DONG!
The clear and crisp sound of the ball being hit by a metal bat with force rang out within the batting cages, causing everyone to turn at once.
Ken's jaw dropped, seeing Daichi mirror his dad's form on the very first swing. The additional power he had generated was enough to send the ball careening into the back of the cages, narrowly missing the home run target.
Chris's eyes widened before a smile bloomed on his face. He had heard that sound many times in his career, yet this was the first time he heard it from a newbie teenager. This kid had talent.
'I must train this boy, he has such raw potential. The best thing is that he has never played before so we won't have any bad habits to get rid of.' Chris's mind began to move, thinking of the best ways to mold and shape this diamond in the rough.
However, his face faltered a moment later, moving his gaze over to his son. He had just patched things up with Ken, what would he think if Chris was to pour all his attention onto Daichi.
It could lead to jealousy which could potentially cause him to push away not only Daichi but also him. Thus Chris was left in a huge dilemma.
It was such a waste to let this sort of talent wither away, yet he didn't want to show favoritism in such a situation. If it was before, he probably would have used everything at his disposal to nurture the talented youth, but now things were different.
He already made a vow this morning that he would never let his son down again, never putting him in a position where he would grow distant. Therefore, he shook his head, throwing all of his plans out the window.
'I won't put Ken through such a thing.' He thought inwardly.
However, Ken grabbed his sleeve with wide eyes, almost jumping up and down with excitement.
"See dad! I told you he had talent. You have to train him, I just know that he'll be able to make the professional leagues." He pointed towards Daichi who had been swinging consistently, hitting every ball with the center of the bat.
'Huh?' Chris couldn't believe his eyes as his son was so visibly excited at his friends success.
"Hahaha!" He couldn't help but throw his head back in hearty laughter.
'Looks like I underestimated you son.' Chris thought inwardly, feeling a huge sense of pride wash over him. He had been so caught up in his own feelings to realize that his son had truly matured.
"Okay okay you were right, your friend is pretty good. As long as he trains his batting skills and studies the game, he'll have a good shot at making the Seiko squad." His dad said with a smile.
"Seiko squad? Don't you mean the pro league?" Ken asked with a cheeky smile.
"Haha, it's a little early for that."
Daichi felt as if it was so much easier to hit the ball coming towards him. His body felt fluid from when he wound up to when he followed through, filling him with a sense of confidence.
Before he knew it, the 12 balls had all been hit. He was a little disappointed, but he decided to leave the batting cage.
As he stepped out, he saw the father and son duo speaking in English with large smiles on their faces. He felt a little awkward as he walked over, but that soon changed when Ken came over and draped his arm around his shoulders.
"Damn man! I told you that dad would be able to help your form. You sent those balls flying!" Ken said with enthusiasm, clearly happy for his success.
Daichi felt his neck heating up from embarrassment, but he was filled with a sense of pride. He couldn't remember the last time someone had complimented him in such a way.
"He's right. You did well to change your form so quickly." Chris said with a smile.
"Okay, Ken it's your turn. Head into the batting cages and show me how much you've improved."
"Yes sir!" Ken saluted, before grabbing a helmet and the bat from Daichi.
The first pitch came at him, feeling awfully slow compared to the 110km/h balls that he had been using beforehand. However, he still managed to hit the ball with the top of his bat, lofting an easy catch in the direction of the pitcher.
Ken felt a wave of embarrassment flood his body, yet he did his best to compose himself. One thing he noticed that it was much easier to control his bat, almost as if his dexterity had increased significantly.
'Ah, it's probably from the Balance and Coordination Elixir!' he thought inwardly.
'If I can get my hands on a few more of those, I might be able to match up to Daichi quicker than I originally thought.'
The thought of being able to hit huge home runs on the field filled him with joy and enthusiasm. Perhaps too much so, as he managed to miss the next couple of balls due to his inattentiveness.
Chris's face faltered after seeing his son missing the "easy" 100km/h balls that were being sent his way. Thankfully, Ken's form was pretty decent, it just seemed as if he lacked the control over his body to hit accurately and time the ball.
He resisted the urge to massage his temples, so as not to discourage the two boys. Even Daichi himself felt second hand embarrassment for Ken, especially after he had hit the balls so easily.
Daichi was also worried that he may make Ken feel inferior, possibly even giving rise to resentment which was something that he didn't want to happen. However, those thoughts were disposed of the moment he saw Ken walk out of the batting cages.
Ken had a big smile on his face, as if he was satisfied.
"I can already feel that I'm having an easier time getting contact on the ball. I just need to keep training and I'll catch up to you soon." He said, holding his fist out towards Daichi.
Daichi was startled for a moment before a smile formed on his face. Ken really was the best friend he could have asked for.
The two completed their fist bump, as if to symbolize their drive to get better together.
The three stayed at the batting cages for another hour or so as Chris corrected their forms and gave pointers from the outside. Daichi benefited the most from his teachings, becoming more comfortable and accurate with the bat.
Ken on the other hand still had trouble with timing and placement of the bat, however he was trying hard which was the main thing. As long as he continued to practice, things could improve.