Disclaimer: I don't own Ao no Kanata.

A/N: Just saying right off the bat, Asuka and Masaya are the MCs of this story. I honestly feel the show needed two Seasons to properly tell the story it was trying to tell, instead of blatantly trying to cram it into 12 episodes and failing at it.

Asuka was in the middle of trying to convince Masaya to be their coach, and he made a reply.

"I..." he started concealing his face. But the girls didn't stop and wanted him to join, and he was starting to get annoyed. "Why do you guys want me to join? I did help Kurashina twice, but I've no interest in joining."

"Because I need your help!" Asuka persisted pleadingly.

"Right, we need someone to coach her and the others," Madoka said.

"Exactly, so if you're a man, accept her offer," Mashiro said.

"What do you say, Hinata?" Shion asked. "All these lovely ladies asking for your help, you couldn't refuse."

Masaya inwardly sighed. 'So it comes to this, huh,' he thought. 'No choice, I'm going to have to be clear,' He faced Asuka, although tensed. "Sorry, but I can't."

"Coach..." Asuka said, sad from that as he walked away.

"Hinata-" Shion started in worry.

"Let him go," Aoi said, stopping Shion who relented. "That guy has his own problems. If he doesn't want to, we should respect that."

The girls watched on with sad looks as he vanished from their view. Asuka then stood up and walked over to Aoi.

"Kagami-sensei, why does Coach not want to join?" Asuka asked her.

"Like I said, he has his own issues for not wanting to," Aoi started. "But it's not my place to tell you, he has to be the one to tell you if he wants to."

The girls made noise of disappointment, Asuka being the most depressed.

Meanwhile, Masaya went home and took out a photo in his desk. It was a picture of him when he was younger, flying in the sky with Aoi, his former FC teacher. He then placed it back and looked at the child Grav-Shoe pack he kept that contained his younger Grav-Shoes.

"No matter what, for some reason I just could not get rid of these things," Masaya muttered. "I've long since outgrown these Grav-Shoes too."

A memory of the past appeared before him then:

A kid Masaya ran over to a shelf holding many different kinds of Grav-Shoes, and observed them with pure excitement and an opened mouth.

"Awesome, so many!" Masaya yelled.

"Hahahaha, we haven't even bought you a pair yet," Aoi said with amusement, ruffling his hair with a hand.

"I know, but I want to fly!" Masaya said excitedly.

"Yes, I get that," Aoi said, aware of his desire to do so.

So she looked through, then bought him a pair of Grav-Shoes.

"Ahhhh, thank you so much!" Masaya said with joy, holding the box containing his Grav-Shoes.

"Those will be your wings to fly," Aoi muttered gently. "Use them well."

Coming back to reality, he sighed, getting the thought out of his mind.

But doing so made him think back to refusing Asuka in the eyes, much as it pained him to see her hope shatter. 'I'm sorry,' Masaya thought.

He wasn't totally sure why he was feeling sorry, but he was. Well in any case, hopefully this ends them asking him to join. Though as he went to sleep, he couldn't help but wonder how Asuka was doing.

The next day, he got to school and sat down. "Good morning," Asuka greeted with a friendly face.

"Morning," Masaya said, only for his face to pale as Shion came in the class and grabbed him by the shoulder. "W-what?"

"I understand!" Shion roared.

"Understand what?" Masaya asked, sweat dropping.

"Your heart aches because you think you lack spirit!" Shion reasoned comically. "Fret not, I will give you lessons to improve your muscle mass and spirit!"

"Thanks, but uh, I'll pass," Masaya declined.

"Then why don't I make you president of the club?" Shion continued desperately.

"Not interested," Masaya nonchalantly said.

"Grr..." Shion was stumped for a moment, then perked up. "Yes, then this a challenge! To see how much your spirit can hold out against mine! Just wait Hinata, I will win!"

He then ran out of the classroom. "What a persistant guy he is," Masaya stated exasperatedly, and then noticed Asuka look at him and then quickly focus back forward. 'Why do I hurt when I look at her?'

