Diamond No Ace: The Strongest Hitter

Chapter 16: Post-Game and Dinner

The game ended early in the top of the ninth inning with a score of 8-2.

(A/N: In junior high softball, games are nine innings, while youth baseball, like the one Miyuki and Chris play, is seven innings. I double-checked the first episode of the anime to confirm that softball in Ace of Diamond is indeed nine innings.)

After the game, Sendo sent a message to Sawamura, asking them to wait for him.

After laughing so much, Sendo needed to recover, otherwise, he wouldn't be able to walk properly.

"Hahaha, what kind of game was that? I laughed so hard! Eijun, I never expected your swing-and-miss to be this impressive, especially as a comedian! Hahaha, my stomach hurts!"

"Who's a comedian?! Cough, I'm really mad now!"

"Oh, sorry, sorry!"

"But Eijun, you weren't pitching at full strength, right? Why? Otherwise, you shouldn't have given up so many runs, should you?"

Although Sendo already knew the reason, he asked anyway to keep the conversation natural.

Even without knowing about Sawamura's quirky pitches, it was clear that he wasn't fully extending his arm.

"Eijun's pitches are scary because you never know where they'll break!" Wakana answered before Sawamura could respond.

"What? That sounds interesting!"

"Interesting?" Sawamura's ears perked up instantly.

"Wahaha! Sendo, does that mean you finally want to play baseball with us?"

"I refuse."

"Grrrr! Grrrr!"

"What are you, a dog? Baring your teeth like that?" Sendo teased, grinning widely with his teeth clenched.

"Agh! Cough!"

"Hahahaha!" This time, everyone joined in the laughter. They all knew Sendo loved teasing Sawamura, and they always enjoyed watching the show.

"Three years, huh? Just like that?" Sendo thought to himself, watching his friends mess around.

Even Sendo wasn't sure how he had become so deeply integrated into this group. It happened gradually, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Noticing Sendo's gaze, Wakana nudged Sawamura.

"What's up, Wakana?" Sawamura asked, clueless as ever.

"This idiot…" Wakana muttered to himself.

"It's nothing!" Wakana replied, not wanting to explain the moment.

"Next year, we'll definitely make it to nationals!"

"As if!" Sendo shot back.

"What did you just say, Sendo?!"

"Nothing."

"Liar! I heard you! You're underestimating us!"

"No, it's just that your fundamentals are too weak. I don't know much about the competition in Nagano, but I do know that a lot of junior high teams are bringing in youth league players to participate. If you want to make it to nationals, try again in ten years."

"Then what should we do?" Sawamura's tone suddenly grew serious.

"Give up."

"You little—!" As expected, those words immediately set Sawamura off.

Everyone knew by now that Sendo liked to tease Sawamura over the past few years, and most of what he said was the truth, which left Sawamura unable to argue back.

As a result, no one else got angry; they were aware of their own skill levels and mostly just wanted to play baseball with Sawamura. Winning or losing didn't matter much to them.

Moreover, Sendo's comments indicated that he was starting to warm up to the idea of joining them, though his somewhat prideful nature meant he wouldn't admit it outright.

He just needed an excuse, but Sawamura, oblivious as always, hadn't caught on.

(A/N: Sawamura's popularity is impressive. This team is mostly made up of people who aren't interested in baseball, or even sports, yet they're willing to train hard just to play with him.)

"Don't eat too much of your lunch bento, and don't forget—I'm treating everyone to yakiniku tonight."

"Meat! Hooray! Sendo's grilled meat is the best!" Even though they knew he'd treat them, everyone was still excited and thankful.

"It's my way of thanking you all for giving me such a great show! I laughed so hard I couldn't stand up straight. Way better than anything on TV."

"What did you say, Sendo, you jerk?!" Sawamura, who had been glaring at Sendo, immediately reacted and made a move to go after him.

"Now, now, calm down!" Sendo said..

In truth, all Sawamura could do was sulk and pout like a little kid.

"Just wait! Next year, we're definitely going to nationals!"

…

"Cheers!" they all shouted, clinking their glasses of juice—Japan strictly prohibits alcohol for anyone under 20.

As soon as the meat hit Sawamura's mouth, all the frustrations of the day melted away.

The feast was more than enough to feed the nine baseball players plus Sendo's family—12 people in total—and there were still plenty of leftovers. After all, Sendo could never live without his meat.

"Delicious!"

"No matter how many times I eat it, Sendo's grilled meat is always the best!"

"Of course, I used special seasonings from other country."

"I definitely want to travel someday!"

"Me too!"

"Same here!" The group chatted enthusiastically as they devoured the meat, making the scene lively and cheerful.

Since becoming close with them, Sendo treated them to yakiniku several times a year. Being a meat lover himself, he consumed vast amounts of it annually.

"Sendo, have you ever been to other country?" Sawamura asked suddenly.

"I've been a few times in Dubai, but never for long. Japan's single holidays are too short. But it's a paradise for food lovers!"

"Food lovers? What's that?"

"A food lover is someone who loves to eat delicious food. They don't mind the effort or trouble just to taste even one bite, just like how you love baseball."

"I see!"

…

Sendou fell silent. Whenever the topic of going abroad or another country came up, it always reminded him of his previous life's homeland. This stirred up a mix of emotions—nostalgia, perhaps, or something more complicated, a deep and complex blend of feelings.

"I'm full! Do you guys want to play cards? Or maybe chess? Let me know when you're done eating. I'm going to read some manga for now," Sendo said, losing his appetite.

He often turned to manga, music, and similar things to calm his mind.

"Sendo seems upset. Why is that?"

"Everyone has their own issues. Let's not pry," Wakana replied.

"Alright."

"Don't worry about Sendo," his grandfather chimed in. "He's fine. He just gets like this sometimes when something sad comes to mind. It's nothing serious. Let's keep eating and enjoy ourselves!" He clapped his hands to encourage the group.

"Got it!"

"How about we play cards later?"

"Agreed!"

"I want to play a video game!"

...

With that, the conversation naturally shifted to what everyone would do after the meal.

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