Thanks for the support on the first chapter guys! Comments really help me out, ya know? :)

Hayato hated practice.

His team sucked.

"Kamitani! Get your ass in gear!" Calls out his coach, using his whistle to signal the pitcher as he whipped the ball in the teens direction. One swing and it went flying over the fence.

"Woah! I didn't know you could play on your left side!" Came one of his team members, followed by some more praise from his other piers. They were impressed. Everything he did just seemed to get them riled up for whatever reason.

It was annoying.

Frankly, Hayato could swing using both sides, but he didn't exactly find it all that impressive, and about twenty minutes into practice he gets bored and excuses himself off the field to use the restroom. He spends most of his time playing around on his phone for a while before another member has to come and get him, courtesy of the coach.

He really hated practice. Especially in 70 degree, humid, rainy weather.

"I need to pick up Taka." He tells his coach. "He doesn't feel well and I need to take him home." His shoes and pants are covered in mud, some of it leaking into his socks. The consequences of lying to a teacher was the last thing on his mind.

After a moment's hesitation the coach sighs and waves him off the field. Not everyone was at practice due to the heat and light rain, even after it was announced that they would only be on the field for only an hour, so dismissing him wasn't much of a loss.

Hayato immediately changes into his school clothes as soon as he gets inside, making his way over to the babysitters club. Lately he's been finding it a little more tolerable there, but he couldn't exactly figure out why. His brother was a pain in the ass, and the rest of the children along with Usaida just seemed like an extra load to carry sometimes, but here he was, making his way down the hall while checking his bag for that damn apron he's required to wear. He didn't go for the snacks or extra credit, but rather for something else, and even after thinking it over for a while, he still hasn't exactly figured out why.

"Ryuuichi." He says, getting the others attention.

"Oh, Kimitari! Welcome back!" Ryuuichi looks up from the book he was reading and waves, Taka doing the same, but only much louder.

"NII-SAN! You stole some of my lunch today again!" He wines.

"I did."

"THAT'S NOT FAIR! I DIDN'T GET TO HAVE ANY BREAD BECAUSE OF YOU, AND-"

Hayato hits him on the head. "Shut up. Your giving me a head ache."

His brother starts to cry, but that was nothing new. It doesn't take long for him to start laughing and carrying on with the other kids again, attention solely on the Ryuuichi as he read aloud.

For the time being he quietly observes Ryuuichi, listening to him tell the story about the tortoise and the hare. It wasn't his favorite book, but it was better then changing diapers or doing homework, so he took his seat and listened.

By the time the other finished reading it was about time for the mom's to start picking up their kids. First went the Mamizuka twins, then Kirin, and finally Midori. Kotarou and Taka played with one another while he and Ryuuchi tided up the club room along with Usaida, who was hands down one of the laziest workers Hayato has ever met - but in one way or another, he did evidently tend to get the job done by the end of the day.

"Ryuuichi why don't you head home a bit early today." Usaida offers. "You look like you could use some extra shut eye."

Ryuuichi perks up. "Really? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, and I don't think Hayato would mind very much either. Wouldn't you Hayato?"

Hayato finished picking up the last bit of toys off the floor, lazily tossing them into one of the bins near by. "Do what you want."

It wouldn't have be the first time Ryuuichi had done this. In the past Usaida had shooed him away if he thought he was working to hard, and the chairwomen has called him home on a couple occasions for different matters, but besides that it didn't really happen all to often.

At some point his mother comes by to pick up her sons after getting off work early, telling Hayato that she would wait for him in the car until he was finished cleaning.

"It's fine, I'll walk."

"Hm? You sure?"

"Yeah." Hayato insists. She gives a small shrug.

"Well alright then. Pick up some more milk on your way home while your at it, yeah?"

He nods to her before she takes her leave, bringing with her a fussy Taka who continued to chew him out for stealing a portion of his lunch.

Usaida is the one to break the silence after some time. "Hey, I have question for ya."

Hayato doesn't bother to look at him. "What is it?"

The man thinks it over for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Have you noticed anything weird about Ryuuichi recently?"

The teen puts away the book read earlier. "Not really."

