The effect was instant. Kenji who had been looking downcast earlier now seemed to shine upon the mound. His tall frame cast a long shadow along the ground thanks to the afternoon sun.
Thanks to Ken's shout, many eyes were still on him. A few people close by had recognized him despite his shallow attempt to hide his identity with his baseball cap covering most of his face.
"Excuse me, are you Ken Takagi?" Someone asked him.
Without looking away from his son, Ken replied. "Yes, that's me. But if you don't mind, I'd like to watch my son play right now."
"O—Oh, of course. Sorry for bothering you."
Only now did Ken realize that the voice sounded quite immature. He turned and saw a teenager around the same age as his son, the disappointment in his features obvious at a glance.
Ken let out a sigh, feeling like a bit of a tyrant for how he reacted. He reached out his hand and ruffled the kids hair, "What's your name kiddo?"
