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CHAPTER START---
"Do you need any help with that?" A man asks Shoko Ieiri as he sees her carrying three six-packs of large canned beer and a single soda.
"No, no, I'm fine," she says while adjusting her precious cargo and walking off into the crowd.
Wearing a casual blue t-shirt, matching pants, and sneakers, she has a plain expression while weaving through the rabid fans and away from the concessions area.
Moments later, she arrives in the main area of the stadium, looking out at the baseball field as people are still filling the seats.
Looking around, she spots her friends lower in the stadium, and is already annoyed by the lack of shade over their seats.
'My drinks will get warm there. I should finish them and get more…' she thinks while walking down to their seats.
Arriving at the first row seats behind home plate, she sees her seat at the end empty and drops into it.
Beside her, Mei Mei is wearing similar casual clothes with her hair tied back, snacking on some popcorn.
Mei Mei reaches out and takes the canned soda, then turns to hand it to her brother.
Ui Ui has a striking resemblance to his sister, with pale blue hair and bright eyes, but is wearing a full baseball uniform and hat to cheer for his favourite team.
His back is turned to Mei Mei as he's glaring up at Utahime, who is in a similar outfit, but for the other team playing today.
"Ui Ui," Mei Mei taps his shoulder with the can, and he takes it without breaking eye contact.
Shoko leans forward and shakes her head when she notices what's going on. "I swear Utahime is such a crazed fan for baseball, and now we have two of them…"
Utahime and Ui Ui began a heated argument about why their team is better, much to the annoyance of Mei Mei and Shoko.
"Now it's like I have two little siblings," she says.
"Story of my life. Are you sure you didn't want anything?" Shoko cracks open a beer and begins drinking.
"No, we got our snacks before you arrived, but…" Mei Mei glances at the treasure trove of alcohol at the woman's feet.
"What? If you're making me come to a baseball game on my day off, I'm going to drink as much as I want."
"I didn't say anything." Mei Mei raises her hands in surrender before muttering under her breath. "Alcoholic."
"What was that?!"
"Nothing, nothing!"
Beside them, Ui Ui and Utahime annoy each other enough to finally stew in silence and let the game decide who is right, allowing the woman a moment to speak to Mei Mei, looking to her left above Ui Ui's head.
"Thanks for the tickets, Mei Mei. Seriously, and behind home plate! You're the best!"
"I know. And these just happened to fall into my lap, people just like me that much."
Shoko cracks open her third beer. "Are you betting on this game? Is this a work thing?"
"No no, I don't do sports betting," Mei Mei says. "I don't gamble, I'm always the house."
"Who cares about that stuff." Utahime reaches over Ui Ui and hugs Mei Mei. "So long as she gets us more tickets! Season tickets, maybe?"
"I'll consider it," Mei Mei pushes the woman away. "Honestly, how baseball is the only thing that gets you this worked up, I'll never understand."
"And I'll never understand how it doesn't get your blood pumping. Even Ui Ui is into it."
"That's because he spent too much time with you."
Utahime glares at the boy and his outfit. "Clearly not enough, he still has shitty taste in teams."
He turns and looks up at her, sticking his tongue out. "You won't be saying that when we win."
"Ha, as if your team can win. Last season was their worst one in a decade, and they lost two star players during the offseason. You're going to get crushed, you little—" Utahime stops herself before she hurls slurs at a 9-year-old. "You're going to lose."
"Your best player blew out his knee in the last game, that's way worse. But I guess an old hag like you doesn't have social media to know about things like that. Sorry, it wasn't in the newspaper!"
Mei Mei leans away from the baseball fanatics as they begin another round of angry insults, and Shoko finishes off her fifth beer.
"I don't know if I love you enough to carry you out of here," Mei Mei says jokingly.
"Best part of being an RCT specialist, if you can cleanse poisons, you can cure hangovers," Shoko sets aside the empty can and takes a break before opening her next drink.
"I've always been jealous of that."
Shoko turns her head to Mei Mei and leans against her shoulder. "How much do you love me?"
"That entirely depends on where this is going."
"You're here on someone else's tab, right?"
Mei Mei doesn't respond, and Utahime takes a break from debating a 9-year-old to listen in.
"If you really love me, you'd let me order a really strong drink, or two, on their tab…please?"
