AN: this whole story took a direction i never wanted to take, but eh i guess thats alright. i'll just wing it

yeah i dont own captain tsubasa

Chapter 29: Changes

They were in the soccer field training one last time before they give up the field for the soccer try out matches they would be doing for the positions they have open. Though he didn't really think they need it. With their current line up, he was sure that they could get Nationals against for the second time.

Even if Koizawa did make him apprehensive sometimes. It was really Sanae's fault for taking the time to talk to him. Now Koizawa wouldn't stop glancing at him whenever they talk as if gloating that she was talking to him at the time instead of him.

He was really confused why Koizawa would look at him like that. He didn't really have any problems with other guys talking to Sanae. His friends talk to her all the time! What made Koizawa any different? Aside from his obvious attraction to Sanae, he's just like any guy out there.

No, what Misaki said about him looking annoyed whenever they talk was not true. Don't listen to him.

Moritaka-buchou just gave them a short break and he took that moment to get a drink from his water bottle.

He was in the middle of taking a sip when something caught his eye.

Koizawa and Niwaki was talking to someone and judging by his clothes, he seemed to be pretty well off. The three of them seemed to be in good terms, seeing the smiles on their faces.

Though in the end, he shrugged the whole thing off. It's not his business to know what they were talking about.

He wiped the water that leaked from his mouth with his hand and was about to return back to the field when he heard his name being called.

He turned around to see Katagiri-san standing by the sides of their field, raising his hand in greeting to them.

"Katagiri-san!" he exclaimed as he ran towards the man.

"Hello, Tsubasa," the older man greeted as he reached him. "I see that Nankatsu is doing well. I figure that all of you are aiming to win Nationals this year?"

He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "That's what we're all hoping for," he admitted. Then he turned around to look at everyone. "Though with our line up right now, I think we can make it," he said as he returned his attention back to the older man.

Katagiri smiled at his statement, happy that Japan's ace was so enthusiastic about everything. He looked back towards the field Tsubasa's other teammates, the friends he gathered when he was still in grade school. It's been so long since started observing them, and look at them now, winning an international tournament for Japan.

He knew and believed this group of soccer players will bring glory to Japanese Soccer.

That is, if another person didn't think otherwise.

He glanced from the corner of this eyes to see that man talking to two other high school students. He could feel their stares all the way from here. He was surprised that he would be here in Nankatsu, since Katagiri knew that his players wouldn't be here at all. But when he saw those two, everything made sense.

Those two were part of his U-15 team after all.

"Hey, Tsubasa," he started. The young soccer player turned to him. "I noticed you guys have new members. Though I don't remember seeing them before." He said as he turned to him and the two other high school students not on the field.

He was lying of course, he perfectly knew who those two were. How could he forget them? They were the ones who led Japan throughout the U-15 tournament.

They were the team who gave the Brazil a hard time after all.

"Oh, Koizawa-kun and Niwaki-kun?" Tsubasa remarked as he followed Katagiri's gaze. "Yeah, they're pretty new to the team. They transferred to Nankatsu right after summer break last year. Though only Koizawa-kun got in last autumn since we needed a center forward for the tournament. The try outs tomorrow would see if Niwaki-kun would be out of the bench for this year's line up."

"Hmm," Katagiri said. He kept staring at them and Tsubasa turned back to the Football Association member in confusion.

Katagiri continued to look at them, until he finally returned his gaze from the corner of his eye. They held their stare off before Katagiri finally looked away and turned back to the player before him.

"I'm sure that whatever you guys decide will give higher chances of Nankatsu to defend the National Title," he told Tsubasa.

"Right!" Tsubasa agreed enthusiastically. "I'm sure we will win again this year."

"That's the spirit," Katagiri-san told him. "Well, I better be going. I still have things to do."

"Oh don't let me hold you back," Tsubasa said in concern. "I'm sure they're more important than just talking to someone like me."

"It's always a pleasure to talk to you," he assured the young man. "Besides, you are the future of Japanese soccer. I should be doing this more often."

Tsubasa gave out an embarrassed laugh and scratched his head. Katagiri gave him a smile in return and patted his shoulder.

"So, I'll be returning sometime soon to check up on Nankatsu," he said. Then his smile turned flat. "Though, you have to promise me that you would be your team's ace until you graduate okay."

"S-sure," the boy answered uncertainly.

Tsubasa really should. With those two here in Nankastu, it would be hard for him to keep his position. Especially with Koizawa already in the team.

And if that guy continued to visit regularly, then there would be some major fighting for the representation for the World Youth.

"Well," he started. "I'll be going them. Continue to work hard, okay Tsubasa?"

"Hai!"

He finally said his goodbye and left the field, ignoring the stare from him and his two players.

Tsubasa watched as the Football Associate walk away from the field. He was actually a little anxious from what Katagiri-said. It's as if he already knew how great Koizawa and Niwaki were, and was warning him about them.

He looked towards the two and noticed that the man they were talking with was gone as well. Then his eyes met Koizawa. He was staring at him intently, and he returned it.

They continued it for a while, as if they were challenging each other of something.

"Oi, Tsubasa come on. We need to get back to practice!" Ishizaki's voice interrupted.

He blinked and turned away from him.

"Coming!" he replied as he ran towards the field.

Whatever Koizawa's challenge might be, he sure as hell won't be losing.

