'I hope that cheering doesn't affect them too much during the game…' - Coach Yamada thought to himself as he looked at his players. He knew well how a loud crowd could impact a game, especially by boosting the team they supported and putting immense pressure on their opponents.
Meanwhile, Shun had just put on all his batting gear. He finished by placing his helmet on, then picked up his bat and climbed the dugout steps in silence. It seemed that even Kasuga's loud cheering couldn't disrupt his focus.
---
In the stands directly above Shoto Junior High's dugout...
"Broooooo!" - Little Yumi shouted excitedly when she saw Shun leaving the dugout and walking toward the batter's box. But unlike other times she'd come to watch her brother, Shun didn't turn around or wave, he just kept walking as if he hadn't heard anything.
"Oh…" - Yumi felt a bit sad, thinking her brother had ignored her.
