Please Read: I decided to add a character from haikyuu for story-wise.
—OoOoO—
Oregairu by Wataru Watari & Ponkan8
Ao Ashi by Yugo Kobayashi
Genre: Sport, Friendship, Slice of Life, Romance
Summary: What if Hachiman is not a mere high school boy but a former of football player in his middle school? More importantly. he is one of big shots in his generation!
Chapter 1: My Comeback in Football Is Wrong!
—OoOoO—
For some communities, riajuu were people with a dazzling aura. They emitted a light that would sting the eyes and disturb the peace. Their ignorant nature and narrow view of the world sometimes make people feel irritated. Riajuu were a communal group that glorified youth and would be proud of the number of people on their side. That was why, for a minority, they wish the riajuu would just explode to the piece.
Hikigaya Hachiman was a sophomore at Sobu High. He was not the kind of a teenager with a good vibe. In fact, you could tell that he was quite ignorant of how he looked and how people looked at him. Of the 30 students in his class, Hachiman wasn't the one who looked flashy and left an impression, so few people remembered his presence. Moreover, he was the type of person who restricted his communication to only important things.
With himself always self-declared to be a loner, Hachiman could be said to be one of the few individuals dazzled by the warmth of youth. He didn't antagonise their belief of being the centre of attention, but stupid and meaningless things simply disgusted him. He did not reject being in a crowd, but he simply felt that the serenity offered by solitude was the best place for him.
Furthermore, Hachiman cursed anyone who foolishly got carried away by the crowd just to be the centre of attention.
Hence, this was where he ended up spending his break time. A place he chose based on careful considerations. He was behind the special building directly connected to the bicycle park and outdoor fields. More precisely, his current position was facing west, near the swimming pool.
'Those idiots would spend their time in the cafeteria and in the open space in the middle of the school. Some are in the corridor that connects the special building and the classrooms. From that consideration, this place which is close to the parking area is the best choice. Unless students come and go, only those who don't have friends will come here.'
Hachiman sat on the floor with a bottle of water, two piles of bread next to him, and another half-eaten loaf of bread in his hand. The shade from the trees that protect him from UV radiation gave him a calming, relaxed feeling. This wasn't the place he used to hang out during break time. He was usually right on the East side of the bicycle park. However, because Yui disturbed his solitude yesterday, Hachiman must find another spot to anticipate that hyperactive girl.
'Yesterday was an awful day. Worst of all worst. Not only about Yuigahama, but how could Miura be acting like a bitch and challenged us to played tennis?'
Hachiman looked up, trying to see the blue sky through the gaps in the trees. He had known Miura Yumiko for quite some time. They went to the same school in junior high. Even though they were only in the same class in their third year, they actually knew each other before that.
Yumiko was a tennis player in middle school. She was even an ace. Meanwhile, Hachiman was a regular player on the football team. The football field and tennis court at Funabashi Junior High were next to each other, as were the ones at Sobu High. Because of that, both Hachiman and Yumiko often met up when they had the same schedule. Well, but they just started to talk—personally—each other when they were in the same class.
'That girl has really been a bitch since entered high school. I mean, not only did she dye her hair and not continue with her tennis, but she even hangs out with the boys from the football club a lot.'
Hachiman thought while recalling fragments of memories.
'Well, she used to have a lot of friends at the football club, though. But that could be justified because our fields are next to each other. So, like it or not, the tennis and football teams would naturally interact. However, now she doesn't join any clubs and still hangs out with the football team. Does she have a football fetish or something?'
Hachiman was lost in contemplation of the events he had recently experienced, to the extent that he didn't even realise that he had finished his third loaf. Not only that, he didn't even notice that someone was standing behind him.
"Hikio?"
After hearing that distinctive call, Hachiman felt he was being pulled back from his reverie. Without looking back, he already knew who the figure had called out to him. The reason was that only one person called him like that throughout his life.
Pretending not to hear, Hachiman picked up the trash he'd caused. And still acting stupid, he immediately stood up and was about to leave the scene. Unfortunately, the figure who called him had memorised all his traits. Therefore, before he could leave, his shoulder was grabbed by a hand.
"Hey, how impolite of you! Where are you going?" said the figure with annoyance.
Realising that his escape plan had been thwarted, Hachiman reluctantly turned around.
"Sorry, I think you have the wrong person," Hachiman replied flatly.
"What the hell? Can you come up with a more plausible reason? Besides, why do you look like you want to avoid me?"
Yumiko released her hand on the boy's shoulder when Hachiman's attention was finally on her.
