with me. There's no helping that."

"Well, that's certainly a theory."

"And I'm not tiny," he added.

"You were tiny," she laughed. "But you're big now."

"Big?" he questioned.

He had lifted, but definitely not that much. He wasn't as swole as Miyauchi, and he hoped he never would be. He envisioned himself as being bigger eventually, but if he were ever that thick, then he'd scare his own self.

"Tall. Which I still can't believe. See, look at your hands and mine."

She lifted his hand and then her own to press them against each other. He had touched her hands countless times, but it always made him freeze when she took his. It always made him feel mushy when their hands were clasped in each other's. He could feel the heat settle on his cheeks, and there was a strange sensation that felt so intense—like some sort of connection that was so strong and magnetizing. It had been such a simple action but one that meant so much. She had to have known that in at least some way. She couldn't have been that dense.

"Your hands are soft," he commented.

She looked so strange and awkward that it almost made him laugh. It was endearing. He moved his hand first and repositioned the bag of ice on his wrist.

"Our hands were probably the same size, though. I wasn't that much shorter than you. Anyway! What'd you think of the game?"

"It was good," she started before clearing her throat. "Congratulations on the win."

"It's too early for congratulations. Congratulations are in order once we get to Nationals."

"You still played well, though. And when you caught that steal, your pick-off was great," she exclaimed. "And I saw recruiters there..."

"I don't have a decision yet. I haven't even made it to Nationals yet, so their interest doesn't mean much right now. I can't weigh my options without having all the details."

It was premature to make a decision. Of course, he wasn't without some sort of plan. He needed to be absolutely sure, though, before he came forward with one.

"Right, right. I'll drop it," she laughed.

"What about you? Do you have any recruiters you'd like to tell me about?"

"None that you don't already know about," she sighed and shifted further down into the bed. "Mom is still begging me to do the training with her, though."

He chuckled in response because, of course, he already knew. He had been the one who helped her when she felt stuck. He had always wanted to see her achieve her goals and the things that she loved.

"You might change your mind."

She nodded. "There's always a possibility... Mom says she saw Toku-San the other day. Have you talked to him?"

"Yeah, I did the other day. Work as usual."

She narrowed her eyes at him and he chuckled. "Kazuya."

"I'm still thinking about that, too. If I ask him, then I want to know everything I want to say. I want to have all my questions ready."

She looked over at him with that look again. The one where she was seeing all of him.

"You know I'm here, right?"

"I know. You said so," he laughed. But it still felt as if his heartstrings were being pulled. It felt nice knowing she cared about him like he cared about her. "Thanks... or whatever. Don't worry, I'll handle it."

"Smartass," she mumbled.

His phone buzzed from his bag. She leaned over to pick it up and opened it. "Kimura is on his way back. I guess I should get going then. The girls and I have to talk to Rei-San before curfew."

"Don't tell me you're in trouble? What'd you do?"

"I'm not in trouble. And if I was, it'd probably be because of you," she said as she walked to the door. She slipped her shoes back on. "Don't forget to ice your hand in the morning, too!"

-

Miyuki slipped into the bathroom after the win against Sensen. He had always hated the bathroom at the stadiums solely because he didn't like taking his contacts out in front of people. All the doors to the stalls were open, so he assumed he was the only one inside. What a relief. He walked to the sink and turned the tap on. He stood there for a second and listened to the sound of the water running. The events of the game replayed in his mind. All the plays, all the mistakes. It had been far from perfect, but damn, a win was a win.

He looked up at himself and stared at his reflection. One step closer to the finals.

Quickly, he washed his hands under the water and turned the faucet off. He unscrewed the case to his contacts and pulled them out. Once he was finished, he placed them back inside his bag and put his glasses back on. He patted his face with a wet napkin and tossed it in the trash on his way out of the bathroom. He could hear a soft giggle as he stepped out. A pair of arms wrapped around his torso and there was a soft hum of,

"Twinnn. Where have you been???" Tickling his ear.

He chuckled in response. Hana wiggled around and moved so that she was in his view. She had a sweet smile on her face as she stepped in front to prevent him from walking any further. He blinked at her. She lifted a small bag that she was holding around her wrist up to view.

"Lunch?" she questioned.

"Were you looking for me?" he questioned.

Miyuki reached out and grabbed the bag from her. She shrugged and turned on her heel so that she was walking beside him. They walked through the empty halls of the stadium together. "Thought you might be hungry. We'll be here for a while."

He looked over at her and noticed her smiling at him. He smiled back. Now that he had a few days to process it, he knew he was right to think that they were drawn to each other. It all felt so different from before when they were only kids. There was a feeling like things were changing and yet all the same. They stopped once they reached the end of the hallway and stood against the wall to eat. A banana, a sandwich, yogurt, and a sports drink.

"I know congratulations aren't in order yet. But, you advanced to finals!" she exclaimed. She only took a bite and chose to watch him eat instead. "How do you feel? You think you'll be able to hit without a runner, Kacchan?"

God, he hated that nickname. Hardly anyone called him that. He gave her a deadpan stare and then smirked. "Do you remember that time when you threw that fastball and it went right through Hasegawa-San's window?"

Her smile didn't falter. She shook her head no. "No, I don't, silly!"

Miyuki quirked an eyebrow and sipped his drink. "Oh? Do you remember that one game you had when you-"

She reached forward and grasped at his arms. "Shhh! No, we don't need to talk about that! I'll stop! I promise!"

"Great." He smiled.

Hana rolled her eyes and elbowed him. "It'll happen soon though. I can tell. It might not be the next game, but it's in the works. I can feel it."

"Oh really?" he questioned as he placed the items back in the bag. "Can you feel this?" He reached over and ran his fingers over her sides to tickle her. A shriek erupted as she turned away from him and protectively held herself. She laughed uncontrollably and tried to squirm out from his grasp. When she was this close, he could smell the strawberry scent of her hair.

"Kya-ha. What's this?"

Miyuki stood up straight. Kuramochi and Nori stood in front of him. Kuramochi grinned in amusement and Nori looked away at the walls.

"We came to get you," Nori explained.

"Yeah," Kuramochi snorted. "Coach wants you to get your pitchers for the next game."

"Okay," Miyuki said. He turned to Hana. "I'll meet you in the stands after I find them."

"See you there," she said to him.

He walked off with Kuramochi and Nori. Kuramochi cackled and turned to look at him with a quirked brow and a devious smirk. He noticed he had the tendency to be pretty observant. One of his favorite observations was his love life.

"We didn't mean to interrupt your boo-loving session," Kuramochi said before singing, "Allll I really wanna be is your boyfriend, can't fight that!"

"Aw, they were just talking," Nori defended, but Miyuki could see him trying to hide a smile.

"Suree," Kuramochi said.

"That's the mystery of it all, isn't it," Miyuki stated.

Kuramochi turned his face up and rolled his eyes. "All that comes from you is bullshit."

"A lot but not all," Miyuki laughed.

They turned around the corner and found Furuya, Sawamura, and the younger Kominato in the middle of the lobby. Furuya and Sawamura were arguing, as usual, once they approached. Kuramochi sucked his teeth and kneed him from behind.

"C'mon, idiot, we found him."

Sawamura turned towards him and stared him down harshly. "And where the hell have you been?"

"Lunch," he replied.

"He was with Hana. Baa-doo boo-ed up!" Kuramochi sang again. "Feelings, so deep in my feelings!"

Miyuki shoved his hands into his pockets and walked towards the opposite entrance to enter the field. Kuramochi and Nori started walking too with only Haruichi following along, causing Kuramochi to turn behind him and shout, "Sawamura, hurry it up!"

"Why are you even here?" Sawamura asked Kuramochi.

"Shut up, I'm your roommate. So, tell me about Wakana. What's her favorite flower?" Kuramochi asked as they all climbed the stairs to the bleachers.

"Why the hell would I need to know something like that?" Sawamura questioned.

"I will throw your ass down these steps. Don't play with me," Kuramochi hissed.

Nori laughed awkwardly. "Guys, let's not joke while we're on the steps."

"I'm dead serious," Kuramochi mumbled under his breath.

"Do you guys see this? This blatant abuse that I'm subjected to day and night?" Sawamura cried out as they reached the top. "I fear for my life!"

"Headlock!" Kuramochi crackled. Miyuki pushed the door open and stepped aside to let Kuramochi drag Sawamura out first with his head tightly held in Kuramochi's arm.

Miyuki looked out towards the field. The game still hadn't started. The fields were still empty and people were still filing into the seats. Off to the sides, the teams were beginning to warm up. He walked towards Hana, who was already sitting in her seat. Mei Narumiya glanced up at them from his spot and pointed them out to his catcher, Haruda. What a dick. Miyuki grinned in response as he looked at Narumiya. After this game, then they would have their answer on who their opponent would be in the finals.

He turned to look behind him at Sawamura and Furuya. "I want you two to focus on this game. We need to look at both teams and their playing styles. Either one could be our opponent," he said to them.

Furuya rolled his eyes, grumbling, "I wanna pitch."

Miyuki shook his head. "Too bad. You'll have plenty of time to pitch."

"Well, me personally, I want to see the game," Sawamura asserted. Miyuki snorted at the look of determination on his face. "You'll be relying on my pitches. So, I have to do my best."

"I will?" Miyuki mocked.

Sawamura scowled as Miyuki turned back around. The teams were out on the field now, starting to practice. He could hear Sawamura scuffling closer and bending down in between Hana and himself. Miyuki looked over and Sawamura cut him a glare.

"He's such an asshole," he mumbled to Hana. "By the way, do you have an extra sandwich?"

She shook her head and giggled. She looked inside her bag and pulled out a ziplock that had a sandwich next to a block of ice. Hana handed it to him. "Easy, Eijun-Kun." She turned in her seat to look at him better. "I only got to see your girlfriend for a second, but she's really sweet!"

Sawamura frowned. His lip jutted out awkwardly and the tips of his ears had gone red. "Wakana's not my girlfriend. We're childhood friends."

"Really?! Sorry, I thought you were together," Hana said.

Miyuki chuckled. "Can't you tell that Kuramochi thinks he's dating her?"

"Really?" Hana questioned.

Miyuki nodded. "He steals Sawamura's phone all the time to text her. Sometimes when he's in the bullpen, Kuramochi slips it out the pocket."

"What?" Hana gasped.

"He does?!" Sawamura bolted forward in between them.

"He does," Furuya confirmed.

Miyuki chuckled. He eyed the field. Both teams had already started gearing up for the game. Inashiro and Sakurazawa both stood in front of their bullpens for their last-minute talk before heading out onto the field. The cheers of Mei's fan-girls getting louder gave confirmation that the game was about to begin.

"What the hell, Kazuya? And you just let him?"

"When did we start using my first name?" Miyuki questioned. He leaned forward and rested on his knees to get a better look. "And the game's starting. Keep your eyes open. It's a knuckle-ball pitcher."

"And? What is that?" Sawamura asked.

Miyuki snorted and shrugged. "I don't know... ask Hana, she knows about it."

Hana shook her head from beside him. Her hand slid from underneath her arms to pinch his thigh.

"What do you know about the knuckle-ball, Manager-Senpai?"

"That was my pitching style," Hana told him. "It's when the ball doesn't have any spin. It makes it harder to know where it'll go and where it's gonna drop."

"Was? When's the last time you pitched? You pitched for an actual team?"

"Yeah, my uncle taught me how to play and I was on a sandlot team when I was younger. I quit baseball a few years ago now," she answered.

"Willingly?" Sawamura questioned. He gave her an incredulous look and his mouth was agape. "You gave the mound up, like, for real for real?"

Hana nodded. She glanced at Sawamura and smiled. "Yeah. I thought Kazuya told you I was a pitcher."

"I did," Miyuki said. "He probably wasn't listening."

Sawamura tsked and shook his head. "I was listening. I didn't know she actually played for a team. I didn't know you were good!"

 -

A few hours later, Inashiro won. It was something that didn’t surprise Miyuki. He had been expecting them to win, after all. He had even wanted them to be the team that they played in the Final Round. It would be a way to test their skills with their current team. It would potentially be their ticket to Nationals. His stomach bubbled with both nerves and excitement at the upcoming game. Nationals… it was so close that he could almost reach out and touch it. Almost… Miyuki, of all people, knew that could change. Seidou wasn’t entitled to win the game just because they wanted it. They needed to earn it, too.

Hana stood from the seats and rushed off to stand with the other managers. Sachiko flashed him a smirk as Hana muttered something to her. It made him roll his eyes at her. He looked towards Sawamura and Furuya, who were tightening the straps of their bags. Miyuki did the same to his own bag.

"That was a good game," Haruichi commented.

Sawamura snorted. He pulled the door open to the stadium steps so hard that it banged against the wall. "That towheaded bitch… I can’t stand him."

Miyuki chuckled. Mei had a way of getting under people’s skin. It made him wonder if that was his secret to pitching—the ability to tick someone off.

"I have to go to the bathroom," Furuya said once they reached the halls.

"Yeah, me too," Sawamura agreed.

"I’ll come along," Haruichi told them.

Miyuki cut an eye at them and sighed. He glanced around to catch sight of the rest of the team still gathering their equipment. "I’ll walk you guys. You let loose so easily," he sighed.

Sawamura turned towards him with his hand balled into a fist. "What did you say?!"

"Let’s go, Eijun-Kun," Haruichi said to him. He pushed him with slightly more force than necessary.

"Alright, alright," Sawamura replied.

Miyuki chuckled and shook his head. He exhaled a breath once they disappeared into the restrooms. It was only him in the halls, other than a few random fans who had just left from the stadium steps. He stretched his neck and then turned to lean against the brick wall. His eyes closed for a moment. His mind ran over the plays of the game once more. He tried to think about how to call for the next game.

"Nobody knows me like you do," he hummed to himself as he thought of strategy.

Miyuki leaned his head against the wall and took a sharp inhale. The game would definitely be a challenge. The fire in Seidou’s veins from their last loss, along with the pressure for the Finals. That, as well as the knowledge that Seidou hadn’t been to Nationals in six years. He had faith that they could do it. But not without a tough challenge. Especially with Mei Narumiya on the mound.

"I know that’s not who I think it is!"

Speaking of.

He cringed once he heard it. Miyuki blinked his eyes open and took a look at the All-Star Park Team approaching him. He crossed his arms and chuckled. Where the hell were those first years? A face-off against their rivals right before the game was the last thing he wanted to do right now.

"Kazuya!!" Mei called out. He was waving with the biggest grin on his face.

It was a bit reminiscent of their childhood. Some things never changed.

"You guys already won this morning. What’re you still doing here?" Mei smirked. "You stuck around to watch my game. I’m flattered."

Shirakawa huffed from beside him. "Get anything good to take back?"

"Nah. Mei’s pitching is perfect, as per usual. Can’t get anything from that," Miyuki shrugged.

It was absolutely true. Mei was a talent all on his own. Frankly, he was phenomenal.

"Aw, Kazuya, you complimented meee!" Mei cheesed. He sighed and looked around before leaning in a bit closer. "Where’s Babe? I said ‘Hey’ to her earlier."

"Probably on the bus," Miyuki replied. He didn’t bother to correct Mei. He’d been calling Hana ‘Babe’ since they were kids.

"She was here last time, too. That was the first time we’d all been together again."

"Nah, the last time all six of us were together was that time at the park," Carlos stepped in.

"For real? Was it really?" Mei questioned. He brought a finger to his mouth. "Yeah, I guess it was."

"You’re the only one who turned it down. Damn traitor," Yabe Kouji spoke.

Miyuki stared at him blankly with the faintest hint of a smirk. "I’m sorry… were you playing in the game today orrr?"

Yabe rolled his eyes. "Fuck you."

"Coach just texted me, let’s get going," Carlos told them.

"Even without you, Kazuya, our team’s the strongest. And Koshien isn’t something we’re giving up, man! Not this year, not next year!" Mei said as he started walking off. "I’ll be looking forward to our game."

Shirakawa glared at him as he walked past. "You’ll regret turning us down. You might not now, but later, it’ll set in."

Regret?

Fucking asshole. He had never liked Shirakawa much.

Mei turned around from where he was standing and walked backwards. "And text me back, Kazuya!"

Miyuki groaned and chewed at his lip. Damn, that just pissed him off. He could hear the clatter of shoes on the floor and voices from the bathroom. About two minutes too late. How nice of them to come after he had just gotten grilled by Inashiro.

Sawamura stepped out first and looked down the hall, then back at him. "The hell were you out here doing? Were you leaking information? It better not have been about me."

"No one has anything to say about you, Sawamura, now get on the bus! Got the whole damn team waiting for you guys."

-

The idea of regret had followed him for the next couple of days. It played on his mind during the days leading up to the night before the Finals. It was an irritating thought that weighed heavily on his mind. Miyuki wanted to think that it was out of character for him to even dwell on trivial things like other people's thoughts and opinions about him. But he knew it was likely because they were playing Inashiro the next day. He hadn’t found Shirakawa’s words particularly bothersome, nor did he think there was any truth to them. At least, not to Miyuki. Perhaps that was the problem. He couldn’t understand why he would come to regret not attending Inashiro.

The idea of thinking about what could have been instead of what could be was foreign to him. He had only told Chris-Senpai what Shirakawa had said after the game on the way back home. He had spent more time thinking about it before mentioning it to Hana a few seconds ago, right as they walked into the Training Grounds. Miyuki couldn’t quite understand the way she was looking at him after he told her. Her eyes narrowed, and she shook her head slightly.

"Shirakawa is an ass and he's jealous of you. You're a great catcher, and he's just upset that Mei wanted you on the team too," she told him.

She kicked at the dirt in the grounds with the tip of her shoe and then bent down to turn over an empty crate. She sat on top of it and fished through another crate that held extra baseballs.

Of course, Miyuki knew that Shirakawa had been speaking on his own feelings—projection, probably. But it was still a weird feeling for him to sit with. Regret? He didn’t regret anything at all. He couldn’t see why he would regret his decision to come to Seidou. It had never crossed his mind to think about what it would be like if he had attended another school.

Hana drummed her fingers along the top of the crate and craned her neck up to look at him. "Do you regret coming to Seidou?"

"No," he said firmly. And he felt confident with that.

"Then why is it bothering you so much?"

Miyuki shrugged. He grabbed his bat that was leaning against the baseball net and stretched his arms.

"I feel like things happen for a reason," Miyuki began. He sighed and gripped the handle tightly. "And everything leading up to my decision to come to Seidou was just meant to happen, y'know?"

