novelVolume 5, The Twenty One Balls on that Summer (1)
| ← Ch.37 | Ch.39 → |
Volume 5, The Twenty One Balls on that Summer
At the end of summer, the white ball seemingly absorbed by the blue sky of the field captured my heart.
My summer vacation was wrecked by work. It was not about wasting my life fooling around with the NEETs or helping Alice move the Dr. Peppers around. It was actually about coordinating an event. Including the prior kidnapping incident, my summer vacation slipped away while I was running around.
I couldn't say that such a summer vacation was not fulfilling, but as a 16-year-old high school boy, I do want to lose myself in some things a typical high school student would do.
Entering November, this youthful passion continued to erupt and expand, seeking a place to vent, and then it exploded.
...At the game center.
As my dad was often deployed everywhere for work, I never made many friends from elementary school to middle school--if I did write such things, Alice would probably have chided me "Think about how emotionally retarded you are instead of blaming your dad's redeployment!" But in any case, I did have a period when I spent my time after school alone, at the game center
Such an illness (I don't think it's wrong to call it an illness) eased up a lot later on, one because the fighting games fad cooled off, and two was because my older sister started managing my finances, and I had no money to spend.
In other words, the passionate flames in my heart were never vanquished. With a battlefield and fuel, surely it will be blazing again.
"You'll be addicted anyway! Starting now, Vice-Admiral Fujishima?"
Soon after the second semester started, Major invited me to play an online baseball game called 'Power Playball'. Like an arcade game that can be connected to others, this game required lots of money. Thanks to the salary Yondaime gave me, my wallet became a lot fatter.
'PWLB' (This shorthand's weird, but it's a given terminology) requires many players to register their teams with their identification cards, and battle online in the entire country. The best concept of this game is the massive player database. Unlike ordinary baseball games where only a few actual baseball players are available for choice, one an automatically generate a player with unique values and fitting name just by entering a person's name. It appears to be composed based on the massive amount of online data.
For example, by entering the name of a famous racer like Senna, Prost or Schumacher, a character with high speed will be generated, while a characters named based on a professional golfer will have higher contact and arm accuracy stats, while a pro wrestler will be a power hitter. If the name entered was that of a politician or artiste, the player character generated would have unique values that 'might seem fitting'. Thus, it was a major topic on the internet, and attracted the attentions of players who weren't that familiar with baseball. Even if the name entered was an anime or manga character, the unique values generated can be rather believable; it's really amazing. If the name entered is a baseball player's, the character will naturally have the corresponding values. Even the little details like Kuwata Masumi muttering to the ball before pitching, or Kiyohara Kazuhiro dealing with dead balls will be reflected on the characters, so there had been decent revivews on it. However, the higher the values of the players in game, the higher the cost needed, so it's unlikely to put all stars like Suzuki Ichiro, Ochiai Hiromitsu, Oh Sadaharu and Nagashima Shigeo into the batting lineup. Besides, entering names of ordinary people will create characters that are somewhat decent, so quite a few people named the characters based on their own names.
The appearance templates of the players in the game are all fixed, but the uniforms can be customized with different patterns, and I too got a unique place in the game through the internet; it's not an overstatement to say that my team's famous. I had all the heroines from the Dragon Quest I to IX as my starting players, and had the image of my customized characters plastered on the uniforms, resulting in it being a subject of report by a few blogs and news stations (just to note, the team's very weak).
"As to be expected of you, Vice-Admiral Fujishima. Our 'Drive a Phoenix' team uniform shall be in your care."
"Please deal with that questionable team name first. I don't want a picture I draw be famous for that kind of team..."
"What's wrong with this name? It means 'Driving a Phoenix! Of course the Phoenix here refers to the F-14 Tomcat fighter jets missiles, nothing to do with a team that couldn't be created after losing to Rakuten in a trial..."
"Who are you trying to bluff here!? Isn't your ace pitcher called 'Horie'?"
"His strongest weapon is a forkball that falls like the stockmarket!" Hey! watch your words! "Anyway, a Phoenix has a fiery, ferocious feeling, so a dazzling golden glowing bird piccture!"
So I had an Oyakodon picture pasted on the uniform, but Major was infuriated. Didn't you want a fiery, dazzling bird!?
*
"You have been lax recently. What do you think the job of a detective assistant is?"
On a certain Friday in mid-September, I was nagged at by Alice. I was always loitering at the game center, and it had been a while since I showed up at the agency.
"Yes, Fujishima-kun! It's the assistant's job to take care of Alice's hair! Do remember how to take care of it...ehh, seriously! Didn't I tell you to comb it gently? Like this..."
Even Ayaka was fuming. The three of us were on the bed on the Detective Agency, and Ayaka handed half of Alice's long hair to me, teaching me how to take care of the hair. Ayaka was giving all kinds of criticism at my combing and conditioning techniques.
"But I never asked you two to take care of my hair!" Alice hated the idea of people toying with her hair, and was unhappy about this.
"I rather have Ayaka or Hiro handle this, if it's up to me."
Ayaka's my classmate, working part-time at 'Ramen Hanamaru' in this building. She's a lot more capable than me when it comes to handling with Alice's needs.
However, she does act airheaded at times, saying some troublesome things like this,
"But won't both of you be moving to a larger office and living together, Fujishima-kun and Alice? That will be more troublesome now."
"Wh-why do I have to live together with Narumi?"
Alice tried to turn her head around, but scowled as her hair was stuck in the comb. Her ears were blushing. Did it hurt that much? Ah, no...so I turned to Ayaka too. What do you mean, living together?
"Holmes and Watson have always been together! Poirot and Captain Hastings! Don't a detective and assistant have to live together?"
"Who taught Ayaka such nonsensical knowledge? You don't read any detective novels, don't you?"
"...Not on me!?" I had no knowledge on foreign mysteries at all."
"Hiro told me."
"Ayaka, think about it. Don't get too close to that gigolo! He's the guy who'll try to woo any nurse the moment he's born! Always with the useless words!"
Alice was so furious that she was patting her thighs. I too was taken aback. Living together with Alice? This isn't good, is it? Bad in all kinds of ways, so please don't joke about this. However, Ayaka did once tell off Alice for being careless about the relationship between male and female. Why mention that out of a sudden.
"Hiro and I have discussed over it, and we decided it's time to change Alice's education. Since both of you are going to live together, might as well go with the flow..." Who's going to live with her? What kind of education is this?
"Enough! Narumi! You don't have to learn how to take care of the chair!"
I was tapped on the shoulder, so I handed the comb to Ayaka, and had her do the rest. I should have done so right from the beginning.
"Listen up, Narumi! I can live by myself even without an assistant like you! Your current job involves only the ironing of clothes. Remember this!"
"Yes yes yes...I get you."
Alice had been a little more self-aware, realizing that it's embarrassing for others to strip her. However, I was still the one in charge of ironing her pajamas, for it seemed she was scared of touching it.
"Why is Alice so scared of the iron?" Ayaka continued to comb. It seemed Alice had a phobia as she had once touched it after I had used it.
"Correcting the shape by applying heat. This short-term manner of thinking is truly the terrifying bit. It is barely acceptable if used only on clothes, but imagine...there may be fools who will think of ironing the winkles of a human."
"Oh yes, Alice. Do you know about a hair iron? It's used to iron the hair."
Once Ayaka whispered this explanation to Alice, the latter's black hair jolted like electricity. Alice reached her right hand out towards the keyboard by her side, and the search result appeared on a screen.
