That Cheating Incident - Chapter 7 - Discovery
Discovery.
With the beams of light that permeated his window through the curtain, Nino awoke with a start.
“It’s today.” He said with conviction as he stretched his arms while still lying on bed.
“Moshi moshi,” Nino lazily answered his phone with one hand while his other arm was still stretching.
“Moshi moshi, Nino-chan? Where are you? I’ve been trying to contact you ages ago! The game starts in 30 minutes. Hurry up! The coach is-” Nino needed not be told by Aiba that the coach was already planning Nino’s death at that moment.
He immediately put his baseball uniform on without even taking a bath and grudgingly checked his alarm clock. He found out that he set the alarm at 7PM, not AM. He loudly cursed at himself as he picked up his bag with his stuff and sped out of the house.
-=-=-
As Aiba was on his way to their school where the game would be held, he made a detour to the Ohno residence first to make sure that Ohno would watch the game. He was mildly surprised to find 2 of his classmates on the doorstep.
Sho and Jun noticed that Aiba was already perspiring heavily and the game has not even started yet.
“Are you okay?” Sho asked, rather concerned at Aiba’s current state.
“More importantly, please make sure that Ohno comes to the game. Please!” Aiba bowed, as he was breathing heavily from exhaustion.
“You can count on us. And save your energy for the game. We do not plan to go through the trouble of persuading Ohno to come when you guys would just lose,” Jun teased as he gave Aiba a slight push on the back.
“Break a leg!” Sho called out, making Aiba turn around scandalized.
“I- I hope not!” Aiba trembled at that thought.
“Idiot! It means good luck! Now go and hurry up if you don’t want your coach to literally break your leg!” Jun snarled, and Sho gave him an apologetic look.
That moment, the sound of the front door opening graced their ears and the both of them tensed up with only one thing in mind: the mission to bring Ohno to the baseball match.
-=-=-
Nino reached their team’s resting place in a worse state than Aiba. He was wildly perspiring.
“Ninomiya,” came the ominous voice of their coach. “How come the 2 seniors are the ones who are late?” referring to Aiba and Nino. “Don’t you have any motivation?”
“If it’s just motivation, of course I have it. That’s why I have been warming up on my way here. See?” Nino replied cockily.
“We’re just making the most out of our youth. You know what they say, make mistakes while you’re young.” Aiba chimed in.
“You say so now, but I’m sure you’ll miss us when we graduate, Coach.” Nino teased.
“IF you graduate, that is.” The coach emphasized. Aiba and Nino pouted and the juniors couldn’t help but snicker.
“Now gather round! Let’s make this an awesome game! Fight-o!”
“O!”
-=-=-
“I’ll just go to the washroom for a while.” Ohno said despite the three of them being settled and already comfortable on their seats.
“Be careful,” Sho gently said.
In the end, Ohno was able to wake up and dress up in time, with the help of Sho and Jun who barged into his room as emergency measure. Luckily, they were able to find decent seats in the stadium a few minutes before the game started.
“Ohno!” he heard someone call out while he was on his way back to the grandstand where they were seated. As he turned around, Ohno found himself face to face with Nakai minus the menacing expression on the latter’s face.
Nakai threw something shaped like a small bottle at Ohno, who clumsily caught it with his arms and chest.
“Ninomiya made me give that to you.” Ohno noticed that Nakai seemed a little disgruntled by it. “Have you two reconciled?” Nakai asked. “Whatever, it’s none of my business anyway.” And then he walked away, leaving Ohno with a lot of questions in his head and a bottle of yet unknown substance in his embrace.
Ohno absent-mindedly walked back to his seat and stared at the two who were looking at him curiously.
“What is that thing you’re holding, Ohno-kun?” Sho asked. And that was only the moment Ohno realized that he hadn’t taken a good look yet at what Nakai had given him.
“It’s from Nakai.” Ohno read the label. It was an ointment for wounds and bruises. Remembering what Nakai said that Nino made him give it to Ohno, the latter felt warm inside at the gesture.
“The game is about to start.” Jun stated which Ohno took as a signal to sit down and watch carefully.
