CHAPTER 129: THREE SWINGS TO HER HEART

Just like that,

the three days of hellish exams were over.

But for Dirga...

his battle wasn’t finished yet.

There was still one promise left.

A quiet vow made before the storm.

A date—with Ayaka.

Their second one.

He’d been planning it for days.

And now that the pressure of exams had lifted,

he could finally look forward to something... personal.

Something normal.

Something fun.

The plan was simple—

but to Dirga, it felt just right.

A visit to the batting cage not far from the station.

Something casual. Something they could laugh through.

Something real.

Right now, Dirga sat in front of a small convenience mart near the school,

a cold drink in hand as the late afternoon sun warmed the pavement.

He leaned against the bench, earbuds in, eyes drifting toward the entrance every few seconds.

Ayaka had messaged him earlier.

Student council duties, as usual.

"Wait for me at the mart, okay?"

She’d even added a sleepy emoji.

Typical.

A shadow moved beside him.

He turned his head—

and there she was.

Hair lightly tousled from rushing.

School jacket tied around her waist.

Her usual sharp eyes... softer today.

"Sorry. I’m not that late, right?" Ayaka asked, tilting her head, hands behind her back.

Dirga stood up and smiled.

"Not that long," he replied.

She raised a brow. "Hmm, you sure? I thought you’d be halfway to bored by now."

"Nah. I had tea and peace. Rare combo."

Ayaka smirked, nudging his arm with her elbow.

"Alright then, master planner. Where are we going?"

Today, Dirga was in charge.

Ayaka had left everything in his hands—a rarity.

He took a breath, then said it.

"First stop... batting cage."

"...Batting cage?" she echoed.

The wind brushed past them.

Leaves rustled.

Her expression was unreadable for a second.

Then—

"Hah. That’s unexpected," she said with a light laugh.

"But sounds fun."

And with that—

Their second date began.

...

The scent of old leather and machine oil clung to the air—

a mix of nostalgia and raw adrenaline.

Dirga stepped into the batting cage, ticket in hand, the mechanical hum of the pitching machine filling the space like a steady heartbeat.

He glanced over his shoulder.

Ayaka stood outside the netted boundary, arms crossed, curious.

"Hey," Dirga called out, gripping the bat with both hands. "How about a bet?"

Ayaka raised an eyebrow, leaning on the railing.

"What kind of bet?"

Dirga rotated the bat in his hands, testing its weight.

"To be honest... I’ve never touched a baseball bat before," he admitted.

"But let’s say... ten swings. If I hit even one home run, I win."

Ayaka tilted her head, smirking. "One? That’s it?"

"That’s fair, right?" Dirga replied, trying to sound confident. "Total beginner here."

She tapped her chin. "How about... three home runs?"

Dirga blinked. "Three? You’re trying to kill me."

"Come on," she said, smirking. "Where’s that athlete ego of yours?"

He sighed in mock defeat. "Fine. Three."

Then her eyes narrowed with playful suspicion.

"But what exactly do I get from this little wager?"

Dirga met her gaze, the corner of his mouth twitching into a grin.

"A wish."

Ayaka blinked. "A wish?"

"Anything you want. One wish. I’ll grant it," Dirga said, swinging the bat onto his shoulder and giving her the most over-the-top cool guy look he could manage.

She squinted at him, pretending to think.

Then—

"Okay," she said, lips curling into a small smile.

"But same goes for you, huh? If you lose, I get a wish."

"Deal," Dirga said, stepping fully into the cage.

Ayaka leaned closer against the chain-link divider.

"This’ll be good."

The pitching machine clicked to life.

Ten balls.

Three home runs.

One wish on the line.

Dirga stepped into the cage, slipping on the worn-out helmet. The grip of the bat felt unfamiliar, but not unpleasant. He wasn’t a baseball player, but he did love watching it—and somewhere deep in his memory, there was a web novel from his past life. One he read over and over again. Maybe that’s why the batting cage felt oddly... nostalgic.

Ball #1.

The machine whirred. The pitch zipped forward.

Whiff.

Dirga’s swing sliced through empty air.

Outside the net, Ayaka’s laughter rang like a bell.

"Pfft—seriously? That was tragic."

Dirga scratched his cheek. "First one’s just to warm up," he muttered.

Ball #2.

Whiff. Again.

"Ehhh?" Ayaka cupped her hands around her mouth. "Future NBA player, right?"

Ball #3.

He swung—and clink, the bat nicked the edge of the ball, sending it off in a weak bounce.

At least Ayaka’s eyes widened. "Oh. You touched it that time."

"See? Progress," Dirga said with a proud nod, puffing his chest slightly.

Ball #4.

PANG!

The ball flew high—

—but veered off just short of the home run marker.

Still, it was a clean hit.