"...Wh-wh-what is this device?"
After reading the description of the hair iron, Alice shrieked. So she didn't know about such a thing before? She got a whole bunch of weird knowledge in her head, and no common sense at all.
"Heats up the hair? That looks like a torture tool used to interrogate criminals! An Iron Maiden is a massage chair compared to this!"
Apologies to all hair iron manufacturers, I guess our detective here has no malicious intent. Alice wiped off Ayaka's hand, and snuggled into the pile of dolls. Her buttocks were still shaking. Is it that scary?
"Narumi! Never ever use the iron to flatten the creases on my pajamas! Such terrifying devices should be exterminated."
"How am I supposed to flatten your pajamas...without an iron?"
"Use your hands to flatten my pajamas one by one! Consider yourself lucky to spend an uninteresting life on this!"
"You got to be kidding! I have my own things to do!"
"Oh? What is it? Say it."
And with her actually mentioning this, I was a little disturbed."
"You're not trying to say that you're revising or reading ahead? Don't make me laugh. You're definitely repeating the year."
"Ugh...I!" I retorted, "I do some sports after school."
"So, 'Power PlayBall'?"
"You know about that?"
"The NEET detective knows all incompetence. Furthermore, you are a highly popular creator on the internet. How can I not know? I do know you have been designing crude uniforms that show lots of skin, and got a bunch of high salary players, but you never won at all because of your utter lack of team balance."
"How is that crude? Many people requested me for such things! What can I do?"
See, even Ayaka, who doesn't know anything, is giving me a weird look here!
"E-erm? What is it? Fujishima-kun? You're unable to graduate because you lack credits, and now you're drawing eros to earn a living because you don't want to work?"
"I have no idea where to begin retorting, so I'll stay silent."
"But you aren't. You said something."
"Ahh yeah."
"...Actually, Fujishima-kun, you'll say everything and anything to yourself, and that's why we're having this conversation. You haven't realized?"
"...Ayaka, you can't mention that to him directly! Look at his devastated look. It's like a worm on the asphalt exposed to the sunlight the entire morning, no?"
"I-it's okay, I'm not that devastated..." I weakly refuted."It's not the first time Ayaka said this about me..."
Ayaka had first said this about me before the Angel Fix incident. In other words, I was told off by two different people, and this was a lot worse than before. She couldn't remember, and yet that's what she said of me...whatever, in the future, I'll just work in a job that doesn't require me to talk to others. Maybe I should just live as an illustrator...
"Eh...but...since you are earning, that means your illustrations are amazing, aren't they, Fujishima-kun?"
Ayaka tried to speak up for me, but she ended up wrecking me instead.
"it's not real money, just in-game currency."
Alice coldly noted as she tapped at the keyboard, showing the 'PWLB' forums. Shown on it were the illustrations I put up for auction. Most were already sold out.
"Did you draw these, Fujishima-kun? Eh? Looks like some anime illustration I saw before."
Ayaka looked back and forth between me and the monitor.
"The one at the tope right was used in a movie poster, isn't it? I can see it that everywhere on the internet."
"it's not that simple. Actually, this game doesn't have a function to upload pictures, and he had to used the tool provided by the maker to do all these."
Alice began to explain gleefully.
"If current available pictures can be uploaded, there'll be a controversy over copyrights. That's why the game maker provided this outdated drawing tool. So outdated, ovals can only be drawn."
"Eh? Ehhh?"
Ayaka pointed at the monitor, looking flabbergasted. Shown on the monitor was a swimmer girl with glittering skin.
"In other words, the bored people in this country really have too much unnecessary stubbornness and skills that surpassed the make's expectations. By changing the diameters of the ovals, any straight lines and curves can be made. The drawing process can be replayed. You can see by looking."
Alice pressed a key, and the image on the monitor was refreshed immediately. Ovals of various colors and sizes gathered, gradually forming that swimsuit girl.
"It's a fast forward. Probably takes about three to four hours to complete."
No, I spent about 8 hours actually.
"Amazing...so there are really such bored people on this world!"
"That assistant of mine sprawled on the floor happened to be one of them."
"You two nag too much!" I hammered at the corner of the bed, trying to refute. Alice gave me a cold look, and even Ayaka looked at me with pity.
"Eh, well...it's fine, Fujishima-kun!" Ayaka stammered, "Drawing a swimmer girl with ovals is pretty impressive too!" That's not a job! Stop trying to console me in such a strange manner.
At this moment, the bell to the office rang. My savior appeared. It's Major.
"Vice-Amiral Fujishima, you're here? We're deploying to 'Game Nishimura' today."
I hurried out, and nearly crashed into the computer rack. Game Nishimura was the playground we deemed as our battlefield. Don't say that we're being deployed. This isn't work."
"Stop creating a fuss when you enter." Alice glared at Major, "Narumi's doing work as a detective assistant. Go look for someone else."
"What work? It's Ayaka's job to take care of your hair, Alice."
"He's in charge of being bullied by me."
"Major, let's go."
I sighed, and hurried out of the office.
It was evening, and the setting sun was finally behind the building, the heat seeping from the asphalt mixed with some coolness. There were a few trendy shops on the road, and as usual, few passers-by as we went our way from the office to the station. There were a few stalls selling ice cream and crepes that livened the mood. The low-rise buildings and the stout culture hall could be seen, and the passers-by started to increase in numbers. 'Game Nishimura' was opposite the culture hall, next to the batting practice centre. The slender and long apartments seemed to be flattened by these two buildings, and the windows from the first to the third storey were covered with glamorous gaming posters. Like usual, there were a few customers moving in between the crane games at the entrance.
"Major! There's quite a few retro games on the second floor after renovation. Mind checking it out for us?"
Once we entered the shop, a nervous looking bespectacled man walked out. This Nishimura-san is the shop owner. His dad is the boss, but as the latter has been hospitalized for long, he ended up running this business at a young age.
"Oh? I'll have a look."
Nishimura-san had been asking Major, a fellow gamer, for suggestions. Major gleefully looked into a corner deep inside the second storey, acting like a consultant, only to be arranged.
"This much, and you say that you gathered all the retro games? What do you want me to say?"
"Is-is that so?"
"Don't import any classic shooting games. They don't attract young people, are too common for retro games, and nobody's interested in them. At least bring in Bomber Jack or Libble Rabble."
"Uu, yes, I understand." Hey! You're really going to do what he says?
Speaking of which, Nishimura-san seemed to have aged quite a bit since summer break. The large gaming consoles on the first floor are one thing, but there's hardly any customers on the second and third floor. Probably having difficulty doing business.
"Didn't you import six 'PWLB' during summer break? Hasn't that improved things?" Major asked, and Nishimura-san's shoulders dropped.
'The only ones popular are large online games. Everything else, best not to talk about them."
Nishimura-san looked around at the retro games, and sighed reluctantly.
"The manufacturer has been going about promoting new gaming consoles, and we had to do discounts like the others...the highly anticipated games were soon pushed for home port...I heard that 'PWLB' will be moved to home port soon. The future sure is bleak..."
I guess so. You can say that the glory days of game centers is starting to end with the advent of family gaming ports and internet."
"Wait a sec, Major." You shouldn't be saying that here. Nishimura-san started to cry as he wiped at the screen of the console.
"Even the part-timers quit very soon. The batting centre next door's closed down."
I was about to mention that it was quiet next door. So they had closed down?
"I don't know if our shop can last through the winter, , , "
"I-it's that bad?"