Sho and Jun exchanged glances. The two somehow figured out what the bottle was for and were glad.
-=-=-
Surely Ohno wanted their school’s team to win, but he wanted to see Nino more. He couldn’t relax on his seat while nameless players took the position of batter. All he was waiting for was Nino’s name to be called out by the announcer and to cheer for him like he used to every time Nino dragged him to their matches. And then it came, the commentator’s voice.
“Number 17, Ninomiya Kazunari in the batting position.”
Ohno tensed up in his seat; Sho and Jun noticed this but chose to ignore it and just focus on the game.
“Strike 1!”
All Ohno could see was Nino’s hunched back that seemed to be emitting invisible waves of frustration.
“Strike 2!”
Ohno sighed. Sho placed a hand on Ohno’s shoulder, both to show his support and to calm the man down since he was already trembling.
“Come on, Kazu! Come on!” Ohno chanted, as if a mantra, as he was unconsciously shaking his legs out of anxiety.
As if Ohno’s words were blown by the wind into Nino’s ears, the bat was able to touch the ball with a clean hit, and before they knew it, Nino was already running towards the first base.
A din could be heard in the stadium, cheers both for Nino to reach the base and for the opposite team to catch the ball. Ohno had never been interested in sports before, let alone baseball, but at that moment he was at the edge of his seat silently praying for Nino to reach the final base and make a homerun.
Suddenly a loud cheer can be heard from the other side of the stadium. Nino still continued running hastily until a whistle resounded in his ears and despite the rapid beating of his heart, he felt that his world stopped.
That whistle could only mean one thing.
One of the catchers raised the ball he was holding in all its glory; it was the ball that Nino batted.
Nino was out.
Out.
Unadulterated silence could be heard at the side of the stadium where Ohno and the others were sitting.
Nino just stood there like a statue until one of the referees escorted him back to where their team was. Nobody spoke as Nino sat on one of the benches and stared into nothingness. What could probably be their last match, their last memory in high school baseball was shattered. He felt that he was holding one of the fragments with jag edges that cut through his skin. Guilt flowed through system that he didn’t pay attention to the remainder of the game anymore.
-=-=-
Ohno looked in the general direction of where Nino’s team were. Even though he couldn’t see the baseball geek, Ohno knew that he was blaming himself. Nino may be a brat but he had a strong sense of responsibility. Too much at times that he would end up blaming himself even regarding things that he had no control over.
“It’s going to be okay, Ohno-kun,” Sho said, not knowing what else to say to calm the other’s mind.
“How can you be so sure?” Ohno whispered not out of skepticism but more out of anxiety. More than the outcome of the game, he worried about Nino.
Nino and Ohno, though hundreds of meters apart from each other, both lost interest in the game after that. Everything felt like a blur until the commentator announced that the score of the opposing teams are tied and they were already down to the last batter for the team of Ichinomiya High, their school.
“So, who is willing to do the honor of being the last batter?” their coach turned to the team.
“I think Nino-senpai should do it.” Number 8, Nishikido declared. The juniors all had immense respect for their senpai and they idolized him far more than he can imagine.
The statement received a chorus of approval from the team, besides Nino who remained staring at the ground blankly.
“Ninomiya!” the coach called out as he deliberately flicked Nino’s forehead to wake the latter from his oblivion. “The game is not yet over, you know.”
Nino looked around and his teammates along with their coach were all staring at him intently.
“Would you like to do the honors of taking this team to the finals?” the coach said in all seriousness.
“Eh? B-but Aiba...” Nino meant to pass the responsibility to Aiba but he was cut short when his best friend handed him the bat. “You really haven’t been paying attention at all, have you? I already did 2 awesome homeruns. Now is your time to shine.” Aiba encouraged.
Nino still had traces of uncertainty on his face despite taking the bat.
“How rare! Our dear Ninomiya is not being such a cocky jerk! I must treasure this moment! Oh, it brings tears to my eyes!” the coach said in utter sarcasm, earning him a smack on the head from Nino.
“Shut up...” the brat said. And he was back in shape.
