Kitamura Naguyo, only 13 years old, was playing in the final match of his school’s soccer championship. The game was tied at 0-0.

Izuma: Kitamura, pass it to me! I’ll pass it back!

Kitamura: Here you go.  

*passes the ball*

Kitamura took the ball and made a one-two play with his friend. He got the ball back and dribbled past three players. Just as he was about to shoot, someone from the opposing team pushed him, making him fall hard to the ground, hitting his head.

Kitamura was lying on the ground.

When they turned their heads to call the medics and looked back, Kitamura had disappeared.

*Kitamura woke up in a forest*

*Kitamura slowly opens his eyes*

Kitamura: Guys? Where are you?? Where am I?? Where are you guys?? *Kitamura stands up as he was lying on the ground* Where's my team? Where's the soccer field? Am I dreaming? *pinches himself* Ouch, that hurt—I’m not dreaming. *desperate* WHERE AM I???? WHERE AM I??? *starts crying*

Kitamura begins walking, still crying, when he sees a horrible scene before him: five criminals beating up a girl who looked around his age.

Kitamura, watching the situation, starts crying even more, shocked by what he sees.

1st Criminal: Take this, you brat! *punches her in the face several times*

Girl: Ow, please stop, I beg you, don’t hit me anymore. *crying hard*

*One criminal hits her arm very hard*

Girl: AHH *crying much harder* Please stop, I can’t take it anymore. You already killed my parents. *sobbing*

2nd Criminal: Cry all you want, you idiot. We don’t care. We’re going to sell you and make good money off you. The guy who bought you loves torturing people. We’ll bring him here to get you, money machine.

*The girl was crying a lot, her face bloodied from all the hits she had taken.*

*Kitamura, watching from behind a tree, felt his heart tighten.*

Kitamura: *Stops crying*  

That girl... she’s being tortured and might be sold??? I-I have to help her, but I might end up in trouble too. Should I help her?

Kitamura: I might even die trying to help her. But, come on, what am I saying? If it were me in that position, I’d hope someone would help me. Why am I thinking so much about this? I’m such an idiot! I have to help her. Just because I ended up here doesn’t mean I should think only about myself.

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When the criminals went to talk to the buyer, Kitamura approached the girl, trembling with fear.

Kitamura: *whispering* Hey, are you okay?

Girl: *still crying* Who are you? Don’t hurt me, please; that’s all I ask… *crying a lot*

Kitamura: Calm down, I’m here to help you. I saw everything.

Girl: *with a shaky voice* Really? If you’re telling the truth... I’ll trust you. Just... please don’t hurt me. I’m begging you.

Kitamura: C-Calm down. I won’t hurt you or anything. I felt so sad watching those criminals mistreating you... Trust me, I’m here to help you!

Kitamura: My name is Kitamura Naguyo. And yours? I’m 13.

Girl: Nagame Shioka, I’m 13 too. *smiles timidly*

Kitamura: Alright, hop on my back. We need to get out of here as quickly as possible.

Nagame: Alright. *climbs on his back*

Kitamura: *running* I hope we manage to escape them...

Nagame: Kitamura, they’re following us! Be careful!

1st Criminal: Hey, you brat, who are you??? Put that girl down now!

2nd Criminal: You have no idea who you’re dealing with. Hand that girl over to us now!!!

*Kitamura finds a cave and hides in it with her.*

Kitamura: I think we’re safe here. *breathes in relief*

Nagame: *gets down from his back, still trembling* Thank you... Thank you so much, Kitamura... *bursts into tears*

Kitamura: Nagame, can you explain everything to me?

Nagame: Sure... those criminals came into my house... *her voice breaks as she starts crying* They killed my parents, tortured me, and were trying to sell me. I’m lucky you saved me, Kitamura.

Kitamura: Oh... that’s awful... *pulls her close* It’s okay now. The criminals aren’t here anymore.

Nagame: Th-Thank you, Kitamura... *whispers, still emotional*

Nagame: *looking at Kitamura’s clothes* Are you from here, Kitamura? Your clothes look really strange...

Kitamura: *scratches his head, trying to figure out how to explain* Uh... actually, I don’t think I’m from here. I don’t even know how I got here... It all happened so fast! One second, I was in the middle of a soccer game.

Nagame: *confused* Soccer?

Kitamura: *nods, trying to explain* Yeah, soccer! It’s a very important game where I come from. I was playing in the school championship final... the game was tied, and we really needed that goal to win. I was so focused, passing the ball with my friend Izuma, trying to dribble past the opposing team. But when I finally went to shoot, one of the other players pushed me. I fell hard on the ground and hit my head...

Nagame: *looks surprised and worried* And after that...?

Kitamura: After that? I just... appeared here! When I opened my eyes, I didn’t see the field, or my team, or the crowd, nothing. Just this forest. *looks around* And I don’t even know if anyone noticed I disappeared...

Nagame: *amazed* That’s strange... but tell me more about this thing called “soccer”...

Kitamura: Oh, sure! Soccer is... *smiles, excited* ... a game where two teams try to score goals. We chase after a ball, dribble the opponents, and try to score points by kicking the ball into the opposing team’s goal. I love this game! But... from the way you’re talking, I guess soccer doesn’t exist here, right?

Nagame: No, I’ve never heard of it, so you’re telling me you came from another world, Kitamura?

Kitamura: Exactly, but actually, it’s kind of... it’s kind of... *his voice begins to crack*

*Kitamura starts to cry*

Kitamura: It’s so sad to think that I might never see my family again... *crying a lot* I lost everything I had in my previous world...

Nagame: C-Calm down, Kitamura, I lost everything too. They killed my parents. We’ll find a way to get you back, I promise.

Kitamura: *stops crying a bit* Thank you for the comfort, Nagame.

Nagame: You’re welcome, Kitamura. I’m so grateful that you saved me.

Kitamura: Nagame, you’re still bleeding from the punches you took. *Kitamura takes a cloth he had from the soccer game and cleans her blood*

*Exhausted, Kitamura falls asleep in Nagame’s lap.*

*Nagame is surprised but lets him sleep while she strokes his hair.*