The rain had started in the early morning, not heavy, but constant—a soft patter against the windows that lingered like nerves before an exam. Gabriel sat near the back of the classroom, chin resting on his palm as he gazed out the window, half-listening to the teacher drone on about historical reforms. His notebook lay open, the page mostly blank except for a few idle doodles and a single word in capital letters:
PREFECTURALS.
The word alone was enough to send his chest tightening. It was coming—sooner than he thought. He could feel it in the air, the shift in atmosphere throughout the school, especially among the soccer team. Everyone was waiting. Like a storm you knew was coming but couldn't predict exactly when it would hit.
A loud clap of thunder broke his daze. The bell rang moments later.
Students shuffled out, chattering, yawning, comparing notes. Gabriel packed up slowly, taking his time. As he slung his bag over his shoulder, a familiar voice called out from behind him.
"Oi, Gabriel!"
He turned to see Ryota jogging up the aisle between desks, practically buzzing with energy.
"You hear? Coach Emaon just posted something in the club chat."
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "A club chat?"
Kenta flashed his phone screen. "Yeah, i should add you later... Anyways he said to meet in the locker room right after classes. He had an announcement to make."
That got Gabriel's full attention.
"Is it time?" he asked.
Kenta's grin widened. "Prefectural draw. He said he just got the bracket."
By the time Gabriel arrived at the locker room, it was already crowded. Cleats clacked against the tiled floor, the air thick with anticipation and the lingering scent of last week's socks. Coach Emaon stood near the whiteboard, arms crossed, a printed sheet of paper in one hand.
Jun was already leaning against the lockers with his arms folded, Ryota pacing, Daichi trying to peek over Coach's shoulder. the other were seat across the locker room.
Coach cleared his throat. The chatter died instantly.
"Alright, settle down." His voice carried, not loud, but with weight.
He held up the paper. "We got the bracket. The regional tournament kicks off in two week. First match… is against Kainan High."
A ripple of murmurs ran through the room.
"Kainan?" Jun muttered, frowning. "Didn't they make a good parkour last year?"
"They did," Coach confirmed. "And they're just as strong this year."
Gabriel felt a strange mix of tension and excitement stirring in his chest. Kainan High.They were no joke.
Coach tapped the board. "We've got work to do. Starting today, practice is longer. I'll increased our training sessions. I want all of you ready. I don't want them to see us like we're underdogs. We go in like its our last game and give everything."
Daichi raised a hand, still trying to hide the nerves in his voice. "Will we have any more training matches?"
"No with the tournament coming there be no other friendly games." Coach said. "And we'll be analyzing one of their game since will be their second opposition."
The room buzzed louder again. Gabriel exchanged a glance with Ryota, Daichi and Kenta. There was a current in the air now, a shift. This wasn't just about the team anymore—it was personal.
After the meeting broke, the players spilled out onto the wet field. The rain had softened into a drizzle, but no one cared.
Gabriel stood near the halfway line, bouncing the ball lightly with the inside of his foot. Jun walked up beside him, expression unreadable.
"You nervous?" Jun asked.
Gabriel paused. "Not really. I mean… yeah. But not in a bad way."
Jun nodded, draping his arm over Gabriel's shoulders. "It's a good to be nervous. That's how you know you care."
Gabriel gave a short laugh. "You're weirdly sentimental now."
"Blame you. You started the whole emotional renaissance," Jun teased, "Well as you know me and the others are in our seniors years," Jun said looking at the Takahashi, Renji, Hikaru and Akira. As he removed his arm from Gabriel, "This years will be our last chance, so we will try to give our everything, thanks to you." After what he said he jogged over to join them.
Soon, they broke off into groups. Coach had set up a gauntlet of passing and shooting drills. Gabriel ran with Ryota, Kenta, and Daichi. As they rotated through the stations, the weight of the tournament began to settle into them like water into cloth—quiet, inevitable, pressing in from all sides.
During a break, Daichi dropped to the grass beside Gabriel, gasping. "Do you remember the last time the team made it past to the nationals?"
"Well its was last year," Ryota answered. "Back when we still had that striker—what was his name? Tatsuya?"
"Yeah," Kenta added. "I remember of him he scored like, what, four goals in one game?"
Gabriel listened, sipping water, his thoughts elsewhere.
He remembered watching some prefectural highlights online one year ago. He remembered how he wished of being there. And now, it was real.
But it wasn't just nerves.
It was expectation.
And something else—fear. Not of losing. But of failing to meet the belief others had placed in him.
Later that evening, the rain returned in full force. The team huddled under the covered benches, soaking, exhausted, but strangely exhilarated.
Gabriel found himself sitting beside Coach Emaon, who was scribbling something into his notebook.
"You played well today," Coach said without looking up.
Gabriel glanced at him. "I didn't do much today."
Coach snorted. "I don't ask you to be on a perfect level.You were controlling transitions and setting the pace. That's what we need from you."
Gabriel lowered his gaze. "What if I'm not ready?"
Coach finally looked up, brow raised. "You think no one else is scared?"
Gabriel hesitated, then shrugged. "It's not just the match..."
Coach closed the notebook and leaned forward, elbows on knees.
"I've been doing this a long time. Coaching kids, some where talented and some not," he said, "but there one things i force to do is to learn how to carry the pressure and still find joy in the game."
Gabriel stared at the field. Rain hit the grass in ripples. Somewhere behind him, Ryota was making fun of Kenta's.
"I'm trying," Gabriel said quietly.