She was a little irritated by Hachiman's behaviour. Indeed, during this high school, they rarely spoke. But they used to be actually pretty close. In fact, Yumiko had helped him and other football team members practice several times when the tennis team didn't have a session. However, seeing how tenuous their current relationship was, or rather, seeing Hachiman's attitude change quite drastically, made her think that the time they had spent in the past was just an illusion.
For her, there was a significant change that happened to the boy. Hachiman was a quiet person from the beginning, but he wasn't a shut-in. He may not be the most active person in the group, but he was the type who was direct in his opinion. The bits and pieces that Yumiko recognised as Hachiman in the past were now disappearing. All that was visible to her was the closed and self-isolated figure of Hachiman.
It wasn't like Yumiko didn't know the cause of the boy's change. She fully understood why Hachiman went to Sobu instead of continuing to Funabashi Academy. She also knew exactly the root cause of why Hikigaya Hachiman declined to go to Funabashi.
Yumiko clenched her fists. She cursed the past. She cursed herself for not being by his side when the boy before her became the clown that almost the entire school made fun of.
'No. I don't even know how to start, even though it's been over a year. I'm not much different from a loser,' thought Yumiko.
Hachiman stared at Yumiko with an unwavering gaze. He dived into the pair of caramel irises that adorned her eyelids. And even though it was faint, he could feel the tiny bits of distress on the girl's expression.
"How could I not avoid you? I mean, you suddenly said you wanted to play tennis while we, the Service Club, were doing Totsuka's request yesterday. In fact, you went so far as to challenge us," Hachiman explained.
Yumiko's face immediately turned red like a boiled crab. She bent her eyebrows, raised in surprise by Hachiman's explanation. More than that, she felt it had held her breath for a few seconds.
Hachiman noticed the change Yumiko was showing. However, he didn't intend to withdraw and wanted to continue beating her with facts.
"You know what you did yesterday was like a bitch, didn't you? Any sane person would choose to flee rather than deal with you. And yes, I am a sane person."
"Watching you play tennis made me want to play again too. That's all," replied Yumiko, trying to maintain her calm demeanour.
"To the extent that you told us to get out of the way?"
"I didn't. I just saying to split the court."
Hachiman rolled his eyes lazily and sighed.
"If you think that can fool me, then I'm sorry. But I know, of all people, you don't like to play half court."
Yumiko was about to choke when she heard Hachiman's answer, who understood her character. Luckily, she could conduct her expression so that even though her cheeks looked flushed, she didn't embarrass herself any further.
The blonde girl folded her arms across her chest and turned her face to the side.
"It's up to you whether or not you want to believe it," she said with artificially curtly.
Yumiko didn't want to show it. She didn't want to show the boy before her that she had challenged them only because seeing him with some girls, Yuigahama Yui and Yukinoshita Yukino, bothered her.
Meanwhile, Hachiman was a little suspicious of Yumiko's reaction. His brain led him to assume that might make him misunderstand. However, he immediately threw those thoughts away because he didn't want to repeat his past mistakes.
When the two teenagers were engrossed in conversation. Suddenly, a voice interrupted.
"As I thought, we'll find him if we ask Yumiko-chan."
Hachiman peeked over Yumiko's shoulder. He noticed that three boys were walking towards them. If they were just regular guys, it wouldn't surprise him. However, what he saw were familiar faces. To be more precise, there were two people he knew among the three boys.
"Tsukishima and… captain?"
Hachiman's gaze now turned to Yumiko, who was also looking at the presence of the three boys.
"Now I'm curious. Miura, why did you suddenly find me here and why are they here too?" said Hachiman softly to Yumiko.
The blonde girl glanced at Hachiman briefly. She bit her lower lip to stimulate her brain so it could find the right words. Unfortunately, she had quite a hard time explaining the situation. However, she was just as surprised as Hachiman by the presence of the three boys when she met them a few minutes ago.
The one who was called the 'captain' of the group that had just appeared noticed the awkwardness as they drew closer to them. As such, he took over the responsibility.
"Ah, actually, we happen to have business here," said the boy.
Hachiman raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Business? Here in Sobu High?"
However, before he could receive an answer, a boy with short blonde hair spoke his mind first.
"Well, well, what do we get here? A loser slug hiding in the damp?"
Hachiman, who felt uncomfortable, had no intention of hiding his expression.
"I'm sure this school has a good cleaning system, but I don't know why a piece of trash has been left out?" he provoked.
Tsukishima Kei was the boy who got a cold reply from Hachiman. He was a tall boy with a height of almost 190 centimetres. Even though he looked like a haughty teenager with a rotten mouth, he was actually not like that. It's just he was calmer in some situations. However, he has a fierce rivalry with Hachiman in several ways.
