[376] The Slightly Tsundere Captain

Chapter 376: The Slightly Tsundere Captain

"Not going!"

Miyuki's cold, indifferent tone was a stark contrast to his usual playful demeanor. He seemed uninterested, barely acknowledging Eijun's presence.

Off to the side, Haruichi looked on with concern. In his view, Miyuki had just had a heated argument with the second-years. For Eijun to approach him now, and even ask to play catch, seemed like a really bad idea.

Haruichi made up his mind: if Miyuki-senpai lost his temper, he would step in to separate them. Yes, he decided firmly—he'd definitely intervene.

Meanwhile, on Haruichi's other side, Furuya, who had been daydreaming about his slider practice, finally snapped out of his trance.

As he took in the heavy atmosphere and the strange tension between Eijun and Miyuki, a bewildered expression spread across his face. His confusion was written all over him—"What just happened?"

Haruichi felt a bit exasperated. As Eijun had mentioned before, Furuya was indeed a rare breed of natural airhead, the kind who seemed blissfully unaware of any situation.

While Haruichi silently teased Furuya in his mind, Eijun turned his gaze back to Miyuki. He took one look at the senior's cold, aloof expression, and, to everyone's surprise, burst out laughing.

"Miyuki-senpai, you're acting so tsundere! This has to be tsundere behavior, right?" Eijun teased with a grin, as if he'd just discovered a whole new side of Miyuki.

Though Miyuki kept his cool facade, Eijun's unwavering gaze made him uncomfortable.

For a moment, it felt as if the younger player could see right through him—something Miyuki usually prided himself on doing to others.

He was supposed to be the unreadable one, not the other way around.

Still, Miyuki maintained his outward composure. He decided to get up and leave. If he stayed under Eijun's scrutinizing gaze any longer, he wasn't sure how long he could keep up the act.

What happened to that clueless, bumbling freshman he first met?

This Eijun was getting sharper and more perceptive by the day, and it was throwing Miyuki off.

As he started to rise, Eijun suddenly reached out and clapped a hand on Miyuki's shoulder.

Startled, Miyuki couldn't hide a trace of awkwardness and surprise in his expression.

Meanwhile, Eijun stood there with that grinning, mischievous face that made Miyuki want to hit him.

"Come on, Miyuki-senpai! It's a once-in-a-lifetime request from your kouhai. Let's go!" Eijun said, half-pulling and half-dragging Miyuki out of the cafeteria.

"Ah, Haruichi, could you handle cleaning up the dishes for me?" Eijun tossed over his shoulder, leaving his teammate stunned.

Before anyone could fully process what had just happened, Eijun and Miyuki's figures disappeared around the corner.

In the cafeteria, everyone slowly recovered from their shock. They exchanged glances, their expressions brimming with surprise.

"Wow, so Miyuki-senpai has this side to him too, huh?"

As for Furuya, still oblivious to everything that had just unfolded, he simply shrugged and focused on finishing his meal.

To him, all that mattered was baseball. His sole goal now was to improve himself, surpass Eijun, claim the ace number, and earn everyone's recognition. Nothing else really mattered.

In the indoor training facility, far from the prying eyes of the others, the space was quiet, save for the occasional sound of the ball smacking into a glove.

Although it was right after dinner—normally not the best time to practice—playing catch was just fine. For Eijun and Miyuki, this was their version of post-dinner entertainment.

If only Miyuki's expression weren't so complicated—so strange—then maybe this scene could feel remotely entertaining.

Eijun, however, seemed to be having the time of his life. To him, this was no different from playing a game of dodgeball as a kid. He paid no attention to the subtle, indescribable aura radiating from Miyuki, who stood across from him.

"What's wrong, Miyuki-senpai? Feeling like you made a mistake earlier?"

Eijun finally broke the silence after catching the lackluster ball Miyuki had casually tossed over. His words were delivered with a faint smile, as though he had carefully waited for just the right moment to speak.

To Miyuki, however, Eijun's comment was like a thunderclap in his ears.

The usually composed, sarcastic Miyuki—known for provoking others rather than the other way around—suddenly bristled.

"What? Me, make a mistake!? I said something wrong!?"

It was a reaction unlike any Miyuki had shown before. His face reddened slightly, and his eyes flickered with a trace of anger, resembling a cat whose tail had just been stepped on. For a brief moment, he looked every bit the seventeen-year-old boy that he was—authentic, raw, and unguarded.

This display of youthful exasperation only made Eijun laugh even harder.

"Hahahahahahahaha."

Despite his uncharacteristic outburst, Miyuki quickly reined himself in. As someone far more mature than most his age, he was usually an expert at controlling his emotions.

For some reason, though, Eijun seemed to bring out a side of him that felt less in control. And today, after everything that had happened, his guard had slipped just enough to let that side show.

The realization made Miyuki's eyes flicker with a hint of embarrassment. He couldn't help but feel frustrated at himself.

Wasn't he supposed to be the senior, the one who maintained control over their partnership? Yet here he was, being led around by Eijun's antics.

This rare sense of helplessness was something Miyuki rarely felt, but he quickly shook it off. In no time, he returned to his usual calm and detached demeanor. His expression became serene again, as if the previous moment of anger had never happened.

Watching Miyuki regain his composure so swiftly, Eijun couldn't help but shake his head. Miyuki-senpai, this guy… sometimes he's just too calm for his own good.

What a waste, Eijun thought with a chuckle.

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