Toshi sat in his room once more, his papers filled with notes laid out before him. Picking up the list of pros and cons for going to America, he looked it over carefully. After a moment, he nodded and crumpled up the paper decisively, tossing it into the trash.

That part is well out of the way, he said to himself. The decision to go has been made. I suppose that list was helpful to some extent, but really - I think I had already been on my way to making that decision without even realizing it! Without even being conscious of the process, my heart lead me from uncertainty to knowing what I wanted to do. All that's left now is to choose the team. I hope my heart will be as true in leading me in this case, as well!

He looked then at his list of offers: the Titans in New York City, the Salmons in Anaheim and the Hornets in Indianapolis. It was easy to see at first glance that the offer from the Titans was very good. The financial offer they had quoted him was the best by far, and the fact that they wanted him both as a catcher and a batter was gratifying. New York City would likely be an interesting place to live - expensive, perhaps, but they were offering him a good salary, so it would not be difficult to establish himself there.

One other fact about the Titans made them a possible team of choice for Toshi: the possibility of challenging Goro when the opposing teams played against each other. One of the reasons he was drawn to America was not just to follow Goro, but to also face him as a batter against an ace pitcher. As Daisuke had suggested, if he was looking for new and greater challenges, that would indeed be the ultimate challenge!

Toshi next looked over the offer made by the Anaheim Salmons. The financial aspects of the offer were also good, though not quite as good as the Titans' offer. Living in California might be nice, but it wasn't a big enough factor to make him choose the Salmons over the Titans. The two offers were very similar, but the fact that the Salmons wanted him as a batter more than a catcher was less appealing somehow. Of course, it was as a batter that he wanted to face Goro, so that opportunity was also there with the Salmons; but he wanted to catch, as well, so if there was little opportunity for that, he was less inclined towards that team. If he had to choose between these two teams only, he would definitely prefer playing for the Titans.

"So the Salmons are out of the picture," Toshi said aloud. "Now it's down to two choices: Titans or Hornets. Let's take a look at what the Hornets have to offer!"

Their offer did not really compare well financially to the offer made by the Titans. For whatever reason, the salary and benefits they were proposing were significantly less. Not that it really mattered! Toshi felt he had little need for a huge amount of money, and while the amount the Titans were offering was exciting, he would certainly do fine living on the Hornet's salary. He imagined life in Indianapolis might be less expensive than New York City, though he wasn't sure. One thing that appealed to him about going to the Hornets was the challenge of filling the position left behind by a player who had been an ace catcher. It would not be easy, but that would make the challenge worthwhile. And if he became the Hornet's catcher, he would be catching Goro's pitches.

Was that what he wanted, more than wanting to challenge him as a batter? Playing with Goro instead of against him would still be a challenge, but of a different sort, one where he and Goro could confront opposing teams together. That could also be very satisfying!

Toshi smiled. So, that's what it comes down to, he thought. It's not really about the teams or the money or the opportunities I'll have play catcher or batter. It's about me and how I relate to my friend Goro-kun. Do I want to face him as an opponent and challenge him with my bat? Or do I join him to form a battery of my glove and his ball, and we challenge our opponents together?

Toshi glanced up at a photograph hung on the wall above his desk. It had been taken some years before, when he and Goro were together at Dream Island, where they had endured six months of difficult training prior to entering Kaidou. Toshi remembered that time well. Over the course of their time together, he had realized just how much he enjoyed catching Goro's pitches. He had even said to Goro that the happiness he had felt catching his pitches was more than the frustration of not hitting his best pitch. They had spent almost two years together on Kaido's junior varsity team, forming a battery. Goro had afterwards chosen to leave Kaidou to join another school, because he wanted to challenge the best by playing the best - which meant Toshi and the Kaidou team.

Would Goro still relish that kind of challenge, to face his friend's bat with his best pitch? Or, like he had suggested that day over lunch, when he had asked Toshi if he didn't want to come to the Majors to catch his pitches - did he actually want to have Toshi form a battery with him?

