Clover Café.
"Ichiyō, I'll have the meat sauce pasta and a coffee."
"Then I'll have the same."
Two customers called out to the busy Tsukishima Ichiyō behind the counter.
"Ah, okay. The meat sauce pasta is really popular today," Ichiyō replied as she jotted down the order.
"Sister Ichiyō, remember to save one portion!" Momiji quickly reminded her.
"Save one?" Ichiyō asked, puzzled.
"It's for Kou!" Momiji said with a grin.
"Oh! If Kou wins the intra-squad practice game, Aoba has to treat him to meat sauce pasta!" Ichiyō suddenly remembered.
But then she shook her head decisively.
"That won't happen."
"Why not?" Momiji asked.
"Because aside from sandlot baseball, this is Kou's first time pitching on a proper mound. And his opponents are high school players," Ichiyō explained.
"Don't you know? What Kou is best at is creating miracles!" Momiji argued confidently.
"Best at?" Ichiyō tilted her head in confusion.
"Haven't you heard? When Kou imitates sounds. Like—beep!"
"That's a car horn."
"Ancient tombs? Pyramids?"
"Those are ruins."
"Haha! The one related to time!"
"That's called timing."
"The one that flies in the sky!"
"That's an airplane."
"The first-years nowadays are terrifyingly strong..."
Sanada Shunpei muttered under his breath after watching the freshman Kitamura Kou blast his pitch over the fence for a home run.
Despite it all, the smile on his lips never faded.
Clearly, he wasn't discouraged.
Back in the dugout, Kitamura Kou was treated like a returning hero.
"Kitamura-san, are you hot? Let me fan you!"
"Here, take this towel! Or I can wipe the sweat for you!"
"Hey, hey! Move aside! Can't you see Kitamura-san needs a seat?"
"Hehe, Kitamura-san, please sit!"
"Kitamura-san, drink some water. Careful not to get heatstroke!"
Kou stared at his noisy teammates, completely speechless as he passively accepted their over-the-top hospitality.
"Oho, looks like you're pretty popular, Kou," Akaishi Osamu teased.
"Hmm? Akaishi, isn't it your turn to bat?" Kou asked in confusion when he noticed Akaishi sitting beside him.
"Uh... I got out on the first pitch."
Akaishi scratched his head awkwardly.
"That senior's pitching is seriously strong. I can't believe you actually hit a home run off him."
Seeing Akaishi's embarrassed expression, Kou couldn't help laughing.
"Hey! Stop chatting! It's our turn to field!" a senior shouted from the side.
"Let's go, partner," Kou said as he picked up his glove. "Let's enjoy the game."
In the end, Kitamura Kou pitched five innings in the game before moving to right field in the sixth.
His pitching line was astonishing:
13 strikeouts.
No hits allowed.
No runs.
No walks.
In the fifth inning, he faced Todoroki Raichi again.
This time, it took six pitches.
Raichi did manage to make contact, but it was only a ground ball rolling weakly in front of third base. He was thrown out before reaching first.
At the plate, Kou was just as terrifying.
In four at-bats, he hit:
Three home runs
One double
An explosive offensive performance.
The double came during his second duel with Sanada Shunpei. Unfortunately, the following batters failed to drive him home.
Sanada Shunpei himself was pulled after pitching five innings due to heavy exhaustion.
He allowed one home run and one double, giving up only one run.
However, he contributed nothing offensively.
After that, the game turned into a full-blown slugfest.
In the end, Team A won 14–13, taking the intra-squad game by a single run.
After the game ended.
"Here."
A third-year senior tossed a baseball to Kou.
"A commemorative ball for your first high school pitching appearance."
Kou caught it and stared at the ball in silence.
Although his personal performance had been incredible, the team had still lost.
Even if it was only an intra-squad game, someone as competitive as him couldn't help feeling frustrated.
"Honestly, how long are you planning to stay in a daze?"
The third-year senior nudged him lightly.
Kou snapped out of his thoughts.
"Cheer up. Show some spirit," another second-year said encouragingly.
"Senior, you're the last person who should be saying that," a first-year joked.
"What did you say, you brat?!"
The second-year pretended to be angry.
"Hahaha!"
The team burst into laughter.
"Anyway," the senior added, "you really did pitch well."
"Senior..."
Kou finally brightened a little.
"Alright! Chest out! Let's head back to the dugout!" Akaishi suddenly shouted.
"Yes!"
Everyone responded loudly.
Watching his lively teammates walking ahead, Kou couldn't help smiling.
"They really are a reliable bunch of teammates..."
He murmured quietly.
"Yakushi High School's baseball team... coming here really was the right choice."
He quickened his pace to catch up.
The setting sun bathed their youthful, smiling faces in warm orange light, radiating a vibrant energy.
Back at Clover Café.
The phone rang.
Momiji picked it up.
"Hello, Clover Café."
"Oh—Wakaba! How was the game? How did Kou do?"
"Oh... oh, I see."
"Got it."
She hung up.
"So? How did the game go?" Ichiyō asked.
"We don't need to save the meat sauce pasta anymore," Momiji replied.
"So the miracle didn't happen," Ichiyō said with a smile.
"Ahhh, I'm starving!"
Momiji suddenly changed the subject.
"Sister Ichiyō, make some meat sauce pasta for me!"
That night at Clover Café.
"Good evening, Sister Ichiyō."
Kou walked in and greeted her.
"Oh, Kou! You're here. What would you like?" Ichiyō asked warmly.
"Uh... I'll have a bowl of meat sauce pasta."
From the side, a sarcastic voice rang out.
"Someone sure has thick skin. Showing up for meat sauce pasta even after losing."
It was Tsukishima Aoba.
"Mind your own business! I didn't ask you to treat me!" Kou shot back, sticking out his tongue.
"Blee!"
"Alright, alright, Aoba. Kou actually performed really well today," Wakaba quickly said, grabbing Aoba before she could charge.
"Exactly. Stingy girl," Kou added recklessly.
"What did you say?!"
Aoba's anger instantly flared back up.
"You jerk! I'll teach you a lesson today!"
She struggled to break free from Wakaba's hold.
"Kou, please say less too," Wakaba said helplessly. "I won't be able to hold Aoba back."
Kou immediately shut his mouth.