Dirga grinned, turning slightly to glance at Ayaka.

"I told you I’m good at this."

Ayaka folded her arms. "Let’s see, big shot."

Ball #5.

PANG!

The sound was crisp. Sharp. Beautiful.

The ball soared, cutting through the air like a bullet.

Over the fence.

HOMERUN.

"YEAHHH!!" Dirga threw a fist into the air, eyes lit up like firecrackers.

Ayaka blinked. "Wait... you actually hit that?"

Dirga’s grin widened.

Ball #6.

Another clean connection—

but it didn’t go far enough.

Ball #7.

PANG!

Perfect angle. Perfect timing. The ball disappeared into the sky.

Another homerun.

Ayaka’s eyes narrowed. "...Maybe you’re just a monster athlete."

Ball #8.

A solid hit. But not quite over.

Ball #9.

Completely mistimed. Dirga didn’t even touch it.

"What the hell..." he muttered, gripping the bat tighter.

One more ball. One last chance.

He needed just one more homerun.

Dirga exhaled.

And then—

The world hushed. The noise dulled, like sound underwater.

His eyes locked on the pitching machine.

His heartbeat slowed.

The final pitch.

It came screaming toward him.

A blur of white.

Everything else... faded.

Dirga stepped forward and swung.

PANGGGG!

It wasn’t just a homerun.

It was a rocket.

A no-doubt, straight-line, clean-kill homerun.

The ball vanished into the netting with a sharp clang far in the distance.

"YEAAHHHH!!" Dirga spun the bat and did an exaggerated celebration dance, fists pumping into the air like a kid who just won the lottery.

Ayaka was silent—mouth slightly open, completely stunned.

"Three. Outta ten," Dirga said, winking as he walked out of the cage.

Dirga stepped out of the batting cage, breath still heavy, body buzzing with adrenaline and lowkey pride.

He walked straight up to Ayaka, eyes gleaming with victory.

"So... Ayaka," he said, voice low, casual—almost too casual.

"I believe I’ve earned a wish."

Ayaka blinked at him.

For a second, nothing.

Then she looked away, lips twitching upward.

"...Tch. Fine. You win this time, slugger."

...

There was a small café nearby. Just a five-minute walk from the cages, nestled on a quiet street corner. Warm lighting. Window seats. The scent of coffee and vanilla ice cream lingering in the air.

They grabbed a table. Side by side. Their drinks in hand—Dirga’s iced lemon soda and Ayaka’s café mocha.

"So," she asked, setting her cup down, "what is it you really want?"

Dirga sipped slowly, eyes glinting.

"Simple. I want you to be my ’yes woman.’ For the rest of today... anything I say, you have to say yes to."

Ayaka choked on her drink. "What?! What exactly do you plan to do with me, huh?" Her eyes narrowed. Mischief twinkled behind the mock suspicion.

Dirga’s face flushed. "W-Wait! Not that! I didn’t mean—! It’s not weird, I swear!"

She burst out laughing.

"Relax, I’m kidding." She leaned forward, chin resting on her hand. "Fine. Today, I’ll be your ’yes’ woman."

"Good," Dirga replied, grinning. "Prepare for unreasonable requests."

And with that, the teasing began.

For the next hour, they laughed and played like kids.

"Can you say I’m the coolest basketball player you know?"

"Yes."

"Say I have better hair than Kaito."

"...Yes. Sadly."

They joked. They talked about nothing and everything. Time blurred.

Outside, the sky had turned soft indigo. Streetlights flickered to life. The evening had slipped in without them noticing.

Dirga walked Ayaka home, step by step under the streetlight’s warm glow. Her shoulder brushed his a few times—and neither pulled away.

And then they stood in front of her house.

The mood shifted. Slower. Quieter. A beat between heartbeats.

"...Hey, Ayaka," Dirga said, almost in a whisper.

She looked up at him. "Hmm?"

Dirga’s mouth opened... then closed.

He looked at her, then away, then back again.

His fingers clenched slightly at his side.

"Ehhh... uhh... w-wanna... wanna be my... girlfriend?"

His voice cracked just slightly.

"R-Remember... you’re my yes woman today."

Ayaka blinked. And then—

She laughed.

Not mocking. Not teasing.

Warm. Playful. Bright.

And then she leaned forward—

And kissed him.

Just a small kiss.

Soft. Quick.

A little "chuu" right on the lips.

Dirga froze. Completely.

"This," she said with a smirk, "is how you make a woman say yes."

Then she turned toward the door.

"And yes, I’ll be your girlfriend. See you tomorrow, Mr. Slugger. Take care going home."

Click.

The door closed.

Dirga stood there. Still.

A full-on short circuit.

His brain had blue-screened. His soul was buffering.

Only one thought looped in his mind:

"She kissed me... SHE KISSED ME."