"I know," Coach replied. "And that's all I need from you."
The locker room was louder than usual that night. Someone had brought in a speaker, and the music was just bad enough to be perfect. Gabriel sat with a towel draped over his shoulders, watching his teammates laugh and mess around, the energy infectious.
He caught Daichi's eye from across the room.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Daichi asked, raising a brow.
Gabriel tilted his head. "Which is?"
Daichi grinned. "We're gonna make it past Kainan."
Gabriel didn't answer right away. Then he smiled—genuine and quiet.
"Yeah," he said. "We will."
The next few days blurred into a rhythm of drills, strategy sessions, and aching muscles. The rain came and went, often turning the field to a muddy stretch of determination. But no one complained. Not seriously. Not with the game against Kainan looming.
Coach Emaon had shifted into another gear. The usual easygoing sarcasm was still there, but now layered with intensity. Every drill had a purpose, every minute scheduled.
"Line up!" he barked one afternoon, clipboard in hand, whistle dangling from his neck. "We're running the Kainan formation again. Gabriel, you're pivot—Ryota, you need to be more quick this time. Jun, press higher, give no space."
Gabriel jogged to his position near the midfield, brushing wet hair from his eyes. The weight of being the vice-captain start to hit him more and more as the opening to the tournament begin. More of them started looking to him when things went sideways during practice.
Across from him, Kenta gave him a quick thumbs-up. Daichi adjusted his shin guards with a grunt, already soaked from a slide during the last drill. The whistle blew.
They moved like clockwork—at least, they tried to. Jun intercepted the pass cleanly, but Ryota overran his position. Gabriel saw it before it happened.
"Back! Ryota, reset!" he shouted, cutting the pass himself and sending it back to Hikaru on the backline.
They reset. Again. And again.
Each time, Gabriel saw more. Not just where people were—but where they would be. He wasn't the fastest or flashiest on the pitch, but in the middle of it all, his mind worked like a metronome.
During a break, Ryota dropped beside him on the grass, panting.
"You've got that psychic midfielder thing going on lately," he said between gulps of water.
Gabriel chuckled, wiping sweat from his neck. "It's not psychic. I'm just watching Jun screw up enough to know what not to do."
"Oi!" Jun shouted from a few meters away, grinning. "I heard that, you tactless gremlin."
Laughter rippled through the group. Even Coach cracked a smirk before blowing his whistle again.
"Alright," Coach called. "Time for IF scenarios."
He pulled out laminated cards from his bag—each one a possible in-game situation. They'd done these before, but now the scenarios were more complex.
"Here's the setup," Coach began. "We're tied, 1-1, ten minutes left. Opponent's pressing with five up front. They're running a diamond mid. What's your move?"
No one moved at first. Then Gabriel stood.
"Pull back one forward. Shift Ryota to shadow the attacking mid. Jun drops closer to support. We bait them forward and hit them on the counter."
Coach gave a slow nod. "Why?"
"Because they'll overload. They think we'll defend deep. If we show a staggered retreat, they'll push their wing backs up too far."
"And who finishes the counter?" Coach asked.
Gabriel glanced to the side. "Takahashi. Or Kenta, if he's fast enough."
"I'm always fast enough," Kenta said, puffing his chest.
"Good, that will be enough for today." The Coach said.
...
A few moments later, all the players have left the training ground. Ryota and the others said goodbye to Gabriel and went their separate ways. Gabriel had this feeling that had been lingering inside him for a while, that he couldn't get out of his mind - it was about Takeshi.
Gabriel returned to the training ground and saw that the trainer was still there, closing the facilities. He heads towards him as the coach finally closes the dressing room door.
The Coach turn and see Gabriel walking to his direction and say, "You're still here did you forgot something?" he ask.
"I didn't, i wanted to talk about something with you coach." Gabriel say with a serious tone.
Coach Emaon look at him, "What do you want to talk about? Is it cause your still this nervous about the tournament!" he said posing his hand on one of Gabriel shoulder.
"Its for something else Coach, its about Takeshi... He leave the team i still don't know his reason, he was good has a goalkeeper and with the tournament getting close i think i can bring him back in the team." he said with assurance.
"Neither i know the reason of why Takeshi left but it was his choice," He said locking his eyes with Gabriel.
"Still i think i can do something for him to change his way of thinking," The Coach sigh and drop his hand from Gabriel shoulder, "Whatever i say you won't change your mind. Wait for me here."
Gabriel nod and see the Coach walking to his office. As the Coach is in his thought, 'Its something i would have ask them eventually its better if it come from them it will sound more naturally.'
As the Coach came back he hold a paper to Gabriel, "This is Takeshi address so you could reach to him."
Gabriel hold the paper in his hand and thanks the coach and walk away from the training grounds, as he walk he look at the address and see that its not far from where he live and could pay him a visit but suddenly his stomach growls. "I should eat first."
As he walk he remember of the place where he eat last time and even cook for himself he walk to this direction, "Its been a while i didn't go there, i hope the old man is doing good."
As he arrive he enter and sigh, the place have more clients than the last time but he still deserve more than that Gabriel said in his thought. He walk to the counter and sit he look at the menu.
"Hi sir what can i serve for you." A voice said.
Without looking up Gabriel said, "I will take a Katsudon."
"Right away sir that would be all?" The voice said.
I should take something for Satoshi he said to himself, as he look up he said, "I'll also take a Nishin Soba..." As his head his fully up and he look at the man he is surprise to see this person standing in front of him. "Takeshi!!.."