CH 86

Chapter 86: Wishes, Prayers, And Sharing

TL: Akabane

***

After a few more scoreless innings, the offense and defense changed hands, and finally it was Imayuri's turn in the batting order. There were currently no runners on base with two outs. But we cannot let our guard down. If Imayuri hit a home run, the game would be tied. Yuzuriha analyzed the trend of the game as follows.

"If the score is tied at some point, the Imperial Capital will almost always lose. The only way for us to win is to escape. To do so..."

I have to break Imayuri's heart now. In other words, the real decisive battle in this match will depend on this fight between me and Imayuri. Imayuri is looking straight at me. As one would expect from a baseball player who is used to playing in games. I guess he has already made the switch. I don't think provocation will work anymore. Conversely, if he loses here, he will "break" his heart. I looked at Yuzuriha who was on the bench. The sign was a low inside curve. I threw the pitch as instructed.

"Come on!"

There was a beautiful sound. The ball was going fast toward left field.

"Huh?"

I was convinced at that moment. I was sure it was going to go over the backstop fence. But I was lucky. Suddenly, the wind picked up. The ball was swept to the left and just barely landed in the foul zone. A scream of relief came from the Hayao University side. From the Imperial Capital side, a cry of relief echoed. It was really just barely.

"Time! Let me get a time!!!!!!!"

Yuzuriha called the time to the umpire. And the time was taken. Me and Kyogoku-senpai, the catcher, ran up to Yuzuriha.

"I'm sorry...It exceeded my calculation...Now Imayuri has already become immeasurable by my calculation. He is an amazing player. I'm sorry, Kanata. It seems I'm no longer useful here."

Yuzuriha said with a dejected face. I pat her on the shoulder and smile.

"No, it's you who led us this far, Yuzuriha. Thank you so much for everything you've done."

"Kanata... I'm glad I could be of help to you too. I know this is not at all scientific or logical. May I?"

"Huh?"

"The wind just now. The ball that Imayuri just hit was definitely on the course for a home run. And yet, the wind was on Kanata's side. It was like a fairy tale..."

The wind itself is probably just a coincidence. Finding meaning in it is far from scientific thinking.

"Kanata. From here on, it's your world alone. But I think. I am sure that the goddess of victory is with you right now. Please do your best!"

"Oh, I'll do it. I'm going to win!"

That was the end of the time. From this point on, there no more Yuzuriha's instructions. It was just me and Imayuri, a game of skill. Before returning to the mound, I looked at the cheering section of the Imperial Capital University. Igarashi was holding the usual amulet with both hands and meditating.

"I see. Hmm. You're going to pray for me? For my victory?"

I smile. I felt the unnecessary tension leave my body with it. I can perform at my best now. I think so.

"Now pay attention to me! I'm the only one who can win!!!!"

I swung my leg up wide and threw a knuckleball high to the outside corner.

"Hey! No use playing tricks!"

Imayuri caught it dead center and hit it. This time the ball flew into the stands on the right side, just in time for a foul.

A low fork ball on the outside corner. A foul just in front of left field.

A low inside slider. A foul just short of the light side.

I threw many breaking balls. All of them just barely failed to become home runs.

Before I knew it, the crowd had fallen silent. They were watching us with bated breath. Gradually, Imayuri and I started to catch our breath. Fatigue was building up in both of us. But we never stopped fighting.

"I'll take Igarashi...! I'll definitely take her!"

Now, Imayuri's belief has already become a delusion. It's an energy that gives him absolute power. I used to be like that. In the previous world, I didn't want to lose Igarashi, so I repeatedly did things that I couldn't tell anyone about. Because I was afraid of losing my one and only love, Ririse. The man in front of me now is the me of the past. But you know what? Theres no more. Igarashi isn't the only one who gives me love. I looked at Ayashiro sitting on the bench. She was smiling. I felt her unwavering trust. I could believe that she had no doubt that I would win. That's why.

"Now, Imayuri. Let's end this here. You were unlucky. It's unfortunate that Cinderella's shoe crossed your life. But Cinderella wouldn't want those shoes."

