Nineteenth
:Chapter Nineteen:

Within those few days between the horrid dinner-date and the rivalry game, much hadn't changed.

Hoseok had talked to Taehyung about it and got his side of the story, feeling as this was one of the only times Taehyung could ever be considered 'right'.

The younger of the two was embarrassed and had a shirt and pair of pants ruined with grease and oil stains from his food and for no good reason whatsoever.

Jeongguk originally made it a plan to do more when he saw Taehyung but the big game was on its way and he wasn't trying to sit out over something he started anyways.

That didn't mean the two wouldn't still cut throat for different reasons.

The baseball team was in the locker room per usual, all changing and getting ready for today's baseball game again the Lions — their rival.

Sure they had other teams where there were arguments and the game was always on edge but nothing defeated the dispute the Panthers and the Lions had.

It was Jeongguk versus Taehyung in high school team form. Sometimes fights broke out, petty remarks were yelled, smug looks were given. It could be a hell of a game or hell broken out.

It didn't take away from the petty beef between Jeongguk and Taehyung, however. Not at all.

Like always and most, the two were arguing once again, bickering over something that couldn't quite be remembered by the other players. The only thing the team knew was it was going to be awhile before they even zipped their lips.

"You're so on my ass about being a sore loser but you hate me over a game you lost years ago!" Jeongguk yelled, eyes narrowed. "A fucking hypocrite is what you are, Kim!"

Hoseok may or may not have had mentioned how Taehyung was a little salty over a game way back then to Jeongguk.

"It's more than just a loss!" Taehyung argued. "You were so bad at sportsmanship and still are! Rubbing your glory and every home-run in all of our faces! We get it, you can shoot balls in the air like it's noting!"

Hoseok cleared his throat. "Guys, come on, we don't have to fight like babies here. We literally have a game to play."

"He's being the child! Holding a shitty grudge against me!"

"You took the spot you knew I wanted!" Taehyung quipped back, seeing nothing but red. "I told you the first day I met you I was working on being the pitcher! I told you that!

"Not my fault Coach put me in as the pitcher. You should work on your arm anyways, you fucking suck at throwing pitches." Jeongguk stood straight.

Taehyung wanted to argue but it hurt his feelings. He shook his head, breathing heavy. "I fucking hate you." He said with nothing but raging fury.

"Likewise, babes." Jeongguk spat. Hoseok sighed, shaking his head in disappointment.

"You guys can't keep doing this." He said with annoyance. "Especially right before or right after our games. Save the energy for our opponents, not each other." Hoseok added, already feeling a throbbing sensation behind his eyes.

Minji stood and agreed. "Yeah, what happened to putting the team first? About being there for one another no matter what happens?" He asked, picking up his bag and throwing it over one shoulder.

Jeongguk and Taehyung turned their backs to the rest of the team, cleaning up their things to get ready to go. Neither one of them wanted to be lectured on their poor behavior.

"Now you two bicker and break the team up. We always set aside our differences, always pushed whatever was going on because being a team is what we came here for, not to argue on our personal issues." Minji added. "Me and Suwun don't ever get along but no one would ever guess it if weren't for us pushing it away because we share one thing and that's the passion for baseball."

No one was sure on what they could say, Minji had proven quite the point. A game was coming up and they didn't need to sit here and go back and forth like this. Neither one of them wanted to admit that, however.

     With attitudes clear, egos blown, and annoyance being shown throughout the other teammates, the Panthers got ready and walked out of the locker room, heading down to the baseball field where a hell of a game would be played today. A rival game.

It was time to show out, put their hearts out on the field, and leave all drama within the team in the locker room. It was game time.

***

     Fifth inning, Panthers just got done batting, finally receiving a final out and time to let the Lions bat.

It was such a close game. The Panthers were up by two points and now it was the Lions' turn to try to score.

Jeongguk and Taehyung didn't tease each other, didn't poke fun, they were in their own head space and staying as focus as they could.

"Boys, you are all doing so good but you're not putting a hundred in." Coach said, shaking his head. "Whatever you do, don't let them catch up to you boys. You better play like it's a championship, don't give them a win." He added. "Now get out there. Don't disappoint."

