Against the World SO17 - 00. Prologue
Pairings: Shohei Ohtani x Reader
Summary: Y/n and Shohei's journey started in high school. A place where the both of them found themselves thrusted into the spotlight without warning.
Word count: 2.8k
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Her friends told her that their relationship work was because how busy they are.
It’s because the both of them are really successful in their own respectful field. That the both of them are both really dedicated to their own craft and realized that time and effort is essential to keep improving themselves. That both love their works so much, making them both really busy and in the end-
Their relationship works because of that.
They met in high school.
Y/n likes to think that it’s fate, their meeting that is.
L/n Y/n was born from a Japanese mother and an American father. She doesn’t know much of her dad, considering he left her mom when he realized she was pregnant with his child. Y/n doesn’t really care. It’s not hard to forget a man that had never been in your life to begin with.
The same thing couldn’t be said to her mother.
After all, the woman had been heartbroken. She had given her heart, her young adult years, her dedication, for a man that decided that she’s not worth it. She had given him everything, only to be left with a child that he doesn’t want.
Maybe that’s the start of her resentment towards the man that had never been there. To see the woman that had raised and loved her staring longingly at the only picture that she has of the man. To see the woman closed her heart tightly. Never letting anyone to enter anymore.
To see the woman who had been so strong to raised her as a single mother in the midst of the Japanese society that had never looked her situation favorably.
Born and raised in Iwate, Japan, Y/n thought that she will grew up in this small city forever. She never really has an ambitious or big dreams to chase. From the start, she’s content with her life. A loving mother, a comfortable house, and friends to play with.
That is, until she was scouted as an idol during her first year of middle school.
If she must be honest, she had never really had an interest to become an idol. Nor had she put much thought when she said yes to the guy that scout her. It was a spur of a moment thing, where Y/n doesn’t really have much going on about her life.
The idol industry in Japan started young after all. Much younger than any other idol industries all around the world. She figured there’s no harm in trying and if in the end she doesn’t really like it, she can just quit considering that she still have her whole life before her.
She really didn’t expect the world of glitz and glamour. The kind of world that she’s not familiar with where she’s nothing more than an object to be idolized by someone. Where she has to put up a smile 24/7 on her face as she dance and sing in front of a crowd of people that really should be doing something better than obsessing a 13 year old girl.
Though alas, Y/n fell in love with the stage.
The bright light, the light that shone upon her, and the screams of adoring fans. The way her voice resonated across the air as she captured every pair of eyes, all of them focusing on her. All of them, putting all their attention to her.
For a girl that always craved love and validation all her life – an absentee father and a mother that is too busy - It really doesn’t take her long before she starts to love all of those. To start loving that aspect of being an idol and her life.
The stage is her first love. It’s something that will never fail to bring out a smile across her face. Something, that she could see doing years onwards.
But of course, life is not that perfect. What with her debuting under a small company amidst the already packed idol scene in Japan, it doesn’t take long for the company to put her into a hiatus. A hiatus is the fancy term, considering the company is basically trying to find an investor that’s crazy enough to invest their money on the not famous idol Y/n .
And well, no one wants to.
Her latest album sales are less than 1000. The same thing could be said to her most recent fan meeting where almost no one showed up. Her company too realized the failing potential of her idol career, that’s why they’re putting her in the so-called hiatus.
Her dorm room was taken too, considering how tight money is. Not wanting her to live on the company practice room or even the streets, Y/n was sent home back to Iwate.
Compared to Tokyo, Iwate is a quiet town. It’s the town where she was born and spent her childhood in and yet, it feels almost unfamiliar. She’s not used to the dark streets without the colorful billboards and various advertisements. She’s not used to the mountain scenery without any tall building disrupting her sight.
She’s not used to this.
This uncertain future of hers. These signs that keep on showing. Showing her that it's time for her to give up on her hopeless dream. That there's no way she can succeed as a celebrity and capture the heart of many.
"I don't want to go to school," she had said to her mother, finger playing with the food in front of her. "So many people knows that I left Iwate for Tokyo to become an idol... if I went back now people will laugh at me."
"And what?" asked her mother, voice a bit firm. "Leave your education?"
Y/n went quiet at that.
She knows that her already doomed future will become more doomed if she choose to leave her higher education without a good reason. A university graduate could hardly get a decent job after all. What can a high school drop out do?
"You finish your school," said her mother again. "Finish high school at least. We can talk about university later."
The start of her high school life is bleaker than ever.
Her earliest memory is of her and her mother watching a baseball game late at night.
She remembered being excited, considering for the first time ever her mother had let her to stay up way passed her bedtime. Her mother had told her earlier, with a pretty and yet secretive smile, that she has something to show her.
Y/n is excited. Practically bouncing at her feet as she stared at the bright television screen in front of her. There’s a baseball game in front of her. Of the cheering crowds and the colors of the teams splattered across the screen.
