AN: let me start off by saying i dont like this chapter much

Hana2-hi! well, here's the next chapter. i didn't really intend to focus that much on the other team, but as i said i dont even know half of what i write and it blew into proportions that contributed to the creation of this chapter. woohoo anyway, thanks for reading STiL! i still have stuff to work on before i can post more stuff for that (mainly homework and this), but im glad you enjoyed it. for some english ct fanfiction, well there's really two worth reading (there's not a lot of englsih ct fanfiction and im disappoint) called keeping secrets by raisonne (TsubasaxSanae with implied HyuugaxMaki) and eagle's wings by depths of silence (TsubasaxSanae that will give you diabetes because its just that sweet and cute) yeah that's just about it. thanks for reading and reviewing!

Mimi- hey! im doing great (except maybe sleep deprived) thanks for asking. tsubasa's transition soon into a man, and im actually getting excited for it. i have great plans for it. i just need to get the other stuffs out of the way then we can have that huge moment of celebration. yeah, the story that hana told me looked pretty interesting and i would really love to read it, but my two years of french didn't teach me that much :( and yeah its... its pretty long. anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing!

Chapter 34: Another's Thoughts

Subaru wasn't sure how to feel about all of… this exactly. On one hand, he didn't exactly have anything against Oozora. He was a nice guy, and a talented soccer player. He used to not know anything about him. He guessed he was busy being swamped by soccer scouts to actually hear about other notable players in Japan. It also didn't help that Oozora went to Brazil in order to be a better soccer player. So yeah, he didn't know jack shit about Oozora until recently. Actually, he hadn't heard anything about the tournament in Yomiuri Land at all. According to some of the rumors he heard, it was supposed to be a legend that it was the first big tournament that bred Japan's Golden Generation. At least that's what the other scout believed, according to Mizuki-san.

Maybe that was when he felt a little resentment for Oozora.

Growing up, he loved soccer. He practically lived it. He along with Kaoru, joined the local boys' soccer club in their city. He worked hard to make the both of them better, because they wanted their dream of winning the World Cup possible. And he was happy that Mizuki-san recognized his talent and hard work.

Because of that, he was in all sorts of camps and international tournaments representing Japan. Every time he was sent overseas, he could feel a sense of pride for representing Japan. He along with Niwaki and the others showed that they were Japan's hope, the generation that would lead them to winning the World Cup.

He felt himself getting closer to his dream when he was picked for the U-15 team. He did everything in his power to let Japan win the tournament. He even thought that they might finally have a chance when they tied against Brazil in the group stage. Even their defeat against Spain in the semifinals was a small victory for them. It meant that after a long time, Japan will finally have a chance for the title, all because of them.

But then, Oozora and the others appeared.

So while his team was busy off trying to win international friendly games for Japan, there was another group of players emerging and taking Japanese soccer by storm, almost as if they were taking their places. They didn't think much about this. They were just rising stars, unlike them who were already being bred as the future of Japanese soccer.

It was just unfortunate that nobody ever told them that someone was already planning for this other group to be the Golden Generation. A year before his team was scouted by Mizuki-san. They were the group who took the Japanese soccer by storm, when they were fighting in Yomiuri Land.

And Oozora Tsubasa was the one who led this group for being the most talented player, maybe even the whole of Japan. But then he left, and the group from Yomiuri Land was ignored again. There were only a select few that managed to garner attention from Mizuki-san, most notably Hyuuga Kojiro. After Oozora, Hyuuga was the one praised for his goal scoring.

But he was never on the team, and the only time Subaru ever had any contact with him was when they fought on the field. And that was the first time he lost against someone in Japan. Hyuuga could keep up with him easily, and that defeat prompted him to train harder. If just one person from this "Golden Generation could play with him head to head, then what about the others? Most especially, Oozora Tsubasa who some consider as the best.

He didn't know whether to count it as a blessing or a curse when he watched the High School Nationals this year and managed to see their games this time. He couldn't join the tournament this time, being busy playing friendly campaigns. He came home just in time to see their watches on TV, and he was sure that anyone from his team was flabbergasted by those matches.

It was as if he was watching wasn't a high school match, but a professional match.

They could easily keep up with them, and maybe even the rest of the world. Just like his team.

It didn't help that the International Football Association made a new tournament for boys 16 and under. What hurt more was that they weren't picked at all, he wasn't picked.

