Disclaimer: Not mine.

Author's Notes: In case you are wondering, the FIFA Women's U-20 World Cup really does exist! It used to be U-19 but FIFA raised the age limit to 20 for the 2008 tournament in Chile.

I picked Germany (which is fact the host for the 2010 cup) because it's convenient.

(Thank you, Wikipedia!)


iv.

Mizuno is twenty when Kojima leaves for Germany to play in the FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup.


Once again, Shige took the liberty to organise her going away party in Mizuno's house. After the incident from Shige's last party, Mizuno had banned any forms of alcohol in his house (much to Shige's displeasure).

She was the guest of honour of the night. The guests surrounded her and showered her with praise and congratulations. Kojima's face was flushed red with happiness and there was a perpetual grin on her face.

Mizuno has never seen her so happy; it makes cleaning the mess after the party worth it.


The night before her departure, his finds himself standing on her doorstep with the present he'd bought for her; a miniature soccer ball keychain. Mizuno feels his finger trembling as he reached for the doorbell.

He fidgets nervously and tries to breathe normally to calm is thumping heart down as he waits for her to open the door.

"Mizuno-senpai?"

"Kazamatsuri?"

Of course it's him.

Mizuno swallowed the lump of disappointment in his throat and plastered a friendly smile on his face. "Is Kojima around?"

Sho shuffles his feet on the ground and checks over his shoulder before answering in a hushed voice, "She's busy with her packing."

"Oh," Mizuno says.

"Do you want me to get her for you?" Sho asks kindly, but Mizuno can tell from his expression that he doesn't really want to bother Kojima.

Shaking his head, Mizuno answered, "No. That's alright. It wasn't anything important anyway."

Sho seemed visibly relieved.

The two boys stand in awkward silence for a few moments before Mizuno hands him the keychain. "I was just around the neighbourhood and thought I might drop this off for her. Do you mind passing it over to Kojima?"

Taking it out of Mizuno's hands carefully, Sho stares at the keychain with a small smile on his face. "No problem, senpai! I am sure she will like it."

"Well," Mizuno waved, "I will leave you to it. See you."

Hands suddenly feeling empty, Mizuno shoved them into his pocket and sighed.


Kojima finds him on the slopes near the river that night, to his surprise. She takes a seat next to him silently and smiles.

"How did you find me here?" he asks in amazement.

"After I finished packing," she explains, "I went to your house but there was no one home. I just assumed that you were going to be here."

"Ah," he says knowingly, "I thought it is a nice night to be out so I decided to come out here."

Kojima nods in agreement.

"So, what are you doing here?" Mizuno enquires, "Shouldn't you be preparing to go to the airport tomorrow?"

She grins at him but did not answer his question. They sat together, a few inches apart, and enjoyed the cooling breeze.

"I saw you play soccer here for the first time," Kojima says suddenly.

Mizuno turns to her, surprised, "Eh?"

"Mm, it was in intermediate school, I think. I was on my way home from school and you were juggling the ball by yourself over there with this determined look on your face," she reminisced with a smile.

He nods silently; when he was younger, he used to come out here by his own, away from his father, away from the rules and spent hours trying to juggle the ball.

"How come you never said anything about that?"

Kojima went on, as though she has not heard his question, "I thought to myself, 'Wow, this boy sure looks cool. I want to play soccer just like him'. So, I did."

Mizuno was dumbfounded, he didn't know how to reply her so he just looked on, waiting for her to finish her story.

"Thank you," she whispers quietly.

"Um, you are welcome?" he responded unsurely.

She laughs heartily at his confounded expression. "Well, thank you for that and also for your gift. I love it."

He nods mutely; but his heart soared with happiness.

Standing up to brush the grass on her pants, she pats his shoulders a few times and flashed him a large grin. "I have to go now, but I will see you at the airport tomorrow?"

"Definitely," Mizuno replies with an equally toothy grin.


Mizuno hung around the back of the crowd, waiting for his turn to see her.

All of Kojima's friends and family had turned up that morning to say their goodbyes. Kojima was taking her time; talking to them and hugging them. Mizuno shuffled his feet restlessly as he waited.

When she finally got to him, he said the first thing that came to mind, "You'd better win it."

"Of course!" she replies confidently and hugged him. Mizuno's heart thump so loud he thought she could almost hear it.

When she pulled back, he realises that his arms are still around her. There was a terse silence as they stared at each other.

His brain was practically screaming at him to kiss her.

This is the moment you fool! Do it!

Her unsure voice broke that train of thought. "Um, Mizuno…"

Mizuno feels the blood rushing to his face in embarrassment as he quickly jumped back. "Well," he says, rubbing the back of his neck with his hands, "Good luck."

Kojima shot him an incomprehensible look and grinned widely.

She lifted her bag on her shoulders and waved at the crowd at the departure gate. A chorus of "Byes", "Good luck" and "See you!" ran throughout.

And then she was gone.

Mizuno felt the smile on his face grow larger by the minute as he waved back; hanging from her bag was the soccer keychain he gave her.

He thinks that maybe…maybe he has a chance after all.