Chapter 42: Game Results And Reunion With A Benefactor
TL: Scaramochi
***
After getting fired up by Sasaki, I headed off to the game against the A team.
Gathered on the playing field were all members of the Koto University soccer team. They lined up in front of the field, covering their hands from the sun.
The sun was so strong today that I was sweating just standing there.
The B team wore white second uniforms, and the A team wore their usual red uniforms.
This is the top of our University.......
There is a group of fourth-year students who have already received unofficial offers to join the N1 League powerhouse, and second- and third-year students like Jang-senpai, who are already monsters that are attracting professional attention.
I have to make my way into this group of only the fiercest of the fiercest.
"Gather around, boys!"
A brief meeting began in front of the B team bench, where the coach received a whiteboard from the manager, Aihara, who picked up the magnets with name tags on them and placed them on the whiteboard.
"I'll announce the starters."
***
[Sasaki's POV]
I came to the stadium fired up from breakfast by eating pancakes, and sat in the same bleachers as yesterday.
Makishima looked worried this morning.
I irresponsibly blasted him, "Score a point," but I hope it wasn't too much pressure.......
"Hey, girl. It's been a long time since yesterday."
Still in his tattered clothes, former Hoshin Gakuen Kishihara-san spoke to me.
"You came here today too?"
"Yes, why don't I come?"
"What do you do for work?"
"This is what I do...... No, it's nothing."
"Yes?"
"I have unearned income, so I'm fine!"
Kishihara-san insisted and gulped barley tea in his skittles.
I looked at the pitch in dismay, and saw that the up-days had already begun, and Makishima was there.
"Huh? Isn't Makishima wearing a red uniform? And he's wearing a bib....... Why?"
"This game is between the first and second teams." he said.
Speaking of which, Makishima said, "Today's game will determine the future."
"And those wearing bibs are the bench members, right?"
"Hmmm............. Huh?!"
I asked Kishihara-san while holding my glasses, which were about to come off due to surprise.
"What do you mean Makishima is benched for an important match?"
"............"
"Hey!"
Kishihara-san remained silent for a long time.
The match started as it was, and I sighed at the sight in front of me.
Not only was Makishima out of the game, but the game was also very poor. The A team scored five goals in the first half alone, and the game was going badly, but Makishima still didn't play.
"You seem to be dissatisfied because Maki isn't out, missy."
"Of course I am. I came here to watch
..... Makishima."
The coach's parental love is understandable, as there are many fourth-year students in their last year, and he'd rather use them than Maki, who's a freshman.
"Tsk......"
I could only watch Makishima sitting on the bench.
***
The moment I was told to start on the bench, I despaired.
I now understood why the coach had emphasized so much about the fourth-year students in the meeting yesterday.
Azaki vociferously disagreed with the coach, but the coach's will was so strong that even Asaki's selfishness was pushed aside.
As expected, the game was played between Azaki and the 11 members of the A team, and the seniors who had been in the B team for many years were no match for them. Even so, the coach wouldn't budge.
Azaki took it in alone and scored a goal, but after that, the team was kept on the defensive.
"......Makishima, let's go!"
By the time I thought I was finally called, there was no time left and I was sent out onto the pitch with 10 minutes left in the second half.
Sasaki had come to watch the game, but I was...... late.
I hope she's not sleeping because she's so disappointed with me.
"......!"
My eyes widened when I spotted Sasaki in the audience.
Sasaki is pointing her right clenched fist at me.
"Hang in there, Makishima."
I felt like she was saying that to me.
I had no choice but to give her a shot and leave my mark.
As soon as I entered the pitch, Azaki called out to me.
"Sorry, we only got one goal."
"You're a monster if you can get a goal from that A on your own, you know that?"
"There are 10 minutes left. I don't think we're going to win by a point, but I want to score with you."
"Right?"
Azaki patted me on the back and went back to his post.
Even though there were only 10 minutes left, the ball was in the A team's hands the entire time, and Azaki was feeling the drain on his energy.
Even if Azaki got the ball, the A team's defense was so well-coordinated that I couldn't expect him to get through like he had done the other day.
What should we do?
"Makishima! Come and get it!"
I did as I was told, went in to support Azaki and received the ball.
But at that moment.
"GGG......!"
I felt a sharp pain in my back and my vision turned toward the sky.
A tackle from behind sends me down, and about five steps before the penalty area, I'm fouled.
"Nice. Now that's a free kick."
"You...... used me to get a foul."
"Think about it. If you want a free kick, you can use that thing."
That...... is the free kick we've prepared for you.
"Let's do it, Makishima."
I nodded and prepared the free kick before kicking it.
I position myself on the enemy's final line and wait for Azaki's kick.
At the whistle, a sharp, low trajectory shot is released from Azaki's right foot.
The shootable free kick went past the side of the wall and headed toward the goal.
But the goalkeeper, Jang-senpai, with his natural reaction, had already flown sideways to the right.
The moment everyone stopped in their tracks, thinking Jang-senpai would stop, only I would come in to intercept the low trajectory shooting course.
"Maki.....?!"
Before entering the training camp, me and Azaki were practicing changing the trajectory of a free kick.
It's impossible for a goalkeeper who has reacted first to react again to the changed course.
So Azaki was kicking on a course he anticipated me to touch from the beginning, and Jang-senpai, who was caught by it, couldn't fly the other way now.
"......hit."