"Like, Rei-San scouting you?" Hana questioned.

He nodded. He swung the bat once, then twice. "Losing against Chris-Senpai helped me see that there are other players who are good. And Rei-Chan showed me that I could play with people who are good and beat people with exceptional skills." He turned to glance at her. "And even before all of that, I met you and learned about forming a battery."

Miyuki thought that it was her who he should credit for understanding the personal relationship between a catcher and a pitcher—the concept of trust, communicating without speaking.

Hana didn’t say anything and instead only hummed in agreement. He chuckled slightly. Platonic or not, you just tell the girl you love that she's an important part of your decision-making, and she's unable to reply.

"Anyway, it's always Seidou that I come back to," he added.

"Then why are you thinking about it so much?" she asked.

He swung his bat again. From the corner of his eyes, he could see her looking at him. "I don't think about what I should've done. Not really. So it's weird to hear him say that I would regret it. Even with not going to Nationals."

Hana stood up from the crate and tossed the baseball high into the air. "It would've been weird if you went to Inashiro."

"It would've been the 'perfect team,'" he said. He would've lived alongside Narumiya. He likely would've been the backup catcher in favor of Haruda. His debut probably would’ve been this year.

"You think we would've stayed friends?"

Inashiro hadn’t been on Hana's list when she was considering schools. They would’ve gone their separate ways earlier.

She crossed her arms. "I would like to think so. I'd like to always have you in my life," she admitted. "But it's impossible to know what your life would've been like if you went there instead. As long as you trust that you made the right decision, then that's all that matters."

Miyuki smiled at that. He nodded in agreement. "It was the right decision."

He knew that he could have gone the easier route and attended the school with the perfect record and an All-Star Team, but there wasn’t a challenge in that. Following a script and going with the role that seemed easiest to victory had no challenge. Even then, Miyuki didn’t think the win made all the difference either. Winning was important, but it wasn’t everything. It was what you did to build yourself, and the challenges and sacrifices you made to get there. Seidou was perfect in that aspect.

"Do you think I would've looked good in the uniform though?" he teased.

Hana rolled her eyes. She tossed the baseball in his direction and sat down on the crate again. "Are you excited? Mei's a special opponent and the last wall before Nationals."

"It hasn't hit yet," he admitted. "But I'm not worried if that's what you're asking."

"I know, I know," Hana nodded. "But if you were, that would be okay."

He looked over at her and smiled. He wasn’t sure if he believed in perfection. If he did, she would be it.

"I'd say thanks for helping me, but you didn't do much. Just let me get this last swing in and then we can leave," he told her.

Hana shook her head. "You're welcome, idiot."

She stood up from the crate to grab the baseball she had thrown over at him and held it in her hands. He gripped the handle tightly and swung his bat—a full swing. It felt good. He’d have to see how it held up against Mei.

He set the baseball down and reached to grab his water. He took a quick sip, put it back in his bag along with his bat, and stood up to brush off his clothes. Hana stood in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest. "Ready? C'mon, let's get you home, Cinderella."

Miyuki hooked the strap of his bag over his shoulder. "It's ten thirty, Kazuya."

He chuckled as they both left the Training Grounds and stepped outside. The walk to her dorm was rather quiet. It was hot out tonight, and there wasn’t even a hint of a breeze.

"What are you doing for the rest of the night?" she asked him.

He lifted an eyebrow as he looked at her. "Why? Are you asking me on a date?"

Being more direct had grown into a thing of its own. It felt more natural than he had expected. Her flustered reactions always made him laugh.

She glanced away for a second towards the ground and then tightened her face. He liked when he caught her looking at him and when she looked away. It was entertaining in a way that was endearing. It was so cute that it made him want to kiss her to see how she would react to that. Obviously, he wouldn’t, but the thought was nice. The thoughts that he had of her were pleasant. They always made him feel happy. His direct approach to flirting made him feel a bit better with the idea that he was getting his point across. Granted, his Hanacchi was dense, so he was sure she didn’t get everything he was trying to say to her. But he thought his chances were better than they used to be. It was the look she would give him that made him think so. He had always loved her eyes and how he could see the world inside of them. But he had been looking deeper, and it felt like she was looking at him fully. It was a feeling that was intense and a feeling he didn’t think was reserved for just friends.

"I'm kidding," he eventually said. He laughed as he looked at her. "The guys are probably in my room right now. At least, that’s what their plans were."

"Are they not your plans too?"

He clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Not really. You know how they infiltrate."

"Yeah, okay. You just don't want to admit it's a Boys Night."

He took his time approaching the door to her room. If he waited long enough, then it was possible Sawamura and Furuya would be assigned with chore duty before he was. God, he just knew he wasn’t getting any sleep that night. It’d be a miracle if he could push them out in an hour, but he knew that was wishful thinking.

"What are you doing tonight?" he questioned. Hana slipped the key into the lock and turned the knob. Her room was dark, but she didn’t move to turn on the switch. She turned and faced him. She kept a hand on the door but didn’t make any moves to close it.

"I might go see Sachiko and Yui and knit."

"You picked up knitting again?" he asked.

She brought a hand to her forehead and sighed. "You don't have to say 'again' like that."

"I know you were sewing last time."

"I wanted to try something new," she said. She smiled softly. She looked nothing short of beautiful standing in the doorway.

Miyuki readjusted his bag and looked at the time on his watch. "I should go. But, make me something."

She nodded in agreement. They looked at each other for a second.

"Goodnight," he said. He reached out and grasped his arms around her. A small gasp of surprise came from her, but she didn’t move. They stood there and swayed just slightly, and he took it in. The warmth, the feeling of her against him, how it made him feel. He felt like it was right. It felt good to be this way. He smoothed the hair from the back of her head with his hand before pulling away and sucking in a deep breath. He smiled cheesily at her. Her eyes were still widened in surprise and her mouth was slightly open.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Nighty night," he chirped.

"Night…" she bid back.

He waved at her and then turned to walk to his own room. He could hear voices before he even approached the door. Yes, it would be a long night indeed. He turned and reached to turn the knob just as the door swung open. Sawamura and Furuya stood in front of him with a shocked expression.

"Eugh, what are you doing here?" Sawamura asked.

"What am I doing in my own room?" Miyuki hit back.

Sawamura nodded. "Right..."

"Miyuki-Senpai, we're getting all the Senpai's some drinks. Would you like some?" Furuya questioned.

Miyuki shook his head. "No, thanks. I've got water."

"Well, excuse me then," Furuya said.

Miyuki stepped aside to let them out. Sawamura tsked and pointed at Furuya as they walked out. "What do you mean 'excuse me'? It's 'excuse us,' I'm here too!"

Shaking his head, Miyuki stepped inside and shut the door after them. He looked around the room to get a count on who was there. Jun-San, Tetsu-San, Kuramochi, Narada, Masuko, and Ono. Damn, a full house.

"Party starting already?" Miyuki laughed as he stepped inside.

He walked over to the group and sat on the floor. Kuramochi lay on his back and stared up at the ceiling. Tetsu-San and Jun-San were playing a game of Shogi.

"Yeah, and you're late," Narada said.

"Am I?" Miyuki asked.

"He was probably just with Hana," Jun-San snorted. "You know how they are."

Kuramochi cackled off from the side. He lifted his head up to take a look at the group. "Miyuki's rizz is unmatched, obviously. There's something he must be good at if everyone likes him. If he had an Instagram, he'd probably have the most followers."

"Do you guys really care that much about my life?" Miyuki laughed.

Jun-San gave him a deadpan look before turning to Kuramochi. "I will say this, he'd better hurry up and say something right before another guy comes along and snatches her up. Hana-Chan's a cutie."

Miyuki rolled his eyes. Obviously, he knew that.

"I don't know... they're probably already dating and just not telling us," Kuramochi sighed. "He's even got a picture of her on his desk."

"What? We're both in it," Miyuki said. He reached up to grab the frame from his desk. It was a picture of them from the previous year. Kuramochi sat up from where he was lying to peer over his shoulder and take a closer look.

"Riiight. That's funny because I can only see your shirt."

"Let's just text her from his phone and see what she says," Jun-San added in.

"Okay! Nope! I am good on that right there," Miyuki laughed, grasping his phone tight in his hands. He stood from his spot and moved to sit on his bunk.

"Remember last year?" Kuramochi giggled.

Jun-San laughed at that. He bent over to hold his stomach while he laughed. The memory hadn’t been so funny for Miyuki. They had stolen his phone while he was a first year and written messages to Hana. He had been lucky that she knew it wasn’t him.

"Pretty boys always get lucky. Miyuki and Tetsu always get people who are sweet and kind," Jun-San sighed. He looked over at Tetsu and moved his piece in the game.

"Maybe it's the crocs that you wear with knee-high socks, Jun-San," Miyuki suggested. He smiled wide at the look of annoyance on Jun-San's face.

"Unironically!" Kuramochi pointed out.

Jun-San slammed his hand on the game board and turned to look at them. He scowled and gripped his hand into a fist. "Crocs are both practical and comfortable for in-between games. You're just an uncultured little fuck who doesn't know anything! And you guys are just jealous that it looks good on me!"

"Mm," Tetsu nodded. "They look nice, Jun."

"Thank you!" Jun-San replied.

"If there's anyone who I'm confused about having a girlfriend, it's Sawamura-Kun," Kuramochi stated. "I mean, what does Wakana see in him that she doesn't see in me?"

"Didn't you say you had a girlfriend back home?" Miyuki questioned.

Kuramochi groaned. "No, you ass... She wasn't my girlfriend. And I said she moved away. Besides, that's a whole different situation. It's got nothing to do with Wakana."

Miyuki put his hands up in fake defeat. "My bad."

"He doesn't even seem like he likes her. How can a person be this dry and still have someone begging for your attention? Man, I don't get it," Kuramochi said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone. Miyuki looked at it. It was different from the one that Kuramochi's phone always was. He kept his in a red and black case. It must have been Sawamura's again.

"Whose phone?" Ono asked.

"Sawamura's." "Eijun-Chan." Both Kuramochi and Masuko-Senpai answered at the same time.

"I'm trying to see what he has that I don't," Kuramochi offered.

Jun-San stood from the game board. He stomped over to where Kuramochi was sitting and bent down to get a look. "Let me see that!" he hissed.

"Look, he's a boring ass texter. 'Nothing, wyd?' Like, who even says that?" Kuramochi asked.

"She really is into him," Jun-San commented. He squatted down behind Kuramochi and stared at the screen. "She texts him like every day."

Tetsu-San pushed the game board back neatly and moved to sit to the side of Kuramochi. "Maybe that's his charm. His obliviousness."

"You think so?" Kuramochi questioned.

"Maybe it's his stupidness that she finds endearing," Miyuki said.

The guys all nodded in agreement.

"It might be that," Jun-San said. "Sometimes a dumb man is hot."

"Something like a himbo," Tetsu-San added.

There was a brief knock on the door. The door swung open immediately after. Sawamura stepped in with the drinks gathered in his hands. Furuya stood behind him with a single drink in his.

"Excuse us, we're back with the drinks," he said. He sighed and looked at the group. First, at Kuramochi, then his eyes traveled downwards to his hands. "That's mine! What the fuck are you doing with my phone?" he screamed.

"We wanted to check on you! Is there anything wrong with that?!" Jun-San asked.

"Um, do you hear yourself? Yes!" Sawamura hissed. He dropped the drinks on the closest bed and lunged for his phone. Kuramochi strategically avoided him, keeping his eyes on the messages as he scrolled.

"It's Kuramochi. He was curious about your efforts towards your girlfriend," Tetsu-San told him.

"Tetsu-San!" Kuramochi protested.

Sawamura rolled his eyes. Kuramochi tossed the phone to Jun-San. "Wakana is not my girlfriend!"

"Let's take a picture and send it to your not-girlfriend. We wanna see what she thinks about your cool Senpai," Jun-San laughed.

Jun-San lifted the phone up to fit everyone in the photo. He clicked the capture button a few times. They each moved to a different pose with each shot while Sawamura fumed in front of them. "Stop talking about Wakana, it's weird!"

"Who are you calling weird?" Kuramochi asked. He jumped and elbow-dropped onto Sawamura. Kuramochi quickly rolled to get the upper hand. Tetsu-San grasped the phone from the floor and angled it perfectly to get a shot of Kuramochi choking Sawamura.

The door swung open once more. Maezono stood in the doorway with his bat and a look of disbelief as he took in the scene. "How are you so cool with them?" he asked Sawamura.

"Cool? Does this look cool to you?" Sawamura choked out. "I get my ass beat on the daily and they're photographing it!"

"Don't move," Tetsu-San muttered as he snapped another photo. He turned to Miyuki and snapped two more. "Would you like me to send these to Hana?"

Miyuki frowned. Tetsu-San didn't seem to notice. He walked across the room to get a photo of Maezono and his look of surprise. "This is a good look."

Maezono sputtered. He gripped the bat he held in his hands tighter. His lips moved as if searching for something to say. Maezono breathed in deeply and pressed a hand to his chest. "Tetsu-San, I wanted to ask if maybe you could look over my batting form." His eyes cut over to Sawamura, who was being repositioned into another headlock. "Dammit, Sawamura, why do you get to have all the fun?"

"Again, this isn't fun!" he shouted.

"I'm having fun," Furuya said.

"Because you're weird!" Sawamura sputtered.

Miyuki's phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it out and read the time before opening it. Almost twelve a.m. If Coach found out about this, then he would probably make them run until sunup. "Shouldn't you guys be getting back to your own rooms now?" he asked. But the question fell on deaf ears.

He flipped his phone open and read his notifications. One reminder to take his vitamins. Another text from Mei that he was ignoring. Another reminder to get some rest. None from Hana. He hadn't been expecting her to send him a text after the hug that they shared earlier. At least, he wasn't expecting her to send the first text. He sighed and hovered the cursor over her contact name. He debated on sending a text. But he decided to let it fester. He'd text her the next morning and go from there.

The sound of someone clearing their throat made him look up. Rei-Chan stood behind Maezono with her hand on her hips and furrowed eyebrows. "Having fun, boys?" she asked. She glanced around and let out a soft giggle. "You guys know that we have a big day tomorrow. You all need some rest. Five more minutes and you all start heading back to your dorms, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am!" they all replied in unison.

Miyuki leaned back against his bunk. He chewed at his lip. Tomorrow would be the day. It'd be the answer on whether or not the third years retired or whether or not they'd go to Nationals. It was all starting to settle in now.

Chapter Text

The only noise that filled that room came from Tanaka-San packing his bags. 

It was an uncomfortable feeling. The aura that surrounded them bordered on tense. And even then, at the same time, it felt so bittersweet. Miyuki had never been close with Tanaka-San, but they had still lived together for over a year. You grew to become somewhat close living with another guy and being used to having them around. Now, it would just be him and Kimura until the season was over.

Miyuki kept quiet as Tanaka-San continued to grab his belongings. He didn't bother to make small talk. Instead, he focused his energy on hanging up the rest of his laundry. Tanaka-San zipped his luggage and then whistled once he finished. There was a clicking sound on the floor as he scraped the luggage wheels against the floor.

"You going home?" Tanaka-San asked.

He skirted around the room and looked over everything before looking over at Miyuki.

Miyuki shook his head as he slid his t-shirt onto the hanger. Tanaka-San chuckled at that.

"I thought you'd probably stay here," he said. He stood in the center of the room and glanced around. "Well, this is it. I'm heading out now... enjoy the room."

"Yeah,"Miyuki nodded. He cleared his throat awkwardly as he stared at Tanaka-San's bag. "Good luck."

Just like that, his baseball career was over. He had dedicated himself to three hard years of training to try and become a member of the first string, and just like that, his dream was over.

It seemed like they both knew that. Considering the way Tanaka-San was standing there trying to keep a smile on his face was telling. But Tanaka-San brushed it off with a short chuckle. He rested his hand on the knob of the door and turned back to look at Miyuki.

"I should be telling you that. You guys are gonna have a busy busy season. I'm kinda glad I won't have to stick around, y'know?" Tanaka-San smiled. They both knew that was a lie. "I'll probably see you around campus."

"Yeah, probably," Miyuki said.

Tanaka-San's smile faded. "See you around then, Miyuki."

"See you around."

He pushed the door open but didn't leave. Tanaka-San looked back again, but he wasn't looking at him. He was looking at the room as a whole. He quickly shook his head and walked out. There was a soft clink as the door closed. Miyuki blew a raspberry and looked at the closed door. Just like that, he was gone.

He eyed the jeans he was holding in his hands and frowned. It was even quieter in the room now that he was the only one inside. Granted, he was used to being in the room alone. But it was a strange feeling knowing that Tanaka-San would never come back. He would be with the other third years for the rest of the year with different meal times and more downtime.

Kimura was still gone since he had left earlier that morning to practice. The only reason why Miyuki was still in the room was because he had watched the game tape against Inashiro until the early hours of the morning and slept through his alarm clock. The sting from the loss was still obviously apparent. The exhaustion from the game and then losing the game took a toll on him that manifested in the need to sleep. He should've been sleeping all day to rest but he couldn't stand being stuck in the bed. Not now, anyway. Not when there was so much for him to do. So many mistakes to correct, a new training schedule to outline.

He needed to do everything. He had to do whatever he could to never feel that sort of despair in his heart again.

Being in the room wasn't solving that problem so he slid his sneakers on and walked to the cafeteria. The campus was relatively quiet as he walked through it. There were faint noises of baseballs clinking against bats but it was still eerily quiet. He couldn't hear any laughing or people talking. He was sure that everyone was still dealing with the loss in their own way. Whether that was wallowing around, licking their wounds, or regretting their mistakes.

Regret...

Miyuki could understand it all a little better now. He thought he could understand a better meaning. Not one in the way that Shirakwawa swore he'd come to feel. Because even now, after such a devastating loss, he didn't regret anything. He'd still choose Seidou. It was a sort of regret that made him feel like he should have done his job better. It was his responsibility to know his pitcher. He should have done more. But perhaps he had just been too eager for the win that he didn't see. He should have seen it. He should have been prepared for it.

He should have...

It all added to the list of what he needed to do to correct it. Being upset over what happened wouldn't change the outcome of the game. They lost. It was a simple fact and there wasn't anything they could do to change that. They needed to move on. But there was still the other, and very apparent, fact that he was faced with. The third years had retired. They had lost most of their strong lineup. Most of the team was filled with second years and no one came close to matching the power of the third year's lineup.

