Hey guys, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Okay,so, I've written and rewritten this author's note, but realized half of what I want to say is likely gonna be self-explanatory in the fic/and or later chapters, and the other was just, catching up on where i'm at with things aha …φ(。。*)
To sum up: I kinda burned myself out in april, i was pretty much updating every week? Not just this fic,, but like trying to update/keep up to date with several other fics all at once;;; that and i was having massive computer issues. (and was just in a mental health dump;;)
At the end of june, my computer, completely broke. I lost everything from this year not saved to cloud (which unfortunately was most of it) both art and writing. I did have a portion of this written but since it was saved locally, I had to start from scratch;; which ya know was a pain;;;
Since i had to start from scratch i kinda had to rework some things;; hopefully this all ties in together to make a satisfying update! after revisiting the manga once more/revisiting the chapters I've posted, i think i can branch away from the manga and insert my own key flag events before going back to canon :) (as if i wasn't already branching away from canon lol sfljdbngdcbblnh)
there's actually 2 moments, in particular, i want to get to, one i had hoped to get to this chapter, but ah, i'm gonna save it for the next one;; (;´д`) because it was just getting too much for this one and i wanted to save some for next update ahaha.
I tried my best to make this chapter extra long! To make up for, both the wait but also to make up for the fact my beginning and end, author's note are quite long this time,,ahhaha;;
but yeah... thank you for reading/reviewing and so on! I hope this chapter was worth the wait;;
The start to school was off with a bang but now a few weeks in, closer to a month now, things were beginning to settle into a new normal both for Sota and Haruhi.
Although Haruhi wasn't sure she'd ever get used to the ever-changing whims and fancy of the host club, Sota couldn't even imagine being in her shoes...
He was also becoming more and more involved in practices for both sports clubs, their times together were short but a lighthearted joy to each of their days; for Haruhi a reprieve from the dismaying world of rich people and Sota a break from the long hours of exercise and exertion.
It had also been more than a little of a surprise to find out Mori who was a part of the host club was also the same captain of the kendo club. The co-captain/president he had initially met, taking over for Mori in his stead, leading practices and most events while the silent host was busy.
That was the other odd thing about the host club Sota found, the self-proclaimed "king" seemed to think he was out to "'''corrupt'''" Haruhi? And the twins while not cruel were rather icy and short, which honestly he'd rather have their cold demeanor than their fawning "fan service" turned on him.
The member both Haruhi had warned him of, and his own instinctual preservation that screamed at him any time the glasses host club member was around...well was rather neutral...
"Neutral", however,...was a nice way of putting it...
But it was true. He wasn't hostile or distrusting like the club president or Sota's own classmates. Kyoya certainly also wasn't the gentle sweet(?) acceptance of the upperclassman.
Honestly, he still didn't really know what to make of them. And aside from some of the sly comments the twins tried to make any time they opened their mouths. The weird ravings of the "king", overall the club wasn't outwardly hostile. At least to the point that Sota felt the need to be anything but kind in response. Although... he also made it a point to not go out of his way either.
Haruhi in her occasional griping about the vice president, Kyoya. Noted, that while he was always one to lord over her debt above her head, or even the fact in no uncertain terms, (albeit in a roundabout manner) threatened her if she ever tried to leave - never showed pure malicious intent with his actions.
Haruhi was actually a lot more blunt, "I don't think any of em really know how to communicate well, honestly. Like, a lot of their act is for show and they do show hints of themselves within their characters, but I don't really think they know how to truly just be themselves...-except Tamaki-sempai, he's-"
And followed was several more complaints about the "lord"
Still...it wasn't the first or last of oddities he had with the host club, but with the soccer team's first official match of the season set, he put it on the back-burner.
He had somehow corralled both his mother and Kagome (though honestly, it was his mother he worried about...) into agreeing to not make any unplanned trips to Ouran again, somehow he was still getting questions every now and again about his sister that he deflected as if his life depended on it...