Toshi recalled his own answer to Goro's surprise that Toshi might consider a future in the Majors, playing against Goro: I will join you to catch your pitches, after I beat you. Goro had been content with that reply, so he would likely be happy either way. In the end, though, the decision wasn't really about what Goro wanted but what Toshi wanted - and Toshi knew that full well.

Toshi looked at the photograph again and smiled. So, Goro-kun... Now that Japan has become too small for me, and no longer holds a challenge, what will make me happiest? Shall I go to the Giants, so that I can beat you, maybe even in the World Series one day? Or shall I go to the Hornets, to join you to head for the World Series together?

He paused for a long moment. What? You aren't going to tell me? Toshi laughed. Standing up, he gathered all his notes and lists and threw them into the trash bin.

"No worries, Goro-kun," he said to the photograph. "I don't need you to decide for me! I know what I want, what will make me happiest. 'I want to be on the same team as you and catch your pitches!' Do you remember me saying that to you, when we decided to go to Kaidou together? Well, it's still true!"

000

Toshi set a hot cup of tea on the table in front of Haruka, and sat down across from her with his own cup.

"I'm glad you were free to meet me, Haruka," he said.

"I was waiting for your call," Haruka laughed. "The nice thing about the magazine publisher I work for is that I am able to do a lot of my work from home when necessary. Today was one of those days, so it was easy to rearrange my work so I could meet you. Even if it wasn't easy, I would have managed to meet you, in any case! I definitely want to hear what you've decided!"

Toshi sipped his tea slowly and thoughtfully, then he grinned. "Well, I won't make you wait any longer, then," he replied. "I've decided to accept the offer of the Hornets and join Goro as his teammate. I realized it was more important to me to form a battery with Goro once again than to do anything else. If I"m going to go all the way to America to play baseball, I want to be sure I'm playing the kind of baseball I want to play - and I now know that means catching Goro's pitches."

Haruka nodded, watching Toshi's face carefully. "I wondered if that might be your choice, but I wasn't sure. So that means you'll be going to Indianapolis?"

"Yes," replied Toshi simply. "Do... do you mind?"

"Do I mind?" Haruka laughed. "Mind what? That you are going to America? If I'd minded, I would have said something sooner, when I knew you were already considering it. But why do you ask me that now, after you've already made your decision?"

Toshi began to stammer an apology, but Haruka quickly reached across and laid a hand on his arm.

"Not to worry, Toshi! It's really okay, I am just making a joke. I do believe this is a good decision - it's right for you! Remember how I said you seemed less worried now? Well, it's actually more than that. I sense that you feel at peace with this plan, and it excites you. I like that! How can I mind about something that makes you so happy?"

Toshiya took her hand in his and squeezed it warmly before releasing it. "Thank you!" he smiled. "So... do you mind?"

Haruka laughed again. "You are a persistent one, aren't you, Toshi? Well, then, my answer is this - no. No, I don't mind. Because... well, because it helps me with a decision I had to make for myself."

"A decision you had to make? I'm sorry - I didn't realize!"

"Don't be sorry - there wasn't really anything for you to realize. It's just that... well, I was offered a job with a magazine in Chicago a few months back. I really wasn't interested at the time in going so far away, so I refused it. But recently they extended the offer again..."

"Chicago, eh?" remarked Toshi slowly, looking at Haruka with interest. She smiled back at him.

"Yes, Chicago. I really think I may take them up on that offer, after all. It's good advancement for me, and the job actually does interest me. And since Chicago is not so far away from Indianapolis, I might be drop in on a game or two - to cheer on the Hornets, my new favorite team!"

In spite of her cheerful words, Haruka's smile was shy as she looked at Toshi, trying to gauge his reaction to her announcement.

"So... do you mind, Toshi?"

Toshi reached out and took Haruka's hand once more and squeezed it gently. This time, he did not release it.

"Mind? That you will also be coming to America? No, I don't mind! I think that will work out quite nicely, in fact..."