Futago
Enjoying the High School.

Right in front of the crowd his footsteps stopped, his manic moves staring at a questionable face.

"Can I have a little candy?, I'm a little nervous." Yuki.

"Pick." Hajime let go of their hands waiting for Yuki to put the pill in his mouth.

"Live one, sorry senpai didn't miss it." Hajime smiled back at Yuki's hand. The girl just stared at Hajime's back in silence.

Her bead explores every corner of the crowd while receiving a rush of memories similar to the present situation. Manik Yuki sparkled when he saw the crowded food booths with the sound of traders shouting cheerfully greet his customers. Yuki saw a three-year-old toddler using a pink yukata complete with matching colored hairpins making the toddler look very cute adorable, moreover, the two white cheeks are puffed up and the bead is round, but what attracts Yuki's attention is a long stick with a round tip in red. The toddler was laughing while licking the red circle whose tip was open like a flower petal. Yuki swallowed his saliva.

"You want to?." Yuki turned to look at Hajime with his puppy eyes. Without saying much, the typical character of the young man, Hajime took Yuki to the ringo ame booth (apple candy/apple candy). Hajime ordered one to the seller, Yuki immediately pulled Hajime's hand making the man look at him then shook his head slowly.

"Hitotsu kudasai (Please candy one)." Hajime to customers.

"Futatsu. (Two)." Srobot Yuki's polite.

"Sumimasen, hitotsu kudasai. (Sorry, one candy)." Yuki puffed her cheeks turning to look at the seller.

"Futatsu (Two)." Kekeh Yuki's. Hajime lowered his head, Yuki immediately threw his face aside.

"Your teeth will be hollow." Chirp Hajime.

"No, I'm brushing my teeth." Yuki's still throwing her face away.

"Yuki's." Call Hajime but the girl releases her hand and turns her back to Hajime.

"Ano ...?. Young man, your girlfriend's craving it." The not-young salesman pointed at Yuki.

"Actually he rarely snags. One candy please." Yuki who heard Hajime's last sentence crossed her arms in front of her chest, was irritated.

"Your boyfriend is so beautiful, ever since you walked in from the temple door there were so many men staring at him. Here, keep your girlfriend out of wild hands." Said the seller, Hajime stretched out money suddenly the seller leaned his body, Hajime also leaned forward to let the seller whisper something.

"Bonus from me for your girlfriend's beautiful eyes. May you last." The salesman whispered two sweets to Hajime.

"Thank you, but she's not my boyfriend." Hajime replied to receive the candy.

"Oh, then may you quickly become lovers." The seller smiled cheering Hajime on.

"Thank you." Hajime bowed at a glance and turned around to find that the red yukata was no longer in place.

Hajime immediately circulated the view looking for Yuki, as well as the seller but only briefly because there were other customers who came.

The young man found Yuki standing in front of a takoyaki booth not far from his place. He breathed a sigh of relief toward the girl.

Sretti.

Hajime glanced flatly back, warning a man about to touch Yuki's waist. The man snorted in annoyance because instead of touching the slender waist instead his stray hands touched Hajime's muscular arms, going off with failure.

Yuki who had gotten her food felt Hajime standing behind her, he stepped into the booth next door ignoring the young man. Crepes chocolate flavor full of strawberry fruit, without thinking long Yuki bought a large size.

"Still angry?." Hajime's whisper beside Yuki's ear stretched out his hands forward from each side of the girl's body.

"No." Quickly, Yuki took both of her candy apples from Hajime's hand.

"Agh, baby you already have a boyfriend. I was just about to ask you to come." Yuki received his crepes.

"Thank you." Yuki replied to pay for the food without serving the young seller.

Hands full, hearts excited, enjoying the various flavors inside his mouth Yuki and Hajime walked deeper and deeper into the temple. Small lights to lanterns began to light up decorate the crowded night.

"Sit down first." Hajime said he found a long bench occupied by one person.

Hajime watched Yuki eat, letting the girl dirty the corners of his lips. He also occasionally enjoys the festival. That night they became the center of attention, no Japanese girl has the color of eyes as blue as the sky and sea. Even though the girl ate her straws but still looks graceful and charming.

