𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅𝐅. furuya satoru

chapter 3: phantom

Alternate Title: Tadanori was sure that he was ready to let go.

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Hazui Tadanori, First Year

Tadanori was the first to exit the dining area, and so he was the first as well to enter the bathroom. He wanted to soak himself in the warm bath after scrubbing all the dirt from his body but decided against it when some rowdy third years slammed open the door, filling the once tranquil room with shouts and jokes that were not funny for an outsider like him. Tadanori must find another way to de-stress, maybe he’ll practice some batting later but that means he’s gonna have to shower again. As he was pondering what to do relieve the tension on his shoulders, an upperclassman sat on the stool next to him.

“Ohoho,” he said as Tadanori bowed his head in respect. “My my, what do we have here?” Tadanori was familiar with him, though not with his name. He was sure that he had seen the guy play in the high school games he went to—and if Tadanori went out on his way to remember at least his face, he must have quite an impressive record.

“Hazui Tadanori,” he bowed his head again, introducing himself, itching to just stand up and leave. He didn’t like the thought of being stared at by the whole bathroom with only a towel covering his crotch, especially by his seniors.

“Hey. Don’t be like that, tell us who you really are.” The third year placed an arm around Tadanori’s neck, as if they were old friends, holding him so close that he could feel his hot breath on his face. Tadanori tilted his head to get a better look on him, confusion written on his furrowed eyebrows and the older boy gave out a loud sigh, letting Tadanori go with a slight push. “Hazui Tadanori… Are you or are you not the infamous Phantom of Tokyo?”

Hearing the name, Tadanori shivered—either in disgust, cringe, or a mixture of both. It has been months since he last heard somebody use that name on him, and even if he kept on pitching, he would have wished to change the title once he entered high school. Seriously… Phantom of Tokyo? If Narumiya Mei could be a king, then why did he have to be a fucking phantom? Just because Mei was a little more handsome then he is, doesn’t mean he gets to be treated specially.

Tadanori looked at his feet before nodding his head, slowly standing up. “Yes, but I play outfield now.”

Without giving much room for him to reply, Tadanori gave yet another courteous bow before leaving the bathroom. While wearing his shirt, he could hear the murmurs inside growing louder and louder. Talking about how, “that Hazui boy has no manner” or how “just because he’s a little famous, he thinks he can go around looking down on us like that”.

Tadanori wanted to clear up his name but he decided to leave, feeling like it would not end good if he kept on listening to what they have to say. Though it made him feel better that the third year that had talked to him said in a small mumble, “Tch. I wanted to swing my bat to his pitches.”

 
—
 

In the end, Tadanori didn’t practice his batting at all. He jogged for a bit, but he made sure that he didn’t sweat, before sitting on the steps leading down to the dorms. Tadanori looked up the stars that seemed to shine brighter as the night sky turned darker—this wasn’t like anything he was used to seeing in his house which was in the middle of the bustling city. The stars, to his surprise, actually managed to calm his nerves down. He was lost in them that his trance was only broken by his phone alarm ringing, reminding him that he had to take his daily medicine.

He sort of wished that Kazuya would text him, apologizing or something, but his notification bar turned out to be empty and so Tadanori ended up walking back to his dorm with his hands buried inside of his pockets feeling a little sad.

He opened the door to his room quietly, hoping that the second year he was sharing the room with was already asleep, but lo and behold, Kominato Ryousuke was laying sideways on his bed, flipping through a text book, looking like he was forcing himself to study.

“You’re back.”

Tadanori nodded, feeling somewhat a little impolite to be entering the room without even introducing himself to him, so after closing the door he turned and bowed his body down to a full 90 degrees. “I had moved in earlier today while you were in practice,” he said, “so please forgive me for my intrusion.”

Tadanori felt like he was the latest one to enter the dorm. While the rest of the first years, including Kazuya, moved in a week or so before him, he had some unattended business he had to go to before officially moving in. He also felt bad for head coach Kataoka, he must have delayed the official first years’ introduction to wait for him.

“Raise your head,” Kominato said after a while, closing his text book then walking up to Tadanori. “I can’t have the Tokyo Ghost lowering his head to me.” Though he said that, Tadanori couldn’t help but feel like he was actually enjoying this (not that it mattered, Tadanori was taught to be polite to anyone older than him since he was young). Something in the way Kominato said those words gave him shivers, his voice was condescending like the calm before a never-coming storm.

At the nickname, however, Tadanori frowned. He stood up with his hands behind his back, only then realising how much shorter Kominato was comparing to him. “Phantom, actually—” he went to correct Kominato before being cut off.

“Ah, so you are saying that I was wrong?” Kominato had a smile similar to Kazuya’s in a way and this caused Tadanori to stop for a moment, being reminded that he wasn’t on good terms with the catcher because of his decision to leave his pitcher position; therefore leaving the battery that they had formed together. Tadanori blinked at Kominato, who was still patiently waiting for an answer.

“It doesn’t really matter,” he finally said after a moment of thinking of the right words to say. “I don’t go by it anymore.”

“You don’t sound sure,” the smaller boy commented, now moving from Tadanori’s way to rid his bed of his studying materials.

Tadanori shrugged, not leaving his spot as he watched Kominato tidy his books up, putting them on his table before finally settling down on the bottom bunk that he probably called dibs on. “I am sure, though I’m still working on the people around me.”

“Mhm,” Kominato replied, pulling his blanket over his head as he turned away, to face the wall. “In any case, you have been given the privilege to be my roommate, Hazui. Though I hope you understand that that means I’m going to torment you a little.”

Torment…?

That choice of word caused Tadanori to let out a small chuckle.

“Is anything funny?” Kominato asked though not moving his voice had gotten a little demanding, not appreciating being laughed at by a junior.

Tadanori cleared his throat, “Nothing.”

“Good, now turn off the lights, Hazui.”

Tadanori let a small smile slip on his lips. He’s got the feeling that his roommate would be an interesting one to deal with, though he was slightly afraid of what kind of ‘torment’ he would have to go through that year.

“I will, once I take my medicine.” Tadanori said. He stood there and waited for a reply, but none came so he ended up assuming that Kominato was fast asleep. The thought of him falling asleep so quickly amused Tadanori so much that he had to hide his mouth behind his hand to stop giggles from slipping out.

For the first time in that night, he felt like he was at peace.