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Isagi POV
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Water splashed across my face as I stared at myself in the mirror. My hair's gotten longer again. A few spiky bangs hung loosely down to my lips.
Should I get a haircut?
…Nah.
I grabbed my uniform and slipped it on. Crisp, navy blazer, pressed shirt, red tie. It looked clean enough. Mom had probably ironed it this morning before I even woke up.
It's been a few months since I joined Ichinan. About two weeks since that friendly against Fukuda Academy. Two weeks since I faced Kira.
Wonder how he's doing…
I stepped out of my room, slinging my bag over my shoulder. The smell of breakfast hit me immediately — miso soup, eggs, rice.
Mom stood at the table, plating grilled fish. She looked up and smiled when she saw me.
"Morning, Yo-chan," she greeted, pulling me into a quick hug.
"Morning, Mom."
She kissed my cheek and pointed at the table. "Breakfast is ready. Eat before you head out."
I flopped into the chair, digging in immediately.
"Dad already at work?"
She nodded, pouring tea. "Mm. Left early for a site inspection. His loss — more food for you."
I smirked. "His loss indeed."
She giggled, then playfully pinched my cheek. "Careful, Yo-chan. You eat too much, you'll cramp up during practice."
"That's a risk I'm willing to take."
I scarfed down the last of the rice, wiped my mouth, and grabbed my bag again.
"Thanks, Mom."
"Be careful, okay?"
"Always."
---
I met up with Yamato at the corner by the bakery, same as always. He had his headphones hanging around his neck, soccer bag slung across one shoulder.
"Yo, Isagi."
"Morning."
We started walking, the cool morning air cutting through our uniforms.
"Practice after school again?"
"Yeah. Coach wants us sharp for next weekend."
"Psh, good. We'll need it."
I raised an eyebrow. "You nervous or something?"
"Nah, just realistic." He grinned. "You hear about the invitational next weekend?"
"Yeah. Coach mentioned it."
"Hakuho High's coming."
That made me pause. Hakuho High. Private, stupidly expensive, and stacked with future pros. Their youth team was basically a recruitment ad for the J-League.
"I saw clips online," I muttered. "They've got that Reo Mikage guy, right?"
"Yup. Silver spoon, golden foot." Yamato snorted. "And that other dude… Nagi-something? First year, but people are calling him a natural."
I hummed. I'd seen the videos. Reo Mikage — midfielder with disgustingly clean passes. Good vision. Rich kid energy, but he could back it up.
And Nagi…
The tall, silver-haired forward who played like he couldn't be bothered… but still made the impossible look easy.
They were good.
I wanted to face them.
---
First period dragged. History. Then Literature. I zoned out halfway through, sketching field diagrams in the corner of my notebook.
Second period wasn't much better. By lunch, I'd already tuned out half of what the teachers said.
Yamato plopped down beside me on the rooftop, cracking open his bento.
"You ever, like… focus on class?" he asked between bites of karaage.
I shrugged. "Enough to pass."
"Man, must be nice. If I fail math again, my old man's gonna make me quit soccer."
"Then don't fail."
He groaned dramatically. "Easier said than done."
I ate quietly, eyes drifting across the school grounds below. The field was empty right now. But next weekend? It'd be packed.
Our invitational match against Hakuho High.
The nerves weren't there. Just that… itch. That pull toward something harder.
I wasn't satisfied with playing against predictable defenders or reading average plays. I wanted to face players who could challenge me — make me miss, force me to adapt.
Hakuho High could do that.
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After school, we had practice. The usual drills. Possession games. Positioning runs.
I stayed sharp, but… it felt repetitive. Like my body moved on autopilot.
"Oi, Isagi!"
Coach's voice pulled me out of my head. I jogged over.
"You spacing out or planning goals again?" he asked, arms crossed.
I shrugged. "A little of both."
He chuckled. "Good. Keep the 'both' going for next week."
Yamato came up beside me, panting.
"Coach's probably praying we don't get slaughtered," he joked.
Coach whacked him lightly on the back of the head. "We're not getting slaughtered. We're getting tested."
His eyes shifted to me for a second.
"Some of you might enjoy that."
I didn't respond. But I smiled faintly.
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By the time practice ended, the sky was tinted orange. Most of the guys cleared out fast. I stayed, juggling the ball alone near the sideline.
