Hey guys,

I appologize for not updating sooner but the laptop that the file for this fanfic was on started typing in all caps and wouldn't stop. So here is the second chapter after a few days of figuring out how to get it uploaded. Please review.


Chapter 2

The Zone

I woke up early the next morning and pulled on my uniform. I ran down stairs and popped two pieces of toast in the toaster.

"Why did you get home so late last night?" an all too familiar steely voice asked. I turned and found my brother in the doorway, his arms crossed.

"G-good morning Suguru," I said with a stutter.

"Answer my question, why did you get home so late?" he asked and took a step closer to me.

"I… couldn't find what I was looking for at the store, and I wandered around for a little," I said. Suguru narrowed his eyes and I ran past him, grabbing my bag on the way out.

"I'm going to school now," I called as I ran out the door. I grabbed my bike from the garage way and hopped on. It was a fairly short ride to school so I got there almost thirty minutes early. I went out to the soccer field and picked up a spare ball lying around. I threw it high into the air and kicked it into the goal.

"So Kakeru, you think you'll be a burden because you can actually make it into the goal?" a sarcastic voice said behind me. I turned and found Suguru standing behind me with his arms crossed.

"I… this… um," I stuttered, trying to come up with an excuse.

"Like I said, you're just running away," he said and walked away. I bit my lip and kicked the ground hard. Why did he of all people have to see me? I sighed, grabbed my bag, and headed to class. I zoned out for the rest of the day, thinking about my brother's words. Was I really running? Finally, it was time for soccer practice and I headed down to the locker rooms. I pulled on my sweat shirt and sweat pants, grabbed my clip board, and began preparing water bottles.

"Kakeru, come on, the coach wants to see you," Kouta called. I gulped and straightened my shirt. I headed outside and found the team gathered around the coach who held a clip board.

"You wanted to see me coach?" I asked nervously. He threw a red jersey to me and I caught it in confusion.

"You're a forward Aizawa," he said. I blanched in shock. I was a manager, not a player.

"H-hold on, I'm a manager!" I started but froze at Suguru's glare.

"If you want to run away, then run. You have no right to stay with soccer half heartedly. But if you still want to go on, put on that jersey and get your butt out onto the field," he said before running to go warm up with the rest of the team.

"Isn't this great, Kakeru. You're on the same team as Suguru," Seven said cheerfully. Okay, great would not be one of the words I would have chosen to describe how I was feeling right now. But Suguru was annoyingly right as always, I either had to face soccer head on or make a clean cut.

"Kakeru?" Yuusuke asked warily.

"Fine, Yuusuke help me warm up," I yelled, a bit more sternly than I had meant to. We ran to the side of the field, grabbed a spare ball, and began kicking the ball back and forth. Out of the corner of my eye, I swore I saw Suguru nodding approvingly at me. The coach blew the whistle and I ran to the center of the field where Suguru was waiting. I straightened my red jersey and glared reproachfully at Suguru.

"The red team will proceed with the first kick off," the coach said and blew the whistle, signaling that the game had begun. I kicked the ball to Suguru and started forward, knowing that as a forward, I would have to be ready to receive the ball. Yuusuke tried to cut off Suguru, but Suguru passed him easily and his eyes met mine, sending me a silent message. I nodded slightly and ran as fast as I could towards the goal. Something flew past my head and I found that Suguru had kicked the ball, yet I was so far behind. In a failed attempt, I jumped forward with my leg out stretched and missed the ball by a good meter. I stood up, brushed off my pants and ran back to center play. Playing began getting harder and harder as more of the defense marked me, and I kept on missing the ball that Suguru passed me (though I got a little closer each time). But when I ran back to the center of the field, something happened. It was like something clicked in my head. Suguru looked at me and I swore I saw his eyes widen a little. I nodded, unsure about why I did, but it felt right. Suguru nodded back and the whistle blew. I sprinted forward, faster than I had before. The defenders couldn't react in time and I blew past them easily. I looked over my shoulder and found the ball coming towards me. I dropped and slid with one food out, catching up to the ball easily. I swung my left leg back and kicked the ball hard. I swished into the goal and I blinked in surprise. I had run faster than I ever had before, I caught up to Suguru's pass easily, I had kicked with my left leg, and I had made a goal.

"Nice job Kakeru!" Seven yelled, snapping out of my daze.

"W-What-?" I stuttered. My brain trying to process what just happened.

"You were in the zone," Suguru said. I almost laughed out loud; my serious, cool brother had just said I was in the zone. Suguru glared at me and said, "Not what I meant. The zone is a state of being in a competitor that seems to be able to do the impossible. You can master The Zone with practice but you were able to go into the Zone with no experience."

"I didn't….I don't," I stuttered. Suguru sighed and said, "When are you going to wake up and realize that you were born to play soccer."

He walked away, leaving me confused, hurt, and a little scared.


Chapter three will be on it's way and hopefully I will get my laptop back from the repair store. See you soon!