Chapter 20.5: Hayasaka Akane 

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Hayasaka Akane circled around the backstop, heading toward the Team Sakura Heights bench.

“I get it. I totally understand what Kirishima-kun’s thinking.”

She said it in a small voice, as if convincing herself.

“It’s fine, I can do this properly. I can do it now. I mean, I like Touno-san too. Playing baseball together like this is fun. That’s what’s great about it, and that’s what Kirishima-kun chose……”

Akane reached the Team Sakura Heights bench, adjusted her cap, and stood next to Touno Akira with a nonchalant expression.

“Eh, wait, Hayasaka-san!?”

Akira was startled, flustered.

“Um, uh, well……”

“You came off the mound, huh?”

“Ah, yeah.”

“I did too, so let’s watch together.”

Akane stood beside Akira, watching Yamame-sou’s final attack in the bottom of the ninth. Akira looked somewhat awkward. She’d been provocative since practice, so having her rival suddenly stand next to her was surprising.

But eventually, Akira steeled herself and spoke.

“Hayasaka-san, you—”

That’s when it happened.

The sharp crack of a metal bat echoed. Tachibana had made contact. Cheers erupted from the Yamame-sou bench.

As the cheers died down, before Akira could continue, Akane spoke.

“Touno-san, your feelings are wonderful.”

“Huh?”

“You really love Kirishima-kun, don’t you? That’s why you get jealous and worry about his past relationships.”

“That’s……”

“But it’s okay,” Akane said.

“You’re his ‘girlfriend,’ after all. Kirishima-kun chose you.”

“Chose……”

“I think Kirishima-kun’s probably not looking at the past anymore. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have a girlfriend. I believe he understands what it means to make someone his girlfriend.”

“Is that…… how it works?”

“Yup. I guarantee it. The bond between you and Kirishima-kun is real. Have more confidence.”

At that moment, another cheer went up. The Sakura Heights pitcher mishandled a bunt, leaving no outs with runners on first and second.

Watching the excited Yamame-sou bench, Akane said,

“You’re surrounded by so many fun things, Touno-san.”

“Y-Yes!”

Akira said, also looking at the Yamame-sou bench.

“The best thing about the Yamame-sou folks is how they give their all to everything. Even though they’re not great at sports, when it comes to baseball, they dive in with festival-level enthusiasm. It’s amazing.”

Akane and Akira watched the Yamame-sou residents play with high spirits for a while. Eventually, Akira murmured,

“Right, I’m his ‘girlfriend,’ aren’t I?”

Akira’s expression brightened.

“That’s right, that’s right. Now that I think about it, I’m probably the only one who’d fall for such a quirky kimono-wearing weirdo.”

“Totally. Fishing, playing strange instruments.”

Lately, I’ve been understanding him so well, Akira said.

“Even when I’m walking around Kyoto, I’ll think, ‘He’d probably like the pattern on this kimono,’ or ‘He’d love this café.’ And when I tell Kirishima-san, I’m always right.”

“That’s impressive.”

“Since it’s autumn, I figured he’d be craving sanma, and when I went to his room, he was already setting up a shichirin. Or in winter, when he got a kotatsu, I thought, ‘He’s probably stuck there,’ and sure enough, he was.”

Akira spoke happily.

“I just get all of it.”

“That’s great.”

Hayasaka gazed distantly at the field as she spoke.

“Yes. Since we’re always together…… because I’m his girlfriend, I understand. I think being his girlfriend means understanding him like that.”

“Yeah, exactly.”

“I’m feeling energized now! That’s right, I’m his girlfriend. I’m the girl who understands Kirishima-san the most. You were right, Hayasaka-san. I should have more confidence in that!”

That’s when it happened.

The Yamame-sou bench erupted even louder. The eighth batter got hit by a pitch, loading the bases with two outs. A home run could reverse the game.

“Oh my, they’re hanging in there,”

Akira said.

“I’d rather not have him going around shouting ‘fire prevention’ on winter nights. Once might be fun, but every night? That’s just cold.”

Then, Kirishima stepped into the batter’s box.

“Hayasaka-san, what do you think will happen in this game?”

“Huh?”

“Do you think Kirishima-san will hit? What’s your take, commentator Hayasaka-san?”

“No idea~”

Akane said.

“You know, baseball’s a drama without a script, right? So you never know. As you’re well aware, announcer Touno-san.”

But Akira pressed, “Come on, give me something.”

“Even a wild guess is fine.”

“Ugh~”

“Just a little game.”

Since Akira insisted, Akane prefaced with, “Just for fun, okay?” before saying,

“Kirishima-kun will hit.”

“Huh?”

That’s when it happened.

The sound of a fastball smacking the mitt rang out, and the Sakura Heights bench roared. Kirishima had swung and missed the first pitch. After a few pitches, he was down to two strikes.

“Th-That startled me,”

Akira said.

“You said it so seriously, Hayasaka-san, I thought he might actually hit.”

Then came the full count, two strikes, three balls.

Kirishima was completely off on timing. But—

“He’ll hit.”

Akane said, staring at the field.

“Kirishima-kun will hit.”

At that moment,

A sharp, metallic clang rang out as the bat connected, and the white ball soared into the blue sky.

The ball stretched far, tracing a beautiful arc, flying over the riverbank field and beyond the embankment.

It was a walk-off grand slam.

“See?”

Akane said with a wry smile.

“He does stuff like this. That’s just how Kirishima-kun is—”

But Akane stopped mid-sentence. Akira’s face was filled with despair.

“T-Touno-san, what’s wrong?”

“I……”

Akira said.

“I thought there was no way Kirishima-san would hit. So I was planning to comfort him after the game. Maybe give him a shoulder massage or buy his favorite fish at Nishiki Market—stuff like that.”

“Yeah……”

“But you, Hayasaka-san, you knew this would happen. You understood Kirishima-san better than me, his girlfriend…… and more than that……”

You believed in Kirishima-san.

Akira said.

“Hayasaka-san, you really are—”

“No.”

Akane shook her head.

“It’s nothing special. I just said something, and it happened. I said Kirishima-kun would hit, and he did. That’s all there is to it. It doesn’t mean anything.”

Kirishima rounded the bases and returned to home plate, receiving rough congratulations from his teammates.

Akane watched with distant eyes, repeating softly, “That’s all there is to it,” with a hint of loneliness.