Home Run Tournament

The Kanto Tournament had ended, and everyone seemed to have instantly found their next stage goals. Those going to public schools were participating in the unified civil service exams, and the First String regulars had also decided where they would play baseball next. The once-packed baseball field suddenly had fewer people.

In the Bullpen, Nozawa-senpai, who always stirred up trouble, and Ido-senpai, who was always reliable, were gone. The new captain was Hayakawa Aki, and many former Second String members had been promoted to the First String, including three pitchers like Kōshū.

It had been almost two months since Kōshū joined the Kinoshita Club. The coaching team decided to take advantage of the ability test for all members to assess Kōshū's progress over the past two months, mainly in basic physical fitness and pitching abilities.

The items that had been tested once in September were brought out again.

"Well, your grip strength and bench press strength have both improved significantly. It seems that pitcher training has greatly strengthened your upper body strength, Kōshū," Coach Fujii said to Kōshū, glancing at the previous values.

"Yes, because I didn't train my upper body enough before, the improvement is more obvious."

"However, it's still a bit inferior to your explosiveness." Kōshū had just practiced sprinting with the other pitchers, and his running speed between bases was much faster than others, but he hadn't practiced before, so his base-running skills were terrible.

"Your height and weight haven't changed much." Speaking of this, Coach Fujii's face wrinkled into a chrysanthemum. One or two of them were fine young men, but why couldn't they gain weight? He looked at Shibasaki, who was testing his bench press strength, and thought, 'Be content, it's good that that guy's weight isn't decreasing.'

The pitchers were tested first. When the testing of Kōshū and the other pitchers was over, there was a commotion outside, the sound of the outdoor baseball field, and some long-lost voices could be heard mixed in.

"Nozawa-senpai's voice?" Kōshū poked his head out and, sure enough, it was them. The group who had retired in their third year of middle school had returned collectively today. Their goal was clear: to take over the registration book from the assistant coach and assist with registration while others were being tested.

One of the tall guys was looking for something in the crowd. After a few sweeps, he didn't seem to find it. He swayed in place and saw Kōshū poking his head out of the training room.

"Hey, Kōshū, are you guys done with the pitcher testing?" It was Heishi-senpai, who seemed to be intentionally looking for Kōshū.

"Just finished testing, Heishi-senpai." Kōshū greeted Coach Fujii and came out, instantly feeling gazes from all directions. Although it was only for a moment, the third-year senpais all withdrew their gazes again.

"Wh... what's wrong? Why is everyone looking at me?" Kōshū's steps hesitated, but then he was bumped by Nozawa-senpai, who rushed up from behind, and he couldn't think about it anymore.

"Yo, Missile! How's your condition today?" Nozawa-senpai asked inexplicably.

"So... so-so? So, what's going on? I have a creepy feeling. Are you guys planning something?" Kōshū struggled against the iron-like arms of his senpai, and then another third-year senpai pressed down on his shoulders.

"Haha, Kōshū, your pitches are still very accurate today, right? For me, I want a ball above the outside corner of the knee. You can throw ten consecutive balls into that spot, right?"

"Eh? But haven't the senpais all retired? Why are you hitting my pitches today?" The questions on Kōshū's face multiplied.

He was eager to break free, but he had no choice. Voices came from all directions from the senpais.

"My specialty area is the high outside corner. Be sure to throw all ten to the same spot..."

"Damn it, I didn't hit a single home run in a formal setting throughout my entire middle school career. This time, Kōshū, you have to let me hit enough."

"Ten, I want to hit ten home runs."

"Arrogant brat, I'm going to make you cry today." A strange shout was mixed in.

So, what is going on? Kōshū's face was full of question marks, and no one answered. He only heard the senpais discussing in a hubbub.

So, today I have to go to the Pitcher's Mound and throw ten pitches to each senpai. These ten pitches must be thrown to the senpais' favorite areas, ensuring they hit ten home runs? Kōshū pieced together the information.

Nozawa-senpai ruffled Kōshū's hair, "This is a retiree's carnival, a Home Run Tournament, haha. They all know your pitches are very accurate, so they all want you to throw for them to hit. Of course, the coach set a limit of ten balls per person so you don't get too tired."

"Huh? The coach is also involved? But ten balls per person is 170 balls..." Kōshū was speechless after being informed about the Baseball Club's special program.

"Relax, relax. Have you seen the Japanese professional Home Run Tournament? Go take a look. It's not to bully you."

Kōshū was handed a phone and learned that there was such an event.

So, with the assistance of the retirees, today's testing ended very quickly. Next up was the retirement activity that the third-year seniors had been eagerly anticipating: the Home Run Tournament.

Kōshū was being liked by the seniors for the first time, almost being sent behind the net like a star being held by the moon.

"Kōshū, I want a Middle-Middle Ball." The senior who grabbed the first spot was a little nervous.

"Okay, then please give me a signal each time you're ready, and I'll throw the next ball."

Receiving a response from the other side, Kōshū took a clean ball from the nearby ball basket. In the team, a clean ball is always given to the pitcher first, then to the fielders after the pitcher is done, and only then to the batters. But today, the balls the seniors were using for batting were brand new balls specially prepared by the coaches.

The first ball was right in the middle, and the senior hit it far, but the speed was a bit slow, landing in center field, probably destined to be caught.

The senior adjusted a bit, but didn't dare waste time, quickly giving the signal again. Kōshū threw the ball in the same Middle-Middle Ball location again. This time, luckily, he hit a home run, and everyone gathered around cheered together.

Kōshū also took down a ball while drawing circles in the air.

Next, the third ball, the fourth ball, until the tenth ball, Kōshū had found the rhythm of the senior's batting and could throw the ball well, making it comfortable for the senior to hit.

Finally, the senior left the batter's box satisfied with his five home runs, not forgetting to praise, "You threw very accurately, thanks for the hard work."

Kōshū wiped away sweat, glanced at the coaches mixed in with the players, and didn't dare say anything. He just served all 17 seniors. Later on, his pitching became smoother and smoother, almost allowing all the seniors to hit home runs.

'Really tiring,' but watching the seniors carefully look around after playing around, as if wanting to take a few more glances, deeply remembering this baseball field, Kōshū's feeling of parting still welled up in his heart.

"What's wrong, Kōshū, looking so melancholy!" The person who pounced from behind was, as expected, Senior Nozawa again.

Kōshū patiently put down Nozawa's arm that was draped over him: "Senior Nozawa, don't lean on me so much."

"Haha, it's your fault for growing so tall." Then his expression tightened, "Right, you'll be the Ace Pitcher of this team from now on. Let me impart some experience of being an ace to you."

It's very late today, and very short, because today I said goodbye to a departing colleague, and didn't have dinner until 9:30.

Speaking of which, many companies have been laying off people recently. This colleague of mine took N+1 and left.

Another colleague sitting across from me is a new graduate this year. She had already told the leaders that she was leaving, and even said that she was going to take the civil service exam. As a result, the company's policy protects new graduates, and they can't be laid off within a year, so she can only stay in a very awkward situation... It is said that their department had a meeting today, and the leader didn't mention her at all, nor did they assign her any work... Too embarrassing. In this way, she can only resign on her own, and won't get N+1 compensation...

Tomorrow will probably be very late too, because I have an exam tomorrow