THE SANDLOT | m. kazuya

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THE SANDLOT !
PROLOGUE

the sun was unforgiving.

with its relentless rays staining pale skin aching shades of pink and red. sweat dripped from their foreheads and chins like a waterfall, leaving them sticky and itchy. their caps could only block so much of the sun. even so, the boys didn't find the need to end their practice match short. they were used to the harsh weather of kotohira. seeing as today was nothing compared to the brutal summers they experienced every year.

"and here comes the great bambino!!"

a measly, thin boy with thick-squared glasses croons loudly from second base, a twinge of sarcasm in his squeaky voice. said batter snorts at this, throwing an unamused glare at his friend. "shut up blockhead before you get a ball to the face." they all cackle humorously, momentarily sobering up when their pitcher starts his windup. by no means were they any good at the sport, merely playing just for the hell of it. they'd do anything to get rid of the boredom settling in their bones.

all except for one.

katsu higashi fell in love with baseball the minute the ball made contact with the base of his bat. it was exhilarating, watching it soar high above their heads before it smacked loudly against the metal fencing. sometimes he still dreams of the ricochet.

he never wanted to forget it.

unfortunately, their school didn't have a baseball team nor club due to low fundings. ultimately crushing his dreams of ever being in a real team playing real games. but katsu didn't mind one bit as he faintly heard his friends' joyful screams from the sidelines as the ball swiveled right by his chest. "strike!" if it meant playing baseball in the sandlot for the rest of his life, he would never regret it.

taking a small step with his front foot and rotating his hips to create momentum, he turned his shoulders into the swing. keeping his eyes on the ball before smacking it with all his core. he'd never get used to the slight vibrations that ran through his fingers once the ball ricocheted off the bat.

his team let out joyful exclamations as they watched the ball fly off until it disappeared over the tall white fence.

"HOME RUNNNN!!"

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rei fiddled with her glasses. smirking to herself as she watched the group of boys surround the blonde who scored their winning point. if this boy honed his abilities as a hitter, he'd be a force to reckon with. sure she was here for her brother's birthday, but she hoped he wouldn't mind if she made a brief stop first.

after all, she was one of seido's scouts.

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