Takeshi stood in front of the goal wearing, shorts, a t-shirt, goalkeeper gloves, and a thin headband. Yuki walked over to the penalty spot, placing the ball on the ground. He looked back at Takeshi, taking three steps back diagonally. Takeshi grit his teeth and clenched his fists.

“I can’t do this…” Takeshi internalized.

“Hey!” Yuki shouted. Takeshi looked up at Yuki. Yuki smiled,

“I’m gonna take the shot now! Alright!?” Yuki warned him. Takeshi gulped, looking Yuki in the eyes. Yuki then ran toward the ball, winding right leg back. Takeshi’s eyes widened. Yuki’s foot then connected with his foot. The ball then shot past Takeshi’s head, hitting the back of the net in the top left corner. Takeshi looked at the net where the ball was scored.

“What the hell…” Takeshi internalized. He looked back at Yuki. Yuki stood there looking down at his foot with a look of frustration.

“No way… A first year took that shot…!?”

“And he looks like he missed, even though that was a perfect shot…” Takeshi internalized. Takeshi grabbed the ball, rolling it back to Yuki. Yuki placed it on the penalty spot, taking three steps back diagonally.

“Hey!! Goalkeeper!!” Yuki shouted. Takeshi raised a brow,

“What?” Takeshi asked. Yuki grinned,

“Stop taking it easy on me!” Yuki said. Takeshi looked confused,

“Whatever…” Takeshi said, bending his knee’s and putting his arms out to the side. Yuki focused his eyes on Takeshi. Takeshi’s eyes widened. A gust of wind then flew past his face. Yuki then kicked the ball toward the net. Takeshi’s eyes stayed widened, looking at Yuki. It was like Yuki had the shillouette of another person in front of him. The ball had landed in the back of the net.

“It’s like him…” Takeshi grinned,

“I found it…!!” Takeshi internalized. Takeshi rolled the ball back to Yuki.

“I found my resolve!!” Takeshi shouted. Yuki grinned.

“That's right!!” Yuki shouted. Yuki placed the ball on the penalty spot. Yuki ran toward the ball, kicking it. The ball shot toward the net. Takeshi leaped toward the ball. His arm reached toward it. The ball flew toward the net, touching Takeshi’s fingertips. The ball then flew into the back of the net. Takeshi fell to the ground, his eyes shadowed. Takeshi stood up, looking at the ground. Araki walked over,

“That was good!! You nearly got it!!” Araki said. Takeshi looked at Araki, grinning.

“I will…!!” Takeshi said. Araki’s eyes widened,

“What?” Araki said. Takeshi nodded,

“I’ll come back!!” Takeshi said. Araki looked shocked,

“HELL YEA!!” Ichirou shouted. Ichirou hugged the two. The three then laughed together.

"Hey, brother's-idiot-winger-friend!!" A familiar voice shouted. Yuki raised a brow, looking to his left. Aya walked over holding a small paper bag. Yuki jogged over to her, raising a brow.

"Why're you here? I thought you hate soccer...?" Yuki asked. Aya looked up at him with a pouted face.

"Shut up, I can be here if I want to..." Aya said. Yuki looked surprised,

"Anyways... As the club manager, it is my job to deliver this..." Aya said. She pulled a jersey out of the paper bag.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

"YOU'RE THE CLUB MANAGER!!??" Yuki shouted in shock. Aya's eyes widened. Her face was red as she looked away in embarrassment.

"J-Just take the jersey idiot..." Aya said. She shoved the jersey into Yuki's chest. Yuki grabbed the jersey, looking down at it for a second.

"Hey- Aya-..." Yuki said. He looked up, but she was already walking away. Yuki moved the jersey away from his chest, looking down at it. His eyes widened in shock,

Y. NAKAMOTO

7

"The number seven... As it's always been..." Masaki said. Yuki looked up at Masaki, nodding. Meanwhile, four men would be sitting in a dark room together. Their silhouettes making it impossible to make them out.

