March 2021120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ129WaKSoJl
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If the proposal was a dream, the wedding planning was a full-contact sport.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtq2jK2SxbJ
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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."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnRoIoEBCU
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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."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNWmpaj37C
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"It's a service to your stomach," Shino countered, but she couldn't hide her smile.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKKElXTE2NR
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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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOIkuVla9V
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But the real curveball didn't come from the guest list.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8mZ98T487
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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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6mVZzwPEp
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"The shoulder?" Shino asked, her voice dropping an octave.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3xoAjjm5l
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Kevin didn't speak. He just handed her the letter.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPWOhBUriO
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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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxkpS44ryx
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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."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgmTCyNxJ4
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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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxAHa4atoZ
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She walked over to him, pulled his head against her chest, and held him.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4rP7Yit6h
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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."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvL3LfrcmA
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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."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSZHzEPAyF
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Shino reached for her spreadsheet and, with a flourish of her red editing pen, crossed out "French Cuisine."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaZ8uKPnfW
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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."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ212LCuuRkZ
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Kevin let out a shaky breath, a small, genuine smile finally breaking through. "The park? With the old oak tree?"120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpam96jBn7
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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."120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJKI5HWCWT
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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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4pv3lfLsr
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