CH 84

Chapter 84: I Can't Let Him Win And Run Away

TL: Akabane

***

After being hit by a dead ball, Hagiri was rushed to the hospital. However, judging from the reaction of the paramedics, he wasn't seriously injured. He has good athleticism, so when the ball hit him on the head, he must have been able to escape the impact. He was able to escape with the win. So the battle between Imayuri and Hagiri over Igarashi was thus cancelled. But the game itself wasn't over yet. The pitcher who threw the dead ball was ejected, but the game itself was to continue. But the impact was so great that a temporary intermission was called.

"...Now, what should we do from now on...? With Hagiri gone, we no longer have an excellent pitcher here. Manager Momiji...do you have any hands?"

I sense impatience from the manager, Kyogoku-senpai. The championship is at stake in this match. With Hagiri's omission, that wish was now a long way off. For what it's worth, Hagiri had contributed to the team's victory, for better or worse.

"It's all right. We have a reserve pitcher ready for something like this...Kukuku, ahahahaha!"

Yuzuriha raises a high laugh, her spectacles glinting with a bewitching look. She looks like a manga matt scientist herself. Yuzuriha points at me and declares in high spirits.

"Pitcher change! Kanata! It's your turn!"

"I didn't think I could pitch!"

I was named pitcher in place of Hagiri. Kyogoku-senpai looks at me with somewhat uneasy eyes.

"You certainly have a hard fastball, though. But you didn't have time to practice pitching. Are you going to be okay?"

The senior's concern is probably justified. But Ayashiro replies to that with a smile.

"Then, that's no problem. Actually, Tokiwa and I were secretly practicing pitching during our breaks at the university. We even made sure to have a change in pitch. He'll be fine."

That's right. Whenever possible, Ayashiro and I practiced pitching. Ayashiro taught me how to throw various breaking pitches.

"Huh? You, a girl, caught that 160km super fastball? That's more of a surprise to me!"

"Yes, even I was tired of catching. And I had to wear a mitt, so I couldn't wear fake nails, so it was a mess. Ufufu."

At first, I was puzzled too, but this woman could catch a 160-km pitch without any problem. She is a seriously high-spec girl.

"Now, you can go out and compete. Then, Kanata, please practice pitching with Kyogoku-senpai during the break time."

"Okay. Senpai. I look forward to working with you."

"Yeah, I'm counting on you too!"

We put our fists on top of each other. Then, we started practicing pitching.

***Who the hell came to deliver the glass slipper?***

[Ririse's POV]

When the ball hit Chusho in the head and he fell down, I slumped down on the ground. Tomoe, who was cheering with me by my side, immediately ran to Chusho, but all I could do was sit here in a daze, shivering.

"It's okay. Your childhood friend is a shrewd guy. I'm sure it's no big deal."

Milan is holding my shoulder and comforting me by my side. But I...I wasn't really worried about Chusho. I just dreaded the thought of what would happen after he was gone from this world. It was a truly terrifying imagination. How would I face my sins in a world without Chusho? And if Chusho died here and now, would it be my fault? Thinking about it is frightening. My sins will increase. The punishment will be heavier. I don't want that. The end result will be the same anyway, but it must be unbearably painful to make the process even heavier. I don't want Chusho to leave. It would be very, very difficult. Maybe that's why. My voice naturally leaked out.

"Why am I the only one...?"

"Hmm? Did you just say something?"

Milan tilted her head. She gently patted my head.

"It's okay. He's fine."

"Is it?"

"Yes, he is. He'll be fine."

"I don't think so... Without Chusho, Tokiwa will surely get caught up in me...oh no...no...no...I don't want that..."

"Eh? Why Kanata? Hey, Igarashi... what are you... what are you trembling about?"

Is this the end? I wanted Tokiwa to watch me until the end. But if Chusho isn't there, Tokiwa will get caught up in me too. I'm scared. I'm so scared. I was looking forward to him kidnapping me somewhere far away until just now.... I don't want to be crushed like this....

"Oh, I'm sorry! May I have a word?"

A pleasantly resonant voice echoed from above my head. I looked up to see golden hair shining in the sunlight.

"Ayashiro...? Why are you here?"

Ayashiro was staring at me happily with her blue eyes. Her gaze seemed somehow bewitching and provocative.

"I just came to ask you out. Tokiwa's going to replace Hagiri as the pitcher. How about it? Wanna go with me for a pep talk? Even that thick-skinned guy must feel pressure at times like this. So I think he'd be happy to be encouraged by a cute girl at a time like this. How about it?"

I thought it was a very out of place invitation. And at the same time, I felt terribly ashamed of myself for being happy to hear that Tokiwa would be pitching. And most of all, I couldn't forgive myself for going to Tokiwa's place even though Chusho had fallen ill. Ayashiro is a cunning girl. To stay by Tokiwa's side while I'm so depressed.... It's cheating.

"That's not fair. Because Chusho is falling down..."

I turned down the suggestion. Because it would be a bad thing to do. I can't do such a bad thing. I don't want to do anything bad anymore.

"So, do you want to go visit Hagiri now? Don't worry. I'll go with you. How about it? Wouldn't that make you feel safer? Right?"

I couldn't immediately respond to her offer. If I did, I wouldn't be able to stay by Tokiwa's side anymore. Tokiwa will surely be very active from now on. But if I stayed with Chusho at such a time, he would no longer believe me even if I told him that I was different the next time I saw him.

"That's not true. It's different. Ayashiro. Don't. Don't say anything...stop. Don't..."

