The Story Of Forever (Todobaku)

A Second Chance

Redemption.

That was what occupied Katsuki's mind as game day arrived. This was it, a golden opportunity to avenge his younger self. A chance to stick it to those Shiketsu jerks that mocked him, the ones that crushed his self esteem.

More importantly, today was a test.

Since he was a little boy, Katsuki had one dream: to become a professional baseball player. He wanted to be like his hero, Japanese baseball legend Toshinori Yagi.

But dreams weren't granted to those who wished the hardest. Life wasn't a meritocracy. If you couldn't measure up to your competitors, it didn't matter how badly you wanted something. It was a hard truth for Katsuki to digest, but after months of reflection, he shifted his outlook from defeat to determination.

Katsuki wasn't good enough. That was why he bombed his Shiketsu tryout. But there was no reason why he couldn't become good enough. And today was his first test at seeing if he made the necessary improvements to increase the odds of his dream becoming a reality.

The answer was obvious. Of course he improved. The true question was, would it be enough?

Already in his Heroes jersey, he shuffled across his room to his baseball memorabilia shelf against the back wall. He collected many artifacts over the years, but his most treasured held greater value than everything else on that shelf combined.

He held it in his palm, the autographed ball he received from Toshinori Yagi. Katsuki and Shouto met him after a Tornados game when they were small and impressionable sixth graders. The ball was hit by Yagi himself, a foul ball that Shouto caught from the stands. And, because Shouto was the purest human to walk the planet, he didn't hesitate to give it to Katsuki.

Katsuki inspected what was written on it, a small smile forming on his face.

Young Bakugou,
Go Beyond. Plus Ultra!
-Toshinori Yagi

When he was twelve, Katsuki thought it was some weird proverb that only someone as exceptional as Toshinori Yagi could get away with using. But now, his future on the line, the words resonated.

If Katsuki wanted to be number one, he had to push past his limits, even when it felt impossible. That small detail was what separated those who would reach the top and those who wouldn't. No one achieved greatness by settling.

And Katsuki wouldn't settle either.

He didn't just need this win for himself. He needed it for everyone who rooted for him. His parents, his teammates, Keigo, Camie, Shouto, the list went on. But he also wanted to prove to the world that hard work truly did pay off.

With a fire igniting in him, Katsuki set the ball back on the shelf. He took a deep breath, grabbed his hat off his dresser, and made his way out the door.

He had a game to win.

*

As Katsuki practiced his pitches in the grass with Eijiro, he paused to look toward the bleachers. They had a full crowd, no doubt due to the team they were playing against. Still, Katsuki managed to spot the faces of his loved ones scattered throughout the audience.

Mitsuki and Masaru sat with Eijiro's parents. The two of them flashed Katsuki proud smiles, Mitsuki waving while Masaru shot him a thumbs up. Katsuki smiled back. While today was important to him, it was also important to his parents. He knew they missed watching him play. Not because he was good, but because he loved it.

He found Camie next, squished between Himiko Toga and Neijire Hado. She had her phone out, taking photos of him, something she warned Katsuki ahead of time that she would do. Katsuki kept it brief and winked at her. He didn't want so many people witnessing how big a softie he was for her.