Early on Sunday morning, Li Yuanrang was woken up by the ringing of his mobile phone. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

The caller was from an unfamiliar number that didn't exist in the address book. Li Yuanrang pressed the answer button.

"Hey, hey, it's me, it'......"

Something like this came from the other end of the phone.

"It's a scam call."

Li Yuanrang thought so in his heart, and hung up the phone before the other party said the second sentence.

Less than half a minute later, the phone rang again, still the same number.

"Who the hell are you?"

Li Yuanrang yelled at the microphone this time.

"Takeda and Kai combined."

Li Yuanrang searched his memory for a second. Only then did I remember that the last time the two teams practiced for the game, they had exchanged numbers with Kazuya Takeda.

But at the time, I didn't think there would be much intersection in the future. Li Yuanrang just pretended to enter the other party's number into the address book, and did not really save it.

"Sorry, I didn't wake up just now. What are you looking for me? ”

Li Yuanrang asked the other party in a much softer tone.

"Did your team have a practice match today?"

"It seems to be."

While saying this, Li Yuanrang saw the pouring rain outside the window, and continued.

"But I think it should have been canceled by now."

"Ours was also cancelled and my teammates stayed in Kofu to train today. I'm the only one in Tokyo, so I'd like to ask if I can borrow your indoor driving range to train on my own today. You have an indoor driving range, right? ”

"Yes, yes. But can't you ask Fukushima seniors about these things? ”

The last time I practiced, Takeda seemed to have exchanged contact information with Fukushima.

"Ah, I exchanged phone numbers with Fukushima-senpai out of courtesy, but I didn't really store it in my address book......

……

An hour later, Li Yuanrang and Kazuya Takeda met inside the Peace School Park. Then the two of them went to the door of the indoor driving range together.

Li Yuanrang looked around and found no one else. So he retrieved the spare key from under the mat, opened the gate and entered the arena, closing the electric switch for the lighting.

"What an indoor driving range!"

Takeda exclaimed.

"Kai should also have its own indoor practice range."

"Yes, yes, but not so powerful. It's really Tokyo......"

Although Kai Sogai is a famous family in the prefecture, its indoor practice range is similar in structure to a plastic greenhouse for growing vegetables. In rainy weather, it can ensure that the team has physical fitness and passing and receiving training. But projects like strikes and garrisons could not be carried out.

And the driving range of the Peace School Park,There are not only two small strike cages。 There's also a 1:1 ratio infield with artificial turf and pitcher mound and base packs.

……

After running a few laps around the infield to warm up, Li Yuanrang moved two T-brackets from the equipment warehouse, and the two began to chat while practicing against the blocking net.

"You got up so early to practice when you were at school?"

It's nine o'clock in the morning, and it's rare for Li Yuanrang to start moving so early on the weekend.

And the baseball club of Kai is all living on campus. Kazuya Takeda also has his own bed in the dormitory. However, because of his work as an artist, he often spends weekends in Tokyo.

"When I was at school, I would be called up by the coach at six o'clock and go for a morning run. On weekends, training starts at 8 a.m. and doesn't end until dark. ”

The intensity of training described by Takeda is not uncommon in the average private baseball school.

"It's too easy for you, no one comes to practice on weekend mornings."

Takeda said.

"We've got a new coach and we've been training for five hours yesterday afternoon. I was going to have a good night's sleep today......"

"Then I'm really sorry to wake you up early this morning."

"I'll pay you back. After all, I was so bragged about on TV shows. ”

In the program about the last practice match, Li Yuanrang was described as a secret weapon imported from overseas by the Peace Academy, and a genius heavy artillery at the super university level.

"That's what you say? Don't you think we've helped you hide your strength? ”

"Hidden strength?"

"The striking power and the baton control skills are really exaggerated. But dynamic vision only gives you three points. To be honest, your striking strength actually depends on your eyes, right? ”

Li Yuanrang listened to Takeda's words and did not answer directly.

From joining the baseball club to the present, people in all walks of life have focused on their eyesight in evaluating their strength. Li Yuan can feel this too.

But what about your baseball skills outside of your eyesight? It's a question.

"Takeda, our two teams won't meet in an official match."

"No, if you want to meet it, it's in Koshien."

"Then do you think I have the strength to break into Koshien?"

"The current team of the Peace Academy actually has some strength, but you are in the West Tokyo Ward, ......"

"I mean myself."

Kazuya Takeda hosts a TV program that focuses on and reports on college baseball games around RB. Li Yuanrang hoped that this well-informed peer would give him an evaluation.

"If I had a talent like yours, I would probably work several times harder than I do now."

"My talent? But speaking of which, Takeda, you're the more talented player. ”

"Unlike you, my talent isn't in baseball. If it weren't for the fact that I was an artist, how could I have stood on the Koshien court without relying on the operation of the office. ”

"Which do you prefer, the entertainment world or baseball?"

"Baseball, of course, but I can't play baseball without relying on the arts world. The only thing I can do now is train myself. Don't be a burden to your teammates, and don't live up to the ...... of the firm."

After saying this, the two stopped talking and began to bury their heads in training.

Near noon, Kazuya Takeda said goodbye to Li Yuanrang. In the afternoon, he plans to go to a nearby gym for strength exercises.

"Lee, what do you think of professional baseball?"

Before leaving, Takeda asked.

"I haven't been to the scene yet, I heard that I can make a lot of money?"

"A first-class star earns a lot, but it's more about the same as a bench player who earns about the same as an office worker. If that's you, have you considered joining professional baseball? ”

"I'm only in the first grade, so wouldn't it be too early to say that?"

"Experienced scouts will look at promising players from the first year. In fact, there was a professional scout on the scene last time we played between the two teams......"

"I know, I heard it's called Mita? He's here to observe you, right? ”

"He doesn't have to look at me, we've known each other before. He called me last week for the first time in almost a year. It's about you who asks. ”

"Really? How do you answer him? ”

"I said to him, 'If you want to choose Li Yuanrang, you have to have good luck.'" Their team, when the team is named, the draw has not been very good......"

After saying this, Takeda turned around and held up his umbrella and quickly disappeared into the heavy rain.