Possessive Idiot

'How to get tired.'

That was the topic that was written on the search engine on the computer.

Yoichi pressed 'enter' and saw multiple answers. He had it easy and was thankful for the internet to invent such a thing.

The first answer that popped up had to do with extensive and harsh exercises to reach the achievement of getting tired.

He scrolled down and skimmed other answers given on the computer's monitor.

There wasn't a specific answer he was looking for so he decided to change the topic itself.

The clicking noise of the mouse, followed by the tapping of the keyboard keys.

Yoichi looked at the computer monitor expressionlessly as he pressed 'enter' again.

This time, he looked for: 'How does being extremely tired feel like?'

He entered on the first link that showed up and got what he wanted.

"Sweats, feel dizzy, vision gets blurry.....So I should know that if my sights get blurry then I should definitely stop.....Hmm.....Strength diminished greatly.....not able to stand upright...wobbling..."

He scrolled again for another few minutes.

The reason why he searched for such a thing is that in middle school, he was not subjected to harsh training because the baseball team he was in was underqualified.

So they did not waste any considerable energy whatsoever to aim for an unreachable goal like the first place in a tournament.

As a result, nothing too strict was happening and the club was on the verge of disbanding.

But in this 'Kurume High School', it was different. The Koushien cup was not far from their hands as expected from a powerhouse school.

It would be obvious to say that the most strict training and exercises would be needed to get to that level.

That is why Yoichi was going to get more exhausted than in his middle school club.

Yoichi laid back and tilted his head backwards whilst laying on his chair. The ceiling was shrouded with darkness whereas his proximity was dimly lit by the monitor's light.

'If what the internet says is true, then it will happen just like it said.'

"In other words, it is a piece of cake."

His monotone voice expressed his thoughts accurately.

........

"...Seriously?"

"Yup. Why are you so shocked?"

"U-Uh, that caught me off guard. Hahaha, I did not know that you could be with someone of that calibre."

Naoko was the one shocked now. They both stared at each other, bewildered by the fact that Ando Yui is Naoko's girlfriend.

"You don't believe me? That hurts you know!"

Yoichi confronted Naoko's anger by saying, "How am I supposed to know you are telling the truth? We only just met!"

"That hurts even more! I thought we were friends!"

"Yeah! But just for a few minutes! Are you an idiot?"

"Idiot...? You wait and I will prove to you that I am telling the truth."

Yoichi and Naoko both pouted, "Hmph!" whilst focusing their attention on Ando.

Their friendship is going to end like this even before it formed properly. Well, it is up to them on how they should handle the matter if they want to retain this relationship.

After a few minutes, the coach made the freshmen line up as he had a sheet of paper in his hand. He looked at all of the freshmen's faces and again glanced at the sheet.

Finally, he called out to someone.

"Tanaka Ryousuke!"

"Y-Yes!!"

"Step forward!"

A blonde-haired boy obeyed the coach. Everyone looked at him and deemed him to be handsome.

Well defined nose with a youthful face that can charm a girl by its attractiveness. His blue eyes further made the impression that he was a foreigner.

But judging by his surname, maybe he is a half. Because a pure Japanese won't have such features. If it is to say that his hair and eye colour are not natural and was made this way by dying and wearing contact, then that is another matter.

Most of the people there already assumed that he is half Japanese.

"You will join and practice with the first-string team."

"T-Thank you very much!"

"The rest of you are going to be in the second-string team."

Everyone was surprised and helpless simultaneously

"""EEEEEHHH!!??!?""""

"That is all. Everyone, go to the teams that you are assigned with.

Yoichi and Naoko sighed exasperatingly in sync.

"Well that was a given for me. But you, you could have gotten alongside that Tanaka guy if you had not helped me."

"....."

Naoko veered his attention towards Yoichi and was not feeling any remorse.

"What is done is done. I don't have any regrets. I just have to work my way up."

"Heee.....Well, I am going to be rooting for you."

"...What? You are not going to aim for the first string team?"

"I will but I highly doubt that I will make it."

A smile appeared on Yoichi's face which made Naoko genuinely upset about Yoichi.

"You are giving up this early?"

"Huh? As I said, I am going to try."

"Just trying is not good enough."

"What has gotten over you suddenly?"

"You know what I hate? People that give up too early. So don't become that someone."

Naoko put on a strong aura as he leaned closer to Yoichi. He stepped back unconsciously as he saw how overwhelming Naoki was.

"You got that?"

"...Okay, I get it. I will try my best even if it kills me."

"That's more like it. I am going to train you so do not worry."

"Are you sure? You are going to get dragged down like this."

"Huh? Have you ever seen my skills?"

He was talking like an eminent player, proud and confident in his strength. That made Yoichi become relieved when in safe hands but he also had a wry smile.

"Umm, no....."

"Then shut up and follow me."

Very bossy indeed. Naoko is a kind, funny and straightforward guy. However, he can be scary and dominating sometimes if needed.

Yoichi had a grasp of his character a tad bit. Even if it is not too much, small progress are essential in friendship. Slowly but surely, one day, they would come to understand each other very well.

"By the way, which position do you play?"

"The catcher," Yoichi replied.

"Huh.....?"

"....Huh?"

"....."

"..."

"I am a pitcher....."

"....."

"....."

".....Then how the hell are you going to help me?

That was a problem. If Yoichi was at least an outfield player or a batter, then Naoko would train against him. But he is a catcher so he had to train with him.

"Then......let's form a battery," Yoichi suggested as a pretense to move away from this awkward atmosphere.

"I guess that works..."

"*Sigh*.....So much of that talk you said. Heh. So pathetic.

