The next morning came, I groggily open my eyes, fighting myself to stay awake.I lazily yawned, stretching my arms

"Didn't sleep much last night Yosano san?"Hiura asked beside me.I nodded not even bothering to respond

We were on our way to the clubroom when I saw a small glimpse of grey locks around the corner.I adjusted my eyes, my drowsiness suddenly washes away

There's no way he's here right?..I thought. I blinked a few times checking if I was dreaming but he was gone

"Are you sure you're okay Yosano san?"Norika asked, concerned.

"I'm alright just feeling sleepy it's all"I assured her, rubbing the back of my head

"Michinari is hospitalized and won't be present in the next match, what are we gonna do?!"Goujin said

"Calm down"Hiro told him

"You think I can just calm down?!"Goujin shouted spiraling in panic

"Quiet down Goujin.We're still eleven players and our opponent in the next match will be Outei Tsukinomiya.It'll be tough if we don't have a reserve player in the team"I explained

"Yosano san's right but you know it's pretty amazing how far we've come since then"Mansaku chimes in

"We gotta start looking for new members now"Golem said

"Maybe we can ask around some students who has experience with soccer?"Asuto suggests

"Let's give it a try!"Hanta said

Right on cue, I heard my eleven band beep.My eyes widenned."It's from coach!"I shouted getting the team's attention.It says he's already found a new member

"Such perfect timing"Hiura said

"What a relief"Hiro sighed

"Thank goodness!"Norika smiled

"For once, he's doing his job as coach!"Goujin said

--

We entered the clubroom, to our surprise there stood two figures standing at the center

"Kidou and Haizaki?!"Asuto said shocked

"Allow me to introduce you. This is your new teammate, Haizaki Ryouhei"Kidou said.We looked at them surprised

"Huh?!?!"Everyone shouted

"Haizaki? Why?!"Asuto asked

"What's going on?"Hiura said confused

Just then, Coach Kameda, Ootani and Anna also enters the clubroom

"Kidou kun already took care of the paperwork. Haizaki kun will be transferring to Raimon and joining the Raimon soccer club" Coach explains to us

"F-for real?!"Goujin said

"That's allowed?"Hiro asked

"You didn't know that? It says it here in the rules and regulations"I state."But I didn't know you can transfer to another team during the tournament?"

"Since both teams are ranked at the same level, if both teams' coach consent to it prior to the tournament's opening day, one player is allowed to transfer" Kidou further elaborates

"Huh? The consent of both coaches?" Hiro said

"Coach Kudou and Kidou kun here came to me before the tournament to talk about the plan" Coach said

"So you had anticipated this would happen from the start?"I asked to coach

"No, no it was Kidou kun who anticipated it. Only on the off chance that Seishou lost, of course!"Coach answered

"You read way ahead of things"Haizaki said

"Then..for the finals"Asuto spoke

"He will be participating in it with us of course!"Coach replied

Haizaki steps forth. "I know this isn't cool, I've lost once and I'm asking you to let me play again"He said his eyes held courage

"Then what gave you the balls to come here?"Kozoumaru asked

I saw Haizaki's gaze shift to me. "Someone helped me realized that I still want to play soccer, I still want to run in the field"He replied. I couldn't help as a smile crept up my face

Ootani appeared in front of Haizaki. "Here is your Raimon uniform and eleven band. Go on!"She smiled

"Huh? Oh.."Haizaki said and starts taking his uniform off in front of us

Ootani hides her face by her hands.Anna simply looked away while Mansaku placed his hat covering Norika's eyes.

I felt a pair of hands placed on top of my eyes.My surroundings quickly turned dark. "Hey who turned off the lights?"I asked, I tried navigating my surroundings

"It's for your safety Yosano san"Hiura said

--

After practice, we visited Captain in the hospital.Surprisingly, Haizaki came along with us.Later on, we went our separate way and went home

"Hey Haizaki"I said getting the grey haired boy's attention.He looks behind me

"What is it?"He said coming to a stop

"Are you going home?"I asked.

