Wild Pitch Afterstory

Chapter 1 (Si-eon)

- I guess you made a scene anyway... - He did not fail to remind me as we left the stadium grounds.

- And whose fault was that?! What kind of sunbae it makes you to let your hoobae get so emotional?!

- Hey! Don't blame me! You will have occasion to play baseball with me, so you should be happy about it...! Yet, you cry... it breaks my heart also! - I shot him a glare. It's hard to stay sad when someone pisses you off so much. I'm starting to think it might even be his plan. I sniffled and rubbed my tear-stained eyelids. It was actually his fault for leading me to this state, but the fact that he looked at me so often made me realize that he must be worried. Not that I was feeling too embarrassed, although the circumstances were not the most favorable. From the Si-eon Sunbae I didn't feel the need to hide how I feel, like from the Nowoon or Hyunsoo ...

- Stop. Come here. - He said suddenly, grabbing my hand, which I was drying my eyes with, and pulling it away. - Don't rub. You'll irritate your eyes... - He almost ordered, though still with the warmth and concern he usually turned to me. He used a handkerchief from his bag to clean me up. And again... very carefully. I stared at him paralyzed as he studied my face intensely just inches away. Such concentration was with him during the match, but then I never had the opportunity to look at it that closely. His eyes suddenly softened as he smiled.

- I also have something on my face? - he asked mockingly, which pulled me out of my trance, and I moved away immediately, feeling the warmth on my cheeks.

- N-no! I just... I just never thought you would be the type of person to bring tissues with them everywhere... - That was the first thing that came to my mind right after what I really thought.

- Of course I do! I have to be prepared to take care of my beloved hoobae...! - he joked, beaming like the sun. I was silent for a moment.

- You truly act like a mum...

- Hey!

We didn't talk much on the way back. Despite his gibberish, Si-eon Sunbae seemed to understand that I had a lot of thoughts on my mind right now and needed a moment to get through them. I agreed to come back to the team, but I will have to try even harder. I don't want to disappoint the team ... and I don't want to disappoint the one who believed in me from the beginning. I thought looking out of the corner of my eye at the blonde walking half a step in front of me.

- Oh! New ice cream place just opened up! Dohyun, would you lik ...

- Si-eon Sunbae... - I cut him off suddenly, which caused him to turn to me in surprise.

- Dohyun ...? - he asked, worried as I had been silent for a moment with my eyes fixed on the ground. When I stared at him again, he flinched because of determination in my gaze.

- Let's go practice. - He blinked a couple of times, then laughed happily.

- Of course!

It was almost certain that he took the ball with him, even though he had sworn we would not play. We threw our bags on the bench and played catch till the sky went dark. After a while, I was persuaded to sit on the bench to rest. I wanted to keep practicing, but Sunbae stubbornly ordered an end to the exercise.

- Good job. - He said cheerfully, handing me a can of soda from a vending machine.

- Thanks... - I muttered, accepting the gift. There was silence again, except for the sounds of swallowing as I drank it all at once.

- Wow... You are so energetic today! - he commented, being worried or being impressed as long as it wasn't a combination of both. - You pitch so hard that I will need to buy a new glove soo...

- We will win the next championship! I promise... - I announced, squeezing the can in my hands. Si-eon said nothing. I was so preoccupied with my thoughts that I didn't even pay attention to it until I felt his warm big hand on my head, which not really gently ruffled my hair.

- That's a bad habit to interrupt your superiors...! - He commented, making my hair more and more of a mess.

- I-it's not a habit if you do it once! - I protested, trying to stop him.

- It's your second in a short time!

- Huh ?! When was the first time ?! - Finally he let go and I was able to organize my hair. While I was focusing on it, Si-eon looked up at the starless, city sky, which was glimmered only by the lights of passing airplanes.

- Hey, Dohyun... - He said suddenly.

- Huh?

- Can you promise me... - He began, strangely stressed, clenching his hands on the back of the bench he sat on. Not at all like him. - Can you promise me that no matter what happens... we still will play catch like this...? - He finally choked out, though I barely heard the end of it. But as I put together his words in my mind, it stunned me. My first instinct was to laugh, but it got stuck in my throat. Where did this seriousness come from...? I felt strangely awkward.

Choose:

A) Of course ...

B) Not if you keep being annoying.

A) Si-eon smiled, though not as he used to. - It's a promise then!

B) He laughed, although there was something different about that than usual. - Fine! So until I won't ... it's a promise!

When he looked at me, this impression was gone. For a moment it crossed my mind that I was imagining it. But even after we went separate ways and I got to bed at home, I couldn't forget his expression at that moment ... He seemed ... sad. Now, by far, the thought that tormented me most was: "Have I actually seen Si-eon sad before?"