Azaki's free kick that hit my right foot shook the side netting...... opposite the direction Jang-senpai flew, but I myself had too much momentum to jump in and plunged into the goal along with the ball.
"Maki?!"
Jang-senpai rushed up to me, looking worried.
The stud on the back of my spike got tangled in the goal net and I was lying on my back in the goal.
***
When the whistle blew to end the game, all the B team players went down at once.
The score was 6-2, our rags to riches.
"One goal......?"
My biggest chance to show off, and I only got one goal.
I wanted to hate the coach for only giving me 10 minutes, but I might as well consider it a warm welcome for giving me 10 minutes.
The seniors who couldn't even make it to the game were no longer in the stadium.
I was given free time until the afternoon game, and having nothing better to do, I decided to go see Sasaki in the bleachers.
I put on the jersey that was on the bench and headed for the bleachers.
Sasaki was over there, I think.
When I came to the bleachers, I saw Sasaki talking with a suspicious-looking guy.
Who was that guy......?
He is wearing a thick coat that is tattered even though it is a hot day, and he is hiding his eyes and mouth with sunglasses and neck warmer.
He looks totally suspicious, and I think that guy...... is trying to kidnap Sasaki!
"Oh, hey you. What are you doing to her?"
I thought it was an emergency situation, so I got between Sasaki and the guy and hid Sasaki behind my back.
"Makishima? Why are you here?"
"Get behind my back, Sasaki. Call the security guard right now."
"No, Makishima, this is not him."
"It's been a long time. Maki...... no, Makishima."
The guy took off his sunglasses and neck warmer and said............ eh.
"Director Kishihara......?"
"I'm glad to see you're doing well."
His chiseled face and those eyes that seem to see through everything.
Nothing has changed.
This is the man who gave me everything, the man I owe everything to, the man I can call my second father.
"Why were Sasaki and Director Kishihara talking?"
"Because the girl there doesn't know anything about soccer, so I was teaching her a lot of things."
"Yeah, what's that?"
I looked at Sasaki and she was hugging my back like a cicada.
"What are you hugging me like a cicada?"
"Because you told me to hide."
"I didn't tell you to hug me!"
"What the hell, you were Maki's girlfriend?"
"No, she's not!"
"I don't want to interrupt you guys, I'm going home."
With that, Director Kishihara turned on his heel, but I quickly called out, "Director!" I called out to him as quickly as I could.
"I read your letter at the hospital! He said he's now with Tokyo Frontier's reinforcement department."
"Oh, really?
Sasaki shouts in surprise.
Why are you surprised?
While I'm distracted by Sasaki, the director goes away without saying a word.
"Hey, director! I'll try my best to work with the director someday!"
"Well then, Maki. Don't fall asleep on your belly."
The director's back disappeared behind the stairs.
There were so many questions I wanted to ask him, but I was glad I could tell him my intentions.
"Kishihara, he's gone."
"Did you know Director Kishihara?"
"I told you before that I interviewed him when I was the official manager."
"Oh, I see."
That story I heard when I was staying over, was it true?
"......hmm? If that's the case, then did Ayane Kiraboshi come to Hoshin Gakuen?"
"Yes! I interviewed him at Hoshin Gakuen, and I still remember it was crazy cold."
Sasaki came to Toyama three years ago......?
That was also for work......?
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I was just thinking."
I'm not...... sure that's possible. What am I expecting?
Sasaki and I sat down in the empty bleachers.
"It's so hot today. My mask is too tight."
Sasaki pinched the nose fit of her mask and flapped it around to let it ventilate better.
"What did you do last year? Did you have a summer mask or something?"
"I didn't wear a mask last year. I was in Paris."
"Paris⁈ Not England⁈"
"Yes, but why in England?"
"You haven't been to England⁈"
"Yeah, I've never been to England."
"What about England?"
"England is a union state. I've been telling you for a while now that I don't have one."
Sasaki looks at me with a dumbfounded look on her face.
What, if you're not going to England where Ryushin Kanekawa was, what's Sasaki going abroad...... for?
"Makishima!"
Aihara and Azaki came from the stairs to the audience.
"Oh, Sasaki's with you."
"Aihara-san...... it's been since yesterday."
Sasaki said awkwardly.
I knew something must have happened between the two of them yesterday.
"Hey, Makishima!"
Azaki puts his hand on my shoulder.
I wish I hadn't brought this guy along.
"What are you doing sitting in here? I mean, geez?"
Azaki turns to Sasaki, who was sitting next to me.
"You're Shinohara, the guy who was at the party before, right?"
"Yes, this is Sasaki."
"Sakuragi, huh?"
"Ugh. Makishima, can I hit this guy?"
"Sure!"
"Stop it! He's your best friend, right?
What kind of devil are you talking about?
"I'm going out for dinner with Aihara. Aren't you jealous, Makishima?"
"Eh, I didn't promise that."
Aihara denies it with a don't-know-what.
You didn't promise?
"I'll invite you and Sasahara to our lunch."
"It's Sasaki!"
"If Sasamoto and Makishima are coming, Aihara is coming too, right?"
"......Well, yeah..."
Involving multiple people to invite Aihara, his target, to dinner is ......"I don't want to follow your example even if I die, but it's a great move."
"Okay, it's decided. We don't have much time, so let's go!"
Azaki's desire to have lunch with Aihara was accompanied by me and Sasaki.
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