“Make the most out of our high school days, remember?” Aiba reminded Nino of their promise and the latter beamed in return.
“Taking the batter position, Number 17, Ninomiya Kazunari!” the commentator said and the crowd erupted in cheers.
Ohno was brought back to reality by the cacophony around him.
“Ohno-kun! It’s Nino-kun’s turn!” Sho said excitedly.
“Finally!” Jun said. “Arghhhh, this makes me nervous!”
Ohno looked at Nino’s figure on the field and he made a sigh of relief after seeing Nino to be back in shape and emitting a hate-to-lose aura.
“Will he be able to make a comeback after being out the first time?” the announcer said amidst the cheers.
“Of course he will, you idiot! Now shut up and get on with the game!” Ohno said petulantly as he was back on the edge of his seat in his eagerness to watch. To think he was almost sleeping just a few moments ago!
Sho and Jun just smirked at his statement and then joined the crowd in cheers.
Nino held his bat steadily and focused on the ball.
A whistle.
A ball charging straight from the pitcher’s hand towards Nino.
A hit.
Audience erupting in cheers.
Nino mindlessly threw the bat and ran with all his might.
First base.
Practicing in the rain under the strict supervision of their coach, after school trainings, memories of sweat and tears all flashed before him. All the bratty complaints that came from him then all led to this moment. This one glorious moment. And he was the one chosen as their team’s key to victory.
Second base.
He replayed the faces of his teammates in his mind, each with his own story of why they love the game, but all for a single goal of winning.
Third base.
He looked around and found that the catcher in the second base was holding the ball and in a stance to throw it to the catcher in the homerun.
However, rationality be damned, Nino still charged towards the home base despite the risk, despite the shouts of his team telling him to remain in the third base and despite the roaring echo of the cheers in his ears.
He just closed his eyes.
He felt something hit his abdomen.
He heard a whistle.
He was too terrified to open his eyes in case he found out that the person who hit him had a ball in his hand, signifying that Nino was out.
Nino opened his eyes and noticed the deafening silence. Everyone was waiting for the referee’s call.
The catcher on the home base did catch the ball. And he was indeed the one who hit Nino.
However, that was after Nino’s feet landed on the base.
“Safe!!” the referee called out.
“He dit it! Nino did it!!” Ohno, Sho and Jun shouted excitedly.
Nino’s teammates came to the field and hugged him.
They threw him in the air.
“Aiba-senpai too!” one of the juniors called out. Before they knew it, Nino and Aiba were both being thrown in the air. They were able to fulfil their pact with each other after all. Make their high school experience something worth carving into their hearts.
-=-=-
After the game, Ohno, Sho and Jun went to greet Nino and Aiba to congratulate them.
“You did great!” Ohno cheerfully said to Nino. At that, Nino just sadly smiled and went away to the direction of the lockers.
The two anxiously looked at Ohno who just faked a smile and told them that he’d be going home.
“I’ll go now” Ohno lightly said.
“We’ll talk to him,” Sho said. “Yeah, we’ll shove some sense into him.” Jun added.
“It’s okay, really. I just realized I forgot to get something. Thank you for waking up and bringing me here.” Ohno said sincerely before he left.
-=-=-
Ohno did not go home. He went to the playground. Instead of sitting on the swing, he sat at one of the benches as he stared at the kids who were playing. He was not lying when he said he forgot to get something. He was holding it then, wrapped in a brown bag.
After an hour or so, Ohno saw a figure walking towards the swing beside the one where he usually sat on. It was the figure of the guy he knows full well. It was the figure who has been avoiding him, who he missed so much.
He quietly approached. The figure almost jumped when he noticed that he was not alone. After recognizing the figure, he motioned to leave.
“Kazu!” Ohno called out. “Where are you going?”
But Nino still kept on briskwalking away from Ohno.
“Hey!” Ohno grabbed him by the elbow and turned to face him. “Why are you avoiding me?”
Nino kept his gaze away from Ohno, as if trying to hide the sadness and pain in his eyes, but by doing so, he wasn’t able to see right away the exact same sadness and pain reflected in Ohno’s eyes.
Nino swallowed the lump forming on his throat.
