Tsukishima Residence — Kitchen
"Wakaba, what are you planning to cook tonight?" Kitamura Kou asked as he watched Tsukishima Wakaba preparing ingredients.
"Kou, just wait and see!" Wakaba replied with a cheerful smile.
"For now, go keep Aoba and Momiji company. Leave the kitchen to me!"
As she spoke, she gently pushed Kou out of the kitchen.
"Yes, yes," Kou said with a laugh.
"Then I'll wait with great anticipation for dinner."
When Kou entered the living room, he heard Aoba muttering anxiously to herself.
"What should I do…?"
"If there's something you don't understand, you could ask me," Kou said as he stepped forward.
"Maybe I'll be merciful enough to help."
But the moment he saw Momiji, his expression changed.
She was lying in bed, her face flushed red and breathing unevenly.
Kou quickly knelt beside her and placed his hand on her forehead.
It was burning hot.
Aoba stood nearby, looking panicked.
"Fever medicine!" she suddenly said as she hurried to search for it.
"Ice," Kou said calmly.
"Bring all the ice you can find."
Aoba immediately rushed to the kitchen.
Kou quickly crushed the ice into small pieces and wrapped them in cloth.
"Use this to cool her down first," he instructed.
"Then we'll observe her condition."
He continued giving instructions.
"Prepare clean pajamas too. If she starts sweating, change them immediately."
From six in the evening until ten at night, the three of them stayed busy taking care of Momiji.
Only after her condition stabilized did they finally have time to eat something that barely counted as dinner.
Just as they sat down—
"Hmph! You three are so sneaky!"
Momiji's voice came from the doorway.
"Momiji!" Wakaba immediately rushed over.
"Are you feeling better?"
Kou also checked her temperature again.
"Looks like the fever has gone down."
"Momiji's stomach is about to shrivel up from hunger!" Momiji protested dramatically.
"Wait a moment," Wakaba said gently.
"I'll make something for you right away."
"Okay! I want instant noodles!"
Momiji looked hopeful.
But Wakaba shook her head.
"You've only just started recovering."
"I'll make that for you when you're completely better."
"For now, eat the porridge I made especially for you."
She gently stroked Momiji's head.
"Okay…" Momiji sighed reluctantly.
"Wakaba, I'll help you," Kou said.
The two of them returned to the kitchen.
Meanwhile in the living room—
Momiji checked the thermometer again.
Aoba leaned over nervously.
"How is it?"
Momiji raised her fingers in a V-sign.
Aoba finally relaxed.
"Ah… that's a relief."
Momiji suddenly smiled.
"Aoba, while I was sleeping earlier… I had a dream."
"What kind of dream?"
"It was about when I was in kindergarten."
Flashback
"I'm back!" little Momiji shouted happily after returning from kindergarten.
"Thank you for bringing her home," Ichiyo said politely to the elderly woman who had helped escort Momiji.
"I was on my way home anyway," the woman replied kindly.
"Bye-bye, Momiji! See you tomorrow!" the woman's grandson waved.
"Bye-bye!"
Momiji waved back happily.
"Sister Ichiyo! Today Momiji—"
"Two coffees, please!"
"Coming!"
The café had become busy, and Ichiyo was quickly called away by customers.
"Go inside and change your clothes," she said hurriedly.
"There's strawberry cake in the fridge."
Then she returned to work.
Momiji stood there quietly.
"Wakaba! Aoba!"
She ran toward the backyard where the two sisters were doing laundry.
"Aoba, your clothes are way too dirty!" Wakaba complained.
"So what?" Aoba shrugged.
"It just means I'm energetic."
"Honestly! Even boys' clothes aren't this muddy!"
"If I don't hand-wash them, the stains won't come out!"
Wakaba continued nagging.
Neither of them noticed Momiji standing there.
After a moment, Momiji quietly walked away.
Nearby, young Kitamura Kou was practicing at the batting center.
"Hahaha!"
He had just hit a home run and looked extremely pleased.
"Meow."
Hearing the sound, Kou turned around.
Momiji was standing outside the safety net.
"Hi!"
The two began chatting through the net.
"A-chan said her family is going to eat yakiniku tonight."
"Oh really?"
"She's my best friend."
"Her family owns a bookstore."
"Wow. That's nice."
"But Momiji likes sushi more than yakiniku."
"I see."
Then Momiji smiled proudly.
"We had a drawing contest today."
"My drawing was voted number one."
"Wow!" Kou said.
"That's amazing!"
"The teacher picked several drawings and asked everyone to vote."
"What did you draw?"
Momiji answered quietly.
"I drew my mom."
Kou froze.
Momiji's mother had died when she was born.
But Momiji smiled brightly.
"Everyone was being very considerate of me."
Kou didn't know what to say.
He simply looked at her silently.
Soon it grew dark.
"Still haven't found her."
"Where did she go?"
"Why is Dad drinking outside at a time like this?"
The three sisters searched anxiously for Momiji.
Then suddenly—
"I'm back!"
Momiji's voice appeared.
"Momiji!" Wakaba rushed forward.
"Where were you?"
"Hello everyone," Kou said politely.
Aoba immediately grabbed his collar.
"What were you thinking?!"
"You let her stay out this late?!"
"Explain yourself!"
"Hey, careful!" Kou protested.
"Don't grab there—it hurts."
"It hurts?" Aoba looked confused.
"Well then… I'll be going."
Kou turned to leave.
But Momiji spoke excitedly.
"Brother Kou listened to me talk for a long time!"
"Then we went to the park to play wrestling!"
"When I did a flying kick, he fell down dramatically!"
"He fell onto the concrete several times!"
Momiji burst into laughter.
End of Flashback
"Kou is really a very reliable person," Momiji said happily.
Aoba crossed her arms.
"If you keep talking like that without resting, your fever will come back."
Momiji just laughed.
"Hahaha!"
Soon Wakaba brought the porridge.
"Mmm! It's so delicious!" Momiji said happily.
"Of course!" Wakaba smiled proudly.
"How could instant noodles compare to this?"
As midnight approached, the old year slowly came to an end.
With the TV host's voice in the background, the four of them played small games together and chatted happily.
The atmosphere was warm and lively.
Gradually, the night grew deeper.
Eventually, the four of them fell asleep together in the living room.
Each of them had a peaceful smile on their faces.
Early the next morning—
Momiji checked the thermometer carefully.
Kou had just woken up.
"What's the temperature?"
"Normal!" Momiji said proudly.
"Good."
Kou stretched lazily.
"Then I'll cook breakfast before I head home."
Outside the Tsukishima house—
Kou was about to leave when a voice called out behind him.
"Hey."
It was Aoba.
"Oh, you're awake."
Aoba looked slightly embarrassed.
"About last night…"
"It was good that you were there."
Kou smiled.
"Thank you for the compliment."
Aoba noticed the bag on his shoulder.
"That backpack…"
"So you really have been practicing."
"Huh?"
"Senior Senda said you've been training in boxing."
"Oh…"
Kou scratched his head awkwardly.
"Let's just say that's close enough."
"Anyway, I'm heading out."
He quickly left.
Time continued moving forward.
Everyone lived their ordinary lives.
Kou followed his training plan strictly, practicing every day and steadily improving his strength.
His good friend Nakanishi also worked hard to build his body.
Meanwhile, Todoroki Raizo, Todoroki Raichi, Mishima Yuta, and Akiba Kazuma continued their lively daily training as well.
Little by little—
The future of their baseball dreams was quietly taking shape.