Whenever I came by to play 'PWLB', I had to queue, so I never had to worry about that. Thinking about it, given the space, there isn't much earnings.
"Owner, mind if this thirty year veteran at the game center say something here?" Aren't you just twenty a few days back? Major leaned on the chair, a leg resting on another as he looked proud. Nishimura-san kneeled on the floor, and clamly said, "Please do!"
"The most important part of managing a game center, is to not bother with what the gaming maniacs say."
"You don't have the right to say that, you gaming maniac!"
"You see, Vice Admiral Fujishima..." Major pointed at the empty second floor, "Gaming maniacs are maniacs, and no matter how we complain, we can't leave our games. Normal folks have many ways to enjoy life however. When they feel that game centers are boring, they'll walk away silently. If we're going to change this shop by our wishes, we'll have the crane and gacha games disappear, and install various retro fighting games. This will result in worse performances."
"Now that you say so, that is correct..."
"Now what am I supposed to do...?" Nishimura-san asked as he sat down next to Major.
"Anyway, why do you want to continue this decadent business?"
Major never minced his words the entire time. Seriously, if this shop closes down, won't you and I have issues with that?
"It's my dad's shop. I like games too, so naturally."
"This isn't a trade that can be done naturally. Do you know that every year, the current gaming industry will continue to evolve the business models, and yet the large games that use hundred yen coins like before..."
Major continued his spiel of words, and I had to hurry down the stairs. There were people gathering around the large pachinko-like 'PWLB' machines.
"Narumi! Didn't Major just drop by too? What are we waiting for? Registration for the Tokyo Open Preliminaries is open." The college students gaming with us kept waving to us.
"Are you done with the full Morning Musume team?" So asked one of those in high school...probably a senior. We met in the gaming club, and to be honest, I really did not know his name.
"But...that team is really weak, you know? I did make the illustrations..."
"It's fine, show it now. Nobody's looking forward to seeing how strong your team is."
Amidst the laughter, I was shoved to the side. We inserted our identification cards, and the teams were decided. The 360 degrees monitor showed the dazzling green of the Tokyo Dome, "Hey! The opponent are all from Johnny's!" "This Morning Musume group can match up against them, I guess." "Wait, Nakai's a baseball nerd. He's strong!" "Hey! Isn't that Mori there? Now he's treated as a racer! Super fast now!" "That Kimura's basically a baseball player!" and the spectators roared. I was choosing the starters using the touch panels, feeling the passion oozing from the bottom of my heart. Game centers certainly were becoming a thing of the past, but I kept visiting to experience this passion.
For the following few hours, we kept inserting coins into the 'PWLB' console. Midway through, Major joined the battle, and after four months into the pennant race, the firefly lights told us it was time to close shop.
"I'll tell the shopkeeper to keep it open the entire night!"
Major never won a single game the entire night, and tumbled out as he tried to look for the shop owner. I hurriedly stop him.
"Don't forget what you just said before!"
"It's just an ordinary situation, nothing like the current situation. A customer has to be loyal to his own desires, and give stubborn requests to the shop owner!"
You know you're stubborn, so keep it in check! Besides, running a shop till late at night can mean getting their license revoked! Major ignored me, stormed past the empty shop as everyone else had went home, and head off to the back room.
"No! Nishimura-san's busy too"
The door to the back room was slightly opened, and there was a commotion heard at this moment.
"...You should be thinking about your own future now, right? This shop has no future. You know how the previous manufacturers bully the shops when they don't get payment, right?"
"Don't think we'll keep giving you such good conditions here."
Major and I stopped immediately, and we exchanged looks. There were two fierce sounding men, along with the timid voice of Nishimura-san.
"But...I can't decide on this alone..."
"In that case, how about we pay a visit to the hospital?"
"N-no, please don't. My dad's really not in a good condition. He can't take any more shock."
"So can't you decide on this now?"
I tried to lean by the door, but my leg latched onto the chair accidentally. The chair I kicked over collided into a game console, causing an unexpectedly loud noise. Major, who was next to me, widened his eyes at me.
The door to the back room opened, and a tall young man dressed in a black suit and light brown sunglasses appeared, the red shirt under his collar clearly showing a pattern.
"What are you eavesdropping about, you brat?"
Major and I stumbled back.
Behind the red shirt guy was a middle-aged man dressed in a white suit. There was a footprint by the edge of the desk, his hand on Nishimura-san's shoulder, the latter all curled up.
"Ah, so-sorry, but..."
I had a look at those two, and looked over at Nishimura-san.
"It's fine. We're just talking business here. Okay, hurry home now."
Nishimura-san barely forced a smile."Tch." The red-shirt man clicked his tongue, glared at us, and shoved the door aside.
The white lights of the fireflies continued to flicker incessantly above our heads.
*
The following day, after school, I came to 'Ramen Hanamaru', spotted Tetsu-senpai slurping the Chinese cold noodles at the back door, and immediately mentioned this to him.
"Those guys are yakuza, surely?" senpai immediately responded.
"...I guess so! So..."
I put my bag down, and sat on the tire opposite him. The heat of late-summer never faded, and the sweaty short-sleeved shirt was sticking onto my head, just like the duo yesterday I could not forget.
Next to that area was one of the bustling streets in Tokyo, and I could see such vicious looking people practically every day. However, I knew very well they were really members of the yakuza. I really didn't want to have this instinct of identifying yakuza, but I did have a few close encounters with the violence gangs, so I figured it out immediately.
"Now the question is, why did Nishimura-san get involved with the yakuza? Did he owe some money to some bad company?"
"Maybe that is the case..."
Nishimura-san did say business was tough. Based on what we eavesdropped upon, it appeared things were a little more complicated. Since the yakuza had proposed some good conditions, I'm guessing Nishimura-san promised them something.
Anyway, Major and I escaped with our tails behind our back. Nobody asked us to stay behind and be a busybody, but it didn't seem good to leave others behind and run away.
"So? Where did Major go?"
"He said he's still worried. Once 'Game Nishimura' opens up, he'll drop by to look.
"It's about 4pm. Since he's going to ask about what's going on, I guess it's about time he would show up now?"
"What about Nishimura?"
Min-san, who was preparing to open shop, suddenly pushed the back door aside and poked her head out. It's hot, and there's no customer, but just wrapping a sarashi around your chest without wearing a vest is too stimulating now, isn't it? So I thought.
"So that guy's shop is going to close down? Haven't seen him drop by for a few drinks recently...looks like he went about borrowing money everywhere."
"So it's that bad that you heard of it, Min-san?"
Nishimura-san's Min-san's classmate in high school. He lived near Tomozou-san from Okabayashi Sundries, and they inherited their fathers' shops after they graduated from high school. It seemed even in recent times, they gathered together to drink.
"I heard him mention about managing the game center in high school..." Min-san muttered.
"Eh, that much money is needed to run a game center? And he had to borrow?"
Tetsu-senpai put down the empty bowl on the table, looking up at Min-san.
"Of course he needs to. You NEETs won't be able to understand though."
Min-san sounded really frustrated as she answered,
"A new game platform needs millions of yen. There's also the logistics and the utilities bills. The hundred yen coins I get from the loafing brats."
"The game centers have been closing down one after another when I was still in school, I think! Might as well pack it up."
"If he ended up having to borrow money from the yakuza, he might as well close shop..."
While Min-san was muttering to herself,
"No...erm...I didn't borrow from them."
