Chapter 1: Japan's Number One Pitcher

(Be conscious, keep your brain here.)

"Oni~chan!"

A sweet voice drifted in from outside the door.

Huangqian Yangyi rubbed his eyes and looked up, immediately spotting the cute chestnut-colored bob cut peeking in at the doorway.

"Ohayou, Kumiko."

His voice carried obvious fatigue; Kumiko walked to the bedside and sighed as she looked at her brother, who had such an unsightly sleeping posture.

"Breakfast is already made."

No response.

"Nii-chan!"

Huangqian Yangyi sat up with extreme reluctance, wiped the corners of his eyes, and turned to look at Kumiko: "Little sister energy is low, need to recharge."

Huangqian Kumiko made a look of disgust, "I know you're a sis-con pervert, but there's no need to make it so obvious."

"Hey, Kumiko."

"Unhuh?"

"Has anyone ever told you that your personality is terrible?"

"Not at all, hurry up and get up to eat!"

Bang!

Gazing at the door that had been closed by Kumiko, Huangqian Yangyi smiled.

After getting dressed and washing up, he arrived in the living room, where his older sister Mamiko and younger sister Kumiko were waiting for him.

"Ohayou, Nee-chan."

"Ohayou." Mamiko smiled.

"Hurry and eat, aren't you going to Tokyo today?" Kumiko urged.

Huangqian Yangyi sat across from his sister, and the three of them pressed their hands together and said in unison: "Itadakimasu."

Munch, munch—Huangqian Yangyi stuffed things into his mouth like a starving ghost.

Seeing this, Mamiko smiled, set down her chopsticks, and asked: "Yangyi, have you really decided to go to Tokyo for baseball study abroad?"

"Yeah, I'm going."

"But no one even came to scout you, eh," Kumiko interjected.

Huangqian Yangyi looked up at her, and Kumiko immediately lowered her head to eat, secretly feeling annoyed with herself for why she had blurted out her inner thoughts.

"I'm very strong!" Huangqian Yangyi said earnestly; he felt as if he had been looked down upon by his younger sister.

"I know," Kumiko said.

Regarding this twin brother of hers, Kumiko had adored him since she was little; even though they were the same age, her brother had been practicing baseball since kindergarten.

It was just that his sis-con attribute made Kumiko feel very troubled.

Nodding with satisfaction, Huangqian Yangyi said: "It's precisely because no one is scouting me that I have to go to Tokyo to recommend myself."

As twins, Huangqian Yangyi had been in the same school as his younger sister Kumiko since he was small.

In middle school at Oyama Kita Middle School, although there was a baseball club, its strength was hard to describe; even with the addition of Huangqian Yangyi, they had never entered the top eight, so they could never be noticed by those powerhouse schools, and naturally, no scouts would come to recruit him.

"Yangyi really is amazing; once he decides on something, he never changes it," Mamiko said with gratification, unable to help but recall the words Huangqian Yangyi had said back when she was in her third year of high school and facing the life choice of further education.

If it isn't a path you chose yourself, and you regret it in the future, are you going to blame your parents?

"Heh." Huangqian Yangyi picked up his milk, gulped it down twice, and asked: "How is sister doing at university now?"

Hearing this, Mamiko tilted her chin up proudly, "I, your sister, am the next Department Head of the Wind Instrument Department, you know."

"Wow, really? So amazing!" Kumiko exclaimed, her emotional value fully satisfied.

After breakfast ended, Huangqian Yangyi returned to his room to start packing his things; going today and returning tomorrow, there wasn't much to bring.

With his backpack on and a baseball in his hand, Huangqian Yangyi checked himself in the mirror—very handsome.

"Kumiko and I will take you to the station."

Arriving in the living room, Mamiko also came out from her room, holding her bag and coat.

"No need, no need; sister, you and Kumiko just wait at home for my good news."

Declining the kindness of his sister and younger sister, Huangqian Yangyi arrived at the entryway, put on his shoes, and was about to leave.

"Nii-chan."

Huangqian Yangyi turned back to look at his most beloved younger sister, smiled, and asked: "Does Kumiko want to give her brother a hug for good luck?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Kumiko stepped forward and hugged Huangqian Yangyi.

"Hm?"

"Don't move, recharging little sister energy," Kumiko whispered.

After a while, Kumiko let go of Huangqian Yangyi, looked straight into his eyes, and said: "You must succeed!"

"Otherwise, I will never play the Euphonium for you again."

"Yeah, I will."

Huangqian Yangyi reached out and patted his younger sister's head.

From Kyoto to Tokyo, it takes two hours by Shinkansen.

1:00 PM, Seido High School.

As a famous baseball powerhouse in West Tokyo, even though it was currently winter break, most members of the Baseball Club remained at school to train.

After entering the school, Huangqian Yangyi followed the signs straight to the location of the Baseball Club.

"Tanba!"

"What kind of soft, mushy pitch is that!"

"With that timid look, it's no wonder you can't even make it to the bench!"

A booming roar echoed throughout the entire training field; Huangqian Yangyi, who had just walked over, was also startled and hurriedly rushed to the outside of the protective fence to look in the direction of the voice.

A stout, heavy-set guy was pointing his bat at the pitcher on the Pitcher's Mound.

"If you don't want to pitch, get lost and go home! You weakling, we have so many pitchers like you here that I can't even name them all!"

"I want to pitch."

On the Pitcher's Mound, First Year Pitcher Tanba Koichiro said in a low voice.

"Did you not eat! Speak up!" Second Year Batter Dong Qingguo shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Yes!" The shy Tanba Koichiro mustered his courage and shouted out.

However, the pitches that followed were still hit away one by one by Dong Qingguo.

"A nice Curveball."

After watching a few pitches, Huangqian Yangyi made his judgment.

The current Tanba was still a shy boy; his pitching lacked any spirit, unlike the Tanba in his third year that Huangqian Yangyi knew of, who, although still prone to self-destructing in games, possessed a determination and spirit in his pitching that couldn't be compared to now.

"It is indeed nice, it's just that his personality could be a bit tougher."

A voice came from behind; Huangqian Yangyi turned his head to look, and his eyes lit up instantly.

Intellectual gold-rimmed black-framed glasses, a tall figure, a body exuding charming confidence, and a magnificent cleavage!

"May I ask who you are?"

Although he had already recognized the person's identity, Huangqian Yangyi still asked politely.

"Takashima Rei, Vice Director of the Seido High School Baseball Club."

"Huangqian Yangyi, third year of middle school, from Kyoto."

After finishing, Huangqian Yangyi did not forget to add one more sentence.

"I am a Pitcher!"

Hearing Huangqian Yangyi's self-introduction, a gleam of light flashed across Takashima Rei's lenses.

Third year of middle school, and a Pitcher at that!

"It's winter break now, right? Student Huangqian, why have you come all the way to our Seido?" Takashima Rei asked.

Huangqian Yangyi lowered his head to look directly at Takashima Rei and said earnestly: "I want to become the number one Pitcher in Japan!"

I want to become the number one Pitcher in Japan!

Takashima Rei's pupils shook, as if her heart had been struck by a heavy hammer.

At this moment, from Takashima Rei's perspective, Huangqian Yangyi was radiating a glow called confidence.