Chapter Five: Rekindle the Past

"How dare that midget skip practice," Hiruma muttered, entering his office. He stopped when the whiff of jasmine made his nostrils flare. Kurita and Mamori, who followed behind smelled it too. Hiruma went to find the perfume bottle, searching everywhere on his desk. Mamori called for his attention and told him that someone had dropped it and put it in the trash. He scrutinized the glass pieces at the bottom of the bin, where it accompanied a bunch of banana peels. Storming onto the field where Monta was, he aimed his machine gun at him and fired rounds. Monta shrieked and hopped from side to side to avoid them.

"Fucking monkey! Where's the shrimp?"

"Don't know. He ran off!"

Cracking his knuckles, he went to fetch Cerberus. About to break the chain with a hammer, Mamori grabbed his arm.

"Hold it! Let's ask Monta what happened," she suggested.

Kurita came over with Monta.

Gun in hand, Hiruma raised his chin. "Let's hear it then."

The squeaking sound of metal swinging back and forth reverberated throughout the playground. Shizuka had finished telling him about the time when she used to be the Devil Bat's manager. Sena's shoulders slumped. He didn't know what to say to her. It was as if all the words had been stolen from his mouth and locked away in a chest. Staring at her shadow, he noticed that it moved. Shizuka was looking up at him.

"What a terrible manager I was," she laughed at herself.

"Shizuka..." Sena reached out to touch her.

"Even though I tried so hard..." Shaking her head in disbelief, her smile faltered. Biting down on her lip, she shut her eyes and turned away from him. Pushing her legs up, she thrust herself forward. The chains of the swings rattled as she lifted herself into the air. Wincing as a ray of orange light hit his face, the next time Sena opened his eyes, all he saw was an empty swing, propelling back and forth.

You're wrong, Shizuka. You are…Turning around, he nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Hiruma.

"Just as I suspected." Hiruma blew a bubble with his gum. "Fucking monkey told me."

Sena should have been filled with fear at the moment, but all his mind could focus on was Shizuka. In a way, he could relate to her. He was only playing American football for his own safety, but now he had the desire to improve his skills, to defeat Shin, and aim for the Christmas Bowl. Unfortunately, she never found her own reason for being on the team.

"That's not it, fucking shrimp," said Hiruma, as if reading his thoughts. "Now let's get goin'. You've got laps to run."

"Right...And sorry about the bottle..."

"I don't really care about it, but you can explain to flower girl how it got broken."

"But wasn't it important?"

"There's no fucking use in dwelling on the past! Now get to practice!" Drawing out his gun, bullets rained down everywhere. Covering his head, Sena dashed back to the school. Taking a quick look around, Hiruma spotted the tent. "That is fucking lame." He began to head back as well. He ceased in his footsteps when he saw Shizuka through the fence. Recovering from the brief shock, he smirked. "Oh? The flower girl returns after the shrimp's gone!" She went to pass him, but he intentionally blocked her. Moving to go around him, he got in her way again. "What? Not happy to see me?"

Folding her hands together, she stared at her feet. "No, I am."

"Same here," he cackled. "As always, you reek of flowers."

"You're the one who gave me the perfume."

He laughed harder. "And you've been wearing it since then?"

"That's because it's special."

His laughter stopped. "Isn't it time you forgot about that?"

"I tried, but it's still fresh in my memory," Shizuka said. She placed a hand against her temple. "My dream to be a runningback ended here on this very playground. Part of me still can't accept it. That's why I keep coming back here; I can't stop dreaming of what would have happened if the past was different."

"Then find a new dream." Hiruma seized her wrist, startling her.

"A new dream? Is it that easy to find one?"

"Never said it was easy, but with what you've been doing during your time away..."

"How do you–" Her question was answered when he showed her his extortion book. Blushing, she avoided eye contact.

Sena joined Monta in cone drills after his conversation with Mamori. She was wondering if he had seen "Sena". At first, he was confused, but then remembered he was dressed as Eyeshield. When Hiruma returned, he told her he had put "Sena" to death for skipping practice and breaking the bottle. Surprisingly, she hadn't reacted like she normally would. She simply nodded.

Then the bottle really was important. Sena bumped into a cone.

"What are you doing?" Monta asked.

"Nothing!" Fixing the cone, he continued with practice. As much as he worried about Shizuka, he had to move on with his life. Hindering himself would prove useless for him and everyone else. Perhaps this could set an example for Shizuka, who was trapped in the past.

Watching from afar, Hiruma munched on some pretz. Guess I don't have to worry about the shrimp getting lazy, but he'll probably go see her again. He didn't oppose Sena and Shizuka's relationship as long as he didn't slack off. At first, he was apprehensive about their relationship since Sena was Eyeshield and Shizuka had wanted to be the runningback for Deimon. However, she didn't seem the least bit jealous of him. If she were, she wouldn't even associate herself with Sena. She hasn't moved on from the past, but she doesn't hate the present. That's a good sign. Hiruma recalled the conversation he had with Unsui after the game with Oujo at Enoshima Stadium.

"I saw Shizuka here earlier," Unsui said. "I thought she came with you, but I was mistaken."

