Diamond No Ace: Echoes Of The Ace

Chapter 19: Big Brother

Kuramochi observed Eijun, who had been acting oddly ever since returning from their game.

He was unusually quiet and, most surprisingly, not training.

Normally, Eijun would only be found at the training field and would return to the dormitory only after lights-out.

Yet here he was, obediently staying in his room and—studying?

Yes, Kuramochi couldn't believe his eyes either, but there was Eijun, engrossed in learning.

Could this truly be the same Eijun who only ever thought about baseball?

Unaware that his rare act of studying had startled Kuramochi, Eijun was lost in his own world.

It felt as though he had split into two selves: one eager and excited, the other calm yet pessimistic.

As his pen moved rapidly across the page, his mind replayed the events from that morning at the training field.

...

"Is playing like that fun for you?"

"Who—who are you? And how long have you been here?" Eijun stammered, startled by the person leaning against the net.

The stranger ignored his question.

"If you're looking for someone to play catch with, I could join you."

Someone willing to play catch? Why keep practicing alone then?

"Why didn't you watch the game today? Was it because, like me, you think your skills aren't enough and stayed back to work harder?" Eijun asked.

The person, now in gear, responded indifferently,

"Not really. I'm just not interested in games I don't play in."

"What?"

"If you're here, it means you're that type too, right?"

Eijun stared, perplexed by the bold claim from this seemingly skilled stranger.

Yet something about him felt genuine, as though his words carried an undeniable truth.

But Eijun didn't dwell on it. Having someone to practice with was a rare opportunity—no point overthinking it.

...

"Haha, I didn't expect playing catch to be so much fun!"

"You seem to be enjoying yourself," the stranger remarked. "My shoulder should be warmed up by now. Mind if I throw harder?"

"Of course not! You're actually pretty good," Eijun replied cheerfully.

Before he could finish, the stranger set his stance.

The ball came hurtling toward him with a speed and force Eijun had never seen.

It slammed into his glove with a loud thud, the weight dragging his hand down.

Eijun took a step back to absorb the impact, staring in awe at the person approaching him.

"Sorry, I didn't control my strength. Back home, no one could catch my pitches. I transferred here after reading about this school in a magazine," the stranger explained.

Then, almost to himself, he murmured, "If it's him, he might be able to handle my full-strength pitches."

...

"Hey, Sawamura! Oi, can you hear me?" Kuramochi's voice snapped Eijun back to reality.

"Ah, Kuramochi-senpai, you're back?"

Eijun glanced at the clock by his desk.

"It's this late already?"

"What's up with you today? You're acting weird. Studying, even? Have you given up on being the ace? Think you're not good enough anymore?"

At Kuramochi's teasing, Eijun shifted slightly in his chair.

"Of course not. How was today's game? I remember you were up against that powerhouse, Ichidaisan ."

Kuramochi noticed Eijun's subtle movement and recognized his attempt to change the subject.

Deciding not to press further, he replied,

"Well, we won the game, but Tanba-senpai isn't doing too well. This could be your chance. If you perform well, the coach might notice you, and you could make it to the first string."

"Really?" Eijun murmured, momentarily dazed by the news.

Should he be happy?

Yet, for some reason, a sense of helplessness loomed over him.

Kuramochi frowned as he looked at the unusually quiet Eijun.

"Hey, something's definitely off with you. I might not be able to solve your problems, but I'm not going to make fun of you either. If you want to talk, I've got time to listen."

"Kuramochi-senpai..." Eijun was touched by his senior's sincerity. It had been a while since he felt this sense of protection and care.

Though Kuramochi often used him as a practice dummy for martial arts, teased him relentlessly, and frequently knocked him down a peg, Eijun had never truly been bothered by it.

To him, Kuramochi felt like an older brother—someone who might annoy him but would never actually hurt him.

Eijun trusted this feeling completely, even if it was baseless.

"Kuramochi-senpai, I met a new player today—Furuya Satoru. With just one pitch, he made me feel powerless, like no matter how hard I try, I can never surpass him. I don't know why I feel this way. I've never thought like this about any opponent before. But with him, just one pitch..."

Eijun buried his head in his arms, as though trying to hide from something—or perhaps to draw strength from within.

Kuramochi had initially intended to scold him for losing his fighting spirit over one person, thinking it spineless.

But seeing Eijun curled up like an abandoned puppy, he couldn't bring himself to say anything harsh.

Instead, he felt a pang of sadness.

"Sawamura, why did you come to Seidou? Honestly, when you came to tour the school, I noticed you seemed both fascinated and resistant—like you couldn't wait to leave. That's why I was surprised when I heard you decided to join. What made you come here?"

Eijun was momentarily taken aback by Kuramochi's question.

Memories of his earlier hesitation came flooding back.

"I don't know," Eijun began. "When I first came to Seidou, I felt like I belonged here, but at the same time, it was overwhelming, like something was pushing me away. Later, when I got sick and was hospitalized, I saw a video of Seidou's game and noticed Chris-senpai. It felt like I had found my goal. After coming here, seeing everyone's hard work, their sweat and determination, I told myself that I wanted to be part of this team. I wanted to fight alongside everyone..."

Kuramochi listened intently, knowing Eijun was being truthful.

That was just who Eijun was.

But how could someone with such a clear goal become so dejected because of someone else?

Who exactly was Furuya Satoru?

"I don't know this Furuya Satoru you're talking about, but I do know Sawamura Eijun. He's cheerful, positive, hardworking, and always moving forward step by step," Kuramochi said earnestly, looking directly at Eijun.

"You're the guy who declared at the freshman introduction that you'd become the ace. You're the one who stays on the field until the very end, dragging tires as part of your training. Remember what I told you that day? I'll say it again—Sawamura Eijun, you have the talent to become the ace. I'm looking forward to guarding your back."

"Kuramochi-senpai..." Eijun looked at Kuramochi with teary eyes, overcome by his warmth and encouragement, and blurted out,

"Can I call you 'Onii-chan'?"

Caught off guard by the sudden "Onii-chan" comment, Kuramochi's face turned bright red.

"What? Are you an idiot?"

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