Words Hurt More Than Sticks and Stones

Two Days Later - Afternoon Practice - 5:36 PM

"I knew you couldn't do it," Miyuki taunted as he sat on the dugout bench, cleaning his bat. "You're just a mouthful of shit."

Kuramochi got on one knee and tied his cleats, his fingers nimbly maneuvering through the laces.

"You don't understand. You can't even begin to understand how deeply you've got Sawamura trapped under your spell. He acts as if he can't exist without you, like you're the only thing worth living for. Besides, I don't really need to tell him since he'll know soon."

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing of your concern, pretty boy."

Miyuki set his bat down next to him and sighed. "Why are you so interested in my life? Why do you care so much about Furuya's condition? I never asked you to intervene."

"I don't give a damn if you never asked me," Kuramochi said, rolling up his socks. "I can do whatever I want and you can't stop me. I'm gonna make sure that you don't get away with taking advantage of someone so young and vulnerable. Matter of fact, who the fuck do you think you are? Some kind of invincible pretty boy who can do as he pleases? Get off your high horse."

"How many times do I have to tell you? It was an accident. I didn't mean to get Furuya pregnant. I don't want to hurt Eijun."

"What you're saying doesn't match your actions, asswipe! If you don't want to hurt Sawamura, tell him yourself."

"I can't!"

"'Cause you're selfish and don't want to mar your perfect image, huh? Don't worry. I understand. This friendship? It's over. Fuck you."

Kuramochi snatched his mitt and stormed off towards the diamond until the overhead speakers crackled.

It was Rei.

"Hello. Practice will be canceled for the rest of the afternoon. Please come to the indoor field in five minutes for an important announcement. Thank you."

Eijun groaned in disappointment as he paused mid-pitch. "Ugh, what the hell?! This better be important! My net is awaiting my ultimate pitch! I'll be back for you later, Net-san!"

--

5 Minutes Later

Furuya was this close, this close, to fainting. The entire baseball team was standing before him, drenched in sweat and covered in dirt. They were antsy to see why practice had been abruptly interrupted. Furuya didn't like being in front of or surrounded by large masses of people, and he didn't think he'd ever get accustomed to it.

Miyuki walked up behind Kuramochi, Eijun in tow. "What the heck is he doing?" he whispered loudly.

Kuramochi turned around. "I cut you off five minutes ago."

"That doesn't mean I can't talk to you. We're gonna have to get along as teammates whether you like it or not, so you'll never escape this beautiful face of mine."

"Beautiful mask with a rotten face underneath. Just watch."

Furuya nodded as Kataoka handed him a microphone. He cleared his throat into it and his audience quieted down. His hands were shaking, but he had no choice but to repress his nerves and push forward.

"Hello," he said. "I'm sure you guys are wondering why you've been called out here so suddenly."

"You're damn right!" Eijun shouted.

Furuya's grip on the microphone tightened so hard his knuckles turned white. He had one chance to say it and he couldn't afford to blow it.

"I am two months pregnant and am taking it upon myself to quit the team."

Miyuki's blood ran cold.

Eijun blinked.

Kuramochi smirked.

The shades on Kataoka's face slipped off.

Rei shook her head.

Furuya placed a hand on his stomach.

"I know what you're thinking," he continued. "Boys can get pregnant? The answer is yes. It's an extremely rare circumstance and I'm not going to delve into the science behind it right now. I never thought that this would happen to me.

"If I had known, I would've been more careful. Burdening the team is something I want to avoid, so I hope you guys understand. I don't intend on revealing who the father is, so spare your questions. Thank you for your time."

In the midst of everyone being speechless, Furuya dropped the microphone and left the field.

Kataoka looked at Rei. "We need to talk in my office. All of you are dismissed for the evening!"

--

6:15 PM

Sitting on the floor, a tear silently trickled down Furuya's cheek as Nurse Akagi embraced him.

"What you did was brave," Nurse Akagi reassured. "Now we just have to wait and see what people think."

"Everyone's going to hate me," Furuya sniffled. "I know that the team is f-fairly nice, but…they're g-going to judge me. N-No one will be openly accepting of a pregnant fifteen-year-old. I know it."

"You'll have to fight your way through their words. It's your baby and they don't have the right to judge you for keeping it. You're a strong kid, I know you can do it. I'll also be taking good care of you for the next seven months. It's going to be fine."

Furuya nodded slowly, unaware that he would soon experience the true taste of despair.

--

7:00 PM

The atmosphere in the cafeteria was tense. No one knew what to say, do, or believe.

