In the quarter-finals of the Kanto Tournament, West Tokyo Seidou High School will play against Chiba Prefecture Narita Industrial High School.
The night before the match.
Sawamura, who was lying on the top bunk, couldn't fall asleep no matter what.
This is not stress. Based on Sawamura's previous life experience and psychological quality, he has experienced many situations. A small Kanto Tournament was naturally impossible to make any ripples in his mindset.
The reason Sawamura couldn't sleep was because of Kuramochi in his lower bunk. Tonight was strange too, Kuramochi, who was usually unconcerned, was turning over in the bed.
The dormitory arranged by Seidou High School for the baseball club players is a mixed dormitory for each of the three grades.
In addition to the necessary living facilities, the dormitory also has a TV, a study desk, and two large beds, one single and one with an upper bunk.
If there is no accident, this single bed is usually reserved for the seniors of the third grade. This is not to say that everyone should be polite and respect seniors. However, from the perspective of first come, first served, it is also the seniors who choose first. You can't force the senior to move the bed as soon as you the junior enter the school, right?
The lower bunk is reserved for the seniors of the second grade, and the Kohai of the first grade sleeps in the upper bunk. (Actually, some people like the bottom bunk, and some people like the top bunk. But in Seidou High School, almost no baseball player really likes the top bunk. Crazy training has already drained all their physical strength, it was very tiring to even climb the bed.)
As a first-year junior, even if he was already the actual team Ace, Sawamura could only sleep on the top bunk.
Now, Kuramochi kept turning over on the bottom bunk, and Sawamura's top bunk swayed.
Although Sawamura himself is the kind of unconcerned person who doesn't care about anything, it's also very uncomfortable, isn't it? He's not the kind of kid who grew up sleeping in a shaker
Sawamura wanted to get out of bed and teach the anxious Kuramochi a lesson.
But upon seeing Kuramochi's sad face, he couldn't bear it anymore. For Kuramochi, who was laughing and giggling all day, he rarely showed such an expression. Now that he's like this, it shows that he really has something on his mind.
Sawamura thinks about it, he has to be the bigger man and help his senior (mainly because he can't beat him.)
"Anything on your mind?"
Masuko hasn't come back yet.
Even if tomorrow was the day of the game, he did not relax his extra training. (This is Masuko's last year. On average, he returns an hour later than Kuramochi, and much later than Sawamura's training who is a training madman.)
There are only the two of them in the dormitory now, so Sawamura asked directly.
With another shake, Sawamura knew that Kuramochi in the lower bunk had turned over for the seventeenth time.
"If there is, please tell me about it."
Sawamura tried his best to control his voice and not tease. (Because if he behaves too annoyingly or gloat, he is likely to be hit.)
Kuramochi may have been under pressure for too long, and it was difficult for him to let go. He wanted to talk to someone, but he really opened his mouth.
"Narita Industrial is the school I wanted to go to most."
Hearing Kuramochi open his mouth, and didn't jump into a rage as usual, Sawamura realized that this school was very special to Kuramochi.
Then why didn't you go?
As soon as this question appeared, Sawamura pressed it down. In fact, he knew why Kuramochi didn't go.
Sawamura opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but he didn't know what to say.
Kuramochi in the lower bunk opened his eyes and fell into memory.
Narita Industrial did not specifically recruit Kuramochi at that time, but the middle school where Kuramochi attended and Narita Industrial always had a relationship of priority for admission. At that time, Kuramochi was applied to Narita Industrial by the school selection because of his baseball skills.
For Kuramochi, the person in charge of recruiting from Narita Industrial, after doing a survey, is also very satisfied.
This thing is almost a done deal.
If, not for the violence that followed, (As mentioned earlier, Kuramochi beat up the principal's son to stand up for his friends.)
Kuramochi Yoichi will now be player of Narita Industrial!
But because of the violent incident, Narita Industrial immediately decided to give up the trouble that is Kuramochi. Not only Narita, but several other high schools also chose to refuse Kuramochi's admission for this reason.
Kuramochi, who loves baseball so much, almost ruined his baseball career.
Strictly speaking, Narita Industrial is not wrong about this matter.
Although Kuramochi has a strong personality, he is not the kind of person who does not distinguish between right and wrong. He also knew that it was not Narita's fault, so there was no resentment against Narita in his heart. He only blamed himself, blamed himself for being a troublemaker. (He was tricked by his so-called 'brother'.)
Now that he is going to play against Narita, Kuramochi's mood is inevitably conflicted.
For the fourteen-year-old Kuramochi, Narita has always been his dream!
Now that he has to compete with his dream team, Kuramochi has many twists and turns in his heart.
Beside his pillow, there is a brand new shortstop glove.
This glove is already a bit worn out, but Kuramochi has been cherishing it. This was the gift he received at the most disappointing time in his life. Although he did not know who sent the gift.
Like Seidou, this glove has become Kuramochi's spiritual sustenance.
After a long silence, Sawamura's voice suddenly came from the upper bunk.
"If Narita and Seidou invited you at the same time, where would you choose to go?"
Kuramochi was startled.
To be honest, he never thought about this question.
"Probably, I'll still go to Narita."
If it wasn't for not being able to play baseball in his Hometown, he would be double-whammed by his friend's betrayal. Kuramochi really may not have the determination to come to Tokyo to play.
"Then let's prove it tomorrow. That now you are way better than you would be in Narita!"
Sawamura's voice was a little distant: "If you want to make yourself not regret it, then prove it to yourself. You who entered the Seidou are definitely no worse than in Narita, or even stronger!"
Prove it to myself!
Even if it is the arrangement of fate, I will never regret choosing Seidou.
Kuramochi laughed suddenly, although he was comforted by Sawamura, which made him a little uncomfortable. However, the knot that had plagued him for a while was resolved.
"You littl-"
"Zzzzz~"
Before Kuramochi could finish speaking, Sawamura's slight snoring could be heard from the upper bunk.
Apparently, he fell asleep.
Kuramochi, who had opened his mouth to teach Sawamura a lesson, suddenly closed his mouth and went back to his bed.
"Thanks!"
The sound was so soft that it was almost inaudible.
On the top bunk, Sawamura opened his eyes.
The next day, the Players from Seidou High School got ready early in the morning, got on the bus, and headed to the competition venue.
They will be there, competing with Narita Industrial for Kanto's semi-finals.
…
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