"Have you?." Hajime asked giving his handkerchief to Yuki.

"Thank you." Yuki cleared the corners of her lips unattainable by her tongue with Hajime's handkerchief.

"The fireworks are still long?." Yuki took out the pill without Hajime's knowledge. Biting the pill.

"A little while."

"Where do they light it?." Yuki cleaned up all the trash.

"Front there." The girl went to take out the trash and led Hajime to a quieter place, away from the crowd.

"Why are we here?." Hajime felt strange, Yuki smiled as he briefly turned to stand in front of the young man.

"It looks like there's an insect on senpai's shoulder." Yuki stretched out her hand.

A small tootokan managed to make Hajime's body freeze motionless. The face remained calm even though inside his mind was full of questions. Yuki walked to Hajime's side slightly back, his hand grabbing Hajime's big hand hooked their fingers carrying him behind the young man's body.

"I don't want Senpai to see it. So, we're like this for a while." Said Yuki receiving a small towel from behind her body.

"Uhuk!. Uhuk!." Mizutani and Dazai let out a sigh of relief hearing the coughing sound from Yuki's mouth.

"Are you okay?." Hajime.

"Yes, just coughing for a bit." Answer Yuki.

The girl had already soiled three towels, trying to muffle her voice. As the fireworks glide and explode over the sky, Yuki looks back to signal that he is fine.

The sound of fireworks that are crowded successfully muffled Yuki's coughing sound. Seeing the beautiful scenery in the sky there or the tragic sight of the two teenagers who one knew nothing and the other in pain?, Mizutani and Dazai took a deep breath.

Coinciding with the last fireworks Yuki had already stopped coughing. He cleaned his mouth until there was not a single drop of blood. Mizutani and Dazai go to carry traces of Yuki's disease.

"Did you enjoy it?." Hajime's calm voice made the girl unwell has kept her from moving.

"Forget, it's beautiful." Yuki replied looking at Hajime's hand and hand.

"May I move?." Yuki gave a small tootokan in the same place from behind.

Hajime turned his body staring into Yuki's bead. The sound of footsteps of the people leaving the place was heard by the two of them.

"Senpai let's go home." Yuki said as she pulled Hajime's hand.

"Senpai?." Hajime who did not move in the slightest made Yuki return to face the young man.

"What?." Ask Yuki.

"I hope you can trust others." Yuki who was about to ask Hajime's intentions stopped.

Puk.

Cup.

Yuki widened her eyes, surprised by what her senior was doing. Hajime closed his eyes kissing the back of his own hand that was stuck to Yuki's forehead. She felt the girl freeze because of her actions. Hajime moved his face away looking at Yuki's confused face.

"Let's go home." Hajime said with a gentle smile. Hajime stepped past Yuki.

"Mrsne. Wait." Wait." Yuki held her forehead with one hand while tilting her body at Hajime.

"Senpai stuck the former cheerleaders captain on me?!." Furious Yuki.

"Huh?." Hajime suddenly laughed.

Yuki walked quickly with a sullen face in annoyance, his long yukata made it difficult for his footsteps so his hands raised the yukata so that he would walk faster.

"Yuki wait!." Hajime cried who was not heard by the girl.

"Yuki!." Hajime ran after Yuki.

"Pai baka, baka, baka." Hajime was surprised when he heard Yuki's grunts made him even more eager to have the blue-faced girl.

Grep.

Yuki instantly pushed Hajime away as the young man held his arm. Hajime held back a smile trying to calm down.

"I didn't know it could make me this sorry. So let me alone senpai." Said Yuki taking a deep breath and then turned around to continue her halted steps.

"I kissed the back of my own hand that doesn't include sticking the marks on you." Hajime's exclaim made Yuki stop.

Maybe I should have been more alert to Sakai at that time, Hajime's inner self.

"Tsu." Lirih Yuki without being heard by Hajime.

"Sorry, let's go home." Take Hajime who caught up with Yuki.