Speaking of Kagome, she had technically graduated early, her highschool being more of an informal degree program. The celebration was loud and bright even if incredibly small, filled with just him, grandpa, and their mother.
Still, it made Sota concerned...any mention of schools and furthering her education,...She'd just say she was taking her time choosing her options... That her adventures in the past made her enjoy her free time, that she wasn't in a rush to go back so soon...
But in truth...he had heard her and their mother's concerns..while his cost of uniform was covered, even with the scholarship covering tuition, the two worried over his possible college expenses.
...Running a shrine wasn't exactly cheap...
They weren't doing rough, far from it, but the idea of his sister making more sacrifices just for the sake of his future made something within him burn. He always wanted to do well for his family, to make sure they wouldn't have to stress or worry; he wanted to take care of them, repay all the work his family put into making sure things ran smoothly.
He knew without a doubt, that if his mother or sister knew his thoughts they'd be saddened, and angry; it was not necessarily a common discussion but one they had many times. That any "sacrifices" they made, weren't Sota's fault, that if they could provide for the family, through opportunity or options, then, of course, they'd do it for their family. And he shouldn't feel guilt or worry about "repaying" anything. Because that's what a family does, one made of blood of the covenant or water of the womb, they supported each other and uplifted them. He just wished they could see he wanted to do the same...that he wasn't the little boy too afraid to go into the well house to look for their cat anymore...
No matter how much he grew, he knew that he was still the baby of the family in a way, but even if his goals were not quite in reach just yet, that didn't mean he couldn't do anything either. So, whenever he could, he encouraged Kagome to look into specific schools, what she might want to major in, and what her dreams were. All the while, throwing himself into practices.
There were technically no rules about working while attending Ouran, but given his hectic schedule...any job would take an unnecessary toll on him. And one thing for certain he had learned, specifically from Kagome is: you can't help anyone if you can't help yourself first. So that thought was another pot to the back-burner.
If Sota were honest with himself, he was growing tired, and he could tell that his family was picking up on it, and they weren't the only one, Haruhi seemed to frown at him, before nagging him to eat again..
Still...there was yet more to do...
~/~
The soccer club was preparing for their first match of the season, and tension and pressure was on for the freshman who had joined the team, Sota particularly felt the weight of the game; as a scholarship student, his first game would count a lot to his record...
The kendo team even let him adjust his schedule in preparation for the event. Sports club activity's usually didn't overlap anyway, given that apparently, the nature of the school for the rich who had time enough for host clubs on campus...Ouran tried their best to give the teams as much support and attention as possible...
Sota had also by this point long since gotten used to the long drawn out sighs and loud, sometimes hushed squeals that appeared in the background as he practiced, but confusing of all, happened anytime he and Haruhi interacted in a public setting...
Sota, was a smart boy. And unlike his sister, prided himself on the fact he could usually pick up when someone was interested in him...So his ignoring of the cheers was less dense obliviousness,...but more willful ignorance.
It was easy for him to pass their interest in the mere idea/commodity of being a scholarship student at Ouran...nothing more, he certainly wasn't going to look any deeper,...no thanks!...
As for soccer, in junior high, he had taken on the role of midfielder, mostly playing defensive, but occasionally bumped to central. With that in mind, he was surprised when the captain had suggested he take the role of striker. He wasn't unfamiliar with the offensive role, his old team had focused hard on well rounding all teammates. The importance of balance was stressed, of course, that meant at Ouran despite starting as a first-year, he was closer to the level of the upperclassman.
The overachiever need to push himself past limits seemed to have some benefits...while most of the club, was amiable about the choice to push him as a striker, and not even second striker, it did seem to ruffle a few feathers amongst a notable number of individuals. None of which he thought might take it out on him...hopefully. But the fact of the matter was, despite their feelings, Sota was the quickest and lightest on his feet with a killer quick hook to the net.
