The Wallet and the Morning Rush

Welcome to Kohaku English Story Time!

This post is designed to help you improve your reading skills, understand natural English, and practice comprehension.
We’ve written an original story for you — it’s a bit longer than usual, so take your time! After the story, you’ll find questions to check your understanding and spark some discussion.
Reading real stories like this will help you learn grammar, vocabulary, and expressions in context. Ready? Let’s go!

It was 7:45 a.m. and Ken was already running late. His boss had warned him not to be late again, but Tokyo’s morning trains didn’t care about his promises. As he rushed past a row of vending machines outside the station, something caught his eye — a small, black wallet lying on the ground, half-hidden behind one of the machines.

He stopped. For a few seconds, he hesitated. People passed by him in both directions, heads down, earbuds in, moving fast. Maybe it wasn’t his problem. Maybe someone else would see it and take care of it.

But curiosity won. He picked it up and opened it quickly. Inside were several credit cards, an ID card with the name "Takashi Mori," and more cash than Ken had in his bank account.

“Should I take this to the station now?” he thought, glancing at the time. “If I do, I’ll definitely be late again.”

His heart pounded. He thought about walking away — just leaving it — but something about the name on the ID made him stop. “Takashi Mori” sounded familiar. Ken remembered reading that name on the wall of his favorite ramen shop — the owner.

On a whim, Ken decided to make a quick detour. The shop was just a few streets away. When he arrived, slightly out of breath, the woman at the counter gasped when she saw the wallet. “That’s my husband’s!” she said, clearly relieved.

Takashi came out from the back, shocked and smiling. “I thought it was gone forever. I was retracing my steps for over an hour.”

Ken apologized for the strange delivery but couldn’t stop smiling. He arrived at work twenty minutes late and expected the usual lecture — but instead, his boss paused, listened, and said quietly, “That was the right thing to do.”

🧠 Comprehension Questions:

1. Why was Ken in a hurry that morning?

2. What did he find near the vending machines?

3. What made him decide not to take the wallet to the police?

4. How did he realize who the wallet might belong to?

5. What was the final reaction from his boss?

💬 Discussion Questions:

• What would you do if you found a wallet full of money?

• Do you think Ken made the right decision? Why or why not?

• Have you ever lost something important? Did someone return it to you?

• In your country, what is the usual way to handle lost items?

• Should we always choose kindness even if it causes inconvenience?

Well done!
Reading stories in English helps you think in English — not just translate.
Feel free to comment your answers or thoughts below. If you'd like more stories like this, let us know!
And remember: the more you read, the more natural your English will become ✨📚
See you next time!