MaruMA:Doujinshi1:Story4

July 20th, Ocean Day, Fine weather

By Takabayashi Tomo

There are no high school baseball players, who do not aim for the Koshien. Not even the baseball kid who can't dream of it.

After ten years, a summer with no baseball has arrived.

There's an abysmal difference between the municipal stadium, and the public baseball field. Even though the light from the sun is the same, the sweat and the soul's passion is different.

Shibuya Yuuri was standing there, with his sport's bag on one shoulder and the cooler-box on the other.

On the other side of the rusty fence, a pre-Koshien game was on the way.

"Hey, Shibuya, what's with you all of a sudden?"

" ...They're at it, huh?"

With both of his shoulders occupied carrying bags just like him, the person who was tagging along, Murata Ken, followed Yuuri's line of sight and put the bag of food he had on his right hand on the ground. The dry white sand danced shortly in the air, and quickly settled.

"Ah, they're the prefecture qualifiers. That's right, soon the summer Koshien season will start, right?"

"I see Asahi has come ...."

The event that fills the dreams of high school baseball players across the country is about to begin.

A player whose legs were of a different dark brown color than that of the soil, with his arms and face completely tanned, was running swiftly, aiming for second base. The runner plunged into the base, as drops of sweat ran down his chin, which he then wiped with his fist.

"Oh! Nice steal!"

Even though they couldn't go all the way to the "Alps", a chorus composed of just men was cheering from the slope seats. Since there are still quite a few games left, I know that the amount of people cheering will increase.

"Right now, how many are there? How about for the semifinals? Or before that?"

"Dumb-head, like we could get these places during the semifinals. That's the prefectural empire. Maybe, up until the third round?"

"The third round, huh? Well, it doesn't really matter, because we're only looking through the fence. Everyone's waiting for us out in the field."

Murata raised the blue cap that he was forced to wear with a finger, and slightly touched Yuuri's back. He touched the T-shirt made of quick-drying material, with his index finger.

"Let's hurry up. It's hot and our teammates are getting dehydrated. But more importantly, why do I have to go shopping with you guys?"

"They are many points ahead, huh? Are they making fun of the catcher...?"

"Shibuya, hey, Shibuya, are you listening?"

"Ah no, it's because of "that". Because it's easy to steal from that pitcher."

The whistling and clapping started because of "that", but the amateur Murata didn't know the meaning of it. Sweat started dripping down his forehead, and he rubbed his hands together to distract himself. He secretly sighed, and asked again louder.

"What happened? What was stolen? The ball? The pitcher did "that", but what's "that"?

"No, it's just that the way he moves, it's easy to steal a base. But he does have an interesting style, right? I have never seen an arm move like that."

Other than the tanned color of his skin, the pitcher was very slim. After he finished throwing, he stayed like that, leaning forward, and balanced himself on one foot. The index finger of his right hand, abandoned to its own luck, was lowered so much that it probably touched the ground.

"Uwah~! It touched the ground. Uwah~! And now a strike! And now a straight ball!"

But he was also fast. The strange way he threw was outstanding, and it was a good ball that went right to the center.

"The world is really big, huh? There are many different styles. That's the high school baseball world for you."

The world that he was not pursuing.

That's the atmosphere that was created as soon as he finished saying those words.

"... It has been ten years."

"Of what?"

"Since the last time I had a summer with no baseball"

"Eh?!"

As he dropped the bag with food in it, Murata looked at his friend's face.

"What are you talking about, Shibuya? You frequently visit the dome even when you have tests, and today, for example, you'll watch the practices for the rest of the day, right? Even though it's the first day of the summer-break, you're not doing anything but immerse yourself in baseball as much as you want, right?

"Well, that's right but... "that" is not a hobby. It's very different from grass-lot baseball and extracurricular activities. But other people may not get it though, you know?"

"Then why did you ask a person who doesn't get it to help you around?"

"Eh? It's just that, we don't have a manager."

"Then recruit someone! Find a good-looking manager! That way you can even get a "shot" with her, right?"

