At the university, it was a day dedicated to sports, the day of the national finals for the baseball championship, and everyone was optimistic about winning. Some had even started the celebrations before the match. This enthusiasm stemmed from the impressive skills displayed by Dekim and Izumi during practice. From being secondary players with no place in the starting lineup, they had become indispensable pieces of the team. The coach gathered his players to finalize their game plan.
As the players from both teams stepped onto the field for warm-ups, Izumi approached Dekim and said, "Migi is asleep; what should we do?"
A problem loomed large. Izumi's skills without Migi's help in baseball were limited, which could put him in a tough spot, especially in front of the crowd that had come to celebrate the end of the match. To make matters worse, Hidari was also asleep, leaving two key positions in the game without their players. The match was about to begin.
The warm-up period ended, and the players headed to the locker room. The coach kept his speech short and to the point, saying things like, "We'll implement what we agreed on in the last practice; we will crush them, I'm sure of it." Izumi and Dekim avoided looking at their coach; things did not feel right.
The two teams stepped onto the baseball field, with Dekim in the batter's position and Izumi pitching. The first, second, and third innings passed with lackluster performances from both. It was as if a race was organized between camels and dolphins in an Olympic pool. The coach couldn't comprehend what was happening on the field. Was this a joke? Izumi was throwing easy pitches like a five-year-old child, while Dekim swung the bat as if it were made of paper, resulting in weak hits easily caught by the opposing team. The coach replaced Izumi with another player.
Izumi headed to the restroom, placing his right hand under the faucet and turning it on, cold water cascading over his hand in an attempt to wake Migi. "Come on, you've turned me into a laughingstock out there; wake up, please!" Izumi appeared furious, but to no avail—Migi did not show up.
In the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, the team was trailing by a significant margin. Even the other players were affected by the events of the match and contributed little. The coach clung to hope, believing his team could come back based on what he had witnessed in their recent practices. Dekim's batting and Izumi's pitching were definitely better than many professional players.
After the seventh inning, the coach gathered the players, his anger at its peak. "What's wrong with you? You're not the same players I trained in the last sessions! What's happened to you? What is this garbage you're presenting on the field in front of your audience and families? Izumi! What's wrong with your right arm? Where are those pitches I knew you could throw? Dekim, you've forgotten how to hold a baseball bat correctly! You're running like you're seventy years old, outfield players! What is this crap you're putting out there? You've made yourselves a laughingstock, and it's as if I brought a soccer team instead of a baseball team. Just execute the plan we agreed on and practiced with the same quality. Come on, there are two innings left; show me what you can do!"
As the eighth inning began, Dekim stood in his position, feeling frustrated and unmotivated as he prepared to hit the next pitch. The ball was thrown towards him... He swung with precision and great power, sending the ball flying far from the opposing team's players, reaching his bases and scoring points for his team amidst cheers from the families of the players and the large crowd.
Dekim raised his left hand to eye level, a smile spreading across his face as a gesture of gratitude for Hidari's appearance, believing that better late than never.
Next came the pitcher's turn. Izumi decided to change his pitching strategy since Migi was absent, opting for throws that relied more on accuracy and speed rather than power. It was a brilliant idea to help the team, but it required a skilled player. Unfortunately, the execution did not match the quality of the idea; predictable pitches and tricks failed miserably.
The ninth and final inning of the game began, with Dekim maintaining his hitting level and scoring additional points to save face for the team. Meanwhile, every attempt by Izumi fell short. The day he had hoped would see Migi ready and supportive turned out to be a disappointment.
The game ended with the home team suffering a humiliating loss, 7-36, one of the largest margins in the history of university baseball competitions. There was significant fan outrage and boos directed at the players as they left the field.
Albert was transferred to an addiction treatment center after losing his job and being accused of dealing with unknown parties. A bracelet restricted his freedom of movement, and all these factors led him to a breakdown. With a weary mind, he found solace in alcohol. Despite the many noble services he had provided to the scientific institute, which everyone acknowledged, this did not save him. The treatment he received and the numerous unfounded accusations left a significant mark on him.
Various types of parasites emerged, similar to Tamiya, whose sole concern was no longer just feeding on humans. There were those that adapted to the host's lifestyle and maintained their relationships with their surroundings, reckless types that killed for pleasure rather than just for food, those who took on the challenge of living as long as possible without trouble, and others who enjoyed moving from one host to another, exposing themselves to various dangers that could end their lives.
On a first date, a man decided to take his girlfriend, Oki, out for dinner at a nice restaurant outside the urban area, a place filled with lush greenery, with dozens of waterfalls visible on the right side of the road and dense, diverse trees on the left. The winding mountain road added to the sense of adventure.
"We've gone pretty far," Oki said.
"Really? Well, it's the weekend. Do you have any commitments tomorrow?" the man asked while driving.
"Not really..." she replied, admiring the view of the waterfalls.
"Then let's go even further. I see you're enjoying the scenery, even if it's not clear. We can come back during the day another time," he suggested.
Oki noticed the seatbelt in the driver's seat. She turned to her right to grab it and asked, "What's the purpose of this seatbelt?"
"Really? Is this your first time in a car?" the man said, surprised.
Oki grabbed the seatbelt and began to wrap it around her neck as a sort of accessory.
"What are you doing?" the man laughed, turning to her and reaching his left hand out to remove the seatbelt from around her neck.