Guess you picked up on who was in the prologue! Hope you enjoy this next part too.

Shining Star of the Field

"Hey, yo, listen up!"

Talking in the change-room stopped automatically as the coach spoke. Sixteen pairs of eyes turned to the direction of the loud burly man. He looked serious. "We've just been given the lineup for the opposing team, seems they've made a few changes due to injury and other issues."

"You mean the drug scare?" One player spoke up and another laughed. The coach's glare shut them both up quickly.

"That isn't the issue here. They've got some of their regular subs playing up, but there are two new rookies that are apparently even better than some of the first league players. They're both eighteen, well actually one's almost nineteen."

There were a few shouts of 'no way' and 'you've got to be kidding'. The youngest player in their team was twenty-one.

"Rookies? They're playing with rookies for the finals?" Most of the players looked incredulous.

"What's more is they were the first picked when spots opened up."

A few more eyes opened up.

"So who are these young prodigies?" Everyone's gaze drifted to the back of the room when that soft voice spoke up. Their young star player was looking at the coach with a pensive gaze. Everyone listened when he spoke. Despite his young twenty-one years of age, he was the best player on the team and was next in line for the captaincy when it opened up.

"Motomiya Daisuke and Ichijouji Ken."

The player's eyes widened fractionally then he grinned. "Don't take them too lightly guys, they're some of the best players you'll ever meet." Everyone looked at him dismissively. "I'm serious guys, Davis and Ken are quite good."

"You know them?" One of his teammates raised an eyebrow.

He grinned. "Know them? I grew up with Davis. He used to look up to me. I taught him a lot about soccer. Ken taught him a lot too when they became friends."

"Okay, I can see how this Davis guy could be good, but what about the other, Ken?"

"Ken's famous. He used to be known as 'the Rocket' in junior league, still is I think. Trust me, they're good."

The coach cleared his throat, drawing the team's attention back to him. "See? By automatically assuming that they're no good because they're rookies, you lot could have lost the game. Always be prepared and never underestimate your opponents." Their coach glanced around the room, looking each player in the eye. "Now, get home and rest, because tomorrow we're heading to Tokyo and we're training solidly for the next week until the game." He left the change-room with the assistant coach and managers to leave the team talking among themselves.

"Hey Yagami, you going to head off now?" One of the team members called out to their vice-captain and star player as he packed his training bag.

"Yeah, I think I will. I've got to get packing."

"Oh, man, you never come out for a drink with us. We're thinking of picking up tonight."

The large-haired brunette smiled in amusement. "Not tonight guys." He finished packing and slung his bag over his shoulder. "I'll see you all tomorrow." Then he walked out of the change-room; his keen ears able to pick up the inquiries of his teammates that followed him out.

"Hey, what's his deal? He never comes out with us."

"Dunno. I heard he doesn't get out much."

"But he's a really nice guy."

"I know, but I guess he might have a past or something that he doesn't want us to know about."

"Maybe a really bad break up or something. I've never seen him with anyone."

"Yeah, and did you check out that jewelry, he never takes it off."

"Just forget about it man. If it doesn't affect his performance, it doesn't matter."

The chocolate-eyed man shook his head and smiled. They have no idea what my past is like. He looked down at the golden ring on his finger and the smile faded. But that's just it. It's the past and it can never be something else.

* * *

"Ow! Why does sunlight have to be so bright?"

"See, now that's why I didn't want to go out last night," a dry voice spoke up. The owner of the voice grinned at his sleepy companion and grabbed his bag from the overhead compartment of the bus.

"Real funny Taichi." The other man glared and grabbed his own bag.

"I thought it was." Taichi walked to the front of the bus then stopped and looked back. "Well? Are you coming or not Ryotu?"

"How the hell do you manage to be so chipper in the mornings?" He growled, following his teammate out and off the bus.

"I'm not chipper. You're just worse than usual today. Hangovers can do that to you." Taichi grabbed his arm and grinned. "Come on, I'll show you around after we get settled in."

"What?"

"Didn't I tell you? I used to live around here before I came to Kyoto." Taichi grinned that usual innocent, appealing grin of his and Ryotu couldn't help but laugh at his friend.