The phone call was supposed to be harmless really. He just needed to ask her something about the homework they received earlier this day, but before they knew it, it's already been an hour since they started talking. He didn't even know how they got into the topic of Totoro* from figuring out an algebra formula.

He had his phone between his cheek and ear, typing away on his laptop because she wanted him to look up an alpaca (an animal he just found out from her) plush toy. He had no idea why he was even doing this.

"See? Aren't they just adorable?" her voice gushed from the other line. He didn't need to see her face to know that she was probably in total euphoria about this whole thing. "Have you seen the light blue one? It's so cute! I want one so bad."

"Don't you think you're taking this plush toy thing too seriously?" he remarked as he clicked on the said light blue one.

"All plush toys are serious business, mister," she replied hotly from the other line. "You know how much I love them. They're my babies."

He chuckled as he checked the price of the plush. Her birthday's coming up. This might be a great gift for her, considering how much she's gushing about it. Besides, he did need to make up for the three years that he missed.

That and what she gave him for his last year was worth more than three years of missed birthdays.

"I heard," he answered as he placed an order. He needed to remind himself to tell his mom of what he ordered. It would save him from the embarrassment when she suddenly finds a plush alpaca in the mail. "Taki-kun did say that your whole room is littered by them."

"Oh they're everywhere! You really need to see my room so you can bask in the glory of my shrine of plush toys."

"I'll pass," he said quickly as he opened his email to see if he got the email from the online store confirming his purchase. He did see it, along with another email.

"Oh hey, I got an email from Roberto," he informed her. Immediately he opened it and read its contents.

He's been contact with Roberto over emails and calls ever since he left Brazil. Occasionally, they would even video chat if their schedules permitted. It was always great to hear from his personal coach, even if they're on opposite sides of the world. He did take care of him for all the years he was in Brazil, and taught him almost everything he knew about soccer.

"Really? That's awesome!" she said. "So what did he say this time?"

"You know, the same 'how are you's' and greetings," he answered as he read through the email. "He's also been telling me how the team has been since I left. Remember the friend I told you about? Carlos Santana?"

"Yeah, I think. Wasn't he the one who used to play soccer without feeling anything?"

He nodded absentmindedly, forgetting that they weren't face to face. "Yeah, but I managed to show him how soccer could be fun."

"If you hadn't I would have disowned you."

He stopped reading, "You can't disown me. I'm not you're son."

"All Anego Boys are my children, whether they were abroad or not," she answered promptly.

"How does that work? We didn't even know that it existed."

"Well-"

"Nevermind," he interrupted. "Let's just stop before we even go on another tangent and I get a headache."

"True."

He sighed and went back to reading. "Anyway, Santana just sighed a contract with one of the teams in Brazil. Man, I'm jealous."

He heard her chuckle, "Don't worry, Eagle. I'm sure you'll get your time. Hey there's only two more years before you go back. Have fun for a while."

He too chuckled and was almost done with the email. He couldn't believe what he read by the end.

"Holy shit, Roberto's coming," he accidentally swore out loud.

"For real? Isn't he kinda busy coaching?"

He reread the last part again. "That's what I thought too, but it seemed like he could have some form of short vacation before going into a new job."

"Huh. That's cool. At least you guys can see each other again after one year."

"Yeah," he agreed, starting to type a quick email back to Roberto. "I would have thought I wouldn't see him again until I come back, but fortunately fate has other plans."

She laughed heartily but then he heard her swear on the other line. Immediately, he stopped typing and held his phone.

"Are you okay?" he asked in concern from her cry.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered breathily. "Just my phone telling me that's going to lose its life soon. It's probably telling me to plug it in and hang up."

"Better follow it then," he told her as he resumed typing.

"But I still want to talk!" she whined, almost sounding like Daichi. "I don't want to do stinking homework."

He chuckled as he clicked the "send" button on the screen. "Who does? Anyway, speaking of homework. It's your fault I'm not done yet."

She made a fake scoffing noise. "Fine, I can hear when I'm not wanted."

"Hey, don't be like that," he said. "It's not that I don't want to talk to you. I just gotta finish homework so I can get it over with."

"Okay," she replied back with a sigh. "I know what you mean. I guess I'll do homework too."

"And maybe when we both get done earlier than expected, I'll call you next time," he told her.

"Promise?"

He smiled. "Promise."

"Okay!" she exclaimed enthusiastically. Well, that was an easy mood change. Huh, she never ceased to amaze him. "I guess I leave you to the monsters called homework."

"That's one way to describe them."

"It's the truth!"

"Sure," he conceded. "Anyway, I really need to get back to homework. So I'll talk to you later?"

"Yup! We'll talk later since my phone is five minutes from dying anyway. Ja ne!"

He chuckled as he said his goodbyes to her. When the beep that told him that the conversation was over, he took the phone away from his ear and laid it on his table.

He went back to his laptop to reread the email. He was happy that Santana getting the contract. At least his childhood didn't deter him from soccer. He was even more thrilled to find out that Roberto was going to coach the main Sao Paolo team.

But with all that happening, things are bound to change in Brazil.

They want him back for next season.

And for the first time in his life, he didn't want to go back to Brazil yet, because she wouldn't be there.

End Chapter

AN: i feel like im repeating things here, and sometimes i dont know what to write. but i guess thats just me looking for excuses. i still want to finish this and soon.

yeah that's it for today. thank you for reading and please review! cya next chapter.