Disclaimer: I don't own Inazuma Eleven or any of the characters!

= Prologue =

"No!" The platinum blond's unusually loud yet stern voice caught the attention of the two men, bringing worry to both.

"Shuuya, calm do-"

"It can't be him! It's not possible!" His voice now pained. He gritted his teeth forming tears at the side of his eyes while inconsiderately pointing at the source of his rage, their visitor. He stood opposite to Shuuya, in front of the organized yet crowded desk that's partnered with a comfy computer chair where it's supposedly hidden from sight. On his right was the long-term occupant of the small room they're in, clothed with a business suit. Obvious signs of workaholic tendencies could be traced on both him and the whole place that he owned.

"Shuuya, listen to me. You need to calm down," the dark skinned man started, trying to get through the child he have already considered his own. It was painful to see him like this. Even with the lack of facial expression, worry and fear radiated from his eyes. He could only think of the things the young man could do. Not particularly to him, as overflowing familial love and respect had always been seen at Shuuya's eyes when looking at his direction, but mostly to the other people in the room. "You have to understand. Hear my brother out," he gestured his hand to the quiet figure beside him, "There's a reason wh-"

"I don't care!" His response brought a surprise to everyone, including himself. The youngest Gouenji in the room twitched at the realization of having shouted at the man he owes a lot to. Guilt rose and his anger almost backed down but it instantly gushed up again when his eyes met the other tall man.

"He is not my father!" He fumed then rushed outside the room running his way downstairs and outside under the late afternoon sky. He ran as fast as he could, unsure of where he's going. He tried not to think of anything but he couldn't seal off the memories of what just unfold. He fought to hold the tears while running his way out of reality, or so he wished.

He reached for the hood of his favorite white shirt trying to hide his face to whoever might see. He was too caught in the moment to realize how it didn't actually hid anything.

An hour of marathon passed and he finally stopped. He wasn't too surprised where his feet took him. He knew the way to this place too well he could even do it in his sleep. The place that gave him nothing but good memories, the good ol' riverbank he so cherished.

He caught his breath, ever so thankful that his place wasn't all that far from Inazuma Town. This was the place where his adoptive father works after all. Inazuma Town was nearer from his home than where his former school, Kidokawa Seishuu, is. If not for Kidokawa having prestigious offers on soccer-gifted children and having been his dream school all this time, he would have been enrolled in Raimon in the first place.

Having rested enough, he immediately eyed the whole place to search for a soccer ball. Like he expected, there wasn't any. He must really not be in his right mind now to think that someone actually left a soccer ball behind. He didn't have any choice but to sit on the grass for there was nothing for him to do.

He sadly looked at the now bulb-lit bridge slowly realizing how he didn't even see the sky darkened even though he was outside ever since moments before the sun resided. He felt a pang in his heart as he was reminded of all the times when his hardships were almost always accompanied by sunset. He thought he made sure that the last time was when he decided to leave soccer and his team all together right after helping them go against the world. Unfortunately for him, his curse continued.

It's now safe for him to assume that no one's nearby to see him, not that it mattered, but it's better if none of his teammates, especially Endou, would find out.

The scene played again in his mind. The man his father, or uncle rather, introduced to him also returned without an effort. His image never really left him, especially the expression on his face while Shuuya just outright showed his hatred and denial of him. He couldn't read his face, he couldn't read his mind, and it irritated him. He knew that he made it firm that he didn't want to see him again, that he didn't want to accept the truth.

Yes, Shuuya knew very well that his biological uncle told him the truth. The man introduced to him was none other than his father. However, introduced wasn't exactly the word for it for they have already met before. In fact, they even spent some time together for quite a long while, mostly with the company of others. He knew him but he didn't know it was him.

He looked at him with respect and a bit of admiration. He looked up to him. He saw him as a man he could learn a lot from, he could follow the footsteps of, and he could see surpassing as a goal in the future. But now, everything was different.

Though unusual, he teared up with the feeling of resentment and betrayal. He had always felt ill of his father for leaving him and his mother behind. Even when she died, he didn't see even a portion of his shadow. Even when he was thrown to the rest of their relatives only to be showered with hate for the things his father did, who he knew nothing about, he still didn't show up.

He wished that the worst he was feeling was resentment but it wasn't. It was anger. Not to him but towards himself. He's angry about the fact that he believed every word this man had ever said, that he trusted his every decision, that he obeyed his every word even though he knew from the start that there was something off about him. He somewhat knew there was something but he'd always put it on the back of his mind. He thought it was all but an imagination of his. He put his right arm where his eyes would be and wiped his face with the end of his sleeve.

'Why of all people does it have to be you?' He sighed, still unsure of what to do and what to think. He laid down the grass looking pass the stars, not really appreciating them. There was just one thing he knew, he could never accept this man. Forgive him? Quite possible. Accept him in his life? No. Not in a million years.

= End of Prologue =

Next Chapter: My Mother

A/N: This is the first time I've ever done anything in this site. Criticisms are appreciated~!

Edit: Thanks to Mary Seph for the corrections!