"Yo!, young man. Shall I take you home?." Dazai and Mizutani come out of their hiding place.

"Come on." Hajime's birthday glanced at Yuki.

"No, ojou chan has business with Tsubaki. Let me take you." Dazai glanced at Yuki alertly.

"I'll go home first. You still mad?." Yuki looked at Hajime and smiled stiffly.

"A little, more to realize how stupid I am." Hajime was about to touch Yuki's head but stopped, he turned to face Dazai. Yuki who realized that grabbed Hajime's finger.

"Be careful." He then removed the young man's finger. Just a small touch from Yuki made Hajime calm again.

I hurt her too much, inner Yuki.

Right after Hajime and Dazai could no longer be seen Yuki fell down and let out his terrible scream that was full of pain. Mizutani does her job well, repeatedly getting kicks and scratches on the back of her hands does not make her tremble, Mizutani still holds Yuki's body, a handkerchief is already embedded in between the teeth of the girl.

***

Summer ends with Yuki in bed. The air had turned cold one month ago, many third-graders were beginning to focus on studying for admission to university, they had retired completely from baseball. The club has changed their captain and vice-captain. Yuki also began to take her excursion more seriously, even staying at the girls' dorm with Suzune to teach the two first-class main pitchers, who else if not Inuzuka and Nakashima.

They are in the final round of October's autumn game, contesting the final ticket to koshien. The ticket they failed to get last summer. Yuki stared at the dislike of the man with the complete protector who ran back to the bench.

"Coach." Lirih Yuki stood up from her seat laying out the score book that she had been holding since. Mizutani glanced at Yuki at a glance.

"You should have realized it." Grunts Yuki.

"Senpai, look now it's my turn to hit." Inuzuka exclaimed excitedly entering the field.

Yuki walked over to Kudo who was sitting unguarded. The players on the bench were goosebumps looking at Yuki's overly flat look on the face.

"Your boy's been trying to hide it, isn't that Hirogane kun?." Yuki stared straight at Kudo's bead.

"I can't protect you anymore Kotaro." Hirogane replied, the others staring confusedly at them.

"What did you say, manager?." Yuki did not answer he walked over to Hirogane.

"Bring him to the back of the bench." Yuki's orders were firm.

As a result, some children immediately dragged their captain to a spacious room behind the bench, sitting the young man in the long chair.

"What's up?." Ask Mizutani who followed them.

This way everyone knows, the manager is an expert in medicine other than baseball. Kudo took off his uniform leaving the cuff to remain attached to the body. Yuki sitting beside the young man took Kudo's right hand checking the base of the young man's arm.

"Since when?." Ask Mizutani.

"Banging hard yesterday's game." Answer Yuki.

"Agha!." Ringis Kudo felt pain as Yuki's finger pressed right at the point of his wound.

"Can Senpai still play?." Ask Nakashima.

"Just ask your captain who's this strong-witted." Ledek Yuki again exerts pressure around the Kudo arm.

"Aghhh!. Manager please don't take too much revenge on me." Yuki stared intently at Kudo making the man speechless.

A fairly brief discussion took place between Mizutani and Kudo on the sidelines of Yuki's handling.

"How's it?." Asked Mizutani, Yuki glanced at Mizutani for a moment then looked at Kudo.

"You're so eager to avenge the third-graders and the defeat of yesterday, right, then." Yuki turned to the players gathered there.

"You need your strong captain on the field." Yuki.

Yuki saw the players compete very cool on the field, they shed all their abilities to cross the line in order to avenge high school midori, given the wounds of their defeat last summer added to their steel determination to win, snatching a ticket away to koshien. The dramatic blow from the captain closed the match. Players cheering and crying happily, Yuki smiled giving an applause of appreciation.

Chizuru was devastated with their first defeat, Yuki could not be neutral anymore now. This is what he was supposed to do last summer, sit on the bench, strategize with Mizutani, give a little input into the direction of the game, and take the course of the game in their favour.

From now on other schools must see the strongest competitors who have defeated high school midori, which is feared by the superior schools.

