<18> Kanemaru's Troubles

Chapter 18: Kanemaru's Troubles

"Knock, knock."

"Who's there?"

"Hello, senpai. I'm Kariba. I've come to see Sawamura-kun."

Kuramochi glanced at the freshman standing at the doorway.

He hadn't expected Eijun to have time to make friends with all that training.

Or wait—was this Eijun's first-year catcher partner?

Heh, if he told Miyuki about this, some interesting things might unfold.

"Sawamura? He's still out training and hasn't come back yet."

"Got it. Sorry to bother you."

Hearing that Eijun wasn't around, Kariba figured he must be training at his usual spot. Without hesitation, he headed straight there to find him.

Kuramochi watched Kariba's departing figure in silence, a little dazed.

Freshmen these days sure were driven—especially those in their dorm.

For most people, a full day of training was exhausting enough, but they still managed to squeeze in extra practice.

Just in terms of stamina alone, Eijun could rival some second- and third-years. His dedication had reached an almost frightening level.

There had been some grumbling initially about why a special admission spot went to a kid from the countryside, but now it seemed clear—if hard work was a talent, then Eijun was undeniably a genius.

As Kuramochi sat alone in the empty dorm, thinking of the few short months left to spend with the third-years, he recalled a casual chat with Masuko.

"Sawamura-chan is really something, huh? Even though he's just entered high school, he feels like a seasoned senior. It's like he's one of us third-years with no room for failure. Seeing him work so hard makes me feel like I absolutely don't want to lose to him. He's the kind of person whose very presence inspires others."

Realizing how fleeting his time with the third-years was, Kuramochi suddenly found his new video game less appealing.

Though he still had a year left, he was determined not to let the seniors' summer end prematurely.

"I've been slacking off too much lately," Kuramochi muttered to himself.

After sitting quietly for a while, he grabbed his bat and headed to the baseball field.

Sure enough, the place was still bustling. In the corner, a few freshmen were helping toss balls, likely tagging along with their dorm seniors for extra training.

Ryousuke Kominato noticed Kuramochi and remarked, somewhat amused, "Oh my, it's rare to see you leave and come back for more practice."

"Yeah, well, everyone in my dorm is working so hard that I'm starting to feel uneasy."

"I see. We were just talking about whether you've been getting a bit cocky lately. Too bad we didn't get a chance to call you out on it."

Kuramochi shuddered at Ryousuke's mischievous smile and replied gratefully, "Haha, looks like I dodged a bullet."

With that, Kuramochi found a spot and earnestly began practicing his swings.

Ryousuke, seeing this rare moment of seriousness, let it be and returned to his own work.

After all, now was not the time to focus on others.

The pressure looming behind him was palpable—something he knew better than anyone else. "Isn't that right, Haruichi?"

Beneath Kuramochi's delinquent exterior lay a diligent and reliable teammate who always followed through on his promises.

He was someone you could count on, no matter what.

...

Time flew by, and the holiday training period came to an end.

The new students of Seidou High School began their first term, and the baseball team welcomed the general admissions recruits.

The Kanto Tournament officially began, marking the quiet arrival of the third-years' final summer.

These developments, however, had little to do with Eijun.

After a brief orientation for new students, Eijun found himself locked in an intense battle with the urge to sleep during class.

Unlike the holidays when he could train all day, even as a sports special-admission student, he still had to endure the relentless bombardment of high school coursework.

As a textbook example of an underachiever, Eijun fully embodied the stereotype—sleeping through class and goofing off during breaks.

His chosen victim for mischief? His classmate and fellow baseball team member, Kanemaru Shinji.

Eijun had barely entered the classroom when he, still groggy from not being in the same class as Haruichi or Kariba, fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Kanemaru, seated diagonally in front of him, stared at the snoozing figure, wondering for the umpteenth time if this lively player he saw during training was even the same person.

The bell signaling the end of class jolted Eijun awake. Feeling a burning gaze on his back, he turned around, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

There was no holding him back now.

"Kanemaru! You're Kanemaru, right? You're in this class too?"

Suddenly thrust into the spotlight by Eijun's loud voice, Kanemaru froze.

Unlike the obliviously thick-skinned Eijun, not everyone could handle such attention.

Though reluctant, he replied politely, "Yeah, what a coincidence, Sawamura." Internally, however, he was screaming: "I was standing behind you during the entrance ceremony! How are you only noticing me now? And we barely know each other! Why are you suddenly talking to me?"

While Eijun's excitement over meeting a teammate bubbled over, their classmates began murmuring.

"So Sawamura and Kanemaru know each other?"

"Looks like they're both in the baseball team. They were training even during the break."

"Oh, so they're the sports special-admissions students, right?"

"Not quite. Sawamura is a special-admissions recruit, but Kanemaru isn't. He got in through recommendations, so he's pretty much the same as us."

"Really? So does that mean Sawamura is better than Kanemaru?"

"Who knows? But Kanemaru played for Matsukata Senior League, a national semifinalist team. Never heard of Sawamura before."

"Could you guys be any louder? I can hear everything!" Kanemaru thought, torn between handling Eijun's boundless energy and the increasingly pointed chatter from their classmates. "Why are you latching onto me? Tojou, where are you?"

At this moment, the very Tojou Hideaki that Kanemaru was grumbling about was diligently studying in another class.

