Foreign Ritual (1)

Ken felt anxious as he stepped into the bullpen. Not only did he have his and Ai's family watching, but he was also surrounded by the players from Yokohama Warriors.

There was also the annoyed expression on the coach's face who looked like he wanted to get back to warming up. He couldn't be blamed for being nervous in this moment, yet there was a part of him that was excited.

Isn't this what he always wanted? To become a pro?

What other teen would ever get such a chance at the age of 16? 

The answer was none. Japan had a strict policy against clubs and scouts talking to teenagers who were still in High School, they were only allowed to talk to the parent or guardian directly.

Ken turned to his father who was watching him intently. It seemed he also wanted to see how much he'd improved since the last time he was in this very bullpen.

"Excellent. Show us what you've got Kenny boy." James said, handing him a baseball.