Bab 41: The Furuya Defense League Assembles!
[I love Miyuki. I honestly, truly do. He found out that he got Furuya pregnant, treated him like shit for the first ten-ish chapters, gaslighted his boyfriend Eijun into thinking he wasn't the father, warmed up to and bonded with Furuya for a whole WEEK, just so he could fingerblast Mei the SECOND he steps foot back into Tokyo, without Furuya having a clue. This Miyuki redemption arc is going mighty fine, isn't it?]
--
Four Days Later
"There sure are a lot of reporters here," Kataoka remarks, scanning the bleachers above.
"Of course," Rei says, "Today's match is Ichidai Third High versus Inashiro. All the news channels would be silly not to get a scoop on this."
"I guess you're right."
The two of them, along with the first-string and managers, occupy the stands, highly anticipatory of the game soon to be underway. Furuya and Miyuki are here too, because Rei loved loopholes and no rule prohibited them from attending games.
Jun quirks a brow as he looks over at Inashiro's dugout. "Narumiya's wearing casual clothes. Is he not playing today or something?"
"Beats me," Tetsu says, "but look at his wrists. He has bandages on. Seems like he hurt himself."
"This close to such an important match?" Shirasu questions, "How untimely and unfortunate. He must feel horrible."
Kuramochi shrugs, "Whatever the case is, without Inashiro's powerhouse ace, Ichidai Third might have a shot at winning this. How the turn tables."
"I like the way you said that," Haruichi laughs.
In Inashiro's dugout, the members are hovering over Mei, observing his appearance.
He has sprained wrists from his meltdown four days ago and a patch on his neck concealing the hickey Miyuki gave him, but only Masa and Itsuki are aware of that. He's wearing a simple white t-shirt with gray sweatpants, a stark difference from the uniformed, conceited fireball that would be raring to go. His bright, blue eyes have been replaced by hollow ones muddled with disdain and bitterness.
"The hell happened to him?" Carlos asks, buttoning his jersey.
"Not a clue," Shirakawa says, massaging his bat, "He just up and quit the team. Coach Kunitomo threw a fit, but let him have his way. He insisted on coming today, though. I don't understand. Why did you leave so suddenly, Narumiya?"
Mei intertwines his fingers and lifts his head, "Baseball was only amusing to me because I worshipped someone who played it. Worshipped the ground they walked on, the air they breathed. They left me, so what's the freaking point? I don't care anymore."
'Oh, Miyuki officially dumped him,' they all think, 'Ouch.'
"Huddle," Mei commands, and like a swarm of worker bees following their queen, they do so.
He points to Ichidai Third High's dugout, glaring.
"We're not playing Seido anytime soon, so for now, I want you guys to crush them. Crush them like ants. I don't wanna see them score a single run. Nobody gets a hit, nobody gets on base. This match will be a complete shutout.
"I want double digits on our scoreboard. I want that Amahisa kid to go home and wonder why he even picked up a baseball in the first place. I want him to suffer, just like me. That's doable without me, right?"
Ultimately deciding to quit the team, Mei no longer held the baton to conduct his personal symphony. The musical notes had fallen silent, but his teammates were there to pick up from where he left off and conduct a reprise. They would elicit the concerto of cheers he once fawned over.
Why?
'Because they are kings and no one is good enough to take their throne,' Mei thinks.
The team gulps. It was a first seeing Mei this irate, not from the thrill of competition, but the deep indignation dwelling within the confines of his heart. Failing to fulfill his demands would make their night a living hell, so they mask their nerves with determination and roar their signature battle cry.
--One Hour and Thirty Minutes Later--
Eijun bites his fingernails in disbelief, "Th-This is murder…can they stop the game already?"
The score was 11-0. Inashiro had delivered on Mei's demands without fail. Not a single member on Ichidai Third High had gotten on base or managed to swing their bat for a hit. Amahisa Kousei felt his spirit dwindle after each inning with no progress in sight, but refused to throw in the towel until the umpire saved them from the utter embarrassment.
The game is called at 13-0 and both teams line up to bow. Amahisa, discouraged and devastated, looks at Mei at the dugout.
'Good game,' he mouths, mustering a pained smile.
Mei nods.
'If I am nothing, you will be nothing, too,' he thinks, 'Anyone who's not with me will suffer. Do you understand what it feels like to be hopeless, Amahisa? To have reality and what you've constructed it to be slip out from underneath you? I hope you do. My team doesn't need me to succeed. They all have a piece of me inside them, and as long as that remains, they will never lose. Never.'
From the stands, Jun is in a frenzy.
"I'm crapping my pants again, Tetsu!" he yells, "Did ya see that? I think the whole team sold their soul to the baseball gods 'cause how the hell is that possible? Narumiya wasn't even in the game, but they obliterated Ichidai! Is it okay if I crap my pants? Is it?!"
"Absolutely not," Tetsu says, folding his arms, "That was quite the frightening show. Narumiya posed a great threat to us from their past game with Yakushi—in which Jun also wanted to crap his pants—but seeing this…the team itself is a threat, regardless of Narumiya.
"In order to surpass them in the future, we must exceed our limits and burn with an even greater passion. We are slightly handicapped because of Miyuki and Furuya, but that will not stop us. We will defeat them."
"Excellent choice of words, Yuki," Kataoka commends him, "Let's head back to school and start creating a game plan."
Everyone stands up except for Furuya, who is busy staring at Mei being consoled by Masa and Itsuki.
'He didn't look up at Miyuki-senpai today,' he thinks, 'Not once. Something must have happened when he went to visit a couple of days ago.'
Miyuki turns around and sees that Furuya is still sitting, evidently in a world of his own.
