"Such heavy words. Are you sure you can take responsibility for them?"
The deep baritone voice echoed through the empty stadium. Both Dranred and Rosette turned toward the sound.
"James!" they exclaimed in unison, their faces pale with surprise. Rosette's heart skipped. Did he see what happened? What would she even say?
James walked toward them, his expression unreadable but his steps heavy with tension. "I was wondering why it took you so long," he said, his eyes fixed on Rosette. "Turns out, I'd find you here." Then his gaze shifted to Dranred. "And I'm not even surprised to see you."
Rosette felt her chest tighten. This isn't good.
"Wasn't Estelle enough?" James said sharply, his voice colder now. "Now you're going after my sister too? How selfish can you be?"
"James, it's not—" Rosette started, but Dranred's hand caught hers before she could move closer.
"What are you doing?" she hissed softly, glancing at him. "This isn't the time."
She could already sense where this was heading. She had forced James to attend tonight's game, hoping it would help mend things between them — but deep down, she knew his resentment toward Dranred hadn't faded.
James's eyes fell to their joined hands before meeting Dranred's steady gaze. "So you're still ignoring my warning," he said darkly.
"Because it's not your decision to make," Dranred replied calmly but firmly. "And I won't leave her just because you said so."
James took a step forward. "Still acting tough, huh? Do you think you have the right to stand there and talk like that — after everything you did?"
"James!" Rosette interjected. Her voice trembled. She knew what he was referring to — the past they both refused to forget. No matter how many times Dranred tried to explain, James never listened.
"Look who's talking," Dranred shot back, his tone tightening. "Maybe you should try listening for once — and see who's really being stubborn."
"Red…" Rosette's voice was soft, pleading. Her head ached. These two — her brother and the man she… wasn't sure if she should love — were both too stubborn for their own good.
"Rosette, come here," James said, his voice softening slightly but still firm. "We're leaving."
"She's not going anywhere," Dranred said, his voice low but unwavering.
James's eyes flared. "And who are you to decide that?"
Dranred didn't hesitate. "I love her," he said, his voice echoing across the quiet stadium. "And I need her in my life."
Rosette froze. Her breath caught in her throat as his words sank in. She could feel her heartbeat pounding wildly — torn between fear of her brother's reaction and the rush of warmth flooding her chest.
"Don't get all flustered," Dranred said with a small grin, his gaze lingering on Rosette's flushed face.
This wasn't how he planned it. He wanted his confession to be cool and private — not here, not in front of James. But fate clearly had other plans.
"You heard me right," he continued, voice steady. "It's not the best timing, and maybe it's not the coolest way to say it... but those are the words I've been wanting to tell you."
Rosette couldn't speak. Those were the very words she'd been waiting to hear for years. They'd burst out of him so suddenly that her heart felt like it might explode. What could she possibly say now — especially with James standing there? She didn't even have to look to know her brother was fuming. But at that moment, none of it mattered. All she could hear was Dranred's voice echoing in her chest.
"How insolent!" James's voice cut through the air, tight with fury. His fists clenched at his sides. "Dranred!"
Dranred turned toward him — just in time to catch a baseball hurtling through the air. He snatched it barehanded with a sharp smack. Even Rosette gasped. Her brother had thrown it fast — hard enough to sting — yet Dranred caught it without a glove, calm as ever.
Rosette's eyes darted toward James — now holding a bat. She had no idea where he'd even gotten them, or how long he'd been standing there like that.
"You're the Fire Ace, aren't you?" James said, his tone cold but calculated. "Since you're so bold about saying you won't leave my sister... let's make a deal."
He pointed the bat directly at Dranred. "Give me your best pitch. If I hit a home run off you, you'll leave Rosette alone — no questions, no excuses. But if you win, if you can strike me out... I'll consider your relationship with her."
"James!" Rosette cried, her voice trembling. The challenge hit her like a slap.
"What's wrong?" James taunted. "You're quiet all of a sudden. Don't tell me you're not confident in your pitch?"
Dranred's jaw tightened. "You know I take pride in my pitching. But are you sure this is the game you want to play? I have the advantage here — this is my field."
"Don't speak too soon," James shot back. "You know I can hit your pitches."
Rosette watched her brother stride toward the batter's box, the tension between them thick enough to taste. Her mind flashed back to their high-school days — back when James could still hit Dranred's fastballs when no one else could. They were rivals, best friends... and now they stood as enemies.
"Red," Rosette whispered, anxiety gripping her chest as she turned to him. "Don't do this. Please."
Hey, don't worry," Dranred said with an easy smile. "Why don't you give me a recharge? I think I used up all my energy. Your brother's a tough opponent, you know."
"Recharge? Here? But... James is right there!" Rosette stammered, her cheeks turning bright red. She still wasn't sure if James had seen the kiss earlier — it was so quick, but just thinking about it made her heart pound. And now Dranred wanted a recharge again? In front of James? She could already imagine the bat flying toward them if her brother saw.
"Relax," Dranred chuckled. "If a recharge is off-limits, then maybe this will do."
Before she could react, he gently took her hand and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. The touch sent a spark through her, like a thousand tiny currents racing up her arm and straight to her face.
"My lucky charm," he murmured, looking up at her with that confident grin.
"W-what are you doing? That's embarrassing!" Rosette protested, clutching her hand as if to contain the warmth still lingering there.
"Are you two done?" James's sharp voice cut through the air. "Let's start. The sooner we finish this, the sooner you can stay away from my sister."
"He's in such a hurry," Dranred said, still smiling as he turned toward the mound. Then, to Rosette, "Stay there for now. I don't want you too close."
Rosette didn't argue. She knew neither of them would back down, no matter what she said. She just hoped this wouldn't end with anyone getting hurt.
Dranred rolled his shoulder once, then gripped the baseball tight. "Don't think my pitches are the same as before," he called out, winding up his arm. He respected James — always had. Back then, James was the only one who could hit his pitches. But now... he was confident. He'd grown. And this time, he wouldn't lose.