If there was a single word Eijun could use the describe the scrimmage, it would have to be slow. From the top of the first inning with the Senpai defending, Eijun noticed that even with his exuberant cheering, the first-years were making little to no headway. In fact it seemed that they we're going up to each at bat with loss firmly in mind. And to Eijun, who lived for the challenge, for the adrenaline rush he'd get from facing someone well known be stronger ('Monster Slaying'), this was pretty much unforgivable. More than anything he wanted to be on the field with his year-mates to encourage them onward.
"WHY ARE YOU LOOKING SO DOWN!" Eijun yelled out at the firs-years, causing everyone to startle. "The bottom of the fourth inning is just starting!" His eyes blazed as he looked down from his perch next to Miyuki. "You don't lose until you give up! What are you on the field for if you aren't giving one-hundred percent?"
"Oi Sawamura calm down!" Miyuki stood up trying to calm him down, but Eijun shrugged him off, enraged at the showing his friends were giving.
"Don't you realize that this is a opportunity?!" Eijun flailed his arms. "Coach doesn't care if you win or lose, he wants to see how you play in the face of adversity!" Eijun clutched the fence in front of him tightly, his knuckles whitening from the pressure. "In a pinch, would you really just give up like this? They may be your senpai but they're at most two year older than you! They're not aliens or demons or some kind of fantasy monster! That means you can play them!" Eijun cried out. "SO GET OUT THERE AND SHOW THEM WHAT YOU'VE GOT!" Eijun swung his arms out.
He stood there, with everyone's eyes on him taking heaving breaths and trying to push his convictions on the first-years with only his eyes. His gaze directly caught Kanemaru's and Haruichi's and they nodded at him, grinning. He slide his gaze over to the coach who nodded at him, eyes hard.
"Player substitutions! Kanemaru third base, Takatsu shortstop, Kominato second base, Oka first base. Kariba catcher, Oushima, Kimura and Hosoyama Outfield. Toujo is pitching." The coach called out. Eijun cheered at them, excited that they seemed to be taking it more seriously now.
"Let's go Tanba-San!" Eijun made sure to cheer for the upperclassmen as well. While the moral of the players certainly increased, it didn't do much to increase their skills, so the first-years were still in fact losing by 9-0. But the game was much more fun to watch, and they seemed to be calmer and playing sharper.
***
('Seriously... is he an idiot?) Kazuya thought as he watched the loud brunette sit down in the grass next to him, from the corner of his eye.('Although... I guess I can't deny that all of the players look much sharper after his... intervention. He certainly doesn't look like much at first glance, but he really is starting to become a mood maker for the team.') Kazuya, placed an arm on his knee, spreading his other leg straight out and rested his chin on it.
"Sawamura make sure you rest your lungs." Kazuya smirked at his pitcher. "You actually need to be able to speak during out next match in two days!" Kazuya relished in the way, Sawamura's face reddened.
"Miyuki Kazuya what does that even mean?" Sawamura said hotly glaring at him.
"You know you can just call me Miyuki-Senpai right? Or if that's too hard Miyuki is also fine." Kazuya evaded, knowing that it would rile the pitcher up even more.
"Wha-?! Don't ignore my question Mi-Yu-Ki Ka-Zu-Ya!" Sawamura spluttered at him, narrowing his eyes even more.
"You really are the best Sawamura" Kazuya laughed, throwing his arm around the slim shoulders of the first-year and dragging him into a side hug. ('How is it that someone I barely know can make me laugh like this? ).
"Tch." Sawamura grumbled before settling into Kazuya's side. If either of them blushed well, no one on the team was really close enough to see it.
***
In the sixth inning, The outfield and the pitcher were switched out. Kaneda took the mound and had a good showing. He came in with the score at 13-0 and left in the 8th inning with a score of 17-0. At the top of the 8th inning, Kanermaru stepped up to the plate to bat, batting second with one out. The pitcher on the mound ('I don't think I've met him yet?') was less intimidating than Tanba, although that didn't mean he looked easy to hit off of. Eijun watched, full of nerves as Kanemaru took a deep breath, before settling into a comfortable batting stance. From what Eijun heard (from Toujo) Kanemaru was great at hitting fastballs. But Eijun also knew that the senpai were taking this seriously as a opportunity to possibly move up to the first string. Even if there were any fastballs, it would be unlikely for them come on an easy course. Eijun watched with a bated breath as the pitcher wound up ('Despite what Wakana always said, he did in fact know when to shut-up').
"Strike!" Kataoka called as the first ball slammed into the mitt of the catcher, Ono. The pitcher seemed to have a good rhythm going from striking out the previous batter. Kanemaru settled back into his comfortable batting stance, hugging the edge of the batter's box closest to the plate.
"Ball!" Kataoka called. Eijun watched as Kanemaru released a breath, lightly swinging his bat from knee to knee before settling again.
"Strike!"
Clang! The sped between second and third, while Kanemaru sprinted as hard as he could to first base.
"Kanemaru-Kun!" A timid voice yelled out as a familiar pinkette made his way up to the plate! "I'll bring you home no matter what!" Haruichi in that moment was unusually confident and brimming with confidence.
"Who is that boy?"
"Did he just declare a run?"
"Who does he think he is?" The spectators, mostly composed of Seidou alumni started to gossip, causing Haruichi to blush.
"LET'S GO HARUCCHI! YOU GOT THIS!" Eijun shouted, drawing away the negative attention of the spectators. The pinkette looked up as his fellow first-year, and possibly friend and smiled.
"H-Harucchi? Isn't it too early to be on first name bases already?" He muttered. Still, the words of the loud brunette calmed him somewhat. "Thanks Eijun-Kun!" he said quietly.
And so, with one out and a runner on first, Kominato Haruichi stepped up to bat.
***
Hello guys! How have you guys been? Today is election day in the US, and don't worry I voted. Anyway, I needed a break from school work and politics, so I decided that I'd post this chapter today! I hope you all enjoy it! Oh, side note, I'm currently working on a sketch/pencil drawing of Yuki Tetsuya, and I have another sketch of Miyuki Kazuya (not in baseball gear this time lol) if anyone is interested in seeing it!
Question of the Week: Do you think anyone saw Eijun and Kazuya blushing? 👀 If so, who? Comment your answers below! I'm interested to see what you guys think?
Feel free to come join me on my Discord server, Sports Anime Fans! link: https://discord.gg/j5PdQ2U
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Southpaw
FanfictionWhat if after the last game of Akagi Junior High, Eijun threw himself into learning more about baseball. What if he acknowledges that he isn't that smart, and knows that his only chance is to be recruited for a big baseball high school? would he sh...
