Chapter Twenty One: Simple Payback

October 25, Saturday

"So it's against Luppi's team, right?"

Toushirou returns the gaze that his middle school mate is giving him. There's no need to answer the question, he knows. Yukio is already aware of the answer and is only making an excuse to talk to Toushirou before their respective matches.

Yukio's eyes narrow as he continues to stare at Toushirou. "Don't you dare lose to that pathetic excuse of a coward, Hitsugaya. Remember that I am the only one who has the right to crush you on the field."

Toushirou smirks in acknowledgement of Yukio's challenge. "As if that's going to happen, Vorarlberna. And shouldn't you be worrying about your own match more, because you have to win that first game as well."

"Heh, why should I be worrying if victory is already assured?" Yukio grins.

"A little bit overconfident, aren't we? In that case, I'll just see you on the finals then, Vorarlberna." Toushirou tosses back, amused.

"Hey, Toushirou! Coach is already calling for all of us!"

Both men turn to look at the direction of the shout. A few meters away from them, near one of the soccer fields, Karin is waving at Toushirou rather energetically.

"Lively as ever, isn't he?" Yukio comments as he looks at Toushirou. "Your cute partner must be really excited."

"You can say that again," Toushirou answers. He walks away and waves over his shoulder. "Well then, just see you around, Vorarlberna."

"Uh-huh. Go get 'em, Hitsugaya!"

Even if you don't say that... Toushirou muses. I surely am going to get them.

"I am going to kill him," Renji hisses in between gritted teeth, while watching as one of his teammates tends to Karin's wounds on both knees.

Toushirou feels like beating someone into a pulp right now, but he tries to calm himself down as he clenches his right fist. No, he will not give the enemy the satisfaction of seeing him losing his composure. That is clearly what they want. They intend to upset him and break his focus on the game.

Cowards. They really are a bunch of pathetic cowards.

The Seireitei team has been doing pretty great in the soccer match up until now. Luppi's team members, while all superior at spouting nonsense like their leader, aren't nearly as excellent at soccer.

At first, all the Seireitei Soccer team members wondered whatever happened to the team which crushed them in a game more than a year ago. Then they realized this team wasn't the same team they had faced before. So the rumors about some of Luppi's soccer teammates quitting because they couldn't stand him anymore may have been true. And that may be the reason this new team they are up against has been having a hard time catching up with their play from the very start. Or maybe it's the fact that the Seireitei Soccer Team has become stronger with Toushirou finally getting back in shape and Kaito as an additional good player.

Their opponents might have also realized that they couldn't win if they play fairly, thus they resorted to some old dirty tricks.

Just as when Karin was running towards the goal to make another shot, two of Luppi's teammates rounded her, one tripping her in rather awkward angle. It could have been considered as a penalty, but Toushirou guessed the bastard did the trick neatly and hidden from the referee's perspective, thus the man might have brushed it off, thinking it was just a defensive move.

"Your wounds look terrible, Kaito. I don't think you can still continue playing this game."

"No, I am still going to play, Captain! I can't let those bastards have it their way! I am going to pay them back!"

Toushirou sighs as he listens to Karin reason out to Renji. She sounds really decisive. Well, I suppose that is to be expected. That's just how stubborn she really is. But still...

He looks at Renji and notices him giving a look like he's pleading for help. This is indeed a tough case, dealing with a hardheaded woman like Karin. Toushirou turns to their coach who has just been observing them silently the whole time. Coach Kensei never really changed. He has always been like that, letting his boys learn through experience as they make their decisions on their own, only to butt in when the situation is already too hard for the kids to handle. Not that they disapprove of his way; the truth is it shows how much he trusts the decision-making skills of the team, and his method has proven really effective most of the times.

Toushirou heaves another sigh before bending down a bit so that he's in level with Karin.

"Listen, Kaito," he talks to her softly, "I get to agree with Captain Renji that you're not in shape to still continue playing this game. So stop being so stubborn and let us finish the job of paying them back, okay?"

Karin makes a face, but when Toushirou smiles and leans his forehead against hers, she stops and stares at him in confusion.

"Stop giving your big brother a trouble, Kaito. Don't you have any confidence in us?" Toushirou whispers.

Karin turns her head to the side and away from Toushirou's close stare. "O-of course, I b-believe in you... b-but..." She chances a side-glance at Toushirou and instantly cracks as she notices that Toushirou hasn't leaned away yet. "Y-you're too close, Toushirou! A-and don't treat me like a kid, damnit!" She stands and glares down at Toushirou who is almost kneeling in front of her.