Mei Mei rolls her eyes. "It's like I have three toddlers today. But fine."
"Yes!" Shoko excitedly calls over one of the attendants to request her drinks.
"So this is a business thing," Utahime says. "Or is it, personal?"
Mei Mei doesn't react, which tells Utahime everything she needed to know about her friend.
"Ohhh," Utahime covers Ui Ui's ears, much to his annoyance, and leans over to Mei Mei. "Did you find some sugar daddy? Does he own the team? Can I get season tickets for life?"
"No? No. And you can buy them yourself, I'm sure."
"I can't afford that."
Mei Mei smiles, taking her chance to tease her friend. "I'm sure a certain someone can buy it for you, maybe put it on the clan's tab…"
Utahime blushes and sits properly in her seat, folding her arms and looking out as the pre-game events finish.
"You're still so childish about that. It's adorable, really."
A few minutes later, the teams are ready to take the field, but the announcer surprises the crowd as to throw the ceremonial first pitch.
Taiyo Daburu takes the field.
Shoko chokes on her drink, and Utahime's cheerful attitude goes cold as he approaches the pitcher's mound in the middle of the field.
Mei Mei dares not look to either side, already feeling both her friends glaring holes through her.
"Seriously?" Utahime asks, then leans forward and whispers. "You're five years older than him. And he's a student."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Mei Mei says with a cool expression. "Besides, you're in no position to chastise anyone about sordid love affairs due to politics and social beliefs."
"93 miles per hour!" The announcer whips the crowd into a frenzy as Taiyo smiles and waves for the cameras, the screens in the stadium showing a slow-motion replay of his fastball pitch.
Taiyo gracefully leaves the field as the real game begins, greeting some of the players on the way out.
"If we're going to be talking about this, either save it until I'm gone or get me some real alcohol," Shoko says, just before her drinks arrive. "And I'm getting hungry."
Mei Mei sighs. "Sometimes I hate being the only adult…"
As the game begins, Utahime quickly shoves this reveal to the back of her mind and is immediately caught up in the excitement of the game.
But Mei Mei knew she'd have to deal with the woman chewing her ear off at dinner after the game.
Minutes later, after making his way through the hallways and entering the VIP area of the stadium.
Taiyo arrives at the executive viewing suite his sponsor got him for this game.
Standing in front of the door, he messages Mei Mei, telling her that the meeting is about to begin. Only receiving a thumbs up in response.
'I swear if this is some boring politics…' Taiyo opens the door to what looks like a fully stocked hotel lounge.
Complete with a large counter, a dining table, and at the far end of the room is floor to ceiling windows with couches in front of them to watch the game.
The couches were at varying heights to create an unobstructed view for everyone, and Taiyo notices that someone is in one of the seats.
He grabs a bottle of water and walks past the large table, running his hand along the cool surface and looking around at the area clearly meant for meetings.
As he walks into the standing area, he sees a spread of finger foods, some of which is clearly missing.
Then, walking over to the couches, he looks at the front row to see a woman sitting comfortably, her seat reclined and purse at her side with a plate of snacks in her lap and a drink in her cupholder.
Her high heels are off, and her jacket is on the seat beside her, revealing a simple button-up white shirt and black pencil skirt.
But the most notable thing about her was the scar and stitches across her forehead.
Taiyo raises a brow at her, and the woman doesn't bother looking away from the game.
"Good pitch. I wasn't sure if you were the type to go overboard just because, but I guess the higher-ups don't have to be that nervous after all."
"Thanks. I figured holding back was good, they'd probably have some heart attacks if I got a baseball contract."
"Mhm," the woman bites into a pastry as the crowd cheers for the first home run of the game. "I hope you don't mind, but I made myself at home."
"I can see that," Taiyo gets into his seat, leaving a spot between them. "Well, at least this isn't boring."
"I certainly hope not," she says. "I'm Kaori Itadori."
"Taiyo Daburu. So what did you want to talk about…"
And thus, the friendship that would destroy the world as we know it, begins.
END CHAPTER---
Discord: discord .gg /eHuxNeZfyS [Come chat with me]
pat.reon: Keanu_Eugene [Read ahead & support me]
You.tube: @KeanuEugene [Giving away all my writing knowledge]