The team nodded, putting their hands together. They were tired but not done yet, needing two more innings before the game would be over.

"Panthers on three," Taehyung shouted. "One, two, three,"

"Panthers!" The team called out, pulling on mitts and helmets for the ones who needed them.

The Panthers got to their places, Taehyung at firstbase, Hoseok in left field, Jeongguk in the middle with a baseball in his right hand, and everyone else in their areas.

It was silent. Dead silent. The only noise that could be picked up was the sound of the Lions' batter walking up to the plate, bringing the bat back over his shoulder, and getting down in such a professional stance. He was ready, the smirk showing he was confident.

Everyone was on the edge of their seat, getting ready to push out this play and hold the Lions without a score.

Jeongguk dug the tip of his left shoe into the dirt; a signature move of his. He leaned down, rubbing the baseball in the dug up dirt. He then stood straight, eyes locking with the batter's.

The pitcher took the baseball and winded his arm back, launching it forward at great speeds and such perfect alignment.

The batter, however, could read the pitch like it was the back of his hand. He cracked his baseball bat off the ball, sending it into a line drive right at Jeongguk.

But everything happened to fast. The ball collided with Jeongguk's head and believe it or not, it hurt like all hell. It was straight into his face, making the pitcher clutch onto his head as he fell all the way down.

The aforementioned fell for the ground with such a thud, ripping off his mitt. His hands flew back to his head, tears already rolling down his cheeks as the pain made itself well aware the second the ball collided. He laid on his side, curling his legs up into his chest, forming himself into a ball as he tried to bite back his sobs but for anyone who's been hit with a baseball or softball, you know how bad it hurts.

Taehyung, on the other hand, saw the ball fly but didn't actually see it hit the younger. He rushed over, scooping up the ball that rolled in the dirt and sprinting back to first base where he touched the base with the ball, getting the batter out. He whipped the ball back to the catcher where the said player caught it with ease, about to throw it at Jeongguk but stopped once a whistle was blown.

That's when Taehyung's eyes caught a glimpse of Jeongguk laying on the ground, seeing the black-haired teen clutching at his face. Taehyung rolled his eyes, shaking his head. He didn't buy this one bit. Jeongguk was probably ashamed of his lame pitch and wanted to play victim to cover it up. He was most likely upset that the batter ended up hitting the ball and Taehyung was the one to stop him from getting to first.

The umpires, coaches, and medical director ran onto the field, gathering around the pitcher to make sure he was okay. Everyone else was holding their breath, no one speaking.

The most heartbreaking sound made its way to everyone's ears once silence fell upon them. The sound of the pitcher crying because his head was in so much pain.

Taehyung huffed, internally praising Jeongguk's acting skills for taking him this long and even making fake tears. 'Get up, weirdo' is what ran through Taehyung's head.

The medical director was now on his knees in front of Jeongguk, helping him remove his hands and look up. A sudden ruptures of gasps filled the air, signaling something serious might have actually happened and the pitcher wasn't acting whatsoever.

Taehyung gulped, holding a breath subconsciously. 'Come on, dude, just get up,' he added to his thoughts, nervously biting at his bottom lip and pealing off dead skin.

The mitt Jeongguk was wearing was shown accidentally and that's when certain players saw blood on the side of the baseball glove, including Taehyung.

The aforementioned walked over now. He might have hated Jeongguk with a passion but he wasn't going to sit here when he probably could be helping.

"Jeongguk?" He called, peaking between his coach and a umpire, brows furrowed anxiously. The crying and the sobs of pain was so clear. Jeongguk was trying to not sound so loud but his head was throbbing and everything was a blur.

Jeongguk was being sat up, small sobs still escaping his lips. He had a gash on the top part of his forehead to the left, blood all down the side of his face and on his uniform. His fingers had blood from trying to cover it up. It was a lot worse than what Taehyung could imagine. He didn't think the pitcher got hit in the head like that but the ball was hit at such a perfect angle.