Meanwhile, the boy called 'captain' was named Tokitou Gou. He was a year older than Hachiman. In other words, he was currently in his third year. Takitou has sharp eyes and a firm facial texture. His hair was short in a cropped cut. With his intonation that always sounded firm, he was what you would call an ideal leader.
'Then, who is that black guy? Is he their new player?' Hachiman thought.
A group of three were actually representatives who had come from Funabashi Academy. Hachiman knew that because Tsukishima and Tokitou went to the same middle school as him back then, Funabashi Junior High. That's why Hachiman knew two of the three teenagers.
Tsukishima was Hachiman's clubmate. Not only that, but along with him, Tsukishima was a student who made it into the main squad in their first year and started playing regularly towards the turn of the season.
The rivalry between Hachiman and Tsukishima didn't come without reason. They played in the same position as a central defensive midfielder or CDM. However, they had different roles in the field. That allowed them to be played together as a double pivot using a 4-2-3-1 system.
Hachiman and Tsukishima's double pivot roles were crucial in defensive and transition modes. Tsukishima was a pure stopper. He was very good at man marking, area marking, and one-on-one duels. Meanwhile, Hachiman was not a formidable CDM like his counterpart. He was plotted in hindsight for having an extraordinary vision. His ability to read the game, analyse opponents' tactics, see the gaps and his passing accuracy was very good for his age.
That's why, with Tsukishima, who could cover the middle area and Hachiman's ability to read the flow of the game, Funabashi Junior High could apply a direct ball and counter-pressing. It was a high-level game for U-15 levels. That also made Funabashi Junior High win the U-15 league without swallowing a single defeat.
The success of Hachiman's duet with Tsukishima in midfield exceeded expectations, making most people compare the two. They were considered as midfielders who could only unleash their full potential in a package, such as a duo Xavi-Iniesta and the trio Casemiro-Kroos-Modric. Those feats even summoned the two simultaneously to the U-15 national team.
However, that was what sparked the rivalry between the two. Their natures as youngsters who feel dissatisfied when it was thought that they could only bring out their best potential when playing together.
"Ah, it's your first time meeting him, isn't it?" said their captain, Tokitou.
He introduced the young man to Hachiman before waiting for confirmation.
"His name is Tripone, Tripone Rufin. Tripone is our main striker right now," said Takitou, turning to the black man, "Tripone, he is Hikigaya Hachiman. He was our playmaker."
"A deep-lying playmaker," Hachiman corrected quickly.
Takitou nodded, agreeing to the correction. He then looked back at Hachiman to add.
"Ah, Hikigaya-kun. Before you get me wrong, Tripone is not a foreigner, he has a Japanese father, was born and raised in Japan. So, he is Japanese."
"Is that so? That answers my question then."
Tripone was a tall and muscular young man. Like other people of African descent, he has black skin and curly hair.
Even though his father was Japanese, his mother was African. That made his traits very thick with the nuances of African people. He was often misunderstood as a foreigner, so he had difficulty surviving at a soccer school. Because of his muscular physique and black skin, he was widely suspected of falsifying his birth certificate.
Although his birth certificate was genuine, it created little trouble in and out of the locker room. The most frequent was that he often couldn't be included in the competition because his physique exceeded Japan's average junior high school students.
Because of that, he was determined to go to the high school team that competed in the major competition. Even though the competition was fierce, it was still much better than not being able to compete. That was what underlay his goal of joining Funabashi Academy last year.
"So, you who they often say are similar to Aomori Seiran number 10, huh?"
Hachiman was confused after hearing the question that sounded more like a statement from Tripone.
"Excuse me?"
Not Tripone, but Tsukishima answered the confusion.
"Kitano Ren, he's a second-year, just like us. His name skyrocketed last year because of his skills."
"He's number 10? Tgen, even though we have the term 'playmaker' in our role, it doesn't mean that our playing styles are similar," said Hachiman in response to Tsukishima.
Playmaker and deep-lying playmaker. The two may sound nearly identical, but there were actually small details that set them apart.
The playmaker, or the number 10, was the player behind the striker. In some countries, they were usually called flamboyant midfielders because of their expertise in processing the ball, organising attacks, and entertaining games. The primary weapons of the playmakers were their courage in keeping the ball, dealing with one-on-one dribbles, playing creativity, and breakthrough passes into the opponent's penalty box.
A playmaker was not only good at providing assists but could also become a goal machine needed at critical moments. For this reason, they were often said to be able to create miracles in every game, like Zinedine Zidane, Luca Modric and Lionel Messi.
