❛ 𝐒𝐓𝐘𝐋𝐄 ❜ ✓

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          A YAWN ESCAPED ━━━ my lips as I straightened a stack of papers by tapping the pile upright on my table, the sound filling up the empty space in the room. The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from a small desk lamp that cast long shadows across the walls. The clock on my wall ticked away the seconds, each one dragging be by slower than the last.

And amid the late night, the air was filled with the lively chatter of people outside.

As I placed the papers neatly into a folder, I couldn't shake off the feeling of restlessness that had been gnawing at me all day.

I leaned back in my chair after placing the files into the folder, running my fingers through my hair as I, yet again, let out another yawn. My eyes wandered around the office room, analyzing the baseball trophies and medals and posters adorning the wall, gleaming dully in the light. Each one of them were a testament of the Yomiuri Giants triumphs and glories.

Although, it 's been a while since the last one.

Hopefully, that will come to an end soon enough.

A knock came on my door soon followed by it opening up, revealing the head coach Shimura. His broad shoulders filled up the doorway and his usual disgruntled face was there.

"What's up, coach?" I asked, placing the folder aside, "Shouldn't you been home by now?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he remarked as he went ahead and sat down across from me, "Isn't your mom waiting for you?"

I shook my head with a small smile, "Nah, she's probably hanging out with her girlfriends,"

Shimura grunted in acknowledgment. "Well, I came by because I just received an email from the Los Angeles Dodgers. They want to transfer Ken Sato over to us,"

"Ken Sato...?" I repeated thoughtfully, leaning back in my chair. I thought for a while about who he was, and it clicked, "The guys close to a championship now, what's a star player like him making a sudden transfer to us?" I asked incredulously.

He shrugged, "Probably family business, y'know, ever since his mother..."

"Oh, yeah. So what are you gonna do? Accept it?" I played with my pen, "Speaking truthfully, Ken Sato might be what helps the team,"

Shimura let out an exasperated sigh, "That's what I'm thinking as well. But the board already decided for us, anyways."

I raised an eyebrow. "They've already made the call? No input from us?"

He nodded,"Yeah, they're eager to shake things up and think Sato could be the answer. They see his potential to bring back the glory days."

I leaned back, contemplating the implications. "Well, it's not often a player of his caliber falls into our lap. We need to make the most of this opportunity."

Shimura crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing in thought. "True, but it's going to be a challenge integrating him into the team, especially mid-season."

"I'm sure he'll adjust,"

I OPENED THE door to my house, the familiar creak echoing through the quiet hallway. The comforting scent of home enveloped me, and I felt some of the day's stress melt away. Kicking off my shoes, I headed to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. A kaiju attack notification came from my phone, but I ignored it.

As I sat down at the kitchen table, my thoughts returned to Ken Sato and the team as I gulped down the water. It was going to be a tough transition, but if we played our cards right, it could be the breakthrough we needed.

Hopefully.

"You're home, [name]?" a familiar voice called from the living room, breaking my train of thought.

I looked up to see my mom walking into the kitchen, a warm smile on her face. "Yeah, just got in," I replied, setting the bottle down.

She pulled out a chair and sat across from me. "You look exhausted. Long day?"

I nodded, a distant rumble coming from outside, "There's a lot going on with the team. We're getting a new transfer, Ken Sato from the States,"

She quirked a brow, "All of a sudden? Is he big?"

"I guess you can say that," I replied, "He's pretty big over there, but Japanese baseball is different from American baseball, so I'm not sure how easily he'd maintain the title."

Before she could respond, her phone rang loudly on the table. She glanced at the caller ID, "Hold on a second," she said, answering the call. "Hello?" I drank out of my bottle, almost choking on water when she let out a sharp gasp, "You're kidding, right? What? Okay, I'll go turn it on," she ended the call, her eyes widened in shock, "[name], come on," my mom abruptly turned on her heels and sprinted towards the living room.

Despite her old age, she does sure move fast.

I got up from my chair and followed after her, a confused look on my face. My mom turned on the TV after fumbling with the remote, setting onto the couch as I stood behind her. She flipped through the channels before settling onto the news.

The headline was clear.

'ULTRAMAN ABRUPTLY GOES MISSING FROM KAIJU BATTLE: WHERE IS HE?'

I raised an eyebrow, glancing at my mom. "Ultraman... missing?"

She nodded, her eyes glued to the screen. "Yae told me that he got hit and then never came back. No one knows where he is."

The news anchor continued, "In a stunning turn of events, Ultraman, who has been a symbol of hope and protection for Japan, vanished during a crucial battle against a formidable Kaiju. Authorities and fans alike are baffled and concerned about his sudden disappearance."

I sat down next to my mom, trying to process the information. "This is... surreal..."

A clip played on the screen, showing the intense battle between Ultraman and the towering Kaiju. The two giants clashed amidst a backdrop of crumbling buildings and panicked crowds. Ultraman fought valiantly, his movements precise and powerful. Then, he was punched back, crashing into a thick metal bar from his side. He went limp as the bar fell right onto him. A giant gust of smoke covered the incident, but once it disappeared, he was gone.

My mom gasped, her hand covering her mouth. "He just... vanished. How is that possible?"

The anchor's voiceover continued, "Experts are currently investigating the phenomenon, but no definitive answers have been found. Meanwhile, the Kaiju threat remains unchecked, and the city is in a state of emergency. Will the KDA be able to take this monster taken care of without the help of Ultraman? Here's what an officer is saying—"

My mom had covered her mouth with her fingers, her eyes wide with disbelief. I put a hand into her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. As far as I knew, Ultraman had been around since she was born, and she's 48 now.

"We have to trust that he'll come back. He always does. And in the meantime, the KDA will do everything they can to protect us."

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the story gets better as it progresses TRUST 😭