Taehyung wanted to shout for someone to call for an ambulance but his ears picked up the sound of a voice, looking to his right to see his Coach was already on the phone with someone to get Jeongguk to the hospital.

The ball must have had struck Jeongguk with such force, causing him to bleed excessively and a huge knot to start forming. It was an awful amount of blood, and it appeared to look like a scene out of a horror movie of some sort. Without knowing any context, it looked like he cracked his head off of a sharp object.

Taehyung knelt down soon, looking straight at Jeongguk with bewildered eyes. "A-Are you okay? Can you see?" He asked, seeing as Jeongguk's left eye was basically stuck shut with the way the blood covered it up; all over his eyebrow and lashes.

The aforementioned looked up, his vision blurry and everything overwhelming. He couldn't tell who was actually asking him but he just nodded even if he wasn't okay or couldn't see.

He tried to slow his crying down but not only did his head pound, his eye was burning due to the blood that seeped inside. He couldn't see, couldn't move on his own, and felt like the ground beneath him was spinning.

It wasn't too much longer when sirens could be heard, the sound getting closer and closer until it was right by the field, paramedics rushing out of the ambulance with a stretcher over to where the bunch was.

The surrounding people cleared a spot, allowing the men to get to where Jeongguk was. They picked up the young teen, setting him down and strapping him in.

There was very little words exchanged and things moved too fast for Taehyung to actually catch up. He felt like it was a few seconds with how soon everything seemed to be moving.

His eyes were stuck staring at the blood left in the dirt, seeing his glove laying right near it. It was heartbreaking in all honesty. It didn't matter if Taehyung hated Jeongguk or not; the boy was seriously injured to where he was rushed off in the back of an ambulance.

The Lions players had taken a knee in sympathy for Jeongguk, their hats and helmets off to respect him and wish him good luck.

The Panthers were all in shock, no one ever thinking something this serious could happen to someone they knew.

"Boys!" The Coach called, the rest of the team being forced to look away from the blood and the rushed away ambulance.

They left their positions and walked over to their Coach, all afraid and wishing the best for Jeongguk who was in so much pain.

"Look at me," he said, looking at all of them. "We have two choices to make here according to the umpires." He stated, looking just as upset as the rest of the team. "We can forfeit and let them take the win, or you boys can go back out there and keep playing in honor of your injured pitcher. I'll let you guys decide what you want to do."

Usually the Coach wasn't this soft or this understanding but when it came to an injury like this where one of his players were bawling and had to be rushed to the hospital, he was more than empathetic.

With the two options being said, the team turned and looked at Taehyung who looked a bit pale. They wanted their captain to make the decision.

He gulped, thinking for a moment. Taehyung hated Jeongguk, every ounce of him but his heart ached for that boy and he wasn't going to let the Lions take their star player and the win.

"In honor of Newbie . . ." Taehyung started. "We are going to go back out on that field once it's cleaned up, and we are going to get that victory for Jeongguk." He said his name which was so rare considering he's only ever called him 'Newbie' and 'Jeon'. His voice was so soft and broke towards the end. "Right?"

Hoseok nodded. "For Jeongguk." He added, looking a his teammates. He put his hand in the middle, Taehyung soon following.

The rest of the team got it and they put their hands together.

"'For Jeongguk' on three," Taehyung said, not yelling or screaming it out like he has been.

"One," the count started and he looked around, seeing the fear in his teammates eyes.

"Two," another count. Everyone had shaky breath and didn't look prepared for the rest of this game.

"Three."

"For Jeongguk!" The team called out loud for Taehyung who was too shocked to be able to yell out.

The Coach was proud of them and would have been fine with whatever the team decided on. "You got this, Panthers. Taehyung, you're the pitcher now, we'll have a backup take your position so you can fill in Jeongguk's spot for now."

"Yes, Coach." Taehyung nodded, taking in a deep breath.

He wanted to be the pitcher so bad but not like this.

Not when Jeongguk was going to the hospital.

_______
A/N:

1. I hear a turning point
2. Did you expect this?
3. Are you ready for the next chapter?