On a bright, sunny day, amid roaring cheers on a small football field, a ball came flying through the air from where a young boy leapt up, cushioning it against his chest before letting it drop cleanly to his foot. Without slowing down, he sprinted toward the net.
And when he was charging forward, a defender came, sliding his foot in for a tackle. But with one smooth, effortless dribble, the boy slipped past him, causing the crowd to erupt in further cheers.
"Hello everyone. My name is Hyzar Kage."
"I'm nineteen years old, in my final year of high school."
"It's 2028, and today is a crucial football match at Karata High School, where two teams from the same school are facing each other, and the winner will advance to represent Karata High in the upcoming Tokyo High School Football Tournament."
"Almost every student from Karata High, along with their parents, has gathered here to watch.
"…Aagh, but why are they so damn loud? I mean, can't they just watch in silence?
The young player moving with the ball, quickly fired a sharp pass to the striker, who took it cleanly and just when he drew his left foot back to shoot, an opposing defender came sliding in, his tackle crashing into the striker's ankle.
Pain shot through him as he went down crashing hard onto the grass, a sharp cry tearing from his throat.
The whistle echoed out loud, bringing the game to an abrupt halt.
"Damn, that was brutal…"
The referee raised his arm and pointed
penalty, causing a wave of excitement to surge through the crowds.
"Hmm… A penalty at this stage of the game means score and win."
Amid the roaring noise, the ball was placed carefully on the spot. A foot came down, resting firmly on top of it holding it under.
The view slowly lifted, revealing a handsome young boy with jet-black hair falling over his forehead, adorned by a white headband.
The crowd fell into a heavy silence, every eye locked onto him in eager anticipation.
The boy clenched his fist and drew a deep breath, forcing his racing heart to settle.
"What the hell am I doing in this position?"
"I wasn't supposed to be here… damn it."
The boy lifted his foot off the ball and began stepping backward, eyes fixed ahead on the net, determination settling in.
"Everyone's watching me."
"Their hopes are on me."
"…Phuufff. I can't mess this up now."
Standing a few steps away from the ball, fierce determination burned in the boy's eyes. He let out another slow breath, then started jogging forward.
The crowd rose to its feet, breath held, the field swallowed by silence.
"I have to do this."
"I have to prove that I'm not a loser! Every girl is watching me. This is my ultimate chance to impress every single girl here!"
The boy surged forward, and with his eyes burning with fierce resolve, he swung his leg and struck the ball hard, pouring every ounce of strength into the strike.
"And now, I am the greatest!"
"YAAAAAAHHH!"
With a raw shout, his foot slammed into the ball, sending it rocketing toward the top-right corner of the net.
With his arm fully outstretched in a desperate attempt to stop, the goalkeeper hurled himself toward the ball. But, the shot grazed his fingertips, just barely, before slipping past and slamming into the back of the net.
The boy's eyes shone with pure joy, when a victorious shout burst from his chest as he turned and sprinted toward the crowd.
The stadium erupted. Cheers thundered from the stands while his teammates exploded into celebration, rushing after him, chasing him down the field as he ran ahead, roaring in triumph, his excitement spilling over without restraint.
The girls in the crowd were cheering loudly, their eyes fixed on the boy who was lost in a frenzy of celebration.
Coming to a stop, he grinned and playfully formed a gun with his fingers, kissed the tip, and aimed it toward the most beautiful girl in the school, firing a kiss her way.
Her face lit up instantly. Laughing, she sent a flying kiss back in reply.
His teammates crashed into him moments later, jumping onto his back and pulling him into a joyful pile of embraces.
The air was buzzing with excitement and energy. Everyone was caught up in the moment.
"Shit… How can I mess this up?"
"Owwwh, You thought that was me?"
"Naahhhh!"
"I was the goalkeeper!"
The goalkeeper remained sprawled on the ground, face buried in the turf. Then, in one swift motion, he lifted his head and spat out dirt from his mouth, revealing an average looking boy with black hair and blue eyes.
"Yeah… it's me. The school's pathetic loser.
The biggest failure ever known to mankind."
His face was pale, eyes hollow and empty of emotion. With a tired sigh, he let his head drop and pressed his face back into the turf…