Is it Hot in Here or is it Just You? j

Chapter 1

March 31st was circled in bright red marker on Seidou's baseball club calendar. It was a date greeted with mixed feelings: confusion from the clueless first years, dread from the knowing second years, and most of all, anticipation from the third years.

March 31st had been a long celebrated day in Seidou tradition as the eve before April Fool's Day.

Or, in other words, the annual meeting the third years held every year to prepare the most elaborate April Fools Day prank.

As to why the third years had all chosen to meet in his room, Miyuki would never know.

"You're an honorary member of this year's prank," Yuuki had graciously explained as he stepped past Miyuki's door with a nod. "As thanks for hosting the third years."

All the others seemed to be in agreement except Chris, who'd looked at Miyuki with a resigned apology in his eyes.

The third years were now sprawled across the floor. It had taken them a painstaking half an hour to draw up their final plans for tomorrow but when someone had finally shouted "Use pick-up lines on the underclassmen!" the room had rippled with murmurs. Half of the third years had a terribly mischievous and unabashed gleam to their eyes while the other half looked apprehensive.

Supposedly, the plan was for the third years to flirtatiously deliver the worst possible pickup lines they could find to their unsuspecting victims.

Supposedly was the key word here.

"Isn't this borderline sexual harassment?" Chris asked very slowly.

"They're pick-up lines, Chris!" Jun replied indignantly. "It's not like anything bad's going to happen!"

"Well, there's the loss of your dignity."

"Now listen here, Ryosuke—"

"At least it won't disturb Coach Kataoka." Yuuki interrupted, placing a placating hand on Jun's shoulder. "Remember last year?"

At this, Miyuki pressed a hand to his mouth to conceal his grin. Last year, the third years had decided it would be a fantastic idea to slip hot sauce into everyone's lunch. Unfortunately for them, they'd accidentally put hot sauce in Coach Kataoka's portion as well. Coach Kataoka, who was notorious for his hatred for anything spicy.

Needless to say, things went downhill from there.

Everyone shuddered at the memory.

"Pick-up lines it is," Miyauchi grunted.

The room fell silent for a moment.

"A contest," Ryosuke said, snapping the silence in half. "If we're going to embarrass ourselves, we might as well make it a competition. Whoever produces the best reaction should be the winner."

That got the entire room buzzing again.

An idea was brewing inside Miyuki's mind. "I'm up for that," he drawled with a smirk.

"It's decided then," Yuuki declared. May the best man win."

The others began passing around a list of underclassmen victims. Without hesitation, Miyuki uncapped his pen and scrawled his name in next to Sawamura's.

He smiled widely. This was going to be so good.

............

Meanwhile, the second years rolled in their beds, bracing themselves for the next morning.

The first years snored onwards, oblivious.

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1) Kawakami