Standing on the pitcher's mound, Rinichi froze when he saw where Shinomiya had set the target — right down the middle.
Isn't that too easy to hit?
And it was a straight fastball on top of that.
Annoyed by the thought, Rinichi rembered what Shinomiya had told him before. Still, he followed the catcher's call.
Surely, the batter would connect.
"Strike! Batter's out!"
The outco left Rinichi stunned.
Change of sides.
"You planning on standing on the mound all day?" Shinomiya's voice snapped him back, and Rinichi quickly followed.
Staring at the catcher's back, he couldn't hold back his question:
"Wasn't that pitch down the middle? Shouldn't it have been easy to hit? Why'd he swing and miss?"
Shinomiya gave him a sharp look.
"Have you really been a catcher before?"
Rinichi: "…"
He suddenly felt very irritated.
"This is the fourth inning. Their clean-up hitter's clever…" Shinomiya paused. "He knows he can't keep up with your speed, so he started swinging from the very first pitch this inning. In a way, that's smart… but also really stupid."
Rinichi: "…"
He thought the final pitch should've been a changeup.
Shinomiya's eyes glinted with disdain.
"You were thinking changeup, weren't you?"
"For that kind of batter, there's no need. You don't even understand what your own fastball looks like yet…"
"Your fastball gives the illusion of rising. Compared to a breaking ball, the speed is overwhelming… There aren't many hitters who can touch it."
"Especially soone who starts swinging early just to make up for being too slow."
"And of course…" Shinomiya's voice was calm, matter-of-fact. "The most important part is my pitch-calling."
Rinichi: "…"
He turned his gaze away, breaking into a jog to overtake Shinomiya.
Shinomiya's eyes darkened as he watched the boy's back — cold and sharp, completely at odds with the blazing sumr heat.
After giving up a hit, Rinichi's composure wavered. His control dipped compared to before.
If he kept giving up hits — or worse, a ho run — he'd probably never last a complete ga.
A thought flashed in Shinomiya's mind… and he pushed it back down.
Not yet. Let's see how far he can go first. If it really cos to it… then I'll…
What Shinomiya wanted wasn't slow, steady progress. He wanted Rinichi to grow fast.
When it was Shinomiya's turn at the plate, he strode to the box. First pitch — he swung.
The ball soared high, smacking the top of the low outfield net and flying out. A ho run. Barely, but it counted.
Rinichi stood frozen.
Ho run…?
A shadow lood over him. He glanced up to see Shinomiya's expressionless face.
"Well? You calm now?"
For a mont, Rinichi thought the catcher looked enormous. And he was surprised — surprised that Shinomiya had even noticed his state of mind.
He always thought he hid his emotions perfectly.
Stamring, he managed a weak reply.
This was Rinichi's first real ga standing on the mound.
And he realized sothing — the scenery from the pitcher's mound was completely different than from behind the plate.
Every pair of eyes was on him.
The pressure was crushing.
One bad pitch, one mistake, and it felt like all the bla would fall on him alone.
All of a sudden… Rinichi found himself respecting Taiyo. Respecting how calm he could be up there.
His own so-called "calmness" had only ever existed behind the plate — where the responsibility always fell on the pitcher instead.
His thoughts froze.
It ant he'd never truly been ready to shoulder the weight of the mound.
And yet now he was suddenly the team's ace…
Anyone else in the sa position probably wouldn't be doing any better.
Change of sides.
When Rinichi took the mound again, he was already different from before.
Shinomiya didn't smile, didn't look pleased. He knew one mont of composure didn't an anything — it had to be tested over and over again.
During practice gas, he occasionally called for Rinichi to throw hittable pitches. Not to dominate — but so the opponents would make contact.
As expected, once Rinichi gave up a hit, his nerves shook again.
Shinomiya wondered how badly his psyche would shatter if he gave up a ho run.
Still… for now, he'd let Rinichi build so confidence.
Watching him get surrounded by fielders after a successful play, smiling as they patted him on the back, Shinomiya stayed silent.
Inwardly, though, he'd already made plans.
Pitching ability wasn't the problem — with Rinichi's talent, ti would take care of that.
What he needed to forge… was his ntality.
And his batting.
These things had to be solved before the Spring Tournant.
Rinichi still had his left hand… that couldn't be wasted.
By his second year, he'd have to overco it with other catchers.
By his third year, relying on his own strength, he would lead his teammates toward the national championship.
But to achieve that… it might an sacrificing the Sumr Tournant.
Winning nationals now, with the current Rinichi, would be aningless.
ntality…
Once he got used to it, there would be no problem—
Lost in the thrill of victory, Rinichi had no idea what Shinomiya was plotting.
The ga ended.
Dusk carried with it the weariness of a long day's struggle.
"I heard Kamishiro didn't even pitch back in elentary school… well, he's got a gift for velocity, that's for sure. Makes the road a lot smoother than it is for most pitchers."
"Yeah, but it's mostly thanks to Shinomiya-senpai. Without him, Kamishiro wouldn't be nearly this good."
"True enough."
"Still, Rinichi's natural speed is sothing to envy."
Another chuckled:
"I heard Mukai and Kamishiro used to be battery-mates? Poor Mukai… to be betrayed by the partner he trusted most, running off to be a pitcher…"
"Don't just say Mukai—if my friend did that to , I'd be furious too."
As they spoke, the three finished changing, slid open the door——and froze when they saw Rinichi and Taiyo standing right outside.
All three stiffened, unable to get a word out.
"M-Mukai… Kamishiro…"
"Uh, we'll be going first!"
And with that, they bolted, slipping right between Rinichi and Taiyo.
Mukai reached out, trying to stop them.
"Hey!"
"At least apologize to Rinichi—"
But Rinichi grabbed his arm.
And then it was just the two of them.
Rinichi was silent.
But Taiyo smiled.
"Didn't we say it before… we're rivals, aren't we?"
"Or do you feel guilty standing on the mound as the ace, wearing No. 1, while I'm not?"
He turned to face Rinichi.
Rinichi blinked, then smiled too.
"How could I?"
"Then pitch your best out there on the mound."
"Of course."
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