Simply put, if they didn't start putting in work to improve now, then they were absolutely fucked.

He slipped into the cafeteria and turned the tape on. Everyone was off so he didn't expect anyone to come by. The tape played on the screen starting from the first inning and he adjusted the speed so it played slowly. He needed to see every move to take notes. He was careful as he watched, leaning on his hand as it played. He observed every single move. He could understand how they made such stupid decisions under a game that brought this much pressure. It surely showed their lack of experience.

Batting, pitching sims, base running, exercise. They needed to improve on all of it.

The door clinked open but he didn't pause the tape to check who it was.

"Yo," It was Kuramochi. He went to stand at the edge of the table. "You've been watching the game since yesterday. I'm all for keeping everything in mind but... don't you think you should take a break?"

"We couldn't win with our strong lineup," Miyuki said. "Without the third years, we'll never get to Koshien."

"I-" Kuramochi began but his words ran off into a falter.

"I need to figure out how I can help the team grow," Miyuki said.

"Right."

They watched the game replay for a few more seconds before Kuramochi tsked. He rapped his knuckles against the table and then made his way for the door.

"I'm gonna get some batting in," he said as he was leaving.

Miyuki rewound the tape once more and pressed play. What more could he do? They didn't have an ace at the moment. The first years would be joining the team soon but they had even less experience than the whole team. It would take building the team up from the ground again. He slumped onto the table and leaned into his folded arm. His eyes closed as he thought.

There was also the problem of Sawamura and Furuya. No doubt, they were still reeling from the loss. They internalized everything. But he couldn't blame them for that. Shit, it still weighed heavily on his mind.

The door pulled open again and this time he lifted his head to look at the door. Hana stood there in front of him and stared down at him. She didn't smile at him like she usually did. He wondered if it was because of the loss or because she was worried. It was probably both. She was meant to go home today but it looked like she decided to stay. The season preparation would be busy for her too now that Takakao-Senpai was gone.

"Did Kuramochi tell you I was in here?" he asked.

She nodded and sat in the seat next to him. Her fingers twirled around themselves as if she was nervous because she was next to him.

"Yeah. I figured that you'd be in here, though. You were in here all day yesterday, too."

He ignored that and instead said, "I thought you were supposed to go home today."

"I decided not to."

He sighed and shook his head. "You didn't have to stay. I don't need a babysitter, Hana. You know that."

"Of course I know that!" she said quickly. It was a little stern as she said it.

"What are you doing here then?"

"Is it a bad thing if I wanted to check on you?" she asked with her eyes narrowed. After a second, she scoffed and stood up from the seat. "I'll just go."

His stomach squeezed as she turned to leave. Damn, he was fucking up again. He rushed out of his seat to reach for her hand so that she didn’t walk any further.

"You don't have to go," he said quickly. He licked his lip. "Wanna go somewhere?"

She turned around and looked at him. "What? Like right now? Where?"

He looked down at their hands and let go. "Anywhere."

She looked to the side to contemplate before shrugging and crossing her arms. She looked at him as he scratched at the back of his neck.

"Sure," she answered shortly.

He turned the television off and they walked out together. There were no words said between them as they walked off campus. He didn’t try to say anything because he knew she was probably upset with him.

There wasn’t usually a need to go off campus for anyone because of all of the amenities that came with the facility. Even then, if anyone needed anything, then it was more than likely that another one of the guys had what you were looking for. Every few weeks, a group of guys would go buy toiletries at the local market, but that was it for venturing outside of the campus. Most of their free time went into practice, so they didn’t have time to leave the campus. Things like parties or even hanging out were out of the question. Baseball was basically their job.

Even the managers had a tight schedule. With organizing their games, ordering supplies, and keeping data, it took up a lot of time. They were also great at being supportive.

Truthfully, he felt bad for being snappy at her. She was the only person that he could count on to be consistent. It wasn’t her fault that they lost. So he figured that taking her to the Snack Shop five minutes off campus was an okay apology. It didn’t cover it, but it was a start.

She sat on the bench that sat in front of the convenience store. It sat right off to the side. He always liked that there was a small pond for fish.

She fixed her eyes on the fish moving in the pond.

"You want dango?" he asked.

She hummed quietly to herself. Her gaze didn’t meet his. The only thing she looked at was the fish swimming in the pond. She eventually shrugged in response.

He leaned down to place a hand on her shoulder. "I'll be right back. Stay here."

He didn’t think she would leave him here and go back to campus while he was inside, but he didn’t want to take the chance. Miyuki shuffled through the aisles and grabbed a sweet bubbly drink from the fridge. After he paid for the dango, he met her back outside. She was still sitting in the same spot, but she was finally looking up at him instead of the fish.

"Here," he huffed, sitting beside her.

He handed her the dango and she hesitated as she grabbed it. They didn’t talk. It felt as if it had been quiet between them forever. He knew he should say something, but he wasn’t sure what to say to her. The only thing he could do was bite at his lower lip and glance at her from the corner of his eye. Despite the silence, she had a tiny smile on her face as she ate the dango. It made him crack a smile.

Her shoes dug slightly into the dirt. He should probably say something.

"Sorry about that," he said. "I just needed to think somewhere that wasn’t in the cafeteria."

She finally looked over at him. "It's okay."

"Did you want to go home?"

"Kinda," she said, shrugging. "But it felt wrong leaving after the game. I wanted to stay around so that I could help everyone out."

"So, you didn't stay for me?" he teased, cheesing at her.

She smiled softly and her shoulders dropped. "I'm worried about everyone, that's true," she said. "But it's true that I wanted to stay and talk to you."

His eyes widened slightly and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Talk to me? Why?"

"I just want to be there for you."

It was something so simple. But he knew that she meant it in the most honest way. It made his heart flutter. She was such a kind person. If it were possible, then she'd be perfection personified. She was so different from him. He had always liked that about her. It always intrigued him that she was in her own world. Sometimes, he liked to escape into it when he was feeling overwhelmed. It brought him out of his thoughts and gave him a break. She was always there to let him, and she was always there to break down his walls. Even if it was scary for him. Even if it made him feel weird. He always let her.

It was here and now that he got the feeling that he wanted more. During the past few months, he'd only been thinking of what it would be like if they were together. He liked to envision what their life would be like if she was his and they were each other's. But it was just something of a fantasy that didn't have any real weight to it. Of course, he knew from that night in the summer that he wanted her. But he also knew that there was no guarantee that he was going to have her. He still wasn't sure if she even felt for him in that way.

He was still figuring that out. But it was clear to him now that he did want to be her boyfriend and everything else in between. But Miyuki knew more than anyone that you didn't always get what you wanted. The idea of being someone's boyfriend and actually being one, a good one at that, were two completely different things. If they ever got to that level of dating, he didn't want to string her along with promises that he couldn't keep.

It would be a big responsibility. The effort he put into their friendship would be a lot more for their potential romantic relationship. Before anything else, he needed to see if he could provide her with everything she needed. Much of his time and energy went to baseball. He didn't want her to ever feel that she wasn't loved or appreciated by him. So he needed to understand what it meant to share your life with someone. In addition to that, he needed to see if she even felt the same. It wouldn't be worth it to say anything if he was unsure of himself or of the feelings that she might have for him. So he needed to be more than sure before he ruined something precious.

Platonic or Not, Upping the Stakes.

He smiled to himself. "Don't worry, Hanacchi. It's not like I'm thinking of quitting and leaving the country."

"I know that, stupid!" she said. She laughed softly. "I know that we don't have much of a battery anymore. But you're still my catcher. I wanted to talk to you and see what sort of plans that evil brain is creating. It's probably in overtime right now."

She knew him so well.

"There's a lot to do if we want to have somewhat of a decent team," he admitted.

"You think you guys will be able to do it?"

"I honestly don't know. But, what I do know, is that I can't make the same mistakes again. I need to learn from what happened."

"Kazuya," she gasped. "Is this growth?"

He snickered and threw an arm around her. She was smiling so brightly that he couldn't help but smile too.

"Are you holding up okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. Things are busy with the managers now that Takakao-Senpai is gone but we're getting through it," she said. "You?"

"Yeah. I'm good."

"I knew you were planning for the next season. But I just wanted to make sure that you weren't giving up." She groaned once she said it and shook her head. "It sounds stupid when I say it out loud."

"Me? You think I'd pass on the opportunity to beat a new and improved Mei?" he teased.

Though he did mean it. It was no secret that Mei had messed up in the last Nationals. But Mei was hungry for redemption and he'd learn more after coming back from this year's Nationals. The bar was even higher now. It would feel all that more refreshing to win.

"I still want to beat Mei," he said. "I still want to win. That much hasn't changed."

  -

He didn’t see her for the next few days. It was probably a good thing that he didn’t.

It felt like he had a new epiphany every time he was around her. She was weighing heavily on his mind even more in the past few days. It gave them both time to do much-needed work. He was still going over the tape, and she was meeting with Rei-Chan every so often. He didn’t need to be horny while he was locking in on Autumn Preparation.

He was still in disbelief with himself. Because, fuck, being someone’s boyfriend? It was a thought that seemed so insane when he was involved in it. He could hardly wrap his head around it. There was so much research to do in order to figure out what made someone a good boyfriend. He had only scratched the surface so far with answers. Obviously, most things came with experience. But he needed to know the basics too.

So far, it looked like a partner needed love, affection, attention, time, support, and companionship. He still needed to know what each of those meant. It crossed his mind that perhaps he should ask Jun-San, considering his past time of reading warm Shoujo Mangas. He decided against that. He didn’t want Jun-San to combust from embarrassment.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sawamura asked.

He sat across from him, and the tape from the Inashiro game played slowly. Miyuki had watched the damn tape so much in the past few days that he could guess what was coming next. Sawamura was the one who asked him to watch it, so he couldn’t refuse a learning opportunity. He was surprised to see that Sawamura was so eager to look at it. After the pitch to the head, he was afraid it would take Sawamura a lot of time to work through it. His sheer determination was always something that Miyuki enjoyed watching. It had the smallest bud to bloom into an Ace.

"Ha?" Miyuki asked.

Sawamura cocked his head to the side as he ran his eyes up and down him.

"You're being weird. I don't like it."

"Quit projecting," Miyuki replied.

"I am not projecting," Sawamura mumbled under his breath.

He turned towards the television with his arms crossed over his chest. A big pout sat on his face as he watched himself pitch. Miyuki rewound once again to the beginning of Sawamura's entrance on the mound.

"Here, dumbass," Miyuki said. He slid the remote across the table. "Walk me through your thinking."

"Yes, sir," Sawamura said. "I'm on it!"

The door flung open as Sawamura went to pause the video after a pitch. Kuramochi leaned in the frame while Maezono stood outside with his arms crossed. Man, he was so serious at times.

"What's up?" Miyuki asked them.

"Yeah, what's up?" Sawamura asked.

"Did someone sneak into the training grounds again?" Miyuki laughed.

Kuramochi cackled and jutted a thumb over to Sawamura.

"Nah. The usual perpetrator is sitting right over there." Kuramochi glanced back at Zono and smirked. "Coach is asking for you."

"Has anyone ever told you guys that the two of you are bullies? It's like a match made in hell," Sawamura interjected.

Ignoring him, Miyuki stood from the table and looked over at Sawamura. "We'll wrap up early tonight. Watch the rest of this sequence and then get to bed. We have practice tomorrow."

Miyuki blew out a breath as he pushed the chair in. He hoped it wasn’t what he thought it was.

Kuramochi patted his back as they left, and Zono tossed an arm around him. Damn, he reaaally hoped it wasn’t what he was thinking.

"So, what did you say the Coach wanted?" he asked the two of them with nonchalance.

"Stop trying to pry out details," Kuramochi said.

How observant of him.

They walked up the steps, and Zono reached out to knock on the door. A moment later, the door swung open. Rei-Chan stood in front of them and smiled, stepping aside so that they could come in. Coach Kataoka sat on the leather couch in the middle of the room with his cigarette hanging between his lips.

"Thanks, boys," Coach Kataoka said to them. He looked to Miyuki and cleared his throat. "Miyuki, as you know, we've gone through quite the experience. First, the loss against Inashiro in the finals, and now with our third years retiring. It's quite the setback. But there's no use in feeling sorry for ourselves. We need to rebuild ourselves right now and as quickly as possible."

"Yes, sir," Miyuki said.

Coach Kataoka stood from his seat. He took a long drag on his cigarette and stared at Miyuki dead on.

"You've been an important piece to the team. You're reliable and you have natural leadership skills. I've always been able to count on you to get a job done. It's because of that, that I nominate you as the Captain. Of course, this responsibility won't come easy. You'll have the whole team relying on you. But you never back down from a challenge, and I'm trusting you to carry the heart of the team."

Miyuki sucked in a breath. His throat was so tight that he couldn't swallow.

"Do you accept?" Coach Kataoka asked.

"I accept," Miyuki said.

Coach Kataoka cracked the smallest smile. "I know you have what it takes. Kuramochi and Maezono will be here to help shoulder the burden as your vice-captains." He looked at all of them. "I'm counting on you. Let's start making a good season. I'll see you all on the field tomorrow."

"Yes, sir," they all said in unison.

"Get some sleep then," he told them.

They turned to walk out the door. Rei-Chan smiled at him and muttered a quiet, "Congratulations," on his way out. Once the door closed behind them, he finally felt like he could breathe again. He looked at Zono and Kuramochi.

"See you guys tomorrow."

"Bright and early!" Kuramochi laughed.

"Bring your 'A' game, Captain!" Maezono chuckled.

They both departed and left him standing on the second floor. Kuramochi walked off towards the cafeteria, and Maezono entered his room.

Miyuki tapped his fingers against the railing before going down the steps and toward the only place that he could think of.

The dugout was quietest at night. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he crossed the field to get to it. It almost looked as if there was someone sitting in the front. Upon closer inspection, he made it out to be Hana. She was looking around the dugout; he figured that she was probably taking notes on it. Any imperfections or needs for improvement were written down and given to the Director.

"You knew, didn't you?" he questioned as he approached her.

It made sense. She had been with Rei-Chan so much in the past few days. Talks about the Captain had been spreading around with everyone's thoughts. Managers usually knew a few days before so that they could start early on the team paperwork.

She turned and faced him. There was a slight frown on her face. He wasn't mad at her. If anything, it was far from anger. He had a feeling that it would be him. He didn't want it to be, so he hoped that they would nominate someone else. Deep down, he felt like it was going to be him. There was a bubbling pit of anxiety in his stomach as he thought about his new role on the team. The goddamn Captain? How was he supposed to amount to Tetsu-San?

"Yeah..." she said.

He sighed and walked inside the dugout. He took a seat as she leaned against the rail in front of him.

"I don't know if I'm cut out for being a Captain," he admitted. He kept his eyes on the floor. "People don't usually like what I have to say. I'm not like Tetsu-San. Everyone admired him so much. He was so reliable."

"Well, first, you aren't Tetsu-San. You're you. It's not like you haven't done it before; you lead the pitchers all the time."

"That's different, Hanacchi."

She sighed and took a seat beside him. She leaned slightly into him. Her scent filled his nose. It was slightly reminiscent of the time when they spoke after he was appointed as the Starting Catcher. He wondered if she knew that.

"You've already got the basics down. You've always been a good leader, Kazuya. Even if you don't think so," Hana said. "It'll be a learning experience for you and everyone else. You won't be doing this alone. Kuramochi and Zono will be there to support you. And I'll be here to support you. You got this."

He groaned dramatically. "But, Haniiii. I don't want tooooo."

"That's too bad. You already accepted." She laughed.

"I guessss that's true." He sighed.

She stood from the seat and set her hands on her hips. "Alright, let's go. I've been out here for like thirty minutes, and I'm tired. You have a big day tomorrow."

Miyuki stood up from his seat, and they walked off onto the field.

"So everyone keeps saying," he said, referring to the night's earlier events.

"You'll get used to it soon."

"Were there any other prospects for Captain?" he asked her.

"Not that I know of. I think they've had it in mind that you'd be the next Captain for a while now."

He gagged. "I really can't believe that."

  -

Growing into the Captain role wasn't as hard as he initially thought.

It was way fucking worse.

It had only been a few days since he accepted the new position, and he was already in the dog-house with Miyauchi-Senpai. He thought that his plate was full enough with the Qualifiers coming up—not to mention everything he had just decided about Hana. And now, Nori was giving everyone the cold shoulder over the loss against Inashiro. It was painful; Miyuki could understand that. But he wasn't sure how to help him overcome the funk that he was in. How the hell was he expected to fix something like that?

It made him heavily doubt his capabilities as a boyfriend. If he was lacking so heavily in the support and reliability department, how was he supposed to be there for Hana? He couldn't even help his own damn teammate. It was difficult for him to wrap his head around, especially with his mind being everywhere at once with the added workload. It was proving difficult to find a balance.

Tetsu-San didn't seem to have this problem when he was the Captain. People just naturally liked him and went to him for help. It was still early, but he could tell that no one saw him as the Captain.

Miyuki sighed and stuffed his jersey deep into his duffel bag. The stress was setting in. Granted, he didn't think it was ideal to have practice games in place of going to Nationals, but with their recent performance in the practice games, it was more than clear that they needed to be there. The team would benefit from the experience. As much as he wanted to be there at Nationals, it was best that they were here and carefully analyzing their flaws rather than finding out about them at Nationals.

A pair of shoes appeared and positioned themselves in front of his duffel bag. Based on the style and sizing of them, he knew that they belonged to Hana.

"Hey, Hani," he said without looking up.

"Hey there, Captain."

He groaned and glimpsed up at her, using his hand to shield his eyes from the setting sun.

"Ahh, sorry... I meant, 'Hey, Manager'," he chuckled.

She smirked down at him and crossed her arms over her chest. "Wanna hang out tonight?"

He took a glance around the field. He could see Sachiko and Natsukawa standing at the fence. It looked like they were waiting for her.

"Are you throwing a party?" he asked, smiling. "Or are your bodyguards just standing watch?"

She glanced back at them and lifted a finger up to signal for them to wait.

"I'm not throwing a party, and they aren't my bodyguards. We're just walking back together. You sound jealousss."

Miyuki cringed as he stood to his feet. He could see both Sachiko and Natsukawa laughing with each other.

"Jealous? Me??" he joked.

He'd ignore the jealous moment he had over Chris-Senpai, though. Technically, he wasn't jealous or anything. He'd say it was a minor concern.

"Who else would you spend your time with when I'm busy?"