"S-Shut up, I am feeling bashful from all of this." Naoko reverted to the behaviour of the 'idiot Naoko'.

Yoichi laughed at the turn of events and Naoko got embarrassed. Soon though, as they were training with the whole second-string team, conversations between them would come up like:

"How about we do new complex hand signs for communication. I bet the opposing team would be so confused as to what we are going to do, like the ones in manga or anime."

"Let's not. I don't want to be perceived as a weird person or an idiot."

"We should invent cool ones. Only us will know their meanings."

"For the last time, no."

They discussed their form of communication during matches. It is effective and one of the greatest weapons in baseball.

The catcher and the pitcher would talk it out in signs without the batter knowing which type of ball the pitcher would throw.

Coming up with multiple signs and exercising with the team made them pass the day faster than usual.

The orange sunlight dawned on the baseball club members.

All of them were exhausted at the end of the day. The coach just left as he gave everyone permission to leave early for the day. He was a bit lenient because it was the first day.

If the freshmen knew that, then they would be dispirited to come the next day. The hurdle is high but every day it should become shorter due to the help of training.

Naoko sat on his butt on the dusty mound. He did not expect that training would be this strict. In his middle school days, he did have harsh training but not to this degree.

Part of him was happy though because he knew that this team is very good. They have a chance to grab the Koushien Cup.

The first objective was to get into the first-string team.

"...Hah.....Yo, you survived the day..."

"...Thanks to....Hah.....your motivations....Hah....."

"Hahaha! Nice!"

The seniors were already packing their stuff and were going to the locker where they would change into their school uniforms.

The freshmen.....well, they are bothered by the exhaustion and could not move a muscle.

Nevertheless, two goddesses cured them.

"Here, take this water."

"You have done a great job."

The two first-year girls that came in as assistant managers, aided everyone morally and physically.

They wore long red tracksuits with a white T-shirt and a red cap.

Casually, one of them got closer and closer to Naoko. And as you guessed it, it was Ando Yui.

"Want one, Nao-chan~?"

Naoka smiled and grabbed the water bottle that she offered.

"Thanks, Yui-chan~"

Happy flowers floated around them. The lovey-dovey moments intensified as they were chatting in sweet voices. They even sounded cute while saying that.

"You worked hard today~"

"Hehe~ It is because of you that I am still here."

"Ara ara~ How chivalrous~"

Many piercing gazes invisibly penetrated Naoko. In their minds, they cursed him for having such a beautiful girlfriend

There was one freshman that had his heart broken before trying to confess to Ando on the spot. He went back crying into the locker room.

She became this club's madonna already. Now Naoko will be targeted by the other jeolous males.

"Hey."

Ando veered to her right and detected an exhausted Yoichi laying on the ground.

"Good afternoon, Ando-chwan."

"Geh!"

Ando let out her discontent but she covered her mouth instinctively. She did not want Yoichi to know that he wasn't happy to see him.

If Keiko got to know about this, then she would do something to her. She shuddered as she remembered Keiko's face.

'Insulting her brother would surely make me look bad in her book!' Ando was scared.

Meanwhile, Naoko turned his head as fast as he could and glowered at Yoichi. Yoichi was baffled at Naoko's reaction.

He got on top of Yoichi and grabbed his neck with both his hands.

"What the hell!? Why did you call her like that?"

He shook about his neck and made Yoichi dizzy with his movement.

"H-Hah!?! ...W-What a-are you getting a-angry a-about!!?! A-Are you trying t-to kill me!?!!?"

"'Ando-chwan!?' Who gave you that right to call her like that!?!?"

Ando, who snapped back from her thoughts, tried to persuade Naoko to not prolong their fights.

"H-Hey, stop it Nao-chan. People are looking."

However, Naoko ignored and continued shaking Yoichi's head. In the end, Yoichi gave up.

"A-Alright!! I will stop c-calling her like that!!"

With that said, Naoko stopped and got off of him.

"*Cough*...*Cough*... Wow.....Did not know that you were so rough. Were you really trying to kill me?"

"Just knocking some sense into you, right Yui-chan~? As he veered to Ando, he smiled cutely.

"Y-Yeah.....You are friends, right?" She wanted to confirm.

"Hm? I guess."

"What!? 'I guess?"

Yoichi stood up and grabbed Naoko's shirt.

"Should I tell her all about that stuff that you were telling me like a fool? Ugh! I feel cringe at the mere thought of reminiscing about that!"

"D-Don't ever make that mistake!" Naoko grabbed Yoichi's shirt.

"I think that I am going to make that mistake and not regret it!"

"I will make you regret that, mark my words!!"

"Try me, you idiot!"

Even though they said all that bad stuff, neither was not throwing any hands. Judging by their behaviours, Ando pondered.

"So they are friends after all."

.......

"'Ando-san' and only 'Ando-san'. That's what you are allowed to call her. Nothing more."

"I get it..."

They were in the locker room and were changing into their school uniforms. Yoichi and Naoko both had their lockers side by side and it was at the corner of the room.

Everyone was almost ready to go home as they had already worn the uniform. Nonetheless, Yoichi was still in his sweat-filled T-shirt.

Naoko noticed this and inquired.

"What's wrong?"

Yoichi gritted his teeth for a moment but he had a smile afterwards. He asked for a small request from his friend.

"Can you block my back from the others with your body?"

Naoko paused but did not ask why seeing how Yoichi had a different kind of smile he had before.

Without any questions, he agreed.

"O-Okay."

He stood behind Yoichi. His body was larger than Yoichi so it was considerably easy.

Knowing that Naoko has fulfilled what he said, Yoichi proceeded to take off his T-shirt.

"-!?!?!"