"Not really why?"He asked back

"Let's go somewhere"I replied.Guiding him to our destination

We continued walking until we saw a field with an old goalkeeper post beside it

"What are we doing here in the riverbank?"I heard Haizaki voice ask from behind

"Isn't it obvious?"I turned around with a smile.Opening my duffle bag, thankfully I managed to sneak a soccer ball from the clubroom."Practice"

"But practice ended a while ago"He said walking beside me

"That doesn't stop you right?"I said passing the ball to his direction.He receives it and continuously kicks it high in the air

"I want to create a hissatsu technique that can help us in the finals"I explained, he passes the ball back to me.I stood my foot on top of the ball."I feel like my shoots aren't strong like they used to..but I have to keep trying because.."

"You don't want to feel powerless"He suddenly said.I looked down the ground.I sheepishly nodded."I know what that's like.. but you didn't give up on me so I guess it's my turn to return the favor"

I raised my head."you're..helping me?"I asked, confused

"Isn't it obvious?"He retorted."Now come on.I'll teach you"He gestured for me to stand alongside him

The whole afternoon we spent, practicing my shoot and how I could further improve my jumps.After a while, we grew tired and exhausted.I rest down the field's grass.The ocean blue sky slowly turned into a beautiful gradient of orange

"I think..that's all..for today"Haizaki panted, wiping the sweat from his face

"I'm beat too"I replied, I barely had the energy to stand.I saw Haizaki reached out his hand, I took his hand as he slowly pulls me up

"You know I was actually scared of you when we first met"I confessed, averting my gaze from him

"You should be I'm the strongest there ever was in the field"He huffed."Nobody had the nerve to stand against me..that was until I saw you"

"I didn't want to stand by and watch my team suffer"I replied."We may look weak back then but we had the strength to try..even when it's impossible"

We packed our belongings and began to stroll near the riverbank's bridge.Taking in the view of the sunset

"Do you always carry that around?"Haizaki asked, pointing at the keychain hanging in my bag

"Of course!"I smiled raising it up in front of him."It's my goodluck charm"

"You kept it..all this time?"He asked

"It's a reminder that we're friends"I replied, the corner of his lips turned upward.I felt like my eyes were deceiving me

"You smiled!"I shouted catching him off guard.He quickly placed a hand in my mouth his face grew red

"Geez don't announce it to the whole town!"He yelled, slowly pulling his hand away

"Sorry sorry it's just it's a genuine smile"I chuckled

"Yeah well you better get used to it cause I don't charge this for free"He said looking away.We stood there, barely words were spoken but our company were more than enough

"Why didn't you give up on me Yos-..Amari?"He asked, breaking the silence.His eyes met with the river's water

"Believe it or not I see myself in you..well who I used to"I bitterly smiled, the peaceful sound of the riverbank filled my ears, the soft rustling of the trees and the cold summer breeze pass through my hair

He turns beside me."Who you used to?"He asked, a tiny leaf fell causing a tiny ripple making our reflections blurry

"Nothing..just a little reminiscing it's all"I smiled, leaning away from the bridge's railings."Come on we're almost late for dinner time"

"We?"He asked turning beside me

"Of course you're one of us right?"I chuckled by his reaction

"I'm only joining temporarily"He corrected me

"Come on don't be a sour puss.We've prepared a welcoming dinner just for you"I said pulling his arm

"Hey I didn't agree to this!"He shouted trying his best pushing me away from him

"What the hell are you doing?!"He asks, he stops pushing me

"Making you feel guilty is it working?"I asked staring at him, my eyes looking teary and my cheeks flushed.He looks away when he turns backs he lets out a tired groan, I noticed his face turned red or maybe it's the sunset

"Fine just this once.."He muttered.I squealed, happily pulling him back to the manor.The whole night was chaotic with the team welcoming Haizaki and him surprisingly getting along with the team

--

The next morning, I woke up early in the mood to go to the soccer club and practice

I opened the room's lights. "Good morning"I greeted, I was met with an empty clubroom until I noticed a certain fuschia haired boy sitting in the dark