Suddenly, there was a voice from the alley. We turned around in unison, and spotted a tall lanky figure standing between the buildings,
"Nishimura!" Min-san widened her eyes, "Don't you have to take care of the shop?"
"Ah...well, Major said he can take over for the time being..."
We entered the ramen shop that had yet to open, and took up half of the 5 seats at the counter, facing Min-san in the kitchen
"It seemed they wanted to move their office to the fourth floor of our building."
"You were threatened by them?" Min-san was chopping the onions, only lifting her head slightly to glance at Nishimura-san.
"Yes. It seems they want to modify the place into a pachinko parlor, and want to chase us away. Well, it's more like if we don't move, we'll have to pay for protection fees."
"That's being involved with civilians." Min-san impatient swept the chopped spring onions into the Tupperware, "Since it happened, couldn't you have reported it to the police and have them deal with it?"
"But...it's not that simple..."
With a bitter grimace, Nishimura-san ruffled his soft, natural perm hair.
"My dad's on somewhat good terms with the landlord, so back then, the landlord charged us little for rent, and that's why we managed to keep running until now. It seems the landlord owed the yakuza lots of money, and demanded money from us. In name, he said he wanted to increase the rent."
"And then he'll pay the excesses to the yakuza directly?" Tetsu-senpai asked.
"Hm, I guess..."
As long as the landlord wouldn't say anything, this roundabout way of earning money would make it hard to disprove that the yakuza did anything violent against the civilians. Recently, the yakuza has been becoming smarter.
"What do we do now?"
"I don't know what to do. That's why Major called me to come here to discuss it with you guys..."
So was that the 'good conditions' mentioned?
"Eh? Th-then 'Game Nishimura' will have to close down."
I grabbed Nishimura-san by the shoulders, and shook them hard. That's our precious court!
"So I don't what to do either..."
"You're really indecisive!"
Min-san slapped the chopping board, and Nishimura-san jolted back in shock, all shrivelled up.
"Narumi, bring him over to Alice to talk. Also, check on the landlord and the yakuza. Not much loss if we check them out beforehand. I always hated this guy's lack of decisiveness. Really, he annoys me so me, I want to beat him up."
"No, wait, master." Tetsu-senpai interrupted, "How are you going to ask Alice to handle this? Nishimura-san hasn't decided on what he wants to do. Also, Alice isn't someone to act on sympathy or justice."
"Hm...well...you're right..."
Min-san folded her arms. The bespectacled shopkeeper looked crestfallen as he sat on the middle chair. Naturally, all three of us looked at him, and saw him lower his head, muttering,
"Erm...actually...I wanted to discuss this with you...I haven't exactly figured out how to deal with this..."
Min-san's eyebrows rose, and so did her hand.
"No, Min-san! You still have a chopper!"
I hurriedly stood up to stop her.
It was after Nishimura-san scampered out of the shop that Tetsu-senpai noticed her.
"What are you doing there?" he said as he looked towards the corner of the kitchen in the back, the door at the back. Min-san and I too noticed that there was an opening at the back door, a petite silhouette. Min-san darted over and pushed the door aside."Woah!" Alice, dressed in pajamas, flailed her arms.
"It's damn hot out there. What brings you here?"
Min-san grabbed Alice by the shoulder, to prevent the latter from falling over.
"Narumi just wouldn't bring the client upstairs." Alice puffed her cheeks as she said so.
"Eh? Why?"
I poked my head out from the counter, and stared at Alice, who was outside the door.
"Didn't the owner of 'Game Nishimura' show up looking glum? I saw that on the surveillance camera. NarumI! Why didn't you bring him up"
Alice entered the kitchen, and looked around, only to remain silent. That's a rare reaction from her. Her skeptical look remained as she stared back and forth between Tetsu-senpai and me.
I had a bad feeling, but I cautiously told her,
"If you're looking for Nishimura-san...he went back, you know."
"What!?" Alice's face was immediately flushed."Th-then hurry back to the office!"
"Bring her upstairs, Narumi." Min-san said with a sigh, "Since she's scared of being lonely like an ordinary person, why does she choose to be a NEET instead of going out?"
"Who said I'm lonely!"
"Alright alright, let's go! You're not looking so good!" if you have agrophobia, don't force yourself here! I went to the back door, grabbing the furious detective by the shoulders, and nudged her up the stairs.
*
The following day was a Saturday, and I did not have to attend school, so Major and I went to 'Nishimura Game' that morning, and we even asked Tetsu-senpai along. Tetsu-senpai was worried something bad might happen, and he also did say "I haven't showed up there in a while. Let's go set a new record at the punching machine. But I think I did set the last record, right?" I really didn't dare to tell him that the punching machine was removed as it was not doing well.
It was a holiday, and there was quite a crowd next to the "PWLB' soon after the shop was opened.
"What. It's doing well."
Tetsu-senpai stood at the entrance, looking around at the human wall that had gathered, noting leisurely.
"The customers are only visiting the ones with large online gameplay."
"Goodness, gaming noobs sure are troublesome." Major frowned, giving such a look.
"There are no customers on the second and third floor."
"In that case, how about you put such baseball games on the third floor?"
"It's a classic case of rookie game center managers failing. It's not nice to hear this, but baseball games are just a fad. The game elements 'PWLB' has lack originality, and this fad will die down once the online discussion cools off."
I was really annoyed to hear these words. Words aside, the tone alone was infuriating.
"When 'PWLB" was introduced, it was a no-name game, and the common criticism is that baseball games are no longer trendy. The shop owner liked it a lot, and bought in four sets, but it's because of them that this pitiful game center had a stable crowd. This was the only place to play 'PWLB' back then, so everyone gathered here. Now it's just barely hanging on because it's the earliest to start the trend."
I see. I didn't know that.
"Once the trend fades, if the third level is all 'PWLB', the customers will be gone. Without customers coming in, the game center can't do anything to get them back, unless there's a brand new, popular game introduced...the shop might close down by then though."
"What do you mean? It's useless to work hard? So why were you gleefully talking about game center management?"
"What I mean is that we can only work hard to prevent a loss of customers."
I nodded away without thinking. I see. It hurts, but it's really convincing.
"So why do you two come to this shop every day? There are many places with these game platforms though. There are a lot of places with such games, you know? Your school has a few game centers nearby, Narui."
"Hm?" I folded my arms without thinking. Yeah, why? I never thought about gaming at another shop.
"You too, Major. You badmouthed about Nishimura-san the entire time, so you could have gone to other shops too."
"That's not really the case, Tetsu-san..."
Major gave a gentle look, one that was unlike the usual him.
"You know who badmouths the Hanshin Tigers the most? Obviously it's the fans. You always grumble about how the ramen of 'Hanamaru' tastes bad, but how many years have you been there, Tetsu-san?"
"Oh...yeah..."
"And that's how it is."
Major raised a finger as he said that. At that moment, there were a few gamers queuing and watching, waving towards us once they noticed us.
"Major, there's an opening in the mini link Central League. Did you form a team filled with 9 batting pitchers? Come join in already!"
"You came by too, Narumi? I bought the RPG character and design book. Please draw them on the uniform."
I waved back at them with a smile, and followed Major as I broke away from the crowd, into the area with the large silver balls machine. So that's how it is; because we feel at ease here. There's us, everyone, and the field, but that's all.
Rain or shine, even if we do complain from time to time, we will return here. This is what we call 'home field'.
"Just one game." Major was yapping away, queuing up at the game, but I dragged him off to the back room. I was about to knock on the door, and there was a loud shout behind the door, as loud as the background music in the shop.
