A/N: Hungry Heart is not mine.
This story is the Direct Sequel to the Anime Season.
SECOND SEASON: THE NEXT STAGE
There's a stage that glimmers with a blue light
And I have taken my first step up to it
I'll take my story that I timidly opened to you
And change it into an endless vow
At the stage that glimmers with a blue light
Episode 1: Between bursts of static…
It was a clear starless night; the sky was its familiar black except for that half-grin of the moon keeping watch on them from the corner.
The silence around the smooth grass slopes seemed like a welcome friend to Rodrigo. He was stretched on the wet-dew grass, head propped under hands. He could see the dim outline of the stands by the ground…and immediately he was filled by that desperate longing.
He wanted to be out there now, playing…ball ready at his feet…the crowd on its feet…and he, Rodrigo, a mere transfer student from Brazil…he was lifting his right foot mid-sprint…eye fixed on that corner of the goal…the other eye was fixed on that cup…and…
"How do you think he'll be feeling now?" Sakai broke the vision with his words.
"Hmm?"
"How do you think Kanou will be feeling?" Sakai spoke between bursts of static as he fiddled with the dials of the radio. "The rumour is that he'll be playing in tonight's fixture…." Sakai coughed uncertainly, "I mean this is going to be his Professional debut for Amsterdam, right?
Rodrigo turn to stare at Sakai sitting by his feet, white blonde hair made awry to a gentle brush of wind. "Kanou? That bugger…" Rodrigo sighed one moment, smiled in the next, "That bugger will probably be hungry before the debut…"
Sakai chuckled.
"Yeah," Rodrigo nodded, "He'll be stuffing his face now…how long for the match to start…it must have started by now….can't you get that radio to work at all?"
"I'm trying. It's working," Sakai said, "I'm just not getting the right station."
"We should have watched in the Orange dorm…watched it on TV, instead of fumbling over a radio …can you get it to work or not?"
"Shut up." Sakai grumbled, "I'm trying…and besides, if we watched in the Orange Dorm, everybody else would have wanted to watch too. And staying up the entire night is not good preparation before the Final of the Inter-School Tournament…"
"I know …I know…" Rodrigo said.
A voice ripped through the quiet, "Then why are my captain and vice-captain not resting before the important match against Kokuryō High?"
"Coach." Rodrigo and Sakai said in unison, turning in surprise to stare at Murakami.
It was indeed Coach Murakami. The older man approached them, his hand massaging the stubble on his thin chin, he was smiling crookedly at them "I knew I'd find you here." His face softened, "Don't be so surprised, Kanou was …well, I'm certainly interested in seeing how he will play today in his debut match for Amsterdam."
Rodrigo got comfortable on the smoothly-cut grass again, "Well…then tell this idiot to get the radio working…"
"I'm just that I'm not find able to find the right station…arrgh…."
Murakami dumped himself unceremoniously on the ground next to Rodrigo. He began without preamble, "I'm rather jealous of Kyosuke…playing for a club like Amsterdam…and at his age…" The coach paused to smile at their surprised expressions with benevolence, "But I'm also excited…Kanou is talented striker, the most promising talent Japan has to offer. I wonder how he will adjust to the conditions…and…I'm sure everybody will compare him with Seisuke, I wonder how he will react to that…ah…I wish I was young again…"
Rodrigo closed his eyes, finding it difficult to contain his impatience. The coach had gotten him excited too.
"I got it." Sakai shouted in triumph.
They all leaned toward the radio immediately, grinning with excitement as they heard the thin reedy voice of the commentator between bursts of static…
'…It is half-time and SBV Rotterdam are showing the form that has fixed them on the bottom of the table….'
"It's half-time you idiot," Rodrigo cursed, "We missed the first half…"
"Shut up and listen."
'…It was no surprise to see the Amsterdam Manager rest his stars for this easy game and his rotation policy has proven to be the right decision. Among the new faces for this game is orange-haired Kanou Kyosuke who many will know as the younger brother of AC Milan superstar, Kanou Seisuke …"
"Tell us how he played…tell us how he played…"Sakai muttered.
'…the other squad players have also played well, making a clear claim for the starting positions…We will be right back after this…
A sudden honey-sweet female voice cracked through the radio, talking about what toothpaste to use. A damned commercial.
"What does this mean? Rodrigo asked, looking from Sakai to Muakami, "Did he play well? The commentator didn't mention the score…
"Shut up and listen." Sakai gestured as he spoke.
"What?" Rodrigo looked from the radio to Sakai's face. "What?" The honey-sweet voice was still crooning about some toothpaste that would change his life forever.
"There." Murakami was staring intently toward where the road sloped from the dormitory.
It was first the light scraping of feet. Three pairs of feet. And then, a cocky nasal voice… "Score a goal and win her heart."
"That's right." These were two other people, tired and seeming sick with the present line of conversation.
"She may like him…but he's in Holland…what was that stupid club…Amste?"
"Amsterdam." One of the three voices dully supplied.
"Huh! I've never heard of it. Probably just a stupid-small club."
"Right." Somebody, agreed with fake patience.
The nasal voice raised his pitch, "I'll be the King of goals this time around…I will score so many goals that she will forget all about…"
Rodrigo tried to keep his voice stern, like how Sako would have done, "Keeba…Muroi…Shinkawa…what were my specific instructions?"
Keeba looked embarrassed for a moment. Only a moment. "Oh, come on Rodrigo…it's not a problem coach….it's just Kokuryō High. We beat them last time. We'll beat them again this time. Don't worry. You don't need to worry when you've got star striker Keeba Yuya. I don't need any sleep tonight…"
"Shut up and listen." Sakai balanced the radio on his shoulder.
'…windy, and the Amsterdam players come out of the tunnel led by first-half goal scorer Kanou Kyosuke who has…'
Their argument was forgotten and all these six heads nearly banged into each other in an effort to listen to the commentator.
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