I lifted my hands high in the air. I twisted my body in a big twist. With all my might, I threw the ball. I heard the sound of the wind whistling through the air. That was the sound of me echoing off the ball. The ball went straight down the middle. The guys with good eyes were lamenting the fact that I had thrown the perfect pitch for the batter. No matter how fast the ball is, if it's right down the middle, the talented guys can hit it. But.

"I'm not a normal guy. I came back here to go up and up and up."

I think I've time leaped and just kept going and going and going. But I'm sure I didn't just keep going forward, I must have ascended. Someone took me by the hand, or someone pulled me by the hand. And now, Imayuri is swinging at the wind with a swing that catches him right in the middle of the road.

"Hey.... No sound...? No sound?

Instead, what resounded was a dull thud. The sound of the glove catching the ball.

"Ah...eh...ah! Strike! Batter out!!!!"

Even the umpire was puzzled. The spectators remained silent. And then the voice of the play-by-play announcer echoed.

--- "The pitch just hit... 166 KM! Huh! Seriously? Eh?"

The voices echoed in a buzz. Imayuri was in a daze. Everyone was puzzled.

--- "Let's see, it's just a pitch, but it's the result of the video judgment. What a surprise, it was revealed to have hopped about in front of the batter! That's amazing! It's not a straight ball! It was a hop ball! I've never seen a ball this bad before!"

The crowd cheered as the live commentary was accompanied by a burnt-out commentary.

""""Uwoooooooo!!!""""

Voices calling my name echo from all over the spectator seats. Ayashiro and Yuzuriha on the bench were hugging each other and were happy. Igarashi and Milan in the infield seats were also raising their hands and cheering.

"No way...what the hell is that...? That's crazy! That's crazy! It can't be! He cheated! Referee!"

Imayuri complains to the referee. But the referee shakes his head. Of course I didn't cheat. It was just purely on merit that Tama hopped me.

"Impossible! It's him! He's hiding something! Then, I'll find out myself!"

Swinging his bat, Imayuri comes running toward me. And then he swung it as hard as he could and swung it down at me.

""""Kyaaaahhhh!""""

The screams of the women echoed. But it soon subsided. Do you think I'm going to get hit by a baseball bat? No way! I grabbed the bat that was swinging down and used the momentum to hook Imayuri's leg and throw him to the ground. I immediately kicked Imayuri's hand, which was falling on the spike, and blew up the bat. Imayuri looked up at me with a look of horror on his face as he cowered to the ground.

"Imayuri. If you are a talented person, you could have grown up if you accepted and swallowed this result. But if you reject it, there is no more to come from there. You are already ruined here."

The guards immediately came and restrained Imayuri. This was a terrible act of violence. The umpire immediately declared Imayuri out of the match. From that point on, the game was over without a hitch, with the Imperial Capital University winning 2-1. And we took home the banner for winning the Five College Baseball Championship.

We were going to rent out a tatami room at a pub in Tokyo and have a launch party to celebrate our victory. And, incidentally, since the Home Run King Award fell to me like a peony cake after Imayuri's exit, it was also a celebration of that.

"Me! Me! Thanks to all the club members! Thank you! And everyone in the Tokiwa group! It's thanks to you guys that we got to bring this flag home!"

The club president is waving the Five College Baseball Championship banner around. His face was messed up with tears, though he was smiling.

"Ugh! No more wetting! Kanpai!"

""""Kanpai!!!!""""

A toast was made and the banquet began. They drank heavily with each other, taking side by side the saga of this tournament and the unusual and good plays.

"Hey, hey! I saw it! I saw a proposal in a bathtub with a wad of cash! I want to do it too!"

"That's so nice! I'll take your picture! Yuzuriha!"

"Oh, don't get me wrong! Even if you don't have any accessories! I'll give you a bath in a wad of cash anytime you want with Kanata! Kieeeeeeeeeeee!"

Milan and Yuzuriha come to the side of me. Feeling the softness of their boobs on both side, I put on my best fresh conscious smile.

"Look at them! Fufu! This is so anti-corporate! It's a mafia cartel gang itself!"

Ayashiro X shows me a picture she took. I'm supposed to be smiling a very fresh smile, but unfortunately because of the composition, it looks very anti-corporate.

