8 Months Later

"WHOAAAAAAAAAA, I can't believe I finally made it!!! It's actually... the Raimon Jr.High..."

The rather short boy pinched his cheek in disbelief, then began to hop around in front of the gate. Ignoring the glances from the other students, the boy continued to race around with mirth written all over his face, and a look of pure content was written on his face, though he did appear a tad foolish at the same time.

Finally stopping to take a breath, the boy looked down and clenched his fist...

"Finally...finally... I'll finally be able to play soccer on the same field as them...This is the best day of my life" he whispered to himself.

Slapping his cheeks to hype himself up, the boy made a brisk dash into the school.

*******************************************************************

"Soccer... soccer... soccer... soccer...soccer...soccer...soccer...soccer...raimon...soccer...raimon...soccer..."

"Hey, could you cut out tapping your feet so loudly"

"Oh, sorry. I'm just really looking forward to joining the soccer club here at Raimon after school" he replied to the girl sitting next to him in class with a broad smile plastered onto his face.

The girl rolled her eyes before replying in a voice dripping with sarcasm,

"Oh, I couldn't tell after you've been muttering soccer under your breath for only the past 30 minutes"

"It's only been 30 minutes??? I don't believe this..."

The boy's voice began to trail off as he smushed his face on the desk despondently. Seeing this, the girl sitting next to him began to roll her eyes again but stopped herself.

She huffed, then puffed her cheeks and yelled at him

"You're gonna be in trouble you know!"

"Huh?"

"If my eyes get stuck back there... I've never rolled my eyes so many times in less than a minute before!"

"Is it my turn to roll my eyes?" the boy asked cheekily

"You cheeky little–"

"My name's Yuka Fukunaga, what's yours?"

(Note : I will be keeping names in First Name Last Name order for the Western folks, but they will address most of each other by their last names in accordance with Japanese anime/culture. When addressing them in third person for narration I will be using first names)

"Ikue... Ikue Sada"

The boy grinned and opened his mouth to speak but they both turned as they heard the professor call out

"You two! At the back!"

"Sorry" They both replied in unison, then turned to face the teacher again.

*******************************************************************

"I haven't seen you around town before, are you new here?" asked Ikue in between bites as she continued to munch on her bento.

"Yup... I... Just moved.... From Okinawa... last month...ahhh"

Yuka gave off a refreshing sigh of relief as he gulped his water quickly.

Ikue rolled her eyes and scolded him "You can eat a little slower you know Fukunaga-kun"

Yuka ignored her and continued to devour his lunch in enormous bites, resembling a hippo, and continued

"I've been wanting to play soccer at Raimon since I saw them win at Holy Road 5 years ago...Raimon's soccer is just amazing!! It's like pow, and boom boom, then bam bam bam ya know Sada-san?"

Ikue just sweat dropped,

"Yeah, well you came at a bad time then. Ever since Tenma-san graduated they've been on a downward spiral and it only is getting worse"

"WHOA, holy crap Yuka-kun! Don't scare me like that" Ikue yelled as she bonked his head with her fist.

Yuka backed up a little after leaning forwards in surprise towards Ikue.

"Explain yourself! What do you mean by that? You're lying! I watched all of their matches last year in the Holy Road.... Raimon's ‘Demon Queen’! Her shoots are totally like pow pow pow boom boom woosh woosh baaaaaaam. I even saw in last year's end of the year report by the JYSA (Japan Youth Soccer Association) and she was ranked 3rd among Japan's Jr.High forwards as only a first year and despite only making it to the quarter finals! They even said she has the potential to surpass Sword Saint, Tsurugi Kyousuke!"

"Oh yeah, you're talking about her ? More like had the potential" snorted Ikue.

"Yeah, I'll give you that, she was pretty talented but she quit for some reason after Raimon lost to Eisei Gakuen in the quarter finals last year"

Ikue shrugged and continued "According to the current team, she couldn't handle the loss and ran away with her tail between her legs. A completeeee coward.

Well... I don't know how much of that rumour is true..." Ikue paused and went on

"But it's true that she quit the team. She no longer shows up to their practices or is on the current roster. Anyway, without their star striker, the team has completely fallen into shambles and they're losing all of their pre-season practice matches. A real shame but sorry to burst your bubble.... Are you... crying??"

