Back Then

When ignorance is Bliss...

"FUMIO! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!" I shouted as I slammed the door of my house open.

I heard a bump from upstairs. I huffed as I put my school bag at the counter and waited for Fumio to get down. And it was a long wait.

"What is it?" Fumio yawned as he raised his eyebrow at me.

"Tell me, why did you become Diamond Dust's captain?" I interrogated and raised my nose in the air.

Fumio's jaw dropped and stammered, "U-uhh.."

I impatiently tapped my foot.

"That's none of your business, Fuusuke." I heard my mom say in the kitchen.

I entered the kitchen and asked my mom, "Aren't you supposed to be working?"

"Your uncle covered my work so I can relax for this day." my mom replied.

"Well, I think you should know that I'm stubborn." I told her.

My mom sighed as she sat down on a chair. She gestured at the two remaining chairs, and both of us siblings sat facing our mother.

"Yes, Fumio was from Aliea Academy," my mom told me.

"Oh no." Fumio muttered.

"You were a great soccer player, Fuusuke, but Fumio took your position because he never wanted to see you hurt. It was true, though. Playing in Aliea Academy would make your strength increase, in the hard way."

"Why me?" I asked mom.

"Well, you've led your teammates to victory about a dozen of times." Fumio complimented and shrugged.

"Yeah, until my teammate sprained my innocent ankle." I gritted through my teeth.

"You know he means well, dear," our mom kept the peace and smiled.

I stood up from my seat and quickly changed the subject, "Did I knew Nagumo when I was a kid?"

The two of them avoided my eyes. I knew it.

"Never mind," I said, "I already know the answer."

With that, I went up stairs and inside the attic.

[Burn]

I rolled on my bed, trying to sleep.

This was the 4th time of me having insomnia. What the hell was happening to me? I swear I never did anything wrong. I really can't believe this. Why can't I sleep?

I sighed and looked through my window.

Suzuno Fuusuke.

Why did she have that effect on me?

I sighed, yet again that evening.

I went over to a box, no larger than my bed. I opened the box and searched for my album. A little something I made when I was a kid.

I opened the album.

Pictures of Hitomiko-san flooded the place. The next page was a picture of my mother and my unknown father. The next page was filled with me and my friends at Sun Garden when mom worked there. Then the next page...

I stopped and inhaled sharply.

Suke-chan was scribbled neatly on top of the page. Pictures of the white-haired girl covered two pages of the album. I watched in delight as I see the girl smiling innocently...

"Let's play a game, Ruya-kun!"

"But..."

I blinked back the tears that were starting to fall.

"Please?!"

"..."

I wanted so bad to go to the past and just hold her with my hands.

"Fine..."

"Yeah!"

I couldn't help it, the tears started to fall, destroying the artwork of the page.

[Gazel]

The way I see it, it was my win.

If Nagumo wouldn't talk to me, then I won't talk to him. He's not that popular nor can he just take away my friends like my teammate did back then.

I lifted a chest, full of useless junk.

But it was useful to me. It reminded me to never trust anyone and to give other people chances. I just couldn't bear myself to be like that kid I was in junior high.

I pulled out a picture of my soccer team at Hokkaido.

Sixteen players that would have been in the championship game if it wasn't for a girl. I made them lose because they were all jealous of me. I never wanted for them to feel that way.

And Walt. The guy I thought I loved. He turned away just like my no-good friends.

Walt, my best friend back then. A real charmer and great at goal-keeping. I used to practice with him every day at a nearby soccer field. Of course, the boy envied my skills.

I gently laid the picture at my side as I looked for other things that seem familiar.

Minutes later, a picture caught my eye.

I reached for it and looked at it carefully. The moonlight shined on it perfectly.

I analyzed the surroundings first. It looked like Sun Garden back on its' good old days. However, it was fall and leaves fell from the trees... dried leaves that would be in the garbage.

I've never been in Sun Garden, so maybe it was my brother's.

I looked at the boy in the picture. The boy had beautiful crimson hair with a tulip on top. He was grinning wildly as he looked at the camera with those piercing yellow eyes. He held up his two hands with the peace sign. He wore a plain white shirt, some pants and red rubber shoes. On his feet was a soccer ball.

On his left was a girl. Her white hair fell until her shoulders. She smiled softly and her blue eyes twinkled beautifully at the camera. She had her hands on her back and was dangerously close to the boy. She wore a pink skirt and a blue sweatshirt. On her feet were sandals without any soccer ball.

I gasped loudly and dropped the picture.

Tears were falling as I realize what happened back then. Why I was forced to get out of Inazuma Town and live in Hokkaido, why I was so great in soccer, why my brother had to go the Aliea meteorite just for me and, most importantly, why Nagumo was familiar from the start.

I needed to apologize to mom and Fumio. And maybe force Nagumo to talk to me.

Whatever the case is, I have to do it.

YEHEY!

One more chapter to go and it'll be finished! Awww~ :(

But I'm making it special! Honestly~!

Whatever you've been waiting for, it's here! :D

I'll see YOU! :)

Disclaimer: I do notown IE.