Chapter 13

"I can't believe you're making me go to this," Shiori grumbled as Izumi wrapped her arm around hers, dragging her over to the bleachers by home plate of the school's baseball field with metal fencing in front of them.

"Why not? Our friends are playing their first practice game, and it's a chance for them to show their skills," Izumi said as they sat in the middle row.

"Oh my gosh, don't tell me she heard about it, too. Isn't it enough that she's monopolizing Yanagi's attention in class and walking with him to school?" a girl in the group off to the side complained.

Izumi hugged her backpack in her lap tighter. I'm monopolizing him? But we're friends, and he's been approaching me...

"And from school, though that'll be interrupted with baseball now," another said.

"Don't forget she joined Kuruma's club to get close to him, too."

Shiori glared back at them, baring her teeth.

"Eep!" They shuffled further down the bleachers, away from them.

"You were saying?" Shiori sighed.

"I didn't know there'd be a group of fangirls here." Izumi's shoulders curled in. "Ready to attack me just for being friends with them and showing up to their game..."

"It's sad, but this is exactly what I expected. It's no different from middle school."

Izumi shuddered, thinking about middle school as she felt eyes on her.

Shiori raised an eyebrow. "We can leave if you want."

"No, I want to support them." She took a deep breath and sat up straight, waiting for the boys to come out. You'd think they could at least stop staring! I hate the feeling of eyes on me.

Shiori glared at the group of girls and flicked her hand toward them. "Te maledicam!"

"Ah!" a couple of the girls screamed.

She smirked, letting out a small laugh, and turned back to wait. "Such scaredy cats."

"What did you say to them, anyway?"

"That I'd curse them."

"Oh, okay." I wonder if she actually can.

"It's funny, I say that, and you don't even bat an eye." Shiori chuckled and pulled Izumi's notebook out of her backpack.

"Hmm? Why should I?" I've come across way scarier things in manga, games... and middle school than Shiori.

"On second thought, I can see why it might not bother you." She flicked through the notebook. "I can't tell if your art is good or bad, with how horrifying these... demons look. More like ghouls."

"Oh my gosh! Don't look at that." Izumi reached out for it, and Shiori pulled it away.

"Why not? It's 'mine', right? And it's for our club. Geez, there are a lot of notes in here, too. How'd you come up with so much?"

Izumi hid her face with her hands, her legs shaking as she resisted the urge to run away.

"Hey, what's wrong? This was for the club, right? Or am I looking at something personal... even though it mentions the weird baseball game Kuruma has in mind."

"It's weird, isn't it?" Izumi's voice was muffled by her hands.

"Sure, but you were making evil things to kill, by the look of it, so it fits. If we go with these, I think I should redraw them, though."

Wait... she's not repulsed by it? Izumi peeked through her fingers at her.

"What?" Shiori frowned. "You didn't think this would scare me off or something, did you? Did you forget I'm the one who scared the occult club? This is no big deal for me; I just didn't expect it from you."

She slowly pulled her hands away from her face, a spark of hope in her eyes. "You're not going to make fun of me?"

"Your horrible art, maybe a little, but it kinda works for this. I'm not sure the school will let us go too scary, though. We don't want to give everyone nightmares... well, maybe we want to give some people, but we can't pick and choose, so we'll lighten it a little."

"There he is!" The girls squealed, flooding the fence as they took pictures of Yanagi in his new uniform.

"What do you think? Do they suit us?" Yanagi asked, holding his arms out to the sides.

"You look amazing!"

"I can't wait to see you play."

"Good luck, Yanagi."

Yanagi's eyes met Izumi's, and he smiled, patting Kuruma's shoulder as he waved to them.

"Hmm?" Kuruma yawned, rubbing his eyes as he tried to see what Yanagi was pointing at.

"The girls showed up."

Kuruma glanced at the screaming girls next to them, then at Izumi and Shiori on the bleachers. "Ah, I see. Didn't think they'd come."

"Really? Why not?"

Kuruma shrugged. "Because it gets a bit loud when a certain group is around."

"Fair enough." Yanagi nodded and headed over to where Izumi and Shiori were. "So, what do you think? Does it suit us?"