"Don't think we're going to keep a low profile like this."
"Seriously, Nishimura-san, it's useless to not mention it to anyone else, you know? Your rental agreement will run out next year, and you will be chased out by then. We are being kind in our proposal here."
Major and I were shocked, and we exchanged looks. It's those two yakuza members. They showed up in broad daylight? We never expected to meet them directly.
"...Is it them?" Tetsu-senpai leaned over from behind. I nodded, and he reached for the door. I couldn't stop him from pushing the door in.
The air inside the cramped back room seemed alit. Nishimura-san, crouched before the desk, turned towards Tetsu-senpai, and so did the two yakuza members flanking him from front and back.
"What do you want?"
The young red-shirt man tried roared, trying to scare.
"I'm Nishimura-san's lawyer." Tetsu-senpai gave a bare-faced lie, and took a few more steps into the room.
"Wa-wait a sec, Tetsu, don't do thsis." Nishimura-san panicked, "We're busy..."
"And that's why I showed up. You can't do anything alone, Nishimura-sa"
Midway through, Tetsu-senpai stopped. His eyes were not looking at the two yakuza guys, and not at Nishimura-san, but to the left of the door. What? My vision was blocked by senpai's burly, and I could only lean my upper body out to see what was going on.
There were lots of chassis, blanks and cleaning too, and amongst the items, there was someone leaning on a folded chair. Once his eyes met mine, I nearly exclaimed,
"Oh? Isn't this Tetsu? Oh? And Narumi?"
The massive body nearly bursting the floral shirt, his brows and hair shaved off, giving a weird look, and the eagle eyes deep in his sockets were sizing us up.
"Nemo-san..." Tetsu-senpai uttered.
I remembered him. I couldn't forget that Octy's face. He was one of the yakuza, and one of Tetsu-senpai's mahjong pals. It's my third time meeting him, and I really wanted to get rid of this relationship.
So Octy smirked, baring his uneven teeth.
"Looks like things got complicated here, huh? Hey boss, this place is too small. Not a good place to discuss something important."
"Eh? Ah, ye-yes, after the shop closes then."
"You idiot. You think I got the time? Close shop now, ya."
"Eh? Eh?"
Nishimura-san widened his eyes. Octy stood before him, reached his hand out for the wall opposite the desk, where the power switch was at.
"Wa-wait a moment! What are you"
"Tak." The sound of the switch pulled down echoed, and I cringed, closing my eyes. I had the feeling of a torn Achilles.
"Oi!" "What is this!?" "A power outage!?" "You're kidding! We're having a match now!"
There were growls coming from the other side of the door, and thus, I opened my eyes. There were the sounds of footsteps of chairs being toppled over in the darkness. For a moment, cold sweat trickled down my skin, either because the air conditioning was switched off, or my heart was racing.
"...Ne-Nemoto-san, what did you do?"
Nirshimura-san feebly protested, but Octy shoved him aside, went by Tetsu-senpai and me, and walked out of the rest room.
"A power outage. We're closed for the day!"
The loud roar caused the rowdy shop to quiet down.
"You hear me? Scram. We're closing."
Octy declared with a hiss. The few people playing 'PWLB' just a moment back saw this unfriendly bald head, and backed away with pale faces, while the customers standing further away probably couldn't see Octy, even protesting.
"What is this?" "Hey! We're playing!" "Refunds!"
"Nemoto-san, please, don't trouble the customers..."
Nishimura-san was begging, basically in tears, but Octy raised his trunk-like arm, and grazed it past Nishimura-san's nose.
A loud thud echoed through the shop, shutting the growls of the customer. I couldn't gasp. Octy's fist sank deep into the silver machine of 'PWLB', the tiny cracks appearing in a radial manner, as though an asteroid had appeared on the cover.
Nobody said anything, and there were gulps of fear.
"Need me to repeat myself, you sheetty brats?"
Octy's voice was like icy cement burying the floor of the game center.
"Didn't you hear me tell you to scram?"
I stood behind Octy, and saw the customers disperse, suddenly reminded of what Tetsu-senpai once said.
There is no good yakuza on this world.
A blunt sound came from behind, and I turned around to look. A completely dumbfounded Nishimura-san had collapsed on the 'PWLB' console, nearly falling onto the floor, while Octy grabbed him by the collar. Nishimura-san had passed out.
"This is unsightly. Hey, get him in a lie down."
Octy tossed Nishimura-san to his underling, the young man in the red shirt. I hurriedly returned to the back room, only to be grabbed by Octy.
"You got some things to say to us too, right? Whatever, let's go."
There was no other customer in this dark room, and Octy had his white suit underling stand behind him, while he sat on the game console, facing us.
"Seriously, what's your deal with the owner, Tetsu, Narumi? Why stand up for him, ya?"
Tetsu-senpai folded his arms, wondering how to answer, and I couldn't help but remain worried about Nishimura-san in the back room.
"That brat with the visor has been poking around for no good reason again. Better go back to elementary school now, brat."
Octy tapped Major on the helmet. It seemed those words caused Major to flip out.
"I'm a college student! Didn't I mention it the last time!?"
Major was seething as he shoved his student card to Octy, who was about four heads taller than him. I looked on, feeling terrified.
"Oh? Really? Wow, nice college you're at. Stop following around at this scrap of a game center. Study well and get a good job. It's pointless to be unemployed like these bums here."
Wait. Don't look at me right after you look at Tetsu-senpai. I'm still a high school student.
"Unfortunately, I have no wishes to be employed."
Major gleefully replied. Octy laughed it off, and the white suit man behind him looked incredulous.
"Of course, being in college means I have to laze around for eight years, and put my student card to good use. But, to make it seem like I graduated top of the class, I have to take leave starting in February, in my fourth year. During my school days, I'll start to write programs, earn money to set up a game company, and by commanding my underlings, I can climb up the industry, and be recognized by Forbes and the president as 'the Japanese Bill Gates who doesn't work at all', always thinking about how to play!"
"Nobody asked you for such dream-like life plan." I slapped Major on the back without thinking.
"So basically, I'm not exactly fooling around at game centers for no reason."
Major continued to refute. Octy, whose stance had been ambiguous the entire time, suddenly showed a friendly side, so I let Major continue to express himself.
"I'm here not just to play, but also to observe the industry as a maker."
"What nonsense is that!?" When did you become a maker? But Major ignored me.
"I don't know what the owner thinks, but this shop is a stepping stone to our future. One day, I will build a headquarters seventy levels tall, and if the legendary game center this superstar CEO Major Histoshi Mukai visited is no longer around, it'll be pretty troublesome."
"The one troubled should be Nishimura-san!"
"...And then?"
Octy narrowed his eyes into a slit.
"I know this shop from the inside out, so I came by to negotiate with the temporary owner. Tetsu-san's just my bodyguard, and Vice-Admiral Fujishima is my bag carrier. Now then."
Major pulled a chair over, and sat before Octy.
"It's preposterous to raise rental by 250%, and they can't continue to run this shop like this. We got no other choice, so, I got no choice but to ask you to lower the price."
"Wait, Major...Nishimura-san's lying on the bed. Deciding this on your own is..."
"What do you mean, decide on your own? Whose shop do you think this is?"
"Of course it's Nishimura-san's!"
Octy burst out laughing as he lifted his head, and his underling behind him looked concerned.
"...Ojiki, who are these brats? They seem familiar with you..."
