Sena was looking forward to this game. He had finally completed the Devil Bat Ghost and they were playing against the Oujou Knights, too. His very bad week was about to begin. It all started with three fights.
The first: Mamori got mad at Sena for getting into yet another fight that clearly wasn't his fault. Bullies just seem to target him, what's he supposed to do? Wish them away? Not hardly. Due to his attitude Mamori got even more mad and told Sena never to hang around the football club again (she is STILL clueless about him really being Eyeshield 21) and if he did, she would never forgive him. It also didn't help that she had become a diehard fan of the Devil Bats; even worse, they had lost a game by one point that day; her birthday. Mamori was also stressed out by exams and her newfound crush on Himura: the quarterback. Sena and Mamori ended up ignoring each other; completely harsh and indifferent to one another.
The second: A week later and it was Suzuna's and Sena's first anniversary of a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. Mamori was still not speaking to Sena. Taki, a day earlier, spoke to Sena. "Ahaha, Sena, take care of my sister. Don't break her heart, kaaaaaaaaaaaaay?" And he swirled away. Sena smiled. "Of course, Taki-san, arigatogozaimasu!" Sena bowed low. Taki, now further away, grinned. Sena had taken Suzuna to the place they first met, the football field, and he asked her to dance. Though there was no music they had plenty of fun laughing at Sena's clumsiness. Later he took her to a restaurant…that's where it all went wrong. Sena could only talk about football: about the upcoming game against Oujou. Then he couldn't stop talking about Shin and the past. His past. Him. Not them or her, but himself. Finally she snapped. "Sena-kun!" "Yes…?" "Could…we…you know…change the subject please?" "Yeah, sure, of course. Watcha wanna talk about, Suzuna?" "Well, you know…us." "Us? Umm…okay. Do you remember that one time…" Suzuna did not like this. He was talking about himself and humiliating her at the same time. She yelled at him. That began a full-on fight. They were still arguing when they left the building. He tried to apologize by giving her the flowers he was hiding, but that failed miserably. She threw the bouquet at him and stomped off; yelling behind her shoulder, "Don't talk to me until I call you!" Sena stood there, dumbfounded. He was wet, covered in petals, and feeling miserable. He walked back slowly to his house.
The third and worst fight occurred with his team. It was a day before the game. Hiruma had noticed Sena's lack of attention and spirit. "Sena, ya damn secretary, I don't want someone in the game who doesn't want to win." Sena was ticked. Calling Hiruma names and saying to run them better and that it was Hiruma's fault they lost. Hiruma retorted by saying that Sena would never win against Shin anyway, so it doesn't matter if he goes to the Oujou game or not. Hiruma also called him weak and short. Hiruma also mentioned how, no wonder, the girls were mad at him and how his parents were mad at him for his recent carelessness in his studies. Sena tried to punch Hiruma, but Sena missed and Hiruma smiled evilly. "You don't belong in American football. It was a mistake recruiting you." Sena said that if it weren't for him, Hiruma would have graduated high school with only a two-man team. That's when the other teammates got involved. They told Sena to stop being so arrogant and that it was everyone who made it possible, not just him. Sena was so mad that he threw down his helmet (luckily, Mamori wasn't there, still it made Hiruma and the others that much angrier) and said, "You guys don't need me then! Go win against Oujou by your fricken' selves! As far as I'm concerned, Eyeshield 21, NEVER EXISTED! I QUIT!" He ran off the field and back into the clubhouse threw his football equipment in the "dirty" bin and picked up a black marker on the football-field-table and crossed out his name on his cubby. He had his school uniform on already and threw his school bag over his shoulder and walked out, fuming. He was on his way home when the unthinkable happened: Suzuna called. He pushed the "end" option and his phone silenced immediately. He pocketed it again. Mamori then called. He sighed and answered. "Hello?" "Sena…I wanted to apologize." "Yeah, you should, Mamori-nee-chan." Mamori was appalled. "Sena! What's the matter with you?" "Sorry…I'm a little wound-tight right now: I just quit as the secretary." And as Eyeshield, he thought, glumly. "Well! It's about time! You don't fit with that crowd, Sena." "You don't belong in American football. It was a mistake recruiting you." Sena was set off and shouted, "Thanks a lot, Mamori-nee-chan! Make me feel like a worthless-good-for-nothing! Because that's what I am isn't it? Whatever! I don't care! BYE!" And he hung up. A bit of walking cleared his head. Not long after he sent a message to Suzuna:
Suzuna, sorry about what happened on our Anniversary. I should've been more sensitive to your feelings, I'm sorry. Forgive me, sweetie? I know I should've waited for you, but then, it's the one who caused the problem who should apologize. I miss you, Suzu . Want to meet me? I'll be waiting at the restaurant. Hope to see you there.
Sena
He felt a lot better and decided to try apologizing to Mamori. He knew she didn't deserve to be snapped at like that when she was just trying to look out for him.
Gomenasai, Mamori-nee-chan, you didn't deserve that. I'm going to go back to the clubhouse and rejoin. I really do love football too much. I can't be away from it or I feel like I've ripped something out…You don't need to worry so much about me, nee-chan , there's something I wanna tell you. I'll hopefully see you tomorrow at the game.
Again, that feeling: it was like a burden lifting off his shoulders. He smiled: relief flooding his features. He tried calling Himura and the others, but they wouldn't answer. He ran as fast as he could back to the school.
A little while later…a truck's brakes would never make it in time and a young teenager was involved in an unfortunate accident only a couple of blocks from his destination: from what he held dear. A boy thought, I'll never get those blocks back; I'll never be able to take back what I said. I'm so sorry…minna." With his phone in his hand, he closed his eyes, far from content.
The football team heard the squealing of tires, the wailing of brakes, the sounds of glass breaking, and the sound of contact to an object. All of clubs who heard ran out of the school and to the scene. A truck was on its side, a fire starting, blood spatters on the sidewalk from the people in the truck, a small fire starting, broken glass everywhere, and a pool of blood forming from a body, not visible to the crowd gathering. An ominous feeling settled over the football players and a chill ran up their spines: a feeling of regret; of grieving, passed through them all. Someone from the soccer club called an ambulance. In the dark night, the flashing red of the ambulance and the sirens were all that could be heard. Everyone grew anxious to see whom the victim was, and yet, didn't want to know. The ambulance arrived and they removed the people from the trucks, put them on stretchers, put on neck braces, and loaded them into the ambulance. It took quite a bit of effort to move the truck out of the way. The accident occurred on a crosswalk. The two sidewalks were blocked with the truck and the victim on the other side, a turn for oncoming cars to take, if they needed to go that way. The people from the ambulance made room and shouts were heard. "He needs serious medical attention, ASAP! Get the oxygen mask ready!" They all hurried. Then the stretcher came from behind the wall and gasps of horror to those who could see it first. "He's from our school!" and "Oh my goodness!" were repeated. Then, the football players could see him. Minor burns, dirt and blood covered him. The football players' eyes went wide as they slowly recognized the short, spiky-haired American football player. Kurita and Monta started crying. Hiruma and the others were in shock. They couldn't believe it; no one could.
It was Sena Kobayakawa.