“World cups have only been won in Europe and South America… Correct?” One of the men asked. One of the other men nodded,

“Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, France Germany, Italy, England, and Spain… With Brazil having the most at 5…” Another man said.

“That leaves, Africa, North America, and Asia…” A man said. The three continents appeared on a screen.

“I think Africa has the highest possibility, coming up in 2026…” A man explained.

“That won’t happen… It’ll undoubtedly be France…” A man said.

“That’s absurd, they lost it last year to Argentina.” Another man replied.

“As long as Kylian Mbappe plays professionally for France, they’ll become a dynasty…” One of the men said.

“It’ll probably be Japan.” One of them said.

“Japan!? Are you crazy??” Another asked.

“Ryo Tamaki, Real Madrid Youth Player… He’s a prodigy… The play style of Cristiano but he’s still young…” A man said.

“Comparing him to Cristiano when he’s 16?? Get out of here…” Another man said.

“Alright, you don’t have to believe me… But when the 2030 World Cup comes… You’ll see me at Japan’s opener in Portugal…” He said.

“I’m confident this next generation of Japanese players will be Japan’s Golden Generation…” He said. Meanwhile, Yuki and Masaki would be walking down the sidewalk.

“Wanna go to the school store? I have to grab a couple things.” Masaki said. Yuki nodded,

”Sure, I have some things I want to grab to before I get home…” Yuki said. Masaki and Yuki walked into the school store.

“Welcome in…” Sawa said. Yuki and Masaki nodded. Yuki walked over to the counter.

“What’re watching?” Yuki asked. Sawa looked over at Yuki from his screen.

“Oh, the Milan game… They’re playing São Paolo…” Sawa said. Yuki raised a brow,

“Anything special about it?” Yuki asked. Sawa looked at Yuki blankly for a second.

“It’s a Brazilian Serie A team playing an Italian Serie A team… Did you not hear the news?” Sawa said. Yuki shook his head,

“Nah, I didn’t. What is it?” Yuki asked.

“Kakà made his coaching debut for São Paolo a couple days ago…” Sawa said. Yuki looked shocked.

“Kakà…!?” Yuki asked. Yuki would remember when he was a little kid, watching Kakà highlights on his tablet.

“Kakà… He’s not just graceful but strong and determined…” Kakà would run down the pitch with defenders on all sides of him. Kakà dribbled the ball forward, past the defender in front of him. He entered the box.

“It’s a wonderful run from Kakà…!!” The commentator yelled. The goalkeeper would approach Kakà, bending his knee to defend and block the shot. Kakà would kick the ball diagonally into the net.

“It’s a wonderful goal from Kakà…!!!” The commentator shouted. A young Yuki’s eyes would be shining.

“Awesome…” A young Yuki admired. It would return to the present day.

“Maybe one day he’ll coach me…” Yuki mumbled under his breath.

“Yuki, you alright?” Sawa said. Yuki snapped back to reality.

“S-Sorry… Yeah…” Yuki stuttered.

“Oh- Sawa-san… I had a question.” Yuki asked. Sawa raised a brow,

“What?” Sawa asked, with a chocolate pocky stick in his mouth.

“Uhm… The school doesn’t have a coach right now… I was wondering if-”

“Nope.” Sawa interrupted Yuki.

“But…” Yuki said.

“No means no, you’re 16 and you’re telling me you still don’t understand that yet?” Sawa said. Yuki blushed in embarrassment.

“H-Hey!-” Yuki stuttered. Masaki walked over, placing a bag on the counter.

“Our next match is against Kakeru…” Masaki said. Sawa looked at Masaki in surprise,

“Kakeru!? Really?” Sawa asked.

“Mhm… This is a match we really can’t have a manager without, and it’ll be difficult in tournaments without one…” Masaki said. Sawa rubbed his chin,

“Get outta my store and I’ll ponder it…” Sawa said. Yuki and Masaki looked at Sawa blankly.

“W-We’re customers…” Masaki said.

“Shit- I forget alright…” Sawa said. Masaki chuckled.