"Did you now? Ke ke ke, you worried about her?" Hiruma taunted.

Unsui crossed his arms and looked away. "As the one who found her that night and also as Agon's brother, I feel that I'm somewhat responsible."

Shaking his head in disapproval, Hiruma crushed the pretz box, molding it into a ball. The past held captive more than one prisoner. He didn't want to be one of them.

That night in the Kongou Household, Unsui was eating dinner with his family. As usual, Agon was out somewhere, fooling around with girls. Their parents never questioned Agon's bad habit. As long as he remained the genius that he was, Agon could do whatever he wanted. Picking at his sukiyaki, he lost his appetite. He excused himself and placed his dishes into the kitchen. Taking a glimpse of the clock, it was ten o'clock pm. It was around this time that he found Shizuka in the playground three years ago. By that time, she had fallen unconscious. The fight was unfair; it was five against one. Hiruma had came to his assistance just in time.

Leaning against the counter, he gave her a call. After some ringing, she picked up.

"I didn't expect a call from you." She sounded cheerful.

"Something happened and I thought I should give a call."

"I see," she replied.

"So...how's your leg?"

Long pause.

Fidgeting his shoulders, he hoped he hadn't pushed the wrong buttons. He wasn't used to dealing with women.

"Everything is okay." With that, she hung up.

Unsui dropped his arm to his side. Everything was not okay. It was far from it. He flinched when his phone vibrated, notifying him of a picture message. Downloading it, a photo of Shizuka appeared. She held an index card that read, "Stop worrying yourself bald." He dropped the phone when Agon entered the kitchen.

"Yo, Unko-chan! Did I scare ya?" Agon got a water bottle from the fridge. Twisting off the cap, he chugged half of it down. As Unsui went to pick up his phone, Agon's eyes landed on the screen. His God Speed Impulse kicked in and he snatched it from the floor. "Still keeping contact with that flower trash?"

Unsui ignored him and motioned for his phone back.

Sena got home later than usual. To his surprise, his mother didn't scold him; rather, she was giddy about something and had quickly ushered him to his room.

What's with her? Strolling into his room, he saw Shizuka napping on his futon. Flinging himself against the hallway wall, his heart pounded against his chest at a rapid pace. At the bottom of the staircase, his mother signaled for him to shush. As if he could keep quiet! He rushed to her for an explanation.

"She dropped by a couple of minutes ago looking for you. She was tired so I had her take a nap until you came home. Go take a shower and I'll bring up some snacks later," she giggled. "Who knew you were so popular? First Mamori and now this young lady..."

Eyes twitching, he looked to his father, who was playing with Pitt. He didn't seem to have any objections. Sighing, Sena went to take a bath. He had no problem with having Shizuka at his house. He just prayed his mother hadn't said anything unnecessary or showed any baby photos. After soaking himself in his thoughts for ten minutes, he got out. Once he was done getting dressed in a t-shirt and sweat pants, his mother delivered a tray of tea and cake to his room. Next, he went to wake her up. Shaking her gently, he whispered her name. When she didn't stir, he shook her harder.

She woke up.

"Um, hi? Mom brought us some snacks," Sena said, scratching his head.

She blinked, sleepily. Devouring the cake, the sugar brought her to her senses.

"Sorry about dropping by without telling you."

"Well, you gave me a shock. How did you find my address?" he asked.

"From Hiruma. Did you even have to ask?"

They laughed. When it came to information networks, Hiruma was the most reliable. Digging her fork into the strawberry, she plopped it into her mouth. He handed her a napkin, pointing to the cream on her cheek. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, definitely better than the time when they were at the park today.

"You know, there was a time when I also dreamed of the Christmas Bowl," Shizuka began, setting her fork down. "It was in my fourth year of middle school when I met Hiruma. He told me everything about football. He made it sound like so much fun. I wanted to play, but I didn't have any athletic abilities. Hiruma thought differently and he timed me on the forty-yard dash. My time was 4.7 seconds."

His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. Sena had an awful inclination of where her story was going.

"I had the capability of becoming a runningback. I was looking forward to playing, but something happened and I fractured my leg. I couldn't run the same after that. Since I couldn't take part as an official player, Hiruma offered me the position as manager. That way, I could still go to Christmas Bowl. I accepted, but it wasn't enough." Her voice cracked. "I tried to do my best as manager, but at the same time, I couldn't accept that I went from a runningback to a manager."

So that's why she kept getting weighed down. But, if she was going to be the runningback for Hiruma then she would have been Eyeshield, not me. This didn't mean a manager's job was a piece of cake, but it made more sense as to why Shizuka had fallen ill. Even an average person like her could be a manager. It's harsh, but also true. "Shizuka, do you…hate me for taking your place on the team?"

"Of course not," Shizuka assured him. "Besides, you're faster than me."

"Do you still want to go there?"

"A little, but not as much as I used to."

Sena placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's not too late to start over. If anything, you can always find a new dream."

"How? I can't do anything."

"We're having a match against the NASA Aliens. If you watch, you'll know."