The field was quiet now. Just my breathing and the soft thud-thud of leather against my foot.
I pictured it.
The patterns. The spaces. The gaps that appeared when defenders overcommitted or midfielders hesitated.
I pictured Hakuho High's midfield. Reo threading passes like needles. Nagi pulling down impossible balls with that lazy brilliance.
I wanted to dissect them. Break their rhythm. Rewrite the game before they even realized it.
That… flash I'd felt during the Fukuda match? It still lingered. Like I'd glimpsed a piece of what I could become.
I wasn't there yet. But I would be.
---
The sun was gone by the time I got home.
The lights were on in the kitchen. Mom stood at the stove, humming. Dad sat at the table, tablet in hand.
"Yoichi," Mom called without turning around. "Dinner's almost ready."
"Thanks."
Dad glanced up. "Practice run long?"
"Stayed behind."
"Working on something?"
"…Yeah."
He nodded like that explained everything.
I slipped off my shoes, washed my hands, and sat at the table. The food was simple — rice, grilled salmon, pickles.
I ate in silence, letting their voices fill the space around me.
Mom talked about her day at the store. Dad mumbled something about construction permits.
---
Later, I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling.
The faint hum of the city drifted through the window.
I could feel it.
The itch in my chest. The hunger creeping at the edges.
Next weekend, we wouldn't just face any team.
We'd face Hakuho High.
Players with vision. With skill. With arrogance.
Players worth breaking apart.
My lips twitched.
Good.
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Over the following week coach drilled us, well, my teamates that is. He still hadnt even touched the intensity I usually train at. And I may or may not have started training my teammates to keep up with my tempo.
Hakuho only has two good players in my opinion. If we keep even one of them shut out the other won't be able to do much....no, fuck no, what am i doing? That's a losers thought process, i want to face them at their strongest.
Right now? We were warming up on the field, at their field. Yeah, we're playing away. Their stadium was vibrating, fan clubs I guess? I honestly cant see it being anything else, maybe parents but they wouldn't fill the stands? Oh yeah, forgot to mention but the white haired guy from Hakuho was staring at me. I think his name was Nagi?
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Nagi POV
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Warm-ups were boring.
I kicked the ball lazily from foot to foot, letting it bounce off my thigh before trapping it again. Reo was barking at the team to stay sharp or whatever, but I wasn't really listening.
Same routine. Same drills.
Reo cared more than I did, but that wasn't new.
Still… something felt different today.
I glanced up toward the opposite side of the field. Ichinan's team.
Their uniforms were plain. Their passes, sloppy. Most of them didn't even look that fast.
Except one.
Long black hair, dark blue eyes. Calm.
He was just... standing there.
But there was something about the way he stood.
Still, but not relaxed.
Quiet, but not passive.
He reminded me of a coiled spring. Like the moment the whistle blew, he'd shoot forward and tear everything up.
Weird.
Reo walked up beside me.
"Oi, Nagi," he said, holding out a water bottle. "You ready or what?"
I took it, chugged a bit, and nodded.
"Yeah."
He followed my gaze. "What? You looking at that guy again?"
I shrugged. "Feels like he might be good."
Reo smirked. "Good? Come on, it's Ichinan."
I didn't argue.
I didn't need to.
Some things you don't see with your eyes.
You just feel it.
And right now…
That guy — Isagi something — felt like trouble.
Good.
This might be fun after all.
---
3rd POV:
The referee stepped into the centre of the field, the two captains trailing behind him — Reo Mikage and Taisei Hoshizora.
The ref pulled a coin from his pocket, pinning them both with his gaze.
"Heads or tails?"
"Tails."
"Heads."
The two boys answered simultaneously.
The coin flipped into the air, spinning, before the ref caught it against his palm.
"Tails. Luck's on your side, Reo. You want to choose which side to defend, or take kickoff?"
"I'll kick off, sir. Thank you." Reo offered a polite smile, then turned to Taisei. "Well… may the best team win."
Taisei nodded, composed as always. "Yeah. We shall."
Reo's lips curled into a faint smirk as he backed off, taking his position at the centre. The referee's whistle cut through the air.
The game began.
Reo passed back, then immediately called for the return ball. A sequence of short, sharp passes followed.
They were baiting Ichinan forward. Drawing them higher up the pitch — stretching them out.
Creating space for Nagi to operate.
