THE SANDLOT | m. kazuya

1.

THE SANDLOT !
CHAPTER ONE

widened eyes stared at the glossy cover of the pamphlet set before him, rendering him completely speechless. was this some sort of horrible prank? there was no way in hell that he was being scouted by seido! god it was so bizarre, wasn't kokubunji eight hours away by train? how did this woman manage to find him here in kotohira? katsu dared himself to glance at the smug brunette, feeling himself freeze when he realized her sharp gaze was already set on him.

she was an enigma.

"if you're still unsure about this whole ordeal, we can set up a time and have you tour the school to see if it's up to your standards." katsu grits his teeth, clenching his fists under the wooden table. it wasn't that. he had no experience playing real baseball games with a real opponent. what if he brought the team down for his lack of expertise? "are you sure you want to scout me? i've only ever played sandlot games."

takashima rei merely pushed her glasses further up her nose, giving him a brief smile. the first one he's received during this whole conversation. "i'll take my chances." leveling her a determined stare, he straightened up in his seat. "i'd like to know more, please." the answer he got was in the form of an upturned smirk.

if he was truly being scouted for a baseball team, he'd be a complete dumbass to let it slip from his grasp.

-----

katsu would be lying if he said he wasn't frightened. it was a good thing rei had picked him up from the train station, if not he was sure he'd gotten completely lost. kokubunji was nothing compared to kotohira. starting with the population. and its lack of greenery. the car came to a sudden halt, making him blink away the haziness around his eyes.

"we're here." the brunette stated the obvious when he stepped out, his stomach churning uneasily. with a swift motion of her slim hand, they began their detour down the cobbled sidewalk leading them towards the baseball dormitory. "since you're so far from home, you'll be offered a place in the dorms. you'd be sharing it with a second and third year." she explains carefully as she gestures towards the closed dark blue doors. "there's scheduled practice before and after class though most players keep practicing late at night."

the blonde teen took everything in with awed eyes. this is where he would be staying for the rest of his high school career. it was oddly calming and terrifying at the same time. "just over this hill are the fields." once they reached the very top of the staircase, he could oversee the team's rigorous training. even from here, he could hear their piercing shouts and cheers. "let us get a closer look, shall we?"

so this is how a baseball team works. katsu thought to himself as he watched a group of first years run around the wide fields, the hitters strong swings as they sent balls flying, and the fielders jumping and diving to catch them. he openly gaped, unaware of rei's smug expression at his eagerness. this is everything he wanted and more. "what do you think?" katsu swiveled around to face her with a bright grin, visibly shocking her for a quick second before she smiled. "i want to play."

steel-blue eyes pierced the scattered metal bats a few feet away, fingers twitching to grasp it within his clutches. "i don't see why you can't. a few days ago a boy caused havoc during practice. let's see what you bring to the table." excitement coursed through his veins as rei waved a player over, asking him to bring a spare helmet and gloves.

the sudden commotion caused some to pause their training as they watched the blonde teen adjust the gloves with furrowed eyebrows. "kawakami, miyuki, do you mind?" the pitcher merely shakes his head, giving katsu a shy smile when he steps towards the now vacant batter's box. letting out a small breath, he bent his knees and sunk into the balls of his feet. "you're not going to spare a glance at your position?" the catcher drawls out amusedly, molten amber eyes peering up at him behind sports glasses.

katsu ignores him, focusing his gaze on the pitcher, keeping a light grip on the handle as he let the bat hover over his shoulder. his friends always said he looked petrifying when he focused his steely blue eyes on them, and maybe they were right. from here he could see kawakami visibly tense up when they made brief eye contact, lips parting in slight surprise.

after a long exhale, the pitcher began his windup. it caught him slightly off guard, used to seeing the choppy movements of his friend when he pitched. before he knew it, the ball had curved disgustingly into the catcher's mitt with a satisfying resounding smack. "strike!" was that a curveball? no, it broke like a slider. katsu let out a disbelieving chuckle, glad that he didn't blindly step in and swung like a complete idiot. he didn't want them to think his batting was a joke.

readjusting his grip, he closely watched their next move. the second he saw the ball disconnect from his fingertips he took a small step forward to increase his power. with one quick motion, he rotated his hips counterclockwise to create momentum for the swing. the ball ricocheted off the bat with a loud clang sending it soaring high above their heads and slamming with a dull thud against the scoreboard. 'HOME RUN! THE GREAT BAMBINO SCORES AN HR!' his friends yells echo through his head as the pitcher turns around with shocked eyes.

staring down at his hand, he clenches them into a tight fist. damn did it feel good. the catcher whistles lowly, removing his mask guard to reveal high cheekbones and a chiseled jawline. "you didn't even look at your feet when you stepped into the batter's box." katsu blinks, feeling slightly flustered when he stood up to his full height. "am i supposed to?" this causes him to cackle, raising a hand to wipe away the sweat on his brow. "you hit a home run with an open stance. man, where does rei find you lot? next year is going to be fun."

the smirk he receives is downright carnal.

_______________________________