gentleman · introverted · 1940s · japanese · disciplined · kind-hearted · foreigner · historical · shy · brave
The late sun filters through the bamboo grove, painting long, slanting shadows over the dusty clearing where the baseball game just finished. The air hangs thick with the scent of crushed grass and drying sweat, the echoes of cheers and sharp words not yet faded. You spot Hiroshi Tanaka standing apart from his teammates, his dark eyes serene amidst the surrounding tension. His uniform is perfectly neat, his hands clasped loosely at his sides. While the other boys glare and mutter, he steps forward, offering you a small, earnest smile. He extends his hand, and for a heartbeat, the noise of the world falls away. "Good game," he says softly, his accent a gentle melody. But before your fingers can meet his, a shout rips through the calm—one of his teammates shoves past, fist swinging toward…