July 23, 2010, the day before the semi-finals of the West Tokyo University.
Nihon University Third High School Baseball Training Ground.
Yoshinaga Kentarou stood in the bullpen dedicated to pitcher warm-ups, nodded at his catcher partner Suzuki Takahiro squatting in the distance, and after confirming the signal, he began to pitch.
He turned his body, raised his front foot, mustered his strength, twisted his body to power his arm—"swoosh" went the baseball as it whipped through the air toward the catcher.
Yoshinaga's movements were fluid and powerful, and you could even hear a subtle sonic boom from the arm's motion cutting through the air.
"Pop!" The baseball plunged into Suzuki Takahiro's glove, immediately creating a thunderous sound that filled the entire bullpen.
"145 km/h!!!" Holding a speed gun, Kanezaki Reiya, who was standing behind the catcher, exclaimed excitedly: "Kentarou-san, your pitch speed finally broke 145 km/h!!!"
Even though he was prepared when the ball left his hand, Yoshinaga Kentarou couldn't help but clench his fist in excitement when he heard his teammate's confirmation, then celebrated with his surrounding teammates.
Yoshinaga Kentarou, a second-year student at Nihon University Third High School, currently serves as the second pitcher in the baseball club;
The one squatting and catching for him on the baseline was Suzuki Takahiro, also a second-year student, Yoshinaga Kentarou's best friend and partner;
And the one measuring the speed behind Suzuki Takahiro was Kanezaki Reiya, currently the team's second first baseman, a year younger than Yoshinaga and Suzuki.
If nothing unexpected happens, the three of them will become the mainstay players of Nihon University Third Baseball Club's first team after this summer, as the third-year seniors retire.
As future mainstays, they should hold themselves to higher standards—this is why, even with the West Tokyo Conference semi-finals tomorrow, Yoshinaga Kentarou arranged extra practice with his teammates.
"Wow, has Kentarou really broken through 145 km/h? Congratulations, congratulations! Truly worthy of being my junior!"
A lazy voice came from outside the bullpen door in the distance, and a baby-faced figure soon came into view, smiling broadly at the gathered trio of second-year students.
Upon seeing the baby face, the second-year trio immediately stood at attention and bowed toward the visitor, greeting: "Good morning, Yamazaki-senpai!"
The baby-faced youth named Yamazaki waved his hand: "Oh, how many times have I told you, there's no need to be so formal with me; even though I am your senior, we are all teammates in the same team, no need for all this formality."
Then, the baby-faced youth put his hands on his hips and feigned anger: "And how many times have I told you not to call me Yamazaki-senpai, just call me Fukuya—and if you really can't bring yourself to do that, then call me Fukuya-senpai. If any of you forgets again, I'll have the captain make you clean the locker room as a punishment!"
The high school baseball team's locker room, especially after every training and match, was a somewhat pungent ordeal—hearing this, the trio immediately corrected themselves: "Yes, Fukuya-senpai."
Seeing his juniors' nervous looks, Yamazaki Fuyuki, pleased with his successful prank, smiled smugly, then said to Suzuki Takahiro: "Takahiro, I want to throw a few balls to warm up, can you catch for me?"
"Yes, senpai!" Suzuki Takahiro didn't dare delay and immediately gave a positive response.
-----------------
"Fukuya-senpai truly is the best pitcher in all of Tokyo; those pitches that I found hard to control, Fukuya-senpai just 'whoosh' and threw them perfectly."
Sitting on a bench in the resting area, fellow pitcher Yoshinaga Kentarou watched Yamazaki Fuyuki pitch ahead of him, and couldn't help but sigh in admiration:
"Ahh—, I wonder if I'll ever become as skilled as Fukuya-senpai someday!"
He then added:
"And Fukuya-senpai is really kind, always wearing a smile, being the first to console opponents after winning a game, and always comforting everyone with a smile after losing—his heart seems to possess infinite strength, it's really awe-inspiring!"
Hearing Yoshinaga Kentarou's admiration, Kanezaki Reiya leaned close to his ear and whispered: "Um... I think I know a bit about why Fukuya-senpai is like that."
"Actually... Fukuya-senpai..."
"Actually what"
"Actually, Fukuya-senpai, he's... he's been sick!"
Upon hearing this, Yoshinaga Kentarou jumped up: "You're the one who's sick! Don't you say that about my respected senior, you jerk—mfff mfff—"
"Keep your voice down!!!" Kanezaki Reiya hurriedly stood up to cover Yoshinaga's mouth, pressing him back to the seat, and quickly explained: "I didn't mean Fukuya-senpai is currently sick, I meant he had a serious illness before!"
"Here's what happened..."
-----------------
After a light warm-up, Yamazaki Fuyuki got up to bid farewell to his juniors—after all, with a starting pitch tomorrow, he just did a little feel-out practice today, no need to overdo it.
On the way back to the dorm, Yamazaki Fuyuki couldn't help but shake his head: the juniors must have learned about his story.
Although they hid it fairly well, the sympathy in their eyes was too obvious—since middle school, he had seen that look so many times.
Three years ago, when Yamazaki Fuyuki was in middle school, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and the doctor gave a prognosis, stating the chances of a cure were less than 10%.
Yamazaki Fuyuki still couldn't forget seeing his parents crying secretly after hearing the news, and the sympathetic gazes people gave him—at that time, even he felt hopeless.
However, Yamazaki Fuyuki still remembers that one day very vividly—on the eve of his brain tumor surgery, someone gave him boundless strength.
Upon reaching the dorm door, Yamazaki Fuyuki opened it—his room walls were covered with posters of that person.
It was March 20, 2008, the opening day of the new season in Japanese professional baseball, and at his insistent request, his father took him to the Sapporo Dome to watch the game between the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
In that game, the ace pitcher of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, Yu Darvish, took the mound as the starter and eventually pitched a complete game shutout—his tall and imposing stance and graceful, fluid pitching delivered immense strength to Yamazaki Fuyuki.
The next day at Hokkaido University Hospital, Yamazaki Fuyuki underwent brain tumor surgery. The surgery was very successful, giving him a new lease on life.
Since then, Yamazaki Fuyuki's face always held a smile, facing any adversity with the most optimistic attitude.
After all, for someone who almost died once, what do these hardships count as?
Looking at the walls covered in posters, the closet stocked with number 11 jerseys, and the signed baseball by Yu Darvish on the table, Yamazaki Fuyuki felt he drew infinite strength from them.
For tomorrow's game, Yamazaki Fuyuki didn't have any special thoughts—pitching with all his strength, treating every game as the last, this is Yamazaki Fuyuki's life motto.