"Guess it must have slipped your mind as things tend to do." Ryotu shook his head, sending his wild curly brown mass of hair flying around his face. "Let's get in the hotel first." They entered the large Tokyo hotel where they would be staying for just over a week while they played the finals for the National Soccer Championships against the home team.

* * *

Ryotu turned to look at Taichi as the brunette sipped his drink, studying him closely with his perceptive green gaze. "You know, there's a lot more to you than you let on Taichi."

"Oh?" Taichi raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

"Yeah. You're funny and friendly and pretty fun to hang out with, but you keep your distance. Why is that?"

"You're lucky I like you Ryo, or I would have left by now." Taichi's voice was cold.

"Tai, I'm the only friend you have on this team. You're not like this, you're a friendly guy, you always have been, I can tell these things. What the hell happened to change that?"

"People change. It's natural."

"Yours doesn't seem that natural."

"You're right, it's not." Taichi finished his drink and stood up. "I don't like people getting too close." He raised his hand to his neckline where Ryotu knew a golden rose pendant lay against his chest. "They can hurt you easier if they are."

Ryotu wondered if there was any alcohol in Taichi's drink, because he'd never heard his friend talk like this before.

"Look, I won't pry too much into your past. Everyone has secrets, but it isn't healthy to leave yourself completely trapped and alone, locked in those memories. Maybe it's time to move on."

"Not yet. I can't move on completely until I know everything's gone."

"So don't, don't let go of everything, just try and open up and maybe you'll realise that friendship isn't such a bad thing."

Taichi smiled at the irony of that statement. Friendship, ha. He doesn't know anything about it. "Friendship was my problem Ryotu, friendship made me what I am today." Taichi pushed his chair in under the table and placed a few bills down by his empty glass then pulled on his coat and walked out into the darkness of the Tokyo streets.

Ryotu shook his head sadly. "Oh Taichi." He got up himself and walked over to the bar to order another drink before deciding to head off himself, never noticing that the long blond-haired blue-eyed bartender was watching them the whole time behind his wire-framed glasses with a secretive smile on his face.

So, he's back, and about time too. The bartender grinned and pulled out a cell-phone from his pocket. He dialed a number and waited patiently before the other person picked up. "Hey, Davis, you'll never guess who I just saw."

* * *

Taichi yawned as he trooped into the change rooms after their fifth day of dawn to dusk training. He hadn't been sleeping as well as he should have been, but being back here was unnerving to say the least. Not to mention painful.

"All right, listen up people." Taichi sat down on the bench and stared at their coach, trying his hardest to stifle a yawn. "Tomorrow there will be a special luncheon for both teams held by the sponsors. Quite a few important people will be there including the CEO of the Championship League and nearly every high ranking official there. It will be a semi-formal occasion, so I want promptness and respect shown by each of you as well as a decent sense of cleanliness. Do not screw this up. This is the first time we have made it to the finals in a decade we need to give a good impression."

Gods, he's sounding like my old principal. Taichi grinned at the thought then wiped the smile away as his coach glared at him.

"Is that clear to everyone?"

There was a resounding affirmative sounding throughout the change-room. "Good then. The day after will be one of rest. Don't strain anything or break anything or do anything serious to yourself, just take it easy and try to relax before the game. All right, that's it. Everyone shower then home and I'll see you at eleven on the dot at the civics hall." The coach left the change room.

Talk broke out immediately. Speculations on who everyone was going to bring, who might be there, what the new players on the other team were like. Taichi ignored it all and headed straight for the shower.

Gods, what's this feeling in my stomach? Nerves? Am I nervous about seeing them again after so long? Man, what must they think of me? Taichi thought over all of this as he showered off and changed. Gods, please don't let them hate me, I couldn't bear it if they did.

"Yo, Taichi, you going to come with us tonight for a round?" The team looked at him hopefully, but he disappointed them by shaking his head.

"Sorry guys, not tonight." Taichi slung his training bag over his shoulder as he did every night after training and walked out, listening again, as he did after every training session, to the speculations as to why he rejected his teammates' offer to come out for a night and drink with them.

"I wish I knew why I refused too," he whispered to the familiar night sky of Tokyo, of his home.