March 202174Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAcdKFNt4a
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If the proposal was a dream, the wedding planning was a full-contact sport.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgrZ6ZVP3z
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"Kevin, we cannot have a ramen bar at the wedding reception," Shino said, rubbing her temples as she stared at a spreadsheet that was starting to look like a complex military maneuver. "My mother wants French cuisine. She’s already invited three aunts I haven't seen since the third grade."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qSYAdEgwp
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Kevin was sitting on the floor, surrounded by fabric swatches for his tuxedo. "But it’s our thing, Shin-chan! It’s the brand! Besides, do you know how much people actually like tiny hors d'oeuvres? They’re still hungry after the party. A late-night ramen station is a service to humanity."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbqSkUXFKi
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"It's a service to your stomach," Shino countered, but she couldn't hide her smile.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkowI41GkfR
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For three months, their apartment became a war room. The "leaky ceiling" apartment was now the "venue-hunting, guest-list-fighting, budget-crunching" headquarters. Shino wanted a quiet ceremony near a library or a shrine; Kevin wanted something where his teammates could celebrate without feeling like they were in a museum.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJm62CxH8O
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But the real curveball didn't come from the guest list.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYOnxjufK5t
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One evening, Kevin came home later than usual. He didn't drop his bag with his usual enthusiastic thud. He sat at the table, his face pale, staring at a thick envelope from the Industrial League’s medical board.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLafyvVZZAg
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"The shoulder?" Shino asked, her voice dropping an octave.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQFPgFbphL
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Kevin didn't speak. He just handed her the letter.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FfDEn7Yp0
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The "Grade 2" tear from years ago had never truly left him. It had become chronic. The medical board was recommending an immediate transition to a full-time coaching or administrative role. His days as a starting pitcher—the very thing that had defined his career and helped fund their future—were over.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVZy89pZv2
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"They’re offering me the Assistant Manager position for the regional scout team," Kevin said, his voice hollow. "It’s a good job. Better pay, actually. But Shino... I won’t be on the mound anymore. Not even for the corporate games."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Oc0oDY2JW
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The wedding was only four months away. The "Pitcher and the Editor" was their identity. Shino felt a familiar pang of fear—not for their relationship, but for the light in Kevin's eyes.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4uR6PMpm8
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She walked over to him, pulled his head against her chest, and held him.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9IktoQb12
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"The story isn't changing, Kevin," she whispered. "Just the setting. You’re not a pitcher because of the ball in your hand. You’re a pitcher because of the heart you put into every game. If you're managing now, then you'll just be the one leading the whole team to the win."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtVq9vXqsL
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Kevin looked up, his eyes glassy. "I was worried you'd think I was failing. That the wedding... that we should scale back."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXmI3mrMF4
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Shino reached for her spreadsheet and, with a flourish of her red editing pen, crossed out "French Cuisine."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvyRSQEjdo
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"We're not scaling back," she said firmly. "But we are doing it our way. We’re having the ramen bar. And we’re having the ceremony at the old park near Sakuragi High, where you first taught me how to throw a ball."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZMJ6z7xDi
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Kevin let out a shaky breath, a small, genuine smile finally breaking through. "The park? With the old oak tree?"74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡda5LqTjMmB
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"The one I used to be too scared to jump down from," Shino said. "Because I know you'll still be there to catch me."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGrsy0iq5W
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The curveball had been thrown, but Shino didn't miss. She hit it right out of the park. They realized that a wedding wasn't about the perfect party—it was about promising to stay in the game, even when the coach pulls you from the mound.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK91ay6mVkc
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