Flashback: Around a Month before the World Baseball Classic.
Homebody Encounters a Home Run (Recliner)
Kazuya Kinoshita, a man more accustomed to the company of Netflix and instant ramen than high society, found himself in a situation as improbable as a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth. Nestled in the plush embrace of a penthouse suite overlooking Tokyo's glittering expanse, a champagne flute awkwardly cradled in his hand, he felt like a bewildered housecat at a dog show.
The catalyst for this surreal evening was a cryptic text from Shinichi Sakurai, his enigmatic neighbor. One minute Kazuya was contemplating the existential merits of miso versus tonkotsu broth, the next he was crammed onto a commuter train, a rented tuxedo itching at his shoulders, en route to a "classified mission" in the heart of Shinjuku. Now, here he was, a solitary civilian amidst a sea of baseball royalty – formerly the starting pitcher of the ORIX Buffaloes, Soichiro Yamazaki, a man whose fastball once made hitters whimper, his teammate's broad shoulders, four inches and a half shorter, forming a protective barrier on one side.
The bride, a luminous actress who graced Kazuya's television screen more often than he cared to admit, was a close friend of Shinichi's. The groom, shrouded in an air of quiet wealth, was a tech billionaire whose name whispered of Silicon Valley and IPOs. The wedding, a clandestine affair cloaked in the twilight glow of the penthouse's windows, was a testament to the unpredictable twists life could take.
An uncomfortable silence descended, punctuated only by the clinking of ice against crystal. Yamazaki, a mountain of a man with a laugh that rumbled like distant thunder, broke the tension. "TWICE superfan, are we?" he boomed, his gaze settling on Kazuya. The unexpected question sent a jolt through Kazuya. He stammered a confession, admitting to attending their overseas debut concert in Osaka years ago, a memory tinged with the chaotic afterglow of a near-riot caused by Yamazaki's impulsive gift of TWICE merchandise to his then-'girlfriend'.
Yamazaki's booming laughter filled the room, a sound both warm and infectious. "Ah, the 'Lovestruck Rookie' incident," he chuckled, shaking his head. "Seems my reputation precedes me, eh?" He winked, then leaned in conspiratorially. "You know, sir," he said, using a formality that sat oddly on Kazuya, "Yoshinobu Yamamoto and I used to have epic karaoke battles back then. Your little escapade gave me a complex, I tell you. Ended up wearing those yellow-green cleats for a whole season in the Western League. Fashion statement of shame, that was."
A slow grin spread across Kazuya's face. This wasn't just a baseball star, this was a man with a self-deprecating wit and a fondness for questionable fashion choices. Yamazaki continued, a hint of nostalgia in his voice, "Who knew I'd end up marrying a K-Pop superstar, eh? Talk about nerves of steel. Me, a country boy from Fukui, tying a knot with a presidential cook's daughter. All thanks to you giving me that little push," he added with a playful jab.
Kazuya's eyes widened. Here he was, a self-proclaimed homebody, swapping stories with a celebrity about the inner world of K-Pop royalty. It was a surreal exchange, a scene ripped from a bizarre dream. As the night wore on, the lines blurred further. Kazuya found himself regaling the group with his encyclopedic knowledge of anime, dissecting pitching strategies with Yamazaki and his teammates, and even – at their enthusiastic behest – attempting a tragically off-key rendition of TWICE's "1 to 10." The song, meant to be a melancholic pop, took on a hilariously discordant tone under his untrained vocals, but the room erupted in cheers.
By the time the first rays of dawn peeked through the Tokyo skyline, Kazuya felt an unlikely camaraderie with this group of extraordinary people. He had stumbled into a world he never knew existed, a world where baseball stars moonlighted as K-Pop connoisseurs, and champagne flowed freely alongside tales of awkward teenage crushes and questionable fashion choices. As he finally hailed a cab back to his modest apartment, the city awakening around him, Kazuya knew one thing for certain: this was a night he wouldn't soon forget, a night that defied definition and left him with a story as improbable as a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth.
