Mornings at the senior home Maple Grove began quietly. Sunlight poured through the dining hall windows, casting soft shadows across the white tablecloths. In one corner, Mr. Saeki sipped his steaming tea and unfolded the newspaper—a part of his daily routine.
His goal? The crossword puzzle.
After breakfast, he would slowly fill in the squares. It marked the start of his day, a bit of mental exercise, and a quiet pleasure.
But one morning, something was different.
“…Huh?”
As usual, he opened the newspaper and squinted. The crossword was already completely filled out.
“Who filled this in without asking…?”
He felt more surprised than annoyed. No one knew who had done it—not even the staff. The paper was shared, after all; someone else may have solved it first.
The next morning, Mr. Saeki woke up earlier to grab the paper. But again, the crossword had already been completed.
“…Is this a challenge?”
He muttered, a small smirk tugging at his lips.
From then on, Mr. Saeki began observing. Where was the newspaper placed? Who arrived in the dining hall early? Like a detective, he took notes, asked around.
“Who’s usually the earliest riser lately?”
“Hmm, that would be Ms. Aikawa. She’s new here. Keeps to herself. Likes reading.”
Ms. Aikawa—new to the home, quiet, often seen with a book, rarely spoke with anyone.
Mr. Saeki decided to try talking to her.
“Do you enjoy crosswords?”
She looked surprised at first, then smiled and nodded.
“Yes… Ever since I was young. My husband and I used to do them together, to keep our minds sharp.”
That explained it. That night, Mr. Saeki asked the staff to provide a second copy of the newspaper in the dining hall.
The next morning, he picked up his own paper, sipped his tea, and began solving the crossword. Glancing up, he saw Ms. Aikawa at a nearby table, doing the same.
He smiled quietly to himself.
“Well, it’s not so bad having a crossword companion.”
From that day on, two newspapers appeared side by side each morning. Then one day, it was Ms. Aikawa who spoke first.
“Say, Mr. Saeki… do you know the answer to 13 down?”
“Ah, that’s ‘Haru Urara’—the name of a racehorse.”
That was the beginning.
Gradually, they spoke more. Eventually, their morning crossword time became something they did together. Sharing tea, exchanging smiles—their mornings began in harmony.
One day, a staff member whispered,
“Mr. Saeki’s changed so much lately. It’s like… the crossword turned into a love puzzle.”
Hearing that, Mr. Saeki chuckled and replied, a little bashfully,
“The answer’s simple. ‘Connection.’”
Then, in the grid, he wrote the word: Friend.
The clues and solutions now came brighter, clearer than ever.
Tea. Crosswords. And a new bond.
It was a small spring that had bloomed in Maple Grove.
