In a twist of events that Miyuki never saw coming, not one of the first years who step forward to join Seidou's renowned baseball team is a pitcher—which means nobody with the potential to fill Tanba's shoes as the ace when he retires.

With no one for Miyuki to train and fill the gap that will be left, it throws the worst sort of wrench into his plans for the team's future. This is not the type of curveball Miyuki likes thrown his way and definitely not one he enjoys reeling from.

There's Kawakami, of course, but he doesn't have the spark that Miyuki is looking for, the unexpectedness and charisma to shake up the other teams during matches. What Kawakami does have is the will to follow through once he's settled into himself, so he comes into his own as a finisher, but he isn't what the team needs.

(Perhaps, in another life, two newbies make their way into his hands and carve their way into Seidou's training grounds, but in this one, fate has other plans.)

When the last day of club signups comes and goes, Miyuki grows ever more anxious.

He doesn't know what he can do to rectify the situation, and he's running short on ideas. However, he does know that stewing in his own doubt will not bring him relief or results and in an effort to do something he forces himself to take a breather outside of Seidou. It might help, in some small way.

Miyuki heads out into the streets of Tokyo.