Ikue looked a bit flustered as she glanced at Yuka who had went silent and looked towards the ground the more she spoke

"Hey– I'm sorry but—"

"WHOA, jesus, you gotta stop doing that"

Yuka jumped out of his chair suddenly.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"We gotta check this out!! There has to be something else going on... there's no way someone who plays like her would quit soccer! The soccer ball doesn't lie!"

"W-W-We??" stammered Ikue as she looked upwards at Yuka from her seat.

"Yup, after school lets go!"

"Well, I guess I don't have anything else planned after school..." muttered Ikue under her breath

"Fine... I'm game. Let's go" she sighed.

*******************************************************************

"HELLLLOOOOOOOOOOOO, MY NAME IS YUKA FUKUNAGA. FIRST YE-E-EAR. N-N-NICE TO MEET YOU ALL"

Yuka managed to stammer out his greeting as he bowed at the door to the soccer club.

Ikue followed up quickly behind Yuka, standing next to him and introduced herself

"Nice to meet you Sir. My name is Ikue Sada... and I don't know this guy" pointing towards Yuka.

"Oh? And what are you two here for" asked a tall, blonde man with bright red eyes as he approached the duo.

Yuka shouted at the top of his lungs, and facing the ceiling he proclaimed

"I'm here to play soccer!"

The blonde man gave a hearty laugh upon hearing Yuka’s bold words and loud proclamation.

"That's a good attitude! We are short a few members with the 3rd years having just graduated... so Fukunaga was it? Welcome aboard to Raimon's Soccer Club!!"

"Reallllllllyyy???!!! WOOHOO!"

After running in circles a few times in excitement, Yuka finally calmed himself enough to look at who he was speaking to...

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

The man and boy continued to look at each other...

"NO WAY. Y-Y-YOU'RE... TERUMI AFURO!!! I have your cards!!!"

Ikue gave Yuka a nudge with her elbow and leaned in to whisper

"You know this guy?"

Yuka turned to her and replied

"You're kidding right? This is the Aphrodi, Ruler of the Skies! He's a pro player who even won the Ballon d'Or last year!"

"Ballon d'Or, what's that?"

Yuka turned his head to look at Ikue in shock before replying

"The Ballon d'Or is the award for the best pro male soccer player of the year! All the legends have gotten one"

Yuka tapped his forehead with his finger in thought before continuing

"Past winners have included : Lionel Flores, Robert Jaskolski, Endou Mamoru, Gouenji Shuuya, Fubuki Shirou, Kira Hiroto, Mac Roniejo, Fideo Ardena, Rococo Urupa,Edgar Valtinas, ..."

Realising that he no longer had any fingers to count off on, Yuka paused then muttered under his breath contemplatively

"Anyway, I heard Afuro-sama was the coach for Kidokawa Seishuu a few years ago... but I don't know what he's doing at Raimon?" he muttered before turning his face questioningly towards Aphrodi.

"I can answer that one" interjected Aphrodi.

"Coach Kudou was recruited to coach a pro team overseas so since I was on a sabbatical, a friend asked me to coach the Raimon Jr.High team this year. I'm looking forward to working with you all" he continued with a bright smile.

"U-U-Um... Coach Afuro..."

"Just call me Coach Aphrodi"

"U-U-Um... Coach Aphrodi..."

"Yeah, Fukunaga?"

"Is it true that Raimon's Demon Queen..."

Yuka paused, looking around a bit nervously, as if he didn't want to finish the question.

Aphrodi just smiled and finished Yuka's question for him

"Quit the Raimon team?"

"U-Um... yeah that" mumbled Yuka.

"Well, according to the papers Coach Kudou left for me...she handed her formal resignation a few months ago... but"

Yuka and Ikue eagerly asked in unison, leaning in towards Coach Aphrodi.

"But...???"

"But, those papers haven't been processed for whatever reason" he finished with a wink.

Yuka's eyes clouded over while Ikue's rolled looking at Yuka's face of cluelessness.

"That means that she can still join the team you baka (idiot)"

"Oh? OH!"

Aphrodi's face darkened a bit as the two squabbled in front of him.

"However, there's only so much time we can delay the resignation processing. There's not much time left until it gets pushed through...However, that's not something you need to worry about right now Fukunaga-kun. How about you two come with me while we meet the others?"

Yuka nodded and finally took the time to scan the empty room and pondered for a bit.

"Oh yeah, where is everyone?"

"They're outside practising on the outside field."

Aphrodi then quickly motioned for the two to follow him and the two kids ran up to catch up with him.

