the past and the present

7. last year, last chance

SAWAMURA POV

It's the following month now and nothing much happened other than my family telling me that I should stop messing around with my test scores.

I've been getting up in the ranks in my class after I stopped and my friends were shocked.

They questioned me a lot after noticing how much I've changed from their loud mouth Ei-chan that they use to know. Wakana was the most shocked when she realized I was three ranks below her which was fifth.

A lot of people have been spreading rumors about me and of how I changed and stuff but I really didn't care at this point. No matter how much I try not to interfere with the original timeline there is always something unexpectedly thrown at me.

And it's not a ball. If it was at least I would've caught it.

Anyway, the practice has been going well. We have a tournament coming up this Monday and today is Saturday. For the whole of this week I couldn't wait till school was over so I could go to practice.

I feel like that's the only reason why I smile nowadays, seeing my teammates working together alongside me.

I call them over gathering in a semi-circle standing in the middle.

"Since our last year of Junior High started you guys have been working hard to keep up with my impossible training menus and I just want to say thank you again for going along with my selfish dream and playing baseball with me." I said smiling widely holding back my tears.

"Are you gonna cry Ei-chan?" One of my friends said.

"No I'm not." I said wiping the lone tear that accidentally slipped and the whole group started laughing "Hey stop laughing at me!" I said voice cracking a bit which im probably sure they heard.

"We're sorry." Wakana said smiling patting my back, "Ei-chan how many times do we have to tell you that this isn't your dream alone anymore?" She said as I looked up at them.

"You're acting like this is going to be our last time together." Nobu said. " You know we've been training and we are not going down without a fight... and besides we don't want to let you down." he said mumbling the last part.

I wiped my tears smiling at them softly "Your right. We've been practicing for months now even though I can't guarantee that we are on the same level as the others I will fulfill my promise and take you guys to nationals."

"Yeah!" "Go Ace-kun!" "We are with you all the way!" Everyone shouted.

"C'mon guys!" I laughed heartily for the first time in a while "I'll treat you all to ice cream!"

"Now that's our Ace-kun!" "Thanks Ei-chan!" "Yay free ice cream!" They all cheered and I brought them to a shop nearby to buy ice cream.

I didn't mind spending besides I have been saving my lunch money for some time to treat them to something after the tournament.

Don't worry I didn't use that money. The money I'm using now is the money I made from doing chores. (a/n: everybody and their momma wanted to be eijun so bad when he said this.)

- 🃁 -

It was the day of the tournament and my friends and I were sitting at the dugout reviewing our plan. I made sure everyone was fully warmed up including myself.

We made our way onto the field when the umpire said he was ready and both teams said our greetings. I looked over into the crowd and we had no one on our side of the bleachers other than the few who were there to get a better view. When I looked over at the other side there was a lot of crowd for the other team shouting encouraging phrases but I didn't really care that much. I shook my head and went on the mound.

My teammates were kinda nervous you could see it in their faces which made them easier to intimidate.

"BALLS WILL GO FLYING SO THANKS FOR DEFENDING!" I yelled smiling widely shocking them, my voice burning slightly cause I've never yelled that much since I came back here... or at all.

I smiled seeing them slowly loosing up.

"Let them hit Eijun!" "We got you Ace-kun!" "Yeah, we can do this!"

The first three pitches I made struck out the first batter.

Wow, I'm on my game today and that was just a warmup. "You're doing good Ace-kun now get us another one." Wakana yelled from where she was on the field and I gave her a thumbs up with a smirk.

REI POV

I was heading to Nagano for the junior high baseball tournament to see if I could scout some kids when I bumped into Miyuki.

"Oh- Sorry Rei-chan." Miyuki said taking up the clipboard that fell from my hand. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Indeed I am but it's quite far away so I have to leave now if you don't mind."

"Are you going to look for your lover Rei-chan?" I looked at him with a serious face slightly dull looking giving him the 'does it look like I have one?!' face.

"Im sorry~" he said but I continued to stare. "I said I'm sorry, but for real where are you going that makes you so in a rush?"

I sighed fixing my glasses "Im going to a baseball tournament in Nagano to see if I can scout some kids for the team."

"Oh, I was just curious. Anyway good luck-" he grab my hand after I walked off "Wait did you say Nagano?"

"Yeahh." I looked at him with a weird face

"Can I come?" he suddenly asks smiling weirdly.

"Um sure I guess." he lets go of me humming happily. "Just go change and meet me at my car."

"Hai Rei-chan!~"

I shook my head rubbing my temples. That boy changes expressions quickly and half the time I don't know what he's thinking.

- 🂡 🂱 🃁 🃑 -

not me laughing at my own jokes. I think I really captured Miyuki's personality here😂 good job quarantine xy! 

also fun fact. I graduated high school not too long ago💀

~xy

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