Chapter Text
Disclaimer: I don’t own Ace of diamond. Some quotes from the original manga/anime are only borrowed. Warning: some spoilers from the manga ACT 2. Please give me your opinions. Thank you.
Summer
Sawamura Eijun has always been called a summer child since he was young.
His birthday of course was in the middle of May. Yet, people told him it might as well be in June or July as he was definitely a boy born of sunshine and laughter - things most people often associates with summer.
It was no surprise then that it was during a particularly hot summer when he was a child that he was introduced to baseball. That summer, his uncle came back to visit the family and gave him a game.
Jikkyo Powerful Pro Yakyu, the series was called and he was hooked.
Hands high, legs raised and a ball was thrown towards a bat causing the crowd to go wild.
It was this moment that Sawamura decided he wanted to be a pitcher. So he rallied his friends to play and make a baseball team on their otherwise, remote countryside.
Sawamura had felt happy. He learned baseball, played with people he cared about and later on met more people he could share his new found love.
Out of all the seasons he played, though, he liked playing during summer the most. He has more days he can play without worrying about his schoolwork. It was also during this time that he experienced Koshien the most and later on, it was during this time that he can finally breathe.
Why then was he here again standing in the middle of his family’s living room in Nagano…much less in the summer of his 9th year?
“Here you go Ei-chan” he heard his uncle say as he ruffles his hair. “The store manager said that this game is very popular with the kids today. I hope you like it.”
Sawamura stared at the hastily wrapped package held out in front of him.
“Is this?”
His uncle smiled at him.
“Its a game about baseball. I heard you and your friend were looking for a game to play outside and wanted to show this to you.”
Sawamura hesitated, before holding out his hands to receive it.
“Thank you.”
The door of the living room opened and closed followed by the sound of footsteps. He heard his mother utter some greetings and not long after, he found himself standing outside his house with more than one curious face looking at him.
“Eijun? What are you holding?”
Sawamura felt his mouth go dry.
“Its…I…I don’t…”
His uncle went home after a week. He never opened the package but not long after, he found a ball and a glove in one of the boxes in the attic.
His grandfather laughed at him in delight when he saw him holding them. He said he was lucky that he found it before it was thrown away and told him how his dad used to play when he was young.
That night, he found an old net and some cloth. He then took some chairs outside and put it up at the back of his house where some low laying branches were hanging. More than once, his friends asked him what it is used for but he could never really answer.
There was no baseball team in the school that they go to or even in Akagi Junior High.
He never met a tall brown haired woman who wears glasses on his last year in middle school.
Hid dad, however, got injured and had to leave Nagano to get treatment. His mother, worrying about his father, went with him to stay in Tokyo.
It’s funny how things can go sometimes.
He found himself joining Seido’s baseball team as a catcher the next summer.
He didn’t plan on it.
He didn’t even know if he wanted it.
But looking as a first year catcher missed the ball once more for the nth time that inning, he couldn’t help but stare hungrily at the center of the field.
The school was hosting a school wide sports against each grade level. It was just his luck that he was transferred during this time.
Furuya has always been a good power pitcher - one of the best. It took a good catcher to be able to even think about catching his pitches. To actually catch it and use it effectively on a game, on the other hand, would need a person with great instinct or just lots of experience.
He knows which one he was.
He thinks about the times they would have late night gatherings after practice just to talk about baseball theories. He thinks about the books they went over and the many wins and loses they got as well as the figure of a man he knows for a long time but can’t reach. Then, he looks across the stands where he sees another person he should know looking with his eyes dead and he makes a decision.
The first years tied the game that day.
“My name is Sawamura. Sawamura Eijun” he introduces himself months after the scent of sweat; and the sound of laughter and his heart beating have disappeared.
A familiar brown haired woman with glasses asked him to join the baseball team. Seido, she said, is a school who takes players from different prefectures to train in hopes of going pro. Would you like to do the same?
He looks at the different equipments scattered around the area and towards the field where a group of players gather.
It’s to be expected, he thinks and he watched as a catcher from the looks of his gear stumbles towards them.
“Are you here to challenge my position?”” A familiar voice asks.
Sawamura thinks he can hear some amusement in his voice. Most importantly, he can hear the sound of a challenge. The way his body angles with his head turned and corners of his lips raised brings back a flash of memories.
“No.” he replied. “I’m not really a catcher, Miyuki-sempai.”
He wasn’t.
He can only move his gloves to the places they practiced a lot. Furuya, Tanba and Kawakimi tried their hardest to pitch to him and he himself tried to receive it in kind.
He once again found himself talking about baseball theories, strategies and what nots with more than one familiar face in the crowd.
The path to Koshien was familiar and yet, different.
He still called the same upperclassman in the game his teacher.
He still learned plenty of wrestling and shogi moves in between classes…still learned to give nicknames to everyone in the baseball team..still spent the same blood and sweat in the field.
Nevertheless, victory was still far away.
The aftermath, however, was no different — even when new first years joined them a year later.
Seido is a school that attracts all level of players. Only 20 can be chosen and 1 to stand on the center of the field.
Sacrifices need to be done. Why would he think it would be different?
“Then what do you want to do at this time? This is just a practice game but…do you guys want to give up on this game?” He heard coach Ochiai ask.
Sawamura looked at the scoreboard.
The score is 3-6 in favor of the other team. There are 3 more innings to go but the opponent’s increasing dangerous moves make a substitution much needed.
Coach Ochiai wanted to put in a first year battery, Okumura and Asada. The coach has put him on the bench because of an incident during practice. Asada; however, was still recovering from the strain he received from said practice.
“What are you getting at?” He couldn’t help but yell. “What do you think your’e doing using Asada and Okumura during this time?! Asada is still recovering from the strain he suffered!”
“With much desirable things comes also many undesirable things….I think we should all agree that Furuya needs to avoid injury at this time.” Coach Ochiai answered.
He grits his teeth.
Baseball is supposed to be a team sports. It was supposed to be something that everyone who wants to can enjoy and experience. It wasn’t supposed to be just about winning and about money.
~~ “In other words, Sawamura is a stalking horse needed to bring out his full power.” ~~
~~ “We all know, and especially you, coach, that as long as he’s here on this team, Sawamura will always be number 2, no matter how hard he works.” ~~
~~ “I’m sorry Eijun. They didn’t want to worry you so they asked me not to tell you. They hope to see you be able to play in that mound. I’m sorry about what happened.” ~~
He moved towards him - only to be stopped. Miyuki stood in front of him, hands raised.
“I don’t know what kind of baseball you’ve been playing but the best pitches are work of art produced by the pitcher and catcher working as one. As captain and a catcher, I cannot allow an injured pitcher to enter with a risk of injury.” Miyuki interjected and Sawamura finally realized.
He can’t let go after all.
He loves baseball even though sometimes it can be painful.
He went through the motions again that day. He clutched the ball with his left, he raised his leg and blocked with his right.
“Strike!” The umpire calls.