At last, on a downhill slope, she caught up with Horikita Manabu and asked, "Horikita-senpai, why are you here? I can't stop brooding over what Takahashi-senpai said—were you the one pulling the strings behind all this?"
"...Sigh. I really shouldn't have come to see the outcome myself. You seem quite angry, Classmate Yukinoshita."
Horikita adjusted his glasses and turned around.
"You've wanted Chen Yao to transfer from the start, but give it up. He has no intention of going to Koudo Ikusei High School. You know he acts on his own convictions; even if you force him, he won't set foot in that school!"
Yukinoshita Yukino warned.
Horikita only smiled. "You seem a bit slower than your older sister, Classmate Yukinoshita. If she were here, she'd have guessed far more than you. What makes you so sure Mr. Chen Yao won't attend Koudo Ikusei High School?"
Yukinoshita frowned. "What do you mean..."
"Let me spell it out. As long as all of you stay in Japan, he'll do everything he can to remain here. Japan is a closed country; no matter how loudly it claims to be open and international, a foreign student is still a foreigner. However excellent, he's an outsider in the eyes of teachers and Classmates. A trivial issue becomes infinitely magnified when it's pinned on a foreign student—that's the reality of ordinary high schools."
Horikita chuckled. "Guess what happens when Sobu High School finally bows to pressure from the parents' association and expels Classmate Chen. To avoid leaving you all, what choice will he have? If I simply hand him a transfer acceptance letter, do you think he'll refuse? For the sake of his dreams and for the friends he holds dear, that's exactly what he'll want to do."
A chill ran through Yukinoshita; she had to admit that students of Koudo Ikusei High School were frighteningly adept at schemes. When the time came, that would be Chen Yao's only way to keep chasing his dreams and living the life he wanted.
"...Why on earth do you want Chen Yao to transfer to Koudo Ikusei High School?"
Yukinoshita stared at Horikita and asked the very question Takahashi Ryosuke had posed.
On the slope, Horikita fell silent. His clothes were soaked by the rain as he looked quietly at Yukinoshita. "Next spring, I'll graduate."
"By then, I'll need to gather a few people's strength—if only to add the slightest hope of preventing certain things from happening."
Having said what clearly weighed on him, Horikita turned away without another word, walked to the school car, and rode off.
Yukinoshita stood bewildered. What did it mean? Was Japan's top-tier high school about to face some upheaval next year?
~·~·~·~·~·~·~·~·~·~·~
After the rain, Gunma Prefecture's streets were clean and quiet. Beneath the streetlights, the FC idled behind the 86. Takahashi Ryosuke took a drag from his cigarette and asked across to Takumi, "You're strong, but it feels like you raced tonight for your friend's sake. What's your name?"
"I'm Fujiwara Takumi."
Takumi looked at Takahashi and introduced himself.
"Actually, I'm planning a Kanto Speed Project. I meant to start next year, but the black rain pirates forced me to move it up. I never expected Mount Akina to hide two such fast drivers; I'm delighted. Still, you beat him to keep Chen Yao out of this mess, didn't you?"
Takahashi asked.
Fujiwara Takumi scratched his cheek and looked away. "A-Yao's dream is to be a manga artist. As his friend, I ought to help him at a time like this. As for racing... I'm not really interested."
"Your driving says otherwise. It felt like you calmed a rampaging friend the moment he lost control. Fujiwara Takumi, become a street racer. Helping a friend may have started you on this journey, but in time you'll grow into something even greater."
Takahashi said with a smile.
He climbed back into the FC and left the AE86. By the outcome of this match he had lost, yet he still hoped for another run against that NSX; the NSX had extraordinary potential, and if chance allowed, he wanted that longed-for second race.
At the foot of Mount Akina, Yukinoshita made a phone call, rode here in the teacher's car, and came alone to check on her charge, Chen Yao.
The white NSX stood parked by the lake. Chen Yao sat on the ground, the breeze off the water lifting his black hair; he looked somewhat dejected.
"Hmph—don't tell me even thick-skinned you can feel down over something like this," Yukinoshita said.
"Losing in something you thought you were pretty good at stings a bit," Chen Yao answered, back still toward her.
