A Story About How I Ran Away After Being Rejected By My First Love

“TSU-BA-SA! TSU-BA-SA! Fly so high! Spread your wings and touch the sky! 1-2-3, fight, fight, FIGHT!!!”

The afternoon sun hung high in the sky casting the perfect glow onto the baseball field. A lot of students from the different schools went to watch the big game.

Tsubasa High School was one of the renowned powerhouses when it came to baseball. For years, we had dominated the high school baseball scene, earning a reputation for being one of the strongest and fearful teams in the country.

The school heavily invested into it with the facilities being top notch. Our school’s baseball field was more like a professional stadium with pristine fields, digital scoreboards, modern batting cages and other advanced technologies.

The coaches and staff were alumni from the school itself, carrying the legacy behind them. The training was rigorous. Over the past decade, the school never missed Koshien.

More than that, students who go to Tsubasa High mainly aim to join the baseball club. It wasn’t just a high school. It was a launchpad for the future stars, where one hones their talent before taking the stage into the big leagues.

I stood at the edge of the bleachers as I scanned myself to someone I knew. And there I found Fujimoto-san and Sakamoto-san.

Fujimoto-san was warming up by practicing his batting skills. His presence in the batter’s box was overwhelming. His skills were built over years of dedication and relentless practice. It eventually paid off after he was scouted to be in the roster despite being only a second year.

Standing six feet tall, with a lean athletic build, Fujimoto-san has one of the highest batting averages in the league. He was a complete hitter. He exactly knows when to swing, timing his hits with precision that leaves the pitchers and catchers shaking in disbelief.

“It looked like Fujimoto-san was in top shape. This game will be easy.”

I had it in my mind. I turned my attention to the cheerleading area where Sakamoto-san was actively screaming and cheering, pom-poms in hand.

Despite only joining late last year after her transfer, Sakamoto-san already was a sight to behold. Her presence lit up the stadium with her natural charisma drawing people’s attention to her.

Her long flowing hair was now tied into a ponytail which swung with every cheer she made. With her bright and beautiful smile, she rallied the crowd making it an uplifting force. She moved with lightness and grace, her motions were precise and sharp.

Though Sakamoto-san might have an airhead side, she was completely different when it comes to cheering. She truly was one of the heart and soul of Tsubasa High’s spirit.

“Man, Sakamoto-san’s really cute. She is so different from the other girls. ”

“I know right? I wonder if she has a boyfriend.”

“Don’t even dream about it. I heard she rejected every single one who confessed to her.”

The boys beside me casted their eyes on Sakamoto-san. As expected of her, she truly was an eye-catcher.

Aside from her bubbly personality, Sakamoto-san’s proportions were on-par with the idols. She was the athletic type yet has a feminine feel. Her waist was slim and defined. Her navel and flat stomach, even though she eats a lot of sweets, were a testament to how she spent hours practicing cheer routines.

I feel somewhat proud having acquaintances like her talking to me on a daily basis.

Though I doubt it’ll only be until she finds a romantic partner. Maybe I should ask her about her ideal type.

I might feel a bit lonely but it’s more worth it for her rather than spending some time with someone like me.

“Well, it might be for the best.”

Without much thought, I took out my smartphone from my pocket. I angled it subtly, but my focus was entirely on Sakamoto-san. For some reason, I couldn’t help but feel drawn to capture her smile.

I hesitated for a second, my thumb on the shutter icon. We were meters apart but for some reason, she turned towards my direction and flashed a beautiful smile. Without delay, I took a snapshot of it.

My heart raced slightly with the unexpected look that she gave. It was most likely unintentional as she returned her look towards the game.

“Why the heck am I blushing? She’ll probably tease me if she knew I took her photo without consent.”

I wanted to delete the photo but it was so good that I decided to keep it.

I’ll keep this as my little secret.

The game went on and on and then the final whistle blew.

“Peeeep”.

Cheers erupted from the bleachers as the score on board was lopsided.

As expected, our school won with a convincing victory.

Fujimoto-san and his teammates hugged each other and screamed in excitement, shouting the school’s name.

It was a well-deserved victory. I could see our classmates also cheering wildly along with the chanting of Tsubasa.

It was an incredible sight. I clapped my hands together with the crowd.

I looked over Sakamoto-san and the cheerleaders shaking their pom-poms as they shouted the victory chant.

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As the crowd began to thin and the sun was about to set, I made my way towards the changing room building where players are located.

I wanted to congratulate Fujimoto-san while it was still fresh. It was his first win in Tsubasa High that he was in the field roster.

“Fujimoto-kun! You were incredible out there! That home run was totally amazing”

“Thank you, Sakamoto-san… No, Miyu-san…”

“Yes?”

As I entered the main building, I heard voices from the hallway. I thought it was a regular conversation but the voice coming from Fujimoto-san was trembling. There’s no doubt about it. It was a confession to Sakamoto-san.

I never thought that the always upbeat and confident Fujimoto would be so different. He was nervous, almost hesitant.

From the corner, I held my breath not making any sounds. I peeked from a distance, being careful to not get spotted.

Being with Fujimoto-san in class, I haven’t noticed one bit that she has feelings for Sakamoto-san. That’s how ironclad his personality was.

Whenever talk about girls came up, he only shrugs it off saying he was busy with baseball practice and doesn’t have time for it.

However, I do feel that Fujimoto-san keeps throwing glances towards Sakamoto-san during class. It all makes sense now.

“I am in love with you, Miyu-san. Please go out with me.”

Fujimoto-san said it.

He poured his heart out, his face full of sincerity. Sakamoto-san listened intently, her usual smile faded, her face turned serious.

“I’m sorry… I…”

Sakamoto-san’s expression was soft, her eyes carried a hint of sadness as she spoke.

Fujimoto-san’s shoulders slumped ever so slightly. From where I was standing, I could feel the weight of being rejected.

“Was it him?”