Meanwhile, deep-lying playmakers generally had the same main task, to set the rhythm of the attack and become a midfield general who controlled the game. However, deep-lying playmakers were prioritised to control the game from behind.
Brilliant ball control, passing and vision were absolute must-have skills for any deep-lying playmaker. They operate more in their own area because they want space to pass the ball effectively. Because of that, they have killer long passes and through passes. You may rarely see them in the final third area because their main job was not to score goals or provide assists. Their main task was to build a scheme that could dismantle the opponent's defence with elegant passes. For this reason, they were sometimes referred to as the heart of the game.
In Italy, a regista—an Italan's term for a deep-lying playmaker— was the key to the "catenaccio" tactic, which was famous for its impressive defence and fast counterattack. A regista also tended to get his colleagues out of tight pressing and counterattack threats because they were good at finding space and had high awareness of the positions of every player on the field, both opponents and friends.
Because of their tendency to control the ball from below, this type of player must have high resistance against pressing. Because if they miss a pass or lose the ball, their defence would be easier to eliminate using fast transitions from the opponent.
"This Kitano Ren, Aomori Seiran number 10, has vision and awareness of the players' positions on the field," added Tsukishima.
"For real?"
"For real," replied Takitou, who entered the conversation.
Vision and awareness were related and generally obtained from hard work and experience. Having splendid vision would allow you to see all over the field. The only way to get information in the field was to screen the area regularly.
It wasn't like humans had a wide field of view like birds. However, screening all sides of the field would give you a complete picture of what was happening. In other words, good eyes were not enough. It also needed high brain power to process the informations.
The vision was not a talent, but a habit practised routinely daily. It didn't always have to be practising with the ball. You could also train your vision by walking around the city and occasionally screening the surrounding area. After an hour, simply write on paper what you see in the smallest detail, including its location. Then, crosscheck to find out how accurately your eyes saw, and your brain remembered.
As for awareness, it was a product of the brain after processing the data provided by the eyes. Vision and awareness were two crucial things to producing the correct decision-making. Without good observation skills, a player may be in a hurry or late in deciding.
There were many midfielders in this world. However, only the elite have the quality of world-class playmakers. Hikigaya Hachiman and Kitano Ren indeed play different roles in detail. However, conducting field screening was also an obligation every player must carry out.
'I hate to admit it. But among the U-18 players that I know, no one has as good vision as Hikigaya, Kitano from Aomori, and Kuribayashi from Esperion,' Tsukishima added to himself.
"This Kitano Ren, isn't he the one who joined the U-23 national team for the Asian Games?" asked the only woman who had been silent, "I heard a player from Funabashi was also called to the national team? Who's he? Is that you, Tsukki?"
"That's me."
Not Tsukishima, but the baritone voice of the tall young man named Tripone who answered.
"Eh? I thought it was Tsukki?" Yumiko asked again confusedly.
Tsukishima snorted and replied, "With the physical attributes he has and being the top scorer last season in the Premier League, they decided that Tripone was worth bringing to Indonesia."
The Premier League Tsukishima was talking about wasn't the English Premier League, but the U-18 league in Japan, the Prince Takamado Trophy U-18 Football Premier League. Because it was too long, people were more comfortable calling it the Premier League.
'Oh, he was the top scorer last season? I haven't followed the U-18 league since I graduated from middle school, but I think it's more interesting now because there are players like this Tripone,' thought Hachiman.
However, something bothered him when Yumiko brought up the national team for the Asian Games.
'By the way, that was very surprising. I think Kuribayashi will be the one to go if a player from U-18 is included for Asian Games, considering that bastard has been phenomenal since in the U-15 national team.'
Unfortunately, Hachiman did not want to discuss this. He had had enough of these pleasantries. More precisely, he even wanted to get away from this place immediately. Moreover, there was something more important that he should know right now.
"So, is there a need for you guys here?"
Sobu High was a school with classy academic achievements. But that was because they were oriented in that field. On the other hand, their non-academic achievements could be pretty mediocre, except for the orchestra club, which once made terrific achievements in Yukinoshita Haruno's generation. In sports, their achievements could even be said to be wrong.
Sobu High wasn't a school with a strong football team. They even got promoted to the second division of the U-18 league two seasons ago. In fact, they almost got relegated to the third division last season if they didn't win in the playoffs. Even in the Inter-High and Winter Cup, they had never qualified. In essence, the difference between Sobu High and Funabashi Academy in football was like earth and heaven.
So, it took a lot of work to draw conclusions about the presence of these star players from Funabashi Academy at Sobu High.
Tokitou wished they could chat longer. After all, this was the reunion he had been waiting for. However, he had to give up on the idea.