"So it is just me then." Usaida scratches his head. "I don't know, it feels like he's been giving off this sort of... sad vibe lately. If that makes any sense. Taka ruined his umbrella earlier this afternoon and he didn't even bat an eye."

"Is that why you lent him yours?"

"Yeah I felt bad for him not having one. It's raining pretty hard ya know." He sighs and crosses his arms. "Anyway's that's what I see. I don't know if he's just getting sick or something, or I'm just overthinking it."

He's not, Hayato thinks. He's also started noticing this for a while now, especially during lunch. Ryuuichi hadn't been properly taking care of himself as of lately.

The question sits with him for the rest of the day, and that's all he thinks about until the next morning when he wakes up to Taka eating his breakfast. His mother smacks the younger on the head for it and makes Hayato another one, ignoring his cries, but that isn't enough to help Hayato forget, especially after he gets to school and discovers that Ryuuichi wasn't there.

*(*)*(*)*

"Huh? What do you mean he never showed?" Maria scowls. She decided to pay a quick visit as she just so happened to be passing by the club room.

Usaida gives a heavy sigh. "Sounds just like it is. Ryuuichi didn't show up this morning, and honestly I don't think he'll be in for a while."

"And why not?!" She angrily crosses her arms. "He didn't inform anyone that he was going to be out sick! He also failed to mention to me that he had something so important to take care of that he couldn't get to school on time! Did he even bother to call you!?"

"Nope. Never called." Usaida pulls out his phone. "But he did text me."

"He did?" Her shoulders relax a little at the news. "Give it to me."

Usaida hands the device over before resuming his attention on Midori.

She reads over the message a few times.

Ryuuichi, 6:45 - "Good morning, Usaida-san. Sorry this is so sudden, but I'll be running a little late today."

"Is that all?"

"That's all." He says. "I wouldn't worry to much though. He probably just decided to sleep in for a little while longer since he seemed pretty tired yesterday."

The female angrily clicks her tongue "Then he should have just went to bed earlier! Honestly, what's gotten into him lately?!"

"So you've noticed it to." Usaida frowns.

"Huh? Of course I noticed. I'd be upset to if I failed a test as easy as grammar."

"I don't think Ryuuichi is very good with English."

"Then he should ask for help!" She bickers, angrily shoving the devise back into his hands before storming out of the room.

She doesn't show up again for the rest of the day, even after Ryuichi shows up 20 min late, quickly dropping off Kotaro along with his bag and rushing over to class. He had to spend some time after class for his tardiness, but that didn't seem to bother him all that much.

Around lunch time he leaves the room to go check on his younger brother.

"I'll come with you." Hayato offers.

Ryuuichi is slightly caught off guard by the offer. "Eh? You really don't have to." But the other insists anyways, and they both end up eating in the club room along with the rest of the children. It was the first time the baseball player had seen his friend turn down the idea of letting Kotarou feed him. Ryuuchi doesn't eat much, only an onigiri packed away somewhere in his bag.

Usaida lifts a brow. "Not hungry today?"

"Not really." He says. "Had a big breakfast that's all."

They continued to eat and chat with the kids until the bell rang, trying to convince Taka that no, leprechaun's will not come after you if you eat chocolate coins on St. Patrick's day, and Takuma, please stop throwing your fruit across the table.

Ryuuichi says his goodbyes and makes his way back to class, praising Hayato for spending time with Taka without being asked to, but that wasn't it.

He wasn't there for his bratty-younger brother, he was there to be with Ryuuichi, because it felt nice.

Hayato didn't have to many friends, close friends at that, and someone like Ryuuichi seemed to fit the role nicely. He was comfortable to be around - no one to noisy, no one that often complained, and no one who talked shit. Instead, Ryuuchi was someone the total opposite of most middle schoolers, and Hayato liked that. Almost like a woman, he once thought. Not a young girl, but a women, and the roll fit him perfectly. His skin was pretty soft, and he wasn't very muscular; then again they were still middle schoolers, but something told the older that there wasn't much that was going to change in the future.

He liked Ryuuichi. Hayato actually liked Ryuuichi, and all though the feeling was kind of odd, it wasn't so much as foreign. Putting aside his mother, there weren't to many people Hayato cared about, and Ryuuichi was one of the very few he did.

