Chapter One | My Most Precious Treasure
"I'll marry you!"
Yui turned toward the voice. "What?"
"I'll marry you," Hinata repeated. "No matter what you did in your previous life, no matter the handicap, even if you couldn't have kids, I'd still marry you today."
"You know, I couldn't walk, I couldn't do anything on my own!"
"I said no matter the handicap!" He was practically screaming, desperate for her to understand. "The Yui I met here wasn't a fake. Even if there was only a one in seven billion chance of us meeting, I'd still marry you."
"We wouldn't have met," Yui said softly, trying not to get her hopes up. "I was bedridden at home and never left."
His eyes went far away for a moment as he spoke. "I'd be playing baseball. I'd send a ball right through your window, and when I'd go to retrieve it, you'd be there. We'd start talking and we'd have so much fun that I'd start visiting every day." He chuckled softly. "Yes, that's how we'd meet."
"My mother took care of me. I couldn't even dress myself. Could you lighten her load?"
"Count on it."
She could feel herself drifting off into the fantasy world that he had promised. "I'm so glad," she whispered, before she was consumed by a warm light that filled her with happiness and courage of what life can offer. And this time she was hungry for it. Anxious for the life that Hinata had promised.
And then, she was gone, leaving only the helmet she was wearing and her bat behind.