"Well, we're here together with Coach Natsume. While he was talking to your teachers, we were asked to persuade you," said Takitou.
Hachiman raised an eyebrow in confusion. He wanted to answer, but the blonde girl preceded him.
"Persuading Hikio? For what? Besides, wasn't Coach Natsume your middle school coach? Why is he in charge of the high school team?"
Hachiman glanced at Yumiko briefly. He aborted the question because what the girl said already represented what was in his head.
"Funabashi Academy must be forced to swallow the poor results in the league for the past two seasons. Especially the last season, when we fell out of the top four. Because of that, they appointed coach Natsume to coach the high school team for this season."
Hachiman listened carefully to the story told by his former captain. And from that explanation, he could draw a conclusion.
"And he wants to recruit me back and pair me up with Tsukishima again?"
Tokitou wanted to reply. However, Tsukishima, who felt humiliated, could not remain silent.
"Unfortunately, yes. However, I personally want you to reject it. To be honest, playing with you will only hinder my development."
"Tsukishima!" snapped Tokitou sternly after hearing the arrogant remark from the tall teenager.
"What? I'm right, weren't I? Even though last season we didn't meet our target, I've improved a lot more than when I played with him."
Tokitou wanted to correct the blonde boy's words again. However, Tsukishima didn't give the Funabashi Academy football team captain a chance.
"Besides that, captain. More than anyone, I'm sure Hikigaya isn't coming back. Even if the case with Orimoto never existed, he wouldn't—."
"Enough, Tsukishima!"
This time, Tokitou didn't wait for the boy to finish speaking. He sternly raised his voice and glared at his member to give him a stern warning for discussing something sensitive to others.
Tsukishima also realised his mistake after getting yelled at. He then looked away to avoid the stares from his captain.
"Right. Forgive me. I went too far," he muttered, luckily, they could still hear.
What Tsukishima said did sound haughty. However, an absolute truth was contained within. Anyone couldn't deny that the blonde has experienced significant development since he wasn't in the same boat as Hachiman. And, of course, it was only natural that he didn't want his current momentum to be messed up because of the rotten-eyed boy's return.
"What he said is true, though. I might not be in any team anymore and just play futsal with random people as a complement to those who lack people. However, I also thought that not being on the same team as him would be better for me."
The reason Tsukishima and Hachiman declined to play together in the same team wasn't that they weren't compatible. Their compatibility was extraordinary, and they were even picked up to join the U-15 national team as a package. However, compatibility was what actually made them interdependent on each other.
Tsukishima was a natural stopper with a strong physique. His ability to defend and attack also made him worthy of being one of the main midfielders at the U-18 level. His tall body also didn't necessarily make his movements stiff. In other words, he was a youth player on the right track to being a top-class box-to-box midfielder.
Meanwhile, with his brilliant vision, Hachiman was a rare treasure at such a young age. His observation, awareness, and decision-making abilities could drastically increase the team level. Moreover, his passing accuracy was good enough for his age.
All the advantages they had, also became their weaknesses. It wasn't like Tsukishima didn't have good vision, or Hachiman couldn't duel. However, if they were to compare themselves individually, they would realise they would leave a massive hole if they didn't play together.
With Hachiman's awareness, Tsukishima could maintain their shape in various phases just by looking at Hachiman's positioning. As for Hachiman, with Tsukishima, who was an expert in fighting for the ball, it made him calmer in build-up attacks because there were people who would cover quickly if he lost the ball.
If they were to stay together as a team, they might become increasingly dependent on each other. However, if they decide to separate early, they would inevitably have to be forced to adapt and work hard to make up for the shortfall.
On a professional scale, it may be a perilous decision. However, they were currently still young. It's still possible for them to learn new things. Moreover, expanding their comfort zone to have a high resistance in various situations was essential.
"So, you sure you're not joining us again?" asked Tokitou for confirmation.
"I am flattered by your offer, but I must decline it."
Tokitou let out a resigned breath. The boy before him had always been famous for being uncompromising. It was hard to change his mind unless he was indirectly involved in their project.
"Okay, I understand," Tokitou said, "Whatever it is, I'm quite relieved to hear that you're still playing football even though it's futsal. I was worried that you no longer wanted to play again after I couldn't find your name on any teams."
Hachiman scratched his cheek, which didn't itch. His eyeballs roamed here and there to find an excuse.
"Well, what happened at Funabashi really hit me hard. However, I have no intention of quitting football. To be honest, I even intended to join the Sobu team at first. However, for some reason, I'm late to start it. And just as I was about to do it, I realised how messed up this team is."
Tripone, who had been silent because they discussed the past that he didn't know about, entered into the conversation after hearing Hachiman's reasons for being too picky.