...But why?

There it was again. That nagging feeling he got every time he so much as looked at the other.

It was beginning to feel more and more consistent, the want- or rather need to just be around him. Hayato felt the urge to keep himself close Ryuuichi more often, and he couldn't quite figure out why.

He had walked him home last week, just because and Taka had stayed home with a cold that time, and Kotarou was asleep in Ryuuichi's arms. The stroll was quiet, peaceful. It was comfortable. He had time to observe, notice the way Ryuuichi parted his lips slightly when he was lost in thought, or how tightly he would hold Kotarou to him whenever they crossed the street or passed a moving car. Someone like Ryuuichi was a good brother, someone who cared, much unlike Hayato himself, and that was good.

Ryuuichi was good.

"You're pale."

"Eh?"

"You haven't been getting enough sleep." Hayato puts away the last of his work for the day. Class had ended and he was ready to go straight home. His mother could pick up Taka today. "Why is that?"

Ryuuichi goes to say something, but ends up yawning instead.

"You also smell funny."

"I-I smell funny!?"

"Yeah. It's weird." He goes to stand. "I'll wait for you after class, I'll walk you home then."

The smaller blinks, confused. "You...want to walk me home again?"

"You don't want me to?"

"N-no. I mean - yes! I do! I...thank you?" Ryuuichi glances down at his desk and fumbles to gather the rest of his things, not wanting to keep him waiting for to long.

Hayato tells Taka that his mom would take him home, smacking him over the head when he wouldn't let him go by the leg.

"WAAAAHHH! NIII-CHAAAANN!"

"Shut up and let go."

Kotarou comes along with the two of them of course, and once again their out the door walking alongside one another much like before. To Hayato it was the same, it was relaxing, but something was a bit different. The feeling nagged at him until they hit a crosswalk, and that's when he noticed just how much paler Ryuuichi looked compared to yesterday. It startled him.

What the hell?

"Kamitani?"

"Hm?"

"Your staring." Ryuuichi shifts uncomfortably. "Is there something on me again?"

"No." He leans in a bit closer, close enough that the other has to take a step back.

"Uh, w-what are you doing?"

"Your pale."

"...Thank, you?"

"Not a compliment." He leans in again. Kotarou makes a noise when his brother flinches. "You look terrible."

Ryuuichi's eyes widen. "I-I know that! I didn't have time to really fix my hair this morning, a-and no I didn't really get enough sleep but-"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you get any sleep?" Hayato stares intently. "Did Kotarou keep you up again?"

"No." He looks away awardly. "I... had a bad dream, that's all. I-It's nothing serious really. I'll just go to bed earlier tonight." A meek laugh escapes him. "I'm fine, I promise."

Hayato slowly backs away, and the other looks a little relieved. He continues to stare for another moment while Kotarou did the same, looking at his older brother then back to Hayato a few times, confused.

"Alright." Hayato finally agrees. "Let's go."

They walk the rest of the way in silence, Ryuuichi eventually getting lost in his own thoughts as he ignored the constant movement of his younger brother. Hayato couldn't help but worry, something he rarely did. He wanted to know more, but knew better then to push the subject any further, so as soon as Ryuuichi makes it home safely, as soon as he finishes his dinner and kicks his own brother out of his room for the fifth time for the night, Hayato lies on his bed and starts to think. This wasn't the first time he's felt like this. The feelings stronger somehow. What the hell was wrong with him?

He plays around on his cell phone for a while, games he hasn't touched in years. He loses every match and turn, and it's almost 10 at night when his mother finally knocks on his door telling him to go to bed.

"You alright?" She asks, arms crossed as she leans against the door frame. "You look troubled."

"I'm fine." Hayato answers, and with nothing further to say she takes his word for it.

"Alright. Well then, goodnight." She leaves the room before quietly shutting the door behind her, and it takes a moment before Hayato could hear her footsteps trail away down the hallway to her own room.

His shirt is tossed somewhere into a corner as he slips into his sheets, plugging the charger into his cell before flicking off the lights.

Hayato needs to figure things out before... well, you know :)