More Than A Shadow

Hello there! Long time no see. I know it has been a while and I apologize for the late update. This chapter took me forever to write. I know 2022 hasn't been an easy year in terms of worldly affairs but I hope it has been going well for you. I can't believe this year is basically halfway over. Time goes too fast.

Back to this fic... I thought that I was going to be able to tone it down with the drama but from now on it will seem like a difficult task lol. So I hope you won't mind ;)

As always, thank you for your support.

I apologize for any grammar mistakes beforehand.

Disclaimer: I don't own Daiya No Ace. Yuji Terajima does. I only own my OC.

Enjoy and stay safe!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

'It's a good thing that he's a creature of habit,' Azusa thought, smiling to herself as she watched Miyuki swinging his bat in the same corner behind the indoor training area. 'Makes looking for him way easier.'

Although she was still feeling determined in talking to him, she was finding it to be somehow difficult now. His eyebrows were furrowed in deep concentration and he seemed like he was in a good rhythm. It didn't feel right to interrupt him right at the moment. Not when he was working so hard to improve his batting.

'Now that I'm thinking about it... It wouldn't kill you to practice with everyone else once in a while, Kazuya,' the manager mused. She understood that it was his preference to practice on his own and to a certain extent she couldn't blame him. Some people just concentrated better on their own. Which in his case seemed to be working judging from his performance during the match against Ugumori. But the downside of that in Azusa's opinion was that the team couldn't get to see how hard he works to improve his skills. As well as his dedication.

'But that's a conversation for another night,' she mentally tucked that plan into the back of her mind. Then looked down at the white plastic bag that she was carrying. She had other plans tonight.

"Azu-chan?" Miyuki stopped his swing midway startling the manager since she was deep in her thoughts. "What are you doing here?" he asked, turning to her.

Azusa's cheeks began having a small reddish twinge, feeling suddenly embarrassed out of the blue. "I was looking for you," she sheepishly replied, tugging the bag even harder.

The catcher cocked his head to the side in curiosity giving her an innocent look. "Is it time for you to leave now?"

"Well... Now that you mention it... Sorta," Azusa began, slightly panicking. She didn't realize that it was getting so late.

"Do you want to start walking to the bus stop?" Miyuki asked, putting his bat down, and wiping his forehead with a towel that he had around his shoulders.

"No- I mean that wasn't why I came looking for you," she tried to clarify. "I wanted to talk to you about something important."

"Talk?"

"Yes," she nodded, motioning towards the bench farther away from them next to a post light.

"I see," he chuckled to himself but didn't question anything as he walked towards the bench that Azusa pointed to.

She followed closely behind him and sat down on the bench next to him.

"So what is this about? You're acting mysterious," Miyuki noticed.