After the doctor examined Dranred's arm, he finally spoke with a reassuring smile.
"It's only a mild inflammation — caused by stress and overuse. You're lucky you came in when you did. If you had pushed your arm any further, it might've turned into something much worse… maybe even career-ending."
The words made everyone in the room go silent for a moment.
Dranred only nodded, relief washing over his tired face.
"So I'll be fine?" he asked.
"With rest, yes," the doctor replied. "No pitching for six weeks. Let your arm heal completely."
By the time they returned to the hotel, the whole team had already gathered, waiting for news. When they learned that Dranred was fine, the room filled with cheers. Their ace was safe — that alone was reason enough to celebrate.
That evening, the Sports Commissioner rented out the entire hotel restaurant for the National Team. The air was filled with laughter, clinking glasses, and the low hum of celebration. Even though they hadn't won the championship, the pride in everyone's eyes said otherwise.
When Dranred arrived with Charlie and Rosette, a rush of questions and congratulations greeted him. Officials and reporters who had stayed behind came over to shake his hand, take photos, and ask about his plans.
"Will you be joining the Majors after this?" one of them asked eagerly.
Dranred only smiled politely. "We'll see. For now, I just want to rest my arm."
Across the restaurant, Rosette and James sat at a table with Charlie. Nathan's seat was empty — the coach had brought him over to the officials' table for a chat.
"They're not even the champions," Charlie said with a small chuckle, glancing at the grand spread before them, "but look at this feast."
James smiled, watching the players laugh across the room. "They deserve it. Getting this far — that's already a victory."
"That, I'll agree with," Charlie said, his grin widening. "Now let's eat before the food gets cold."
As they began their meal, a familiar figure appeared beside their table.
Dranred pulled out the chair next to Rosette and sat down quietly.
"Are you feeling better?" Rosette asked softly, her eyes filled with concern.
Dranred looked at her, a faint, teasing smile forming on his lips.
"I think I need to recharge," he said.
Rosette blinked. "Recharge? Here?" she whispered, glancing nervously around. Her cheeks turned pink.
Dranred laughed under his breath, clearly enjoying her reaction.
Charlie groaned from across the table. "Oh, for heaven's sake, you two — some of us are trying to eat here. Save the flirting for later."
He slid a plate of food in front of Dranred and shook his head.
"Here. Eat. You'll need your strength if you plan to keep showing off like that next season."
Dranred chuckled and picked up his fork, the warmth of the team's laughter surrounding him.
For the first time in a long while, everything felt light.
"Talking to the officials is more exhausting than playing baseball," Dranred muttered, leaning back in his chair. Around him, his teammates laughed and shared stories from the World Cup — memories that already felt larger than life.
A faint smile curved on his lips. Despite everything, he felt light — proud. The journey wasn't over; in fact, he felt it had only just begun.
Then he felt a familiar warmth — Rosette's hand gently finding his under the table.
Right, he thought, glancing at her. I have her by my side.
Rosette looked up at him and smiled, soft and sweet, before turning back to her plate. Across the table, James caught the small exchange and couldn't help but grin. It warmed his heart to see the two people he cared for most smiling together.
"Dranred!"
They all turned as Celine approached, her tone a mix of concern and relief.
"How's your arm?" she asked quickly. "Did you go to the hospital already?"
"Just like you said — it's a simple inflammation," Dranred replied with an easy smile. "I just need rest. I'll be fine in no time."
"That's a relief. I was worried," Celine said, letting out a sigh.
Rosette's lips parted slightly, her expression shifting as she watched Celine's worried face — and the way Dranred smiled back. Without realizing it, she pulled her hand away from his.
But before she could retreat completely, Dranred caught her hand again, his grip firm but gentle.
"Hey," he said softly, meeting her eyes with a teasing smile. "Who said you could let go?"
Rosette blinked in surprise. The tone of his voice — playful, warm — made her cheeks heat up. Celine, watching the exchange, frowned slightly, her curiosity piqued.
"I don't think you need to be holding hands right now," Rosette said under her breath, trying to sound indifferent — but the irritation in her voice was clear enough to make Dranred chuckle quietly.
He could tell she was jealous, and instead of getting annoyed, he found it… adorable.
"What's going on?" Celine asked, looking between them, confused by their hushed argument.
"Nothing," Dranred said quickly, flashing another disarming grin.
Celine studied Rosette for a moment, her brow furrowing slightly. "You look so familiar," she said at last. "Have we met before?"
Her gaze lingered on Rosette for a few seconds, then flicked briefly toward Charlie and James — as if trying to connect the dots.
The table fell silent for a moment, tension humming just beneath the light chatter from the rest of the room.
"Ah!" Celine suddenly exclaimed, pointing at James. Her eyes widened in recognition. "You're that basketball coach — the one from my vlog!"
Then her gaze darted between Dranred and Rosette, realization dawning on her face.
Dranred only smiled, calm and collected. "I see you already know James," he said lightly. "But I don't think I've introduced you to someone yet."
He turned to Rosette, and his expression softened. "This is Rosette," he said, his voice warm but steady — the kind of tone that silenced the whole table. "The girl I'm going to marry."
Every conversation in the restaurant seemed to pause for a heartbeat. Heads turned toward them — even Nathan, who had just approached, froze mid-step.
Rosette's cheeks flushed deep crimson. "W–What are you saying?" she stammered, staring at him in disbelief.
Charlie blinked. James's mouth fell slightly open. Even Celine was too stunned to speak.
Dranred tilted his head, genuinely puzzled by their reactions. "Why? Was it wrong?" he asked, completely serious. "I told you from the start — I'm dating you with the intent to marry you."
Then, turning to James, he added with unshakable confidence, "You don't have any objections to that, right?"
For a moment, James just stared — and then, slowly, a grin tugged at the corners of his lips. "You're something else, you know that?" he muttered.
Nathan sat down beside them with a sigh, smirking. "You're overly confident," he said. "Are you sure she'll even say yes? You might be setting yourself up for disappointment if you think she's already yours."
Charlie and James exchanged a quick look — half amusement, half concern.
Then, without warning, Rosette withdrew her hand from Dranred's and stood up abruptly. "I… I'm going to the restroom," she said quickly, her voice unsteady. She didn't wait for a response before turning and hurrying away.
"Rosette—" Dranred started, rising from his seat.
But James placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll go," he said quietly, before following his sister out.
Dranred's hand slowly fell back to his side. His chest tightened. He hadn't meant to embarrass her — he just wanted the world to know how proud he was of her, of them. But now, all he could do was clench his fists and stare at the empty space where she'd been sitting.
Around him, the table had gone silent. No one dared to speak. Even the laughter from nearby tables seemed to fade.
Dranred lowered his gaze, his confident smile flickering for the first time that night.
That… wasn't how I wanted it to go, he thought quietly.