บท 10: [10] A Slight Difference
Chapter 10: A Slight Difference
That person—yes, whether it was in the original story or for the current Sawamura Eijun, that person held a uniquely significant place among the catchers at Seidou High School.
Even though he initially came to Seidou High because of Kazuya Miyuki, it was truly after meeting this person that Sawamura Eijun's baseball journey underwent an even greater transformation. When reading the original story in his past life, he felt the same way.
This person was of the utmost importance to Eijun during his time at Seidou High.
Seidou's former main catcher, a third-year upperclassman, the genius catcher—Takigawa Chris Yu.
This was the man Eijun called his mentor.
In Eijun's baseball career, Chris held a special significance and occupied a unique position.
Of course, at this time, Eijun had yet to meet Chris. Even after meeting him, Eijun didn't plan on making Chris his long-term battery partner. The only reason was that Chris was still in the midst of his rehabilitation. While it wasn't impossible for Chris to catch for him, the time had to be strictly controlled. It couldn't be too long, or it would put too much strain on Chris's shoulder, severely affecting his rehabilitation process. What Eijun hoped for was that in the future, in the pros or perhaps in the university league, he could form a true battery partnership with Chris once he had fully recovered.
"So, for now, I'll just stick with Kariba Wataru…" Eijun muttered softly as he swallowed a mouthful of rice.
"Hmm? Stick with who? Man, you've got quite the appetite, finishing your first bowl so quickly?"
As Eijun was contemplating his plans, a familiar mischievous voice reached his ears. Turning his head, Eijun was slightly taken aback to see Miyuki Kazuya standing beside him with a tray of food.
That mischievous smile at the corner of his lips and the teasing tone in his voice were all too familiar.
This was their second encounter, or perhaps it could be called their first close interaction.
"What's the matter? You don't mind if I sit here, do you?" Miyuki's familiar smile appeared in Eijun's line of sight, making him pause for a moment.
But before Eijun could say anything, Miyuki had already pulled out a chair and sat down next to him, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. This made Eijun's mouth twitch slightly.
It's a school cafeteria—you can sit wherever you want, no need to ask. But this guy just had to ask anyway.
On second thought, if you're going to ask, at least respect my answer, right? I haven't even said anything yet, and you're already sitting down like it's nothing. This isn't how it was supposed to go!
Hey!!!
Eijun couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
"Tsk tsk, you really cleaned your plate. And this morning, after running at dawn, you didn't even look tired. Seems like you've got quite the stamina, huh? I remember when I first came to Seidou, I could barely eat a bite," Miyuki commented as he took a bite of his food, sizing Eijun up with a look of genuine interest.
"Well, I grew up in the countryside, so I'm not like you, a city boy. I've been strong since I was little, so this level of stamina and appetite is totally normal for me," Eijun replied, fully aware that Miyuki wasn't some spoiled city boy. But he couldn't resist the chance to poke fun at him when the opportunity arose.
The serious expression on Eijun's face made Miyuki's expression stiffen slightly.
This kid...
Miyuki's face showed a hint of exasperation and amusement. He'd known from the start that this kid had a bit of a rebellious streak, but he hadn't realized just how much he'd underestimated him.
"Haha, you've got quite the personality! I like it," Miyuki laughed, giving Eijun a hearty slap on the back.
Caught off guard, Eijun rolled his eyes. This guy definitely took the opportunity to get back at him—such a sly and sneaky character.
Eijun's mouth twitched slightly, and he made up his mind that unless absolutely necessary, he would avoid interacting too much with this guy. Once he joined the first string, he'd have no choice, but for now, he'd steer clear whenever possible.
"I'm done eating. I'll be going now, Miyuki-senpai."
Since he hadn't yet joined the first string, and feeling it was better to keep a little distance from this dangerous person off the field, Eijun decided it was best to leave. Otherwise, he might get caught up in one of Miyuki's schemes without even realizing it.
"Hey, hey, Sawamura, you…"
Miyuki was slightly taken aback and was about to call out to Eijun, but before he could, Eijun had already disappeared as if he'd vanished into thin air, leaving Miyuki staring in surprise.
Am I really that scary?
Miyuki touched his cheek, mumbling to himself.
.....
After breakfast, it was time for the regular morning training session. The second- and third-year students naturally followed their usual training routines, with the first string and second string practicing separately. Those not on either team had their own distinct training programs.
As for the first-year students, their training focused solely on endurance and physical conditioning.
This was entirely normal. Nearly all junior high students, over 95%, are not ready to handle the intense training of a high school baseball team when they first arrive. Building a solid foundation through physical training is crucial for these first-year students.
In the original story, Miyuki and Eijun had a conversation that clearly explained this: the first year is mainly about building experience and strengthening one's stamina and endurance.
So, at this moment, all the first-year students on the field were engaged in basic physical training. While some of them might have felt some resentment, they kept it to themselves and didn't complain.
The more perceptive among them had already begun to notice a gap between themselves and the upperclassmen, a gap that became more apparent during breakfast. Even those who might not be the brightest but still had the arrogance to think they could immediately contribute to the team understood the importance of respecting their seniors and knew better than to act out.
In Japan, the hierarchy between upper and lower classmen, between seniors and juniors, is very strict.
Moreover, even with basic physical training, combined with the intense morning exercise and the three large bowls of rice they were expected to eat afterward, many of the first-year students were already struggling.
The only exception was Eijun, who seemed to handle everything with ease.
Thanks to his naturally strong physique and the fact that he had spent more than half a year consciously preparing himself for Seidou High's daily routines and training, Eijun had no trouble adapting.
This drew frequent glances from the surrounding upperclassmen.
This kid really is a bit different...
Among the first-year group, Eijun stood out, attracting quite a bit of attention. However, he didn't care about this in the least. As long as he focused on doing what he needed to do, that was enough.
Of course, building good relationships with his teammates was also important, but for now, other matters took precedence. The rest could be left to fate.
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