Author's note: Sorry. I have been busy this week. I only have one chapter to post.

***Chapter 26 - Soaked ***

Coach Mikami dropped by last night on his way back home from the airport. He sat down and spoke to my parents and I about an opportunity to join a youth team in Germany. This is the best way to get into Germany's bundesliga as a professional soccer player. All the professional teams choose from these elite youth teams. He's been hired into the German Football Association's administrative management organization, and he's been able to cut a deal to let a top Japanese youth goalkeeper train in one of Germany's top youth clubs. He thinks that I'm the one most suited to go.

This is what I've been waiting for - my jump into European soccer. I feel like this is a giant leap towards my dream.

Yet as wonderful as this news is, I can't seem to feel happy. She's the first one I want to talk to about this, but at the same time, I feel a sense of trepidation. I will leave Japan, just when we've become so close. I've never had a close friend before, let alone someone like Rai. We're still young, but I am certain we're more than just close friends, even if she doesn't know it yet. I don't know how she'll take this. She resents her father's absence. Will she resent me now? I can't bear the thought of her hating me.

I agreed to go. Of course I did. But after Coach left, I spent the rest of the night and all of today thinking about Rai. I should be thinking about this great opportunity, but instead, I'm thinking about her. It never occurred to me, in all our conversations about me becoming a soccer player, that I would hurt her in the process. Now, I realize how blind I was. But then, even if I did, what would I have done? Would I really have stayed away from her?

"Genzo!" I hear my big brother call from downstairs. "I think I saw your little friend at the gate just now. She's about to be soaked if you don't open the door for her."

Rai? I look out the front window, and see a shadow at the front gate. It's starting to really pour out there. I didn't hear the doorbell. Is there something wrong with it? I grab a large umbrella and run out the door.

"Rai!" I call, as I run out down the front walkway. I can see now that she's slumped against the gate, and is soaking wet.

"Rai! Did you ring the bell? I didn't hear anything. You're soaked! Come in!" I say, as I reach her.

I take her arm and spin her around. My heart sinks when I see her face. She's been crying. She knows. She doesn't have to say a word. I can see it in her eyes - the disappointment, the frustration...the...hurt.

I've hurt her. I start to pull her toward me, but she breaks loose and steps back from me. Her expression changes suddenly, and I see what I've been dreading all day - the hate. For some reason, my stomach begins to hurt, and I feel like I've been punched. All I can do is cough up the words, "Rai...please...let's talk..."

She's just beyond my umbrella, and her hair, her clothes are all soaking wet. The rain is pouring down from my umbrella, just as it pours down her face. I want to hold on to her. I don't want her to run. I just want to tell her everything will be ok, but it kills me because I can't. I'm desperate now, "Rai...please..."

"How long have you known?" she asks accusingly.

"...Just yesterday night. Coach Mikami came by to ask me if I would go to Germany with him..."

"Did you say yes?"

"Rai, what would you do?"

She falls silent for a moment. I inch closer to her, sheltering her under my umbrella.

"When do you leave?"

"In about two months, just before the team starts the training season."

"...two months..." she says, more to herself, than to me.

I take a large step toward her and put my arm around her. She doesn't move.

"In two months then. You will leave me too," she murmurs.

"No. No. Rai. I am not leaving you."

Now I have no idea what I'm saying. All I know is that I don't want to leave her. Even if I'm going to Germany, I'm not leaving her. I have no idea what that means though. She looks up at me, not understanding either.

"You're going to Germany. You will not be here. You are leaving," she says definitively.

"Yes. I'm going to Germany. That's how I'm going to be a professional soccer player. Getting international experience is part of the plan. I know it's happening earlier than I expected, but here it is, and I have to do it. But Rai, I'm not letting you go. Give me some time, Rai. Let me think about this. I know I still want you in my life. Maybe it's not exactly what we've had these past months, but..." I was starting to flounder.

Damn it, Rai. Give me some time to think. I feel her body sink a little under my arm, like she's given up. No. No. Rai, don't give up on me. I feel her heave a sigh.

"Congratulations, Wakabayashi-kun," she says softly.

I drop the umbrella so I can grab her shoulders with both my hands, forcing her to face me directly.

"Rai. Do not give up on me. I've never had any close friends before. I thought I could do things myself. You showed me how much better I could be with someone...someone whom I could share myself with. You are ...You are...the only real friend I've ever had. You're my best friend...and...and even more than that. We will find a way around this. Give us some time. Let me think about it..."

She didn't look convinced. Her eyes told me she didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"I should go back," she said, as she started to extract herself from my hold.

I knew I couldn't do or say anything to change things right now, so I had no choice. I let go of her, and picked up the umbrella again. We were both soaked.

I walked her back to her house. She said nothing more to me, and I spent the entire time trying to find something useful to say. When we arrived, she walked up to her front door, and fumbled for her keys. She could hardly hold them up. I took them gently from her, and opened the door. Hearing the sound, her parents rushed to the door. Coach Mikami was shocked to see me.

"Genzo? What are you doing with Rai?" he asked.

"Rai, where have you been? We've been so worried!" her mom cried.

Rai walked over to her father and said, "Get out! You want to go to Germany that much? You can go. It makes no difference to me. But don't think you can come here and tell Mom that you're so considerate and thoughtful that you'll give her a choice. Your choices mean nothing."

Her words were aimed at her father, but I felt every word pierce my heart. I looked over just in time to see her body sway as her legs gave out from under her. I grabbed her before she fell to the ground.

"Rai!" I called, as I shook her. She had fainted.