"Hey!" he calls, "What's wrong? Do I need to hold your hand so you don't get left behind? Let's go."
'Focus on yourself,' the raven-haired teen thinks, 'Narumiya is none of your concern. You are closer to Miyuki-senpai than he will ever be, so just focus on that.'
Furuya holds out his hand.
Miyuki squints, "What?"
"You talked about holding hands."
"Only to get your attention. Now, get up."
"Is that so…"
"You're actually disappointed? Wow, I'm leaving you here."
"Wait. I need to use the bathroom."
"Make it quick. I'll be near the entrance of the stadium."
--
Washing his hands, Furuya is quizzical about the cacophony coming from outside the bathroom. He can't see exactly what's going on from his position and field of view.
'I wonder what the commotion is about.'
Drying his hands and discarding the crumpled ball of tissue paper, he exits the bathroom. Suddenly, he's accosted by a swarm of reporters, cameras flashing and shoving their mics in his face.
"Furuya Satoru!" one of them shouts, "Is it true that you're pregnant?"
Furuya's eyes widen.
Impossible.
Coach Kataoka and Rei had guaranteed that his pregnancy would not be provided as cannon fodder to the media, and their word was as solid as gold.
'Who told?' he thinks, 'Who would do this?'
Not receiving a timely answer, the reporters edge on, cornering him.
"We received an anonymous tip that you're pregnant! Do you have anything to say about this?"
"Can you explain the science behind this? Male pregnancies are unheard of!"
"Does this mean your baseball career is over? A lot of fans will be outraged!"
"Was it consensual? An accident? Are you in a relationship? Are you safe?"
"Will you continue to attend Seido? Won't your situation be a distraction to the other students?"
"Who is the father? Is it someone from the baseball team or a secret lover from another school?"
"Wait, guys! I just received another tip. The father is...Miyuki Kazuya!"
"What?! The Miyuki Kazuya? Are you two dating?"
"Has he pressured you into keeping the baby? Teen pregnancies are disapproved of in our society!"
"Did you not use protection? How could such shining prospects be so careless and lack common sense?"
"Do you have anything to say to your fans and supporters? Your parents? How do you think they feel right now?"
Furuya's mouth hangs open, unsure of what to say. The flashing cameras are blinding him, and the overwhelming sensation of literally and figuratively having his back against the wall makes him hold his stomach protectively.
The reporters, vigilant as always, take notice of that and have their suspicions confirmed. They close in on him, but a boisterous yell from afar abruptly halts their assault.
"BACK AWAY FROM THE CHILD!"
Jun, Kuramochi, Miyuki, and Eijun are bolting towards them, eyes glowing red like a herd of bull.
Kuramochi dropkicks into the crowd, cackling maniacally. He and Jun serve as a distraction while Miyuki skids over to Furuya and bends down.
"Hop on!" he says.
Furuya immediately climbs onto his back and is rushed away to safety.
The reporters try to chase after them, snapping money-shot photos of the presumed couple, but the others block their path, holding bats to their faces.
"Whoa, whoa, where y'all think y'all going?!" Jun shouts, "Forget about them, look at me! I'm sure you know who I am. I'm Isashiki Jun, number eight of Seido High! I'm the scoop to die for here, not them! I'm finally getting my fifteen minutes of fame! Y'all taking pictures? Make sure to get my good side or else I'll break your fucking cameras!"
Using his bat, Kuramochi takes fake aim at them, feeding off their panic, "Hyahaha! You're gonna leave with broken cameras and noses if you don't skidaddle skidoodle on out of here! Don't mess with us, we're mental!"
"Nuts!"
"Insane!"
"Tapped!"
"Crazy!"
"Absolute bonkers!"
"Do you think it's okay to harass a player when he's by himself? Have some respect!"
"This shit's gonna be on the news—sit your ass down!" Jun trips the leg of a reporter who was trying to escape, "The hell do you think you're going? As I was saying, Seido protects their own! Imagine waking up every morning, excited to attack people about shit that ain't your business! What a sad excuse for a job. Couldn't be us, huh, Kuramochi?"
"Hell, nah! Bunch of broke low-lives!"
Charging up and gnashing his teeth, Eijun fists the hair of a reporter and drags them to the floor with a thud.
"This is how we deal with people like you where I'm from!" he says, manhandling them, "Leave my rival alone! Just because he's pregnant doesn't mean you can hassle him! Yeah, it doesn't make sense, but who gives a hoot?
"Mind your business! Got it?! Should I rip your hair out? You want a piece of me? Should I summon the entire Sawamura clan, dead and alive, to come beat you guys up? You're gonna lose your jobs today!"
"Get 'em, Sawamura!" Jun encourages, "I feel like a proud father. Unless the rest of y'all wanna end up like your lil friend over there, I suggest y'all get a move on and scram! Move it, move it! You like to move it, move it! You know the song, right? SCRAM!"
Kuramochi fakes aim with his bat again, dangerously grazing their faces, before the reporters scurry away. Eijun screeches incoherently at the one he's captured before letting him go.
"That was easy," the shortstop says once they're gone, "Bet they've learned not to do that shit again."
"Justice is our belief…" Eijun begins, doing random kung-fu poses.
"We serve justice as we see fit…" Kuramochi continues.
Jun holds his bat up to the ceiling and grins, finishing their slogan.
"The Furuya Defense League takes no shit!"
Although Kataoka greatly admired their tenacity and united effort to deter the media personnel from hounding Furuya, on the count of Jun and Kuramochi swinging their bats at them, coupled with Eijun physically assaulting a reporter and resulting in their subsequent hair loss, the trio was suspended from practice for two days.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone