Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, the characters go with their respective creators of diamond no ace and I do not claim ownership of the characters or the world.

Chapter 19

Daiki wrinkled his forehead, honestly he was expecting that the young pitcher would ask the pro league topic sooner or later, but he was not expecting that he would be the one that Sawamura would be asking to. He expected it would either be their coach, Asano, or perhaps Tohru, but now as he looks back intently at Sawamura who was also looking straight back at him with his serious expression and bright golden eyes, it made him smile. "That depends Sawamura…" he answered honestly.

"Ehhh…" Eijun looked confused as he tries to figure out Daiki's expression of seriousness and smile.

"I mean… it is not complex compared to what everyone really thinks. Being pro tends to have a different meaning to every player who wants to achieve them." Daiki started explaining, as he could clearly see the anticipation on Sawamura's expression. "A good example is the three of us, each have different reasons why we ventured into this part of baseball. For Tohru he went pro because he love baseball and wanted to keep doing what he love till he die most probably," on that statement Tohru grin wide while Sawamura turn to look at him expectantly. "For Maki, he most likely went pro due to money…" Daiki added earning a violent reaction from the latter player.

"Oi… Daiki!" Maki called out.

Daiki on another hand just raised an eyebrow telling him otherwise making Eijun grin as well seeing the reaction of his seniors.

"Ugh… dang it… it is not just money, but I guess it focus on something near that…" Maki tries to defend himself yet trying to look away from the grinning Eijun.

"Sure… let us pretend it is another reason, as for me, I went pro because I wanted to see how far I can go with baseball. You see Sawamura… I hate baseball" Daiki confessed seriously earning a surprised reaction from Sawamura.

"Huh…. Daiki sempai? Are you for real? But you are a top hitter?" Eijun was dumbfounded upon the confession from his BJ captain. Among all the players in NPB, Daiki was considered among the top ten hitters of the league, thus earning the coach's favor despite his lacking of team and leading qualities.

Daiki laughed lightly, "I guess, but I never like baseball at first, when I was young I always get in trouble. I don't like working with groups or anything close to it. I am not a people person you know, yet for some reason people get close and move towards me, they say I am a good leader. Back in those days when I was in junior high due to my reputation, I unknowingly created a gang and get in trouble day by day. However back then Kiseki was already playing baseball, and since he was my first friend since I was a kid, I had no choice but to accept his offer to try out for baseball. Then I guess that is where it all started, but honestly I never like baseball unlike you or Tohru for that matter, however I started to like it along the way. Since this is the only thing that I am actually good at, and not judge for what ever things I do." Daiki explained carefully. "So for your Seido captain, I am guessing the real reason he wanted to go pro is to give respect to his family and most probably to keep enjoying the game he love, however as for you, why do you keep playing with us?" Daiki asked thoughtfully as he was observing Sawamura's demeanor.

Eijun answered honestly as he again focused towards Daiki looking somberly, "I play with BJ because I wanted to improve on my pitching, and see how far I can go with everyone. I wanted to win every game with everyone Daiki sempai, and let everyone know that BJ is not a weak team."

Upon hearing that Daiki grin from ear to ear, "then why do you keep playing with Seido?" he asked.

Eijun paused for a beat then answered wholeheartedly, "I play with Seido because I wanted to be acknowledged, not just by myself, but by everyone, to prove that Miss Takashima Rei did not made a mistake in asking me to join. I want to know and prove to myself that I did not made a mistake in joining Seido the moment captain Miyuki first catched for me, I want everyone to see that I have change since joining them I guess…"

"See… every person has their own reason Sawamura, if your emotions are all over the place and you suddenly felt unsure about something, the best thing is to communicate, if you cannot do it in words… then choose baseball to do it…" Daiki informs earning a light laugh from Tohru and a groan from Maki. He turned towards his teammates raising an eyebrow.

"Communicate…" Tohru remarked slightly laughing.

"Through baseball… that is funny, last time I checked it was pushing, mouth shouting profanities, and fist strike one after another" Maki mockingly commented.

"Ugh… I apologize did I not?" Daiki retaliated, making the other two laugh out loud.

"You apologize to Sawamura… what about me who was like a freaking punching bag between you and Miro sempai?" Maki asked in between laughes.

Eijun was smiling upon seeing his three seniors joking around. He suddenly feel lighter compared to last night when he overheard Miyuki sempai with Furuya. At the same time he realized that the only time he could sort out everything, including what he is feeling right now is to either communicate or use baseball to do it. He was around that thought when Asada suddenly appeared out of the corner calling Sawamura.

"Sawamura sempai?" Asada asked tentatively when he heard voices around the corner towards the indoor gym. As he made the turn, he saw his senior, however it was not long when he notice he was not alone but with three older men which made him confused at first, but then it suddenly hit him when he immediately recognize one of those men, it was none other than Tohru Hero, the top five NPB catcher for five seasons straight. He froze on the spot, not noticing Sawamura's panic state.

"Huh… Asada?" Eijun panic the moment he heard his kohai calling him out even before that said person turn out of the corner. But now, he was now looking at Asada totally nervous, he was about to prepare a stupid excuse when he noticed that the first year was not even looking at him, instead his gaze was fix towards Hero sempai, which made him confused. "Ehhhh… Asada you ok?" he asked tentatively as he move close to his kohai and wave his hand around but the latter was standing frozen stiff looking straight towards Tohru's direction not even flinching.

Tohru recognized the reaction of the young high schooler making him smile. "Hello… do you have a mitt with you by any chance?" Tohru asked the young boy that Eijun was calling Asada. And as if on cue the young player suddenly came back to life, and nervously answered, "Yes sir!" as he immediately pull out his mitt that was tuck in between his body and his arm, making Tohru smile wider as he approached the young player and notice Eijun's confused and alarmed expression.

"Eeehhhhh… Hero sempai?" Eijun asked unsure what was really going on, but at the same time he was totally nervous for his kohai.

"Mind if I borrow it for a bit, I just need to check on something real quick…" Tohru asked politely to the young Asada making the latter blush and at the same time pushing the mitt towards Tohru and bowing at the same time.

"No sir… you can have it if you wish!" Asada answered in a nervous state, while bowed down not even looking at Tohru at all.

As Tohru took the mitt, he grins from ear to ear and turn to look towards Eijun who was still unaware what was really going on. Well in baseball, the only time you can figure out the real condition of your pitcher is to catch for them, which is not really a methapor but battery often use to be in sync and figure out one another, and right now, he wants to know what is the condition of Eijun considering the other confessed his emotions are not in check. "Eijun… why don't we play catch for a bit" Tohru asked nonchalantly as he walked towards the indoor gym, "you two can be our look out while we are in there, I just need to check his condition real quick" Daiki raised an eyebrow upon hearing the order from Tohru, yet he did not complained and slowly followed behind.

"Huh… wait… what?" Eijun was totally confused as he immediately followed Tohru who was walking inside the indoor gym, and Asada following not far behind.

Tohru was slowly fixing the fit of the mitt in his had, though it feels a bit off, it is not unusable. He turned to look at Eijun who was now moving up towards the pitching line of the indoor gym. "This will be a quick check, I just want to see your condition, so just five fastballs will do." Tohru commented as he crouched down in a catching position.

Eijun nodded in agreement as he was starting to warm up his shoulders. Since it was not that long since he left field practice, he was still feeling warm and his shoulders were not stiff. He looked at Tohru who seems to be serious in regards to his remark in checking his condition, and as he look towards the indoor gym entrance, he saw Daiki and Maki both leaning in the entrance door watching them closely. Asada was also there looking at him all curious, which made him a bit hesitant. He has not yet come up of a good excuse to use the moment his younger roommate start asking questions. "Eijun!" he heard Tohru called him out as he turn towards his catcher's eyes, he noticed the urgency in them. He watched as Tohru gave him a sign for his rising pitch which he nodded in agreement. He took a step back, did his windup and threw his rising fastball, though the fastball was indeed in a rising motion, it was way to wide that it passed the position of the strike plate, however Tohru easily catch the ball before it sailed up his head. "Ugh… sorry Hero sempai!" he called out as soon he noticed the direction the ball went was not what was asked. He watched as Hero just nodded and threw the ball back towards him without commenting anything. Tohru again gave the sign for his 3 spin fastball close to the high inside plate, which Eijun nodded in agreement. Eijun did his windup and threw the slower fastball, yet again it was way to wide that it had passed the strike plate. "Ehhh… the heck…" Eijun complained as he started to feel something was off. What is going on… is it my pitching form? My grip? My release?.

"That is way to wide… no batters will swing on that pitch" Maki complained, as he watched Tohru threw the ball towards Eijun.

"Yes… I understand…" Eijun answered, though his expression was turning uncomfortable. Asada was looking at Sawamura in another light, this was the first time he could sense the pressure within a battery, and yet he was not the one pitching. He also noticed the seriousness and at the same time pressure between the two NPB batters who was just carelessly leaning on the side doors.

Tohru gave the sign for his 5 spin fastball in a outlow direction, but again the pitch was way to wide totally avoiding the direction he asked for. He could sense Eijun's annoyance and irritation since all the fastballs he requested all went outside of the strike plate and worse it was all out of the direction he asked for. I have suspected it, but I guess his condition is indeed not that good. He did not made any comment as he heard another bad remark from Maki in regards to the fastball that their pitcher just threw and instead he threw the ball back towards Eijun, and asked for his sinking fastball. He could clearly see Eijun took in a deep breath obviously trying to calm his nerves, and threw the sinking fastball with full force, yet it became a bouncing pitch. It was good thing his reflexes were in good condition that he was able to catch a pitch moving that fast in a bouncing motion, because if he got hit by that pitch without protective gears, he could imagine not hearing the end of it from either his wife or their coach, making him smile as he could imagine the faces they would make.

"Ehhhhh… sorry Hero sempai! I don't know why it did not reach!" Eijun panic the moment he saw that his sinking fastball became a wild pitch instead, almost hitting the catcher. Now he was totally nervous, something was really off, but Tohru just smiled on his mistake and easily threw the ball back to him. "Ok last one!" he clearly heard Tohru called out, as he asked for his pure spin fastball directly towards the middle plate. He hesitantly nodded, took another deep breath in as he threw the ball trying to target the middle of the plate, and this time it hit Tohru's mitt directly, making him sigh in relief. But it was short live the moment he heard his BJ seniors' comments in terms of his short session of catch.

"That was the worst condition I have seen you in a while kid!" Daiki commented. He had refrain from commenting watching Eijun's pitching session because it was not that good, it was actually leaning towards the end of the worse line.

"Yeah… everything was like rowdy and wild" Maki added.

"I guess it seems like that…" Tohru shortly answered as he stood up dusting his pants.

Eijun jog towards his senior ready to kneel down to apologize if needed. He was not sure what was going on, but his fastball pitches were all over the place, he has totally no control at all. It was so different to his superb pitching with his game with Sankou the other day making him feel bad. It had been a while since he had Tohru catch for him, and he was even trying to picture out in his mind how his BJ catcher would praise him when he shows him his pitches, yet now that it happened, it was not what he was expecting. "I am really sorry Hero sempai… I don't know what happened, can we go for another round?" he pleaded as he was worried about the disappointment he might get from his seniors.

"Hmmm… I doubt we can, you need to go back to your practice Eijun, plus I don't think even if we go for another catching session, you can pitch the way you wanted at the moment." Tohru answered as he could sense Eijun's anxiety seep out.

"Ehhh… But but… I know I can do better!" Eijun said in a much louder tone than usual.

"Eijun…" Tohru quietly called out, making Sawamura freeze upon the tone use. "You are way to stiff for your own good. Even if you brain is telling you that you are in peak condition, you body is telling you otherwise. You need to listen to your body too, it is a good thing you are not the starting pitcher for your final game"

"No… sempai… I mean Furuya will be starting but I would already be preparing in the bullpen to beat Inashiro!" Eijun answered

"Eijun… you are way focusing towards Inashiro as a whole team… You are overthinking about everything making your movements stiff and make you unable to think rationally. You seem to forget there is only one person you should be worried in regards to Inashiro" Tohru commented lightly as he looked at Eijun seriously.

"Ah… Narumiya Mei?" Asada asked curiously as he could sense the rising tension between Sawamura and the well famed NPB catcher.

"Not really… that Narumiya kid can pretty much dominate West Tokyo summer tournament with the way his pitching is right now" Maki answered Asada instead.

Eijun heard Asada and Maki's exchange and that was when it hit him, "Itsuki…" he answered quietly, to low that it was more like a whisper.

Tohru smiled widely the moment Eijun had realized what he was missing in the incoming finals game. "That is correct, among the both of you, you are are in a severely disadvantage position. If you inted to take him on then you would need to apply everything you know not just in Seido but with us as well. He knows your repertoire of pitches, the angle drops, your strengths and weakness. Heck he even has a first glimpse of what your reall fastball pitches look like up close, even if it had been a while since the both of you paired up, having your catcher in the batters box knowing your quirks is no joke, that is why forget about the final goal and first focus on what is infront of you". Tohru was genuinely worried how Eijun and Itsuki would be facing off, considering Itsuki was also working on his batting plus unlike Eijun he was not dependent on pin point batting unlike his pitcher, thus in this match Eijun was in a great disadvantage angle. But then again a lot of things can happen in baseball, and Eijun is someone that tends to surprise everyone. I think I will skip the game tomorrow as well… he thought silently as he plan to watch how Tadano and Eijun would go head to head.

