March 202136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGk9yGeEuf
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If the proposal was a dream, the wedding planning was a full-contact sport.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGbqIl3R7X
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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."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmYcQQwwhI
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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."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZzZVcoEaI
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"It's a service to your stomach," Shino countered, but she couldn't hide her smile.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEgsdGWbbp
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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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRkEmEmUIu
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But the real curveball didn't come from the guest list.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIezYVGVsb
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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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZo8prnPreS
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"The shoulder?" Shino asked, her voice dropping an octave.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVK1AODDN7u
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Kevin didn't speak. He just handed her the letter.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjXHfRkwvK
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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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRfoWERrWP
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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."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlr33X9Zn7
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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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJMNYMYxxp
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She walked over to him, pulled his head against her chest, and held him.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuizDmQqHsv
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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."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqlq74GeKf
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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."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIQFksVfoj
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Shino reached for her spreadsheet and, with a flourish of her red editing pen, crossed out "French Cuisine."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSzT6JrZL2z
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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."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡneM4GPAmoz
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Kevin let out a shaky breath, a small, genuine smile finally breaking through. "The park? With the old oak tree?"36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OnigPC9id
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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."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0x0YjbPCk
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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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNSIpANvAx
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