The white suit guy whispered at Octy's ears, and Octy took turns to look at us, before turning around to ask.
"You heard of the Tabara-gumi incident? They did it."
The white suit guy paled."
"Also, the second-hand clothes shop 'Alan Garba'? This brat got involved the last time, so remember him well. His actions are more unpredictable than the other two. Even I owed him a favor."
I felt goosebumps. It's hard to explain the specifics, but I was dealing with that Octy in the quarrel over 'Alan Garba'. I managed to scare him after lots of nonsense. Eh, so the 'favor' he talks of is basically about that?
"That second-hand shop is doing really well now. Your bluff actually came through Narumi. Got to thank you for that."
"Eh, yes."
I lowered my head. Better to not owe a favor to the yakuza, and never to have the yakuza owe me a favour. That was a lesson I had learned many times, but never applied.
"Since you have asked, I can't say that I won't consider it at all, ya. Tell me, how much until it's affordable?"
"How can we show our cards here? Of course, our request is the same rental."
"Ohhh, nice going there, Major."
Tetsu-senpai seemed to be annoyed by this, and he ended up leaning on the game, cheering.
"You brats sure are cocky there. What kind of negotiation is that? That's a no go."
The smile vanished from Octy's face. It seemed I was the only one able to stop them. So I thought as I tried to get up, but Octy leaned his torse forward.
"So, how about a wager?"
"...Eh?"
Without thinking, I stared right at Octy's bald head.
"Wager? You guys like to gamble, right?"
"We love it." "What are we betting on now?" Major and Tetsu-senpai's eyes were glittering. Don't you guys realize you're dealing with the yakuza here!?
"If you win, I won't raise the rental, and I'll continue to lease out to you guys. If I win, you guys have to move away, unconditionally. Whatcha think?"
"Sounds good. What are we betting on?"
"Of course it's mah-jong."
"Alright, I'm in!" Tetsu-senpai grinned as he rolled up his sleeves.
"Wait wait wait senpai! You're bad at mah-jong. Let's get someone else to play, okay?"
"Then you and Major..."
"I don't wanna! I don't want to be grouped with people talking about some dragon pulse or some Koumei's stratagem! There's no chance of winning here! Our opponents are mah-jong experts who play with tens of thousands of yen here."
"Well, only the owner will have issues if we lose, so no biggies?"
"What no biggie!"
"How about we bet on something else? With horoscope?"
"How are we going to bet on horoscope?"
"Of course, the one with the better horoscope wins!"
"I'm Virgo, and my Masami Kuramada is the strongest."
"Oh, I'm Sagittarius!"
"I'm yakuza."
"Enough with this pun already, and aren't all of you yakuza? Think about it properly!"
"Then, how about rock-paper-scissors?"
"You're intending to get someone without a pinky or an index finger, so that we can't decide if he's throwing scissors or paper here, right?"
"Vice-Admiral Fujishima's, you tongue's on real fire today." "You're pretty scary, Narumi." "How are you seriously so amazing in these unnecessary areas? Goodness." Why are you three so impressed by me!?
The guy in white suit shrugged, and tried to step forward and intimidate us, only for Octy to raise a hand to stop him.
"In that case, let's do something you're good at."
"...Good at? You mean." Major tilted his head.
Octy pointed at the large ball-shaped machine of 'PWLB'.
"How about baseball?"
"Is that alright? You know the rules?" Major looked excited.
"Of course. Don't underestimate the yakuza."
"It was pretty unexpected. This hardboiled Octy plays this online game too?"
"Alright. The game's decided."
Major nodded firmly, and I had no disagreements. I think we have a bigger chance of winning here, right? To be honest, I didn't know why he would be so kind to give us a free service...
"So we'll decide this on one game?"
"No problems."
"So let's settle the conditions. If you guys win, the rental contract and fees remain. If we win, you guys will shut up and immediately; ah, I don't think it's possible to do so immediately, right? Alright, close shop and move out in a month then."
"Understood."
At this moment, I should have thought a little deeper into this. Major and Octy quickly agreed however, and I went along with their decision, and thus I did not realize something.
That we were had.
"So it's decided. Right, we're leaving ya." Octy said to the white suit. He then hollered to the back room "We're going back!" the red suit then showed up.
"...Ojiki, i-is this really alright? Aren't you giving them too much leeway?" the white suit guy remained concerned.
"It's fine."
"So we're just going back? We don't mind settling this here. It's a little sad that we don't have spectators, but we can have a real go here."
With a confident smile, Major frisked out his IC card, pointing his chin at the silver ball machine.
But Octy then gave a mysterious smile.
"We can't compete now though? Got to book the grounds. The riverside grounds seem good, ya?"
"...Grounds?"
Major looked stunned.
I supposed the expression I showed back then was the same.
"Yeah, and there's four of you now. You need nine for a baseball match."
*
The following day was a Sunday, another rest day.
"I heard that everyone's going to play baseball against the yakuza?"
Hiro hurried into the office, looking either bemused or shocked. I was kneeling before the bed, while Alice continued to berate me.
"Not only did you not bring a potential customer up, you made the situation worse! And you made your own negotiations while the customer is unconscious? It is so foolish that I do not know what I should say to nitpick your stupidity. A monkey typing on a keyboard for thirty minutes might write a smarter AI than you!"
"I'm reflecting on my actions."
"Huh? Seems serious here."
Hiro passed me by, and sat down next to Alice.
"Here! This is some of Min-san's purple sorbet. Have some and calm down."
"This isn't a question of whether I'm angry or not! Don't think you can coax me with some sorbet!"
Though she said so, Alice snatched the cup and spoon from Hiro's hands. In an instant, the rustling sound of ice delivered into the mouth echoed in the cold air.
"Erm, so, Narumi-kun, you and Major and Tetsu all got fooled?"
"Yeah, well...you can say that."
Of course, after that, all over us protested, saying "We said it's a baseball game, not a real baseball game." However, once the yakuza catches you with something, it'll be really scary. The joking atmosphere from just a moment ago vanished without a trace, and Octy's eyes became as heavy as a lead ball."
"Didn't you agree to this yourselves? Now you want to renegade on your words, brats?"
After hearing that, Nishimura-san, who had just recovered, passed out again.
Because of this, Major probably went down to 'Game Nishimura' to check out what's going on. Should I go down too to apologize with him?
"What can be accomplished with your apology to owner Nishimura? How about you tackle the realistic issue instead?"
Alice coldly noted.
"Boss Nishimura will contact the yakuza himself, saying the promise has nothing to do with the shop, so it probably won't happen anyway."
"Hmm...but..."
We'll be right back at where we started. It's only a matter of time until the shop closes.
"Did you think that since the conditions are fair, that if you participate in the match as told and win, it'll all work out?"
"I did think of that, maybe..."
"As an assistant to this NEET detective, speaker of the dead, have you not any self-awareness?"
The empty sorbet cup was thrown at me.
"Try thinking of how to solve this issue with intellect and words instead. Settling this with some baseball match..."
"Don't underestimate baseball! A baseball match requires thinking and talking too.
"You're just playing it for fun. On what basis are you acting like professionals?"
"Narumi-kun, if we're settling this through baseball, Alice can't help. She's angry because she's lonely."
"Why talk about loneliness?"
"Because, this has nothing to do with you when nobody made a request, Alice. And you interrupted."
"Uuu, that's because...hey, where are you going, Narumi? I'm not done talking!"
