The Seido High dorm thrummed with a weird vibe that night. Goro Shigeno showing up had messed with the team's flow, like everyone was trying to figure out if they should be impressed, jealous, or just plain confused. Even Eijun, who usually missed all the subtle stuff, felt it big time. He was tossing and turning, picturing Goro's crazy fastball over and over.
"Can't sleep, idiot?" Furuya Satoru, Mr. Always-Serious roommate, mumbled from his futon.
"Shigeno-san… he's something else, huh?" Eijun blurted out, not even trying to hide how impressed he was. "Those pitches are insane."
Furuya just grunted. "Strong."
Eijun puffed up a little. "I can be strong too! Just you wait and see! I'll show him, I'll show everyone!" He punched the air, nearly sending his manga collection flying.
Furuya didn't even blink. "Show me tomorrow, then."
Practice the next day felt like walking into a room full of static electricity. Goro was just doing his thing, all focused and intense, like he didn't even notice the twenty pairs of eyes glued to him. Coach Kataoka, with his usual hawk-eyes, decided to stir the pot.
"Scrimmage today," he announced, his voice all business. "Shigeno, you're with the second-string. Sawamura, you're batting against him."
Eijun's stomach did a flip-flop. This was it. His chance to prove he wasn't just some loudmouth country bumpkin. He grabbed his mitt, feeling that rush of adrenaline he always got. He could practically feel everyone watching him, sizing him up.
He stepped into the batter's box, and there was Goro on the mound, face like stone. The air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Eijun gripped the bat, knuckles white. "Okay, Sawamura, chill. Just focus," he told himself.
Goro wound up, smooth and powerful. The ball came screaming at him, faster than anything he'd ever seen. He swung with everything he had, but whoosh, it was past him in a blur. Strike one.
Eijun bit back a curse. He wasn't going to let this guy intimidate him. He adjusted his stance, eyes locked on Goro. Another fastball, even faster this time. He swung again, making contact, but it was a weak grounder that dribbled right to the shortstop. Strike two.
The pressure was crushing him. He could feel the disappointment from his teammates like a physical weight. He couldn't strike out. Not against Shigeno. He took a deep breath, trying to slow his racing heart.
Goro just stared him down, eyes like burning coals. He went into his windup again, and this time, Eijun noticed something. A tiny change in his grip, a little shift in his weight. "He's gonna throw a breaking ball," Eijun realized.
He adjusted his swing, guessing where the curve would be. The ball dipped hard, but he was ready for it. He connected with a satisfying crack, sending the ball flying. It sailed over the infield, heading for the outfield fence.
The outfielders scrambled back, eyes glued to the ball. It landed with a thud, just short of the fence. A long single.
Eijun stood on first base, breathing hard, a huge grin spreading across his face. He'd done it. He'd gotten a hit off the Goro Shigeno.
Goro, though, didn't react at all. Just a quick nod, then he turned back to the mound. The scrimmage went on, with Goro pretty much shutting everyone else down. But Eijun's hit had definitely shaken things up. Made Goro look… human, almost.
After practice, Eijun found Goro packing up. "Shigeno-san!" he called out, a little breathless. "Nice pitch! But hey, I got a hit off you, you know!"
Goro stopped and turned around, giving him that intense stare. "You got lucky," he said flatly. "Don't let it go to your head."
Eijun's grin wavered. "I'm not letting it go to my head! I just meant…"
"You want to be a great pitcher, Sawamura?" Goro cut him off. "Then stop running your mouth and start working. Talent's not enough. You need to bust your butt, have discipline, and want it more than anyone else."
He slung his bag over his shoulder and walked off, leaving Eijun standing there, trying to process everything. Goro Shigeno wasn't just some hotshot pitcher. He was a force to be reckoned with, a total competitor. And Eijun knew that if he wanted to even get close to his level, he had to push himself harder than he ever had before.
That night, Eijun stayed late at the field, throwing ball after ball into the net. He focused on his form, his control, that fire inside him burning hotter than ever. He wouldn't be outdone. He wouldn't be in anyone's shadow. He was going to become the best pitcher he could be, even if it meant going up against the impossible challenge of Goro Shigeno. The battle lines were drawn, and the diamond was about to explode.