AN: short chapter but eh, whatever

Caty- thank you so much for understanding me TT_TT like life and school is such a hassle, and if i could get paid for writing fanfiction i would seriously update more but im not so :( but im glad you enjoyed my writing, i try to bring something people will like thats something i like. it really warms my heart when someone say they like my work again thank you ^^

sanae fan- yay for updates. yeah, tsubasa can quite insecure in their relationship, especially because he knows that sanae can literally have any guy she wants in the palm of her hands *insert irreplaceable by beyonce here lol*but yeah, hopefully these two can get their shit together so i can write fluff once more.

yeah i dont own captain tsubasa

Chapter 35: Clarity

What? What did he mean it was cancelled? This wasn't supposed to happen.

"What do you mean cancelled?" Genzo demanded, straightening up.

"Look," Ishizaki rummaged through his pockets, getting out his phone and immediately showed it to the three guys. They wasted no time in reading what it was showing.

Due to recent events happening in the the host country of Burunga, We are sad to say that the World Youth Tournament may be cancelled. Officials are continuing discussions for further actions. For now, nothing has been decided. Follow the official FIFA Twitter and Facebook page for further updates.

As soon as Taro finished reading, Tsubasa gritted his teeth and reread it once again to himself, trying to convince himself that it wasn't true. He could barely hear his friends talk hushly among themselves. Even they were trying to convince each other that this was all a lie.

This was too much. He couldn't deal with this right now, not with everything that's happening.

Shoving Ryo's phone back to him, Tsubasa walked between Taro and Genzo to head out of the room, ignoring the calls of his name by his friends as he went pass the door, letting his feet drag lead him any where. Just any place that would let him think in peace.

As he was out of everyone's range of sight, he didn't Sanae's worried look directed at him.

Kumi didn't mean to follow him, honestly. It just so happened that she saw him passing her classroom with tensed shoulders and clenched fists. Without even thinking about it, her feet moved on her own and suddenly she was following him.

It was a surprised though when she found herself on the rooftop. Well, in front of the door to the rooftop anyway. She didn't want him to figure out that she followed him all the way here. But, as she peered outside to see how he was, there was still just an urge in her to come out and talk to him. He just looked so… upset. He looked he needed someone to talked to.

Should she though? Go talk to him. Like, he needed it, but at the same time, she didn't want to seem like a stalker (if she contemplated on the things she's secretly done, it really did sound like she was stalking him). But st-

"I know you're there," Tsubasa's senpai's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Whoever you might be, I can still hear you all the way from here. Just come out. I'm not exactly in the mood to deal with you."

Busted…

With her head hanging low, Kumiko slowly went out of the door, and gingerly walked to stand beside her senpai that was seating on the floor. He was leaning his back against the wall, staying under the shade of the building.

Tsubasa took a quick glance at her from the corner of his eyes, then he moved back to look at the sky again.

"Somehow, I kind of expected that you were the one following me," he remarked with a dry smile.

Really? That's… unexpected. Unexpected, but she wasn't complaining.

"I'm surprised that you're willing to skip class," he chuckled.

For him, she was willing to do anything.

"But I'm not exactly complaining," he said, "I guess I could use the company." He turned to her, a smile on his face. "Why don't you sit down? If you'd really like to accompany me, then we might be awhile."

Kumi slowly nodded, and gingerly sat beside him, hugging her knees close to her chest. Tsubasa leaned his head back against the wall, closing their eyes as a breeze past them, ruffling their hair gently. It was so quiet between the two of them, and she was so scared to break it because this might be the only chance she got to be like this with him.

But that nagging curiosity in her would not shut up.

After the school bell rang to start class, Kumi found herself talking.

"Ano," she started quietly, "I hope you don't mind me asking, senpai. But, is everything okay?"

Tsubasa slowly opened his eyes, staring in front of him for a few moments. Kumi huddled closer to herself, thinking how big of an idiot she was for making such a blunder.

"Not really," he answered with a small sigh. "Everything's just so… everything's a mess. Ryo just showed me that the tournament might be cancelled. And Sanae's… Sanae's not talking to me."

He hid his face with his hand, and Kumi's heart felt so heavy because he sounded so upset and distraught and she didn't know what to do make him feel better.

(She swore she would never make him feel this way)

"Like, this whole thing with Sanae was already bad enough, I don't need this news of the Tournament being cancelled," he added. "It's just too much."

So something was going on between him and Nakazawa-senpai.

"Do you…" she said, "do you want to talk about it? Maybe, it could help you a little?"

"I-" he opened his mouth, "I don't know. It's a little- it's a little complicated."

"With Nakazawa-senpai? Or with the tournament?"

Tsubasa's eyes suddenly had a faraway look enter them, and Kumi leaned onto the wall even more.

"Sanae-" he began, another breeze passing them. "Sanae wants to leave Japan for college."

Oh. Well, she wasn't expecting that. She wasn't expecting for him to easily say this stuff to her. Was he even allowed to share something like this? It sounded so intimate.

