❛ 𝐒𝐓𝐘𝐋𝐄 ❜ ✓

28

MY HEART BURSTED ——— in anticipation as Ken walked up to the batter's box to take his turn to bat. The afternoon sun cast long shadows over the field, and the crowd's buzz of excitement filled the air. Every eye in the stadium was on him, including mine.

"Come on, Sato!" Daichi yelled from the dugout.

Yu followed, "Let's do it!"

Ken adjusted his grip on the bat, his stance confident and steady. The Swallows pitcher wound up and released the ball with a swift, powerful motion. Ken's eyes never left it, his focus unwavering.

With a sharp crack, the bat connected with the ball, sending it soaring into the stands.

"AND IT'S A HOME RUN!" The commentator yelled.

The crowd erupted into cheers, and I couldn't help but join in, my voice blending with the rest.

"We're going to playoffs!" I yelled in disbelief, shaking Coach Shimura's shoulders, "We're going to playoffs!"

Ken rounded the bases, a wide grin spreading across his face as he basked in the roar of the crowd. His teammates erupted from the dugout, rushing to greet him at home plate.

"Sato's home run clinches a playoff spot for the Giants. I have never seen a turnaround quite like it," the commentator's voice boomed through the stadium's speakers, recounting the dramatic turn of events. "What an incredible display of talent and determination from Ken Sato! This is a moment that Giants fans will remember for a long time."

As Ken crossed home plate, the entire stadium seemed to have erupted more, the noise deafening as fans celebrated the Giants' victory and their entry into the playoffs, everyone breaking out to Yomiuri Giants theme song in unison.

The Giants swarmed him all at once, causing him to fall onto the ground. One tripped and the others followed, and now they were all piled up on each other. Laughter and cheers mixed together as the team celebrated their hard-earned victory.

Kenta rushed to the field with a bottle of champagne, and with a triumphant shout, he began spraying the bubbly liquid over the players.

The champagne spray caught everyone off guard, and the field quickly became a frenzy of celebration. Ken, now drenched in champagne, stood up with a triumphant grin, his hair plastered to his forehead but his eyes shining with pure joy. The other players, equally soaked, laughed and cheered, hugging each other and basking in the moment.

"My god..." Shimura shook his head at the sight, but I could see the small curve of his lip forming.

My heart was swelling in excitement. Swelling so much that it was overwhelming and I had to take a deep breath and sit back on the bench.

Ken Sato was someone who we believed would be able to lead the Giants back to their prime, and this moment proved our faith in him was well-placed.

After so much struggle—too many missed or late practices, too many fights, countless sleepless nights, early mornings, sweat and tears shedded—Ken had finally delivered on the promise everyone saw in him.

The players all headed back to the dugout, covered head to toe in the champagne that Kenta snuck in, patting each other on the back as they chanted along with the crowd.

"How'd you manage to bypass it from Manager [name]?" One of them asked.

"For Junpei!" Another yelled.

"Everyone, drinks on me!"

They disappeared into the locker room to collect themselves before going back out to collect their medals. Ken was the last one to do so, passing by Coach while giving him a proud grin. The older man only slightly smiled when he passed.

Ken approached me, grinning ear to ear, taking off his helmet to show off his disheveled hair and a mix of sweat and champagne dripping down his forehead. There was dirt smudged on his face and on the knee area of his white pants.

"Congrats, Sato," I said to him, slapping my hand on his back, but immediately retracting it from the wetness his back held.

He raised a brow expectantly, "Is that all?" He asked, leaning in, "I was expecting a congratulatory kiss," he puckered his lips and fluttered his eyes closed.

I rolled my eyes playfully, pushing his chest lightly. "Not here, Ken," I whispered harshly, "People are watching!"

"Oh, come on, sweetheart," he said, his voice dropping to a more private tone. "Let them watch. I told you I wanted everyone to know you're mine. You can't just leave me hanging after such a big win."

I glanced around, noticing a few people casting curious glances our way.

"I'll make sure to give you that kiss later in private. And..." I paused, a teasing smile playing on my lips, "Maybe I'll even reward you with something special for your performance. How does that sound?"

Ken's eyes lit up, "I'm sold. You better stay true to your words," he leaned in closer as if a kiss would seal the deal.

I tutted, "Go freshen up," I pressed, pushing him away, "Clean that champagne off your face for the awards ceremony,"

"Okay, okay," he backed up with his hands up and a toothy grin. With one last teasing glance, Ken jogged towards the locker room, leaving me standing there with a smile on my face.

"You know, I don't know if it's because we threatened him to the Tigers, or because of you," Coach Shimura stated from beside me, "It's probably both, but whatever you did, kid, good job,"

"Thanks, Coach," I replied, my eyes still on the locker room door where Ken had disappeared. "But it was all him. He just needed a bit of a push,"

"A little kiss, you mean?" He teased all of a sudden.

I looked at him shocked, "What are you talking about?" I stammered, glancing away. How uncharacteristic of him.

"Your mom told me everything, kid," he replied, crossing his arms as he stared at the reporters who were coming up to the dugout, "But, I saw it coming from a mile away. Just don't distract yourselves from work, alright?"

I felt my cheeks heat up at Coach Shimura's words, but I managed a nod. "Yes, sir."

He gave me a small, approving smile before turning his attention back to the reporters. "Good. Now, go get everyone out of there, the press wants to hear some words from them."