"I hang out with Eijun all the time," she said with an eye roll. "And Furuya-Kun."

"Furuya hardly likes you."

"That's not true. We're like this!" she said. She lifted her fingers and crossed them for emphasis.

"Oh?" He lifted his duffel bag onto his shoulder. "Then what are we like?"

She shifted her gaze away and pursed her lips together. The sunlight highlighted her lipgloss in a shimmery gold color.

"Well, if you're my wife and I'm your husband, then that obviously makes us married," she said brightly. "So are we hanging out?"

Platonic or Not. You ask "What are we?" and she changed the subject. If she didn't look so sweet smiling right now, then he'd probably have said something extremely snarky and sarcastic. Albeit, he didn't. After all, he wasn't expecting her to say anything serious. So, so, dense.

"Okay, I'll meet up with you after I take a shower."

"Great, let's meet at the back of the dorms," she nodded. "I'll see you soon!"

She walked off first and met up with Sachiko and Natsukawa. He couldn't hear what they were saying as they walked off, but he could see they were laughing. Weird.

As he walked towards his dorm room, he could see Sawamura sprinting from off the side of the field to walk alongside him.

"It's a 'no'," Miyuki started.

"How can you say no, and you don't even know what I was gonna say?"

"You weren't going to ask me to catch your pitch?"

Sawamura ruffled and fixed his bangs into place. He laughed awkwardly. "Nahhh. Definitely not."

"Good, because you need rest. So if you see Furuya, then tell him I said the same thing. It's not like you two ever listen to me, but if you feel like you reaaally need to, then you guys can go for a run."

"Yes, Cap," Sawamura said. "Hey, can we come by your room for movie night then?"

"Why is my room the meeting spot for everyone?"

Sawamura shrugged. "Your room is more comfortable. Plus, everyone fits in there. And Netflix plays the best on your TV."

"Personally, I don't feel like watching Captain America tonight. So, you'll have to find another night to do it," Miyuki said. "Plus, we need to watch Inashiro in the Finals. That way, we'll engage in some team bonding."

"Watching Him, in My spot, is not team bonding. But yeah, I'll be there," Sawamura hissed. He broke away from him to walk in the direction of his dorm, waving goodbye as he did. "See ya, Cap!"

Miyuki quickly showered after he dropped his bag off in his room and left the shower room to meet Hana behind the dorms. The sun was down now, and the stars were hanging overhead. Once he got there, he could see her sitting on the steps that led up to the walkway. It had been a while since they'd met each other back here. It brought back memories from their first year when they were both so busy and all they had was a few minutes of time to meet behind the dorms so that they could hang out.

It was different now, though, he thought as he sat next to her. He hadn’t paid much attention to his feelings then.

"Hey," she smiled.

"Hey," he said.

His shoulders dropped slightly, and it felt like the stress had slightly alleviated. It was obvious that the stress was causing him to act out. He didn’t think it was that obvious, but it was there. He had never miscalculated a throw before, but his mind had been so centered on everything else around him that he was starting to blank out and go deep into his thoughts.

The support that she usually gave him was more than appreciated now. He wanted nothing more at the moment than to just hold her tight and hide away from the rest of the world for just a few seconds. Or, more specifically, the team. It wasn’t the fact that he didn’t want to be the Captain. He’d already accepted the role. Coach Kataoka thought it was the best decision for the team, so he wouldn’t insult him and question his judgment. He wasn’t going to step down. Everything was just proving to be a challenge. Leading the pitchers versus the whole team was a different experience. It was something he wasn’t sure how to do yet.

"Why did you pick here to meet?" he asked.

"I wanted to give you something," she said.

She looked almost shy. He lifted an eyebrow in suspense as she tapped her fingers along her legs.

"Hmm, really? What?"

She handed him a white plastic bag as he stretched his neck. He couldn’t quite make out what it was from the outside. He moved the hand that was pressing into his shoulder to grab the bag from her and reached inside. He pulled a book out with a bright red cover. It was Sun Tzu.

"Don't you love it?" she questioned, bumping his shoulder. She tried to hold in a laugh but failed and doubled over with laughter.

"It's very informative. The Art of War... very nice, Hani," he laughed with her.

She sat back and took a deep breath to calm her laughter and tucked a wild piece of hair behind her ear. She calmly let out a breath and looked at him.

"No more joking," she said. The bottom of her foot scraped along the concrete steps. "I know things are hard for you right now, Kazuya. But you have to try and relax, okay? Stop putting so much pressure on yourself."

"Am I being obvious?" he questioned in a teasing tone.

"No. But, I know how you can be," she said. "Be yourself, but be open. You should try to be more receptive to other people's feelings... consider what they might be feeling, y'know? Everything else... that'll just fall into place with time."

How others might be feeling? He wasn’t quite sure how to go about that. He always looked at people he thought were interesting. He took pride in helping other people grow and shine. Almost as if they were a plant and he was the sun. Before, he had never thought it was all that difficult. But now he was faced with everyone thinking he was too harsh and not in tune with his emotions. He knew he was.

Miyuki wasn’t sure how to address a problem that kept persisting for them. A problem that was rooted deep in emotions and self-image was something that was foreign to him. Whenever he had a problem, he just looked for a way to fix it. His performance in the Finals bothered him, but he didn’t let it get to him; he just wanted to grow from it instead of wallowing in it.

"I need to fix the root of the problem," he mumbled to himself.

Nori lacked confidence despite being a great pitcher. It was his insecurities that held him back. He would grow so much more if he didn’t internalize everything. Miyuki sat back and wondered how he could help with that. How could you build someone's confidence other than pushing them?

"Tetsu-San was a natural at this."

"You're a natural at this. You've been leading pitchers since you were a kid. You're just being way too critical."

She looked over at him in a way that was bashful or timid before looking off. He was glad that she did because his cheeks burned from her candidacy. Still, a smile grew on his face to match the blush as he thought about her words. She looked back over with a tiny smile on her face. She felt too good to be true.

They sat so close to each other, but there was a bit of distance. Their hands were pressed to the concrete, so close that the tips of their fingers were almost touching. Just barely. It was hard to take his eyes off her. Those eyes. Her eyes. They were so bright. He wanted to lean over and kiss her. It felt like all his problems would be solved then.

Instead, he took a deep breath and grabbed his newly gifted book.

"Alright, be more open. Read some Sun Tzu. Got it," he said.

She laughed next to him. He smiled as she laughed; it made him feel warm inside.

"You'd be too powerful. Military tactics and leading a baseball team?"

"Baseball isn't that far off from military ideals," he said.

"I do believe in you. You're gonna be a good Captain... or, Commander. I'll ask Eijun."

She moved in closer and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. He stiffened initially at the contact but eased into it. This hug felt different. Different from the ones she would give him that were brief and friendly. Different from the one the night before finals. He couldn’t explain it. He leaned into the hug, hugging her back, and pressed his face into her shoulder. She felt warm against him. It felt like nothing else mattered right now.

"Thanks, Hana," he mumbled into the fabric of her sweater.

The smell of Strawberries filled his nose. He should have moved before his heart jumped out of his chest. But he found that he couldn't move. That, or his body didn’t want to. And instead of letting go, he squeezed her the slightest bit tighter.

Chapter Text

Hana, whether she knew or not, had the power to kill him. 

Strawberry scented lotion, a thin sheen of clear glittered lip-gloss, and her skirt rolled twice at her hips. Miyuki wondered if she knew the power she had over him. He wondered if she knew how easy it was to get him to swoon over her with just the blink of her lashes or the sway of her skirt. Hana was, in every sense of the word, perfect -- and Miyuki didn't believe in perfect. 

She stood at the top of the steps with her arms crossed early Monday morning. A small frown stretched across her glossed lips as she stared down at him. Her legs were exposed and her skirt came down to her mid-thigh. She had to have been doing this on purpose. 

Miyuki wasn't well-versed with sex appeal. But his eyes had been lingering too long lately and his mind had been running with the possibilities of what he would do if he had the chance. He wanted nothing more than to feel how soft she felt in his arms or how she would whine if he palmed her ass while kissing her deeply. It's a bit shameful, but he couldn't help it when she wore her skirt so short and pants so tight. Any more, and he might just keel over. 

It was only 8 a.m. and he had been speechless as he walked up the steps. Hana didn't seem to notice. She unfolded her arms and put her hands on her hips. Cute -- Miyuki thought, he loved it when she hit him with a bit of authority. 

"You're late." She said.

He was late. Miyuki was supposed to have been there about ten minutes ago but he had gotten held up talking to Rei-Chan.

"Sorry, Hani," He said. 

"Why are you so late?" She asked while clicking her tongue.

Miyuki shrugged and leaned against the rail. It ran across the large window that was in the middle of the staircase and overlooked the garden at the back of campus. It was quiet because most students didn't take the back staircase. Miyuki couldn't complain, it was peaceful. 

He stared out at the big cherry blossom tree that stood next to the fountain. "Sawamura..."

It's enough for her to understand. Her face dropped slightly as she grabbed the rail.

"Right," She nodded, a frown on her face once more. "That makes sense."

The damn yips were a force to be reckoned with. Miyuki himself had never experienced something like that before, but he had a teammate before who had his moment of difficulty. A mental block was difficult to overcome. The mind was complex. He just hoped that Sawamura had what it took to get through it. 

Hana stared out across the garden and he pinched her cheek. She looked at him and smiled. 

"So, what's your plan?"

"Ha? What do you mean?" He asked her.

"You always have a plan." She pointed out to him.

Miyuku shrugged. He hadn't been sure. He did know that something needed to be done about Sawamura immediately. But it was difficult with the state of the team at the moment. "I dunno."

"Liar," Hana said through narrowed eyes. "You feel bad and you want to help him. Which, you will. I know it."

"How do you know?" He chuckled.

"Because I know you."

Perhaps a pitcher understood their catcher just as much. He wanted to think it was an acquired skill but Miyuki couldn't figure out if it was their bond, their battery, or both that helped them to understand each other. Hana was dense, that couldn't be denied, but she was knowledgeable. He wondered just how much she knew about his feelings for her. They had been blatant and bold lately, but she didn't seem to understand them. Was he giving her mixed signals? 

Miyuki chewed at his lip and glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She had already been looking at him. She quickly averted her eyes and looked back outside. Her lashes fluttered and her lips moved awkwardly. How beautiful -- Miyuki thought. He wondered if she knew just how pretty she was. He couldn't place a particular moment or face or habit that she did that he liked the most because she was stunning in all. It would have been a perfect time to tease her so that he could see her flustered but he decided against it. The moment didn't call for it.

He smiled at her and turned so that his back leaned against the rail. "What's your first class?"

"I have to go to Economics," She told him. "You?"

"Calc 3."

Hana tilted her head back and laughed. "Of course, you're taking Calculus 3 this semester."

"Ha?" Miyuki lifted an eyebrow. "Someone sounds jealous."

"Jealous of someone taking Calc 3? Yeah, right!" She giggled.  "Sachi-Chan's taking Calc 3, too. Maybe you guys can bond."

Miyuki pretended to gag. "Is that who you ditched me for this morning?"

"I did not ditch you! Sachi and I just ate breakfast together... and last I checked, we didn't have plans to this morning." She said. 

Hana cast her eyes down to her phone as it started to buzz, then she looked back up at him. "Class is starting."

Miyuki checked his own phone. "I'll walk you."

"Really?"

He nodded. "It's on the way."

Hana looked up from fixing her uniform and narrowed her eyes at him, smirking. "On the way? You're on the other side of the hall."

"It'll be fine. I'm an athlete, Hani."

"Okay, fine." She said. "But you're gonna have to hold my books, too."

"Already on it." He said to her.

Hana bent down and grabbed her backpack. Her exposed legs seemingly teased him as she bent over. Her skirt swished against her legs as she zipped up the side of it. Miyuki began to sweat as he stared. And then, just as quickly as he saw it, it was gone. The answer to his question and the beginning of a new one already turned in his head. He saw the faintest glimpse of pink material dug into the plush skin of her ass. He might just combust. Miyuki sighed and averted his eyes. Get a grip, he reminded himself as he grabbed her bag for her once she turned around, completely unaware of her flashing him a panty shot. 

Had she known? If she did, Miyuki wouldn't have been able to guess that she was such a tease. He doubted it. Hana had it in her to poke with him. She threw his words right back at him and had some of her own. But she could get so shy with things that were bold. Oh, His Hani -- he thought. Of course she'd be the one to unintentionally make him hard in the middle of the hallway before his first class.

Miyuki started to think about the errands he needed to do that day instead. Read the scorebook, Sawamura, etc. He didn't have the time for his mind to be elsewhere.

"Thanks," She smiled. 

"I'll be a bit late for lunch today." Miyuki told her as they walked through the hall.

The hall was rather empty. A few people walked in the opposite direction of them. Some of them waved at the two of them as they walked by. Hana cheerfully waved back. 

"Are you trying to skip out on me again?" Hana asked.

"Me? Never," He said. "I just need to speak with Rei-Chan."

Hana played with the ends of her hair. "Okay, what about?"

Miyuki swished his cheek and glanced at her. "Some scout."

Hana stopped walking and stepped in front of him. Her hand shot out and pressed against his chest so that he couldn't move. 

"Kazuya!" She squealed. "What do you mean 'some scout'?" 

Hana's eyes glowed as she looked at him. He hadn't been worried about the scout. Despite his reaction, he was excited. It was the future that he had been thinking about. It was coming faster than he expected. In about a year and a half, he'd be on a different trajectory... a different life. It was exciting and he took it in stride. But as he looked at her glowing eyes and full smile, his heart squeezed. He wanted her there with him in the future. But he knew that wanting something didn't mean that you were able to get it. 

Where would Hana be in a year in a half? She had her own hopes and dreams. What if he didn't fit into her future? There wasn't much that he could do but to support her. He was willing to do that wherever he was. 

He could always ask about her plans in depth but it had been more awkward for him to think about it. It was difficult when you were in love with someone and didn't want them to go but you didn't want them to know either.

"A scout," He looked down at his phone. One more minute until class started. "C'mon, we have to go."

"Okay," She said as she walked backward. "But we're not done talking about this."

Miyuki stopped in front of her classroom and handed Hana her backpack. Instead of grabbing it, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. He would be late for sure, but he didn't care. Not when he was in her arms like this. He closed his eyes as she tightened her arms and reveled in the moment. The scent of strawberries surrounded him. He would smell like her for the rest of the day. He couldn't complain about that either.

"I'm so proud of you." She mumbled against his shoulder.

He smiled and patted her head. As much as he didn't want to, he broke the hug first. She stared back at him with her eyes still aglow and her smile just as wide. 

"Thanks, Hanacchi. But it's still only the first step."

"Shut up and let me have this," She said, grabbing her bag from him. "Thanks for walking me to class. I'll see you later."

Miyuki watched as she skipped into her classroom. Her skirt fluttered as she moved. Miyuki shook his head as he backed away. Like he said, she had the power to kill him.

He walked to his classroom in silence and quietly opened the backdoor. Kuramochi was sitting in his seat and the teacher hadn't been inside yet. Jackpot -- Miyuki thought as he slipped inside and in his desk. He grabbed the scorebook and started to flip through it. Now, he would figure out what to do about Sawamura.

"Yo, captain." Kuramochi said, standing in front of his desk. "What are you gonna do?"

Miyuki didn't look up and continued to stare down at the book. "About what? "

"Fucking idiot," Kuramochi huffed angrily. "About Sawamura! Don't we need his pitching for the fall tourney?"

"You seem concerned about him." Miyuki mumbled.

"Hell no. He's just gloomy as hell in our room. I'm sick of it."

Miyuki understood what he had been saying. It was obvious that Sawamura had been depressed lately. It was a dampener considering he was usually the one who gave the team much needed momentum. 

Miyuki glanced up at his turned up face and then back down at the book. "Shouldn't you be concerned about the batting line-up instead of Sawamura?"

Harsh -- Miyuki thought. But he needed to see what Kuramochi thought about it. It wasn't Kuramochi's fault that Sawamura cracked under the pressure. It was his.

"He's the heart of our team." Kuramochi admitted.

Miyuki sighed out. "We need to focus on making our team for this tournament... not individuals."

"I know!" Kuramochi slammed his hand against the desk. The rest of the class quieted as they glared at each other, eyes unwavering. "But we're his Senpai and we need to look out for him!"

Miyuki's fists clenched as he thought about the previous game. He fucked up and he knew that. He saw the crack but couldn't fix it before it spread. "I'm partially to blame for his pitching in that game. I was hounding him at every opportunity and he must have felt the pressure."

"Then-"

"Sawamura's got potential. And if something like that destroys him.. what kind of catcher would that make me?"

Kuramochi scowled and stared at him. "How can you be so goddamn backwards."

"Right?" Miyuki nodded. 

He was backwards.

-

"You need to sleep early!" Miyuki said to Furuya as he walked out of the cafeteria. "You need a lot of rest because you're pitching again tomorrow."

He tried not to cringe at the sound of him sounding like an over-concerned mother. 

"Yes, sir," Furuya nodded. "I'll pitch until I can't. And then some more."

Miyuki frowned. It was the exact opposite of what he just said. "That's certainly excessive... go to bed."

Furuya walked off and Miyuki checked his phone. It was time.

Miyuki walked to the indoor training grounds. Coach Kataoka and Chris-Senpai stood outside of the entrance looking inside while Sawamura pitched vivaciously to the first year catcher. Kanemaru-Kun stood in as the batter. Miyuki grinned as he saw the sight. Sawamura pitched unsuccessfully but with much more determination than he had lately. 

He asked Chris-Senpai to step in and speak to him and even though it was a hit to Miyuki's ego, he knew that he made the right decision. Sawamura and Chris-Senpai had a bond that was completely different from the one that was developing between the two of them. Chris-Senpai's words would come across as more genuine and meaningful. His demeanor was one that carefully understood the emotional needs of pitchers and it was something that Miyuki knew he lacked. What Chris-Senpai had to offer was more beneficial to Sawamura and it was all that mattered.

Granted, it was frustrating that Miyuki didn't have what it took to speak to him. If he couldn't fix this, then how was he supposed to be strong for the team? 

"Thanks for helping," he said to Chris-Senpai. "It sucks but I knew it would come across differently coming from you."

"I've been wanting to say this to him for a long time." Chris-Senpai nodded.

Miyuki smiled as he watched. "All that's left is how he'll overcome it himself."

"He will," Coach nodded, then looked at the two of them. "I'm heading to bed. Make sure he isn't here all night." 

