Heartstrings & Homeruns | Kenji Sato

CHAPTER 29

Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Past That Still Plays On

After a long, exhausting shift, I was just about done packing up my things. My muscles ached from a day of assessing injuries and setting up treatment plans, and all I wanted was to go home and rest. But as I gathered my things and prepared to head out, a soft knock at my office door interrupted the quiet. I raised an eyebrow, wondering who it could be.

"Come in," I called out, not even bothering to look up.

The door creaked open, and to my surprise, it wasn't one of the staff or players-it was someone else entirely.

"Hey there, beautiful," a voice rang out, playful, confident, and far too familiar.

I looked up, my breath catching for a brief second. Kazuki Shirogane.

My heart did an involuntary little jump in my chest, but I quickly masked it, focusing on keeping my expression neutral. Kazuki stood in the doorway, casual in his Tigers jacket, his smirk already tugging at the corners of his mouth. His presence was both comforting and disorienting, like a flash of nostalgia that came too fast.

I hadn't seen him in nearly a year, not since I left the Tigers. We had kept in touch here and there, the occasional text or call, but nothing too deep. And now here he was, standing in the hallway outside the therapy room, leaning casually against the wall with that same easygoing smile I remembered.

"Phoenix," he greeted, his grin widening as his eyes lit up with mischief. "Long time no see."

The nickname. My stomach tightened at the sound of it. Phoenix-the name he alone called me. He was the only person who ever used it. I wasn't sure if I liked it or hated it. Either way, it always made me feel something I wasn't ready to confront.

"Kazuki," I said, trying to keep the tone of my voice even, though I wasn't sure why it sounded softer than I intended. "What are you doing here? Last I checked, you played for the enemy."

"Ouch. 'Enemy' is a little harsh, don't you think?" Kazuki laughed as he pushed himself off the wall.

"I see you haven't changed," I rolled my eyes but couldn't stop a small smile from forming.

"Neither have you. Still as sharp as ever." Kazuki's eyes softened as he studied me. "How's it been? Really."

"I'm doing fine," I replied casually before crossing my arms and arching a brow at him. "Now, go straight to the point. What brings you here?"

Kazuki, unfazed by the guarded tone, grinned even wider.

"I was in the neighborhood," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Actually, that's a lie. I need a favor."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You don't just ask favors like that, Kazuki," I said, trying to keep things light but firm. "You have to at least pretend to be polite."

Kazuki rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Politeness is overrated," he replied, his grin never faltering. "Anyway, one of my teammates-Yuji-he's been dealing with an old knee injury for a while. The doctors back in Nishinomiya have been rushing him through recovery. The guy's a wreck, and I'm worried he's going to make it worse if he doesn't get proper care. I figured, since you worked with us before, maybe you'd know someone who could help."

I sighed inwardly, feeling a familiar weight settling on my shoulders. Kazuki always had a way of making everything seem more complicated than it was. Still, I knew I couldn't say no. Not when it came to someone else's health.