𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 [𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐲𝐚 𝐬.]

𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧.

it was the top of the sixth inning when shunshin swung forward, striking out against eijun. the latter grinned, the seidou stands going crazy at the first out.

"hey..." shunshin muttered, catching kazuya's attention. "that girl in left.. she's your sister, right?" kazuya didn't answer. "her knee is weak. if she keeps playing on it without rest, it'll give out." shunshin walked back to the dugout, well aware of kazuya's gaze on his back. the catcher frowned, looked to left field as the next batter walked forward.

"oooh! he got you!"

"for real? wow!"

"wow! he's in top form!" haruichi remarked with a smile. eijun struck the next pitcher out, and the third walked up to bat. the boy frowned, grip on his bat tightening. eijun threw his first pitch, and in a panic the batter swung, the ball flying to left field.

katsumi smirked, darting forward. her knee screamed for her to stop as she ran after the ball, but she ignored the aching pain. it buckled and she stumbled, but managed to make it to the ball in time for her to stick her hand out and catch it.

"yeah, katsumi!" eijun smiled. kazuya frowned as he watched his sister throw the ball back to eijun, and he quickly readied himself for another pitch as the next batter walked up. he was struck out, and katsumi sighed softly as the fielders jogged back to the dugout.

"sumi." kazuya called the girl softly. "are you okay?" the girl nodded, not meeting his gaze as she pulled her mitt off. his gaze landed on the bags under her eyes, and his eyebrows pinched together. 'they seem darker than before...' he frowned deeply. "katsumi." the girl tensed up and the other players looked over at kazuya, shocked that he used her full name. "i know about your knee." her only response was a sharp glare, his brown eyes glaring right back at her.

"miyuki, what's going on?" yuki stepped in, sensing tension between the two.

"nothing," kazuya said as he began to pull his catcher's gear off. "katsumi, you're not playing anymore."

the girl whipped around, taupe irises wide as her pupils constricted. "that is not your decision to make." she hissed, voice full of venom and stutter temporarily non-existent. the players jumped in shock and eijun hid behind haruichi, eyes wide at the aura coming off of the girl.

"no, you're wrong, katsumi." kazuya spat, pulling his knee pads off. "it is my decision, you're not fucking playing." katsumi glared harder, and kazuya looked up at her from his seat on the bench. "...i'm not arguing about this anymore." he stood, pulling his helmet on and walking away from the girl.

"sakai, are you ready to go in?" kataoka asked the left fielder.

"yes!" the boy stood, grabbing his mitt. katsumi huffed quietly, shoulders rising and failing in anger. she sat on the bench next to furuya, who scooted closer to her.

"i told you not to overwork yourself." he scolded in his usual monotone voice. katsumi looked down at her lap, feeling angry and shameful all at once. "i don't want to see you get hurt. so please stop trying to push yourself too hard." she looked at furuya through her peripheral vision as haruichi sat down next to her, and eijun next to him.

"are you alright, katsumi-chan?" the pinkette asked quietly.

"yeah, are you okay? i've never seen miyuki look so.. well, i don't know! i've never seen him look so angry at someone else!" haruichi slapped eijun's arm.

"maybe we should just leave it be.. let her calm down." furuya sent a harsh look to eijun, who sweat dropped and nodded. eventually, akikawa got three outs and the seidou players were back on defense. katsumi watched her brother get ready to play and she frowned, stretching her leg out.