Back at the Elementary School Playground, they saw no sign of the other team. Only the Yoshinaga Little League players remained on the field.
"Why were you so slow? Did you win?"
"Haha, you definitely won, right? We could hear you singing from far away."
After only one morning of practice, the two groups of children had already started playing together.
Amid the cheerful atmosphere, Kōshū sat off by himself. Watching Shibasaki and Sato chat with the opposing pitcher, he found it strange. Why could they strike up conversations with strangers so quickly? Was he still too introverted? Of course, once his slow-moving teenage years passed, he would no longer find it strange. Children who could visit one another after only a few words simply had too little wariness.
"Are you cold? Do you want to go to the Security Room by the gate?" Hayakawa came over.
Kōshū waved Hayakawa away and fixed his gaze on the boy who was chatting so happily, without sparing his brother even a glance.
Lang Zhi's scalp tightened. The danger alarm unique to humans rang in his genes. Before he could even look around, the coaches had already come over and assigned the afternoon's tasks. Probably just my imagination, Lang Zhi thought carelessly.
That afternoon, Kōshū's arm was temporarily sealed away, and he joined the outfielders for practice.
By evening, the wind had picked up. The sunlight slanted across the land, and the temperature suddenly dropped. Seeing that it was about time, the coaches led the children across the field ridges, taking a shortcut back to the inn. The surrounding scenery was still clear, but it all seemed to have had its brightness turned down. At first, they looked around everywhere, but before they knew it, they had huddled into a group.
"The wind