"Then, you discouraged your intentions because of such a trivial matter?"
"That's not a trivial matter, big boy," Hachiman said quickly, "The coach doesn't have a JFA coaching license. The facilities are even worse than a pigsty. And 70% of the members are just narcissistic idiots who want to ride on fame by just being members of the football team. To be honest, this team that can still play in the second division is already a miracle."
Hachiman paused for a moment to catch his breath.
"Instead of spending time here, I'd rather play futsal in the field near Chiba's city hall. At least, those who play there are more tactically savvy than the bastards out here."
Hachiman then looked straight at Miura, who was currently gawking at his complaints. However, it wasn't long before he turned his gaze back to Tripone.
"For me, starting my career again from the University League made more sense than having to play for Sobu High. It's a little late indeed, but it's still so much better than playing with these clowns. Besides, I also have more time to practice my pass."
Hachiman looked up after finishing the last sentence. However, he still had some words he wanted to say.
"Unless there is a significant change in this team, I won't be playing here. No, it doesn't have to be a significant. A few fundamental changes should suffice."
Tsukishima narrowed his eyes at the ambiguous sentence.
"What do you mean?" asked the blonde boy.
Hachiman didn't answer right away. Finding the right example to represent his thoughts took him a few seconds. However, he did not find it. As a result, only other ambiguous words left his mouth.
"Who knows? Let's just say that some crazy person took the coaching chair. Even if said person doesn't have a license too, I think it's still much better as long as that person has some crazy idea to revolutionise this team."
—OoOoO—
Step back a few moments before the fateful reunion. Three grown men with stiff expressions now sat in a room devoted to receiving guests. Two were Takeda, the deputy principal for student affairs, and a Sobu Senior High sports teacher named Atsugi. Meanwhile, the other was a Funabashi Academy representative, the Funabashi football team coach, Natsume.
Vice Principal Takeda and Atsugi sat in the same chair. While Coach Natsume sat across from the table separating them. On the table, several sheets of documents were scattered a bit because Sobu High had reviewed them several times.
Amidst the suffocating silence, there was the sound of a door being slid quite loudly. The three adult men turned their heads simultaneously.
"I deeply apologise for keeping you gentlemen waiting so long. However, I wish I had been notified in advance if I would be involved in discussions concerning my student."
Along with the feminine voice, a woman with long black hair entered. The young woman has a beautiful face. The look in her eyes radiated extraordinary confidence. A fearless smile appeared on her even though she had kept the men more senior than her waiting for a long time.
The woman was wearing black pants that were quite tight. Meanwhile, her body was clad in a white shirt with a red tie around her neck. She also wore a sleeveless black vest to cover her shirt. On top of that, she wore a lab coat that fluttered with every step she took. Anyone who saw her might think that she was a science teacher. However, the woman is actually a teacher of Japanese literature.
Generally, such a young teacher would feel embarrassed if she kept her seniors waiting. However, the woman knew she was not to be blamed very well because she had just been invited to this meeting on the spur of the moment.
"Ah, you're finally here," said the vice principal.
The woman nodded and then bowed slightly in a show of politeness. After that, she quickly scanned the room and sat on the available chair.
The vice principal, Takeda, directed his gaze to the Funabashi representative after seeing his colleague sitting comfortably.
"Let me introduce to you. She is Hiratsuka Shizuka. She is the homeroom teacher of the student in question, Hikigaya Hachiman."
"Nice to meet you. My name is Hirasuka Shizuka," added the woman.
Natsume nodded slowly in response to the short introduction session.
"Hiratsuka-kun, he is Sakihisa Natsume. He will start this season as the head coach of the Funabashi Academy football team," he continued.
"My players used to call me Coach Natsume. But you are free to call me what you want."
This time it was Hiratsuka's turn to nod at the introduction.
To be honest, Hiratsuka had no idea about this meeting at all. They had only summoned her to the discussion when taking a break and about to smoke. Even after seeing that the guest present was actually a football coach, she still couldn't guess the theme of this discussion.
"I'll not mince words," said Takeda, "Hiratsuka-kun, first read this quickly and then we can continue this conversation."
Hiratsuka turned to the vice principal. The old man was ready to hand over several sheets of documents previously on the table to one of the best teachers at Sobu High. And Hiratsuka accepted it with curiosity in her head.
The woman in the lab coat began to read the letters. She followed every word that was written with her eyes. Her forehead wrinkled even more as she received a fact that had never crossed her mind. Her slender fingers turned the page when she had finished on the opening. And a similar expression was also painted when she read the previous one.
