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For unknown reason, Kuramochi Youichi was far too entangled by Haruichi’s charm. He only treated him as his little brother he never had at first—perhaps it was a side effect of how he greatly admired Kominato Ryousuke, until Ryou-san finally completed his entire three years in Seido, Youichi regarded Haruichi as one of his responsibilities now.
("I'll take care of him, Ryou-san!" His shout that day was only replied by a raised hand without one last glance at him. Ryou-san walked away along with the falling sakura petals.)
Youichi had long stopped counting the days he spent with the youngest Kominato. At first he stubbornly denied it; the fact Haruichi had amazing baseball sense from the very beginning that almost surpass his brother. Maybe because Youichi was amazed by the eldest Kominato, without realizing it, he didn’t want anyone to replace him or play much better than him. But his eyes were in no place to lie when he witnessed how much that child had grown.
From a pinch hitter until a clean-up batter. From day to day that went along with the smell of sunflowers, the shedding reddish leaves, the falling white snowflakes, until the sakura petals that no longer furling; in every game he played, Youichi could see the whole Haruichi’s practices came to bloom.
It was only a thumb up for Haruichi’s (extraordinary) play, then a tap on the shoulder, continues to a lightly pat on those pink strands. Ever since then, Youichi started wanting to touch him more, more, and more.
Youichi thought maybe because Haruichi looked so cute when he blushed. Even when he heard from Zono and Toujou that Haruichi had cut his hair, he thought Haruichi would probably look more mature. But when he finally met him, Youichi felt something strange happened to him.
Again there was something knocking his chest hard repeatedly, until it felt claustrophobic. The breath that had been able to regularly puff out seems didn't want to hear his brain’s command. Youichi gasped and couldn’t move his body when the eyes which were always hiding behind the pink strands, decided to focus on him—as if the glint in that spectrum requested Youichi for a moment to forget his surroundings.
And—oh, God—he could never be able to take his eyes off those rose-colored eyes—ah, no, they were softer than rose, but not as fragile as the sakura color. Whatever it is, Youichi loved it. Youichi liked a color he had never seen in someone's gaze before. (Or maybe since the beginning Youichi had always adored anything within the child.)
He snickered (maybe also a bit envious) seeing Sawamura endlessly circled the boy, touched his hair, and repeatedly shouted, "Come back Harucchi!" Yes, bring back Haruichi whom a few hours ago was still hiding half of his face behind his pink hair.
Youichi was indeed curious about Haruichi’s eyes, but he wasn’t ready to find out this way because really, he sworn; those eyes had some sort of magic that could make his heart beat faster than normal.
"You-san, are you okay?"
Oh, shit!
Too engrossed in his own world, Youichi didn’t realize that someone who invaded his mind lately started to approach him. Haruichi stared at Youichi, his worries was printed clearly on his face. Both his brows furrowed. (Youichi could see it now because the pink strands which usually dangling now no longer cover it—and why is Youichi still be able to pay attention to it!?)
"Y-yes, of course. Why?"
Youichi cursed his faltered voice for Haruichi now looked more worried. Although he was forcing a chuckle out, Youichi knew it would never fool Haruichi—from the very start that child was so observant.
"Um ... You-san looks restless."
Haruichi turned away and chose to duck his heads. Perhaps he knew Youichi was hiding something—or maybe he felt guilty for he had tried to interrupt whatever his senpai was thinking.
Youichi painstakingly put on a smile, "Really, it's nothing."
He wondered what had possessed him, a desire he'd been entrenched in the corner of his heart began to rebel. Youichi tried—really tried—to not speak any phrase that now had positioned itself at the tip of his tongue.
And he failed.
"You have beautiful eyes."
If he didn’t remember that before him stood the object of his affection, Youichi might curse loudly. Those words were totally beyond his control. He saw how the shoulder that looked smaller than his jerked slightly—Haruichi had certainly heard it. (And Youichi refrained himself from banging his head against the wall.)
Haruichi slowly looked up, showing how those magenta eyes (ah, maybe it’s the color name) widening. Within no more than a few steps, Youichi could see it clearly. Youichi could see the image of himself reflected on those two slices of shade that might glint whenever the owner stands on batter’s box with a wooden bat in hand.
Shit shit shit—Youichi just couldn’t turn away. Somehow he felt himself infected by the blush that spread rapidly on that child’s face. And even though Haruichi duck his head again, he could see the boy's ears flushed.
Youichi’s face blushed redder. His heart beat even started to increase its sound—as if it wanted to tell Haruichi what he had done to Kuramochi Youichi.
Shit. Stop it, heart—ah, okay, don’t stop. I mean, keep your voice down!
Youichi stilled, he cursed himself silently even though someone who was standing in front of him now getting a little courage to look at him and smiled. (For the sake of anything, didn't he know his heartbeats actually accelerated after the boy gave him a smile!?)]
"T-thank you ... I supposed. I-if You-san is really okay, I ... um, I'm going back to my room then."
"A-ah, yes ... Yes, of course. Then I'll see you tomorrow?"
Haruichi was never tired to smile (although Youichi was exhausted to refrain himself from look stupid in front of him). He still didn't turn away from Haruichi whom now began to move and walked away (along with Sawamura and Zono). His brownish eyes followed the boy's footsteps—as he counted each step Haruichi took. Even when the boy stopped for a moment to turn his head back to him and nodded briefly, Youichi still didn’t blink.
Youichi sighed after he no longer saw those strands of pink over there. He needed to rest, seriously need it after successfully reconcile himself with a new beauty today. (Ah, was it exaggerating? But Youichi really didn’t lie about it.)
His hand then squeezed the fiber of his clothes tightly right in the chest where he could feel the heartbeat that still didn't slow its rhythm.
"What happened to me?"
The noise of the people around him seemed to faint as Youichi chose to enjoy the tickling sound of the clock that increasingly louder clanging along with its speed. The throb that he had been felt also didn't stop as if it forced Youichi to understand the intent of his heart which didn't want to hear his plea.
Calm down.
Keep quiet.
Tch.
Don’t act like you are—
Then he gasped, as if someone had just slapped him hard. Youichi from the start never thought the child was more than a partner—or maybe the little brother of Ryou-san who he will look after as he promised—his presence was now getting stronger for Kuramochi Youichi.
He sat down and ruffled his hair because that's when he realized what was happening to him. At the erratic heart rhythms each time they crossed a path, the breath that seemed stalled when their eyes met, as well as on the pace of time that felt slowing down every time those lips curved up.
And for anything, Youichi understand the risks he would get after this when he finally admit to himself; that he had fallen for Kominato Haruichi.
"Ryou-san will kill me slowly if he knows it."
Yes, Ryou-san would never willingly give him a chance (although three years had known him and win his trust).
end