"Ka-ha-ha-ha! Amazing! Simply amazing! I want to hit again!"
Todoroki Raichi gripped his bat tightly, clearly eager for another round.
The previous duel hadn't discouraged him at all. Instead, it had only ignited his fighting spirit.
He wanted to swing again.
Once. Twice. Ten times. A hundred times.
Until he could finally crush that pitch perfectly.
"You idiot son, stop talking nonsense!" Todoroki Raizo snapped.
"A loss is a loss. There are no do-overs on the baseball field."
He folded his arms sternly.
"If you want another chance, then train harder. Train until the next time you face him, you can duel without regrets!"
Then Raizo turned toward Kou again.
"So, Kitamura Kou, what do you think? Is my idiot son's skill at least passable?"
He grinned.
"Why don't you join Yakushi High School and aim for Koshien with us?"
Kou shrugged casually.
"Well… I'll think about it."
He paused before continuing.
"Besides, my goal isn't just winning at Koshien."
"I made a promise to someone."
"I'll become the number one pitcher in Japan."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Actually… probably the number one pitcher in the world."
The people around him froze in shock.
Such an outrageous ambition.
Yet Kou said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Raizo suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Interesting! Truly interesting!"
His eyes shone with excitement.
"You must join the Yakushi High School baseball team!"
"I'll do everything in my power to help you!"
Then his expression suddenly turned rather suspicious.
"If the number one pitcher in Japan—or even the world—is someone I trained…"
He clasped his hands dramatically.
"People will line up to find me!"
"I could finally pay off all my debts!"
"We wouldn't have to go hungry anymore, Raichi!"
He wiped imaginary tears from his eyes.
"Sob… sob…"
Raichi looked horrified.
"Idiot Dad! Stop daydreaming!"
"You're embarrassing!"
"What did you say, you brat?!"
Soon enough, the father and son began wrestling again.
Their usual chaotic display of "family affection."
Time passed quickly.
In the blink of an eye, autumn faded, and the cold winter of year-end arrived.
Kitamura Sporting Goods Store
"Huh? You can't come back because of heavy snow?"
Kou held the phone against his ear, sounding annoyed.
"That's right!" his mother replied. "The trains have stopped running."
She sighed dramatically.
"It's such a headache!"
Kou frowned.
"You say it's a headache, but you sound pretty happy."
"Haha… sorry about that!"
His mother laughed.
"Anyway, we'll be back tomorrow around noon."
"Make sure you clean the house properly before we get back!"
"Yeah, yeah."
Kou rolled his eyes.
"Happy New Year."
He hung up the phone with a huff.
"They obviously planned to spend New Year's Eve at a hot spring inn."
"And they're just using the snow as an excuse."
Muttering to himself, Kou prepared to head outside for some exercise.
As for the year-end cleaning…
Whoever wanted to do it could do it.
As he passed the entrance of the Tsukishima Batting Center, he saw Mr. Tsukishima, Ichiyo, and Aoba talking nearby.
"Aoba, are you sure this will be okay?" Ichiyo asked worriedly.
"You're so annoying," Aoba replied bluntly. "I told you not to worry."
"But it's New Year's," Ichiyo said. "Hospitals won't be open."
"I know!"
Aoba crossed her arms.
"I won't let Momiji leave the blankets."
"Besides, Wakaba is here too."
Ichiyo still looked uneasy.
Just then she noticed Kou walking by.
"Ah! Kou-kun!"
Kou walked over.
"Hello. Are you going somewhere?"
"Yes," Ichiyo explained. "Grandma is sick and can't get out of bed, so we're going to take care of her."
"Grandma…?"
Kou tilted his head.
"Don't tell me you forgot!" Ichiyo laughed.
"You used to visit Grandma's house with us all the time."
"Oh… right."
Kou scratched his head.
"That's rough timing. It's New Year's Eve."
Then he looked around.
"Wait… aren't two people missing?"
Ichiyo nodded.
"Momiji caught a cold."
"We can't take her with us, but we don't feel comfortable leaving her alone."
"So Wakaba and I are staying to look after her," Aoba said quickly.
"Don't worry."
"But still…" Ichiyo hesitated.
Then she turned to Kou.
"Kou-kun… if you're free, could you stop by and check on them?"
"What?!"
Aoba immediately exploded.
"You don't trust your own sister, but you trust this guy?"
"Wakaba and I can take care of Momiji just fine!"
"Aoba…"
"Hmph!"
Kou smiled awkwardly.
"Well…"
"Ichiyo! It's time to go!" Mr. Tsukishima called from the car.
"Coming!"
Ichiyo hurried over.
"Aoba, I'm leaving everything to you."
Then she turned to Kou.
"Kou-kun, Happy New Year!"
With that, she got into the car and drove away.
The moment the car disappeared—
An awkward silence fell between Kou and Aoba.
"Uh… how is Momiji doing?" Kou asked.
"Happy New Year," Aoba replied flatly.
Then she turned and walked back into the batting center, closing the door.
Kou stood there helplessly.
With nothing else to do, he headed toward the market to buy groceries for dinner.
Inside the Tsukishima house—
"Momiji! Go back to bed!"
Aoba scolded the young girl standing in the hallway.
"I'm fine!" Momiji said stubbornly.
"I already got my energy back."
"If your fever comes back, I'm not taking care of you," Aoba warned.
"But I couldn't find Nomo," Momiji explained.
"It's probably wandering outside."
"It'll come back later."
After finally persuading Momiji to return to bed, Aoba sighed.
"Stay here and rest."
"I'm going to check if Wakaba finished cooking."
Just then—
The front door opened.
"Good afternoon!"
Kou walked in holding a small kitten.
"Hello."
He greeted Momiji and Aoba.
"Wow! Nomo!"
Momiji's eyes lit up.
"So he was with Kou-kun!"
"I found him at the intersection up ahead."
Kou scratched the kitten's head.
"Right?"
"Meow!"
Aoba raised an eyebrow.
"You're quite the good Samaritan."
"Not really."
Kou smiled.
"If you're done, you can go home now," Aoba said bluntly.
"We're very busy preparing for the New Year."
Kou lifted a large grocery bag.
"That's why I bought ingredients."
Momiji clapped excitedly.
"Wow! Kou-kun, you're so thoughtful!"
"My parents went to a hot spring trip," Kou explained.
"So I'm basically alone tonight."
Momiji immediately brightened.
"Then you should spend New Year's Eve with us!"
"What?!"
Aoba nearly exploded again.
"Don't say ridiculous things!"
"There are only three girls in this house right now!"
"But I want Kou-kun to stay!"
Momiji pouted.
"Right, Wakaba?"
Just then Wakaba walked over from the kitchen.
"Kou-kun."
She smiled gently.
"Happy New Year."
"Why don't you stay and celebrate with us?"
Kou nodded.
"Alright."
"Then I'll help with cooking."
He followed Wakaba toward the kitchen.
"Yay!" Momiji cheered happily.
Aoba could only sigh helplessly.
It seemed the decision had already been made.