Once lunch started, he got up and was instantly stopped by Shion. "Hinata, fancy meeting you here!" Shion stated confidently.

"And goodbye," Masaya said in annoyance, going past him while Asuka and Misaki observed.

"Oof, what a stubborn guy," Shion grumbled.

As Masaya walked in the hallway, Asuka called out, running up to him. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"...Really, you really don't want to join?" Asuka asked gently yet sadly at the same time.

Once again, his heart ached. "Yeah," Masaya replied.

"But, why?" Asuka asked. "You have great experience just like Shion-san said, and you seem to know how to handle matches."

Masaya's head and heart pulsed in fear at her statement, but he fought back the urge to make a panic expression. "Even so," he said, feeling guilty for a reason he could not understand. "Forgive me."

"Coach..." Asuka said with a sad face.

"I'm not your coach, I am Masaya," he said, walking away, but Asuka followed after a few moments. "Now what?"

"Want to have lunch together?" Asuka asked in a friendly manner.

Eating outside by themselves, they made conversation.

"Why aren't you with them?" Masaya asked. "I figured you'd go with them."

"That's..." Asuka started, facing him gently. "I want to know more about you, Coach."

"Huh?" Masaya asked, not expecting that.

"I've been with Misaki-chan and the others until now," Asuka started. "So I want to know more of coach."

"'Masaya'," he reminded her.

"R-right, sorry," Asuka said smiling nervously. "When I first transferred here, I had no friends."

"That's to be expected," Masaya told her. "It would be more surprising to have new friends right away when that would be impossible unless you had some friends here before your transfer."

"Tehee, everyone at this school is so kind!" Asuka said excitedly.

"Well it's good to see you getting used to being here," Masaya said with a friendly voice.

"Why aren't you around the others very much?" Asuka asked curiously.

"Who knows?" Masaya said nonchalantly.

"H-have this rice ball!" Asuka stuttered, diverting that topic and offering him one.

"Really? I don't want to ruin your lunch," Masaya said politely.

"No it's fine," Asuka smiled with her eyes closed.

Masaya eyed her with interest for a moment, but then took the rice ball from her and took a bite.

"It's good," Masaya said, pleasing Asuka.

"I'm glad," Asuka said.

Once more he stared at her. She beamed with so much positivity, yet why was it not bothering him compared to his other friend's over cheeriness?

'Geez, her happiness is contagious,' Masaya thought, smiling at her.

"By the way, um," Asuka started hesitantly, looking down with a sadder look before looking at him. "Sorry. It was wrong of me to to ask you for help. I realize now, that there must have been reasons why you didn't want to join. I was so happy to play FC and get better thanks to you directing me in matches, that I just assumed you would help. I never thought about what your feelings were on this at all, and naively asked you to teach me FC. I'm really sorry."

"Asuka," Masaya muttered as she neared the point of her tears coming out of her eyes, and put a hand to her shoulder. "It's all right, I know you just wanted my help. I'm not mad at you."

"Masaya is very kind," Asuka said. "You didn't want to join, but you cared enough about me to coach me in those two matches anyway. Thank you."

Masaya stared at her for a moment, then looked forward. Seriously, this girl was too kind for her own good, and he liked it. He wanted to hang out with her more. Masaya never felt like this with the others, yet Asuka he felt eager to talk with so much.

Asuka herself was happy to get to chat more with him. She wanted to be friends with him like the others, and getting to know Masaya more made her all the more happy.

The two remained where they were, eating and having friendly talk. Once lunch ended they went back to the classroom and seated themselves for the resuming class.

After school, Masaya left, while Asuka and the others went to the trailer for practice.

As the girls practiced, Asuka's mind seemed elsewhere. "Earth to Kurashina," Misaki said, getting her attention in the air. "Where's that excitement of yours?"

"J-just not used to flying well!" Asuka tried to excuse, but Misaki saw through it.

Misaki recalled earlier today when she left the classroom after Masaya left and didn't return.

'So that's it,' Misaki thought with a considerate look. 'No wonder, she wants him to join, and isn't having as much fun without him. I'd be lying if I said I didn't agree with her. Masaya is our friend, and I really do want him to join. This is too much fun, and it would be nice if he was here to share it with us.'