Practice after team positions were made became brutal. Sota found himself half-asleep in ice baths more and more often. He had even taken to waking even earlier to get to campus for extra drills. Kagome was a godsend, while she couldn't cure the muscle ache and inflammation, she was able to take the pain away for even a short while. It was funny, it had seen plenty of supernatural, but it was always an experience to be the subject under her powers.
He rarely saw Haruhi but at some point, they had exchanged numbers. Lunches were a toss-up, sometimes she was whisked away by her club, and sometimes, well he took the lunch break to take in a little nap between classes and later scarfed down a quick meal before more practice.
They did get a chance to eat lunch together, halfway through the week before the match, hidden in the classroom together. A few other stragglers muddled about the room, some girls keeping to themselves, if not wandering eyes; but it was fine by the two as long as they weren't being interrupted.
"Your match is this friday right?"
Sota gave a hum of a response, half a rice ball stuck in his cheek, "mmhmm"
Haruhi made a face and he wanted to laugh.
Finishing his bite, clearing his throat, "Yeah, you coming? Gonna cheer me on?" he said with a teasing twinkle in his eye.
Haruhi's cheek flamed a bit even as she frowned, reaching over to shove his shoulder a bit, "Oh come off it."
This time he let himself laugh, completely unabashed, causing Haruhi to frown further, though it came off more as a pout. "But really, you coming?" he prodded her again.
She gave him a flat look, one that meant, she didn't see what was so funny, Sota...!
"...Yeah, a few of my customers have actually brought it up to me, asking if I was going to cheer you on."
Sota tilted his head, "Really?... Why would they do that?"
She gave him a look as he continued to stuff his face, her cheeks flaming again as she struggled over the words to say. "Well...Kyoya-sempai may have said something about a romantic bromance,...or something like that..."
Sota choked, slamming his fist to his chest as Haruhi became flustered, half out her seat, as she waved her arms around. He waved her off, clearing his throat a few times before, coughing, fist in front of his mouth.
"...Ah...I see..."
Haruhi looked bewildered, though he could still read a hint of concern lacing her features.
"You see, that's it?!"
Sota, coughed once more, his own cheeks turning a little pink, "I mean, it's not like we can really do anything about it right?"
Haruhi opened her mouth, paused, and then closed it again, clenching her jaw. "Stupid rich people..."
He cracked up once more, loud and bright, something about Haruhi's usually natural, almost passive nature being turned so quickly to the sassy anger was more than entertaining to watch, it was a little endearing honestly...
In the background, a chorus of dreamy sighs were drowned out...
~/~
Time came and went, and suddenly, game day was here.
Sota from the moment his class ended for the day, was bombarded. A few girls he was beginning to recognize a bit more with the frequently he "talked with" or rather those who constantly came to talk to him.
Questions about if he was nervous, excited, comments that they were coming to cheer, or they hadn't been to a game before. Sota took in stride, adrenaline already thrumming in his veins, smiling bright, he assured them that the team was ready for any challenge the other team threw at them.
Stopping by Haruhi's desk, he tapped twice, as she was still in the middle of packing her things away, "Still coming?"
She paused, looking up, "Yeah..." she seemed to sigh, "The host club heard I was going though,..and it seems they're going to tag along..."
Sota chuckled, despite her grumbling he knew she didn't really mind their presence.
Adjusting the strap on his bag, "I bet it'll make for an entertaining experience as a spectator."
She huffed, and then immediately froze the minute he put a finger under her chin, lifting it to so that she's eyes met his directly. Thumb touching her face in a manner that could be easily misconstrued as an intimate thing.
"As fun as the antics of the host club are... Just make sure to remember; keep your eyes on me..."
His damned dimple showing as he gave his usual lazy half-smile...and Haruhi...
Haruhi,...like a sudden volcano, in a breath, turned a bright red, too flustered to smack his hand away even as girls squealed and his laughter rang in her ears like a drum.