“Y/n-chan,” breathed out her mother, also entranced as her arm wrapped around the younger’s smaller girl. “Baby, look,” she said as she pointed towards one of the man who was walking to the field, bat in hand. “That’s your dad.”
Dad, is a foreign concept for the young girl.
She had never met her dad before, and yet, her mother had told her countless of stories about the man. Y/n practically knows almost nothing about the man and yet at the same time, she knows everything to know about regarding the man.
The man on the screen has a small frown on his face as he went into his batting position. His mother let out an entranced gasp as the crowd started to grow wild when the pitcher too, went on about his pitching motion. And without further ado, the crowd went absolutely wild when the man hit off a homerun almost immediatelt.
“Oh my god!” yelled the older woman, practically hugging Y/n. “Oh my god!”
Y/n blinked. “What’s going on?” asked the girl, turning her head towards the older woman. “Is it a good thing?”
“It is baby!” exclaimed the woman as she smothered plenty of kisses on y/n’s face. “Your father had just won the world series!”
That was the first time she ever heard about the world series and her early introduction to baseball. At first, she was excited. After all, who won’t be after discovering that your father is a world famous baseball player? That your father is just someone so cool?
And then she realized why she never see her father.
Y/n was nine when she watched an interview that her father did. An interview that he did with his family. His family that’s not y/n and her mom.
She watched as the little girl around her age sat on her father’s lap, smiling widely with a pretty dress that y/n wished she could own. She watched as the woman besides her father laughed, hand looped around the man arm as the woman who’s definitely not her mom gave her father a small peck on his cheek.
She watched this picture perfect little family laughed and joke inside her screen.
It made her felt a bit empty. She had asked her mother countless of time why they never sees her father. Something that the older woman had never answered directly. It was always a “we’ll see him soon,” or “he’s a really busy man.”
Well, now she knows why she never sees her dad.
Her relationship with baseball grows a bit complicated at that.
To be precise, she really doesn’t have any personal vendetta towards the sport. Though, being reminded about your absent father every time she see the sport is an unpleasant feeling. To know that your father doesn’t care about you or your mom every time she sees someone playing baseball is something that she hates.
Growing up trying to avoid baseball in a country like Japan is a hard thing. Baseball is a national sport here so encountering the sport on a daily basis is not something uncommon.
Y/n hates it. She hates the fact that her father made her hates baseball. She hates the fact that her father cheats on his own wife. She hates the fact that her father doesn’t care about her or her mom. She hates the fact that baseball reminds her of her useless existence. That y/n is an unwanted child born out of wedlock.
She hates it so so much.
Though, as she stared at her new high school, she started to question many things.
“Why did I choose this school…” she muttered as she saw the large banner being displayed in front of the school building. A banner that’s congratulating the school baseball team on entering Koshien.
Turns out, her new high school, the Hanamaki Higashi High School, is a school famous for their baseball team.
Y/n really does have a rotten luck.
"Didn't you go to Tokyo to become famous?" asked the girl in front of her.
Y/n let out an awkward laugh. "I'm on a hiatus," she said. "I want to pursue my education first before continuing my career," continue the girl, lying boldly.
The girl laughed at that. "Well it's great to have you back!" she said. "Can't believe we have a celebrity on our midst!"
Said girl let out an awkward laugh at that. The opening ceremony had just began and there's countless of eyes on her. She should've been used to this, all the prodding and curious stare that's being directed towards her way.
And yet, she can't help but hate the feeling.
She could almost feel all the judging look and the raised eyebrow. She doesn't know how many of them would belief her lie of deciding to pursue her education over her career but she hates it nonetheless.
Y/n wants to hide.
She first met him as they were assigned to sit together.
Before then, she had known who Shohei Ohtani is, considering his hulking height. The teen had stood out like a sore thumb during the new student orientation, towering every single student. Ema, who is considered tall in a Japanese standard, had to crane her head up to see his face.
Besides that, Y/n too, had heard the whispers about him.
Apparently, Ohtani-san is a really good baseball player. Like, really good. During his middle school days, it seems that he had set some kind of record that made many famous baseballs school wants to recruit him. The reason why Ohtani-san chose their school? Who knows. All they know is that the baseball club head coach had jumped in joy when he realized the potential that Ohtani-san has. While of course their school too boast an amazing baseball program, it can’t be compared to those from a big city like Tokyo or Hokkaido.
All in all, Y/n impression on his is that Ohtani-san is a really quiet guy.
While Ema is all about cheerful greetings and wide smile, Ohtani-san is all about prolonged silence and deep gaze. If the both of them are colors, Y/n would be a bright yellow while Ohtani-san will be a drab grey. Not too bright, and yet, he’s not that closed off from those around him.
Admittedly, they didn’t talk much. Y/n had tried to talk to him, several times in fact, but the answer had always been short and clipped. During class too, he had only ever passively followed along the lesson. Never tried to answer an open question or be the one to come in front to answer a problem.
The only time she had ever see him alive is when he’s playing baseball.