"No one wants to manage a grass-lot baseball team. Even though there are girls who long for a baseball club, you know? Wow, what a reckless touch up. That guy's fast!"

The sound of a ball being hit by steel was heard, and the ball flew to the outfield. Accustomed to pro matches, the guy wearing the unfashionable black protector, intercepted the runner. He touched him from behind, as he was sliding towards the base.

"What's up with that? Compared to his body build, he's kinda weak."

"Shibuya"

"Mh?"

"You can enter one, you know? A club. A baseball club."

".... Wow, it's really something... the pro equipment is cool, huh? It protects your stomach, it's slim and simple"

"I cannot understand it well but... you know? If high school baseball and grass-lot baseball are different, then you can enter the baseball club. There are no rules that forbid you from joining during the middle of the school year, right?"

Yuuri grabbed onto the fence so tightly, that the pad of his fingers started to hurt. Three of his fingers were positioned in such a way that they resembled the grip of a fork.

"Because of my short temper, there was some trouble with the substitute coach, and no team wants me, you know?"

"I've heard that story many times but that happened in middle school, there's no way people in high school would know about... "

"It's written... in my school records."

"No way! It can't be."

"Well, they know somehow..."

While gazing past the back-screen, Yuuri smiled slightly.

"I don't care one way or the other anymore..."

All of his classmates knew that Yuuri had beat up the coach and was expelled from the baseball club. Rumors started to fly, and people said that he would get drunk after practices; that he would beat up octopuses with a golden bat; that he was being sexually harassed by the staff and that's why he did it. Irresponsible and unscrupulous rumors like that. But the majority of the students told the truth, and the rest of them treated him kindly. Because of that people did not make fun of him.

"Though, I've also heard another story...."

"Which one?"

"The notification that you would quit, you wrote it, right? In the classroom..."

He couldn't answer this question with an "Hmm..." or "Mhh.." and give a vague reply.

"Someone just happened to see you doing it in class... Is it true that you changed the date by one day?"

"Eh? The date? Like month or day? What would be the point of doing that...?"

"The submission date, you dated it one day prior to the day you hit the coach. Even if by any chance, the Board of Education were to find out about it, they wouldn't give so much trouble to a student that wasn't part of the club when he caused the incident. And they would also not suspend him from baseball club, right? So, is it true that you changed the date, to mess up with the other members of the staff?

"It's not like that, it isn't such an impressive story..."

"Tell me about it"

"All of that was just some made up bullshit. If I would have done that, such a good story have spread like wild-fire. That's because middle-school students love this kind of stuff. But I didn't, that guy must have made a mistake."

"Actually, I thought it was true..."　

Yuuri jerked his right hand quickly. The cool-box hanging from his shoulder, hit the concrete with a thump.

"Like I'd be smart enough to do that! In any case, purposely changing the date, would be perjury and forgery and it could get you in trouble."

"Your sense of justice didn't let you do it?"

"That's right..."

"Then, did you make the mistake unconsciously?"

"Well... "

Murata removed his glasses, and wiped the sweat off the corners. As if one single thread was pulling it from deep inside his heart, Yuuri stuttered at first.

"Tha... That could have happened though..."

"Hm...."

He knew it already, that Murata's high school was on a different level, that it was better. That it was far from the typical prefectural school Yuuri attended. That Murata Ken was the so-called elite.

As he usually did during the holidays, he was wearing his casual glasses, that accentuated in a good way, his oriental features. He couldn't rely on his manly or handsome looks, but there was a calm that did not suit his age in his thoughtful eyes; eyes that were not likely to lie or deceive.

He is better than I am.

As Yuuri looked away to follow up with the game, he thought this deep inside his heart. Wouldn't a guy like this, make a good leader?

"I can't do it. "

Unexpectedly, he answered out-loud, a question that no one had asked. But his friend continued to talk about the previous topic.

"Yeah, you absolutely can't do that, right? Something like that. Even if your own neck is on the line, you can't use someone else like that."

"Ah? AH! Yeah, that! Yeah, no, that was a misunderstanding! Something that came right out of the Weekly Story-Land!"

