AN: i managed to update on a weekend whoa

yeah i dont own captain tsubasa

Chapter 31: Suspicions

He wasn't sure how to meet Roberto, really. On one hand, he was ecstatic to see his mentor again after almost a year. Roberto's almost like a second father to him, after all. If it wasn't for him, he wouldn't be as great of a soccer player he was today. He owed Roberto a lot.

But on the other hand, he didn't know what to tell Roberto, the new Sao Paolo coach and his personal coach for that matter, that he didn't want to go back to Brazil yet, that he wanted to stay for Japan for two more years, that he needed to stay in Japan.

That's why waiting for his personal coach in the airport was nerve wracking. What the hell would he say hey to him?

Hey welcome back to Japan! By the way I can't go back to Brazil yet. I have a girl waiting for my answer to her confession, which I'm about to answer soon. Thanks for understanding!

Definitely not. One, it sounded so stupid. Two, that was a poor excuse. Three, she didn't need to be roped into his problems. That was just plain unfair for her.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair and turned back to check the arrivals to scan the area for any signs of Roberto. There was a lot of people in the airport today. Well, it couldn't be help. It is Sunday. It would be a miracle if he could find Roberto through all these people.

He leaned on the metal dividers and unconsciously trailed his hand to his cheek. Man, it's been a week since her birthday passed and the tingling feeling he felt when she kissed him was still there. He didn't even know why it was still there. It wasn't like she hadn't done it before. She did, back when he came home from France last year and won the International Junior Youth Tournament. What made this one different from that one?

Actually, now that he thought about it, that one lasted for a few days too, maybe even longer.

Damn it.

Argh, she was driving him crazy and he couldn't help but find himself being okay with it. More than okay with it even.

Fuck it, whatever, he didn't care anymore.

"Flight 23109 from Sao Paolo via Los Angeles has arrived."

Great, Roberto's plane finally landed and he still didn't know what to say to him.

Whatever, he'll cross that bridge when he gets there.

He might have not known what to say to his coach about certain issues, but that didn't mean they couldn't talk about anything else. Right when they met, the first thing Roberto asked was how he was doing and how great he improved when he left Brazil a year ago. Of course he answered, he did, wasn't he reading his emails? They won Nationals with his help after all.

Roberto answered by putting him in a headlock and ruffled his hair.

They talked some more as they started to head to his home, which it would be Roberto's home for the next three weeks before he goes back to Brazil and prepare for the next season. They told each other how they've been and he told him how everyone of his friends were far better in soccer than when he coached them back in when they were all in elementary.

All the way home, they traded stories, never running out of things to talk about.

For some reason, Roberto hadn't brought up any talks about him returning to Brazil, which something he was really grateful.

The two of them got back to his house, expecting to be greeted by his mother and his little brother (who Roberto was excited to meet, seeing that he adored children, not to mention that Daichi was also another soccer child), and finally getting some lunch. Roberto did say that he couldn't wait to eat his mom's food.

"We're back," he called throughout the house. He was waiting for his mother's voice to welcome them back, instead he heard little hurried footsteps and a small body crashing into him.

"Welcome back!" Daichi said as he looked up to him, excitement written in his eyes. Then he peered beside him, noticing Roberto. "Hello!" he greeted exuberantly.

Roberto crouched down to meet the little boy's eyes. "Well, hello there, little guy," he greeted his little brother. "You must be Daichi, then. You're brother told me many things about you. I'm Roberto."

Immediately, Daichi's eyes widened and he became even more delighted, if that was possible.

"You're Roberto?" he exclaimed in astonishment. "That is so cool! Nii-chan told me you taught him about soccer. Can you teach me too? Please? Please? Please?"

As he pleaded to the Brazilian, Daichi moved closer to him every time. He's typically shy around strangers, but apparently they're more alike than he thought. Just anything about soccer made him lose all that shyness in a blink of an eye.

Roberto laughed as he took his brother away from his mentor and carried him.

"I know you're excited to have Roberto play with you, but why don't we let him rest first?" he told him as they walked down the hallway. "He's probably tired from all his traveling."

Daichi pouted, but he conceded nonetheless. "Okay."

"Don't worry Daichi, I'll be able to play with you soon, I promise," Roberto told him.

"Yay!" Daichi exclaimed as he raised his hands.

The both of them laughed as they turned towards the living room, and he noticed something as he gave quick glances around the house.

"Where's Kaa-san anyway? I don't see her anywhere," he remarked as he put his brother down.

"Kaa-chan went to shopping," his little brother answered as the all took a seat on the couch, the TV showing a soccer game between the Yokohama Marinos and Urawa Reds.

He knitted his eyebrows in confusion. His mom left Daichi all by himself? "Mom left you all alone?"

"Anee-chan came over!" he replied enthusiastically.

"Anee-chan?" Roberto thought out loud. Oh right, Roberto still didn't know Daichi speak.