Toushirou just stares at her impassively.

Sitting back in the bench, Karin grips her shorts with both hands, as she whispers in a shaky voice, "You're... you're going to win it, right?" It's obvious that she is still not into the idea of having her just sit back for the rest of the game. So for her to finally agree, she must have also realized that it is best for the team.

"Of course," Toushirou replies instantly, as he stands up. "Don't worry. We are all into this together, Kaito, no matter what."

And I'll make the bastard regret it. I think my warning doesn't suffice. Cowards, you are so dead.

"Hey, I'm sorry for breaking your moment, guys, but time out is almost over," Ikkaku points out, "and by the way, Kaito's big brother Toushirou, is it alright if I also call you Onii-chan from now on?"

Yumichika grins. The freshmen snicker. Renji smirks.

"Shut up." Toushirou rolls his eyes. "That's revolting."

"Too bad, huh, Ikakku? I think you can get Hitsugaya's special treatment only if you're as cute as Shiba-kun," Yumichika teases.

"Meh, whatever." Ikkaku answers.

"Stop him!" Luppi shouts. He might as well break his vocal cords if he keeps shouting that loud. He is really pumped. Well, he should be. After all, if Toushirou makes this shot, then the game is over. It is all over for Luppi's team. So obviously he will do anything just to stop the Seireitei team.

But Toushirou will not let him have what he wants. No matter what, he will win this game for the team, for himself and for Karin.

"Are you really sure about this, Dragon? Are you sure you can do it?"

Toushirou continues running straight ahead. Don't listen to him, he's just trying to provoke you.

"Do you want to repeat the same mistake? Are you sure you want to disappoint your team again? You can't do it anymore, and you know that!"

Toushirou suddenly stops as he stares at the net before him. Can he really do it? He hasn't done it in a long time. The last time he did, he seriously failed, causing his team to lose as well. Images of that particular past game flash back to him as he hesitates. That nightmare. He doesn't want it happening again. What is he even doing here? He will just let the Seireitei team down again.

"Don't screw this up, Toushirou!"

His eyes widen as the images of the past break into pieces. He turns to the source of the voice, only to see Karin now standing from where she is. The look in her eyes is what totally awakens him. They are filled with confidence, belief that he can do it.

"Shit!" He curses under his breath, turning around instantly and running after Luppi as he realizes he has already stolen the ball from him.

Damn, he had almost lost it. Of course, he doesn't want that nightmare happening again. And that is exactly the reason why he is here. In the present, not in the past.

This time, the result will be different. He will make sure of that. And he knows that his teammates are really counting on him. Only he had his doubts, but even then his team never stopped believing in him. They know he can do it.

And he can. After all, only he can live up with the name of Seireitei's Dragon.

He takes Luppi by surprise, as he manages to separate the ball from him by kicking it upwards, causing the thing to fly a little bit over their heads. Toushirou doesn't even pause and give his opponent the time to process what's going on when he takes a step back, then promptly sends a follow-through kick just as the ball is going down. To complete the process, he performs a backward somersault, putting a great force in his right foot, and sends the ball straight to the goal.

The sharp sound of the whistle is followed by a short silence, then total noise as the crowd cheers.

For Toushirou though, it is as if they don't even exist. Not Luppi and his team's shock and disappointed, not the Seireitei's victory cheers, nor any person's reaction actually matters to him at the moment. Everything around him is completely non-existent at the time as he stares straight in the eyes of the woman who is gaping at him from the bench. Even she seems surprised and amazed.

Karin must have just come to her senses and realized that Toushirou is also looking at her. She gives him a grin and holds both hands in two thumbs-up.

Toushirou smiles at her. Seriously, Karin, whatever am I going to do with myself without you?

It's a short chapter for a lot of reasons. Kind of broken, but I just had to write it. Something, anything, just to move on because this is where I am stuck. I'll just be sure to make up for it next time.

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"Geez, they really screwed themselves up, didn't they? They had the nerves to drink up that much beer when they don't even know how to handle their alcohol."

"Hn."

"But I'm surprised you're still sober, Toushirou. You were the one who actually drank most of it just because you wanted to cover for me. Seriously, that was unnecessary though. I could have told them off myself, you know?"

"Uh-huh."

"Huh, why did you stop walking, Toushirou?"

"Hey, you... You're... What is... a lost angel doing here?"

"Shit, Toushirou, how much alcohol have you actually taken? I was so careless. You are drunk after all!"

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