"At the end you were clearly racing just to win. You ignored the Service Club's advice—honestly, you're impossible..."
Yukinoshita sighed, scolding him anyway; she had rushed all the way to Gunma to stop him.
Yet seeing this usually proud boy suddenly deflated made her uneasy. "Your friend helped you, and his technique was brilliant, but you almost beat that famous racer. Your friend had home-course advantage..."
"No—I understood Takumi's intent. In the final corner I couldn't find the right moment to drop a wheel into the gutter; too fast, too slow, or too tight and I'd crash. But Takumi could, and he strung gutter entries together instantly—amazing skill and instinct..."
Chen Yao turned to Yukinoshita, grinning with bright fascination. "Racing is incredibly deep—and fun.
Yukinoshita Yukino stared in mild astonishment at the exchange student whose hair was teased by the lake wind; seeing how much he was enjoying himself, she finally smiled too.
Looks like she'd worried for nothing—Chen Yao would keep striding steadily toward the life he wanted. Chapter 033: Please Let Me Be Your Apprentice.
3 p.m., 2 July—Hachioji Senior High baseball diamond.
The huge stands were packed; the scoreboard blazed that the match between Chiba's Sobu High and Hachioji Senior High was in full swing.
Colored streamers snapped across the green field, and cheers rolled in like breakers, each louder than the last. Hachioji, a sports powerhouse, had cheerleaders occupying an entire section.
[Beep-beep-beep! Beep-beep-beep! Beeeeeeep!]
The shrill field-whistles, drums and brass band made it feel like a festival, pushing the atmosphere to fever pitch.
"Ugh, it's so loud..."
Down front, a sakura-pink-haired girl sat with her family, stuck at Japan's summer high-school classic. The crowd horrified her; only a winning ticket had dragged her here.
"Why did I have to draw five seats? If I'd missed, I could've stayed home..."
She clamped her hands over her ears, chanting that she was alone, trying to soothe her timid heart.
Goto Hitori, a first-year at Shuhua High, had the looks and figure to stand out—especially that pink hair—yet severe social anxiety had Classmates nickname her "the zashiki-warashi in the wardrobe.
"Just let it end quickly..."
She whispered from the stands; nearby spectators mistook her for praying for her team.
Japan really loves baseball—every seat jammed. She wondered: aren't the players scared?
A sharp crack rang out; the crowd erupted as the ball soared. The batter flung his bat and sprinted.
He flew around the bags; amid Hachioji's fumbled throws he slid home, stealing the first run.
"Oooooooh~~~~"
Local fans groaned; the cleanup hitter jogged back, still smiling without a cheer.
"Amazing, that lead-off man..."
Goto Hitori thought.
In this silent away stadium, he'd scored untouched.
~·~·~·~·~·~
Back in Sobu High's dugout, Chen Yao—uniform dusty—found the Service Club waiting.
"Brilliant, Yao-kun—one run already!"
Yui Yuigahama clapped from the bench.
"Thanks, thanks—flattered."
Chen Yao grinned, then narrowed his eyes. "Why are you three here?"
"Hiratsuka Shizuka said this 32-strong knockout match could be our best record ever," Yukino Yukinoshita answered, sipping coffee. "Hence the Service Club must keep correcting your twisted character, so here we are, Mr. Chen Yao."
"But if you exhaust yourself, what then? The rest of the team looks half-asleep."
Hachiman Hikigaya glanced around—errors and strikeouts everywhere. Without ace Chen Yao they'd be rated third-rate.
"Doesn't matter. Nine-tenths of baseball rests on the starting pitcher; Coach Yoshida Tatsuku is banking on me for the full game."
Chen Yao shrugged.
Sudden noise swept the field: Hachioji's No. 16 pitcher appeared.
A pretty, almost effeminate ace, he drew squeals from the girls—proof that a handsome player becomes the star.
"Who's that?"
Yukinoshita asked.
"Hachioji's pitcher, Yakumo Tenkuu," Yui smiled. "Decent arm, and wildly popular in Kanto."
"Decent? Then never mind."
Yukinoshita returned to her coffee.
"Just a bit pretty—why flaunt it? This is a ballpark, not an audition," Hachiman muttered.
