After the year-end party, we got a short break for the rest of the year. I would have preferred to stay in the comfortable dormitory with its three meals a day and a bath, but we were kicked out at the end of November. So, I returned to my parents' house for the first time in a long while.
My parents lived in a decades-old, two-story apartment building where we had resided since I was in kindergarten. Unlike wine, age hadn't improved the place. I moved into the dormitory in high school, so I had only lived there until I graduated from junior high.
My return home brought joy to my mother and sister. The apartment was adorned with Shizuoka Oceans merchandise and framed clippings from magazines and newspapers about me. My sister, proud of her minor league player brother, had nearly 100 pieces of colored paper prepared for autographs.
A few days later, I had a reunion with my high school baseball teammates. Yamazaki and Hirai were there, along with others who had gone on to play professional or college baseball.
"Hey, marathon runner," Yamazaki teased as soon as he saw me.
"Shut up, substitute," I retorted.
Hirai chimed in, "You're fast in both short and long distances. You may not have a talent for baseball, but you sure can run."
"Shut up, you damn gorilla."
Our other former teammates looked confused, not understanding our banter. The new year broadcast of the Twelve Teams Athletic Meet would explain it. Young players like us had competed in a relay race, with Shizuoka Oceans taking first place, and I contributed as the anchor. Hirai had impressed everyone with his strength, earning the nickname "gorilla" from the event's comedian host. Yamazaki, though just a reserve, had heckled us throughout.
Though underage, we couldn't drink, but the gathering was filled with the same old camaraderie, making it feel like high school again.
"But both Yamazaki and Hirai made their mark right away. They pitched a complete game victory on their first appearance and hit a home run in their first at-bat," said Terui, who continued playing baseball in college. Hirai, understanding my thoughts, added, "I'm sure Takahashi is a very late bloomer. He'll do well someday," tapping my shoulder. His support, though appreciated, was laced with unnecessary emphasis on my delayed success.
I had arranged to meet her the next day. We had spoken on the phone often, but it had been almost a year since we last met.
Seeing her again, she looked even more beautiful. She wore a white dress with a pink headband, her hair flowing to her shoulders. It was refreshing to see her out of her usual high school uniform.
"Hey, how have you been?"
"You look fine, Takashi."
"It's been a while since I last saw you. You must have looked stronger."
"That's true, but it hasn't been that long for me. Here, sign this," she said, handing me a jersey with my number on it.
After signing, I asked, "What did you mean when you said it might not have been a long time?"
"Hehe, you probably didn't notice. I sometimes went to watch the Shizuoka Oceans play at their minor league stadium."
"Huh? Is that so."
"I took an overnight bus and went there on a day when school was closed. I also attended the Fan Appreciation Day. You looked good in women's clothes too," she teased, referring to a costume event.
"Well, I've wiped it from my memory," I said, laughing.
My short off-season ended today. With the new season approaching, it was time to start preparing again. Despite knowing that practice isn't just about time, I felt that at my level, time was still essential. The lessons from Coach Yamashiro's rigorous training and his emphasis on professional effort echoed in my mind. Determined to improve, I embarked on another season of hard work and perseverance.
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