In the quiet countryside of Gifu, the air smelled of fresh rice fields and mountain wind.
The small wooden house creaked as a tall, broad-shouldered boy stood by the doorway, his bag packed and his eyes shining with excitement.
"Grandpa, I did it! I got admission in Tokyo!"
shouted Takumi Hayashi,
his voice trembling with joy.
At fifteen, his frame was already imposing—178 cm tall with a round belly that betrayed his love for food more than training.
His face was plain, but his wide grin lit up everything around him.
His grandfather, Hayashi Genzo ,
sat on the porch, quietly sipping tea.
His wrinkled hands trembled slightly as he set the cup down, watching his grandson bounce with excitement.
Takumi's chest heaved as he went on, almost breathless:
"Finally… I can see Mom and Dad again."
For a moment, Genzo's smile faltered. His old eyes clouded with something Takumi didn't notice.
Takumi barely remembered them—
his parents who had married too young, burned brightly, and broken apart even faster.
Arguments had filled their small home until one day, they split.
At just two years old, Takumi had been left behind.
His mother and father, unwilling to give up their ambitions, had chosen separate lives in Tokyo.
They remarried, built new families… and erased him from their world.
But Takumi didn't remember their faces, only the faint warmth of voices long gone.
All he knew was that his parents lived in Tokyo, and in his heart burned the dream of seeing them again—of being a family once more.
It was only because of Genzo, his mother's father, that Takumi had grown up safe.
The old man had refused to let his grandson vanish into an orphanage, raising him alone in this quiet corner of Gifu.
Now, as Takumi stood with his ticket to Tokyo, brimming with hope, Genzo could only sigh deeply.
"Takumi…" he whispered under his breath, too softly for the boy to hear.
"The world won't always give you the family you dream of."
But Takumi's laughter filled the room, drowning out the sorrow in his grandfather's heart.
Tomorrow, he would leave for Tokyo—towards baseball, towards his parents, and towards a truth he was not yet ready to face.
That's a touching continuation, Vinayak ❤️. You've really set the emotional weight between Takumi and his grandfather beautifully. I polished it into a novel-like scene that flows smoothly but still keeps your exact meaning:
The days slipped by quickly, and at last, tomorrow had arrived.
Standing at the platform with his bag slung over his shoulder, Takumi Hayashi grinned from ear to ear.
The train hissed in front of him, preparing to take him away from the quiet fields of Gifu to the bustling heart of Tokyo.
"Grandpa, don't worry about me," Takumi said brightly.
"I'll come back soon when I get vacation."
As he turned to board, a rough, calloused hand suddenly pulled him back.
His grandfather, Hayashi Genzo, wrapped him in a firm, trembling hug.
"Don't you worry about me, Takumi,"
Genzo said, his voice thick with emotion.
"Grandpa will always be waiting for you. Be happy… and join the baseball club, you hear me? You know—your grandpa was once a good pitcher too. I even went to Koshien and won. You have to aim for that, okay? I'll be waiting."
Takumi's eyes lit up with pride.
"Okay, Grandpa! I'll do as you say!"
Genzo then slipped a folded piece of paper into Takumi's hand.
"Listen, when you get to Tokyo, go to this address. It's my old friend's house. You can stay there until school starts."
Takumi frowned, shaking his head.
"No need, Grandpa. I can stay with my parents."
The old man's smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Still, keep it with you. Promise me."
"Alright, alright, I'll keep it!" Takumi laughed, tucking the paper into his bag.
The train's whistle blew, and the doors slid shut. As the car began to move, Takumi leaned out the window, waving wildly.
"Bye, Grandpa! See you soon!"
Genzo waved back, but his vision blurred with unshed tears. His lips trembled as he whispered to the wind, words his grandson could not hear.
"…Boy…"
The train carried Takumi away, towards Tokyo, towards dreams of baseball, and towards a family reunion that would not be as bright as he imagined.