I decided to leave Alice to Hiro, and escaped the office. In any case, I should look for Nishimura-san and discuss things with him. We're the ones who agreed to play baseball, but as Alice had said, Nishimura-san should be the one asking Octy to cancel the bet. He won't accept those conditions anyway.
But once I reached 'Game Nishimura', I found that the shutters were down. I took out the phone to check the time, and found that it was 11am, Sunday. The shop should be open at this time, and a few usual customers were wandering before the shop.
"Ah, Narumi."
"Is it closed for the day again?"
"Those guys yesterday were yakuza, right? Did the owner rile them?"
"It's scary, but I'm worried about him, so I came by today. Why is it still closed?"
"Did the owner get beaten up and sent to hospital?"
The usual customers asked me various things.
"W-well, he's not hurt, actually...I don't know why it's still closed though."
Was he still unconscious after passing out the second time yesterday? Probably not.
"Anyway, Major isn't here?" I asked, and everyone shook their heads.
Guess I got no other choice. I got to the back of the building. There was a door leading to the back room, and it wasn't locked.
"...Excuse me...Nishimura-san, are you in?"
The lights in the rest room were lit, and the computer at the desk was on. In other words, Nishimura-san was already in the shop. I entered cautiously, and heard a voice from the second floor.
"Oh? It's you, Narumi? Sorry for yesterday. I passed out."
Nishimura-san was holding a pail and cloth, , preparing to tear down the posters off the second floor window.
"No no no, we should be the ones apologizing."
I immediately waved my hands profusely.
"Since you're always with Tetsu and the others, you might be sued to this, Narumi-kun. However, it's better not to get involved with the yakuza, if possible." Saying that, Nishimura-san smiled weakly."It'll be bad if bigshots like that one came by, causing trouble for the customers, so I decided to close shop for the time being, until it all settles down."
Hearing these words left me really pained. This man's always worried about others. Maybe it's for this reason that this shop gives such a homely feeling? And we,
"I'm really sorry for us making that weird decision. Major and I mistook it for a video game, and we let our guard down. Erm, sorry, I guess. It was impulsive of us."
"Ahahaha. That bald yakuza can't possibly be playing 'PWLB'. For some reason, he really hates that game.
"...Eh? Nemo-san?"
He didn't seem to have any interest in games, yet he hates 'PWLB'?
"The first time Octy came by, his initial condition was that the game center can continue to run. But his condition is to remove 'PWLB'..."
"But...why?"
"Aren't they going to renovate the fourth floor into an office? He said that every time, he'll hate brats in the shop downstairs talking about baseball when they don't know anything about it, that it angers him.
"So he hates baseball? No, he's angry because he likes it?"
"But if we move 'PWLB' away, there's no point in continuing the game center. That's why I considered accepting the prior proposal."
"To turn the place into a pachinko parlor?"
"Yeah, my dad will probably agree to it. There are a few game centers nearby, and unlike before our place isn't the only one where 'PWLB' can be played at."
Nishimura-san opened the window, and pulled down the poster facing out, only to suddenly stop and not say anything, widening his eyes as he looked downstairs.
I too approached the window.
"...Why...those guys."
Nishimura-san muttered. The usual customers wandering at the shop entrance never left, and instead, multiplied.
"Hey, heard this shop isn't doing well." "Is it closing?" "Should have come often."
"Well, how about we hold an event?" "How about a 'PWLB' tourney?"
"Sounds good." "We'll promote this on the internet." "Get Narumi to provide illustrations."
Such a conversation happened downstairs. Nishimura-san leaned by the window, not moving at all.
Suddenly, an intriguing silhouette appeared in my line of sight. I could tell from the camouflage helmet that it was Major. He was carrying a backpack as big as he was, with a few baseball bats in the pockets.
"You guys! We're starting trials for the team!"
Major yelled, and put down the items at the entrance of the now-defunct batting center.
"What trials?" "Why bring bats over?"
"We'll be having a baseball match that determines the survival of 'Game Nishimura', so now we're going to start choose players!"
Major continued to explain, and the lazing customers were increasingly excited, a crowd moving into the batting center that was forced open. Major, you haven't learned your lesson?
"I'll go stop them."
I hurried down the stairs, and darted out through the back door.
"Listen up, the key to us amateurs winning is defense! Right now, we're going to test catching. I don't have enough mitts, so we're share! I'm starting the machine!"
Major started the pitching machine, swinging the bat as he commanded everyone. These guys are all amateurs though, and the direct pitches all ended up on the floor.
"Those without mitts are to try batting! We'll start with 100kmh pitches!"
"Major, what are you doing?"
I darted past the group excited to compete, and finally found Major, who was behind the net.
"We need to gain some forces capable of fighting, or we can't achieve victory in this battle for 'Game Nishimura'."
"No, anyway, Nishimura-san hasn't given the okay."
"Doesn't matter now, does it? If we lose, the owner can just go 'I don't know about this, so it's invalid'. It's a zero risk high reward bet, so why not?"
"I see." So I had such a thought in my mind. That was embarrassing.
"How's such a twisted fallacy able to work the yakuza?"
"It's fine, join in too, Vice Admiral Fujishima. Your mobility and vision should be good. Looking forward to your performance."
"Hey Major, help us set up the machine here!" ""Set it to 120kmh already."
The contestents swung the bats, and Major immediately got the machine up and right."
"Too fast!" "But we could hit them in game!" "Couldn't hit them at all!"
"You guys are too useless!" Major tapped the bat in his hand on the ground."With such lax defense, a bunt can become a homerun!"
"Bring it!!" "Louder!" "Come on! Louder!"
"Enough, everyone."
I was abou to say so, only for the batting center to quiet down.
I turned around, and saw the metal doors of the entrance opened. A bespectacled frail body with natural perm entered. It's Nishimura-san.
"Nishimura-san, say something. It's a batting center that's closing down, so using this place is."
But Nishimura-san raised his hand, stopping us, and even said,
"Lend me a bat. I'm taking part too."
I was gobsmacked. The customers, covered in dirt, were also dumbfounded.
Nishimura-san received the bat from Major's hands, and raised it over the batter box.
"Set it to 140kmh. 10 shots, continuous."
Nishimura-san raised the bat, and stood his ground like a large wooden block. There was a tense atmosphere filling the place immediately.
And over the next fifty seconds, our eyes remained fixed on Nishimura-san's swinging. The white balls that were knocked aside let out a crisp sound, perfect arches and high into the net.
I thought Nishimura-san was a weak, bespectacled nerd, and even I was so taken aback. I glanced aside at Major, who too shook his head, giving a "I didn't know he's that strong." Look.
After batting away ten balls, Nishimura-san sheepishly put the bat by his leg. For a moment, nobody in the arena could say anything.
"...Everyone, thank you."
Nishimura-san lowered his head, muttering. And then, he looked around at the dozens of people in the batting center.
"But, we're dealing with the yakuza, real yakuza. I don't want you guys to get involved to me. All of you are my customers...Sorry, I'll open the shop now. You can play as you want. I'll be happy with this."
So a flock left the batting center, while Nishimura-san hurried to the back of the building, into the back room.
The metal shutters opened slowly, and the noise of the game consoles welcomed us.
Major and I stood at the entrance, watching everyone enter the lights and sounds of the shop, and then Nishimura-san, now changed into his uniform, walked out from the crowd.
"Major, there is something I want to ask of you."
Nishimura-san lifted his head, showing an expression as clear as the pebbles at the bottom of a riverbank, and Major nodded, his lips still pursed.
"Please find enough team members to face off against the yakuza."
