The Beginning of Fate

"Sendou, old pal, didn't your grandson move here today? You really can't live without your drinking buddy, can you!?" If Sendou saw the speaker's hairstyle, he would definitely know that he was Sawamura's grandfather, Sawamura Eitoku, who didn't talk like an old man at all.

"I have some worries, so I came to you for a drink!" Sendou's grandfather, Sendou Junichi, said.

"Come on, let me help you ease your mood. Just tell me whatever it is!" Sawamura Eitoku said, patting his chest.

"Just keep me company while I drink!" Sendou Junichi just wanted to drink now.

"Then let's drink first and talk later."

Evening

"I'm back!"

"Ah, Eijun?"

"Grandpa and Grandpa Sendou, how much have you two drunk?"

"Not much. Uh!" Sawamura Eitoku even let out a drunken hiccup as he spoke.

"By the way, Eijun, you seem to be in Class 2 of the 4th grade, right?"

"Also?"

"Well, a transfer student came to your class today, right? He's your Grandpa Sendou's grandson! He just moved from Tokyo, his parents went abroad to develop their careers."

"Really? No way! I was wondering why that surname sounded so familiar, so he's Grandpa Sendou's grandson. But why are you telling me this?"

"Eijun, that child has been very lonely since he was little, doesn't have many friends, and often goes his own way. I'm very worried, so I hope you can get in touch with him and change his life a little. Please." Sendou Junichi pleaded.

"Grandpa Sendou has said it to this extent, I'll do my best!"

Carefree and with a gentle personality, this is the fundamental reason why everyone can't hate Sawamura.

"By the way, Eijun, don't you play baseball? If you have the chance, ask him to play together, it'll be a lot of fun!

According to Sendou-san, for the past month, he's been studying baseball in a famous team in the Tokyo Little League, and not long ago, just less than a month after starting to learn baseball, he became the ace and cleanup hitter of that team! Amazing, right?"

"Really? That's amazing! No matter what, I have to pull him over. Youxia! It's decided!"

After Sawamura finished speaking, he opened his mouth and showed his signature smile with his teeth.

"By the way, Sendou-san, how about bringing Akila-kun over tomorrow?"

"Sure!"

Their relationship is so good, of course they also hope that their grandchildren's relationship will be just as good.

"Famous team, huh? Damn it, I really want tomorrow to come quickly!"

"Why do I have to go? I still want to read manga!"

"Alright, alright, just come with me. After all, Sawamura and I are close friends, so you should meet him!"

"Okay! Then let's go and come back quickly."

"I'm back!"

"Yo, welcome back, Eijun!"

"Sendou grandpa, huh, you are, Sendou? Sendou grandpa really brought you here?"

"Sorry for the intrusion. What's with that expression?" Sendou asked, seeing Sawamura immediately approach.

"I heard from Sendou grandpa that you're the Ace and cleanup hitter of a famous Little League team in Tokyo, right?"

"So what if I am?"

"Let's play with us!"

"I refuse!"

"Why? Do you think we're too weak?"

"No, your baseball is also interesting."

"Then..."

"But I still think manga is more interesting, the going-home club is the best."

Watching Sendou leisurely say those otaku words (In Japan, otaku are a group of people who are somewhat looked down upon), Sawamura was temporarily defeated.

"We just have different hobbies, so you play baseball not because you like it?"

"That..."

Sendou won the first encounter completely! But at this time, Sendou never expected that he was tricked by his grandfather, which led to Sawamura being unusually tenacious towards him.

A week later,

"Sendou, stop reading manga and come play catch with us!"

"You should know when to stop! How many times has this been? What exactly do you want to do?"

"I have an answer about what you said last time, I want to go to nationals with my teammates in middle school!"

Sendou didn't know what to say for a moment, should he say he's too optimistic or fearless because of ignorance?

"Come to my house tonight!"

"Hmm? Okay, but..."

"Okay, don't ask so many questions about everything."

"Here, this is for you."

"What is this?"

"It's for practicing arm strength, hang this end on the wall and do this, it can improve arm strength, you're a pitcher, right?"

"Oh!"

"Also, this is the physical training for pitchers from my old practice menu." He finished, taking out a piece of paper and handing it to him.

"Don't ask anything, just take these. Please don't come looking for me again."

"I won't give up. Someday, I'll make you feel the charm of baseball."

"Ugh, whatever, do as you like! None of that matters anyway." Sendou had already given up on communicating.

"Hahaha, Sendou, wanna go play baseball together? It's a lot of fun!"

"I refuse!"

"Damn it!"

"Why me? This guy is too clingy. No wonder Chris was so annoyed by him.

What's he thinking? I told him I don't want to participate in sports," Sendou thought to himself.

"Eijun, didn't he say he doesn't want to participate in any activities right now? Why are you still asking him? He'll end up hating you!"

"Really? But I won't give up, you know? This Sendou is the grandson of that Sendou grandpa, and this guy is a bit of a loner, so his grandpa specifically asked me to. Plus, this guy is really good at baseball!"

"Really? That Sendou grandpa? I can't believe he has such a handsome grandson! He's good at baseball, is that what Sendou grandpa said too?" Wakaba said.

"Probably? My grandpa said that guy was the Ace cleanup hitter of a famous Tokyo Little League team! He should be pretty good, right?"

"So that's how it is. But why did he stop playing when he came here?"

"Who knows? But let's keep inviting him tomorrow! Hahaha!"

Sawamura and Sendou's tug-of-war lasting several years officially began.

Since coming to Nagano, Sendou hadn't joined any clubs and had become a complete go-home-straight-after-school type, but he hadn't cut back on his training menu at all.

Although he was still a beginner when it came to baseball, his body was very well-trained, after all, it was a menu that Coach Nakanishi had obtained by using a lot of favors.

So, although he didn't participate in any clubs, his performance at the school's sports day was absolutely shocking, especially in track and field. Even without formal training, Sendou, whose body was starting to develop, was getting faster and faster. The school's track and field team was trying to recruit him every day, but they all failed.

Similarly, Sawamura also persistently invited him, although he was always rejected.

But essentially, Sendou wasn't repulsed by Sawamura and the others. Sendou's so-called aloofness was just because his mental age was too different from his peers.

A people-pleasing personality like Sawamura's was hard for even Sendou to reject.

Because they were in the countryside, he often interacted with Sawamura's friends, and they weren't strangers after a while, but his relationship with Sawamura and Wakaba was a little better.

Strictly speaking, Sawamura's group of friends were also very warm people, probably due to the positive energy of instilling the concept of companionship from a young age in Japan! They all especially cherished their companions and each other's friendship.

Still a bit drowsy, so I won't say much more. There will be no updates tomorrow, as I will be traveling all day.