Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093087122434729/episodes/16818792437074592422
Elementary school, middle school…
Aota’s growth was remarkable. What he couldn’t do yesterday, he could do today, and what he couldn’t do today, he could do tomorrow.
It was a cycle that repeated itself.
And yet, he never gave up or stopped trying, so there was no way an ordinary person could compete with him.
Looking back now, I think I was always jealous of Aota.
No matter how far I ran ahead, he always caught up with me.
I chased after him, reaching out my hand. But just as my fingertips were about to touch his back, he vanished like a mirage.
I only had soccer, but you had everything. Why were you so talented? I thought that many times.
At such times, a certain manga saved my heart. It was the existence of a friend A.
＊＊＊
The shot that Aota fired was like a bullet.
In an instant, it sliced through the field and flew toward the goal.
“What the hell is that?”
There was no way to stop it. An overwhelming strike.
Both this shot and the Elastico in the first half showed glimpses of his unstoppable talent.
For ordinary people, it was like being reminded that he was a distant existence that could only be looked up to.
The trajectory of the shot was nothing short of perfect. It weaved through the defense, and its slightly vertical spin was just right to pierce the goal.
An additional point here was hopeless.
If it were a one-point difference, there would still be hope. At worst, we could force a draw.
But scoring an additional point here would be too much of a mental blow.
If that happened, then… well…
“Can’t we win? After all, I’m just… Aota…”
My body felt heavy.
It was like sinking into a bottomless, deep swamp.
＊＊＊
To be honest, I didn’t think the gap was this wide.
Hasegawa Aota and Hayami Ren. I had at least thought that I could stand alongside these two, break into their ranks.
But what’s the reality? In the previous match and this match, I haven’t been able to do anything.
That’s incredibly frustrating.
“Damn it! I won’t let you score!”
“Get out of the way.” That was Hayami’s instruction. It was the right instruction, based on the situation. It was a safety net in case Hayami himself couldn’t stop Aota.
But that wasn’t like him.
“Buh!”
I couldn’t do it as smoothly as Aota or Hayami. The two of them had neatly blocked the shot and caught it at their feet, but I could only manage to save it with my face.
“Amagami!? Are you okay!?”
The ball that had been deflected by my face flew over the goal bar and collided with the fence at the back.
The loud clanging sound indicated that it still had considerable power even after being deflected.
“… Corner kick, everyone. Get ready.”
“No! Amagami! You’re bleeding from your nose…”
“That doesn’t matter! More importantly, once we get the ball, we need to pass it to Hayami san…”
Before I could finish, the referee approached us.
“If you’re bleeding from your nose, we’ll have to stop the game. Treatment comes first. We’ll need a water break too.”
“…I understand.”
In a regular soccer match, a bleeding player would be taken off the field and the game would continue, but this was a ball game tournament after all.
I pressed my palm against my nose and returned to the bench.
“Nice guts, first-year!” “No, I’m glad you helped me…”
“No, it’s nothing… But Hayami san…”
“Huh? Hayami? He’s over there.”
While the players were hydrating at their respective benches, Hayami was the only one staring at a ball lying carelessly on the field.
“…What are you doing, Hayami san?”
I couldn’t help but get up and go over to him.
“Huh? Oh… Amagami. That was a nice play earlier. If that had gone in, we would’ve lost for sure.”
“Yeah, I agree. But why do you look so down?”
His eyes seemed hollow, lacking any sense of determination.
“I don’t know… something.”
“Pull yourself together. If you’re like this, the team won’t come together.”
“Sorry, I just feel deflated.”
With those words, I understood.
This person is devastated right now.
By the undeniable talent of his best friend.
But so what?
“I don’t understand the feud between Hayami-san and Aota-san or anything like that.”
“..Amagami?”
He’s not that kind of weak person. This person isn’t the kind of person whose heart would break over something like that.
“Hayami san, please… You’re an amazing person who can match Aota san!”
My idol isn’t something so trivial.
The first time I saw Hayami Ren, he was the strongest.
“—My idol isn’t wrong! please prove it!”
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