"I just- I just don't understand it," he sighed. "I don't see the point of her leaving Japan just to study. I mean, yeah I'm leaving too, but she knows how much I've been waiting for this chance. I can never get this again. She doesn't even know how I gave up being part of the main team when we were second years just to be with her."

Oh, um, well… That's one heck of a confession. But, she couldn't help but be happy that she knew something that not even Nakazawa-senpai knew about him.

It also made her a little sad, knowing how devoted he was to her.

They didn't notice a female figure lean her back against the opposite of the wall, listening silently from the open window right above them.

"Why does Nakazawa-senpai want to leave Japan? Like, is there a special reason?" Kumi couldn't help asking.

"She said it was her dream," he answered. "That going to that school will help her achieve her dreams."

Shouldn't he be supportive of her then? Essentially, it almost sounded what he wanted to do.

"Is there a reason why you don't want her to leave?" Kumi turned to him, her knees still in her arms.

"Because it's a stupid decision!" Tsubasa turned to her quickly, an enraged look on her face. Kumi flinched and looked down. She could not believe that he could be this scary.

Tsubasa only huffed, not noticing her flinches, and turned away, crossing his arms. "She's going to leave everyone. Her mom, her family, her friends. She's literary leaving everyone behind just so she could study at this prestigious college when there's colleges as great as she wants here in Japan."

The girl on the other side of the wall stood up, having enough of this conversation.

It seemed like Tsubasa didn't need her anyway.

"She's leaving me," he added quietly. Kumi felt his heart clench once more, hating the way he sounded so defeated by such a simple statement. But, even then she could see it from Nakazawa-senpai's point. She wanted to leave Nankatsu too, after graduation. That she wanted to see what the world could offer her. Maybe that's what Nakazawa-senpai wanted.

"But…" she started, looking down and started to draw circles down on the floor. "But, wouldn't you be able to argue the same thing here? J-League has been growing steadily for the past couple of years. And wouldn't it make more sense, to join a J-League team before moving to Brazil? It would help you gain experience…"

Tsubasa looked at her in surprise, not expecting something like that from her. And it made him think. It really did. He didn't think of that possibility actually.

"I think," Kumi began. She didn't know why she was going to say this. Didn't she want them to break up? To separate from each other so she could have a chance with the boy she was sitting beside with? So why the heck was she going to give them advice on their relationship. "I think you guys just need to talk this out. It seems like that you need to talk about this whole thing together. Maybe… swallow your pride for just a tiny bit. You can- you can work this out if you just talk."

Tsubasa stared at her for a while, and it made her nervous. She could feel her cheeks heat up and her heart racing, and god, could he just turn away from her so she could make her heart beat normally.

Then, he finally looked away and leaned his head again on the wall, closing his eyes and released a sigh with a smile.

"I can't believe I'm getting relationship advice from you," he chuckled. Kumi only lowered herself and hugged her knees tighter. "But thank you," he added. "You helped me a lot."

Kumi didn't say anything and instead nodded, her cheeks blushing pink once more. Both of them were enveloped by silence once more, the breeze blowing gently pass them.

"And," he started unsurely. "I know it's probably a dick move right now, especially of what you just told me, but I'm really sorry."

Kumi looked at him, confusion etched on her face. But Tsubasa wasn't looking at her, and instead stared right ahead of him.

"I know you like me," he said quietly.

Oh.

"But I-" he paused. "I can't accept your feelings."

Then he turned towards her, an apologetic smile on his face.

"I love Sanae," he told her, his eyes hardening. "I am absolutely, irrevocably in love with her, and I don't think I will ever love someone like I love her. That's why I can't accept your feelings."

Kumi looked away from him, looking down to the ground before he could see how much her eyes were watering.

Tsubasa looked away from her again, leaning his head back as he looked up to the sky, where a cloud was hiding the sun behind it.

"And you deserve someone better than me," he said. "You deserve someone who would treat you how you should be treated, treat you like your their world."

Please make him stop. If he continued, she didn't know what was going to happen to her heart.

"I know you'll find them one day," he continued, "but I don't think that's me. I'm sorry."

Tsubasa began to stand up. "Let's go back to class, Sugimoto-chan. It'll be bad for you if you skip longer than one class."

Kumi only nodded but didn't say anything else. She was trying hard not to let her tears flow.

Tsubasa gave her one last look, his heart feeling heavy for what he just did, but he could only clench his hands into fists and move. "I'll see you later Sugimoto-chan." With one last quiet apology, Tsubasa began to head to his class.

Kumi hid her face on her knees, biting her lips hard. She knew she should have expected this, knew that Tsubasa would never have feelings for her. But she had to hope, to make herself believe that maybe she had a small chance at least. She knew that it wasn't true. She knew that she never had a chance.

It's just that, hearing it directly just hurt.

It was a sunny day, but it seemed like she could feel raindrops falling on her face.

End Chapter