A short while after, sleep consumed them. Pillows were scattered all over the floor as if they was a pillow fight. They slept on opposite sides of the table to ensure their personal space. It had been Sena's idea to make the table the barrier. Ever since she started living in a tent, that night was the first time in a while where she felt completely safe and secure, her mind welcoming all sorts of comforting dreams. When Sena woke up the next morning, he found a folded pair of pajamas where Shizuka had originally slept.

The Devil Bats clubroom shook from the overload of laughter coming from Hiruma.

"You said that if we crush the American team, you'll come back? Interesting!" Hiruma chuckled, resting his elbow onto the table.

"Yes, I find it embarrassing," Musashi admitted.

Mamori set a cup of black coffee before him before taking her own seat on the far end. That way, the two old friends could have their space. She took a sip of coffee and immediately after, she poured a packet of sugar in. If only she had cream puffs to compliment the coffee. She raised a curious brow when Musashi mentioned that Sena and Monta reminded him of Hiruma and his meddling ways. She could not see how Sena and Monta added up to equal Hiruma. The picture didn't fit nicely in her mind.

"Go train a new kicker."

"Don't say rubbish, old man. Relax. You're coming back for sure." Hiruma bared his teeth in a cocky smirk.

"You are still acting so willfully..." Musashi smiled to himself.

Hiruma hadn't changed one bit. He was still the flashy, manipulative, and relentless guy from three years ago.

The steam emitting from the coffee masked everyone's expression. The rich aroma of coffee filled the air, dominated by the smell of jasmine. They all knew who the smell belonged to; they all looked towards the door, where Shizuka stood in the threshold. In her arms was a box of cream puffs meant for Mamori and Kurita.

Hiruma spoke first. "Oho, what a pleasant surprise. Did you come to deliver us flowers?"

"You're partially correct." Shizuka gave the box to Mamori.

Gratefully accepting them, Mamori gestured for her to sit and went to pour her a cup of coffee. She unpacked two cream puffs for Shizuka and her. Musashi raised his cup towards Shizuka, as if for a toast. She returned the gesture and indulged herself into the dark and tantalizing goodness that was black coffee. Mamori could not understand how she could handle such a bitter taste.

"Doesn't this feel like deja vu?" Musashi said, casting Hiruma a glance.

"You're speaking nonsense again." Hiruma always spoke down about living in the past. However, a part of him had yet to move on. If he had completely forgotten about the past, he would have already found a new kicker. If he had completely forgotten about the past, he wouldn't even recognize the girl, who had recently arrived. Remembering the past now and then wasn't bad, just as long as you appreciated the past for what it is and stayed in the present. "Flower girl, old man, you two coming to the seven o'clock match?"

"Sena invited me, but I'm still debating over it," Shizuka said.

"This isn't politics. You're going!"

"You're assertive as ever. By the way, I came to retrieve my perfume bottle."

Mamori choked on her dessert while Musashi picked at his ear. Apparently, Sena hadn't told her yet.

"Fucking shrimp broke it."

"I see." Shizuka giggled to herself. "Did he think I would be mad? He could have told me."

Hiruma watched as Mamori went to say something, but stopped herself. Motioning towards the door, Musashi and him got up. Once the two men left, Mamori hurried over to Shizuka and hugged her. Pulling away, but not releasing her, she showered her with tons of questions. The questions came out of her mouth as incomprehensible string of words. When Shizuka didn't reply, she hugged her again. They sat down and stuffed themselves with cream puffs, leaving none for poor Kurita.

"It's been eight months since we've eaten cream puffs together, Mamori."

"Can't believe it's been that long."

"Too long." Stirring her coffee, Shizuka watched as the steam rose into the air before dispersing.

At seven that night, the Devil Bats gathered at the stadium. Due to the full-blown advertising, a packed audience filled the bleachers. Sena scanned the audience for Shizuka. He checked five times and each time he couldn't find her. He was about to do a sixth take.

"Fucking shrimp, she's not here," Hiruma snapped.

Disappointed, he had believed she would come to watch. Hiruma grabbed Sena's chin and directed his attention towards a camera set up.

"This game is gonna be broadcast live. She can still watch."

Sena was slightly reassured. As long Shizuka had a television, she could watch. That's when he remembered; she lived in a tent. How long was she going to keep living like that anyway? He broke out of his thoughts when the NASA Aliens came onto the field. They wore ferocious and intimidating expressions, unlike the ones they had when they were drunk off sake. Sena kind of preferred their drunken versions at the moment. I can't think like that! I need to go all-out and show Shizuka that even someone like me can do their best and turn dreams into a reality. Shizuka, are you watching?

The matched commenced.

Musashi and Shizuka were together, watching the game through the window of a Toshiba store.

"Think they'll win?" she asked.

"We'll see."

Reflected through his eyes was a relinquished longing, a longing to fight. He could deny it all he wanted, but Shizuka wasn't convinced by his act. She understood his reasons though. Even she wanted to be there on that field with Hiruma and Kurita, but she restrained herself. Something was holding her back. It was fear. Both Sena and Hiruma said she could find a new dream, but she didn't want to start over or find a new one in fear that her dream would be crushed like last time.

Musashi noticed the uncertainty in her eyes.

"Do your best, Shizuka."