Eijun scratched his head suddenly realizing what was that off feeling he had the moment he saw his BJ seniors in his school. Now it totally makes sense, he was informed time and time again before when he first asked them to have Itsuki be his battery in the second promotional game, and now this was it. "Hehehehehe… I totally forgot about that… I was like just focused towards in performing up to the standards and beyond of being an ace for Seido. Thank you Hero sempai… for reminding me of my real position" Eijun laughed and grin widely. He suddenly felt the building pressure on his shoulders was starting to be a bit lighter.

Tohru smiled seeing Eijun's usuall smile return, he turn towards Maki and Daiki who were all silent during the exchance though he could clearly see they were observing Sawamura closely as well. "Anyways… Maki can I borrow that pentel pen you always carry for signing autographs?" He asked as he move towards the entrance door, they were taking to much time of Eijun and someone more troublesome might come along thus he intends to finish the meeting quick.

"Huh… what makes you think I carry those things around?" Maki asked surprised.

"Cause you always do…" Daiki easily answered, raising an eyebrow as if saying to prove him wrong.

"Ughhh… dang it…. You will owe me a drink for this…" Maki complained embarrassed as he pull out a pen out of his sweater pocket.

"Ehhhh so you do keep one Maki sempai!" Eijun cheered as he moves towards his senior about to tease him.

"Don't start kid… and don't tell anyone either!" Maki ordered.

Tohru laughed as he took the pen and at the same time sighned his name and signature in the mitt he borrowed from the young boy who was most likely Sawamura's junior. "While we are on the topic, Eijun I think it is best to fix the rift between you and your Seido captain. I cannot really imagine what you are thinking or feeling right now after being left out like that by that person, but he is your battery partner as of th moment. It is not like he could really understand you like I do" Tohru commented while sighning the mitt.

"Ehhhhhhh?" Eijun was about to annoy Maki however he noticed the tone that came from Tohru in regards to fixing the issue with Miyuki Kazuya was leaning in annoyance. When he turned to look at his senior catcher, he noticed Tohru was focused towards Asada instead, completely avoiding his gaze.

"Can you keep everything you saw and hear a secret from anyone?" Tohru slightly asked as he handed the borrowed mitt to Asada.

Asada was ecstatic on another hand. He cannot believe it, at first he was just dreaming seeing his idol Tohru Hero in the flesh but now he also has a signed mitt that the catcher personally used as well. He was beyond elated right now, he carefully took the mitt and put it on his chest like a cherished child "I will took it to my grave sir!" he answered wholeheartedly.

"Ehhhh… I think that is way to extreme Asada! To the grave?" Eijun commented as he could recognize the same sparkle he saw in his junior eyes with Itsuki before he first met Hero sempai. I guess Hero sempai is really popular huh… he contemplated.

"The both of you should go back… before someone looks for you" Daiki ordered making both Asada and Eijun go into an alarmed state.

"Owh crap… boss would kills us! Asada let us go!" Eijun immediately answered as he started to run back towards the field. Asada bowed down one last time towards Tohru's direction before following Sawamura. Eijun turn to give a quick look towards his BJ seniors, "Owhhh hey cap! When I pass my exam you better be ready the moment I take and make that mound my own!" Eijun yelled out one last time grinning from ear to ear before running in full speed back towards Seido baseball field.

Tohru, Maki and Daiki started to walk back towards their vehicle the moment Eijun was no longer in view. "Hey Tohru… what does Sawamura mean when he pass the exam? Isn't his exams over that is why he can compete in his summer tournament game?" Daiki asked curiously as he turn towards Tohru.

"Owhhh yeah that you mention it, why was he yelling something like get ready?" Maki added.

Tohru smiled on the questions, right now only three people know about Eijun's plan to take the advancement exam. That would be Harashi Yuuta, the doctor eldest brother, his wife Nina Harashi, and him, well for him it was more like he had no choice but to know since Nina would be the one personally tutoring Eijun. "Well don't tell anyone yet since it is not yet for certain, but I guess the coach would soon find out anyways. It seems Eijun is planning to take an advancement exam."

"Huh… but those exams are really hard… is he for real? Our Sawamura? The kid?" Maki was surprised, he knew how hard those exams are which are only privelage people could take, and only those considered geniuses or prodigies has the ability to take them too.

Tohru laughed seeing both his teammates reaction. Well he was surprised as well the moment he found out about that news considering Eijun is not really the best candidate for such academic exams with his track of mind, but then again, he had wished it would make him consider it much more to himself. "You will never know, Eijun tends to surprise everyone" he answered wholeheartedly.

"True… I cannot wait to see what he would do in the future!" Daiki answered smiling wide.