The sky was heavy over Tokyo. Clouds rolled in thick as school let out
Ren walked with his hands in his pockets. Gloves stuffed in his bag. The sweat on his back already drying in the breeze
"Yo Ren" a voice called
He turned
It was Riku, their center back. Hair always messy, uniform never tucked. He jogged up with a grin
"You hear what the others said after the match? Coach might start you full-time now"
Ren kept walking
"I said might" Riku added
"I do not care about rumors" Ren muttered
But he did
He cared a lot
He just would not show it
As they crossed the main road near the station, the drizzle began. Light at first. Then harder. Riku ducked under the awning of a bakery
Ren stayed in the rain
"Man you are weird" Riku laughed
Ren looked up at the grey sky
He liked the rain
It made the city quiet
He walked home alone. Down narrow backstreets. Past vending machines and rusted bike racks. The puddles were starting to form
By the time he got to the apartment, his socks were soaked
Inside, his mother was already gone for her evening shift. A note sat on the table next to a bowl of curry
Eat. Rest. Do not break another window
He smirked
That happened once
Last year
He dived for a ball in the living room. His elbow cracked the old sliding window. He bled. She cried
Since then, all dives were outside
He ate quick. Then changed into dry clothes and went to the rooftop
Their building was only six floors high. From the roof, he could see parts of the Sumida River. Neon lights reflected on the water. Far off, a train screeched
Ren dropped into a crouch. No ball this time. Just form
He worked through motion drills. Push off the right foot. Shift weight. Hands up. Collapse low. Spring up again
Fifty reps
Rain soaked his shirt but he did not stop
Then he heard it
Voices below
He peeked over the ledge
Three boys from the school were talking under the bike shed
"I am tellin you that save in the last minute was luck"
"No way. He read the shot"
"Please. He got lucky. Takeda always goes near post. He guessed and got it right"
Ren stepped back
He knew those voices
One of them was second string keeper
It stung a little
But he breathed slow
This was part of it
Doubt
He had to live with it. Let it sharpen him
He dropped into form again
This time faster
Push shift hands collapse spring
Again
Again
The city below never stopped moving
But up here it was just him
And the rain