Mashiro had similar thinking as Misaki. He may not be the most sociable with them, but he was their friend, and it would be a shame to leave him out. Besides he was so lively when he coached Asuka, unlike his usual self.

Aoi could tell they were thinking about Masaya. 'It's not too late to join,' Aoi thought. 'And I know inside you still have that burning passion for FC just waiting to come out.'

Later, Masaya decided to briefly come to the trailer to see Asuka's progress.

"Why did you come here?" Aoi asked with interest in her tone. "Didn't you say you weren't joining?"

"That's not it," Masaya said, focusing on Asuka. "I...just wanted to see how she was doing."

"Kurashina huh," Aoi said. "You seem kind of fond of her."

He didn't reply, and focused back on Asuka who was doing poor, or rather she was unfocused. But on seeing Masaya on the ground, she perked up quickly, and flew down in the midst of practicing with Misaki.

"Masaya!" Asuka yelled excitedly, landing.

"I-I was just curious how you were faring," Masaya sweated and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Asuka said happily. "Can I come with you?"

"Eh?" Masaya asked with a blink. "Sure if you want to."

"Ooooooh, Hinata is back-" Shion was about to start, only to comically tear up as Masaya left with Asuka.

"Onii-chan," Madoka said nervously, rubbing his back to cheer him up.

"Huh? Why is Asuka leaving with him for?" Misaki asked.

"Agreed, they seem to be getting along well," Mashiro said, intrigued.

As they walked, Masaya made conversation. "You really have to stop trying to disguise studying in favor of your FC magazines in class, poorly may I add," he said.

"Ahee," Asuka laughed, rubbing the back of her head with a hand. "I find FC so fascinating that I can't focus."

"You'll get the hang of it, it's just going to take some time," Masaya encouraged. "Baby steps can lead to more results than you think."

"Roger!" Asuka stated with a comical look and hand to the top of her head in a solute fashion.

Masaya laughed nervously. "Anyway, I've got nothing going on, so would it be okay if I went over to your house with you?" he asked.

"Sure, that would be nice," Asuka said, smiling at him.

Once they got over to her house, he sat with her on the bed and the two had a fun time hanging out with each other. As it grew darker at night, Masaya posed something.

"Why do you love FC so much?" Masaya asked. "You've still got a lot to learn, and you're fairly new, yet you are so pumped up when it comes to the sport."

"That's..." Asuka started, taking off the wing piece on her head and held it above her. "I love the sky."

"The sky?" Masaya asked with interest before he fought a fear inducing pulse in his head and heart.

"Yes," Asuka said. "I love the sky so much, so being able to play in the skies is awesome. It's freedom, being able to fly farther and farther. I want to get stronger, and have even more fun in that sky!"

"Flying farther and farther, having fun..." Masaya muttered as a brief memory occured in his mind of having fun with Aoi in the sky.

"That's right," Asuka started gently. "Don't you want the same? To have fun and aim for the sky?"

Masaya stared at her in thought. 'She's like how I was...' he thought, before smiling at her. "Listen, if you want me to train you, I'll do it, so long as I don't have to join the club."

"I understand there must be reasons why you don't want to join, but," Asuka said with a resolved look. "I want to become stronger with you! It may be selfish of me, but a club without Masaya is not fun to me!"

"You..." Masaya trailed off, speechless.

"I'm sure of it, that you will find your own reach to the skies," Asuka said encouragingly. "And, I want to help you find it, just as I want you to help me."

Masaya watched her reach a hand out to him with a look of utmost sincerity.

'I remember, those memories,' Masaya thought, looking at Asuka. 'The world I completely shut off...I want to enter it a step at a time with this girl, Kurashina Asuka!'

He smiled back and took her hand with his, making her smile with her mouth open. And with this, the wings Masaya threw away begin to return a bit.

A/N: I'm sure you can all agree, Masaya joined the club way too easily in the anime version to the point it was forced, so I wanted it to actually make sense here why he decided to, have it take longer before he decides to, and Asuka actually earn it.