...

Ultimately, the school bell saved Kanemaru.

Watching Eijun reluctantly shuffle back to his seat with a lingering air of excitement, Kanemaru let out a long sigh of relief.

But his respite was short-lived.

Not even ten seconds into the next lesson, Eijun had already fallen asleep again.

Kanemaru twitched his lips in disbelief. "So all that energy to pester me during breaks was just stockpiled from sleeping through class?"

When the class ended, Kanemaru, busy organizing his notes, looked up to see that familiar, overly bright grin once more.

"I just want to go home..."

By the end of the day, after enduring Eijun's relentless energy, Kanemaru felt liberated—or at least temporarily so.

This freedom was enough to lift his spirits, and he eagerly sought out his best friend, Tojou Hideaki, to vent all his frustrations about being "oppressed" by Eijun.

Tojou, on the other hand, marveled at Kanemaru's newfound social connections.

He even considered striking up a conversation with some of his own baseball teammates in class the next day.

...

Meanwhile, back on the field, Eijun was exuberantly training with his signature tire drill.

With the start of the school term, the freshmen's training had become more diverse, transitioning from basic conditioning to batting practice, defensive drills, base running, and more.

Those who had once complained about monotonous stamina exercises now had no energy left to grumble.

With a full day of classes followed by rigorous training, these kids were living fulfilling and exhausting lives.

As the tournament began, the school organized trips for the other club members to watch and cheer for the team during games.

...

"Hey, Dumb-mura, are you coming to watch our game tomorrow?" Kuramochi asked casually while playing a video game, knowing full well that Eijun rarely attended matches.

"Ehh~~, no thanks." Eijun's response was swift and decisive, even as he munched on a lollipop.

"You've never come to any of our games, have you?"

"Nope. Feels frustrating, y'know." He shifted the lollipop to the other side of his mouth, puffing out his cheeks as he focused intently on the game character about to meet its doom.

Despite his frantic button-mashing, his efforts were in vain, and the character collapsed.

Eijun slumped weakly in front of the console, defeated.

"You're awfully straightforward about that," Kuramochi muttered, somewhat envious of Eijun's ability to openly admit his feelings. It was almost admirable, in a strange way.

"Am I? I just say what I think." Stretching, Eijun suddenly stood up. "Anyway, it's late. Goodnight, Kuramochi-senpai." Before Kuramochi could react, Eijun had darted to his bed, burrowed under the covers, and fallen asleep.

Kuramochi stared at the lump in the bed, a bit taken aback.

Despite being a freshman, Eijun carried himself with a calm confidence that seemed beyond his years.

He moved at his own pace, unbothered by the usual pressures of competition, all while maintaining a pure and straightforward nature.

"You might just become the ace someday," Kuramochi whispered. "At least in terms of mentality. Defense with you on the mound might actually be fun. Keep at it, future ace." With a small smile, he turned off the lights, letting the dorm sink into silence.

...

The next morning, bathed in sunlight, Eijun was already out on the track, dragging his tire behind him. Most of the team was at the game, and the field was empty except for his lone figure.

Finishing his daily running drill, Eijun returned the tire to the equipment room. Looking at the packed shelves, he marveled, "Wow, this place is incredible. I never noticed before. It's like a baseball treasure trove. No, it's heaven. This is heaven."

Eyes sparkling with excitement at the sight of all the equipment, he murmured to himself, "Everyone's at the game, so there's no one to play with me. Looks like I'll have to entertain myself."

Reaching out with mischievous intent, he grabbed a baseball.

Taking it to the field, he donned his glove and tossed the ball high into the air.

As it descended, he sprinted to the spot, catching it just in time. With this simple routine, he managed to simultaneously train his pitching, fielding, and running—a productive trifecta.

To an outsider, Eijun's antics might have seemed silly, running back and forth to play catch with himself. But to him, it was nothing short of pure joy.

...

Kuramochi and Miyuki's Group Chat:

The Cheetah Sprinter: "Yahaha, guess what? I saw Dumb-mura's partner come to find him for training today."

The Best Captain: "Really? Those first-years are working hard. We can't let them outdo us."

The Scheming Brother: "That explains it. I noticed Haruichi's been training alone lately."

The Delinquent Glasses: "You're not saying it outright, but I feel like this was directed at me."

The Cheetah Sprinter: "Yahaha, you think? Man, it's sad that our official Seidou catcher can't even get attention from a first-year."

Working to Be Ace: "That won't last long. Chris-senpai's coming back soon, fully recovered."

The Stylish Pooch: "Really? We should throw a welcome party."

The Best Captain: "Yeah, to celebrate Chris returning to the first string."

The Delinquent Glasses: "Wait, why does everyone think I'll lose?"

The Reliable Squirrel: "Probably because the pitchers prefer Chris-senpai."

The Delinquent Glasses: "You too, Kawakami? (╥﹏╥) But I think I still have a chance with Sawamura. We've worked together before, after all."

The Super Kind Chris: "Sawamura says he's looking forward to my return. I had to stop him from visiting me at the hospital. He's so clingy."

The Delinquent Glasses: …

The Scheming Brother: "Time for practice."

System Message: This chat room has been dissolved.

Miyuki stared blankly at the empty chat window.

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