"Exactly. How can he concentrate? I despise men who trade on looks—this isn't a Male Dancer revue," Chen Yao added.
The whole Sobu bench nodded in disdain, team spirit oddly lifted.
Soon, the game reached the half-inning switch, and the Hachioji cheer squad sprang back to life. One had to admit that with such thunderous support and the locals roaring, even Yukinoshita Yukino and the others were shaken by the opposing school's momentum. A player with weak nerves could easily choke under the pressure, and even Yukinoshita felt her composure slipping.
Yui Yuigahama watched, impressed. "Honestly, Yao-kun is amazing. He's their ace pitcher, right? He has to strike out every single batter from here. Staying calm in this atmosphere is incredible."
Yukinoshita shook her head. "It's fine. Classmate Chen Yao's skin is thick; this noise probably won't bother him."
Hachiman Hikigaya listened with mild exasperation—thick skin isn't the same as mental toughness. In the stands, Goto Hitori felt the crowd's excitement surge as fans raised their boards, pounding out cheers for Hachioji. The roar was so overwhelming that even neutral spectators sensed a pressure they'd never felt before.
"So strong… this momentum… even I'm getting scared. Can a team from Chiba handle this?"
She looked down. On the field, the Sobu High infielders paled under the tsunami of cheers, visibly flustered. Yet on the mound, the Sobu ace—cap low—stood surrounded by thousands. He tilted his head, scanned the stands, and showed no fear.
——[Pitcher #1, Sobu High School, Chen Yao.]
The announcer's voice rang out, naming the Sobu ace who had just slid home with the go-ahead run.
Thousands of eyes fixed on the handsome second-year ace standing on the rubber. Goto Hitori's family among them watched the boy whose gaze burned like a banner planted in the center of the diamond.
He rocked into his motion and snapped off a breaking ball—one, two, three pitches—and Hachioji's cleanup hitter, Yotah lefty, was sent back to the dugout.
"..."
Goto Hitori sat transfixed, awed and moved by the pitcher's dominance.
"Sis, that pitcher is so calm—he doesn't look scared at all."
Her younger sister, Goto Eri, nudged her and smiled.
"Uh… yeah. He's amazing—must be nice going to a top school…"
Goto Hitori murmured.
"No, it's not about grades. I watched—during play, even back in the dugout, his teammates barely talk to him. He scored the run, yet they ignore him. It's like he's isolated. But he still works so hard and stays positive. I think he's incredibly strong."
Little Goto Eri spoke with childish candor.
That surprised Goto Hitori. She studied the field again and realized it did look as if the pitcher were alone. How could someone so isolated look so happy and free out there?
The game entered its final phase, and the famous Hachioji heart-throb Yakumo Tenku stepped in again, prompting squeals from the Hachioji girls.
"Sobu's #1, don't you dare hit my Yakumo with a wild pitch—I'll never forgive you!"
"A weak baseball school from Chiba—don't get cocky!"
Yakumo's fan club shouted across the field, breaching etiquette. Yet Goto Hitori saw Chen Yao's lips curl into a meaningful smile at their taunts.
He took a deep breath and, with everything he had, unleashed three blistering pitches. Yakumo never even reacted; he was struck out swinging.
——[There it is! A 145 km/h heater—can a high-schooler really throw that fast!?]
The stadium erupted, stunned by the ace's velocity. TV cameras zoomed in on the delicate and pretty pitcher, and Goto finally saw his face clearly.
Ignoring the furious Yakumo fans, Chen Yao kept firing tough pitches, completely shutting down Hachioji and sealing the road victory.
——[Player of the Game: Sobu High #1, Classmate Chen Yao.]
As confetti drifted down, Goto Hitori felt an inexplicable surge of emotion. Amid the team's celebration, the ace stood alone yet looked utterly content and powerful—so much so that she wanted to learn from him.
After the final out, spectators filed out. The Goto family waited in the front row until the stands thinned before standing to leave.
Walking through the concourse, her father and sister needed the restroom; her parents and little sister went off in search of facilities, leaving her leaning against a wall to wait.
"Phew… baseball's actually pretty fun. All right, when I get home I'll try writing a song about it…"
As she waited, Goto Hitori began composing in her head what a baseball song should sound like.