The Story Of Forever (Todobaku)

The Fallout

Katsuki spent the next ten minutes trashing Keigo's office. Chairs were kicked, books were thrown, and walls were punched. He'd probably get in further trouble, but he had no will to care. No punishment could've been worse than the one he already received. 

No more baseball. A sport he loved, then rejected, then loved again. To give it up for an entire year was a scenario Katsuki couldn't stomach.

What would this mean for him? Would he lose his friends? His girlfriend? They would all keep moving forward, building bright futures for themselves.

Eijiro had baseball, but he was charismatic enough that he'd be fine no matter what he did. Camie seemed to have the perfect life with her beauty, charm, and popularity. Shouto aspired to become a mangaka one day, and Katsuki genuinely believed his friend had the talent to get there.

But Katsuki? What was he without baseball?

In truth, he was nothing. Baseball was the one thing that allowed him to stand out. And now he had to sit back and watch the people he cared about move on without him. He'd get left behind, to no one's fault but his own.

And even when the time presented itself for him to rejoin the team, by then it'd be too late.

Pressure stockpiled in his head, reaching an insurmountable level of agony. Katsuki would've stayed in Keigo's office longer to unleash what remained of his anguish, but he couldn't stand another moment of wearing his uniform.

He changed into a set of clothes he left in his gym locker over the weekend. A suitable choice for a warm day in June. Katsuki swung his baseball bag over his shoulder, his uniform and gear packed inside. All stuff that was worthless to him after today.

With his head hung he trudged through the empty hallways he walked down so many times before. Yet in this instance, Katsuki felt more lost than ever.

He was so distracted by everything that happened that he didn't hear her voice at first. It was only when she called for him a second time that he halted.

"Katsuki!"

Katsuki grinded his teeth as the sound of Camie's footsteps grew closer. Facing away from her, he lowered his chin to his chest.

"Go away, Camie. I don't want to talk right now."

"Oh."

Katsuki hated the hurt in her voice. He didn't mean to be rude, he just didn't want his girlfriend to see him like this. His eyes were still puffy to the point that it was painful. Camie was far out of his league, Katsuki knew that. Crying in front of her would only widen that gap.

"I just..." Camie said. "I wanted to make sure that you were okay."

"Well I'm not." A quiet huff escaped his lips. "I got kicked off the team."

"What? Why?"

Katsuki flexed the veins in his neck. "Didn't I just say I didn't wanna talk? Get out of here. I'm going home."

He continued walking, but Camie was quick enough to circle around him. Katsuki restrained himself from screaming at her. His instruction was simple, he wanted her to leave him alone. He didn't understand how that was difficult to comprehend.

Camie frowned when she caught sight of his face. "You've been crying."

Katsuki grunted. This was the exact situation he didn't want to get involved in. "I told you to leave me alone."

"Yeah, but..." Camie began to tear up as well. "You're hurting."

"So what?"

"So I want to help," she answered weakly.