"He means Sanae," he briefly explained, and when he saw the confused look on his face, quickly added, "It's a long story that everyone doesn't want to explain."

Then he turned back to his brother. "So Sanae's here? Where is she?" he inquired. Okay, he really needed to talk to people about leaving Daichi all alone.

"Anee-chan went to-"

"Daichi? Who are you talking t- Oh!" they heard her exclaim in surprise as she came inside the room and saw them. "Oh, oh. Hi."

"Is that really, you Sanae-chan?" Roberto said as he stood up.

She gave a shy shrug as she walked towards them. "The one and only."

Roberto met her half way. "My, look at you," he remarked as she gave him a hug. "The last time I saw you, you were still hanging out with the boys. Now though, you've matured compared this guy." He pointed to Tsubasa who was playing with his little brother.

"Hey!" said boy whined as he looked over to them.

She giggled lightly and walked towards the two boys. "I still hang out with the boys," she told him. "Someone has to take care of them, especially him," she added as she ruffled his hair, to which he whined about again.

Roberto produced a laugh as Tsubasa complained that he wasn't that bad, but even Daichi agreed with her that he was worse than he thought he was.

"Oh, he's a handful alright," he agreed as he took a seat on one of the chairs. "Honestly, when it comes to soccer, he just doesn't know how to stop."

"I'm not that bad," he tried to deny weakly.

She snorted from beside him, ignoring his claim. "Don't even get me started. Did he ever tell you what happened last year?"

Roberto leaned his body forward, having his elbows rest on his knees as he looked pretty interested about it. "No," he answered, "What happened last year."

She turned to the boy beside him as Daichi hopped on the couch to sit on her lap. "You didn't even tell your personal coach about it? Really?"

"What, I thought he didn't need to be bothered by such a minor injury," he defended quickly.

Roberto watched as his student got reprimanded by the only girl in the room. But, his student only received his scolding with a teasing smile on his face, as if he wanted to rile her up even more. He did have to agree with Sanae that he should have taken of himself more. He needed to be in perfect shape before he comes back to start his career back in Brazil.

Speaking of Brazil, he would have thought that he would be excited to come back to South American country, seeing that he would finally be able to complete one of his dreams. But he didn't say anything about it at all. He expected that right when he reached Japan, Tsubasa would give him his answer he would be coming back to Brazil.

He didn't have a clue why Tsubasa would be hesitating for this opportunity.

But when he continued to watch Daichi and Sanae tag-teaming him into making fun of him, he might have figured a reason why when he saw how his student looked at the girl beside him.

And he knew then that Tsubasa had a tough choice to make.

Roberto told them that there was another reason why he went to Japan. Something about looking for this one high school player who was Brazilian studying in Japan. This guy was apparently wanting to see how Japanese people play soccer after watching a young player play in a match.

She could understand if the guy wanted to just visit and play a game, but enrolling in a school so they could meet on the field again? That's just a bit too much, not to mention a little obsessive. This Japanese dude better be one hell of a soccer player.

But then again, she was friends with the greatest soccer players Japan ever bred (they're called the "Golden Age" for a reason), so she shouldn't really be surprised. And apparently according to last year's U-15 team, there's a whole 'nother team that were just as great.

Wow, what did the people of Japan eat to produce soccer prodigies to appear in this generation?

But she's not complaining. If they weren't soccer obsessed freaks of nature, they wouldn't be the friends that she knew. He wouldn't be the person she was in love with.

She plopped on her bed and hugged the plush he gave her close to her. She got home a while ago from his house once his mom returned from grocery shopping. Of course, the Oozora matriarch, and Roberto for that matter, to stay longer, but she declined politely, reasoning that she it would be the perfect time for Tsubasa to catch up with Roberto or for the older Brazilian to take a rest from all his traveling.

She did make them promise to come by the shop anytime.

Speaking of Roberto, she had this weird feeling that him visiting has more reasons that what he told them. Sure, she believed that he was looking for that Brazilian dude in Japan, and also to visit the family who took great care of him when he was in Japan, but something didn't feel right. Especially about the young Brazilian. It was as if he needed to gather information about this guy for something important.

And also, when he talked about the new job he got as the new coach for Sao Paolo, he sends this little glances to Tsubasa, as if trying to see a reaction to come from him. Tsubasa for his part, was ignoring the small signals. She didn't know whether he was doing it on purpose, or he just didn't notice them.

She thought that she knew why Roberto was giving those looks to Tsubasa and she hoped and prayed that she was wrong.

She felt for the charm he gave her on her neck, absentmindedly playing with it.

Please don't let him leave so soon.

End Chapter

AN: oh dear, all these people having problems. this is not good. also, roberto thinks he knows whats up with tsubasa, and sanae knows whats up with roberto. are they both right? who knows. at least we know tsubasa's really close to what he thinks is going on concerning his feelings, or does he? we just dont know.

anyway, short chapter. sorry. still thanks for reading and please review! cya next chapter!