"You two look great." Izumi smiled, a faint blush on her cheeks. How can a uniform make such a difference?

"Shiori?" Yanagi called out to her, since she was still focused on the notebook.

"What?" she grumbled, brows furrowed as she redrew Izumi's sketches.

He chuckled. "Not sure why I expected a uniform to make a difference to you."

"Hey, quit flirting with the girls and get over here. We have a game to play," the PE teacher—now acting as their coach—called them over.

"Time for you gals to see us shine." Yanagi winked at them and gathered with his team, where they handed out blue mesh vests to the newbies.

The fangirls squealed, cheering him on.

The newbies went up to bat first, with Yanagi leading. The pitcher took a breath and threw the first pitch.

"Ball!"

"You almost hit him!" the fangirls screamed. "Don't you dare hurt our boy."

Second pitch.

Crack. Yanagi sent it off to left field and took off sprinting around the bases, landing on second base.

"Great shot, Yanagi!" the crowd cheered.

Izumi's eyes trailed over to Kuruma again, finding him playing on his phone. I thought he liked baseball...

One of the batters got walked, along with the next two batters getting out, and up next was Kuruma, with two on base.

"One more out and it's our turn to shine," the pitcher said, smirking as he sized Kuruma up. "This will be too easy."

"Strike one."

"Strike two."

On the third pitch, Kuruma finally swung.

Crack.

Izumi stood, her eyes following the ball. Oh my gosh! It's going, going...

The baseball flew, clearing the outfield fence.

"Home run."

Gone! She clapped. "Way to go, Kuruma!"

Kuruma smirked and jogged around the bases behind the other two players.

"Don't be cocky; it'll be our turn soon," the pitcher said, rolling his shoulders.

By the 7th inning, the bleachers filled as people came to cheer on the teams and watch the even game at 5-5.

"I don't know how much longer I can handle the screaming." Shiori gritted her teeth, her hands over her ears as she tried to block it out.

"I'm sorry," Izumi said, and pulled headphones out of her backpack, plopping them down on Shiori's head with music playing.

"Thanks." Shiori paused, listening to the girly pop music that switched to heavy metal, nearly making her jump out of her seat. "Geez."

"Something wrong?"

She shook her head no.

Bases were loaded as Yanagi came up to bat. He pointed the bat to the sky in the outfield, signaling he'll hit a home run, and the crowd screamed.

"Strike one."

Yanagi took a deep breath and glanced at the crowd, steeling his resolve. "I've got to win this and show them my skills." He took his stance, focused and ready.

Crack.

The ball went flying past the outfield fence, as Kuruma's did earlier in the game.

"Grand slam!"

Cheers erupted.

Izumi stood, clapping. "Oh!" she gasped as someone bumped into her from behind. She stumbled forward, arms flailing as she tried to catch herself.

Shiori's eyes widened as she reached out.

It was too late.

Izumi tripped over the step below and landed face-first on the ground.

"Ow..." Izumi's eyes teared as pain spread through her nose and body. Ugh...

"Izumi!" Shiori dropped the notebook and rushed to help her sit up as a few other students looked on, the rest still watching the game. "Are you okay? Oh no, your nose is bleeding."

Izumi held a handkerchief to her nose, feeling the blood seep through. "W-where's the nurse's office?" She went to stand, and pain spiked through her ankle. "Ah!" She fell back.

"Move!" Kuruma pushed his way through the crowd and dropped down beside her. "Geez, what's the point of swarming around instead of helping?" He froze when he saw her bloody handkerchief. "Oh crap. We have to get you to the nurse's office." His hands were shaking as he cradled her in his arms and stood.

"Oh! W-what are you doing?" Kuruma is carrying me! Her cheeks flushed, and her nosebleed worsened.

"Getting you to the nurse's office... I hope."

Shiori grabbed all their things, ready to follow.

"What happened?" Yanagi asked, rushing over as they were switching to pitch.

"She fell. I'm taking her to the nurse's office."

"Want me to take her?" Yanagi offered, noticing his arms shaking.

"I got her. You finish the game and make sure we come home with the win."

"It's in the bag at this point." Yanagi patted him on the back, and he took off with Shiori close behind.