A look of confusion, shock, and amazement appeared alternately on that beautiful face. The deeper she dived into the document, the harder it was for her to believe its contents. And when she had come to the last word, she let out a long exhale.
"I know how you feel. If I didn't know this kid, I probably wouldn't have believed that this sluggish looking kid was actually such a talented player."
Hiratsuka looked at Coach Natsume, following what the middle-aged man with glasses said.
"Are all these real? You don't have the wrong person, do you?"
"There is only one Hikigaya Hachiman with those spiritless eyes in this world," Natsume replied.
Hiratsuka then turned to the two teachers from Sobu High for confirmation.
"I don't know Hikigaya-kun personally. That's why we invited you who is his homeroom teacher," said the vice principal.
"This Hikigaya boy, I didn't expect either. He wasn't a flashy kid. However, on second thought, he had a good stature and stamina. He also knew how to run properly," added Atsugi.
The man in the red tracksuit took a deep breath.
"I'm not a football fan, but I can't believe my eyes can't see it," complained Atsugi.
Hearing the testimony of the two people made Hiratsuka have no choice but to accept the fact. She tidied up the document and then placed it on the table.
"So, for what purpose is this meeting being held?" Hiratsuka asked while looking at Natsume, "You didn't come here just to tell Hikigaya's background, did you?"
Natsume was silent for a moment. He was amazed enough by her courage to ask him to the point.
"I want to bring him back to Funabashi," Natsume said bluntly.
Hiratsuka narrowed her eyes at the confession.
The U-18 Takamado Premier League was an amateur competition. Basically, transferring players by offering a certain amount of money was not allowed in this competition. That was because the JFA implemented a rule where a player under 18 couldn't sign a professional contract. Even so, they could still take part in the pro league with the note that they appear as academy players from the relevant professional club.
The ban on professional contracts under 18 meant youth players couldn't be involved in the transfer window. However, transfer activities could still be carried out even though the down payment was not used as facilitation. Usually, the club or academy concerned would usually give players a scholarship if they want to join.
Even junior teams like Tokyo Esperion have private schools affiliated with them. That made the scholarship awarding process run smoothly without any problems.
Natsume wanted to do the same thing. He would give a scholarship to Hachiman in exchange for playing for Funabashi. However, there was one thing Hiratsuka needed to understand about this.
"Then why did you come to us instead of addressing to him?"
Natsume sighed. It was the same question the other two representatives from Sobu High asked.
"As you can see in the document. Hikigaya-kun's last season at Funabashi Junior High didn't go well. We lost to Tokyo Esperion so we couldn't secure first place to represent the East. And as it says, he got a red card in that game."
The junior competition in Japan has a different format than the pro league. In the junior league, U-18 and U-15, the competition in the main divisions were divided into two regions: West and East. Chiba, which belonged to the Kanto region, was a region of East Japan. Each of the regions has 10 teams competing. And only the champions from each region would meet in the final round to fight for the championship title.
"Losing is a common thing, right? Besides that, if you consider Hikigaya's position as a defensive midfielder, even getting a red card is not something surprising. I'm guessing he must have committed a professional foul, right? I know it's not a commendable deed, but the reason is understandable. In some ways, it can even benefit the team like Suarez did at the 2010 World Cup."
It surprised Natsume to hear the young woman's narrative. He thought Hiratsuka was just an ordinary homeroom teacher. He didn't expect that she could guess why Hachiman got the red card. More than that, she understood the term professional foul well and could even directly mention an example. Football was not the number Youone sport in Japan. The prestige was lost by baseball and badminton. Moreover, after the broadcast of the volleyball manga, High-You, the popularity of football in Japan was slightly threatened it.
Furthermore, finding a woman who understood football in Japan was rare. Because of that, Natsume was stunned to see Hiratsuka straightforwardly expressing her opinion about a match. It was as if she was already familiar with football discussion.
"Professional fouls are controversial actions. In the eyes of opposing fans, it was something despicable, no matter what the reason was. Even in the eyes of our fans, how they react can be biased, depending on the outcome of the match. If you win, the fans will think of you as a hero for taking the risk of committing a foul. However, if you lose, especially if you get a red card, the fans will scream at you as an idiot."
Hiratsuka nodded at Natsume's explanation. What he said made her remember something.
Then Hiratsuka said something while pinching her chin, "That's right. It reminds me of Abate when Milan was against Pescara. If only Milan didn't win, maybe Abate would be blasphemed because of his tackle which could potentially make him got a red card."
Natsume was taken aback once again. He initially thought of Hiratsuka as someone who only enjoyed watching big matches or popular leagues like the English Premier League. However, seeing that she also watched the Coppa Italia, especially AC Milan, which was currently in crisis, made him think that this woman was not just a football fan who just went along with it.