"Will do," Miyuki told him.

"Night," Chris-Senpai said.

They stood in silence for a few moments before Chris-Senpai cleared his throat. They both stared ahead at Sawamura. The wind sifted around them and the smell of grass and fresh air circulated around them. 

"How's the team?" Chris-Senpai asked.

"Challenging. But it's worth it." Miyuki admitted.

It was hard being a captain. In addition to having the whole team relying on him, he had to command all the pitchers. That had been no easy feat. Miyuki thought back on Hana's advice and tried to follow it the best way that he knew how. But it was hard waiting for things to fall into place. It was difficult to feel confident in his role during the place of limbo. 

"And Hana-Chan? How is she?" 

"She's good." Miyuki said.

Chris-Senpai turned to him and raised his eyebrow. Miyuki pressed his lips together tightly as his stomach dropped. Chris-Senpai gave him a knowing look with a half smile. It was the sort of look where you both knew what was about to be said.

"What?" Miyuki asked, despite it.

"You have feelings for her, right?"

Feelings? Miyuki had always known that he loved her. But recently it felt like even more than that. It was hard to put into words but he knew how he felt. His heart raced at the question.

"Ha?" Miyuki feigned ignorance. "What makes you say that?"

Chris said nothing and only responded with a smile. Miyuki sighed and clenched his hands into his fists. Sawamura winded up and pitched another ball. Miyuki stared at the ground. If he admitted to it, it would be the first time that he said it out loud. He and Toku-San beat around the bush with it. It was likely known in the household, but not confirmed. Miyuki was hesitant to agree but he was burning to talk about the feelings that were developing inside of him. 

He wondered how Chris-Senpai knew about it. Was it obvious? Had Hana said anything to him? He tried to keep everything under wraps. If Chris-Senpai knew then perhaps Hana herself knew about it too.

"How'd you know?"

"It's nothing too telling," Chris-Senpai shrugged. Miyuki sighed in relief. "You look at her differently. It's a different sort of admiration that you have for her."

"Oh," Miyuki said, scratching the back of his neck. "Is it obvious?"

"To everyone but her it seems." Chris said. "You guys are very close. It looks like you're dating sometimes. But I can understand how your friendship looks like it's bordering on something else."

"Fuck," Miyuki muttered. 

Dense, Hana.

"What are you going to do about it?" Chris-Senpai asked him.

"I don't know."

Truthfully, he didn't know. There were a lot of possibilities. Although his heart ached for her and every part of him wanted her, the logistics of the future stared back at him. There was the chance that they would separate. There was also the chance that he could ruin everything that they spent years building up with each other off of three simple words. 

"Why not?" 

"I'm not even sure that she feels the same way." Miyuki said.

"Mm," Chris-Senpai muttered, then shrugged. "She does."

Miyuki turned to look at him with raised eyebrows. "How do you know?"

Had she said anything to Chris-Senpai and he never knew the whole time? Were there potentially other people around who knew about it? 

"I just know it." Chris-Senpai said to him. 

Miyuki's eyebrows furrowed as he thought about his words. He just knew it? That hadn't been helpful at all. It still cast doubt over Miyuki's thoughts. What did it mean? -- Miyuki thought. 

"Has she ever said anything? Y'know... about it?" He asked tentatively.

"Well, it would be for her to tell you." Chris-Senpai said.

Miyuki frowned. At the sight of his face, Chris-Senpai chuckled. A few more moments of silence passed by before Chris-Senpai said quietly under his breath and even almost unsure, "I think you should say something to her."

"You do?" Miyuki asked him.

"You wouldn't want the opportunity  to pass you. You may lose her all together if she never knows." Chris-Senpai muttered. 

Miyuki grimaced. It was a double-edged sword. If he said something, there was the possibility of losing her. If he didn't say anything, there was also the possibility of missing his chance. It was certainly a predicament. He felt lost without a plan. 

"Yeah," Miyuki said. "Maybe."

"You should think on it."

-

Miyuki stumbled into his room. He was sore and exhausted. His muscles ached and he could feel them tightening as he crept inside his room. Miyuki sat the towel that he used to dry his hair on the hanger off to the side and stumbled to his desk. The scorebook poked out and his laptop sat squarely in the middle with a sticky note taped to the front. 

-Thanks for letting me borrow it. Hana <3

He smiled at the note and moved it inside of his drawer. Miyuki shifted and groaned, hissing as his muscles tensed in his back. He had been running for days now after a shitty performance and he was growing more than exhausted as the minutes passed. As tired as he was, he couldn't turn in yet. He needed to go over the scorebook and email the weekly tactics to Hana so that she could give it to the coach. 

Miyuki opened his laptop and loaded it up. He maximized the browser and quickly hovered the red 'X' button but paused once he saw the tab had Hana's Lookify Playlist. She must have forgotten to exit everything out completely.

He clicked over onto the tap. A song began to play that spoke of love and romance. He chuckled at the sight as he paused it. Hana's love for love was endearing to him. Miyuki questioned briefly why she had random love songs littered throughout her 'Work Out' playlist but he learned not to question her habits too much. After all, it wouldn't be Hana if she didn't have random love songs randomly placed.

Miyuki clicked on the playlist that was titled 'Heartbeat' and scrolled through her selection. Some were songs that he heard before and some were songs that he didn't know. He listened to the small snippet preview that was provided on the side and hearted the ones that he liked the best. They were mostly soft and gentle songs. It was a completely different genre from what he was used to listening to on his own, but they were pleasant and genuine. He understood why she liked them. 

He hovered the cursor over a random song in the middle and pressed play. A smooth but powerful love song began to play through his speaker. The song was intense and something that he wasn't used to. He wondered what she thought of when she was listening to it alone. Love in general? Him? He couldn't help but to think of her as he listened to the heartfelt words. 

The door creaked open slightly as he reached the bridge of the song. He looked to see Hana poking her head in. He quickly exited the playlist and closed the laptop. Hana smirked at him as she stepped inside and shut the door. 

"Are you watching porn?" She lifted an eyebrow.

Miyuki blushed and looked away. He wasn't sure why he felt so embarrassed. He hardly ever lost his cool. But being around her lately had been putting him on edge and making him feel things that he didn't feel before. 

He very well couldn't admit to her that he, in fact, didn't watch porn. It wasn't that he had never seen it, it just never interested him. The sight of her was enough to keep him going for an embarrassing amount of time. His imagination worked better for him than the fantasy aspect of porn. He just couldn't be attracted to someone who wasn't her. Literally.

"No," He answered quickly. "I was listening to music."

He prayed that she didn't ask what song. Instead, she sat on the bottom bunk crossed-legged and stared at him. 

"You look tired." She commented. 

"I am tired." He told her.

He had been running for hours for days. His legs felt like they were about to fall off and his back was hurting. Hana sighed and stood from the bed. It creaked as she moved. She thumbed toward the bed. 

"Well, how about a massage."

"I have to get these tactics done." He told her.

"Then you can do it after your massage," She said. "Take off your shirt."

Miyuki chewed at his lip and hoped that she couldn't see his reddened cheeks. How direct, Hanacchi -- he thought. Nonetheless, he stood from his desk and peeled his shirt off. The room filled with a silence and Hana politely averted her eyes. Miyuki chuckled at the pious action. He had been naked around hundreds of guys and had seen more than he wanted to. It was the life of an athlete. Hana as a manager had seen most of the team half naked due to her team responsibilities. Had she been shy because it was him?

He turned and laid on his stomach. The bed sunk slightly as Hana sat beside him. Her soft hands pressed into his neck first, then his shoulders. The first touch of her fingers against his bare skin felt awkward but quickly fell into a moment of something borderline intimate. It was almost unexplainable. It was different from before. They had spent countless times pressing on each other's sore muscles and rubbing out knots and kinks. It was never weird but it always felt more of a teammate bonding experience. But now, it felt almost natural.

Hana was gentle as she ran her hands along his body. She pressed on his sore muscles with the perfect firmness. His eyes fluttered closed as she worked and a sigh escaped from him.

"Geez, Kazuya... you're tense." She said as she kneaded her fingers into his shoulder. "Have you been skipping out on your massages?"

"Only two." He replied.

With the yips and the days filled with running, he had forgotten to get them done.

She pinched an exposed piece of skin and laughed. "I'd chastise you, but I guess that's my fault."

"Your fault?" He asked. "Are you my mom or something?"

"No, but I'm your manager," She said to him. "And it's my responsibility to keep you taken care of."

He looked at her from the side and smiled gently. Always the nurturer. "I'm fine. I promise."

"You better be. Because I need you in top shape," He doesn't miss the way she says 'I'. "I'll be staying on you."

Miyuki thought about Chris-Senpai's words. Don't let the opportunity pass. He scrunched his face at the thought. If he said something, then when would be a good time? Would the moment come to him? It was strange to leave it up to spontaneity but he was conflicted. 

Be direct -- he thought. He inhaled and then breathed out. "You can always just give me a massage yourself."

"Maybe I will," She said, giggling. "Now, stop talking... you need to be relaxing."

Was that flirting? -- Miyuki thought. She had never been so straight with him. 

"Yes ma'am," he chuckled.

She continued to massage his sore muscles in silence. Miyuki could feel himself drifting off to sleep as the minutes passed and before he knew it, he bordered on falling asleep. He wasn't sure of the time but he could hear her hum to herself and then let out a short laugh. She sat next to him for a little while longer and then shifted. Her fingers carded through his hair tenderly. He felt her move closer, her lips lightly grazed his ear. 

"Sleep well," She whispered, then leaned in more to press a soft kiss to his cheek. 

He stiffened as her lips lingered for a moment along his jawline. She then backed away after another second. Miyuki heard her as she shuffled around the room and then opened the door. His eyes widened as the door shut and he turned on his back. Miyuki breathed out and pressed a hand to his chest to feel his thumping heart. His stomach was tightened and his heart felt like it might jump from his chest. He stared up at the ceiling blankly.

She just kissed him.

Albeit, a kiss on the cheek but a kiss nonetheless. 

Oh, fuck, he was a goner.

-

Miyuki was never one to be shy. But for the next few days, he found himself avoiding her. It aligned perfectly that the two of them were also busy, but he needed time to process what happened. It was only a kiss to the cheek. Her mother had done it plenty of times to him. But it was his first one from her. And that made it especially special to him. He considered the meaning. Platonic or Not? He leaned toward not but it left room for Platonic. 

He tightened his fists as he stood inside the dugout. Hana waved at him from the managers side and he waved back. Coach Kataoka stared at the team with a grin while the third years began to pack up their things. The retirement game had ended, but the celebration had not. 

What do I do now? -- Miyuki thought. 

Coach Kataoka had resigned. He was basically shit at his job. He was in love with a girl he had known for most of his life. Miyuki felt unbalanced at the knowledge that he had nothing in order. And yet, he was still excited for the outcome. "Don't let it show" Yuuki had told him. Perhaps, it was time to grow and be the leader that the team needed. He couldn't spend time thinking about things. He just needed to take the risk. 

"Yo, Captain, you coming?" Kuramochi asked him.

Miyuki nodded. He smiled at Hana as they made eye contact from across the field. "I'll be there in a second."

"I'll save you a spot, then." 

"Thanks," Miyuki replied, then raised his voice so that everyone else could hear. "And make sure those idiots aren't doing anything stupid. Especially Furuya. He went all out today."

"Got it." Kuramochi said.

He grabbed the back of Furuya's neck and walked off the field with him. Hana waved at the two of them as she walked over.

"You hit without a runner." Hana grinned as she approached him.

She clapped cheerfully for him with a wide grin on her face. Miyuki's face lightened up at the sight. His eyes fell to her lips and then back up to her eyes. She held out a high-five and he mirrored the action.

"I've been practicing."

She nodded and then played with her fingers. She glanced behind him, watching as the team began walking off the field and to the showers. It would probably be a movie night or a mass celebration in the indoor training grounds. For now, he would take the time and reflect on the gift his Senpai had given him. Knowledge. 

Although he was still unsure about Hana and the reality of the third years leaving had hit him hard, he knew that he needed to focus on the present moment. And the present moment was here, the afterglow of a good game and standing in front of her.

"You know... don't you?" She asked.

He nodded. "The guys told me in the middle of the game."

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you." She said. "Takakao-Senpai told me as soon as she found out. I tried to tell you but-."

"Don't apologize, Hani." He smiled reassuringly. 

She smiled back and nodded. Then her face fell once she looked at the scorebook. Jun-San's haphazard message stared back at them. 

"It sucks they'll be leaving... makes me think about how it'll be us soon, y'know?"

So he hadn't been the only one to think about where they would be. It was possible that they could go their separate ways. He wondered if Yuuki's words applied here, or did Chris-Senpai's? Should he put on a brave face and reassure her? Or should he take the opportunity? It was hard to assure someone that you would always be together when the future was always so uncertain. He didn't want to lie, but he didn't know the answer. The best thing that he could do was comfort her as best as he could.

"For now, we need to focus on the team." 

"Yeah," She agreed but grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Her bright eyes stared into his. "But does it worry you? The team will be different. Coach will be gone, then we'll be gone..."

"It's something to think about. But we should focus on right now. And right now, we're entering the fall tournament."

"You want to go to Koshien? In the fall?" She asked. 

Miyuki nodded. He wanted it more than anything. And if this was the only way to prove to Coach Kataoka how dedicated they were to getting there with him, then he would do it. "We're going to Koshien first before everything else. And we'll make Coach stay. That's what we're gonna do for now."

She swished her cheek and let go of his hand to rub at her arms. "Alright..."

"We're gonna be okay," He told her. 

But it's more about the two of them than it was for the team. He knew Seidou would survive this. He just needed to know that they would too.

Chapter Text

Her lips were bare. It was different from the usual thin shine of gloss that she had on them. She typically wore strawberry chap-stick. He saw it each time she pulled it out from her bag and traced it on. It tinted her plush lips the slightest shade of pink. It wasn't too much where it was noticeable, but just enough that you could see them up close.

Lips.

Who knew one could think about someone else's lips so much? It felt as if Miyuki hit a second puberty with the amount of thoughts that ran through his head since the day she kissed him. Days had gone by since then, but his mind was still racing whenever he thought about it. Her lips were soft and plush and he envisioned hers on his. He couldn't help but to think of how they would feel on his. How would she react? Would she be shy as he kissed her? 

It's easy to imagine. He can almost feel hers on his own. He'd be slow at first, enjoying every single thing that she had to give. Then he'd nip her bottom lip to hear her giggle. It's almost painful how easily it comes to his mind. 

Hana's lips now were bare. They were slightly parted and the tiniest bit chapped as she breathed out tiny breaths in her sleep. Miyuki wasn't sure of the time. Not yet, at least. He knew that it was earlier than six a.m. because his alarm hadn't rang yet. Since he woke up, he hadn't made an effort to move. 

The previous night was filled with celebrations with the third years. He hadn't planned on staying the night, but her bright eyes blinked up at him - almost begging in a way - and he couldn't say no to the late night sleepover. 

Miyuki traced his thumb over the outline of her cheekbones and then reached for his phone. His alarm was set to ring in a few minutes. Sighing, he turned it off before it could. He wished that he could get back inside the blanket and go back to bed, but he couldn't. The drawing was today.

Hana shifted as he moved out of the bed and squeezed the blankets. Miyuki chuckled as he shifted the blanket. Her laptop moved toward the bottom of the bed as she stretched her legs out. The movie that they had fallen asleep to was paused with a darkened screen, the lid still open. He closed it and then stepped into his shoes. He quietly maneuvered around the room, grabbing his hoodie and his bag. He quietly opened the door and stepped out. 

As he began to walk to his dorm, the door pulled open and Hana stood in the doorway. 

"Hey," She yawned, tangling her fingers through her wild hair as he stepped closer. "Leaving already?" 

"Yeah, I figured I'd leave before breakfast. I want to get there on time."

Hana nodded and wrapped her arms around her middle. She wore his shirt; a simple baseball shirt with 3 quarter red printed on the sleeves. He doesn't comment on it this time. Instead, he stood there in the morning sun and appreciated the sight. 

She was tired as she looked at him. Her hand rubbed at her eyes as she stood. Bare legs and bare lips -- Miyuki thought. He swooned at the sight. 

"Oh, guess that makes sense," She said, smiling lazily. 

"Did I wake you?" Miyuki told asked.

Hana shrugged and then nodded. "It was the door, really."

"Sorry, then," he gave her a half-hearted smile. "You should go back to bed. It's early."

"I will. As soon as I see you off. I wish I was able to come with you."

He wished she were the one going with him, too. Instead, he had to go with Sachiko. Not that he minded Sachiko. But she was far from being Hana. Not to mention, he felt that she always knew something that he didn't with the way that she looked at him. The feeling was uncomfortable, almost like he was being watched under a microscope. 

Miyuki rolled his eyes and then mumbled sarcastically. "Sachiko's great company."

"Don't be rude," She giggled. "You know Sacchan's just messing with you."

"Sure, sure." Miyuki chuckled.

Hana yawned and stretched. His Her t-shirt came up around her thighs. She then crossed one foot in front of the other and crossed her arms over her chest. She stared at him and then lifted an eyebrow. "Wanna eat some breakfast before you go?"

Miyuki looked down and checked his watch. It was still early. He had time to spare. So he shook his head 'yes' and followed her back into her dorm. Inside, Hana rummaged through her drawer and pulled out a pastry. It wasn't something he ate on his own, but he had had it enough times with being around her. 

"Pop-tarts?" He frowned, eyebrows furrowing.

"They're delicious and you know it," She said.

Hana sat cross-legged on the bed and he sat next to her. She ripped open the silver packaging and handed him one from the bag before biting into one herself. She hummed to herself as she chewed it. Her hair pointed in different directions. Miyuki smiled and chewed his Pop-Tart.

"So," She said and leaned back in the bed. "Fall tournament, huh?"

"You don't think we can do it?" He asked her.

It wasn't easy. He knew that. But he needed to do it to make Coach Kataoka stay with Seidou. It was a challenge that he was willing to participate in. With every game, they would grow. Miyuki knew it. He could feel it.

"I do. Especially if you of all people have your mind set to do it... then there's Eijun and Furuya-Kun, they'll be following behind you."

"What are you insinuating?" He asked despite knowing what she was getting at.

Hana smirked at him, finishing her Pop-Tart as she spoke. "That as much as Eijun-Kun says you're a pain in the ass, he actually really admires you,"

"How flattering," Miyuki said sarcastically.

