Samurai of Seidou: The Otherworldly Ace Who Challenges Koshien - Episode 7

The field was empty. The outfield grass was dyed in the colors of dusk. Orange and purple blended together in the sky, sharply outlining the ridgeline of the distant mountains. Every time the wind blew, the grass rustled softly, forming tiny waves. A week had already passed since the summer tournament ended. Kujou Touya sat at the very edge of the first-base bench. In his hand, a single ball, nearly worn through. The hard sensation of the seams biting into his fingers. A feeling he had gripped in this hand countless times before. "...So it's over." Saying it aloud made it real for the first time. That hit Kito smashed off him was still seared onto the back of his eyelids. The sharp crack of the bat catching the ball. The white sphere rolling across the outfield. His own legs, shockingly heavy as he chased after it. He could recall it all vividly, like a slow-motion replay. (*Frustrating.*) His grip tightened on the ball. (*"Frustrating" doesn't even begin to cover it.*) Something hot churned deep in his gut. Frustration, shame, an anger with nowhere to go. It all mixed together, burning the back of his throat. "What are you doing out here at this hour?" A voice called out, and he lifted his head. Before he knew it, Fujiwara Takako was standing in front of the bench. A white shirt, a blue skirt. In her hand, her usual cold pack for icing. Her short black hair, resting on her shoulders, swayed in the wind. "[cold]...What about you?" "[gentle]Cleaning up the clubroom. The third-years retired, so I have to take over the manager duties." Takako said this with a slight smile. But her eyes weren't smiling. "[gentle]Kujou-kun, could you lend me a hand?" "[serious]...Me?" "[gentle]You looked like you were free." Takako spoke teasingly, then sat down next to Touya on the bench, keeping a little distance between them. The wind blew again. A faint scent of shampoo drifted from her hair. "[gentle]I've been thinking about it ever since that day," Takako began to speak quietly, her hands clenched tightly on her lap. "[sad]About how you were crying behind the mountain. And how you were throwing against the wall alone in the middle of the night. When I saw that, I... felt so incredibly frustrated." Touya silently watched her profile. "[crying]Why does Kujou-kun have to suffer so much alone? You practiced harder than anyone. You put in more effort than anyone. So why aren't you being rewarded for it?" Her words were trembling. Takako kept her head down, not lifting her face. "[crying]But... I thought about it, and I understood." She clenched her fist tightly. "[serious]There's no such thing as unrewarded effort. The runs you did behind the mountain, the pitches you threw alone at night, the practice you endured even when your elbow hurt. None of it is wasted. Someday... someday, it will definitely come back to you in some form. That's what I believe." Touya couldn't say anything. Takako lifted her head. Her eyes were slightly moist. But she looked straight at Touya. "[gentle]So, I've decided I'll work hard too." "[surprised]...At what?" "[gentle]Supporting you. More properly, as a manager. Not just elbow care, but collecting practice data, managing your diet." Takako smiled, a little embarrassed. "[gentle]I still have a lot to learn, but I've picked up some things at my father's osteopathic clinic. And I have to properly carry on what the senior managers have been doing up until now." "...I see." That short reply was all Touya could manage. A warmth spread deep in his chest. Someone was this worried about him. Someone was supporting him this much. It was a feeling he had never once experienced in his previous life. "[serious]...Hey, Fujiwara." "Yes?" "[serious]I'm going to stand here again." Touya stood up. His gaze was fixed on the mound. The field, still not fully dark, in the twilight. The place where Kito had hit off him that day. "[serious]Next year, for sure. From this mound, I'm going to Koshien." It was a declaration. A vow to himself. Takako's eyes widened slightly in surprise, and then she smiled softly. "[gentle]Yes. I believe in you." The next moment, a gust of wind blew through. Sand from the field swirled up, and the outfield grass rustled noisily. It was a strong wind, as if mourning the end of summer. And it was a wind carrying a new air, as if heralding the start of the next season. Touya gently placed the ball he was holding onto the mound. A ball filled with all the frustration and shame of that game. But that was the past. "...Let's go." He turned around and offered his hand to Takako. She stared at his hand for a moment, slightly surprised, then timidly took it. It was cool to the touch, and trembling just a little. "[gentle]Where to?" "[serious]Behind the mountain. For a run." "[surprised]What, right now!?" "[serious]Obviously. The fall tournament's already started, you know." Those were the words Takako had once said to Touya. She looked blank for a second, then let out a small laugh. "[laughing]Hehe. You're right. It has started, hasn't it?" The two of them walked side by side, leaving the field behind. The sky was already almost completely dark. A single evening star shone white in the western sky. * * * A short while later, from the window of the faculty room, Coach Kataoka Tesshin watched the scene unfold. In his hand was a single memo slip. "Sanada Tesshin—" The name he murmured quietly belonged to a pitcher rumored to be a super first-year at a Koshien regular school. Some said he was at a high school in the Kanto region, others in western Japan; the information was conflicting. The only solid rumor that had reached him was that he had thrown a perfect game in a national tournament during his junior high days. "How much will he have grown by next summer?" In the coach's line of sight were two shadows, running down the path leading to the mountain behind the school. He continued to watch them until they disappeared from view. The field was empty. Only a single, worn-out ball, placed upon the mound, quietly sank into the twilight.

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Episode 7

Name: Samurai of Seidou: The Otherworldly Ace Who Challenges Koshien
Author: Novelia

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