“I was hoping that if you see less of me, you will hate me less.” He sadly said as he tried to break free from Ohno’s grip. There was no way that Ohno would let him go simply like that, though.
“Kazu..” Ohno said imploringly. Hearing Ohno call him Kazu once again somehow eased the pain he felt.
“I’m sorry!! I wasn’t thinking when I said those things! I should have known how much you have worked hard for the exams. I’m inconsiderate and doubtful! I don’t deserve to be called your friend!” Nino said and then fell on his knees and cried. He released all the guilt and frustration he had bottled up.
“I’m sorry…” Nino whispered.
Ohno picked Nino up and then pulled him into a tight hug.
“I just miss you!” Ohno sobbed. “Don’t go avoiding me like that again! That was the loneliest feeling ever. I miss you, Kazu..”
They silently went to their respective seats in the swing: Nino on the right, Ohno on the left.
“I was hoping you would follow me that night.” Ohno admitted, not daring to see Nino’s reaction.
“I wanted to. I knew you were here. But you told me you didn’t want to see me so I just gave you space.”
“Baka! You believe that?” Ohno teased and glanced sideways at Nino who had a serious expression on his face.
“I’m sorry.” Ohno whispered.
“Your mom said you’ll be leaving.” Nino stated matter-of-factly. “I went to your house and I saw that a lot of your house stuff was already in boxes.”
Ohno watched Nino who was trying to mask his sadness.
“My mother was assigned to a job in Okinawa.” Ohno started.
“I see.” Nino sat still and looked straight ahead into the horizon. The sky was painted with blue and adorned with clouds of various shapes and sizes, like how Ohno loves to paint it on canvas.
“There you go again, assuming things without even clarifying them.” Ohno said, leaving Nino in a confused state. “Aren’t you going to ask me if I’m going with her?”
“S-so you’re not leaving?” Nino asked eagerly.
“Hmmmm, I wonder..” Ohno teased but Nino understood already.
“Oh, and thank you for the art gallery trip; I really enjoyed it. I was hoping it would be you who would accompany me, though, not Sho-kun and Jun-kun.” Ohno sincerely said.
Nino suddenly held out his left hand towards Ohno, with his palm facing the sky.
“Eh? What?” Ohno was perplexed.
“You have to pay for that ticket, idiot! How much do you think that cost me? I even had to destroy that piggy bank you gave me!”
“I can make another piggy bank for you..” Ohno offered.
“That’s not the point!” Nino feigned exasperation and pouted.
An addition to the list that Ohno missed: Nino’s pout. Ohno went to reach out to pinch Nino’s cheek but his clumsy self fell face down on the ground instead.
Nino exploded into fits of laughter, hands clapping. And Ohno joined in the laughter as well after recovering from his fall.
“Oh! I brought you this!” Ohno handed Nino the brown bag.
McDonald’s Cheeseburger with fries, upsized.
“Eh? W-why?” Nino asked in bewilderment.
“You told me before that your comfort food is eating a huge meal of burger after a baseball match.” Ohno replied matter-of-factly.
“Eh? I said that? I...” Nino searched his mind’s database for such information but came up with none. “I don’t even remember I said that.”
“You did. I always listen to what you say.” Ohno said casually but those words warmed Nino’s heart. However, Nino has never been the sappy kind. Quite the opposite, actually, so he said “The fries aren’t crisp anymore! And there’s no ketchup! You’re really hopeless, Oh-chan!”
Despite Nino’s complaints, Ohno’s face brightened by the mere fact that Nino was calling him ‘Oh-chan’ once again.
It turned out that what Yamaguchi-sensei said was right. Some bonds were deepened after that event. Indeed.
-=-=-
THE END
-=-=-
AN: phew.. finally!! I finally had the inspiration to finish this fic once and for all.. I actually already had the basic plot but had no inspiration to fill in the details.. but since it’s Christmas and I wanted to do something productive, I gave myself a push in the back to finish writing..
But enough of my ramblings.. Merry Christmas!! Happy Holidays! I hope everyone is enjoying and thank you for reading this! I really really appreciate it! ^^,