"You should be glad. It's a good thing when someone feels so highly about someone."

Miyuki raised an eyebrow. Be direct -- He thought.

"What about you? What do you think?"

Hana looked away. "Kazuya, you already know that I think highly of you."

"Ahh, do I?" He teased, smiling widely. 

He pinched her side to make her laugh. 

"Yes," She smirked, eyes still downcast toward the bed. "I admire you as a catcher. And as a person. But Kazuya isn't Kazuya without baseball, y'know. It's a part of you."

"It used to be the same for you too but then you quit." 

"I quit pitching." She corrected. "Not baseball."

"Yeah," He nodded. "You quit pitching."

The memory was as clear as day. He wouldn't dwell on it but he could still remember the fire in her eyes as she pitched a shutout game. It was the best that he had ever seen from her. At the time, he didn't know that it was a parting gift for the both of them. Her goodbye to pitching.

It was quiet and the only sound was from the package crinkling in her hands. "...Sorry."

"Huh? Why are you apologizing." Miyuki raised an eyebrow.

"I know how you feel about it."

"I just... I don't know. I don't get it." He told her honestly.

"I know," She nodded and sucked lightly on her bottom lip. "But I'm just not ready to talk about it."

It had been years since then but Miyuki couldn't complain. They had never talked about it this much before. Even if they hadn't gotten anywhere, he figured it was progress that they were at least speaking about it. It put him at ease that perhaps she didn't feel as uncomfortable with him as he thought. They were always close, and yet, it was this sole problem that was keeping them from being completely transparent with one another. Well, this and his feelings for her.

"I thought as much." 

"Well, I guess you know me as much as I know you."

Of course he did. He listened to everything she said. He knew her favorite snacks and all her favorite movies. Even if the knowledge didn't seem to be relevant, Miyuki always deemed it so because he thought her mind was a beautiful one. Her thoughts and wants, her desires and dreams. He loved to hear about it all. 

Miyuki gripped her blanket between his outstretched fingers and cleared his throat, "You have a lot of admirable qualities, too." 

"Really?" She asked with surprise.

As if she hadn't been the person that he found the most admirable. He felt like he'd burst if he held it in any longer. He wanted to tell her just how much she meant to him and how wonderful she was, but he could never formulate the words. His thoughts were different when he articulated them, and he didn't want to take the chance to say something that might come across as harsh instead of heartfelt. It was difficult to say what he wanted when the words were about love and vulnerability.

"It's one of the things I l-" Miyuku cut himself off and then cleared his throat. "It's one of the things I appreciate most."

"Even if I don't pitch anymore?" She asked quietly.

"Hani," He started, grabbing her attention. She turned to face him but her eyes failed to meet his. "It's not like I'm mad at you for quitting,"

"I feel like you were,"

Miyuki sighed. How could she ever feel that he would be mad at her over something that was her decision? Everyone's journey with baseball was different. Who was he to make her stay when her mind was already made up?

"This whole time?" He asked.

She nodded. Miyuki looked at her hands awkwardly folding and unfolding around each other. He stopped the urge to reach out and grab them. "I could never be mad at that. I would never force you into doing something you don't want to do. If baseball isn't for you anymore then that's okay."

"That's the thing, though. I still love baseball. I always will." She sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "It's what started 'everything'."

'Everything'? -- Miyuki thought. He wondered if he should question her about it. What did 'everything' entail? Her life? Them? 

Her lips pressed into a thin line and her hands played with the edge of the blanket. He breathed out. Maybe he'd ask another time. She'd come to him when she was ready.

"You don't have to explain it. You did what you think is right." 

Hana gave him a half smile and looked down at her phone. "You should probably get going."

"Yeah," Miyuki sighed as he stood up.

He crumbled the package and threw it in the trash. Hana stood from the bed, tugging the t-shirt down passed her legs. He chewed at his lip as he stared. What he would do if he could stay with her. What he would do to slip between her bare legs and kiss them from bottom to the top. He furrowed his brows as he left her room, her following after him. His thoughts were excruciating. The softness of her lips had been stuck in his mind and he had been thinking for days on end what they would feel like against his own. 

"Bye! Don't be late!" She called out from the door frame. She raised a hand and waved with her hair blowing lightly in the wind. "Pick a good one!"

It took every fiber in his body to not turn around and press her against the wall. Instead, he lifted a hand and waved back. He'd have to stick to the cold showers instead.

"I will!"

-

"It definitely wouldn't be you if you didn't pick this one," Hana said. 

Kuramochi scowled and crossed his arms. He snickered as he looked at Hana, then at him. 

"You have shit luck. You could've pulled an easier team." He said. "This is the first fucking round."

"I know, I know," Miyuki chuckled. "But doesn't it put a bit of fire under you?"

-

The door to the cafeteria swung open as Miyuki sat at the table. Kuramochi walked in with a scowl on his face. He pointed his thumb in the direction of the fields and sighed. "Captain! Furuya's running laps again... You think we should stop him?"

Miyuki waved his hand. "Nah, Furuya can keep running. Let him think about how he left the mound."

Solemn and just a tad sleepy. Miyuki cringed at how Furuya was lulled to sleep by the rain earlier. Miyuki leaned forward on his elbows and continued, "I guess we should've paid more attention. But, we learned a lot from the game. Most  likely because we won somehow."

"Fuck off," Kuramochi said. "We still won, didn't we?"

"Yeah, yeah, that's true."

Kuramochi stretched and then dug his fists into his pocket. He raised an eyebrow at Miyuki. "Wanna get some weight training in?"

Miyuki glanced at the clock hanging on the south side of the wall. 8:45 p.m. 

"Sure," He shrugged, standing from his chair. "Why not."

They both bid the others goodnight and left the cafeteria. They began to walk and Miyuki saw Hana on the far side of the quad. She stood on the steps with Ashito, about one or two steps higher than he was, and leaned against the rail. Her eyes met his and she waved. "Hi, Kazuya!"

Ashito waved back and then looked back at Hana. Miyuki tried to hold back his glower as he waved back at her. It wasn't her, per se, but Ashito. It looked to be just a meeting between the two of them. But the way she laughed while speaking to him made his stomach clench. Why did he feel this way? Was it jealousy? Fuck -- Miyuki thought, he could hardly deal with himself during the Chris-Senpai bout of jealousy. How was he supposed to react now as he saw Ashito blush at whatever she had just said and turned in embarrassment?

Kuramochi nudged him with his elbow and nodded over in the direction of the outside bench. Sawamura sat engrossed in his phone. Miyuki chuckled at the sight as he goofily typed on it. A dumb smile stretched across his face as he muttered words under his breath. 

"Texting while Furuya's running? You must be feeling confident," Miyuki called out to him. 

"Hey! s'that Wakana you're texting?!" Kuramochi called out. 

Sawamura stood from his bench and ran toward the direction of the fields without saying another word. The both of them laughed as he ran. 

"He's so lucky and he doesn't even realize it," Kuramochi sighed as they walked inside the weight room. 

They were the only two inside. Miyuki grabbed a weight and placed it on the barbell. Kuramochi said on the rowing equipment and reached for the handle. 

 He was interested in hearing about the dilemma between Wakana and the girl back home. Perhaps the outward crush on Wakana was just for show. Either way, Miyuki aimed to pick his brain. He didn't know much about love and although there were plenty of other people to ask about it, he figured Kuramochi made the most sense. They both knew about his previous experience. 

"Do you actually like her? Sawamura's friend?" Miyuki asked carefully.

Kuramochi shrugged with nonchalance. "She's cool to talk to," 

"What about y'know... that girl from before you were talking about." 

"Oh, her." Kuramochi mumbled. "It's different."

Miyuki raised an eyebrow. "Different?" 

Were there two forms of romantic love -- Miyuki thought as he finished his second set.

Kuramochi sighed and for a moment, the only noise came from the machine clinking back into place. "I doubt I'd ever see her again."

"Have you ever tried looking her up?"

"I mean, like, once. But I didn't go through with it." Kuramochi said.

"What stopped you?" 

Last set. He breathed out and continued.

"It'll make it real. It's easier to just accept that it happened and she's gone."

It sounded complicated but also quite tragic. Miyuki snickered at him and grinned. "Sounds like you have love feelings for her <3."

"What? Are you a child or something?" Kuramochi hissed, finishing his last rep. "We had detention together for a year and she was my first."

"Not that I needed to hear that." Miyuki gagged.

The two of them switched equipment and Miyuki sat on the bench. His clenched down as the burn in his arms and legs spread. He'd need new shirts soon, his arms had gotten bigger again.

"I do miss her but she's probably got another guy she's dating. It feels like so long ago now." Kuramochi said mostly to himself. 

Miyuki shrugged in response. "Maybe you should try. Nothing wrong with good ol' effort."

"Asshole," Kuramochi muttered under his breath. "Like you're one to talk."

"Huh?" Miyuki questioned, raising his brows.

"I'm talking about that face you made when Manager-Chan walked by with Ashito. Now that, was a Kodak Moment." Kuramochi cackled.

"That's different. It's  none of my business who Hana likes," Miyuki said. "She can date whoever she wants."

He had to admit that the thought put a bad taste in his mouth. He wouldn't ever end their friendship, especially over something like the matters of love. But he would be devastated. It would be even worse if she fell for his teammate. Albeit, maybe it was what she deserved. Maybe a guy who was more attentive made more sense in the long run.

"Fake idgafer," Kuramochi pointed at him, grinning wide. "She's not into that guy. She very obviously likes you, my guy. Can't say I know what she sees in you, though,"

Miyuki smiled slightly as he grabbed another set of weights. Had it really been that simple? He sighed as he lifted the weight. It never was. 

"Nah," Miyuki said flatly.

"Cap and you know it," Kuramochi said to him. "You both like each other, I know it."

Miyuki cringed. How much had he let off? That, and Kuramochi was exceptionally observant. He always seemed to notice if something was amiss. He's basically correct and Miyuki briefly considered coming clean. He had experience, maybe he knew what to do. But he clutched his hand tighter around the weight and bit through the burn. He'd keep it to himself, confessing to Chris-Senpai was more than enough vulnerability.

"We're friends," Miyuki stated.

It's more of a statement but it comes off shaky. He wondered then, would their lives be easier if he never fell for her? If he had the chance, would he wish away the feelings he had for her? Probably not -- Miyuki thought. Even with the uncertainty of what would be, he enjoyed being there beside her. He enjoyed loving her. He'd fall for her every time in every lifetime if he could. Her whole being was too much not to.

"Yeah, okay. Cupid's got you in his choke hold. It's actually kinda disgusting but maybe a little endearing even how much the both of you care about each other."

"Well, we've been neighbors since we were kids,"

"Damn, you've liked her for that long?" Kuramochi questioned in disbelief.

Miyuki blinked and paused briefly before he continued. "I didn't even say anything like that!"

"What's keeping you from saying anything?" Kuramochi tapped his index finger against his chin. "If it's Ashito... then I told you already. You can probably even ask Sawa-Dumbass. I'm sure she's told him by now."

Miyuki paused once more. He never considered Sawamura of all people knowing how she felt about him. His own student and partner. Would he actually keep secrets from him? He had such a loud mouth that Miyuki was convinced that the topic had to be sworn to secrecy. Sawamura was also so idiotic that there was also the possibility that he never even asked Hana what she thought. He doubted it. Sawamura was air-headed but he was also curious. 

"They do seem to be close," Miyuki added.

They spent a lot of time together training. During dinner, she sat with Sawamura. He considered that Sachiko probably knew the details of her love life because she was the person that Hana was closest to. But Hana spent just as much time with Sawamura. They had a lot of time to talk to each other and they always laughed together. Could his pitchers actually be keeping secrets from him? The audacity.

"He can be a little magnetic, unfortunately," Kuramochi said. "But they're the kind of people with a pure heart. They flock together,"

Hana was pure and her heart was kind. He could understand how those who enjoyed simplicity would befriend each other. 

"Since you think you're an expert, why'd you chicken out your ex's page? What's the real reason?"

"Guess I'm just nervous. Y'know how you remember something and just want to leave it that way? What if I talk to her and it's different?"

"Sure," Miyuki nodded. Understandable. "If you did message her, then what would you say?"

"I don't know... fucking 'hi'?"

"'Fucking hi' is an interesting way to start a conversation." Miyuki chuckled.

He sat the weights down and sighed. He grabbed his water bottle and chugged it back, then slowed toward the end.

"Shut it smartass and worry about your own love life."

"I worry about baseball a lot, thank you." He replied sarcastically.

"Men," Kuramochi snickered. "Anyway, what do you think Nabe-Chan was about to say the other day?"

"I'm not sure," Miyuki shrugged. "I'll ask him about it. I'm probably gonna ask if he wants to help the team get some data from the Inajitsu and Ugumori game and ask him then,"

"I hope he's alright," Kuramochi muttered.

"As Captain and Vice Captain, we'll make sure he's alright," 

Miyuki gnawed at his lip. He still wasn't used to this. How was he supposed to give advice when everyone was looking at him for guidance? He barely knew what to do, how was he supposed to convey that to someone else? He rested his hands on his hips and sucked in a big breath. 

"True," Kuramochi nodded. "Wanna see if Sawamura stopped running?"

"Yeah, it's probably about time to shut it down."

"I'll go check on the others, then,"

Kuramochi stood from the bench and left the training room. Miyuki walked in the direction of the field. It was slightly chilly as he stepped through the air but it felt good as it hit his sweaty neck. He was hot and the cool air was welcome. It cleared his mind as he thought about what to say. He wondered how he should bring up the conversation with Nabe-Chan. Maybe he'd do it before breakfast the next day. 

He continued walking and thought back on his conversation with Kuramochi and sighed. Was it obvious that they had feelings for each other? Hana behaved so vaguely with him. He wasn't exactly sure. He clenched his fists as he walked up the hill. The sound of yelling got louder as he walked closer. 

He knew Hana. She knew him. But ever since she quit baseball there were things that he couldn't understand. He wanted to. Damn, did he want to know what she felt and how she was feeling. Her eyes gave it all away but he couldn't decipher everything there. It was only the slightest bit of disconnect, perhaps a bit of miscommunication. But fuck, it was eating at him. 

Miyuki walked up the grass and paused. He was surprised to see Nabe standing there. Furuya, Sawamura, and Nori sprinted on the field. He eased his shoulders. If Nori was there, then he didn't need to step in now. 

Nabe stared back at him in surprise. Miyuki's eyes glanced down to the books he held in his hands. Preparation books for exams. It was a bit too early in their career to start. He was sure everyone had an idea of what they were going to do next. Hell, even Miyuki had something of a plan. But exam prep was saved for the end.

"Hey, I wanted to ask you something," Miyuki said to him.

"Sure," Nabe said. "What's up?"

Miyuki sat down on the concrete steps and Nabe did the same. He handed Nabe the Fall Tournament folder and cleared his throat. "Don't think I'm forcing you to do this. I know it's the same day as our game... but, would you like to get some data on the Inajitsu-Ugumori game?"

"Me?" Nabe asked in surprise. 

"Your data is impeccable," Miyuki said honestly. "I think you being there in person would make it even better."

"Sure," Nabe agreed.

"Thanks, Nabe-Chan," Miyuki breathed out. "So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about? Back in class?"

"Oh," Nabe replied awkwardly.

Miyuki's eyes followed the field and saw the trio begin to walk up the steps. Nori followed behind Sawamura and Furuya.

"One second, Nabe-Chan," Miyuki then called out to the trio. "Nori! Make sure these two bath properly!"

"Gotcha," Nori said.

Miyuki chuckled as Sawamura walked passed him and mouthed off. Once they were gone, he turned to Nabe. He sat beside him stiffly and he looked awkward, perhaps even nervous to speak to him. Maybe it was something serious.

"So?"

"It's... well, we knew these three years were gonna be hard. We were committed to that. But it feels like we're getting to the point where you can see the difference in the frame of mind."

"You want to quit the team then?"

Perhaps it was a situation like Hana's. Miyuki wasn't sure what to say. He couldn't force someone to stay who wanted to do something else. He wouldn't. 

"No, that's not it." Nabe said shakily.

"Then what's up with the study books?" Miyuki questioned. "Nabe-Chan, if being on the team is a lot and you want to focus on studying then that's okay. I can't stop someone whose decision comes from their own will. We... well, I, play baseball because I chose it."

-

Miyuki stretched his neck as he opened the door to his bedroom. Once inside, he saw Hana sitting on the edge of his bed. She had a portable mirror propped up with his pillow while she was surrounded by a myriad of hair products. He sighed, so it would be one of those nights -- he thought.

"I let myself in," She told him. 

She rubbed a thick white cream onto her hands and spread it through her strands. Miyuki shut the door behind him and grabbed his bag that contained his scorebook.

"I just got back from talking with Nabe-Chan," He said to her as he sat down at the top of the bed.

"And?" She questioned.

Miyuki shrugged and chewed on his lip. The conversation didn't go exactly how he wanted it to, but he wasn't sure of what else to say. It was reminiscent of Hana telling him that she was quitting baseball and it made his stomach turn. "It was okay. Just simple practice woes."

"Need me to talk to him?"

"Nah, it'll be fine," He said.

He leaned over and grabbed the scorebook from the bag. He pushed aside two love letters that he found inside his locker and grimaced. Based on the look of discomfort, he knew that Hana saw it. It wasn't a secret that he had admirers, but they hardly ever talked about it. 

She smiled just slightly and asked, "Thinking about replying to some of those?"

"I haven't had the chance to throw it out yet," He told her.

It was true. He hadn't. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with all the cards that had been sent his way. With every game and every practice, he found some sort of confession or letter of admiration in his shoe lockers or on his desk. He thought about Tetsu-San and how he was completely opposite. He was able to deal with things like this. Miyuki wasn't. Admittedly, he did feel guilty when he threw out the notes, but not as guilty as he felt when Hana saw them.

"There's this girl on the cheer team... she said she likes you and wants to give you her number or something like that," Hana said with a bitter smile.

"Jealous?" He teased.

"No," She said quickly. "You're my best friend, after all."

Best friend or not. He didn't have the patience to even look at another girl. Especially when Hana was right in front of him. He lets out a short laugh because he can't believe that even after all this time, she seemed to have no clue about the absolute and unconditional love that he had for her. She was his one and only. She always would be.

Hana gently combed her hair out and then reached for the iron. He wasn't new to the experience. It was their thing to do what needed to be done while next to each other. He flipped through his notebook and read through his notes and then mumbled, "She'll just have to be disappointed that I'm not available."

