Yuki and Masaki would lie on the roof, looking at the sky.

“So you got a letter…?” Masaki asked. Yuki nodded, grabbing it out of his pocket and looking at it.

“You gonna open it…?” Masaki asked. Yuki shook his head,

“I’m gonna wait until I get home…” Yuki said. Masaki nodded,

“Text me what it says when you finish reading it, alright…?” Masaki asked. Yuki nodded as the Westminster chime rang, dismissing the school. The two walked down the stairs of the fire exit. They'd enter the school hallway, walking down it.

"Where are you headed after this?" Masaki asked. Yuki shrugged,

"Probably the convenience store for some groceries and stuff for the house, my mom needs me to pick up a couple of things," Yuki said. Masaki nodded,

"Say hello to Mr. Sawa for me, alright?" Masaki asked. Yuki nodded,

"Will do," Yuki said. The two changed shoes and walked out of the school. A few minutes later, Yuki would be standing in a convenience store with a basket with a couple of items. He would walk up to the counter placing the basket. There would be a young man sitting there with long slicked-back black hair.

"That it today?" The man at the counter asked. Yuki nodded,

"Mhm..." Yuki said. A soccer game would be played from a small TV behind the counter.

"What're you watching...?" Yuki asked.

"Ah, the latest Madrid game, Ryo didn't place though, he wasn't there." The man said. Yuki nodded,

"Oh... Ok..." Yuki said. As all the items were bagged, he grabbed them and walked toward the exit.

"Masaki said hi..." Yuki said. The man nodded,

"Tell him I said hi," Sawa said. Yuki nodded, exiting the convenience store. A few minutes later, he arrived at home,

"I'm home..." Yuki said. His mom's head popped around the corner with a bright smile.

"How was school?" His mother asked. Yuki shrugged, walking into the kitchen.

"Fine," Yuki said. His mother nodded. Yuki placed the grocery bags on the counter, walking toward the stairs.

"Where you headed?" His mother asked. Yuki turned his head,

"My room, to study..." Yuki said. His mother nodded. Yuki walked up the stairs and down the hall to his bedroom. Yuki would look at the David Beckham and Cristian Ronaldo posters on his wall. He walked over to his closet and opened it. He grabbed his old #7 Jersey from Shinukana Kaze. He then dropped it, walked over to his desk, and turned on his light. He placed his bag on his desk and it opened. He opened his window and lay down on his bed. Yuki would look up at the ceiling, closing his eyes. A few minutes later, he'd open his eyes. The letter would then fall out of his bag and fall onto the floor. Yuki sat up, getting up from his bed and grabbing the letter. He sat back on his bed, opening the letter. He unfolded it, beginning to read it. Yuki's eyes widened as he ran over to his closet. He grabbed his old soccer bag, and ran downstairs and toward the door. He put on his shoes and ran out of the house.

"Y-Yoshi!? Where are you going??" His mother shouted.

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"D-Don't worry, I'll be right back!!" Yuki shouted. He closed the door behind him, running over to his bike. He rode his bike down the street until he reached the neighborhood's caged futsal park. He walked over seeing Ryo wearing the Real Madrid Bench Tracksuit. Yuki walked in, walking over to a chair. He sat down taking out his cleats. He put them on, standing up. Suddenly, a ball came flying toward him and his chest trapped it down to his foot where he trapped it with the instep of his foot. Ryo turned, looking at Yuki.

"Yo..." Ryo said. Yuki looked at him,

"Hey," Yuki said.

"You're late..." Ryo said. Yuki sighed,

"I had to get groceries for my mom, I didn't open the letter until a few minutes ago," Yuki said. Ryo sighed,

"I see you have priorities..." Ryo said. Yuki raised a brow,

"Anyways... I'm moving back here for a bit... Mr. Ancelotti wanted me to experience high school before I become a professional athlete..." Ryo said. Yuki chuckled,

"I also broke a League rule... So..." Ryo said. Ryo shook his head,

"Whatever... Let's play..." Ryo said. On a soccer field bathed in the warm hues of a setting sun, the grass was freshly cut, and the white lines were sharp and clean. The air buzzed with anticipation as Yuki Nakamoto, who hadn't played since junior high, faced off against Ryo Tamaki, a wunderkind striker for Real Madrid.

