"We haven't spoken in a while," Ken stated, looking a little uneasy. He wasn't sure if he should bring up Hiroki's future, since he didn't want to rub salt in the wounds if he didn't get the offer from any professional clubs.
"Mmm, I've been busy getting my fitness up to scratch." Hiroki grinned widely.
"You mean?"
"Yeah, the Cougars apparently drafted me back in October and told my parents but not me." At these words, Hiroki had a wry smile on his face.
"What!? And they kept the secret for that long?" Ken was gobsmacked.
"Yeah. Maybe they were holding out hope that I would go to University instead."
Ken scoffed, "Parents am I right?"
"Hahaha. Yeah, but I don't blame them. They just wanted the best for me at the end of the day, there's nothing wrong with that." Hiroki said, looking rather melancholic.
"Mmm."
The two were silent for a while, as if they were both thinking deeply.
"What's up with you man? The Spring Koshien starts in a couple of days right? Are you excited?"
"…Well not exactly."
Ken then proceeded to tell his friend about what was happening with his father taking a new job in the states and all. He only told him the basic things, not including anything about the reason why his father couldn't find work in Japan.
"Wow, that's a lot." Hiroki said simply, still reeling from the shock.
"Yeah. I still haven't decided what to do yet, even though they're leaving in a few days." Ken admitted.
"Hmm, well as much as I think Yokohama will miss you… You probably have a better opportunity of going to college in America if you're already in one of their schools."
Hiroki was right. The college scouts were much more likely to offer a scholarship to players in America than overseas.
He had said to Daichi that he still had a good chance to apply for a scholarship while in Japan, but it wasn't entirely the truth. From what he'd researched, many baseball scouts were old school, only believing in what they saw in person against familiar competition.
While Japan's baseball program was arguably the same, if not better than the US, many college scouts wouldn't see it that way.
"You're right." Ken said simply, though it didn't make his decision much easier.
"Well, no one can make the decision for you bro. If I were to give one piece of advice, it would be to follow your heart." He said, shrugging slightly.
'Follow my heart…' These words were also spoken by Ai.
Ken felt lucky to have such people in his life who didn't have another agenda, just wanting the best for him.
"Thanks Hiroki, it's been a pleasure." Ken said, holding his hand out once more.
"Hahaha, I should be thanking you man. There's no way I could have been a pro without your help, that's for sure." He said.
Instead of taking the offered hand, he knocked it away and took Ken into a brutal bear hug. Ken gasped for breath as he felt the ridiculous muscles constrict him like a python, threatening to turn him to mush.
It was clear just from this how much stronger Hiroki had gotten during his intense training.
Thankfully, he was released after a few moments, allowing him to fill his lungs with sweet oxygen.
"Hey, can you please take a photo." Hiroki said, handing his phone to a nearby student.
He then wrapped his arm around Ken, flashing a smile at the camera.
"You better smile properly. I'll be framing this on my wall and getting you to sign it after you enter the Major Leagues." Hiroki said with a grin.
Ken's eyes widened in surprise. He was touched that Hiroki had so much faith in him, but at the same time annoyed that he was basically extorting him for free.
"Haha, you're the one about to turn pro, I should get your autograph."
The two laughed just as the classmate took the photo. Before Hiroki could ask for a redo, the teen handed back the phone to him and quickly ran off.
"Hmm?" Hiroki looked at the photo and couldn't help but smile. He saw them both laughing naturally, seemingly without a care in the world.
"This will do." He said, putting it back into his pocket without showing Ken.
The two had a few more words before Hiroki left, mingling with his classmates and taking more photos for memorabilia.
Ken was left by himself, feeling a wave of melancholy and nostalgia. The scene reminded him of his own graduation ceremony in his previous life, but this time there was no Daichi.
Back then, he had isolated himself from everyone. Daichi was the only one who remained his friend, despite his gloomy and nasty personality.
Ken let out a sigh, beginning to walk out of the school gates.
His discussion with Hiroki had made him think about things from a different perspective. Though he and Ai had said similar things, his point about easier access to college was a decent one.
Ken spent the rest of his trip home deep in thought. The time seemed to fly by as he weighed up his options over and over, agonizing over the decision.
'What's my goal?' Ken thought.
If he thought properly about it, his goal was to become a professional baseball player, playing against the best competition in the world. While the NPB was at a high level, especially in recent years, it didn't meet that standard.
'The Majors…'
Hell, even his system was called the Major League System. Wouldn't it be a waste if he didn't live up to his potential?
The next question was, what would give him the best opportunity to join the Majors?
When he broke it down like this, there was only really one option that fit the criteria.
The moment his mind shifted to this direction, he felt a warm sensation enter his body, as if his heart and mind had finally come into sync.
All of the stress and worry seemed to disappear, slowly replaced by an unwavering confidence and determination.
"Guess I'm going to America…" Ken muttered, a smile breaching his lips.