When the bell rings, Ohtani-san would be brightened considerably as he almost immediately shot past the door with his bag. Once, she had asked one of the baseball club members about it.
“He’s always been the first one on the field,” answer one of them. “And the last one to leave.”
Y/n hummed at that answer.
She had thought their relationship will always be like that. The amicable seatmates that don’t really talk much with each other but didn’t bother each other as well. That is, until the next seat rotation at the end of the semester.
“Oh,” said Y/n, arriving at her designated seat. “Ohtani-san, we’re together again,” she said with a smile.
Ohtani-san looked up from his phone screen before he’s scrambling to hide it from her point of view. He looked a bit embarrassed at that. “L/n-san,” he answered after managing to gather his bearings for a bit. “Yes, um…”
He trailed off at that, seemingly unsure on what to response. Y/n doesn’t really mind as she took her seat. The girl gave the male a polite smile before she reached out for her bag, taking a fashion magazine that she had brought today.
There’s a casting for this clothing brand model… Maybe Y/n could try that?
“-San,”
Or maybe should she audition as a voice actor? But she thinks it will be hard to transition back to a singer if she does that.
“-n-san,”
She really doesn’t want to give up her dream to become a celebrity though. Should she try online auditions? Like in South Korea or-
“L/n-san,” called out Ohtani-san, catching her attention. They had been sitting silently for almost 10 minutes at this point, waiting for the morning bell to ring. Y/n never thought that the baseball player will strike up a conversation with her.
“Hm?” she answered with a smile on her face, a bit distracted, looking away from the magazine in front of her. “What’s up?”
He looks hesitant at first, opening and closing his mouth afterwards before he thrusted his phone towards her. It’s a recording of a baseball game.
“I… I was watching a game last night,” he started before pressing the video to play. In it, someone is doing the first pitch. “I was wondering if this was… really you?”
She stared at the phone screen in front of her. Dark eyes staring at the girl who’s doing the ceremonial first pitch with her long dark hair half hidden with the team’s cap.
It’s her. Y/n knows it’s her.
After all, that instance had been one of the highest peaks of her career. One of the baseball teams, the tigers, had asked her to throw the first pitch on one of their home games. Truthfully, considering her popularity, the only reason that she had gotten that gig was because the general manager of the team is her company’s ceo cousin. Back then, when it was her that’s going to throw the first pitch, no one knows who Suzuki Y/n was.
The cheers were minimal, but Y/n doesn’t really care. After all, it’s an honor for her to do that.
No matter how her feeling is towards baseball – or, like, MLB – baseball is, the number one sport in Japan. For a failed celebrity like Y/n, to be able to throw the first pitch in one of the first-class team league in Japan is a sign of success.
Considering how much of a baseball geek Ohtani-san is, she really should’ve expected him to realize her job.
Answering him, she let out a large grin. “Yeah, it’s me,” she answered, leaning forward towards the desk. “Really cool right?”
Ohtani-san flushed before he nodded his head. “… Yeah,” he let out. “I didn’t know you’re… famous.”
“Not many knows that” she let out a chuckle. “I’m a bit of a failed idol, you know.”
The other teen furrowed his brows. “That can’t be it,” he said, tilting his head. “You did the first pitch for the Tigers.”
“Eh, it’s all about nepotism, Ohtani-san.”
He still doesn’t look unconvinced.
“… I searched for your videos,” said the baseball player after a while. “Last night, to make sure that it’s really you.”
Y/n raised an eyebrow at that. “You did?”
Ohtani-san nodded his head. “Yeah,” he let out before showing his phone screen towards her. It was one of her music video. The most recent one actually. “And, um… you were amazing. I really thought that you’re a famous star when I watched you perform.”
That- that warms here. Unexpectedly.
"You do?" she asked.
"Yes," replied the male without missing a beat. "I thought that it's amazing that you can perform like that despite so many eyes staring at you! I- um, I'm a nervous person naturally... so I really won't know what I should do if I were on your position."
She had heard people praises her performance many times. That if only she didn’t debut under such a small company, she would’ve been a star in the industry. Usually, she would’ve responded those praises with her automatic smile. Thanking them for the praise before humbling herself down.
Usually, such praise won’t make her heart skipped a beat.
Maybe it’s the sincere look on his eyes, or how he sounds as If he’s utterly convinced at that statement. She doesn’t really know. All she knows that simple praise opens up the gate of friendship between the two of them.
“Thank you,” she said, letting out a huge smile. “That really means a lot.”
Ohtani-san let out a smile at that too.
"Though, don't you have many people watching your baseball games?" asked the girl.
The male's cheeks warmed a bit at that. "Uh- um... if it's during games I would be too focused at the game itself so I won't notice anything besides it."
"I see," said the female. “So, who’s your favorite player at the tigers cause I got a lot of autographs from them-“
After that, Ohtani-san became Ohtani-kun. And Ohtani-kun, became simply Shohei.