Yuki, with the ball at his feet, gave a nod to Ryo, signaling the start of their match. Ryo, standing tall and alert, returned the nod with a smirk, his confidence palpable.

"Think you can keep up with me, has-been?" Ryo taunted, his eyes gleaming with competitive fire.

Yuki remained silent, focusing on the ball. He kicked off the action, nudging the ball forward with the inside of his right foot. He immediately broke into a sprint, zigzagging slightly to throw Ryo off balance. Ryo, however, was not easily fooled. He maintained a low stance, eyes fixed on the ball, his every move calculated to counter Yuki's agility.

"You're slow..." Ryo sneered, matching Yuki’s movements with ease.

In an attempt to gain the upper hand, Yuki executed a series of quick step-overs, hoping to catch Ryo off guard. Ryo didn't flinch, his experience shining through as he mirrored Yuki's movements with precision. Sensing that a direct approach wouldn't work, Yuki suddenly shifted gears, performing a lightning-fast body feint to the left before cutting sharply to the right.

"Not enough..." Ryo remarked, his tone dripping with condescension.

For a split second, it seemed as though Yuki had won the duel. But Ryo's reflexes were extraordinary. He pivoted on his left foot and stretched out his right leg, cleanly intercepting the ball with the inside of his foot. The ball rolled away from Yuki's control, and Ryo quickly stepped in, gaining possession.

With the ball now at Ryo's feet, the dynamic changed. Yuki, determined not to be outdone, immediately switched to a defensive stance, pressing Ryo with relentless energy. Ryo, calm and composed, shielded the ball with his body, using his superior strength to keep Yuki at bay.

"You thought you had a chance?" Ryo taunted, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

Ryo began to dribble forward, using his powerful strides to cover the ground quickly. Yuki stayed close, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Just as Ryo looked to accelerate past him, Yuki lunged with a perfectly timed tackle, nicking the ball away from Ryo's feet.

"..." Ryo watched, annoyance creeping into his face.

Yuki was back in control, but the battle was far from over. He sprinted towards the goal, Ryo hot on his heels. Nearing the penalty area, Yuki attempted a clever turn, but Ryo anticipated it, sliding in with a clean tackle that sent the ball rolling out of play.

Both players paused, panting but with different expressions. Ryo's face showed a mix of irritation and grudging respect, while Yuki remained stoic, eyes fixed on the ball.

"You're still nothing, Yuki. You're brain waste." Ryo spat, clapping his hands together in frustration.

Yuki didn't respond, resetting for another round. The mutual disdain between Yuki and Ryo was evident as they faced off again.

This time, Ryo took the initiative. He skillfully maneuvered the ball, using his experience and tactical brilliance to keep Yuki at bay. Yuki, despite his best efforts, found it increasingly difficult to keep up with Ryo's relentless pace and precision.

Ryo executed a series of rapid dribbles, his movements fluid and almost impossible to predict. Yuki tried to anticipate Ryo's next move, but Ryo was always one step ahead. Nearing the goal, Ryo performed a dazzling roulette, spinning around Yuki and leaving him behind. With a sharp cut, Ryo metaphorically "broke Yuki's ankles," sending him tumbling onto his butt.

With a powerful strike, Ryo sent the ball into the net, sealing his victory. Instead of celebrating, Ryo turned to Yuki, his frustration evident.

"Looks like you couldn't keep up after all," Ryo said, his tone both triumphant and dismissive.

"I thought this would be more of a challenge."

Yuki finally looked up from the ground, his expression blank as he met Ryo's gaze. Ryo's frustration boiled over.

"This was a waste of my time," he snapped, turning away abruptly. He started walking off the field, leaving Yuki sitting alone in the twilight. Yuki stood up, watching Ryo leave. He looked down at his feet breathing heavily. He smiled, realizing what he had lost, his admiration of the game, had finally returned.