"Don't mix those three dangerous things! At least keep it semi-greasy!"

Then, Ayashiro rests her head on my thigh and takes us in selfie mode.

"Now, we've got the Imperial Capital University System Designated Public Discipline Committee Tokiwa group's billboard bath!"

The four of us in the picture are terrible to say the least. I mean, is the name Tokiwa becoming generally recognized? Isn't that bad? Doesn't it look like an anti-corporate?

"Please stop calling us like a yakuza clan! You're ruining my image as a fresh, conscious college student!"

"Come on, you should be aware that you don't have such a fresh image. Look, look at the SNS!"

The photo we took earlier of her posing for a bath in a bundle of cash was quickly uploaded. The girls' eyes were mosaicked, perhaps out of consideration for Ayashiro. The commentary was too much.

--- "Looks like he's swinging a bat at night!"

--- "Are you the home run king of the night?"

--- "Three girls? This is a three out!"

--- "I envy the sense of strike from the girls."

"Don't put baseball in the context of a joke!"

The Internet world was contaminated with the Ayashiro virus. It was too late for the world. The banquet thus proceeded in a lively, goofy manner.

***Even if you don't have glass slipper, there is someone who loves you.***

I drank little too much and went out into the hallway to cool off. Then, Ayashiro came and sat down next to me.

"Igarashi, she didn't come to the launch."

"As expected, her childhood friend collapsed and she came here? It's too bad for her image, isn't it?"

Hagiri was fine. It was just a concussion. He will be hospitalized today. Igarashi was indeed feeling awkward, so she went home right after the match was over.

"Hey, there's no one here right now, right?"

Ayashiro is smiling like a little devil. It's a mysterious smile that is glossy and beautiful, yet somehow inclusive.

"That's a very roundabout way of putting it, that's not typical of you. Yes. It's just the two of us. So..."

I gently take Ayashiro's lips. Not hard. A very gentle and tender kiss. But it felt much, much better than the intense kisses of the day.

"Oh my, I'm surprised. You really feel better after winning, don't you? Fufufu."

The kiss ends and Ayashiro rests her head on my shoulder. I found this gentle touching feeling irresistibly lovely.

"You look like you just got rid of one of your possessions."

"Yes, I think so. I think I'm moving onward and upward."

"Oh, yes. That's wonderful. I'll give you a compliment."

Ayashiro hugs me to her chest and nudges my head.

"It feels so good and fun to share our victory with everyone today. Thank you, Tokiwa. You're a very brave man."

"Fufu... I'm ticklish when you praise me."

I gradually fell asleep as I was gently hugged and stroked.

"Everyone made a wish for you. Wish them victory and share it with them. Tokiwa. You're a really fine man. I'm glad to have met you. Thank God."

The dozing and narrowing vision was very pleasant.

"So, can I beg you? Please be there for me to get over my sins. Can I?"

Ayashiro's voice sounded somewhat sad. So I squeezed her hand. The last thing I saw was Ayashiro's beautiful smile.

"Good night, Tokiwa. Rest now. I'll stay with you."

And then, my consciousness was cut off. Good night. I fell asleep with a satisfied feeling that I had successfully defended my victory.

When I woke up, I was sleeping on a bed in a love hotel.

It's my black history that I saw Ayashiro, Yuzuriha, and Milan in their underwear, dancing and singing karaoke in high tension as if they were in a sabbatical.

Season 3 - Complete

Continue to Season 4 & 4.X!

***Author's musings***

Finally, Season 3 is over!

I can finally write about my date with Suo!

Next time, I'll be writing about his date with Suo! Please look forward to it!

And now that you mention it, it's only the beginning of June, isn't it?

I really want to have a summer event.

Season 4 is the so-called summer season. So there will be a lot of summer events.

I'm sure our readers are looking forward to the summer events, so please look forward to them as we do our best to make them emo.

And please look forward to Season 4.X "For Ximena: Cidade do REY."

I'll tell you about the plot structure to some extent first.

Season 4 will be a coming-of-age drama in a liberal arts club (Ayashiro's main character) plus various summer events with each heroine.

Season 4.X will be a large-scale story based on a "temp event," which is often seen in romantic comedies.