It was a quiet morning in Shibukawa. Birds chirped outside the window. Sunlight peeked through the curtains. A breeze passed through the open crack of Alex's bedroom, fluttering the edge of his curtain.
"Alex! Breakfast is ready!" his mom called from downstairs.
Alex rubbed his eyes and stretched. "Coming!" he answered, still sleepy, then got out of bed.
He changed into his school uniform, brushed his teeth, and fixed his hair. His brown, shoulder-length hair always took a bit of time to manage. After checking everything in his bag twice, he walked down the stairs with a calm expression.
The dining room smelled like toast, eggs, and miso soup.
His father, Daniel Fraser, was already seated at the table, wearing a light sweater and glasses. A few streaks of gray peeked through his dark hair, and he had the kind of calm face that smiled easily. He was scrolling through something on his laptop with one hand while sipping tea with the other.
His older brother, Ryan, was also there, already halfway through his breakfast. Tall and athletic, Ryan wore a crisp white shirt and navy pants—his high school uniform from Kanzaki High, the local school known for its strong soccer and academic programs. His short, tousled hair somehow made him look both laid-back and neat.
"Oh, morning, sleepyhead," Ryan said with a grin.
"Morning," Alex replied, sitting down.
"Did you sleep well?" his dad asked, closing the laptop halfway.
"Yeah," Alex nodded. "I was a little nervous about today, though."
His mom, Emily, walked over with a warm smile and placed a plate in front of him. She wore a soft yellow apron over her blouse, her hair neatly tied back.
"You'll be fine," she said. "So, what's the plan for today?"
His dad glanced over his cup. "Yeah. Any clubs in mind yet?"
Ryan looked up too. "Gonna join something cool?"
Alex picked up his chopsticks slowly. "Hmm… I haven't joined yet. But I'm thinking about trying out the baseball club."
That made Ryan blink. "Baseball?"
Daniel looked surprised too. "That's unexpected. You've never played before."
"I know," Alex said honestly. "But my friend Kenta invited me to watch. He said I can try it out before deciding."
"Friend?" Emily smiled.
"Kenta?" Ryan raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah," Alex nodded, chewing slowly. "Nakagawa Kenta. He's in my class. Lives nearby too."
"Nice," Daniel said, sounding pleased. "Making friends already. That's fast."
"That's my little brother," Ryan smirked. "Already popular in school, huh?"
Alex gave him a flat look but didn't deny it.
"Just don't pick baseball because someone told you to," his mom said gently. "Try it because you're curious, or you want to. Not just because someone invited you."
"I will," Alex said, smiling a little. "I just want to see."
After breakfast, Alex grabbed his bag and stepped outside. The sun was brighter now, and the morning air was crisp and fresh. Their neighborhood was peaceful, with tidy houses lined up behind low fences, a few flower pots here and there, and a sleepy orange cat lounging on a rooftop.
As he turned the corner near the street's old electric pole, he saw a familiar face leaning on it.
Kenta, with his usual grin, waved with one hand and held a piece of toast in the other. His black hair was short and a little spiky, like he had just rolled out of bed and forgot to comb it. His uniform shirt was untucked, and his backpack hung loosely off one shoulder.
"Yo, Fraser-kun!"
Alex raised a hand. "Yo."
"You're late. I was about to eat your share of lunch too."
"I had to do my hair," Alex said calmly.
Kenta laughed. "Right, right. You got that model look going on."
They started walking side by side.
"So," Kenta said, still chewing, "you gonna come check out baseball club today?"
Alex looked up at the sky. "Yeah. I'm curious."
Kenta's eyes lit up. "Nice!"
"…But I don't really know anything about baseball."
Kenta almost choked on his bread. "Seriously?! Not even the rules?"
"I've heard of it. I know what a bat is… and a glove," Alex said, thinking. "But I've never played it."
"Whoa," Kenta said, looking impressed. "Well, no worries. I'll explain everything!"
They turned a corner and passed by a vending machine.
"So, there are nine players on the field," Kenta began. "And each one has a position. There's the pitcher, the catcher, then infielders like first base, second base, third base, and shortstop—which is me!"
Alex nodded slowly. "Shortstop?"
"Yeah! It's between second and third base. Gotta be fast, good at catching, and smart. It's awesome."
"Sounds important," Alex said.
"It is!" Kenta puffed out his chest. "I dive, slide, throw—like an action movie!"
Alex chuckled. "Okay, okay."
"Anyway, we also have outfielders who catch long balls. Then the batter from the other team tries to hit the ball and run the bases."
"And the pitcher throws the ball to the batter?"
"Exactly! And the catcher catches the pitcher's throws and stops runners from stealing bases. That guy's like the brain of the field."
"I see…"
"Don't worry," Kenta said, smiling. "You'll understand once you see it. It's way cooler in person."
They were now walking along the school walls. Other students in uniforms were also heading in, chatting, laughing, some with sports bags, some with instruments.
"We're almost there," Kenta said.
Alex adjusted his bag. "I'll try watching first."
"That's all you need to do," Kenta said. "Just watch. And maybe you'll fall in love with baseball."
Alex looked ahead at the school gate, a slight breeze moving his hair.
Fall in love with baseball, huh?
To Be Continued...
Author's Note:
Thanks for reading Chapter 2!
If you're enjoying the story so far, drop a comment—I'd love to know what you think! Hearing from you really keeps the motivation going!