“Eyes on the ball, Tzuyu,” she had whispered to herself.

It was already the last inning of the match, and Tzuyu’s eyebrows were drawn together when she caught a glimpse of the scores.

They were in the lead with a good gap earlier in the last few innings, but when it was their team’s turn to score for the first half of the seventh inning, Tzuyu could see Jennie’s frustration oozing out of her when she missed Lisa’s pitch. Two more strikes had passed and she was out, unable to score more for their team. The runners in second and third base were unable to complete a run. Her eyes murdered the cheeky captain in green in a glare, boring holes into the back of the tall girl’s head.

In this second half of the last inning it was the guest team’s turn to bat. Jennie was the pitcher and unfortunately enough for them, the team in green would always bat successfully every after two strikes, avoiding the third one. Jennie wasn’t usually the type to let her frustration get her in the middle of the match, but apparently this one was an exemption.

Tzuyu was right behind the fourth batter in the home plate in a semi-crouched position. She was the catcher, her blue softball uniform was paired with a blue chest protector and mask. Her brown glove worn on her right hand, ready to catch Jennie’s pitches.

“Strike two!”

The umpire announced before Tzuyu threw the ball back to Jennie’s glove. The captain with cat-like eyes heaved out a deep sigh, preparing to pitch. She wanted to get this game over with. They never lost a rivalry match last season, and Jennie didn't plan on giving up that easily and breaking that streak. With eyes trained onto the batter in green, she gets into position. Jennie raises her left leg in a pitching position, before swinging her arm to throw a fast pitch.

“Strike three! You’re out!”

A sense of relief had washed over the team in blue when finally the annoying streak came to an end. Jennie smirked, Tzuyu throws the ball back to the pitcher’s glove. Only two more players to put out and they can safely say they’ve secured the win.

“Good one, cap!” Jeongyeon had shouted from the second base.

Tzuyu sighs and gets up, shaking off the numbness she was starting to feel in her legs and stretching her limbs. The match was starting to exhaust her, and she wanted nothing more than to embrace the warmth her bed had to offer. The fifth batter was called on to the field, and the tall brunette with big ears returned to her semi-crouched position. Her eyes met Dahyun who was in first base, and the two nodded their heads at each other. 

“Play ball!”

Jennie fixes her cap in place, she glances at the runners who were in the second and first base, seeing if they were going to steal the next base. And as if everything was in their favour once again, Jennie manages to throw the third ball swiftly right onto Tzuyu’s awaiting glove.

“Strike three! You’re out!”

Through her mask, a wide grin was on Tzuyu’s face as she throws the ball back to Jennie. The crowd cheered for the team in blue, while the team in green’s cheers had died down for a little bit. Not all hope is lost for them, however.

“Let’s get it, Dahyun-ah!”

Tzuyu hears Sana from the bleachers and takes a look at her blushing friend just a few meters away. She smirks, Dahyun seemed to like her a lot as well. She sees Dahyun give the girl a huge smile and a small wave before focusing back to the game. Tzuyu, however, could feel a certain brunette's stare. No, it wasn't the brunette with the charming bunny teeth, but the brunette who she thought held the prettiest smile. The brunette who she thought would never leave her side just like she promised, who said would never hurt her when she stared into Tzuyu's dark brown orbs, who assured her with her arms around the tall girl with what Tzuyu thought was the truth that came out of .

Lies, they were all lies.

She refuses to look behind her, where she knew Nayeon and Sana were seated, because right below them was someone she never wanted to see.

The sixth batter finally comes to the field, swinging the bat in her hand. Her long legs took her to the home plate in just a few steps, her vanilla gold hair was up neatly in a ponytail and her bangs were hidden under her cap. Tzuyu doesn't hear nor see the batter come to the home plate, she was staring into space with her thoughts clouding her mind. She never liked getting distracted when in the middle of something, especially when doing a sport, and she hated the thought ther mind was in a fritz just because of someone's sudden appearance.

Why was she even here in the first place? Why was she here, watching her first softball match when she refused to watch any of her games in different sports before? Why was she here, after all the times she tried to reach her and giving up after coming to her senses, and show up at an untimely manner? Why was she even here when she made it clear enough those years ago in the little cafe that used to be their little safe haven that she never wanted to see her anymore?

"Hey."

Tzuyu was brought back from her train of thoughts when the batter was now right in front of her with her head tilted to the side. It didn't take long for the catcher to realize that the person in front of her was the captain of the guest team. Lisa was standing in front of her with the baseball bat on her broad shoulders, giving the crouched brunette a small smile. Tzuyu shakes her head, an effort to rid herself of what plagued her mind, and only nodded at the person before her in greeting.

"You don't talk much, do you?" Lisa chuckled. "Don't worry, I don't bite."