"Nosaka?!"I slightly jumped, placing my hand near my heart, my heartbeat running. "Will you cut that out!"I shouted finally back to my senses

"My apologies but you're reaction is just adorable"I heard him chuckled

"What are you doing here?"I asked placing my bag in one of the empty seats

"I'll explain once the others have arrived"Nosaka said, I nodded.We both sat still quiet

"Yosano can I tell you something?"He asked but before I could reply. We heard the clubroom door opened revealing Asuto and the others entering the clubroom

"Nosaka?!"Asuto said.Everyone had the same expression I had when I entered

"What's the meaning of this?!"Mansaku asked.Questions kept pouring from some of the members

After a few minutes, the club room door opens again enters the grey haired boy

"Finally everyone's here.The information that Haizaki kun has joined Raimon turns out to be true"Nosaka said

"What does an enemy captain want with us? Are you here to declare war?"Mansaku said looks at him wary

"If that's how you interpret it then by all means, go ahead. But I'm here today bearing a gift"Nosaka replied and gives something to Hiro

"Huh? What's this?"Hiro asked, inspecting the tiny usb drive

"Data on all of Outei Tsukinomiya's player"Nosaka answered

"What's the meaning of this?"Hiura asked

"It's so we can play fairly against you. Outei Tsukinomiya gets full support from the scales of Ares computer system. It computes attack pattern based on not only the details of our opponent's team's data but also their biorhythms"Nosaka explains to us

"So what? Are you here just to brag?"Goujin asked

"There's nothing to brag about it"Nosaka responds

"Then what?"Goujin said

"In other words.. to make the next match completely fair. I'm giving you the complete detailed data on all of Outei Tsukinomiya's players"Nosaka said

Everyone in the room looked at him skeptical."Is he up to something?"Hanta muttered

"Maybe it's a trap"Hiro said

"There's no underlying motive"Nosaka replied

"Do you think we should trust his words Yosano san?..eh Yosano san?"Asuto asked.I approached Nosaka looking him in the eyes

"Is this what your plan was from the start Nosaka?"I asked him

"Yes.For me, the next match is a crusade.What is the real path that mankind should take? Does the scale of Ares really have the power to change man's future? I still don't know the answer to those questions. That's why I want to fight you fairly. I want to fight you and find those answers"Nosaka said

"Fight us fairly, don't make me laugh! I don't care what good Ares can do. It doesn't change what it did to Akane!"Haizaki yelled

"Oh that will be evident in the next match as well"Nosaka nonchalantly replied

"What do you mean?"Haizaki asked

Nosaka simply shrugs."You tell me. I'll be leaving now"Nosaka said.He was about to leave when Asuto stops him

"Nosaka Yuuma! We will beat Outei Tsukinomiya and stand at the peak!"Asuto looks at him determined

"Sure! I look forward to it"Nosaka smiled

I don't know why but I have a bad feeling about this..

--

We spent the whole day doing practice.I heard Asuto got appointed as Captain in our upcoming match. After practice, I went to the hospital alone to visit captain

"Are you sure you don't want to take my position Yosano?"Captain asked, resting in his bed.I shooked my head in decline

"As much as I'm fit in the criteria. I believe there's someone else who deserves that title"I replied, a faint smile appeared on my face

"Alright then.I'll be rooting for you all"He replied

My visiting hours were over.I was about to leave the hospital when I saw Anna rushing towards me, catching her breath

She leans on my shoulders for support."Anna chan?What are you doing here?"I asked, raising my brow

"Amari san, please I need your help!"She pleaded.Her voice was desperate

"Why?What's wrong?"I asked, concerned

"It's Nosaka..he wouldn't listen to me..if you don't help him he'll die!"She yelled, it was the first time I saw her loose composure

"What's happening?What do you mean he'll die?"I asked, comforting her.Her shoulders were tense

"He was diagnosed with a brain tumor and only had a few months left to live..if he continues playing this match he'll die!"She explains.My heart sank upon hearing her words

It instantly clicked..the fainting...the medicine and the hospital visits..

I gripped both her shoulders."Tell me where he is..Now!"I demanded