The High School Weekend League began.
I became an official baseball team member, and my daily routine changed a little.
I tend to wake up quite early in the morning.
Our school starts at 8:00 AM, so I have to hurry originally anyway, but these days, somehow I'm arriving at school before 7:00 AM.
I heard some schools start at 9:00 AM, but that kind of leisure is far from my reality.
Still, strangely, I didn't feel like it was hard.
The reason was simple.
Because if I come to school at that time, the music specialty student Yu Se-ra is handling her violin.
An empty classroom, a hallway not yet awake, and the violin sound filling that space.
Starting the day with that sound wasn't as bad as I thought.
Rather, my mind became calm, and it felt like my complicated thoughts were organized for a while.
So I ended up arriving at school matching that time almost every day.
Originally, I went to school almost exactly at 8 o'clock.
But now, I am living a different life from the very start of the day.
It's nice to keep spending time with Yu Se-ra.
Sometimes we talk about each other's difficulties.
Se-ra talked about the parts where her playing was stuck or the burden of preparing for the Concours, and I carefully brought up baseball stories or things I was worried about these days.
Even without having a long conversation, we could know each other's state with just a short word or two.
Most of the time, I just sat next to her and listened to the violin sound.
With that sound as background music, I sometimes slept with my face on the desk, and when Se-ra requested, I filmed her playing on video.
It was okay even if we didn't do anything special.
It wasn't awkward even if we didn't necessarily speak, and that quiet air was rather comfortable.
To be honest, the fact that I just liked that time of the two of us being there was a big reason for coming early.
We made a promise, but it's not an obligation.
But now, naturally, I was getting used to this lifestyle.
Waking up in the morning and going to school used to be the most terrible thing, but now it has become my favorite time of the day.
Despite going to school much earlier.
( ❋ ❋ ❋ )
From 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, I attend classes just like other students.
Opening textbooks, taking notes, moving when the bell rings, and sitting down to listen again—it was a repetition.
On the surface, I might look like a diligent student, but honestly, I wasn't that good of a student.
My concentration didn't last long, and there was more time spent thinking about other things in my head.
So most class times passed regretfully.
But that doesn't mean I chatted or made noise.
Taking away other students' time is a bit...
I'm not exactly giving a bad impression to the teachers either.
There was a good point that arose after switching to a special athletic student.
Even though my grades weren't good, the scolding from teachers who dislike students with bad grades decreased.
Unlike general students, specialty students have to care more about other things than studying.
Thanks to that, school life itself became much more comfortable.
But these days, there is something that makes me feel exceptionally bad.
As I said, it's not because of classes.
It's because every break time, Lee Seung-min kept coming to find me and talk to me.
He didn't have any special business either.
How was practice today, is your condition okay, those kinds of meaningless stories.
At first, I just let it slide, but as it repeated, it bothered me subtly.
This... does he really come thinking of me?
The feeling that he comes too formally is strong.
What bothered me more was that after talking a few words with me, he naturally continued the conversation with Yu Se-ra.
Of course! The two must be close from before I knew them.
Unless you are a fool, you can know that.
So I didn't purposely intervene or try to change the atmosphere.
I just watched the two talking quietly from the side.
I pretended nothing was wrong on the outside, but honestly speaking, I didn't feel very good.
But I couldn't show it either. I wasn't in a position to say anything, and I didn't want to become a strange person for no reason.
So I just pretended not to know, pretended not to think anything, and let it pass.
Shall I say, just lying face down?
One side of my heart kept getting snagged, but I didn't have the courage to bring it up and say it.
I didn't want to get swayed by emotions for no reason and become more disheveled.
Putting aside the unpleasantness of break time for a moment, when the bell rang, I opened my book again and sat quietly in my seat.
I thought spending the day like that was the best I could do right now.
( ❋ ❋ ❋ )
When it becomes 4:00 PM, I leave the classroom and go to baseball training.
Now, not temporary but official uniforms came out, and only then did the reality of being a proper baseball team member start to sink in.