"What about if it was your dream girl? Would you be available then?"

He glanced up at her and frowned. "That's a weird question."

"Play along," She said to him. "What's your dream girl look like? What does perfect mean for you?"

He tossed his head back and sighed before he looked over at her. "I don't know... someone with ambition and good qualities?"

"That sounded a little bit unsure," She said as she ran the brush through her hair. "Well, what about looks then?"

"Hani... why are you asking so many questions?"

She glared at him through the mirror. "Is it a crime to want to know my best friend's type?"

"Well, then, what's your type?"

Hana's lower lip wobbled awkwardly. She turned away from him but he could still see her reflection in the mirror. "We're talking about you. Not me."

"We don't have to talk about me." He said.

"But then I'd be dying to know it!" She whined.

What a brat -- he thought. A cute brat, though. He'd humor her just a bit.

"Personality matters more than looks for me," He told her and opened the scorebook. "There. Now that that's over, we can focus on what we need to do."

"Alright, alright, fine. I get it."

The room fell into a silence as he read the book. It was always one of his favorite pass times. Despite it being his job to read it, he loved to envision the game. It was the closest thing he could get to playing baseball without actually playing it. It always calmed his mind when he slipped into the technical parts of baseball. It was almost as if he were reading a book but instead, it was fit with its own code. It was a mental photograph that he could replay over and over again. 

He usually read Takakao's notes after the game. But when he had downtime then he'd read Hana's. He wasn't itching to tell her, but he preferred hers. It was completely opposite to Takakao's pristine and technical notes for the team. Hana's notes were more personal. It built a connection to be able to see her thoughts and feelings as he went through it. The little messy doodles, yet passion filled as she scribbled it down. He'd been reading her scores since they were kids and it always humored him to see a note that was an inside joke just for the two of them. 

Miyuki glanced at her in his peripheral. She sat in front of the mirror and a growing look of frustration moved across her face. The clips that were on her lap were now hanging from her mouth. She mumbled to herself as she yanked the brush through her hair. She liked doing her hair while he read. They would sit in silence while he sat back. Eventually, she'd get bored and come and bother him. Sometimes they'd talk about the game that he was reviewing. Sometimes, she'd ramble about something else. Minutes would go by before he reminded her that her hair was halfway finished and that she looked ridiculous with it half curly and half straight.

She seemed worked up today as she moved a clip from her mouth. The second clip she was holding fell into her lap.

"Shit!" She grumbled, pushing a pin down to hold the strands back. "This is annoying,"

"Mm," Miyuki mumbled back as he went over the book.

1B, 1B, CS...

"I wish I looked like Rei-San... I bet she doesn't have this problem," She mumbled to herself. "She's way too pretty."

2B, HR, "You're pretty," DP, 1-

Fuck.

Fuck.

Was that out loud? His hands shook as he held the book. His heart sunk to the bottom of his stomach, then jumped up to his throat before it started to pound inside his chest. He glanced at her to see if she noticed. Hana continued to fiddle with her hair. Good, that seemed good. Miyuki took a deep breath and calmed down. She probably didn't hear him say anything. And if she did, was it really all that weird to tell your best friend you thought they were pretty? Maybe not. But coming from him, it probably would be.

He sighed and placed the book down. "Need any help?"

Hana snorted and turned to look at him with a cocked eyebrow. She then started to laugh. "You mean, you'll pretend to help while I do all the work?"

"Me? I'd never!" He gasped.

"You did help that one time when you snipped my hair,"

"Hana, it was an accident!" He chuckled.

He had been a stand in for her mother and trying to help her trim her hair. He didn't see the issue, as he always cut his own hair. As it turned out, it was a bit different.

"Yeah, yeah," She waved her hand. "Go back to the book."

Silence filled the room. Miyuki's heart came to a steady beat as he focused on the book. He was still in disbelief that he said it out loud. He read over the notes but he couldn't process it. Damn, how awkward. He noticed her looking at him in the mirror, then quickly averting her eyes. 

She breathed in slightly and Miyuki's fists squeezed. She definitely heard him. 

"Kazuya," She began.

"Yeah?"

"Do you really think I'm pretty?"

Miyuki swallowed. A second went by then two. He flexed his hands and re-adjusted his grip on the book.

"Yeah," He said finally. 

"Really?" She asked shakily.

He wanted to say exactly what he thought. That she was more than pretty. That she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and he wanted to treasure it forever. 

"Why would I lie about something like that?"

"Because... we're best friends. So, you'd have to say that."

"I know I wear glasses  but I'm not blind," Miyuki said to her. "And you always have guys who are interested in you." 

He tried not to frown as he thought about Ashito. A guy who was very clearly into her. 

"Tons of people think you're pretty, Hani," He continued.

She placed her brush down, her eyes downcast. "Who cares about 'tons of people'?"

"And who cares about the girl from the cheer team?" He shot back.

Hana rolled her eyes, a half smile playing on her lips. She played with the tips of her fingers as she spoke quietly. "It's just... sometimes I feel like you think of me as a guy. So, it's... I don't know. Different."

"Ha? I don't think of you as a guy," He said. "I'm very much aware that you're a girl."

Years of running to the convenience store at random hours to buy feminine products and being flashed by cleavage attested to that. The nights he spent alone with his hand under his waistband like a virgin loser attested to that. What a silly thought.

"Well, one of the guys," She corrected.

"I don't," He said. "But if you want me to then you'd have to swap those lace panties you have for boxers. After that, you can run alongside us while we sing cadences and shower with about a hundred guys."

"Kazuya!" She scolded. "I thought we weren't talking about the 'situation' in the laundry room."

"Ha, sorry. I just couldn't resist throwing that in there." He said. "But, just to let you know. I don't see you as one of the guys. I see you as Hani. Is that good enough?"

"Just Hani?" She sighed.

He smiled. "You can be my Hani if that makes you feel better."

"You sure?" She questioned.

"Yeah," 

"Okay," She smiled bashfully. "You should get back to the scorebook, then."

He raised the book up to cover his face and smiled. His cheeks burned and he knew that he was blushing heavily. Platonic or Not, you just tell the girl you love that she's yours. 

Chapter Text

Miyuki knew one thing for certain and two things for sure. 

He didn't like the way Ashito looked at Hana, it was borderline love-struck and it made Miyuki seethe a sort of white-hot jealousy. It was difficult to explain. Difficult to articulate the words into sentences in his mind how he felt. He just knew for sure that it made him feel... pissed off. 

Bright eyes and a silly goofy smiled stretched across Ashito's face as Hana stood at the window and handed out snacks to the team. Miyuki sat in the back with his head held in his palm and eyes squinted at Ashito, who leaned against the window where Hana was. He couldn't make out what they were saying, but he could hear her contagious laughter and see her bright smile. 

His stomach turned. The feeling that he felt was disgusting and he wished that it would go away. He didn't understand why he felt this way. 

Miyuki almost missed Kuramochi from the corner of his eye. He turned in his direction just as Kuramochi placed his breakfast tray on the table. 

"Damn, ease up on the guy, huh?" Kuramochi chuckled.  

Miyuki rolled his eyes. "Whatever do you mean?"

"All I'm saying is, if looks could kill, Ashito-Kun would be six feet under by now,"

"I'm simply eating my breakfast," Miyuki said and bit his apple.

"Denial is so real with you, my guy," Kuramochi sighed and shook his head. "Anyway, what do you think of Sawa-moron pitching today?"

"I don't know," Miyuki said. 

It was the complete truth. He wasn't sure how Sawamura was going to pitch. Miyuki chewed at his lip and toyed with his half-eaten apple. The cloudy feeling in his mind hadn't dissipated yet. It felt like a thick fog clouding his thoughts. The feelings deepened the longer he looked at the two of them. He knew that he should look away, but he couldn't tear his eyes off of them. He had to look. He needed to. Miyuki couldn't understand it. Hana had been around plenty of guys. Hell, she had been basically Sawamura's biggest supporter. But the feeling he got when she was with Ashito was different. He didn't like it. 

Kuramochi nudged him with his elbow, breaking Miyuki from his thoughts. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he was glad. If he had glared at them any longer then he probably would have combust. He looked to Kuramochi, who had yet to say anything. He twirled his phone in his left hand and picked over his rice with his right. 

"Remember that girl I told you about?" He eventually asked.

Kuramochi's voice had been low and rumbled.  It was quiet... like he didn't want anyone else to hear.

"Vaguely." Miyuki tapped at his chin. Of course he remembered, but he feigned ignorance just for the hell of it. Kuramochi rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue against his teeth. 

Miyuki tossed his head back and chuckled. "I'm just fucking with you. I remember,"

"One of these days someones gonna have to pull me off of you, I swear," Kuramochi said. 

"Then you wouldn't be able to tell me about y/n," Miyuki sang.

"Kudos for you remembering her name," Kuramochi said, nodding. "Well, I found her page on QuickPix and then I found her spare. I requested to follow her and she accepted it,"

"Mhm," Miyuki nodded, licking his bottom lip. "What's a spare?"

He wasn't so completely behind in the times that he didn't know what a QuickPix was. He saw Hana's often enough and Sawamura had been insisting that he sign up for one since the moment that they met. 

"Geez, dude, keep up with us," Kuramochi sighed. "It's different kind of profile account,"

"I'm following,"

"A main account is like... a more professional page. You post the best of the best photos and you usually have more followers on there. A spare is where all the vetoed shit goes, like goofy pictures and your personal thoughts. Usually only close friends are on your spare,"

"So, she considers you a close friend? Great,"

Kuramochi set his chopsticks down and opened his phone. His lock-screen was a photo of him stealing base and sticking his tongue out. Miyuki wanted to say that it was corny, but he himself owned a Seidou calendar that featured photos of himself and he had framed his magazine spotlight article. 

He watched as Kuramochi entered the pass-code to his phone and pressed the QuickPix app. He scrolled down a long list on the phone and then pressed an account. It filled with photos of the girl he could only guess was Y/n. Kuramochi pressed the inbox sign and shoved the phone is his line of sight. 

"It's not just that... she sent me a message, see? She said 'hey'. What do I say?"

"'Fucking hi'." Miyuki quoted and chuckled.

"I'm gonna beat your ass, forreal." 

"Just say hi,"

Kuramochi turned the phone back. His thumbs shakily hovered over the buttons for a few moments as he stared down at the screen. A small noise escaped him as he looked up at Miyuki. "I can't,"

"What? What do you mean you can't?"

"I can't text her... I'm scared."

"Aren't you guys close? You're following her Spare thingy or whatever,"

"Keep up! We were close. Emphasis on the 'were'. It's been years."

"It's just 'hi'." Miyuki shrugged. "Can't go wrong with that,"

Kuramochi leaned his head down, his forehead pressed against the palm of right hand. He pushed his phone over to Miyuki.

"You send it,"

Miyuki picked the phone up and carefully typed in the message, then turned the phone towards him and showed him. Kuramochi glanced at the screen and quickly nodded. He sighed and then turned away from the chair and  cradled his head in his hands. "Just sent it!"

Miyuki pressed enter. "Done," 

Kuramochi peaked over through parted fingers and frowned. He jumped up from his chair and grabbed his phone. 

"Shit, you fucking sent it!" Kuramochi cried out.

"You told me to!"

"I didn't think you actually would!"

Miyuki glanced down at the now abandoned phone and noticed three bubbles moving around. "What does this mean? Looks like she's messaging you back,"

"Oh, fuck, I can't look."

Kuramochi quickly pressed out of the messaging screen, leading him back to her profile. He scrolled down her photo and licked his bottom lip as he pressed on a few different ones. "She's gotten even prettier in the past few years. This is crazy,"

Miyuki rolled his eyes and hummed. Kuramochi noticed and laughed. 

"Sorry, I forgot if it's not Hana or baseball you're not interested," 

"Hana and I are friends," Miyuki said. 

He felt like a fucking broken record with the amount of times he had said that in his life. It's ironic, however, considering the fact that they mostly everyone was right and he did have feelings for her. No one would ever catch him admitting to it though, save for Chris-Senpai. But that was a different situation. It was a secret from catcher to catcher. 

Miyuki glanced back up at Hana. She looked over at him and smiled warmly and then looked back to the person in front of her. Ashito had been gone now and his heart felt slight relief. But not enough to where he felt comfortable about them talking. He thought about whether he should ask but then decided that it wasn't any of his business to ask. They were best friends and he was sure there was no harm in asking but perhaps it was the better option to keep himself in the dark. 

Still, he couldn't stop the scenarios from forming in his head. Admittedly, they were dumb and pointless. But it still egged him on nonetheless. As he looked at her pretty face, he could only imagine what Ashito saw. And with his role on the team being so different than his was, he probably had more time to see Hana then he did. What if she appreciated that more? 

Miyuki sighed and turned toward Kuramochi, who was scrolling down his news-feed. Don't think about it -- Miyuki reminded himself. However, that was easier said than done. 

Maybe if he just took a peak at Hana's profile, he'd get a better understanding. He wasn't mad... far from it. But he had to know something. 

"Does Hana have an account?" He found himself asking. 

Kuramochi smirked at him. "Why? Tryna creep on your girl?"

"Very funny," Miyuki said. "I was just wondering."

"Do you have your team phone? It's easier to show you that way," 

Miyuki frowned. The god-forsaken team phone that had been given to him so that he could stay in the circle of information. It was in the bottom of his bag along with the stray crumbs and crumbled pieces of paper. Miyuki bent down and fished the damn thing out, then handed it to Kuramochi. 

Kuramochi happily grabbed it from him and went to download the app. After a bit, he handed him the phone so that he could type his credentials. Name? Miyuki Kazuya. Username? Miyuki's eyebrows furrowed as he tentatively typed out Baseballguy_1117. Password? Hana's birthday, number 2 at the end. He left the profile photo untouched and then handed it back to Kuramochi. 

"Quite bare, but okay," Kuramochi commented. 

He typed in a search bar and pressed on an account labelled Hana_N. 

Kuramochi's phone vibrated on the table. Kuramochi peered down and then pressed his lips together, grabbing it off the table. "I'll be like... riiight back."

Miyuki watched as he bolted out of the cafeteria. Miyuki chuckled and stared back down at the team phone. He followed the actions of Kuramochi and pressed a photo. His heart stammered from the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He didn't have much time. He peered at the photo, utterly enamored by the sight in front of him. She wore a dress he never sat and sat next to Sachiko on a blanket on a field he recognized to be the main field. 

The dress covered her legs but the cut was low, showing just enough of her chest for his mind to wander. He shook his head, now wasn't the time for that. He continued to search for any other indicators or hints toward another profile. His eyes zeroed in on the italics below the picture that said, Like By..., and pressed the link. Miyuki scrolled through and then stopped. Ashito_S has liked this photo. 

Bleugh -- Miyuki thought. He sighed and eased his shoulders. There was no need to be childish. From what he saw, they were only friends (despite the literal heart eyes Ashito had when he looked at her).

Miyuki continued to look and stopped once he saw uwu_Hani has liked this photo. Jackpot he grinned. He pressed on the account a pressed follow.

-

Miyuki's mouth fell open as he watched the scene unfolding in front  of him. His eyes widened in shock, they then wandered to the audience  and locked eyes with Hana's. Her face had the same expression as she  stared down at them. She leaned forward onto the rail and mouthed, 

"Did he just...?"

"Pitch inside?" Miyuki mouthed back to her.

-

"What the hell were you thinking saying something like that?" 

Miyuki clenched his teeth together and huffed. What else was he  supposed to say to Nabe? Don't quit? Stay on the team when you don't  want to? He wasn't sure on what exactly Zono wanted from him.

The muscles in his arm twinged and his face reddened at the thought  of the 'discussion' they had taken place just a few minutes earlier.  Miyuki rubbed at the material that Zono had bunched in his hands from  when he grabbed him. He was more ticked off than pissed. What the hell  was the point of appointing him of all people captain? Was he just  supposed to shut his mouth and hold their hands and coddle them?

To say that this Captain shit was difficult was a complete  understatement. It felt that every action he did, every word that he  said was under scrutiny on whether it was "Captain-Like". Even after all  the time that had passed, he still wasn't sure that he was cut out for  the responsibilities that came with being Captain. He had seen how  Tetsu-San ran the team perfectly with his exceptional leadership skills.  However, the glaring difference in the matter was that Miyuki was not  Tetsu-San. Their styles were just... different.

Miyuki clenched his hands into fists and released them. He stood from  his seat in the cafeteria and made his way toward the kitchen. He  didn't expect her to be there, but he needed her to be close. She was  the only person who would be able to hear him out and not judge him  about his thoughts. 

Just as he expected, he's met with a dark and empty kitchen.  Miyuki  sighs and looks over the rest of the grounds but she's nowhere to be  found. He leaned against the fence guarding the baseball field and  stared at his phone. Should he leave it alone? Or should he text her.  His thumb pressed her contact name and quickly typed before he could  change his mind. 

'You busy?'

Sent. Miyuki snickered as he read it over. What a way to sound like a pathetic late-night booty call -- Miyuki thought sourly. 

Seconds later, a new message buzzed in on her end.

'I'm with Sacchin right now," 

His phone buzzes and another message sends in from her,  'Need something?'

Miyuki continued to stare at the screen and swished his cheeks as he  thought. He did need something, but he didn't want to admit that what he  needed was her. The very thought was too open and vulnerable for him to  even entertain it passed a few seconds. Still, his heart ached and he  found himself typing and thinking about how he should tell her. He  quickly hit sent and then stuffed his pants back into his pocket so that  he doesn't have the chance to stare at it.

'Zono's pissed at me' 

I need you -- is what his heart wanted to say. But his consciousness didn't allow for him to say that. He figured that it was enough, open and honest and...  vague.

Hana replied shortly after with a question mark and then another text.

'I'm finishing up running on the track. Sachiko's on her way out... wanna swing by?'

Miyuki doesn't let any time go by. He pushed himself off the fence  and walked in the direction of the running track. A faint outline of two people running around became cleared as he approached. He heard hushed voices and giggles coming from them as he stalked down the steps slowly. Hana's soft voice could be heard as he got closer.

He glanced over at them and stood at the bottom step, oddly feeling like he was intruding on their private time. 

"Hey," He cleared his throat and greeted as they stopped in front of them.

Miyuki leaned against the metal railing and got a better look. Hana played with the zipper of her hoodie and panted. Sachiko stood beside her and Miyuki nodded at the both of them in a half-assed greeting.

