At Seidō High School, the baseball club had a longstanding dormitory rule: each room housed three players—one first-year, one second-year, and one third-year. That way, juniors could learn from seniors both on and off the field. Rare exceptions aside, classmates almost never shared a room.
For Liu Yong, that meant moving into a room with two upperclassmen—one a second-year, the other a third-year. And one of them was the very reason he had come to Seidō in the first place.
"Oh, so you're the new guy moving in? Welcome," said a voice from across the room.
Seated in a spinning chair, a teen with stylish glasses turned toward him, his lips curved in a faint, knowing smile.
Miyuki Kazuya.
The name alone sent a jolt through Liu Yong's chest.
There was no mistaking him. This was the Miyuki—Seidō's genius catcher, the "brain on the field," and the future core of the team once the third-years graduated. Even now, Miyuki's presence was irreplaceable. Without him, Seidō would lose at least half its tactical strength.
Liu Yong practically sparkled with joy. First Furuya and Kominato in his class, and now this? He felt like he had drawn the best possible hand from the deck of fate.
He stepped forward, bowed politely, and said,"Yes! Miyuki-senpai, I'm Liu Yong, an international student from China. I'll be in your care for the next two years!"
Respect for upperclassmen was a given in Japan, though Liu Yong made sure not to overdo it. After all, they were still close in age. (Not that Eijun ever cared—he only respected Chris-senpai. As for Miyuki? Their dynamic was… complicated. Let's not even go there.)
The third-year in the room, a quiet player named Inoue-senpai, wasn't on the first string, but he greeted Liu Yong warmly and helped him settle in. Liu Yong, in turn, treated him with due respect. They would be living together at least until the end of the summer tournament.
"China, huh? That's quite the leap—for high school, no less," Miyuki mused, twirling a pen between his fingers. His eyes sparkled with mischief, as if some inside joke had just occurred to him.
Liu Yong chuckled softly. "Well, I've always loved baseball. Back home, the popular sports are mostly basketball, football, and table tennis. Baseball does exist, but it's nowhere near as big as it is here in Japan. I wanted to receive real training and hopefully… become a pro."
His words were calm, sincere—not overly flattering, but filled with purpose.
Miyuki tilted his head slightly, his grin deepening. "Oh? Then you've come to the right place. Do your best at Seidō."
"Yes, Miyuki-senpai. Um, tomorrow's the tryout day, right? Do you know what time we're supposed to wake up? I don't want to be late on my first day."
Inoue-senpai had stepped out to run errands, leaving just Liu Yong and Miyuki in the room.
Miyuki leaned back. "Morning exercises start at 5:30 sharp. We run a pretty strict training schedule around here."
"5:30, huh? Then I'll set my alarm for 5. That should give me enough time," Liu Yong nodded. It was early, but manageable. He was used to 5 a.m. mornings back in China, especially during university military drills.
By 11 p.m., the room lights dimmed. The air in Tokyo still held a bit of that early spring chill. Liu Yong curled up in bed, staring at the ceiling.
Wasn't I forgetting something…? he frowned. The thought lingered but slipped away as he drifted off.
April mornings in Tokyo were still cloaked in pale mist. At 5:00 a.m., the sky remained dark.
Liu Yong groggily opened his eyes, slapped his cheeks gently, and sat up. His body adjusted quickly—he was used to this kind of schedule.
Inoue-senpai was already up and dressed, giving him a polite nod before stepping out with his toiletries.
As Liu Yong grabbed his own, ready to wash up, he froze.
Across the room, Miyuki Kazuya was still sound asleep, breathing peacefully under the covers.
And just like that, a flash of memory hit Liu Yong like a baseball to the face.
He slapped his forehead. "Oh. That's what I forgot."
In the manga… the morning of the tryouts…
Two legendary players were late.Sawamura Eijun—tricked by Kuramochi.Miyuki Kazuya—overslept.
Liu Yong couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.
"Miyuki-senpai! Please wake up!" he called, gently shaking the older boy's shoulder. "Senpai, it's five already!"
Miyuki groaned but showed no signs of waking. He rolled over and pulled the blanket tighter.
Liu Yong sighed. "I can't exactly throw cold water on him, right?"
Shaking his head, he backed off.
"Well, I tried. Buddha bless you, Miyuki-senpai," he muttered, offering a silent prayer. "I hope the director doesn't kill you."
And with that, he left the room with his toiletries in hand.
The early morning air was crisp and quiet. Liu Yong walked toward the washroom, thinking to himself:
This morning may be chilly, but for two poor souls, it's about to be a blizzard.
Miyuki Kazuya and Sawamura Eijun…Brothers in oversleeping.About to face the icy wrath of Director Kataoka Tesshin.