"Are you sure you can afford this Ken? You didn't have to bring us along as well." Naomi asked, seeming a little anxious.
"It's fine, my dad gave me an allowance." Ken lied, sending the woman a smile.
"Yeah don't sweat it honey, he might be poor now but he'll be a Major Leaguer in a few years. HAHAHA." Tetsu spoke up, wrapping his arm around his wife's shoulder.
Ken's eyebrow twitched in annoyance, but he let the words go. He wasn't poor, in fact he probably had more money in savings than both Ai's parents. Not that this mattered to him at all.
He felt a soft hand squeeze his own. Ken turned to see Ai wearing a brilliant smile, "Don't worry about him, he's just happy that you invited them."
Ken tried to smile back, but seeing her reminded him of what was going to come. He felt his stomach twist in a knot, feeling like he needed to use the bathroom.
"What's wrong?" Ai asked with concern.
"N—Nothing, just a sore stomach. I'll head to the bathroom quickly." Ken replied, getting up from his seat.
"Oi, the game's about to start, don't take too long." Tetsu called out to him.
Ken walked up the stairs and found the bathroom before going into one of the stalls. Thankfully they were clean.
Taking a seat he tried to calm himself down.
'Why isn't my Dauntless trait working?' He thought, feeling his heart pounding in his chest. Now that the day he was going to propose had arrived, his nerves were at their peak.
He had thought that his trusty trait would keep him calm in this situation, but it seemed to be either faulty, or not working at all.
'Why is this happening Mika?'
[I have made the trait inactive for now.]
'W—What? Why? I'm practically soiling myself right now.'
[Answer: Dauntless trait minimizes stimulus of the limbic system responsible for emotions such as anxiety, fear, happiness and love. If user activates the trait, they will not be able to fully experience such emotions.]
Ken froze. If this was true, then activating the trait would basically be numbing his emotions. For an act that was meant to showcase one's love for their partner, doing so would be cruel to both himself and Ai.
After a few moments, Ken took a deep breath out. 'Thank you Mika…'
He had not asked her to do this, but he appreciated it. Now that it was out in the open, Ken understood that he needed to fully feel these emotions, to know how important this moment was to him.
[No problem.]
Ken reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring, still in its box. He opened it, revealing a cushion cut diamond engagement ring in a four-prong setting. The employee had said that it was 1 carat, but he had no idea what it meant, only that it was expensive.
He eyed it for a few more moments before closing the box and placing it away. His expression turned into one of determination and he left the bathroom with renewed vigor.
"Are you feeling better?" Ai asked when he finally sat down.
"Mmm, sorry for worrying you." Ken said smilingly.
The game soon got underway in a rather packed Koshien Stadium. They cheered for the home squad loudly, creating a hearty atmosphere.
"There he is!" Ai said, pointing to Daichi who had stepped up to bat.
Ken sat up taller in his chair, much to the dismay of the poor person behind him. Seeing Daichi in the Hanshin Tigers uniform reminded him of his previous life, though things were much different now.
On the mound was another familiar face, James Anderson. This was the guy whom he'd taken as a mentor through the system and learned most of his breaking balls from. He was advanced in years, but he was still a fan favorite, even in away stadiums.
Ken looked at the ex-Major Leaguer and could still see the silhouette of his younger self. If the guy was 10 years younger, the duel might have been a lot closer.
THWACK!
The sound echoed over the arena, followed by the roars of the crowd. The ball flew over the back fence and into the stands. Ken jumped to his feet and cheered, as did Ai.
As Ken watched his brother raise his arm and run around the bases, he truly felt happy in that moment. He wished that his parents were also here to witness this night, but it wasn't like he had told them in advance what was happening since it was a spur of the moment decision.
After the home run, the Tigers quickly took control of the game. With their ace Keiji Takamura on the mound, the next 6 innings resulted in only a few hits with no runs for the Yokohama Warriors.
Throughout the entire time, Ken was focused on the game. He wanted nothing more than to rush down and jump on the mound, even if he knew that he wouldn't get as far as the barricade.
Without realizing, his hands were balled into fists and his leg was bouncing.
'I just want to play…'
He felt a hand on his arm, breaking his concentration.
"Don't worry, you'll get to play again soon I promise." Ai said warmly.
Ken relaxed, feeling a warmth within. This woman understood him so well that she could practically tell what he was thinking at all times.
"Everyone, please turn your attention to the big screen, we have an announcement from one of our guests in the stadium."
Ken's heart leapt into his throat and began to beat wildly.
'It's happening already? Wasn't it meant to be in the 7th inning?' He cried inwardly.
However, it was currently the top of the 7th, he had been far too preoccupied to notice the passing of the time. He saw Ai's head turn to the jumbo screen with curiosity, giving him a small window of time to make his move.