Baseball and the Azure Blue Sky

Chapter 12: Retired Baseball Idiots and older brothers

"U-Uhm... Eijun...? What the hell is this? What are we doing here?!" Sora stammered helplessly, looking at the eight third year students standing right in front of her.

"Hm? I'm gonna introduce ya, of course. That's obvious, right? Since you told me you've never met one of our senpais before", Sawamura exclaimed proudly, puffing out his chest and grinning widely. "Please meet our new transfer student, second year, Aoki Sora. Currently playing infield, but soon to be pitcher of our Seidou first string team!"

The blue haired girl bowed reflexively and lowered her head deeply in front of the soon to be graduates who already had retired from the baseball team and also had left the dorm rooms to prepare for getting into college. However, she still slapped Sawamura's back of his head when standing up straight again.

"Ow! Oi, Sora! What was that for?" he whined rubbing the spot where he got hit.

"Please tell me that you didn't pester our third years to assemble in the middle of the hallway only to tell them who I am!"

"Eh..."

The young girl facepalmed.

"Eijun!"

"What?!"

"Good grief, whenever I'm with you I always have the urge to apologize to people on your behalf. Gimme a break, would ya?!"

The upperclassmen started to laugh at the little banter and Sora's attitude of scolding the brown haired pitcher.

"No need to apologize and no need to be so overly formal. We are already used to Sawamura's stupidity after all", Kominato Ryousuke, Haruichi's older brother said with a friendly smile on his innocent face.

"Onii-san!" the young southpaw protested instantly and Sora groaned.

"So, you're calling Haru's brother Onii-san and my brother Aniki? Really?!"

"Well, I do have to make a difference, right? Otherwise it'd be confusing..."

"Eijun, your brainlessness is lethal"

"Oi!"

Isashiki and Masuko broke out in loud laughter.

"You're great, I like you!" the loud-mouthed former center fielder almost shouted and pointed at Sora.

"Uhm... thank you, senpai..."

"At least he's way more well-behaved than another certain pitcher we all know..." Tanba, the last ace of the team stated, giving Sawamura a pointed look.

Yuuki Tetsuya and Sakai Ichiro nodded in silent agreement, making the young southpaw protest even more and Miyauchi, one of the former catchers just breathed out heavily through his nose.

"You need to bulk up a little. You're too thin, are you eating properly?" he asked the blue haired girl, causing her to blink a little confused. "I'll give you some of my protein powder. It's good to train your muscles!"

"H-Huh?! Ah, right! Thanks..."

Her bewilderment grew with every second. What was up with these people? Were all Seidou baseball members weird? Also the former ones?

"Oh! I have a very good idea, Chris-senpai!" Sawamura suddenly exclaimed with total conviction. "You should let Sora massage you! He's great at it. He also helps the Cap with his recovery, so maybe you would heal faster if you asked him too"

Takigawa sweat dropped and Sora deadpanned.

"Dear Gods in heaven...!"

The hazel eyes of the young brown haired pitcher were still sparkling like he just had been stricken by the idea of the century. Sora felt like dying from humiliation.