Seido's Lovely Manager (Miyuki Kazuya x Female OC)

XX. Self-Destruction (Pt. 1)

"I am so happy Watanabe-senpai agreed to help!" Emi informed the boy with a happy smile, "With Watanabe-senpai I will be able to understand baseball better, and the team will be having better notes," Emi told the boy, she walked in front of him humming happily while swaying side to side. Watanabe couldn't help but let out a soft laugh at the girl's mood.

"Thank you for letting me join you, Kobayashi-chan," Watanabe gave her a smile.

"Emi is fine, Watanabe-senpai. Come on! The game is about to start!" Emi said dragging the boy by his wrist. Both took their seats and Inashiro versus Ugumori's game started.

The first inning between Inashiro and Ugumori started with Ugumori having no outs and Inashiro having their first run. However, Ugumori wsa able to get their three outs and the teams changed their gears.

"Inashiro seems to be doing well even without Narumiya-san up pitching," Emi told Watanabe as she watched Narumiya keep shouting from the left field, "But you can hear his presence from anywhere," Emi sweatdropped as Narumiya kept shouting at Inashiro's players.

"Yeah, they seem to be letting Narumiya rest today, so I am not sure if he will even pitch today," Watanabe said. The game continued on and Inashiro had one lead ahead of Ugumori, but on the next innings, the crowd's favorite team weren't able to get any more run as well as Ugumori.

"Inashiro is having a hard time to score another run from Ugumori," Emi told Watanabe, "Their hits are all jammed," she said as she wrote down notes on the players. It was the bottom of the fifth inning and Ugumori already had two outs.

"Emi-chan, you did a little research on Ugumori right?" Watanabe asked Emi.

"Yes, let's see..." Emi said as she picked up her notebook, "Ugumori is not particularly as strong as any of the powerhouses in Tokyo. However, lately, they have been strong, maybe because of Umemiya Seiichi-san and Matsubara Nao-kun. These two are the key for Ugumori to be this strong. Especially with Umemiya-san's fastballs and curveballs," Emi said.

"Umemiya's curveballs are not even that fast," Watanabe said as Inashiro's batter hit a foul due to Umemiya's pitch, "But it's thanks to that pitch, his fastballs looks faster than it is," Watanabe completed. As soon as the second year had said that, Ugumori was able to get their third out and Inashiro once again was not able to score any run.

===

"It feels like Inashiro has not been doing their best today," Watanabe said as Inashiro stepped in to play defense.

"I think is probably because Harada-san is not there to keep the team together," Emi answered, "You see, the second years are all egoistical players, they play for themselves, not for the team. The current captain, Fukui Kento-san is doing his best in cheering on the team and keeping them together, but he doesn't play, so it's up to the ace to lead the team. But I have a feeling that Inashiro will experience something they have never experienced before," Emi commented making Watanabe's eyes widen in surprise.

"I never thought Emi-chan could even analise a team's status and what they are lacking, you are really good at it," Watanabe complimented the girl.

"It's nothing compared to Watanabe-senpai's observation on the batters and the pitchers. You are professional at it!" Emi told the boy honestly, "Just become a manager with us already, Watanabe-senpai," Emi joked, but Watanabe couldn't say anything back, seeing that she just voiced out what he was trying to tell Miyuki all the time. He knew that his motivation to play baseball was not as high as the other players, but he still wanted to help the team in any possible way.

"Did I say something wrong?" Emi asked noticing Watanabe's thoughtful look.

"Huh? Ah, no, why would you ask that?" Watanabe asked the girl as Inashiro and Ugumori prepared for the top of sixth inning.

"You look thoughtful," Emi pointed out, "You want to do managerial work, don't you?"

Watanabe wasn't able to respond to her. He was shocked at how spot on the girl's supposition was. Emi took a look at him and let out a small laugh knowing that she was right, "Watanabe-senpai would be a good manager, but don't give up on playing baseball too," Emi said remembering how she also stopped playing volleyball to be a manager, "I was a volleyball player once, but stopped playing due to a knee injury, and now look at me, a simple baseball manager," she let out a laugh, "However that doesn't stop me from playing volleyball, and I know that you are not completely giving up on baseball despite doing manager work. You'll do fine, Watanabe-senpai, as long as you are honest to the team," Emi told him with a gentle smile.

"Thank you, Emi-chan," Watanabe said, he was honestly glad that someone knew that and it was as if one of the weights he was carrying, lifted off his shoulders after her positive comment.

"That was what you were going to tell Kazuya-san?" Emi asked the boy. The second year nodded his head.

"Yes, but I think he took it as a misunderstanding," Watanabe told her remebering how Miyuki thought he was leaving the team.

"Ah, misunderstanding happens," Emi shrugged, "He will learn about it sooner or later," Emi said with a small smile.

"I don't like that smile of yours, Emi-chan," Watanabe said as he saw the look in her eyes. She was definitely not telling Miyuki about her new found discovery, and the girl was definitely wanting to give the new captain a lesson for not listening to Watanabe.

"What smile? It's my usual smile," Emi acted innocent.

"No comments," Watanabe told her shaking his head and letting out a soft smile, happy that he had someone who would support him and his friends even if no one else did.

===

The duo's attention quickly focused back on the game where Inashiro already had two outs with one runner on the second base. The next batter from Ugumori, Inubushi Kouta, was able to hit the ball pitched cleanly, allowing Umemiya to run past the third base and continue running towards the home base. The ball was quickly sent to Itsuki, Inashiro's catcher, Umemiya was able to dodge Itsuki as the catcher tried to tag him, but because of their angles and the first-year raising his hand telling the judge that the runner was tagged, Inashiro was able to get their three outs.

"Umemiya-san seemed to duck properly there, how was he out?" Emi muttered quietly, her eyes were wide and in shock that Inashiro's catcher would play such a dirty trick.

"Really? It really seemed that the catcher caught the runner," Watanabe said.

"I hope you are right," Emi told him. She wasn't sure if she saw it correctly seeing that she was a little far from the field, so she just let it go focusing back on the game.

The game continued on with Ugumori being able to get one out, and they had a runner on second base. Inashiro now was at the top of their lineup with Carlos up to bat. Carlos was able to hit the ball, but unfortunately he was out seeing that someone caught if ball. Shirakawa, who came up after Carlos, was also forced out before he got to the first base. Inashiro was unable to score once again.

On the bottom of the seventh inning, Inashiro had started to hit stronger, but with no runs. Narumiya came up to bat and Umemiya seemed to catch him by surprise with an unusual curveball.

"Was that a slider?" Emi asked shocked as Narumiya was striked out and that Ugumori's pitcher had decided to use this pitch now that the game is almost to its end.

"This pitch..." Watanabe muttered just as shocked as Emi, "It's a curveball with more power, different from his slow curveball, he has strong finger dexterity," the boy completed in shock as Ugumori got their third out.

"Ugumori was one step ahead of Inashiro this time," Emi whispered to herself before turning to Watanabe, "Watanabe-senpai, I don't think Inashiro will be able to get out of this one."