"...Hmm."

Dubian Che watched as Kobayashi Yuuzuki turned around, saw the carry-on bag she hugged in her arms, saw her drenched clothes.

She walked out of the dim entrance corridor, stepped into the sunlight-drenched hallway, ready to start running.

"Kobayashi."

Kobayashi Yuuzuki turned around, her gaze passing over Dubian Che and locking onto Kiyono Lin behind him.

"Why are you here?" Dubian Che asked, looking back.

"Just to say a few words," Kiyono Lin said with her arms crossed, standing there as the hot and murky air of the hallway seemed to become clear.

"Kiyono, please help me persuade Mr. Dubian!" shouted Kobayashi Yuuzuki.

"Sorry, I'm not here for that," Kiyono Lin said. "But you can wait for a moment."

After speaking, she turned her head to face Dubian Che.

"No matter what you say, I won't play," Dubian Che looked at her.

"Baseball games, I'm about to fall asleep watching them, no matter who wins or loses, I just want it to be over quickly. Do you think I would urge you to play?"

"Then why are you here?"

"Dubian Che."

"Calling me by my full name, huh? Sounds serious."

Kiyono Lin didn't entertain Dubian Che's joke, but with stern yet beautiful eyes, stared into his pupils.

Dubian Che slowly let the smile fade from his gaze.

Kobayashi Yuuzuki stood in the sun, helplessly and hopefully looking at the two of them.

After a silence, Kiyono Lin spoke:

"Instead of considering others, don't you have something you want to do yourself?"

"Something I want to do myself?"

"Kill Jiutiao Meiji because of your parents; be faithful, for Mayi Asuka's life, Xiaoquan Aonai's ten years of effort; be with me, for them... You've always lived for others, don't you ever think for yourself?"

"These are all my decisions, how could I not think for myself?"

"Because you decided to be the 'Tokyo Hunk', only doing what you should be doing, using that to constrain yourself, but before being the 'Tokyo Hunk', you are first and foremost yourself."

"..."

"At the school gymnasium, facing Jiutiao Meiji, what did you say?"

"...What?"

"You said it would be you who stands at the apex."

"...That was a joke," said Dubian Che expressionlessly, "just like what I wrote on the academic survey form, 'I want the world to bow down'."

"Lies," Kiyono Lin's voice was cold and clear.

In the dark corridor, there was a long silence, punctuated by the crazy shouts and cheers coming from the stadium.

Dubian Che looked at Kiyono Lin, and Kiyono Lin looked back at him.

Kiyono Lin had been able to see through lies since she was four, using her clever mind to gradually master the ability to see through appearances and perceive the essence of human nature.

Such ability had made her, who hated lies, reject everyone, whether relatives or friends, cold-hearted and ruthless, except for Dubian Che.

She took the initiative to think about what he was thinking, understand all his worries, and know many things between them that could not be conveyed with words.

"Let me see," Kiyono Lin's calm voice seemed to come from a faraway place, "your most arrogant side deep within, the real you, unrestrained."

Dubian Che looked back at Kobayashi Yuuzuki.

There was the summer sun, passionate gazes, sweat, tears, and dreams.

"Do you know what the Shengong Stadium will become once I stop doing what I should be doing?"

"I'm not sure, so please show me."

"Kobayashi," Dubian Che said.

"Present!"

"Jersey." Dubian Che reached out his hand.

"Okay!" Kobayashi Yuuzuki wiped her tears and took out a baseball uniform from the carry-on bag.

"I don't care what happens," Dubian Che took the tear-stained baseball jersey.

Behind him, Kiyono Lin said:

"Whatever happens, I think it would be nice for you to sometimes live for yourself, even if it's just for a meaningless baseball game."

"Then watch closely, my friend Kiyono," Dubian Che slipped his arms into the baseball jersey, as the clothing fluttered in the air.

"I'll show you what it means to stand at the apex."

Dubian Che walked against the light, into the fierce sun, towards the field.

There, the Shengong Stadium, under the scrutiny of tens of thousands, where effort, regret, joy, dreams, and tears, all would become worthless.

Kobayashi Yuuzuki bowed to Kiyono Lin and followed Dubian Che.

[You have a new email]

[Temporary event completed, received Charm * 1]

'Charisma, unparalleled'

[Player obtains Charisma·Unparalleled]

[You have a new email]

[Temporary event: Game time July 28, 3:03 AM, your recognition of Goda, your sympathy for Kobayashi Yuuzuki, and finally, Kiyono Lin's words convinced you to step onto the Shengong Stadium]

[Event content: The most desperate summer, defeating with absolute superiority all the most talented and hardest working baseball players of this Koshien]

[Event lasts till: End of Koshien]

[Event rewards: 50% off Physical Energy Voucher * 1, Charm 50% off coupon * 1, Intellect 50% off coupon * 1, ten billion yen]

"Kobayashi."

"Present!"

"Score again! Eight points! A miracle, it's Sansong!" the commentator shouted.

"Sansong! Sansong! Sansong!" the united chorus of thirty thousand hearts.

Within these voices, Dubian Che finally arrived at the entrance of the field.

He stepped onto the ground of the stadium, his gaze sweeping over the high-fiving opposing baseball team, the cheering teachers and students of Sansong High School, and the fervent audience.

"Let's make them despair."

Kobayashi Yuuzuki, wiping her tears, said with a smile:

"Yes!"

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