The feeling that I started baseball again.
That is important.
When I change my clothes and stand on the field, I felt the sensation that had been suppressed throughout class time loosening little by little.
My body was tired, but for this time at least, my thoughts became simple.
Because my position is a pitcher, my training time was also a little different from other players.
I didn't stay until the end repeating fielding and batting practice like the fielders.
Afternoon training was set to start at 4:00 PM and train only until 7:00 PM.
Warming up all together, playing catch in the bullpen, balance training, lower body exercises, and checking pitching form were the main contents.
And after doing defensive drills as a group, I throw the ball personally.
Then, before I knew it, 3 hours have passed.
I also heard that exactly this much is sufficient for a pitcher to digest.
And after eating dinner, other players go into night training.
After taking about 1 hour for meals and rest, from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
I don't do it.
Honestly speaking, it's because I feel self-conscious.
I was a free baseball team member, and I wasn't in a state where I had solidified my position by producing official results yet.
In that situation, training longer and more than others is a bit... you know?
Honestly, from the other players' perspective, it can be unfair.
They pay millions of won every month to receive coaching from the Coach and Manager and try to look good to get played in games, but suddenly I, who rolled in, receive training for free, get a uniform, get equipment, and on top of that, even play in games?
Wow... they could hate it.
So I chose to cleanly fill only the minimum set time.
Of course, the story could change as the league approaches.
They said that at that time, I could also participate in the night training that continues from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
It meant that depending on my physical condition or role, a time would come when I would have to throw more and prepare more if necessary.
But now was not that stage yet.
So for the time being, training from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM was my daily routine.
It was a short yet long time, but I was spending day by day persuading myself that that amount was appropriate for me right now.
And after practicing for about a month, finally...
I became able to throw the sinker.
Hahaha!
( ❋ ❋ ❋ )
When I returned home, I didn't just let the day pass.
After washing up, I sat at my desk and recalled today's training one by one, giving myself feedback in my own way.
Things like how the ball control was today, and how the feeling of the ball slipping out of my hand was different when throwing a strike versus when not.
After organizing it in my head, I naturally turned on Nutube.
I'm not turning it on to play.
It was time to learn again while watching underhand pitcher videos or pitch explanation videos.
Actually, asking Dad might be the fastest way.
Because there was a person close to the answer right next to me.
But strangely, the thought of wanting to receive Dad's help didn't occur to me.
I used to ask often before, but perhaps because he is a person who reached too high of a level, there are many times when his advice isn't helpful.
And now, above all...
The feeling of just wanting to try it myself without Dad's help was bigger.
From now on, let's try it alone. I felt that finding it alone and realizing it alone was the right step.
So I purposely didn't even look at Dad's side and decided to rely only on the video on the screen and myself.
Honestly, I asked about the sinker before, and 'Why throw that?' Is this a normal reaction...?
He could have at least taught me a trick to throw well through an acquaintance... Damn...
Am I only preparing for baseball diligently like this?
It would be great if I were, but I am not that diligent of a type.
At first, I definitely watch baseball videos, but...
After watching one or two, what happens next changes a little.
Before I knew it, I was clicking on an episode of a seasonal anime, then watching the next episode, and watching the next episode again.
Then I would be looking into the screen while lying on the bed, and when I came to my senses, I was already asleep.
Of course, I couldn't say this was good.
Still, honestly speaking, I can't completely miss out on this fun thing, right?
Didn't I listen to classes at school, do baseball training, and even do self-study?
This is the time that lets me endure the day after that.
It is almost the only time I can laugh or be immersed comfortably without thinking about anything.
It's my only joy.
No, since seeing Se-ra in the morning is also a joy now, it's not my only joy.
Anyway, unless I'm watching anime, I fall asleep thinking useless thoughts like this.
Around 12 to 1 o'clock?
I have to sleep at this time for tomorrow.
Because I have to wake up at 6.
(End of Chapter)
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