Unexpected (Dis)Connections:
Around ten days later, Miramar, San Diego
The post-ceremony chaos was a whirlwind of unexpected connections. My eyes, still searching for Chizuru, who missed the taxi due to her own fault, landed on a burst of sunshine – Hana Uzaki, Shinichi's wife, the midget friend of mine, a cousin-in-law, radiating infectious energy in a crowd that dwarfed her petite frame. Despite our wildly different personalities, our shared love for cheesy romance and manga became an instant bridge. As Hana, a linguistic virtuoso, effortlessly switched between languages, I discovered a new side to the baseball heroes. Yamazaki, beneath the star pitcher persona, was a down-to-earth goofball – his legendary cheesecake a team secret.
Celestial Tango indeed.
Their first encounter was like a scene from a serendipitous dream. Soichiro, with his disarming smile and playful banter, found himself drawn to Jeongyeon's magnetic presence at a bustling café. As their eyes met, a silent understanding passed between them, igniting a spark that neither could ignore.
One Spark, baby.
Amidst the thrill of the unexpected, Chizuru's constant calls were a jarring reminder of my "secret wedding." But the annoyance faded under the warmth of camaraderie and a touch of celebrity magic. Me, Kazuya Kinoshita, the ultimate homebody, was stepping outside my comfort zone, and the world responded with laughter, shared stories, and even a brush with greatness.
Suddenly, a voice in heavily accented Korean pierced the chatter. My jaw slackened as I saw the source – Jake Cronenworth, the MLB superstar with a contract worth more money than I could dream of. Flanking him were the legendary Padres trio: the aging grace of Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado, and the electrifying Fernando Tatis Jr. All gathered around their friend, Juan Soto, who clearly wasn't enjoying the post-game festivities.
Sneaking around them at a cool five-eleven-and-some more (his smirk permanently etched on his face), was Jake. With hair as fiery as his on-field persona, he was surprisingly calm, a stark contrast to the shy giggles of Nayeon Lim and Momo Hirai, who stood beside her equally starstruck sister. Flustered, I fumbled through the Padres' last game, my mind reeling at the possibility of discussing strategy with a literal baseball god.
Just then, Chizuru's face materialized on my phone screen, her voice dripping with mock-seriousness. "Kazuya-chan, you better not be having too much fun without me! Who'd you find? Blackpink?" I pointed the camera at Jake, a nervous laugh escaping my lips. "Uh, no Blackpink. This is Momo, her sister, and their parents. Turns out, her dad played football with Sean Payton, and... oh! This is... Jacob?"
Chizuru's response was a masterpiece of stunned silence, followed by a rapid-fire string of questions. "Wait, is that... JAKE THE RAKE? OMG! And is that... 'Nando? Holy moly, is that Shohei Ohtani and his whole Samurai Japan team? Did they see our movie?"
My head spun as I realized the magnitude of the situation. Here I was, surrounded by baseball royalty, stuttering like a fool. My gaze landed on Shinichi, who was now deep in conversation with Hana Uzaki and another girl, presumably Momo's sister, all three lost in a dramatic coffee-tasting performance. "Uh, yeah, apparently everyone saw the movie," I mumbled, completely missing Chizuru's rant about Nayeon and her competitive coffee brewing amid her own'scandalous' relationship with no other than.....the same Jake.
The night had taken a surreal turn, and I, Kazuya Kinoshita, was right in the middle of it, my heart pounding with a mix of excitement, nervousness, and the undeniable thrill of being surrounded by legends.
Beyond the Escapism
As the wedding guests dispersed, and dawn painted the San Diego sky, Kazuya stood on the balcony, a bittersweet knot in his stomach. The fantastical night was over, but the memories, connections, and the realization that life could be an unpredictable adventure lingered.
He looked at Shinichi, a mischievous glint in his eyes, and Hana, already regaling their friends with hilarious anecdotes from the night. He remembered Chizuru's voice on the phone, laced with both annoyance and a curious hint of pride. Besides, Chizuru is arrived and taking photos of the planes instead.
For our two main couples,the experience wasn't just a story about celebrities and secret weddings; it was a tale of stepping outside one's comfort zone, discovering unexpected connections, and realizing that even the most ordinary life held the potential for extraordinary experiences.
"Thank you, San Diego. Never I have thought that Major Cahill allows me to visit this lovely city," he smiled, a real, genuine smile that hadn't graced his face in a long time. Perhaps it was time to put down the chimichanga (just for a while) and see what other adventures awaited, what other unlikely friendships bloomed, and what other secret weddings (hopefully not his own) life had in store.
"It's beyond the Escapism, life is never all about pleasant moment in unpleasant times, and vice versa."
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