"I don't talk to strangers," Tzuyu said bluntly, her eyes trained in front of her, which only earned her another chuckle from the tall captain. She didn't have time for small chitchat. Tzuyu could see her captain glare at the back of Lisa's head yet again.

Lisa feigns hurt lightly, "I'm no stranger, I can't believe you forgot about me!”

Tzuyu arched a brow, "I'm sorry?"

With a laugh escaping her lips at Tzuyu's confusion, Lisa shakes her head.

"Sports fest? Archery?" Lisa inquired. "Does it ring any bell?"

Tzuyu's brows almost met each other as she tried to recall. Had she really met her before?

Ah, she remembers. She remembers the blonde teen who boldly went up against her in the archery finals back in freshman year. She remembers the cheeky long-legged dancer who was overflowing with self-confidence, who promised to ‘beat her ’ for she was the best at archery. She remembers how her face fell in agony when the rest of her arrows landed repeatedly on the number one.

“Well then I think a reintroduction would be proper,” Lisa then crouches to meet Tzuyu’s gaze when the latter didn’t bother to stand up. She offers a hand to shake, “Lalisa Manoban, you can call me Li-“

“Play ball!”

Tzuyu was about to accept the shake when she immediately takes her hand back after hearing the umpire, remembering that they were enemies for today’s match. She urges for the other to get up on her feet and get into position.

“Introductions can happen later. Game first.” Tzuyu didn’t mean for that to come out as rude, but thankfully Lisa got the message and stood up.

Jennie had her arms crossed over her chest, her glare never faltered with her eyes narrowed to mimic that of a cat’s. She rolls her eyes when Lisa had sent a grin her way while swinging the bat once to get a nice grip.

She never liked the vanilla golden-headed girl in the first place, even before Lisa had transferred. She hated how she basically had everyone wrapped around her little finger, how her ‘stupid’ giggle was basically a scapegoat to anything stupid she’d do. She hated how her nose scrunches up every time she smiles, and especially when she laughs.

Jennie came back to her senses when Lisa’s grin had dropped, her grip on the softball bat tightened as her eyes were no longer teasing cat ones. Her demeanour changed, the look in her eye screamed for a fight.

“Say, Tzuyu,” called Lisa.

Tzuyu looks up at the captain in green, “Yeah?”

“I want a rematch,” said Lisa firmly, her gaze still intently focused on the ball in the pitcher’s hand.

“What?”

“Archery. I want a rematch,” she quickly gives the catcher a glance and chuckles. “I just want a rematch, really. Y’know I feel like that wasn’t my luckiest day.”

Tzuyu shakes her head amused, “We’ll talk after the game, Lisa.”

Amidst the crowd cheering for both teams, Tzuyu hears a voice break through loud and clear.

“Big ears! Let's get it!”

She feels a smile tug at her lips and she wanted to turn around and meet chocolate brown orbs. However Tzuyu knew that won’t be such a good idea now that Jennie was about to pitch. Instead, despite feeling eyes on her, she mutes out everyone else and keeps her eyes on Jennie’s swinging arm.

"Let's go, TzuTzu!"

Tzuyu's brows furrowed at the mention of her nickname in which she never wanted to hear come out of that mouth ever again.

A fast ball, it was Jennie’s first pitch.

Seeing where the ball was headed, Tzuyu immediately positioned herself to catch the ball into her awaiting glove. Seconds away she was for the ball to meet her glove when a bat blocked her view, and the ball flew further away from her.

“HOME RUN!” cheered a part of the crowd who supported green.

In a flash, Lisa dropped the bat and immediately dashed to the first base. The second and third base runners immediately running to the next one. Tzuyu silently muttered profanities when a runner had gone past her, gaining a point for their team. And then the next one did, gaining another point. The gap was slowly closing in, and when Lisa speedily dashed past the catcher in blue, two points was all that’s left for Tzuyu’s team to maintain the lead.

“Damn it,” seethed Jennie Kim as Lisa high-fived her team when they congratulated her.

-

“Good game,” grinned Lisa, face void of any sign of bitterness as she offered a hand to shake towards every member of the opposing team.

The game had ended in favour of the host team. The turn of events surprised everyone indeed, especially after Lisa’s home run which left everyone in awe. Just when everyone else lost hope, Jennie had clung onto every bit of it left.

The captain had to stand as everyone else’s rock, after all. So after that home run, (which pissed her off even more) Jennie made sure to pitch the ball right where the next batter couldn’t guess where it’ll go, but was still in the strike zone. Strike after strike much to everyone’s amazement, Jennie finally managed to put out another batter to be able to secure the win.

And so they did, and everyone was all smiles at the hard work the captain had put into getting their first win for the league.

“Good game,” despite being known for coming off as intimidating and cold, Tzuyu offered the guests a smile as she congratulated