He didn't even have to ask Mizuki-san why any of them weren't picked at all, because he told them that the Association didn't even tell him about this at all. Meaning to say, Mizuki-san was pissed beyond belief. But even if he wasn't informed of the tournament, Mizuk-san told them to stay put. He was sure that these group wouldn't even be able to last that long in the group stage.

He wasn't exactly sure about that.

But they didn't mind it. Mizuki-san knew what he was talking about. This group would be decimated right away.

So he thought of other things, like their move to Nankatsu. He didn't know whether fate was playing with him, or was it just coincidence, but of all cities, why did his father's company transfer him there of all places? Where the current high school champions were, where Oozora Tsubasa was.

He guessed it was a good thing that he wasn't there when they arrived. He might have challenged Oozora impulsively without knowing his whole capabilities and that's not a good thing.

But, there was at least a gray lining to this cloud.

He met Nakazawa Sanae, and she took his breath away.

Subaru wasn't the type to be attracted to girls easily. He didn't have that much time to think about them with how busy he was. And he would admit that he was a little turned off with how some of the girls acted around him.

But, Sanae, she- she was different. Maybe it's because she didn't know anything about him at first. But when Kaoru told her about his exploits as a soccer star, she only smiled and complimented him. She didn't start clinging onto him, she didn't start flirting with him, she didn't even made any move on him. She took it all in stride and treated him like any other person.

That was when he realized that he wanted to know her more. He wanted to know everything about her. And for the first time in his life, he found himself attracted to someone.

It was fortunate that he was put into her class by the start of the fall term, and even sitting beside her. He did get to know her more. He learned all kinds of things about her, and he was glad for it.

It was just unlucky that by knowing more about her, he also had to know that she was great friends with Oozora Tsubasa. And what's worse, she seemed to see him as more than a friend.

At first he was disheartened, and maybe a little bitter towards Oozora. It seemed like everything was being taken away from him by Oozora. He already had the Japanese soccer fans at his feet because his victory in France, and now the first girl he found himself attracted to was instead in love with Oozora. It seemed unfair.

But when he noticed that Oozora didn't seem to reciprocate her affections at all, there was a feeling of hope bubbling in him. Maybe, just maybe he could have a chance with Sanae. That if he could show that he would be better than Oozora in taking of her, then maybe she would give him a chance.

So, he tried it. He gave subtle hints. Little smiles here and there. Helping her out as much as he could. Brightening up when he talked to her. The smallest things.

At first he thought it worked, seeing that she would usually give him smiles whenever they met eyes, and she would always pleasantly greet him, but nothing more than that.

But something seemed to have happen between her and Oozora. He noticed things. He noticed how they seemed to be closer, noticed their hushed conversations between just the two of them, noticed the looks they shared.

It was the smallest things, but for them it spoke volumes. And sometimes he wished it was him that she could give those tender smiles to.

It seemed like Oozora won again.

But that didn't mean he was giving up. Not with Sanae, or soccer.

The World Youth was just around the corner, and they were picking the representatives just after Nationals this year. But it's not just about who would represent Japan, it was also between the two scouts' choices of players. Mizuki-san's team who reached the Semifinals in the U-15 tournament, who tied against Brazil's team, or the other scout's team that won the small tournament in France.

He knew that the Association would be pitting the two groups against each other. Mizuki-san informed them right as he was told. And he couldn't help but feel excited over this match

Finally, he was going up against Oozora. He could prove that they weren't as great as everyone made to them to be. He could prove that there were more talented players in Japan than those people. That this "Golden Generation" wasn't just them.

He worked hard to get where he was, and he wouldn't be giving it away so easily to people that only had international experiences not too long ago.

He's not saying that they didn't work hard enough or that their win in France was just luck. He knew that they gave it everything they got to win that tournament. He just didn't see how they could survive against harder international matches when he and his team have been playing more of those kinds of games since they were young. They deserved to be the representatives.

So he would give it all he got, give everything he had to prove that they were better. That he was not giving up his position as Japan's No. 10 to anyone, even if it was a great of a player such as Oozora.

Oozora was a nice guy, and he could admit that he was a great soccer player, but Subaru knew he could be better. He wasn't giving anything up to him. Whether they be soccer, or about Sanae.

Besides, he was planning on telling her his feelings for her soon.

End Chapter

AN: man i hate writing for subaru because i felt like he was just repeating himself and i couldnt even reach my word quota c theres not even any dialogue this chapter sucks

yeah im just gonna shut up and sleep. i hope you liked this chapter more than i did

also please check out So This is Love. that's misaki's and ayame's journey through disney

thanks for reading and please review. cya soon