*******************************************************************

Akuma Ganeko was taking a break along with the other members when they were interrupted by Coach Aphrodi and the duo. Taking a sip from his water bottle, he lazily turned his black eyes downwards to look at the duo following Aphrodi.

"Who's the shrimp?"

"Say hello to your new teammate Yuka Fukunaga and your new manager Ikue Sada"

"Ehhhhhh??? I mean... I guess I don't have anything else planned..."

Realising that she had nothing in her schedule that would otherwise prevent her from becoming a manager for the Raimon team, Ikue exaggeratedly looked distraught, crouched down and began to pick at the grass beneath her.

Akuma just gave his characteristic smirk and turned away

"As long as he's fine with the bench...doesn't matter what the kid does. The real soccer players have to practise now so if you'll excuse me Coach "

Akuma began to walk away with his posse but he turned behind him when he felt a hand grab his jersey.

"Hi!"

Akuma's face turned a bit ugly seeing Yuka grab his jersey and quickly yelled

"Get your grimy little hands off me, ugh" then smacked Yuka's hand away.

"You're the captain right? I can see your armband. Nice to meet you! I'm Yuka Fukunaga! If you don't mind me asking, I heard Raimon's Demon Queen quit the team, but there's no way that's true right? I saw you guys play in last year's Holy Road and she was super super super good!"

Hearing the words Demon Queen, a blonde boy's ears pricked up while Akuma gave a scoff of derision and seemed to be debating whether or not to respond before answering.

"You're a fan of that garbage? Well... I guess it's true that they say trash attracts trash... Raimon doesn't need someone like her, and you best remember that kid. Got it? Now stop bothering us and go back to your mommy"

Akuma then ran off to practice while Yuka just stood in a daze...

"There's no way that's true...the soccer ball doesn't lie...someone who plays like that has to play soccer!"

Yuka clenched his fist before looking up at Coach Aphrodi and declaring

"I'm gonna find her! And I'm going to get her to rejoin the team"

"Well, you can do that after practice. Now go get changed and let's see your soccer skills okay?"

"Yes, Sir!"

*******************************************************************

One Week Later

"Sigh...Sigggghhhhh...Sighhhhhhhhhhhh" Yuka's face was resting on his desk while he looked half dead from exhaustion.

"Still no luck huh?" asked Ikue while they were both eating.

"Yup... I've asked around the 2nd year classrooms but anytime I bring up her name they all just sort of freeze up and run away! It's so frustrating!"

"Umm Yuka, don't you think that's sort of a sign that she doesn't like to be bothered by people? Why are you so hung up on getting her to join the team anyway? There's a lot of good soccer players in Japan these days."

"..."

Yuka finally sat up properly before looking at Ikue intensely

"It has to be her...I've always looked up to Japan's legendary players and watching someone our age do a shoot like that...I still remember when I still saw it on TV last year in their match against Teikoku Gakuen. When I saw that shoot, it was like the ball was speaking to me, and there was a touch of... desperation in it?

Not really sure of what he just said, Yuka shook his head a few times in confusion before giving a sigh of annoyance.

"Anyway... don't ask me those types of complicated questions. It just has to be her okay?"

"Oh... so you like her then right?" teased Ikue.

"Of course! I respect her a ton. She's going to be Raimon's best forward, you just wait" Yuka replied obliviously.

Ikue just sweatdropped before ignoring Yuka's usual lunch rant about soccer and continued to eat her bento unbothered.

*******************************************************************

"I'm late... I'm late... I'm late"

Yuka's woeful cries could be heard through the hallway as he rushed to practise after make-ups due to his abysmal grades.

Not looking where he was going he continued to plough through the crowds of students

"Pardon me. Excuse Me. Coming Through!"

He continued to run, then turned sharply around the stairwell"

OOF

"..."

"Oh sorry about that! Haha. I should've been looking where I was going, sorry about that"

Yuka put his hands together in front of him in apology before looking up.

Still on the ground, at first all he saw was a pair of long legs, then a skirt, then he saw a cold, but beautiful face of a girl with black hair and vibrant purple eyes staring at him. Her eyes were unreadable to him, but her mere presence made the atmosphere heavy enough that even Yuka who was oblivious to such social cues, was able to feel that something was different.

"..."

Continuing to stare at her face, Yuka couldn't shake off the feeling that he had seen her somewhere before...

Yuka turned his head a few times in confusion, squinted his eyes, then began to think about where he had felt this aura before.

With a jolt, Yuka pulled himself up from the ground...

"MIKA KUROHA"

"..."