"Hey," She greeted back, a small smile on her face. 

Sachiko chuckled a bit as she looked at Hana, then him. Any other  day, he'd crack a joke or say something snippy. Today however? He wasn't  in the mood. Hana must have picked up on it because she seemed to  notice based on the way her eyes looked when they locked eyes. Concern.  Worry. 

Hana looked at him, and then at Sachiko and shot her a gentle look. 

"I'm just about done, Sacchin. You can go on ahead, I'll have Kazuya help me cool down,"

"Don't have to tell me twice." Sachiko said to her.

Sachiko zipped her manager hoodie up to her chin and then turned towards Hana. She gave her a quick hug, squeezing her slightly and stopping at her ear. She whispered something that made Hana laugh and then broke away. Sachiko blew her a kiss and walked up the steps, but not before kicking Miyuki in his leg. Hana stood there quietly, waiting for Sachiko to walk out of sight. Once she was gone, she stared directly at him and lifted an eyebrow.

"You okay?" She asked.

It's soft the way she says it. He's not quite sure what to say. He  didn't know if he was okay at the moment of not. Miyuki sighed as he stood up from the steps, towering over Hana. She grinned and pinched his cheek the way he always pinched hers.

"I'm fine," He shrugged. 

Hana crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes. She  clicked her tongue against her teeth and then pressed her index finger  into the center of his chest. "You don't look okay,"

Miyuki grabbed her finger and smiled just slightly. "I'll let you know what happened in a second. You should probably cool down first," 

"Help me and then tell me what happened?" 

He nodded and followed her out to the small patch of grass. He grabbed her arm, gently as he did so, and stretched it to the side and then the other side. He then did the other. Hana sat on the grass and he carefully pressed on her back. Hana sighed as he pushed, then switched to another stretch. 

"Were you out here the whole time?" He questioned as he pushed at her elbow. 

As he bent down, the slightest whiff of her scent filled his nose. A small smile managed to grace his face. He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy being able to touch her with such care and smell her scent. Strawberries and fresh florals made his mind go blank and his stomach go tingly. 

"No, I was with Ashito, a little while ago. I was helping with his form and what-not. Then Sacchin and I went out for a run not too long ago. I think I went at it a little too hard because my legs are killing me," Miyuki cringed at the mention of Ashito. His thoughts about earlier in the day made it feel as if he had a sour taste in his mouth. 

She pulled her knees up to her chest and massaged her legs. She sighed and pressed her fingers into her neck. Miyuki lifted an eyebrow. "Want help?"

"Please," She replied, reaching into her bag and grabbed a topical pain relief gel. 

"Where does it hurt?" 

She pointed to a location on her neck and then the back of her thigh. "I think I pulled a muscle,"

"You probably didn't warm up before running,"

"Probably not," She hummed. "Now, what happened?"

Miyuki sighed and squirted the gel onto his hand and moved her hair off her shoulder. His hands shook as he pulled down the sleeve of her hoodie to reveal her bare shoulder and the band of her sports bra. 

"I..." He started. "Zono and I got into in the cafeteria. Nabe, he...  wants to quit, I think. So, I told him that it's up to him and Zono  thought it was Un-Captain like."

"He said that?" She questioned.

"More or less," Miyuki shrugged, pressing harder into the tight muscle on her shoulder. "I know what I said was harsh but...  isn't there truth in that? We aren't here to make friends. We're here  to play baseball."

"I get it." She nodded. "I know what you're saying. But I also get what Zono's trying to say."

"Sure, I guess," Miyuki said sourly. "This whole captain shit has got me so fucked up."

"Kazuya..." She rambled off. 

Miyuki circled around her and grabbed her leg. He realized only then that she had been wearing the shortest shorts known to man. His breath hitched as his hand ran down her leg and to the spot where she had been pointing. He tried not to focus on the sight in front of him, and instead on the what had happened earlier. It proved to be difficult, with everything that had been on his mind slipping away the longer his hands touched her skin.

"I mean, it's Nabe's decision if he quits or not." 

"Have you tried asking him? Is quitting really what he wants?" Hana questioned.

He was quiet for a second. Perhaps he did assume. He didn't know what  Nabe wanted from him. Education books weren't all that telling.  Regardless, Miyuki meant what he said to Zono. That much hadn't changed.

"I'm not taking back what I said. Zono can grab my shirt all he fucking wants to,"

Hana gasped and stared at him. Her hand flew from where it was clenched in the grass and stopped his hand from moving. Her eyebrows pushed together.

"Zono did what?!" She asked with an incredulous look.

Miyuki sighed and glanced ahead of her. His hand shook under her touch.  They didn't need to talk about something that wasn't that big of a  deal. 

"It's fine," Miyuki said, patting her head with his other hand.

"It's not 'fine', Kazuya!" She shouted. 

Miyuki sighed. Her behavior was reminiscent of all the times when he had been jumped as a kid. It never bothered him, but it always seemed to light a fire under her. He never cared to engage with the brainless neighborhood kids because he'd been used to being looked at the way he did. Hana always felt like it wasn't an excuse. It wasn't that he misunderstood her reasoning. He did. Because if it were the other way around, he'd be rightfully pissed and he'd throw hands with anyone who said anything wrong to her. But it was different when it involved her. She was too bright, he was just him. 

Hana was careful as she approached the subject. He smiled to himself. She was always so soft with him. Her concern was always so genuine, especially during the times when she'd tend to his wounds and bandaged him up. His cheeks went red at the memory. The was one of their most intimate moments.

In a way, it felt like it had evolved. The moment at hand is still one of them tending to the other. But, he supposes, it was different. More feelings were behind it, at least on his part it was. There was a feeling burning in his chest that made it harm for him to continue talking. 

"It's just teammate stuff," He said, and motioned for her leg. "Lay back a little."

He grasped the tip of her shoe and rocked her foot back and forth to stretch it. She groaned a bit at the contact.  Miyuki was careful as he extended her leg and cradled it in his hand. He slowly pushed it back toward her chest. His breath hitched in his throat as he moved to closer, averting his eyes so that he wasn't looking at hers. She released a small sigh that bordered on content and something of a moan. 

Fuck, how was he supposed to focus when ankle rested against his shoulder? He was in this position almost everyday at the beginning and end of practice. But it's different being so close to her and having to be in between her thighs. He glanced over at her and she blinked up at him. He needed to move. But he couldn't find it in himself to do so. His hand shook as it rested beside her head, gripping at the grass. 

His heart pounded hard against his rib-cage and his breath hitched in his throat. He doesn't move, and neither does she. The grip that he had on her leg loosened and he was even closer than before. It was just enough that it didn't cross the boundary of friendship. At least, for them. Their boundaries between platonic or not had been beginning to blur. 

"Did he hurt you?" She asked quietly.

"I'm not fragile, you know?" He teased.

"You have a habit of not fighting back," She said to him. Only once,  and it was because she was the matter of why it happened. Any other  time, he wouldn't engage in such childish behavior. But it was her.

Her. Her. Her. It was all her. She continued to cloud his mind. She sat up slightly and leaned against her elbows. He sat back, keeping the platonic space between them.

"I'm not a kid anymore, Hani. Stop worrying about me."

"I can't," She said.

Her eyes were downcast as she said it and her lip quivered just slightly. Her eyes lifted to take in his face and then bore into his eyes.

Damn, he hated when she looked at him like that. Like she was so worried and concerned. It made him melt. It made him want to console her because when she was upset, everything was out of focus for him. It was easier to make sure that she was always smiling. She continued to look at him, frowing slightly.Miyuki tickled the underside of her leg and quirked a smile at her. Hana sighed, shaking her head and letting out a short laugh.

"Have you talked to anyone else? Maybe one of the third years like Jun-San or Chris-Senpai?" 

"Not really," He said, thinking back to his conversation with Chris-Senpai.

Hana stared deeply into his own eyes and they continued to lock eyes. Hers were bright under the moonlight. "I know you feel like you don't know what you're doing. But you  just started, Kazuya, and you're already so amazing. Sawamura got over  the yips with your help. It was you who led him there. Both as a catcher  and as the Captain... you have to see that."

"I just feel lost," He huffed out. "I'm the Captain but am I really a Captain?"

"You're still learning, stop being so hard on yourself," She pressed. 

Miyuki absentmindedly rubbed at the stop on his neck where the fabric had tightened around his throat. Hana broke eye-contact and looked at the spot where he had been massaging the tender area.

"Can I take a look?" She asked quietly, pushing up so that she could see it more clearly. She reached out and touched the sensitive skin of his neck with the tips of her fingers and ghosted along the base of his neck. She then looked back up at him. "I should say  something,"

Miyuki swallowed thickly, his breath was shaky as he shivered under her touch.

"No," He said quickly. He found his own hand reaching out and grasping her hand in his. "I'm fine,"

His heart had been racing now. They were closer than ever know. He wondered if she could hear his shaky breathing. They stared at each other, gazing into each others eyes without a word being said. The silence was deafening and he could her the thump, thump, thump of his heartbeat in his ears. Just a little more and their lips would be just barely touching. Miyuki's throat tightened at the thought. Would now be the time? Just an inch closer and he'd be at the point of no return. Just an inch closer, and he would be professing his feelings for her.

Should he? -- He questioned. Was he ready?

He cringed and shifted his eyes away.

Miyuki clenched his jaw and sat back. He wasn't ready. And it pained him and frustrated him to no end because, fuck, he wanted to be ready. He wanter her. He wanted to feel her lips against his and he wanted love her the right way. But he always wanted baseball. He wanted the night lights shining down on his back as he commanded the worlds best pitchers. He wanted it all. And he knew then, that that simple statement wasn't fair. He wasn't ready to promise a life to her that he couldn't commit to. Above all else, it was her happiness that mattered.

It was then that Miyuki decided on why he had been feeling the way he did when he saw Ashito. He wanted to say that it wasn't jealosy, but even he knew that it was. But it wasn't jealousy in the traditional sense. He didn't care for his looks or his skills in baseball or even the grades he got in his classes. What truly made him envy him, was the simple fact that he was the kind of person who could provide Hana with a life that she deserved with a lover who could promise her the world with certainty. Miyuki couldn't and he knew that.

After the night and his adamance about his words towards Zono and Nabe, he couldn't go against his values right now. No, not now. He wouldn't half-ass his dedication to her but he also couldn't promise that they would walk into the future together. He knew that they would always be friends. That too was a fact. But could he be there for her emotionally, romantically, and physically for her? He wasn't sure. 

Perhaps it was too ambitious.

She deserved a guy who could guarantee it all. 

Miyuki breahted in deeply and then stood up quickly. It took every fiber of his being to stand away from her and not turn into her instead. He wanted it so bad. His body ached for it. He needed to leave.

"We should get going, Sawamura's probably gonna be in my room bright and early," He laughed. 

"Okay..." Had that been confusion? Disappointment?

Miyuki turned to start walking but her arm shot out instead and grabbed at his wrist, then squeezed it tight when he didn't turn and face her.

"Kazuya... Are you okay?" 

"Why wouldn't I be?" He glanced at her.

"I  just thought that you were—" she paused and her eyes faltered  before looking elsewhere. "Never mind. It's nothing important. You're right... you should get some rest. 

-

After dropping her off, Miyuki rushed to his room and slammed the door shut.

What a night -- he mumbled to himself.

His head pressed against the door, he stayed there for a second to catch his breath and then lifted himself off the door. He almost kissed his best friend. He almost kissed Hana. 

Miyuki leaned against his desk and squeezed his eyes shut. How would he approach everything now? Continue as usual? Maybe he'd apologize. He wasn't sure. It seemed a bit disrespectful. Miyuki glanced around the cool room. His roommates were still gone. He figured they'd probably left him alone for the night and slept over in someone else's dorm. 

He gnawed at his lips as the nights events weight on his mind. Her, the kiss, fucking Zono and even that damn Ashito. He was stressed and his body was beginning to tense up.  Miyuki had been so preoccupied that he hardly noticed the buzzing on his desk. The team phone sat face-up and vibrated with a new notification. Miyuki looked at it then looked away before he huffed and grabbed it.

Your request to follow 'uwu_hani' has been accepted. The notification read.

That was the last thing he needed to see -- Miyuki thought.

He sat on the bed and scrolled. For the first time, he was thankful for the team for giving him this dumb phone. He was even more thankful that it had the updated technology to even download the app. Miyuki leaned on his back and chewed his lip. The  pictures were laid out in a pleasing aesthetic. Soft photos, silly,  photos of her life. Some are things only those close to her would  understand. 

It's artsy, Miyuki decided. He rolled his eyes at a photo of her and  Sawamura and gazed at photos of her. It was all, unapologetically her.  Pictures of her off guard, pictures she didn't deem go enough for her  main page. Pictures slightly risque, like the one that he was certain to  avoid that had her standing in a bikini. 

He stopped at a random photo shoot but one that was still done-up and stared. 'Too scared for main...' the caption read.

The photo is not inherently sexual. It bordered on the racy side, but it was nothing that was too racy. There's something so soft and striking  about it that it made his dick twinge in his pants. It sparked the feeling that he got from earlier when he was about to kiss her.

In the photo, she sat on top a stool at a cafe. She sat slightly to the  left out in the sun with it shining down on her. Her eyes were bright  but squinted, probably in an attempt to block it out. Her hands were  brought up to her mouth and cupped in front of her pretty lips to blow a  kiss. The neckline of her shirt held up by two flimsy stringers exposed the skin of her chest and her breasts splayed out. The shorts she wore were a lot like the ones that she wore tonight; tight and short and just barely covering the back of her legs.

Miyuki's hands shook as he zoomed in to take a better look. His head was still dizzy from earlier, it felt as if it were filled with cotton. His pupils dilated the longer he  stared at the screen. He was so pent up from the events of the night that he needed a release. They were so close tonight, her thighs in the palms of his hands and her long lashes blinking up at him adorably so. It was getting harder to ignore the burning desire that he felt for her. It was worse whenever he was next to her.

His thoughts verged on dirty whenever she bent over or whenever a piece of skin was exposed and his eyes always lingered on her frame longer than necessary. Her ass was a distraction in itself. He couldn't help but to stare,  tracing the curves and watching the slight jiggle as she walked. He  wanted her so bad. He needed her. The thought of her glossy lips and how  they looked when she smiled or when she pouted. How they looked tonight when he was about to kiss her. Would she have kissed him back? How far would he have taken it? He's not sure that he would have been able to stop himself once he got started. Kissing her would snap that last bit of self-control that he had.

Blood rushed from his head to his cock, the outline becoming more prominent. It throbbed uncomfortably as he thought of her. Of everything about her. Her hair, her lips, her plush thighs and those beautiful eyes. She was everywhere all at once and occupying his mind. 

He continued to lay on his back with the phone gripped tightly in his hands. He'd do anything to taste her lips just once. In the moments of his hazy and lust-filled mind, he figured that it wouldn't have been so bad if he had kissed her earlier tonight. 

Miyuki pulled his shirt up slightly, exposing his hard abs and slid his hand into his pants, palming his shaft. He sucked in a slightly breath and hissed at  the contact. He slowly jerked himself through his briefs and stared at  the photo with low lids.

He wondered if she knew how much he wanted her. And he wondered if she wanted him just as much. He bit his lip as he thought about it. What kind of noises would she make? The thought made his cock jump. It's easy to imagine her sweet syrupy voice in his ear. It's easy for him to picture her breath hitching in her throat as he slid his hand into her panties. Those fucking tight panties with the lace dug into the fat of her thighs. She'd whimper as he circled her clit, waiting until she was begging for him to touch her. He wouldn't drag it out too long, after all, he always liked to indulge her. 

Miyuki didn't know much about fucking but he was sure that he could figure it out.

"Fuck," He mumbled, hurriedly pushing down his joggers down around his muscular thighs. 

His dick pulsed against the feeling of the cool air. The tip of his cock already leaking. He wouldn't take long tonight. Not after what happened. Not with her picture. Ever since he dropped her off, he had been replaying the scene in his mind. His hands running all over her body, the soft noises she made as he stretched her out. He wanted to hear it again. He wanted to know how she'd sound crying out his name. Would she be shy and quiet like she always was?

Miyuki ran the pre-cum down his cock, running his thumb over it once  or twice before grabbing his shaft. The fantasy of her comes back into  mind. It played like a movie, her voice repeating in his ears. He pumped  his shift quicker, desperately lifting his hips and imaging it was her hand instead.  He thought about her tits pressed against her arms in the photo and how  short those damn shorts were. He wanted to rip those flimsy things off  and bury his head between her thighs. He'd tongue-fuck her until she was  gasping and begging him to stop. 

He wondered if she wanted him to find the photos? They were littered  in certain crevices, hidden in just a way that didn't seem obvious. He  thought it was possible. It wasn't on her main story and she accepted  his follower request rather quickly. The only other people following her  were the female managers and a few female friends from her classes. She  had to have known it was him. Had she been hoping he stumbled across  them one day? 

Fuck, how lucky was he -- he thought. 

He pumped his shaft quicker as he thought about those goddam shorts.  He'd only need to brush them to the side to press his fingers inside of her warm and wet cunt. His  cock throbbed as he thought about how she'd beg him to fuck through hot  open-mouthed kisses. 

Oh fuck, fuck, fuck — Miyuki thought.

His bit down on his bottom lip as he fucked in fist. He was close, so  close. Her bright eyes staring back at him from the photo. Those  fucking eyes always got him. They were so happy and serene. So beautiful  and captivating. Her lips plush and pink. He could remember how they  felt on his skin. Miyuki thought about how they'd feel on his own. 

"Shit," Miyuki groaned. 

The phone fell from his hands as he came in a shaky breath, his hands  gripping the sheets of his bed and his muscles tensing. His cum shot  out in thick ropes against his stomach. His body eased into a relaxed state as he came. The tension from earlier slightly alleviating. 

The thin sheen of sweat across his forehead cooling as his chest  heavy. He stayed there for what felt like minutes. His arms felt around  lazily for the phone that had tangled with his blanket. The screen had  dimmed on her picture. He chewed his lip as he backed out. Relief slowly  filled him but Miyuki knew that it wouldn't last. He'd be right back in the same position having fantasies and daydreams about her by the next day.

Miyuki sat up and  reached for a tissue and quickly wiped up the sticky cum that glistened  on his abdomen. He needed to shower but he hadn't caught his breath just yet. Miyuki  leaned back on the bed with the sight of the picture still fresh in his  mind.

If only she knew just how much he wanted her. 

He might just need to have her.