"But, there's no smoke without a fire. Something like that, even if the story was made up, those rumors stand by themselves, and everyone accepts them as proof."

"What's up with that super strong distrust, is that Murata-logic?"

"It's upsetting, huh? The Murata-logic."

He smiled innocently. By the way, it has been a while since the last time I paid attention to someone's face so intensely. And it wasn't like his face was so beautiful, he was an extremely ordinary Japanese guy.

"Being as it may, Shibuya."

"What?"

"I think some team would welcome you, though."

Eh? What would make you think that?! is the shocked question that Yuuri swallowed. Instead he sunk into his seat, as he received such a supportive response.

"Yes, yes."

The previous catcher, changing his attack and defense strategy, repeated a swing gesture as he approached the batter box.

The tanned substitute players in the coach's box were squatting as if they were about to start running.

The number that was covered by the back of the protector in the shape of a "Y", was now clearly visible. The high school catcher was carrying with pride the number 2 on his back.

Inadvertently he looked at his own wrist, the black numbers of the wristband which he got as a present for being a fan, standing out. It's the aspired 27, that covers the arm of that professional.

The player with the number 2 on his back, hit the ball far away with a daring swing.

".... But I, I can't ....."

If a stranger were looking, they would see a sad expression on his face, as Yuuri shook his head.

It would be nice, if the right person came with me.

Someone who would come with me and follow a different path.

"Ah! Hey, hey! He did it, it seems he got it Shibuya, a solo homer. It's the guy who was pitching a while ago, right? He sure redeemed himself, huh?"

"Uwah, a catcher that can make such an enviable long hit. I want someone like that in my team!"

"What are you talking about? Do it yourself."

"Yeah, you're right."

The only person with the trumpet, had the opportunity to march into combat. Since there were no sexy women cheering, the men line-danced and laughed holding each other's shoulders.

The home-run batter, pointlessly ran at full speed to return to the home base. His team welcomed him shouting praises through a yellow megaphone.

The dream was right there.

The dream he could no longer reach, was right before his eyes.

"Dammit it."

With a gesture unlike his words, Yuuri softly struck the fence.

"You should let the Koshien go."

Without knowing how his feelings were shouting, Murata gushed that out next to him. Knowing he could not reach that sparkle, just being so close to it, was extremely painful.

He looked up into the distance and pointed very gently.

"I let it go."

"Then I too, better hurry up and go, otherwise our excellent members are going to dehydrate. After all, since I'm the only manager of the Dandy Lions, I'm also in charge of their health. "

The cooler box that had fallen to the floor, returned to Yuuri's shoulder.

"Oh. What's with you? Were you not being honest Murata Ken?

"What?"

"If you wanted to be a full-fledged manager, you just needed to say so. Well, then for starters, you have to prepare a meal for 15 people for next week's practice game...."

"Who would want that?"

"Eh?! It's just that everyone would! A home-made lunch made by the manager!"

"Yeah, but this is not high school baseball. "

The infielder, tired of waiting, looked for Yuuri and waved. To protest their thirst, their team-mates held their throats with both hands and stuck out their tongues. It was no wonder, as there wasn't a single cloud in that fine midsummer day, and the same sun was shining above them all.

Shibuya Yuuri took out an ice pack and threw it at the shortstop university student. He pretended to enter the base cover, exaggerating the coldness of the item he had caught.

For the first time in my life, a grass-lot baseball summer has arrived.

July 20th, Ocean Day, Fine weather ■

-There's a little bit of meaning behind the mixing of kanji characters and katakana

---

Special note from the translator:

So Murata and Yuuri are at the Koshien with their grass-lot baseball team, practicing. But the practice game they're watching while they talk is not their team's. They're watching some other high school baseball teams practicing for the Koshien. As you can imagine, grass-lot baseball teams cannot participate in the tournament, that's why Murata told Yuuri to give it up and focus on his grass-lot baseball team.

By the way, you might have noticed that half-through the story that was being told in the 3rd person, Yuuri's thoughts pop up in the 1st. That's exactly what it was like in the original too.

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