"Oh. This is you, after all. You're twisted. You're going to choose nothing and get away with it. You want to keep fumbling and messing everything up, keep fooling around and runaway. Yes. Fine. Then, forget about my proposal."

Ayashiro looks at me with sad eyes. But soon that gentle hint disappears, and she smiles her usual provocative, vivacious, and most of all, cute smile.

"Listen. I'm going to go to Tokiwa's now."

"Eh? Tokiwa's place?"

"Yes. And I'm going to do something you're not going to like very, very much. I'm going to do something very, very pleasurable to him, even though everyone is sad because Hagiri has collapsed."

"...What are you going to do? What are you going to do to Tokiwa?"

"I told you earlier, didn't I? I'm going to give him a pep talk without you. The best pep talk that a girl can give to a boy."

"Hey, stop. Don't do that. Look at me. See? I'm---"

Ayashiro kissed her index finger and placed that finger on my lips, interrupting my words. Ayashiro smiling at me.

"I'm sorry, but I won't let you win today. You should lose once in a while. And then, you'll get a good look at what's really important. Well, I'll see you later."

Ayashiro then walked away from me. I couldn't chase after her or stop her.

"Ayashiro is still so cool. I wish I could be a girl like her. So cool."

Milan praised Ayashiro in an enraptured voice. I thought she was cool too. That's why I, the uncool one, can't win over her. I lost. I couldn't escape and I lost.

In the indoor pitching practice room behind the waiting room, I was just throwing the ball. My fastball is still there, and I'm getting my breaking ball right. But to tell the truth, I'm a little lacking in motivation right now. Maybe that's why my pitches seemed to lack sharpness. Kyogoku-senpai seemed to feel the same way, and his face through his mask looked somewhat unhappy. I think I lost my motivation when I saw Hagiri fall down and Igarashi was depressed. I just can't win with the weight of my thoughts. There was something about these two childhood friends that was hard to separate, and I wasn't allowed to be a part of it.

"Heh? You've practiced so hard, but your hips aren't in there. When you were f*cking me, your hips were in so deep."

Ayashiro came into the practice room. She's wearing her usual mine make-up and cheerleader costume. She is very cute. But I couldn't help but notice that she was talking about something that sounded like a dirty joke. But as usual, I couldn't bring myself to play with her.

"Oh, no? I wonder if you have the energy to put up a barrier against the Ayashiro virus? You're so uninspiring."

"No, I don't. I'm feeling rather lonely. I'd accept even a big, big, big Ayashiro virus right now."

"Yes. It seems you are seriously ill. Manager Kyogoku. I'm sorry. Can you leave us alone?"

Ayashiro raised her head to Kyogoku-senpai and asked. He nodded and walked out of the practice room.

"This is your chance to be active. The team is in a pinch. And then you gallantly take over and sweep the championship. It's very youthful, don't you think?"

"Yes, it is. But I'm not motivated at all. I'm really a small guy. When Hagiri collapsed and I saw her depressed, I felt really depressed. It's so pathetic to be happy or sad over a woman's mood."

"Really? But that's normal. I'm glad you're like that. It's not cute to be a guy who can't even be thrilled by the smile of a girl in front of him because of his grand ambitions, for example. That's fine with you. Right in front of you. You just have to make the girl in front of you smile by fulfilling her boring pleas. Isn't that how you've come this far? That's what I think. Yeah, that's why."

Saying that, Ayashiro put her hand on my cheek and took my lips. Ayashiro's lips were very soft and gentle. The only soft lips I know are Igarashi's. So this this the lips I knew for the first time. There is another woman who makes my heart tremble besides Igarashi.

"Hey. It was much, much better than I had imagined. It's not just soft, and it's not just warm either, I feel like I'm finally touching something deeper. How about you?"

Her cheeks are flushed red. Her blue eyes are slightly wet and shining. Her smile is much more bewitching than usual and very beautiful.

"Ah. Yes. Yes, that's right. Yes. Very, very much. Yeah. I don't mean to be a prude, but it was... it was really good."

"Well, then. You don't have to tell me, right? What I want you to do now?"

"Yeah. I want you more and more."

This time, I took Ayashiro's lips. I hugged her tightly. She hugged me too. I like the heat of our intertwined tongues. I love the way her hands roam over my body. The softness of our feet rubbing against each other. Everything is good. That's all I can think of. Simple is the only word that comes to mind. And then our lips, which had been entwined for so long, parted.

"Did I get you excited?"

"Yes. I'm very excited."

"Yeah? I was very excited, too. But you know what? I want more stimulation. Can I ask for more?"

"I'll do anything you want."

"Win. I want to see you win this fight. I want to see you win. Don't you think that would make us feel even better?

"Yes, it would. I'm sure it would feel really good."

"Right? Then, I'm looking forward to it. I hope you win. My first kiss is not cheap. You better give me your victory or I'll never forgive you!"

"Yes, I'll win. I will win. So watch me. Stay close to me and watch me win..."

Finally, our lips gently touched each other again. After that, Ayashiro touched my lips with the index finger of her right hand and said.

"Good luck. See you later."

With that, Ayashiro pulled away from me and walked out of the practice room. Kyogoku-senpai entered the room by mistake.

"I heard from Ayashiro that she beat your butt to motivate you, are you okay?"

"Yes! Of course! She smacked me so hard! Come on! Let's resume practice!

"By the looks of it, I think you're okay. All right! Let's do it!"

We resumed pitching practice. We continued practicing until just before recess, and then the game resumed.