HAAA—!
Ryan gasped desperately. Inhaling as much air as possible, trying to suck the room empty as if his life depended on that single breath. He woke up in a dim and unfamiliar room. At first, it felt foreign, yet he sensed a wave of nostalgia rush forward.
"Why… does this room feel familiar? And why is it so dark in here?"
As he turned towards the window, memories began to flood his mind. The realization hit him like a jolt: this was the room he had when he was 14 years old, still living with his parents. His heart racing, he rushed to the mirror in the corner. Staring back at him was his younger self. His 14 year-old self.
"W-what is happening? Did I… travel back in time?"
Panic surged through him. Why was he in the body of his younger self?
He hastily stepped away from the mirror, struggling to comprehend the situation. Quickly, he walked over to his desk, remembering the old calendar he used to keep. Just as his hand reached for the drawer handle, a searing pain erupted in his head, as if it were about to split in two.
THUD
Overcome by the intense pain, Ryan collapsed on the floor.
Time passed unnoticed as he lay there unconscious, showing no signs of waking up. Eventually, the sun crept over the horizon, casting a soft glow through the window into his room.
"Ugh… what happened? Wh-"
Before he could finish his thought, a surge of information rushed into his mind. To his shock, he realized he was indeed back in his 14 year-old body, entering the last year of middle school. However, this was not just simple time travel as he had initially thought. He had transmigrated to another world.
This world is twice the size of Earth, with a population twice as large. Baseball was not just a popular sport here but the defining source of entertainment and interest. Society had rooted itself in this unifying sport, regardless of background.
Talent was everywhere, and athletes who would be considered elites on Earth were seen as average here.
Baseball dominated the entertainment and sports industry, leading to intense international competition, as no single country dominated others. The World Baseball Classic (WBC) stood as the pinnacle of global rivalry. Players in this world possessed a slight edge in physical capabilities thanks to their unique world, allowing them to slightly throw, bat, and run stronger and faster than the athletes on Earth could.
"What…?" Ryan whispered as he stood up, absorbing this impossible truth. Then, it struck him. The pain in his knee that had plagued him for years was gone. He was healthy, and in a world obsessed with the sport he had once only dreamed of playing. Taking a moment to breathe and calm the excitement, he tried to organize the sudden surge of information that overwhelmed his mind. As he was going through his memories, a sudden realization came to mind:
"Wait… if I'm back to my 14-year-old self, I should be living with my parents…"
His emotions were in turmoil, he didn't know what he felt. His mind went blank.
Tears threatened to fall down his cheeks while his mouth kept twitching, trying to hold in the overwhelming sense of emotion. It would be the first time he had seen his parents in six years after pushing everyone away, including close friends and family.
Overcome with lingering regret and fear of reconnecting, he built up his courage and gathered his thoughts before even considering leaving his room to see them again.
After minutes of hesitation and inner conflict, he mustered the courage to open the door and go downstairs.
"Good morning, honey," a soft, familiar voice floated from the kitchen.
Ryan froze in place. It was his mother, Airi Walker, preparing coffee as she always had in the early mornings. His father, Andrew Walker, sat at the kitchen table with his laptop open, immersed in his work.
There was another difference in this world – they were well off. Unlike the struggling, near-impoverished life they had on Earth, living paycheck to paycheck after countless hours of hard work.
It took Ryan a moment to adjust to this new reality.
Ryan's mother, Airi, is Japanese, and his father, Andrew, is American. They met when his father was working in Japan. They married and decided to live happily in the Kanto region of Japan.
"Good… morning, Mom," he managed to say, pushing through the lump in his throat as his eyes watered.
"Are you okay? You seem a bit out of it," she asked gently, her concern evident in her tone.
"I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well. Kept waking up during the night." He replied, trying to sound normal.
His father glanced up briefly from his laptop before returning to his screen. Andrew had always tried to introduce Ryan to baseball, but Ryan had always refused, showing no interest in the sport despite its popularity. Over time, their relationship had grown distant – or at least, it felt that way to Ryan.
But now, things were different. With his dream reignited and his body healthy, he finally had the chance to pursue the sport he loved.
Sitting at the table, he made the most of every moment, trying to reconnect with his parents. A quiet attempt to mend the regrets he carried from Earth, where he had once pushed everyone away.
When breakfast was nearly over, he finally spoke up:
"I want to start playing baseball."
His words landed like a rock thrown into still water, reaching his parents' ears. Both looked up at him in surprise, especially his dad.
"Are you serious, Ryan?" His dad questioned, breaking his usual silence.
"Yes, Dad. I… I'm not sure why, but I've recently developed an interest in it. I want to give it a try."
Andrew raised an eyebrow with a skeptical expression clear on his face. "You've always said you weren't interested."
After so many refusals, Ryan understood his fathers doubts.
"I just want to give it a chance." He said, meeting his father's gaze with determination burning in his eyes.
A smirk appeared on Andrew's face. "How about we go to the batting cage? See how you feel after a few swings. You can try pitching as well."
"I'd love that! Can we go now?" Ryan's eyes lit up, more eager than ever.
After years of regret and missed opportunities, he was finally ready to take the first step. He would finally chase his dream in this world where baseball was the king of sports. This time, with no injuries holding him back.
"Change into something more athletic and we'll head out later today when I'm finished with work."