"Suzune san is already waiting in front of the loby, I'll book a taxi for a while." Yuki wrapped the last bandage around Kudo's arm and shoulder.

"Borrow the car keys." Pinta Yuki stared meaningfully.

"No." Answer firmly Mizutani.

"Alright, forget about winter training." Threaten Yuki.

"Return it right away, don't stop by anywhere." Mizutani relents, giving the car keys to Yuki.

"There has not been a history of managers threatening super discipline coaches strictly as wolves." Lirih Kudo taunted Yuki.

"I'll wait if you can still get your sharp words out in the hospital later." Yuki returned Kudo's gaze, softened back.

"The cruel goddess." Kudo Lirih.

Hirogane and Haruno get Kudo into the car, the five of them with Suzune and go to a special hospital for injury therapy in Tokyo with Yuki as the driver.

Taking an hour and thirty minutes inside the hospital, Kudo was banned from holding a ball and all baseball equipment for a month, during which time he was not allowed to participate in training even though he was just running. Even he was also banned from participating in spring matches, Kudo had to rest completely and follow therapy regularly.

Yuki escorts them to their destination, before returning the car keys to Mizutani Yuki turning the car back somewhere.

***

It was a cold morning, the first snow in November. Again, just standing by the roadside with the first snow falling makes Yuki chew on the pill. The navy-colored scarf wrapped around Yuki's neck provided the much-needed warmth. Hazuki welcomes her arrival as festively as ever, Yuki feels the high school days that others consider to be unforgettable. He is grateful in the midst of the chaos of his life problems that continue to arrive, he is blessed with friends and people who always make his day crowded, not lonely and monotonous as before.

Brak!.

Buk!.

Gedebum!.

Buk!.

"What's that noise?." Natsume takes her foot up the stairs, Yuki opens a book that she had borrowed from the library, walking after Natsume.

"Yu chan!. They're fighting for you, stop them, quick." Srobot quickly Natsume pointed at the group of people. Yuki let out a heavy sigh in the morning walking into the middle of the crowd that was closing its way towards the stairs.

The girl casually approached the two young men who were throwing hand bogems at each other.

Sreth!.

Yuki threw her book forward right in the middle of the faces of the two making them turn towards Yuki.

"Ohayou, aren't you guys too flashy in the morning?." Yuki's greeting and sentence made the sense of pleasure and pain come together. The two immediately released each other's bodies away. Yuki pulled the book and then reviewed a thin smile.

"May you have a good day." Yuki lowered the tension there, her feet walking up the stairs back to read the book in her hands.

"Yu chaann, you are the best." Natsume's chirps caught up with the girl.

"Hm."

"Ahead of school would you like to stop by a new cafe near the station?." Take Natsume.

"How about tonight?." Yuki closed the book.

"Later tonight huh?, it's a little hard anyway." Natsume was thinking hard.

"All right, tonight. I'm waiting in front of the cafe." Yuki nodded briefly.

"I'd like to take Ueno san and Honda san as well." Natsume ran happily towards the two.

Seats have been changed by the class president. Yuki is now sitting in the back-most right-hand corner right by the window, while his three friends are far apart from him. Yuki tapped on the back of someone in front of her with her index finger. The person turned around tilting his body looking at Yuki.

"For you." Yuki held out a small black tremos to Kudo.

"I doubt this drink has been poisoned." Kudo chirps sharp as usual.

"Yes, with a high dose." Reply Yuki.

"Give me the scorebook." Yuki stared inside the bead blocked by those glasses.

"I can't see the manager's scorebook either?." Ejek Kudo while giving the scorebook to Yuki.

"The drink should be gone by noon. It could help heal your injury." Obviously Yuki kept the scorebook in the desk drawer.

"Ne, captain." Kudo glanced at Yuki.

"What?."

"Hirogane kun and Ueno san are already dating?." Yuki's question made the young man glance towards his friend who was meeting red staring at the woman who mentioned his name earlier.

"Yes, after the final match yesterday they were officially made." Answer Kudo.

"Hm?, why did Ueno san hide it from us?." Lirih Yuki's.

