It turned out that no one was allowed on the field after the game, at least not until the ceremony had finished. Not wanting to cause a scene, Ken and the others decided to drop it and patiently wait for the event to wrap up.
The results were announced and Kenji happened to win the MVP award, something his father had done almost 20 years before. Seeing his son hoist the trophy, Ken felt a surge of pride.
"He's done well…" Ken muttered.
"Of course, he's hard working just like his father." A soft voice replied before Ken felt a pair of arms wrap around him.
Hearing his wife's voice, Ken couldn't help but smile, lifting his arm and pulling her in closely.
"Papa! When did you get here?"
Ken turned and saw a miniature version of his wife now attached to his leg.
"Hehe, Papa was here the whole time but you didn't save me a seat Chiharu-chan~." Ken said, scooping up the little girl and planting a kiss on her cheek.
The little girl giggled before wrapping her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.
"Where is your sister?" he asked, looking around.
"She's being boring…" Chiharu said, pointing to one of the chairs nearby.
Ken turned and saw his eldest daughter busy on her phone, not even paying attention to the ceremony. A wry smile crept onto his face, but he decided not to bother her, lest he face the wrath of his teenage daughter.
"I still don't understand why she hates baseball…" Ken muttered, shaking his head with disappointment.
Once the ceremony was over, the kids left the field and finally the adults were able to celebrate with them.
"Congratulations you two, that was a great game." Ken said with a grin, ruffling his son's hair. The kid wore a radiant smile, clearly appreciating the praise from his father.
Tatsuya on the other hand was scooped up by Daichi and launched into the air, surprising everyone present.
"That's my boy!" He yelled, letting out a deep laugh.
The scene was heartwarming.
Then more and more familiar faces began to appear in the vicinity.
"You're late, you almost missed my grandson's game." Yuki's judgmental tone entered Ken's ears, making him feel a little embarrassed.
"Sorry, my flight was delayed…" He replied, feeling a little bad.
"Don't be so harsh on him Yuki, he did his best." A frail looking old man with a walking stick toddled over wearing a smile.
It was his grandfather, Mark Williams. The man was now well into his 80's and he was no longer as mobile as he used to be. His once tall and straight back was hunched over slightly, making him appear shorter.
"Grandpa…" Ken flashed him an appreciative smile.
Behind his grandfather, another few figures appeared.
Naomi and Santiago were watching on with a smile, while Tetsu's ugly crying face had made its appearance once again.
"I'm so proud of you Kenji…" he said, patting the kid on the shoulder.
The guy looked essentially the same as he did 15 years ago, but there were now a few additional wrinkles and some gray spotted through his hair.
"Grandpa, you're embarrassing me…" Kenji looked a little uncomfortable but he still smiled at the man.
Just when Ken was about to suggest leaving the area, a teenage girl with long blond hair appeared, her eyes focused on Kenji who was holding the MVP trophy.
"Y—You were really cool out there Kenji…" The girl said, fidgeting.
Ken's eyes shined as he recognized the teenager. He turned, seeing Steve and Tara not far away. The latter was wearing a brilliant smile, while the former looked extremely gloomy.
'Is this what he was talking about before?' Ken thought, still trying to piece together the situation.
"Thank you Sophie…" Kenji replied, his face turning bright red.
The two teenagers stood across from each other awkwardly, making even some of the adults feel uncomfortable. It was clear even to Ken that his son and Steve's daughter seemed to like each other.
Ken cleared his throat, cutting through the awkward atmosphere, "Ahem, who is hungry?"
"ME!"
"ME!"
Tatsuya and Chiharu cried out, raising their hands in the air with enthusiasm.
"What did you want to eat?"
"PIZZA!" the two replied in unison, as if they'd rehearsed it beforehand.
"Haha, alright alright. Kenji, go tell your teammates we're taking them to get pizza. Bring your Grandpa while you're at it." Ken instructed with a smile.
Soon enough, the extended Takagi family and the Detroit Elite baseball team left East Cobb field and arrived at one of the dine-in pizza restaurants that were close by.
Since it was almost 4pm, the place was thankfully deserted. It allowed them to make a long table that spanned the length of the restaurant, giving more than enough seats for everyone.
Ken sat at the head of the table, Chiharu on his lap as she munched on a slice of cheese pizza. His eyes roamed over his friends and family seated at the table, a sense of contentment settling deep within his soul.
The past 15 years had seemingly flown by, yet these people had always been present in his life. For the first time since she'd left him, Ken felt like he fully understood Mika's words back then.
'Life is the most precious when spent with loved ones.'
Ken suddenly thought to his previous life. After his injury, he had pushed everyone away, retreating into his shell. He lived a miserable existence, akin to self isolation.
Were it not for Daichi or his parents, he might not have had anyone left.
But now, as he sat in this restaurant with his youngest daughter on his lap and his friends and family close by, Ken truly felt like he understood what Mika was trying to tell him.
His second chance wasn't to fulfill his dream of playing professional baseball…
It was a second chance to experience a life spent with his loved ones.
At this realization, Ken felt his vision grow misty. Before he knew it, a tear escaped his eye, slowly running down his cheek.
"What's wrong Papa?" Chiharu's sweet voice caught his attention, startling him. Only now did he realize that he was beginning to get emotional.
"Nothing sweetie, Papa is just very happy at the moment." He said softly, his voice cracking.
Chiharu's cute face scrunched up into a frown, "You're meant to smile when you're happy Papa, not cry." She said, admonishing him.
Ken laughed, his voice hoarse from the emotion weighing on him.
He wiped the tear away, not wanting to draw attention to himself. The last thing he needed was for his friends and family to see him cry on such a happy occasion.
As he was adjusting himself, the flapping of wings caught his attention. He turned to the window, only for his eyes to widen like saucers. Yet a few moments later, a radiant smile appeared on his face.
A pure white dove was sat perched upon the window sill, the afternoon sun shining upon its feathers, giving it an ethereal glow. In its beak sat an olive branch.
They were in Georgia, it made no sense for such a dove to appear here, much less holding a olive branch. Though it could have been sheer coincidence, Ken chose to believe it was a sign specifically meant for him.
'Thank you Mika… For giving me this second chance.'
-End
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