Intra-squad Practice Match

"He can get through!"

Team B exclaimed, urging the sixth batter to quickly get to First Base, but Lang Zhi raised his glove and, unable to track the ball visually, made a blind grab, catching it. He then lost his balance and fell heavily to the ground. He didn't get up or adjust his position, but sat directly on the ground and threw the ball from below towards First Base.

"Out!"

"Whoa—" A clamor erupted on and off the field. "Amazing, he can throw accurately like that."

"Could it be that he inherited his brother's throwing accuracy?"

"Idiot, Sasaki-kun and Kōshū-kun aren't related by blood. Besides, you shouldn't use the word 'inherit' between brothers!"

Regardless of how others marveled, Kōshū wasn't particularly surprised. Firstly, he had seen Lang Zhi's practice over a long period, and secondly, he trusted Coach Ninomiya's level, as those practices were specifically tailored for Lang Zhi.

"Hoo—your brother is really something," Hayakawa rarely praised Lang Zhi in front of Kōshū.

Kōshū responded with a questioning look.

"No, I should say, you brothers are both amazing. You're a complete beginner, and Lang Zhi is a Hardball beginner."

"He was also the starting Shortstop in Softball before. This level is normal, right?" Kōshū didn't quite understand, as he had never played with softballs.

"It's very different. Although the difference between Softball and Hardball is greatest for pitchers, the soft and hard balls are also very different when infielders handle ground balls. Softballs bounce higher, so it's not easy for Lang Zhi to reach his current level so quickly."

"Oh, is that so?" The Ace only responded to such a long speech with two indifferent words.

Hayakawa Aki said with interest, "Didn't I just praise you too?"

"Huh? Do you think I'm jealous of that shorty?" Kōshū sat on an overturned bucket, restlessly tapping his foot and shaking his leg.

"Lang Zhi is already 168 cm, he's not a shorty anymore."

"Tch—" Comparing his chin, Kōshū said, "He's still down here for me."

"Haha, you brothers are really alike in this regard."

"Annoying—but he seems to have grown taller again these past few days, probably close to 170 cm."

While they were talking, Sato had already achieved three up, three down against Team B, and Hayakawa Aki had also gone to the field to play defense. Kōshū felt empty and cold after the liveliness around him disappeared.

Looking left and right, "Lang Zhi—come over here for a moment." The Team A dugout was on the side where Kōshū was guarding.

"Hmm? What's up?" Lang Zhi had already put on his batting helmet. He was the sixth batter for Team A.

"Good job just now!" Sitting on the bucket, looking like he was about to start playing an African drum at any moment, he gave a thumbs up.

"Uh..." Lang Zhi, who was being praised, paused for a moment, then said with a bit of caution in his eyes, "Are you okay? If you're really bored, you can come over to the dugout and chat. Anyway, Coach Ninomiya isn't here..." Then he was startled by his brother's suddenly darkened face.

"What's wrong? Are you so impatient to talk to me that you're trying to send me to the dugout as soon as you open your mouth!"

"Uh..."

"And I'm the Ace of the team! The Ace's mood is very important!"

"Okay, okay." Facing Kōshū, who was clearly bored and looking for trouble, Lang Zhi could only pray that the person in front of him would quickly get on base or strike out, because he really couldn't handle this unusual brother!

Before long, the people around him had scattered again. Kōshū sighed. There was still a whole day before his life of observing training would end. It was all his fault for not taking the coach's words to heart. He was really suffering this time.

In the end, the game ended with a score of 2:3, with Team B winning. Shibasaki's performance today was remarkable. Both his Straight Ball and Changeup were sharp, and with the guidance of the Starting Catcher Hayakawa, the Team A batters, who were already familiar with his pitches, were defeated one after another.

"Sato, your pitches today were really good, they didn't go wild in the later innings." After the Intra-squad Practice Match, everyone packed up and returned to the outdoor training ground, leaving the three pitchers to tidy up the Pitcher's Mound.

"Ah, thank you, Kōshū-senpai." Receiving praise from the Ace, Sato was flattered.

"Why are you calling me 'senpai' again? Haven't you always called me Kōshū?"

"Haha, I don't know why." Standing alone on the Pitcher's Mound, he suddenly felt a sense of security from the Ace.

"By the way, wasn't Coach Ninomiya walking with some people just now?"

The unsupervised boys quickly started chattering while tidying up.

"Yeah, people I've never seen before."

Kōshū leaned closer to Hayakawa: "Seriously, even though I can't play this week, they had to invite Scouts this week."

"Haha, Kōshū, didn't you already say you're going to Seido? Then let's give the others a chance to show off. I think Coach Ninomiya will definitely help you get a recommendation for admission without examination."

"Ah, I guess that's the only way to think about it."

After this week, life didn't get any easier. The final exams were coming up again at the end of January, and the whole family was worried about Lang Zhi's grades. Kōshū even had to set aside some time to help him study.

"What do I do? The exam is tomorrow, and I really want to pee."

Kōshū kicked him: "Then go quickly!"

"But I just went!"

"Then go again!"

The sound instantly quieted down. Only then did Kōshū realize how annoying the person next to him had been. So he packed up all of Lang Zhi's books and piled them at the door.

"Kōshū, what are you doing?" The boy downstairs saw it and shouted.

Kōshū only sped up his movements, putting the pencil case and water cup out as well. By the time Lang Zhi ran upstairs in a few steps, the door had already slammed shut with a crisp locking sound.

"You can't kick me out!"

"You're always chattering, it's so annoying. Go back to your own room!"

"Mom told you to tutor me!"

"You're so annoying, anyway, they're not back yet!"

...Lang Zhi was helpless. He was now waiting for his parents to return from their prenatal checkup. So he dragged his chair over and studied right outside his brother's door, waiting to tell on him as soon as his parents got home, so they could see how his brother abused him when the adults weren't home.

"You're dead. I'm definitely going to expose your true colors as a model student later!" With his parents backing him up, Lang Zhi instantly became tough.

The shouting was much weaker through the door. Kōshū was finally able to enjoy his room alone, which was rare. As for that childish threat? No way he'd let him succeed.

Lang Zhi was also calculating outside, 'No, what if he suddenly pulls me in later? Then there won't be any on-site evidence.' So he went back to his room and replaced the swivel chair with a small stool, shrinking into the corner to read.

Around eight o'clock, the sound of a car engine gradually approached. There was noise in the garage, and voices came from the door. These movements were like the starting gun for a sprint, and the two brothers sprang into action.

Lang Zhi was reading aloud, so his parents would know how he was locked out by his brother, while also guarding against being pulled directly inside. As for Kōshū, he directly opened the door and was surprised to see that his brother wasn't sitting in the swivel chair, but was shrunk in the corner, with no openings on either side.

"Hehe, didn't expect it, did you? I knew you'd pull this trick... Ah—"

"Bang—" As his parents opened the door, a door slamming sound echoed upstairs, followed by silence.