Kuramochi held up his hand as Miyuki appeared next to him in the lunch line. "Don't even start."

Miyuki frowned. "What the hell, man? You put him up to that?"

"I didn't do a damn thing. Furuya decided to tell the team by his damn brave self. I had nothing to do with this."

"Yes, you did. You encouraged him, right? You're the only other person who knows!"

"So what if I encouraged him? He's not gonna play baseball while pregnant and keep it a secret from everyone. That's idiotic and dangerous. Be grateful that he didn't say it was you who impregnated him."

Miyuki frantically scooped rice into his bowl. "News spreads around quick in this school. People are going to find out that it was me and then I'll have to quit the team."

Kuramochi poured himself a glass of water and set it on his tray. "Why would you quit the team?"

"Because Kataoka's not gonna let me off the hook, obviously. I'll probably be expelled, too, and Eijun's gonna break up with me!"

"You had it coming." The shortstop walked to their table and sat down, the catcher following suit. "Think with your brain instead of your dick next time."

Just as Miyuki was about to retaliate, the noise in the cafeteria simmered to a deafening silence.

Furuya had walked in.

And the torment began.

"What the fuck?" someone whispered. "How dare he show his face."

"Wow, what a slut. I didn't know he was like that. He looks so innocent."

"Exactly what I thought. He must've really enjoyed sex to get pregnant."

"Shoulda used a condom."

"Definitely shoulda swallowed."

"I wonder who did it. I wonder if he's in this school."

"Wait, wait! What if he's in this team?"

"That's just disgusting. Coach is gonna flip his shit."

"Damn it! Now that's he's pregnant, we have no hope of going to Koshien!"

"Why didn't he abort it while he had the chance? What a fucking disgrace."

Blood feverishly coursed through Kuramochi's veins as the whispers echoed in his head. How could they say those things when they didn't even know a sliver of the truth? How could the precious team he believed in say such rotten words?

"I'm gonna kill them," he mumbled.

"What?" Miyuki questioned.

Kuramochi slammed his fists against the table. "Everybody shut the hell up!" he shouted. "Leave Furuya alone! He did nothing wrong!"

"Yes, he did!" someone responded. "He should've closed his damn legs instead of being such a slut! He's only what, fifteen?!"

"You don't even know his story! Tetsu-san, say something!"

Tetsu closed his eyes. "We should talk about this later. We're eating; this isn't the time to argue—"

Kuramochi jabbed at his heart. "The hell do you mean, later?! We gotta talk about this now! Why are you trying to avoid the topic? Furuya is…he…"

Miyuki's lips curled as he pulled his chopsticks away from his mouth.

"I wonder what all the fuss is about," he said devilishly. "Kuramochi, you're being a little too passionate about this. It would only make sense if…you were the one who got Furuya pregnant?"

The shortstop whipped his head in his direction. "Don't start, you dickhead! Don't even say that!"

Miyuki simply shrugged.

Eijun's chopsticks slowly slipped from his fingertips. "I don't get it," he said. "Mochi-senpai, you got my dear rival pregnant? How dare you! Now we can't play baseball anymore! My heart has been shattered!"

Furuya covered his ears as the rumors about him and Kuramochi grew louder and louder. He was feeling queasy because it wasn't true, because Miyuki was the actual father, because he was just sick of everything.

Suddenly, a hand curled around his wrist and pulled him outside.

It was Haruichi.

Squatting on the ground, Haruichi sighed and smiled.

"Don't pay attention to what they were saying in there," he said. "You're not any of the derogatory names they called you."

Furuya blinked, his eyes watering. "What do you know? You don't understand how difficult this is for me. I refuse to have an abortion and everyone hates me. I'm a disappointment. I should've never come to this school—"

He fell silent as everyone except the first string filed out of the cafeteria. They shot him looks of betrayal and disgust, but he paid them no mind.

"Don't say that." Haruichi leaned in close, squeezing Furuya's hand. "I may not know everything, but I know one thing. It wasn't Kuramochi-senpai. It was Miyuki-senpai, right?"

"H-How do you know?"

"I was walking past the nurse's office and I thought I heard you and Nurse Akagi talking about that night at the karaoke bar…sorry for eavesdropping."

Furuya shook his head. "It's okay. Please don't tell Sawamura, though. I don't want to hurt him."

"I don't want to hurt him either, but he needs to know. Miyuki-senpai's behavior is appalling, but he's completely blinded by love. Anyway, this journey is going to be tough, but I'll be right by your side."

Before Furuya could say anything, Kuramochi rushed out.

"Guys, Tetsu-san wants to talk to us. Now."