The silver-haired forward drifted along the left flank. Half-lidded eyes. Lazy, efficient movement.
A simple formula. Pull the defence up, carve the gaps, isolate Nagi.
It worked.
Ichinan pressed forward. Cracks appeared.
Isagi, however, hung back — watching. Processing.
'They're pulling us up… isolating Nagi. He's their main source of attack. If we cut off his service… this should be easy.'
But before he could react, a cutting through ball from Reo slipped past the midfield line like a needle through fabric.
Nagi ghosted in behind the fullback, calmly taking a touch, flicking the ball over the defender's head.
Before it even touched the ground, he snapped a half-volley at goal.
A clean strike — but the keeper's fingertips pushed it wide. Barely.
Corner.
The crowd roared, stadium shaking under their feet.
Reo stepped up for the set piece.
'Too much dip', Isagi thought as the ball curled high. 'It's not for a header… where's Nagi—'
His eyes widened.
Nagi soared through the air like gravity didn't apply. A flick of his heel, casual, effortless —
The ball kissed the back of the net.
The crowd exploded.
Nagi landed lightly, exhaling through his nose as his gaze locked onto Isagi.
A silent challenge passed between them.
'You wanna play? That's fine by me.'
A hungry grin twisted across Isagi's face as the referee blew his whistle.
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"Dude! Dude! How the hell?!"
"It shouldn't be humanly possible to jump that high, right?!"
"I know! His feet were level with my head!"
The chatter from Ichinan's defenders spiraled.
Taisei stepped forward, sharp, composed.
"Hey! I know we're all extremely confused, but that doesn't mean we get to roll over and die." His voice cut through the noise. "So what if they've got a genius on their team? We can do this. We've come this far — what would your parents think if they saw you sulking over some guy's talent? Now… focus up." His eyes hardened. "Or get off my field."
The team straightened. Fired up.
He inspired me too, Isagi admitted silently, stepping up to the centre circle as the ref blew again.
They restarted.
Isagi passed back, calling for the ball immediately. His mind whirred.
Hakuho's top-heavy. Stretching them wide is our best bet. I'm gambling Reo tracks back to help defend.
The ball moved down the left wing. A clean one-two sequence with the winger as Isagi overlapped, darting forward.
Reo appeared beside him.
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Isagi POV:
"Took you long enough." I snorted, muscling him away, shielding the ball with my body.
"You're dangerous," Reo muttered. "Pity you're playing against me and Nagi."
"No, not really." A grin tugged at my lips. "In fact… this match-up's unfair."
Reo lunged for the ball.
"Yeah… for you."
I shifted my body, shoving the ball out further to the left, just out of his reach.
"Don't worry — you're getting a front-row seat to me putting my foot firmly into the football world." I feinted right, Reo biting the movement. "You should be honored."
A quiet pass slipped to the winger as Reo backed off, too late. The ball came back to me.
Edge of the box. Left side.
The keeper's eyes locked on Yamato, wide right.
He thinks I'm crossing to Yamato.
Too bad.
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3rd POV:
Nagi and Reo both closed in. One from each side.
Isagi glanced back, eyes gleaming, grin sharp with ego.
"I see you've taken your seats." His voice carried only to them. "I won't disappoint. Don't worry."
The ball curled off his right foot — twisting, dipping through the air like a bullet guided by arrogance.
The keeper didn't stand a chance.
The net snapped back under the weight of the shot.
The crowd roared, Ichinan's bench exploding in celebration.
But Isagi didn't run off.
He turned. Stared straight at Nagi and Reo.
"Don't make this too easy now." His smirk deepened. "I was expecting a challenge."
Then he calmly walked away as his teammates swarmed him.
Nagi's gaze dropped to the grass for half a second before turning to Reo.
"I want — no… I need to crush him, Reo."
Reo's eyes darkened.
"Yeah… he's gonna get what's coming."
They bumped fists.
The war had just begun.
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Author's Note:
Yo, first off — sorry this chapter took so long to drop. Life got busy and honestly, I didn't want to rush this one. I wanted the match, buildup, and vibe to feel right, especially with characters like Nagi and Reo showing up.
Hope it was worth the wait!
Also — feel free to drop any criticism, suggestions, or even small nitpicks in the comments. I wanna improve the story where I can, especially with pacing, character voices, and making the football scenes hit harder.
Appreciate the patience and thanks for reading! More heat is coming soon.
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