The sky was gray and overcast, with not a trace of the sun in sight—it looked like it might rain at any moment.
A crow perched on a power line cast the shadow of two people below.
Kamishiro Rinichi was squatting down, one hand holding a bottle of orange soda, the other gently stroking the belly of a calico stray cat.
The cat seemed to be enjoying it, purring contentedly.
Standing to the side, Okumura watched quietly, his expression unreadable.
"Only someone like you, Rinichi-senpai, could get an invitation from such a prestigious baseball school…"
"Have you decided which high school you're going to?" he asked.
Rinichi chuckled.
"You sure think far ahead, Okumura. I'm only in second year of middle school—this isn't the time to worry about that."
After that, silence hung in the air.
Then Okumura spoke seriously.
"Wherever you go, Senpai, I'll go to that high school too."
Rinichi was taken aback and turned to look at Okumura's expressionless face. He stood up and smiled.
"No need to be so serious. Who knows? Maybe you'll find a school you really want to go to."
"I won't," Okumura replied, just as seriously.
"…Alright, alright. Who can say what'll happen in the future?"
With that, Rinichi stepped past Okumura, raised his right hand and waved.
"Let's head back. Looks like it's going to rain."
Okumura stayed where he was, clenching one hand into a fist as his gaze darkened.
"Senpai… do you think I can't keep up with you?" he asked, a sharp edge in his voice.
Rinichi paused and turned around.
"Of course not. Why would you think that?"
"Then why did you say something like that?"
He seemed strangely fixated on the issue.
"Everyone should make their own choices. I just don't want you to limit yourself because of me—"
"You're not limiting me, Senpai."
"…"
Rinichi let out a quiet sigh. Seeing how serious Okumura was, he didn't know what else to say.
"…Then come along," he said with a smile—the same kind he used when dealing with others casually.
And with that, he turned and walked away.
Leaving Okumura standing there alone.
Senpai never really saw him—probably thought he was insignificant. At least, that's what Okumura believed.
In his mind, all he could see was Rinichi surrounded by teammates.
He smiled like the sun—warm, yet blinding.
His teammates trusted him, believing he could lead them to victory—
Rinichi tossed the empty orange soda bottle into a trash can.
Just a bit farther and he'd be home.
He opened the door and immediately noticed a pair of unfamiliar women's shoes.
A guest? he wondered.
After changing into his indoor slippers, he passed through the hallway. Just then, the living room door opened and his older brother, Kamishiro Ryuichi, stepped out.
"Rinichi, someone's here to see you."
Rinichi paused.
He didn't even need to guess what kind of person it was.
Probably another scout from a prestigious high school.
He just didn't know which school it would be this time.
And why were they all in such a rush? He was still only in his second year of middle school.
Still, he didn't refuse.
Having more options was never a bad thing.
When he entered the room, he saw a young, beautiful woman who gave him a slight nod.
Rinichi gave a small bow and sat down.
"Nice to meet you, Kamishiro Rinichi, isn't it?" she said.
As she spoke, the woman handed him a postcard. Printed boldly on it was a name—Takashima Rei.
Beside it was the name of the school: Seidou High School Baseball Club.
Seidou, huh?
If memory served him right, that was a powerhouse baseball school—one of the top-tier elites.
Although, in recent years, it seemed to have lost a bit of its former glory.
"I'm Takashima Rei, vice president of the Seidou High School Baseball Club," she said.
"I sincerely hope you'll consider joining our team, Kamishiro-kun."
Rinichi looked up slightly.
"But Seidou hasn't made it to Koshien in years, has it?"
Straight to the point.
"To be honest, I've already received offers from two other schools, both regular contenders at Koshien."
Takashima's brow furrowed.
Ryuichi quickly pressed down on his younger brother's head.
"That's really rude! Apologize at once!"
Forced into apologizing, Rinichi held in a breath.
After hearing his brother say "Sorry," he reluctantly muttered, "Sorry," as well.
When his brother let go, Rinichi looked up—and saw Takashima's resolute gaze.
"Kamishiro-kun, I think you should visit our school before making your decision," she said.
"A baseball field reflects the heart of a player. It's best you see it with your own eyes."
"If, after seeing it all, you still think Seidou isn't the right fit, I won't stop you."
Rinichi fell silent.
This was definitely the first time he'd encountered such a refreshing way of recruiting.
The corners of his lips curled up. "Alright."
Truth be told, he cared more about the team's training atmosphere and spirit than the school's name.
The sun shone brightly, warm but not hot.
Rinichi noted the day's weather as he followed Takashima Rei into Seidou High School.
As they walked, he glanced around—everything was impressively well-equipped.
Must be a wealthy school, he thought.
Still, there were a lot of people training for baseball.
"So many people... are they all going to get cut?"
Walking beside him, Takashima pushed up her glasses.
"Indeed. The first-string roster holds twenty players. The second-string has twenty substitutes. Anyone beyond that will be dismissed."
Rinichi couldn't help thinking how foolish they were—charging headfirst into this place. Wouldn't it be smarter to go to a weaker school? At least there, they might make the starting lineup.
He didn't really understand how high school baseball worked, and made his own assumptions.
They passed the indoor training facility, then the dormitories.
Takashima gave explanations along the way.
All in all, it was impressive—everything you'd expect from a prestigious baseball powerhouse.
As they walked further, Rinichi spotted people playing baseball.
"That's a Red vs. White scrimmage between the first and second string," Takashima explained.
The two of them stopped to watch.
Rinichi showed no reaction, his expression calm, but his eyes were focused and serious.
"What do you think, Kamishiro-kun?" she asked.
He snapped out of his thoughts and gave a soft chuckle.
"So that's how it is."
"What you're missing... is a pitcher, isn't it?"
Takashima froze in surprise.
Still, the overall feeling… it didn't seem all that strong. No wonder they hadn't made it to Koshien in years, Rinichi thought.
Choosing between a powerhouse and a fading team, huh?
Seidou had been to Koshien before, after all.
Rinichi let his arms fall to his sides and asked,
"May I ask—who's the coach?"
"Coach Kataoka Tesshin."
That name made him pause in surprise.
If he remembered correctly, that coach had made it to Koshien in the past.
Then why hadn't he been able to lead Seidou back there?
Was the team too weak? Or was it something else?
Was this high school really worth coming to?
These thoughts circled in Rinichi's head, but he couldn't quite arrive at a clear answer.
"You seem to have a lot of confidence in your school," he said.
If she didn't, she wouldn't have come all this way to recruit him.
Takashima was about to respond when Rinichi suddenly smiled and said,
"Alright, I'll come."
His answer came a bit unexpectedly.
Takashima smiled back.
"I'll be looking forward to your arrival—in a year and a half."