"Maybe Ueno san doesn't trust you guys." Kudo's thump produced a small punch on his arm.

"Aw!, I'm injured." Kudo Protest.

"Lod." Reply Yuki.

Since last summer's defeat, Yuki, who decided to focus on the club, has been getting closer to the players, including his classmate who has been named captain in Hajime's place, Yuki had more frequent discussions with Kudo about the team, about baseball, about the strategy, and playing style of other school teams along with the shortcomings and advantages they had. Although they throw a lot of spicy words to each other but when discussing they are very compact.

***

The night that was promised, Yuki dressed casually with oversized hoody army and black jeans, a gray sweater wrapped around her neck to cover her mouth. The girl approached her friends who had arrived sooner than the promised time.

The four teenage girls enjoyed their time in the cafe, accompanied by a sweet menu that teased the faith. Their table is bustling with female chats that Yuki has never felt before, listening to their haru stories to the shameful, Ueno finally tells about her relationship with Hirogane after being hooked by Natsume, Honda, who turns out to be the lover of his co-star in the king and queen race, tells how Yoshihara shot him, now Natsume looks at Yuki who is enjoying his cake and is busy watching them. Ueno and Honda turned to the girl, silently staring at the look on Yuki's face.

"What do you want to know?." Finally Yuki gave up too, letting them know a little about him anyway the three of them had always been open and trying to understand Yuki and each other.

"Have you made up with Yuuki senpai Yu chan?." Yuki stuffed a small piece of cake into her mouth.

"No." Short, and very clear.

"May we know why you're rejecting everyone who wants to be your lover?." Honda asked now.

"Because none of them are capable of making me fall in love." Answers that cannot be denied. Ueno began to ask.

"Have you ever had a boyfriend before?." Yuki put another cake in her mouth.

"Hm." His face was immediately excited.

"Tell us why you broke up?, is it because of a long distance relationship?. What's the guy like?." Srobot Natsume leaned slightly forward.

"She looks like Hazuki, but she's no crazier than you." Answer Yuki.

"Surely he's very handsome because he looks like me." Natsume said with confidence. Yuki smiled.

"Why did you break up?." The blue bead glanced at Honda.

"She left exactly one minute fifteen seconds after we were made." Silence struck the table. Yuki casually finished her cake.

"Yu chan." Lirih Natsume broke the silence.

"My love story is not as beautiful as yours. I was too stupid not to realize my own feelings sooner, when he was about to leave me then I realized how much I had fallen into his heart." Yuki was wiping her mouth.

"Hachibara san, I hope there will be someone who can heal your heart's wounds." Ueno Chirps with a glassy bead.

"Haha. Yeah, thank you." Reply Yuki casually.

"He's a strong man who can make a Hachibara san fall in love." Yuki smiled justifying the words Honda.

"You have a picture of Yu Chan?, I want to see what he looks like." Pinta Natsume's.

"I don't have it." Yuki's reply again brought solitude at that table.

"Let's go home, it's almost nine o'clock." Get Yuki to stand up to pay for their food.

"Why did you pay?. We'll pay for our own food." Reject Ueno.

"Oh, just this time." Yuki said holding Ueno's hand that was about to pay.

The four of them split up in the alley, their different way home. The lonely cold night did not make Yuki feel afraid that he could take Natsume to an alley near the girl's apartment and then walk back to his home.

Just as he was about to cross the large bridge he heard a noise and a woman's restrained cry, Yuki glanced down at the bridge. A group of thugs were beating their prey and holding a sandra. Because Yuki did not want to interfere, he just called the ambulance and turned to call the police when his gaze fell on the woman's face.

His manic was fully widened, his heart beating fast. He stopped calling the police and decided to confront them.

His steps did not make a sound approach to the head of the thugs who were standing watching not far from his men.

"Stop, I've called the police and ambulance." Yuki said coldly, he was bluffing.

"Aomeo!." Shocked screams Dan.

The woman no longer had the energy to wriggle, she continued to cry staring at the man who was in a corner for trying to protect himself.

Tiara, shiver Yuki in heart.