The soft hum of footsteps echoed across the field as the team gathered in the early morning light. The sun had just begun to rise, casting a golden hue over Seidou's pristine grounds. Kanemaru stood in line with the other freshmen, his legs feeling slightly stiff from the previous day's training, but his focus was elsewhere.
At that moment, Coach Kataoka arrived at the field, his presence commanding immediate attention. The team, from the first years to the seniors, all straightened up. A chorus of "Good morning, Coach!" rang out in unison as they greeted him with respect.
Kataoka, ever stoic, nodded in acknowledgment, his sharp eyes scanning the field. By his side, Takashima Rei, clipboard in hand, seemed to have something on her mind. She stepped closer to Kataoka, her eyes drifting toward Sawamura, who was already jogging around the field, determined to keep moving despite the clear signs of fatigue.
"Coach," Takashima began, her voice soft but filled with concern, "Are you sure about letting him continue pitching like this? It seems like he's pushing himself too hard."
Kanemaru, standing in the line, couldn't help but overhear their conversation. His eyes followed Takashima's gaze, landing on Sawamura, who was tirelessly jogging laps by himself, his face a mix of exhaustion and determination.
Kataoka, his arms crossed and his gaze unwavering, considered her question for a moment. "He's got heart," he replied in his usual calm tone. "Let him keep going. He needs to learn his own limits. And so far..." he paused, his eyes narrowing slightly, "he hasn't reached them."
Kanemaru felt a strange mixture of admiration and awe as he watched Sawamura. Despite the toll the morning practice had clearly taken on him, the first-year pitcher refused to stop. His legs kept moving, his breathing steady, as if he had something to prove not just to the coaches, but to himself.
He's not giving up, Kanemaru thought, impressed by Sawamura's relentless spirit. It was a scene that sent a ripple through the other first-years, a quiet challenge to everyone watching—How much can you push yourself?
A moment later
The rest of the practice passed in a blur of drills and exercises, with each player pushing themselves to their limits. By the time it ended, the sun had fully risen, and the team was drenched in sweat. Kanemaru, his muscles aching, made his way back to the locker room alongside the other first years, thoughts still lingering on Sawamura's relentless effort.
Soon enough, the morning classes arrived, and Kanemaru found himself sitting in a classroom, trying to focus on the lesson ahead. The room was quiet, save for the steady droning of the teacher as he lectured about history. Despite the exhaustion from practice, Kanemaru fought to stay alert.
But it didn't take long before there was a shift in the room's atmosphere. The teacher paused mid-lecture, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the students. His gaze landed on Sawamura, slumped over his desk, clearly fast asleep.
"You there!" the teacher snapped, glaring at Sawamura. "Sleeping in class now, are we?"
Sawamura jolted awake, his eyes wide in panic as he realized the teacher was addressing him. His classmates stifled their laughter, but the teacher's patience had run thin.
"You think my lecture is boring, huh?" the teacher continued, his voice dripping with frustration. "If you think you can sleep through class just because you're a baseball player, think again!"
Sawamura, still groggy, rubbed his eyes, struggling to comprehend the situation. "N-no, sir! I—uh, it's not that! I'm just... tired."
Kanemaru watched from his seat, cringing slightly at Sawamura's predicament but understanding the exhaustion that had driven him to nap. The whole class, however, couldn't help but focus on Sawamura's sheepish expression as he struggled to explain himself.
The room fell silent after the sawamura explanation, but the silence was quickly broken by stifled giggles. Before long, the entire class burst into laughter, much to Sawamura's embarrassment. His face flushed red as he sat up straighter, trying to shake off the humiliation.
"I'm gonna be Seidou's ace, you'll see!" Sawamura blurted out, trying to save face despite the situation.
Kanemaru, unable to resist, leaned forward with a smirk. "Yeah, I know you're desperate being an intern at our baseball club, but if you keep falling asleep in class, you'll be dropped out of the club faster than becoming the ace," he teased. "Don't forget, our coach is also a teacher here."
Sawamura's eyes widened in panic as the realization hit him. He looked around the room, panicking at the thought of Coach Kataoka finding out. "W-wait, what?!"
The class erupted in laughter again, this time even louder, as Sawamura scrambled to make sense of Kanemaru's words.