[377] True Connection Comes From the Heart

Chapter 377: True Connection Comes From the Heart

"It's really impressive, Miyuki-senpai. You managed to calm down so quickly. I was hoping to see more of that excited side of yours."

With a faint smile, Eijun casually tossed the baseball in his hand and said with a chuckle.

Swish!

Pop!

Miyuki turned his left hand and caught the ball with ease.

"I think you're just indulging in your own mischief."

Miyuki rolled his eyes, speaking in that familiar tone and rhythm Eijun knew so well.

"Come on, mischief? It's just a little concern from your cute and dependable junior. You shouldn't be so dismissive, Miyuki-senpai."

Eijun shook his head, still smiling.

"Concern, huh? Sounds more like your curiosity getting the better of you."

Returning to his usual calm demeanor, Miyuki easily saw through Eijun's thoughts. And indeed, as Miyuki pointed out, it wasn't every day that one got to see him like this.

Eijun had his moments of curiosity, which wasn't unusual at all. However, he also understood when to let a joke end.

Especially now, during this crucial tournament period, Eijun wasn't about to let any internal conflicts disrupt the team's momentum or cause irreparable harm.

Earlier there had been talk of internal disagreements. But both parties were professional enough to resolve things peacefully.

Still, Eijun couldn't help but think about how much his presence had changed things.

Even Narumiya had become the cleanup hitter and captain. What if internal conflicts spiraled out of control? Sure, Miyuki-senpai seemed wise and composed, but he was still just a young guy.

And he could be stubborn about certain things.

Maezono was even more direct—straightforward and hot-tempered, he spoke his mind without hesitation. That was both refreshing and problematic.

Maezono's type often clashed with others, especially peers. Different people had different core values, and those differences were bound to cause friction.

Eijun realized that this wasn't just a silly squabble; it was a fundamental conflict of values.

Later, the two had managed to find common ground. Miyuki admitted to some missteps, and Maezono did the same. But this time, Eijun wasn't so sure if things would unfold the same way.

Besides, on one key point:

"When it comes to Watanabe-senpai, I think your perspective, Miyuki-senpai, is fundamentally sound. Respecting his wishes and not interfering with his choices is absolutely correct from a conventional standpoint. But that's assuming Watanabe-senpai explicitly told you he wanted to leave the baseball team. Maezono-senpai's words may have been blunt and forceful, and I don't agree with his approach. But on one point, I have to side with him: if you don't ask clearly, Miyuki-senpai, how can you be sure of someone else's feelings?"

Seeing that Miyuki had mostly regained his composure, Eijun decided it was a good time to bring up the main issue.

Especially since Eijun knew Miyuki had some self-awareness about this matter.

Sure enough, as Eijun's words fell, Miyuki's eyes flickered briefly with a different expression.

Swish!

Pop!

The pitch, now sharper and more aggressive, was a stark contrast to the earlier gentler throws.

Eijun blinked in surprise, quickly reaching out and firmly catching the ball in his glove.

"Still a bit stubborn, Miyuki-senpai."

There were no words, but the action spoke volumes.

Eijun couldn't help but laugh inwardly.

It really was rare to see Miyuki-senpai showing a more childlike side.

Eijun understood Miyuki very well. He knew that Miyuki was someone with strong self-discipline who remained rational in most situations.

In the original story, after quarreling with Maezono, Miyuki indirectly apologized during the match against Ugumori, doing so in a subtle way that Watanabe could notice.

In essence, Miyuki was also someone who valued strength.

From one perspective, his personality displayed a certain unwillingness to admit defeat.

Even after reflecting on Maezono's words and acknowledging that some of what Maezono had said was correct, Miyuki still wouldn't go back to have another face-to-face conversation about it.

Instead, he would choose his own way to make amends.

Here, Eijun waited until Miyuki had calmed down, providing him with a way to gracefully step down from the situation.

A stubborn mule could be appeased with some gentle stroking, but Miyuki wasn't entirely stubborn. Occasionally, it was possible to push back just a little.

In this regard, Eijun had an exceptionally accurate understanding of Miyuki's character.

The key point was that, in the original story, this incident led Miyuki to even consider resigning from the captaincy. Eijun felt he needed to say the right words to give Miyuki a bit of a nudge.

"After all, you're the captain, aren't you? Before taking on that role, I'm sure the coach must have had a few words with you," Eijun said seriously, his usual smile fading as he addressed Miyuki in a solemn tone. "If you're still struggling to make sense of it all, I think you could go have a talk with Yuuki-senpai."

Eijun knew that some internal conflicts couldn't be resolved with just a few words from someone else.

Ultimately, it came down to the person involved coming to terms with it themselves.

In the original story, it was only when Miyuki worked through it on his own that things improved.

Otherwise, if Miyuki had made up his mind to resign as captain, no one's words would have changed it.

Eijun was very clear on that. And now it seemed that Miyuki had thought things through quite thoroughly.

A conversation with Yuuki might even yield unexpected insights.

"Alright," Miyuki said after a moment's pause. He didn't say much more, but his deep gaze lingered on Eijun for a while before he quietly uttered that single word.

From Eijun's perspective, there was something fleeting in Miyuki's expression—some realization, a hint of peace, and something else Eijun couldn't quite put his finger on.

"It looks like this issue was just a trigger. Miyuki-senpai's been under some kind of pressure or restriction ever since he became captain," Eijun murmured to himself as he watched Miyuki walk away, his hands clasped behind his back.

Although in this timeline Seidou High had successfully won the national championship, eliminating the urgent pressure to reach Koshien or the burden of Coach Kataoka stepping down, the victory brought its own kind of pressure.

Eijun felt it deeply—especially on the day he accepted the ace number from Coach Kataoka. The weight of responsibility was crystal clear, an almost crushing pressure.

If Eijun felt that way, how could Miyuki, as the captain, be exempt from it?