He ruffled her hair, oddly pleased that he was able to bring out such a reaction. It was surprisingly easy to rile her up. He also steadfastly ignored the piercing daggers he could feel aimed at his face, Haruhi recovered enough to smack his hands away from making a further mess of her hair.
Sota left with a quick sidestep and see ya as she further attempted to swat at him, some of her senses returning.
Once he was gone for sure, Haruhi slumped in her seat covering her head like a puppet with strings cut, ears still a burning red. A few nearby girls giggled, coming closer to comfort her as she moaned her embarrassment.
'That damned fox!'
~/~
Ouran was leading with goals scored, but the opposing team wasn't far behind, it would be to the final set to win the game. They were able to give a dummy run to the opposite's center forward, their own midfielder bringing the ball closer to their goal.
A quick nod of heads to make sure the strategy was still a go, center forward bending the ball, and all that was left was for Sota to strike; with quick footwork, avoiding the wing-back trying to lead him into an offside trap, giving one last push, he struck!
The whistleblowing GOAL, as the thrumming in his ears, became overwhelming along with the screams of the stadium. It didn't hit him until the second striker came running at him, shaking him, "We did it! We did it!"
'They did it! They DID IT!'
First home game and they scored a win, he hadn't even realized he was cheering as well until he could hear the echo in his own ears reflected in the roar and cheer on his teammate's faces. They were clustering together, bewilderment and sheer elation; hugging and patting each other on the back as they made their way off the field.
Their coach congratulated them, even as they tried to calm down as he went over a brief review they still couldn't keep their exuberant energy down, and the coach seemed to know this so kept it short, before gracing them with a brief smile, leaving them with a "Good job and hit the showers."
They won!...they won! The first step in his journey was well and truly starting!...'
I realized as an american, i've been referring to soccer as soccer and not football and kind of lowkey freaked/over worried about it, but my friend assured me japan also calls it soccer so;; aha
unsurprisingly,,,as you might've guess i'm also uhhhh not really a sports person :') i had to refer to soccer team terms just to make sure i had the right player for the little snippet of one word convo sota had with the goalie a few chapters back;; aha;; hopefully tho despite my small errors, this chapter and update has been a delightful read!
please if you enjoyed it, review! Have a nice day, take care n wash yer hands!
Soccer/Football notes:
*note i've got conflicting info on the numbering but the info is essentially the same. From two different websites.
*also, god hoping i didn't sound like a total dumbass using the soccer terms, that's why it was rather short in the middle;; ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Striker (S)- Traditionally Assigned Soccer Position Numbers: 10 & 11
As this name suggests, strikers are tasked with the most commonly celebrated thing in football: scoring. While Center Forwards typically have defensive responsibilities, strikers are almost exclusively concerned with attacking. Strikers are quick and unpredictable, profit from defenders' mistakes and are at times defined as goal poachers.
DR – Dummy Run (i.e., running without the ball).
BTB – Bending the Ball (i.e., causing the ball to follow a curved path).
OT – Offside Trap (i.e., putting attacking players in an offside position).
Sidenote: With all the technical gunk outta the way, it's probably unlikely in real life to switch positions you play like this? (i assume because hell if i know lsfjvnfvd) but given that he is moving from little league/junior high to high school which is where people get scouted/become more serious across the board for sports, i think some leeway for position changes is granted. That and just,,,,uhhh i was like striker fits him so well, and i figured in junior high since they weren't like big money school, his team was prbly filled with a lotta students who worked their asses off (not to knock ouran) and comparatively,,,i just have a hard time imagining that a bunch of rich corporate kids will necessary be as dedicated, simply because technically, they can live without the career (if that makes sense, like it's not make or break it for them, because they have a backup) not to say this is my plan/idea for all the team but yeah, dnfljgvndlfg sorry this was a really big word ramble! But idk where else to post, post-fic thoughts aha! (but new poll on profile related to this + question out there for a new fate readers)
