Free Sayonara Slam by Naomi Hirahara

stand in the back. Amika, unfortunately, took her place right next to Mas. He chose not to acknowledge her existence.
    A woman with a camera came by. While everyone else’s cameras were large and had large lenses, hers was palm-size and conventional. And what was even more interesting was that she wasn’t aiming her camera at Jin-Won. No, she was taking pictures of Mas and Amika. Mas recognized her—he’d seen her on the field at Dodger Stadium before Itai had died.
    â€œWhozu dat?” Mas grudgingly asked his neighbor against the wall.
    â€œSally Lee. She’s not with the media. She’s part of a Korean women’s advocacy group.”
    Before Amika could elaborate, the press conference began. Sure enough, it was in Korean.
    Amika seemed to understand the speaker, a middle-aged Korean man in a suit sitting next to Jin-Won.
    â€œYou knowsu Korean?” Mas asked.
    â€œSome. I can get by.”
    â€œWhatsu goin’ on?”
    â€œJin-Won wants to join the major leagues.”
    â€œCan he do dat?”
    â€œHe just told the Korean press that he wants to. He can be officially posted after this season. If his current team, the Unicorns, agrees.”
    This was certainly news to the journalists, who looked electrified. Questions shot out from various corners of the room. Yuki, who was observing carefully, nudged the man next to him, who seemed to give him an update.
    During this flurry, Mas noticed two new figures standing in the doorway of the meeting room. Two women. Neko and an older woman whom Mas had seen at Dodger Stadium.
    â€œWhozu dat ole woman?” Mas asked Amika.
    â€œWhat’s it to you?”
    â€œI’zu see her before. At Dodger Stadium.”
    â€œYou are very observant for a gardener.”
    Mas’s eyes widened. Why should Amika know that he was a gardener?
    â€œYuki and I talked a lot last night.”
    That’s not all you did , Mas thought.
    Mas wasn’t the only one to notice Neko. Yuki was out of his seat and making a beeline for her.
    Not good , Mas thought. He tried unsuccessfully to divert the boy’s attention.
    â€œI didn’t expect to see you here,” Yuki said to Neko in Japanese.
    â€œI’m just here to support Jin-Won.”
    â€œSo is this part of your plan? He comes to America to be close to you.”
    Neko frowned. “I’m in Hawaii. Hawaii is closer to Korea than most of the major league teams in America. He wants competition. He wants to play in the majors.”
    â€œAnd I suppose his wife and baby will be back in Korea—quite convenient for the two of you.”
    Neko, whose pale face was as smooth as that of a white peach, scrunched it into an awful grimace, as ugly as the oni devil mask that once adorned the Arai hallway. She pulled one of her arms back and unleashed a slap as loud as a thunderclap across Yuki’s right cheek.
    â€œNeko!” the old woman cried out, running to the pitcher’s side. She cradled Neko’s hands as if they were made of fragile glass.
    â€œNo worries,” the pitcher said in Japanese to the older woman. “I used my left hand.”

    â€œYou gotsu to stop.” Mas had pulled the boy into the hallway. He was making a complete aho out of himself.
    â€œI’m in love with her,” Yuki said in Japanese.
    That was obvious.
    â€œShe decide to go wiz Jin-Won, datsu her decision,” said Mas.
    â€œShe has a chance to become the first female major leaguer.”
    â€œWhatsu dat to you?”
    â€œI want her to succeed. I want her to achieve her dreams.”
    Mas examined the boy’s face. Chikusho . He was telling the truth. He was punch-drunk in love with that woman. “Youzu gotta get your head on straight. Find out what happen to Itai.”
    Yuki took a deep breath, in and out. He paced the hallways and returned to Mas. “You’re right, Ojisan . I need you to call.”
    â€œCall who?”
    â€œThe