"Your request is understood."
"I'll to ask Hanada and Tomozou."
Nishimura-san turned around, returned to the shop, and muttered,
"We just need to win."
*
It was at 'Hanamaru' that night when I learned Nishimura-san was a member of the baseball club.
"Our school's club wasn't really strong, but that guy was the ace pitcher who led them into the semifinals of the city tournament. There was quite a commotion too."
Tomozou-san of the wine shop had not dropped by at in a while, eating and drinking shouchuu as he mentioned the past.
"He really loved baseball back then..."
I kept refilling for Tomozou-san as I nodded away understandingly. It's because of this reason that he brought 'PWLB' into the shop soon after they were sold, and never thought if they would become a fad.
"Semifinals, so they made it to the first two rounds of the Koshien? I really don't know if that's amazing or not."
Min-san, frying pork liver and leek behind the counter, asking,
"The other members weren't practicing though? So it's all because of Nishimura that they won all those matches. That's pretty impressive."
We say so, but it's not that easy. It's been a while since Nishimura last play, and the opponent probably won't be looking for weak opponents...even if Tetsu and I are to be second base and shortstop..."
"You're pretty pumped up for this, Hanada." Tomozou-san laughed."Tetsu can't be the catcher?"
As for the Tetsu-senpai they were talking of, he was seated on the beer crate outside the shop, going through a personal rundown on the baseball rules with Hiro.
"Hey, what's the infield fly rule about? Why is this rule made?"
"So that there won't be a deliberate double play."
"So what do you do?"
"Well, you know anything about fielding out?"
"No I don't."
It appeared Hiro was having trouble on his side. I didn't know about Hiro's athleticism, but since he's in good shape, he should be more useful than me, I guess.
"Which position will you play, Fujishima-kun?"
Ayaka, who was washing the dishes, asked me excitedly.
"The scorer, of course." Min-san coldly retorted.
"Which base does the scorer defend?" "The scorer's the one recording on the bench..."
Faced with Ayaka's cruel ignorance, I had to answer politely.
And when 'Hanamaru' was about to close, the main star finally appeared, as Major brought an amazing special guest.
"Found a perfect shortstop here!"
Major entered the shop with a grin, and once I saw the person lift the noren behind him, the ramen in my mouth nearly sputtered out.
"Heard some idiots got involved in some dumb stuff?"
"Yondaime!? Y-you're discharged!?"
I screamed, only to be glared at by the wolf eyes beneath the grey hair. He was dressed in a black vest, his arms and shoulders wrapped in an astonishing amount of bandages, but he seemed to be in good spirits, and the killing intent he had was back. He sat on the chair next to me, and ordered a bowl of char siu ramen from Min-san.
"Eh, well, you're joining the team too, Yondaime?"
"Major said he'll pay. I rested for far too long, so this is good activity for rehab."
Is it really already to do that after being discharged? So I wanted to ask, but Tetsu-senpai's voice came from outside the door.
"What? You guys are joining too? Rockys's suitable to be the catcher."
"No Tetsu! Catcher's the most difficult position! The catcher's the commander of the team, someone who has to be familiar with the rules."
Taken aback, I lifted the noren, On the dark streets, there were two slowly moving silhouettes behinds Tetsu-senpai and Hiro, and they're Pole and Rocky. They too were called in?
"Ojiki, ah, aniki too. Please take care of us!" "We'll beat them in one hit!"
The two guys in black shirts bowed deeply, and I was strangely uneasy about this.
"Erm...you guys don't know...the baseball rules, right?"
"Yes, not at all!"
"We don't know how many points we get for beating the pitcher!" Points, my head.
"You idiot, the only sport you can earn points from knocking down someone else is hockey!" "It's not hockey!"
"Stop fooling around here! These guys are dumb as bricks, but even idiots know that they have to run after batting, right? Don't talk too deeply about baserunning." Yondaime said, "And more importantly."
I was dragged by the collar along with the chair, and stopped before Yondaime."
"You guys found good umpires? Need four of them."
"Umpires? Erm? Yeah, so what about them?"
Octy was to book the baseball field, and I naively thought I could leave everything to him. Hearing my honest remarks, Yondaime sighed hard.
"Seriously, you're dealing with the yakuza here. The yakuza will use any underhanded means necessary. Which idiot who have the opponent control the umpire? Get an impartial third party. Of course, someone who isn't scared of the yakuza will do."
"No, who am I supposed to look for?"
"Enough already, give that Kusakabe Masaya a call."
"Eh, ehhh!?" Why mention his name now?
But Yondaime's right. That guy knows Octy, and is calm in nature. Also, he owes Yondaime and me a favour, so he shouldn't be too biased to Octy.
Yondaime prompted me to call, and I had to take out my phone.
Of course, once Kusakabe Masaya heard about this, he was flabbergasted, and clicked his tongue about twenty times or so.
"Can't you deal with this in a smarter manner? You thought you have a chance of winning?"
"We heard the owner of that game center did pretty well in the city tournament, and the others are pretty athletic, so we should barely..."
"Are you guys idiots? Nemoto was a pitcher who won a few times at the Koshien."
"Ehhhhhhh!?"
You bastard, stop screaming at my ear. I got scolded. It was really hard to imagine so however. That Octy used to be a baseball player?
Ah, that's why he hated 'PWLB'? No, that alone shouldn't be enough reason. Nishimura-san really loves 'PWLB' for similar reasons.
"I knew Nemoto when I was still in school, and was often dragged along to watch the Hashin Tigers. He's a hopeless baseball manic, and really wanted to make it to the pros. To be honest, there were scouts who eyed him..."
I switched the phone to my left hand, and rubbed my sweaty right palm on my thigh. Since he really loved baseball, why did he end up with the yakuza?
"How would I know? It's been thirty years ago! Anyway, his fastball's ridiculously fast, though he often lost control...there were few who could hit his pitches even when he was in high school, let along you guys."
"But he hasn't actually pitched for a long time, right? So we should be able to..."
I said so, but my heart was sinking. Nishimura-san too hadn't pitched in a while.
"Eh, well...we need umpires who won't be intimidated by the yakuza, and we really couldn't think of anyone other than you, Kusakabe-san."
"Got it. This is the last time I'm helping you brats out. I'll find four guys who knows baseball from a few different gangs. That works?"
"Sorry to trouble you. Oh yeah, erm...we'll pay the full amount."
"Of course."
The phone was hung up on it, and once I mentioned "Octy was a winning pitcher in the Koshien", there was quite a large commotion. Major, get some muscle training regiment here! Understood, I'll get them here. Let's practice throwing at an octopus head. Tetsu, can't you be the pitcher? I'll throw the bat...
Dumbfounded, I listened to their conversations, and suddenly had a thought.
It certainly feels like an all-star game in February.
So, we had the following starting lineup.
1. Min-san (Second Base)
2. Yondaime (Shortstop)
3. Nishimura-san (Pitcher)
4. Tetsu-senpai (Third Base)
5. Rocky (Right Field)
6. Hiro (Center Field)
7. Major (Left Field)
8. Tomozou-san (Catcher)
9. Pole (First Base)
This starting lineup certainly seems strong, especially from the first to the fourth batter. The eighth and ninth batter can also work as cleanup spots. This lineup doesn't seem like it'll have any weaknesses!
Me? I'm a bench player.
"Fujishim-san, shall we make preserved lemons?" Ayaka asked me for some reason.
| ← Ch. 37 | Ch. 39 → |