"Do you boys remember the promise we made last year?"
Riku Fushimi's voice cut through the morning air, his tone casual but with a glint of anticipation. Kazuki Sawamura leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, wearing a knowing smirk.
Souta Fushimi and Eijun Sawamura, both now freshly nine, looked up from the backyard where they'd just finished another round of light training. Eijun blinked, confused. Souta tilted his head.
"Promise?"
Riku gave a mock sigh. "Seriously?"
Kazuki chuckled. "If you kept up with training and did well in school, we'd take you to an MLB game. Remember now?"
Realization dawned on the boys at once, their eyes growing wide.
"Wait... the MLB game?! In the States?!" Souta exclaimed.
"You mean it?!" Eijun shouted.
"Tickets are already booked," Riku said with a grin. "Next month. LA. And guess what? Jorge and Chris are joining us."
"CHRIS-SENPAI?!" Souta and Eijun yelled in perfect sync, jumping up. The two boys who idolized every aspect of baseball were practically buzzing with excitement.
Preparing for Takeoff
The days leading to their departure were packed. The boys trained with renewed energy, dreaming of the game, the players, the stadium, the smells, the energy of the crowd.
At Narita Airport, they reunited with Jorge "Animal" Takigawa and Chris Takigawa.
"Look at you two," Chris said with a half-smile. "Heard you've been training like beasts."
"We want to see how the best do it!" Eijun said with bright eyes.
"We're gonna take notes and bring everything back," Souta added.
The plane ride was long but filled with laughter and baseball chatter. Chris shared stories of his training. Jorge told tales of clashing with MLB legends. The adults sipped coffee and exchanged nostalgic glances.
Welcome to LA
Los Angeles greeted them with sun-kissed skies and a warm breeze. They explored Santa Monica, Venice Beach, and even hit a few batting cages in the city to loosen up after the flight. But the real thrill waited for the next day.
Dodger Stadium.
Lights, Legacy, and Legends
As they arrived at the iconic stadium, the sheer size of the venue left the boys speechless. Seas of fans dressed in blue flooded the walkways. Vendors shouted. Music thumped. The smell of hot dogs and popcorn filled the air.
Suddenly, a low buzz started nearby.
"Hey... is that... no way..."
A fan holding a baseball turned toward their group, eyes wide. "That's Riku Fushimi! Kazuki Sawamura! And Jorge 'Animal' !"
Within seconds, more heads turned. Whispers erupted. Phones came out. A crowd quickly formed.
"No freakin' way, it is them!"
"I used to watch you pitch in the '03 World Series!"
Security even had to step in to gently manage the crowd. Then, without warning, the stadium's big screen cut to the group. The announcer's voice boomed:
"We've got some legendary guests in the house tonight! Please welcome former MLB stars Riku Fushimi, Kazuki Sawamura, and Jorge 'Animal' Takigawa!"
The crowd roared. The boys stared in awe as the fans erupted around their heroes.
"They're really legends," Eijun muttered.
"We're learning from the best," Souta whispered with pride.
The Game Begins
They took their seats. Eijun sat on the edge of his chair, eyes trained on the mound. Souta already had a notebook in hand.
The home pitcher, a power lefty, threw bullets. His catcher, smooth and silent, turned borderline balls into called strikes with effortless glove work.
POP!
The first pitch made Souta flinch. The crisp, clean sound was louder than anything he'd ever heard.
"Did you see that?!" he whispered.
"That glove barely moved!" Eijun replied.
Chris leaned over. "Watch how they communicate without speaking. The best batteries don't need words."
The inning flew by two strikeouts, one grounder. Pure, mechanical, fluid baseball.
By the fourth inning, the crowd was pulsing with energy. The opposing team's cleanup hitter came to the plate. The pitcher nodded, wound up, and delivered a changeup.
The batter swung through, way early. Strike three.
Souta's eyes widened. "That changeup... it looked like his fastball."
"I want that pitch," Eijun whispered.
"Then let's learn it together," Chris added with a grin.
Mid-Game Reflections
The boys left their seats to grab food during the fifth inning. Fans still stopped Riku, Kazuki, and Jorge for autographs and photos.
Back in their seats, Souta studied how the catcher worked through pressure situations.
"He's like a field general," he murmured.
"And the pitcher just follows him without hesitation," Eijun added.
The seventh inning stretch came and went, but the boys never lost focus.
Bottom of the eighth. Still a tie game.
With runners on second and third, the battery executed a sequence: fastball high and tight, changeup low, then slider away. The batter was frozen.
The boys were stunned.
"Every pitch had a purpose," Chris explained. "That's what we aim for."
A Perfect Ending
Ninth inning. Game still tied.
Top of the inning, the visitors scored one run. The stadium buzzed with nervous energy.
Bottom of the ninth. Two outs. Runner on third.
The pitcher adjusted his cap. The catcher gave the signal.
Fastball, fouled off. Changeup, swing and miss. Curveball—taken for a ball.
Then the final pitch: fastball inside. The batter hesitated.
Strike three.
The stadium exploded.
The crowd stood. Fireworks burst above the scoreboard. The battery walked off the field together, calm and composed.
"That's what it means to be in sync," Chris said.
Inspiration Ignited
That night, they walked through downtown LA. Eijun's mind replayed every pitch. Souta's thoughts danced with every sign, glove movement, and framing trick.
"That changeup was deadly," Eijun whispered.
"But it wouldn't have worked without the trust between them," Souta replied.
"We're going to train harder than ever," Eijun declared.
"No," Souta said with a grin. "We're going to train smarter."
Chris looked at them both. "Welcome to the next level."
They flew home the next day, forever changed.
The game didn't just show them what they could become.
It showed them who they wanted to be.