"It's surprising to see a young woman like you following AC Milan even though their performance has been terrible the last few seasons," said Natsume.
Hiratsuka wanted to laugh gleefully at being praised as a young woman. However, she knew the situation and was good enough to hold herself back.
"I was twelve when Milan entered their glorious era in the 2002–2003 season. I still clearly remember how they got the nickname 'I Meravigliosi'. And Kaka, who immediately became a key player in the next season, was an extraordinary season for Milan. I was their supporter from then on, and personally a big fan of Ricardo Kaka."
Natsume chuckled at the story. He didn't expect to talk to a milanista in this situation.
"Too bad. I am an interista." he replied briefly.
Hiratsuka raised her eyebrows. She also did not expect the old man to be an Inter Milan fan.
"Yeah, too bad. After all, we're not here to talk about rivalries."
Meanwhile, two people from Sobu High feel left out because the conversation was slightly off-topic. Leaving aside the vice principal, who wasn't familiar with football, Atsugi, even though he understood the game, had never expected that Hiratsuka would be a fan.
"Where were we from?" asked Natsume to himself, "Oh, right. Hikigaya got a red card and we lost by a narrow score, 1-0. Funabashi Academy, even at junior high, has a strong soccer tradition. Especially after we had an amazing season without losing a single game, many Funabashi Junior fans, who of course were all our students, felt disappointed because they couldn't defend their title as king of the East."
Natsume paused and looked up at the ceiling. His body may still be here, but his mind wandered into the past. However, the representatives from Sobu High were impatient with the continuation of the story. Even so, the conclusion he wanted to convey was quite clear.
"In the end, Hikigaya, who got a red card, became the target of ridicule from the students?" Hiratsuka asked for confirmation.
Natsume nodded and replied, "Not only that. He also received criticism from outside, particularly from the base of Tokyo Esperion supporters. They said that Hikigaya doesn't deserve to be a player because he would do whatever it takes to win, even though he's still young."
Hearing that confession, Hiratsuka folded her arms. Her expression convulsed with inexplicable rage. She might have cursed at her student's treatment if there weren't many seniors here.
It wasn't like Hiratsuka didn't understand the anger of those people. Professional fouls always bring pros and cons, which was also not justified in the game's rules. Many professional players have also drawn criticism from opposing fans for doing that. However, from a player's point of view, they wouldn't criticise the action as long as it was not a dangerous tackle.
It's just to comment that a youth player was not fit to play just because of one or two incidents, that was too much.
"Actually, there were a case outside of football that made Hikigaya decide to leave Funabashi. However, I don't think it's appropriate discussing here," Natsume continued.
Hiratsuka looked at the other two representatives from Sobu High. Judging from their expressions, she could tell that the coach of the Funabashi team had already told them that beforehand. In other words, a main topic still had yet to be touched on in this discussion.
"So, do you want to ask for our help to convince Hikigaya to play again?" guessed Hiratsuka.
Natsume nodded and replied, "That's right. I'm not sure if my words alone are enough to convince him. So, I'm expecting cooperation from Sobu's side to persuade Hikigaya. However, I don't want his talent to go to waste. All in all, I want to lead him back to football."
Natsume paused for a moment. He grabbed a glass of tea served on the table and drank it. After he moistened his throat, he put the glass back where it was.
"And of course, it would be a lie for me if I said I didn't want his talent to strengthen my team," added the coach.
Hiratsuka didn't reply right away. Instead, she retook the file containing information about Hachiman's background, playing history, and statistics presented in the document.
'This much data for a U-15 team? Even though this is not as much as the big data used in professional leagues, this is already very impressive,' thought Hiratsuka.
Not only that. Since Natsume's main intention was to ask Sobu's help to convince Hachiman, he also attached proposals on short- and long-term plans for what they would do to help Hachiman's development, both as a player and a student.
Seeing the atmosphere that was engulfed in silence, the vice principal opened his voice.
"That's why we called you, Hiratsuka-kun. Besides you being his homeroom teacher, I also received reports that you pay special attention to Hikigaya-kun."
Hiratsuka just nodded slowly at that remark. That didn't mean she was neglecting her superior. However, her focus and brain worked intensely to analyse the document's contents. For Hiratsuka, several points really caught her attention. At those points, she poured her concentration to connect end by the end of the information to produce a straight line.
"Based on his playing style and potential, I don't think returning to Funabashi is the right choice for Hikigaya. Of course, I agreed with trying to bring Hikigaya back to football. Even though he's a grumbler, but I'm sure he can handle his past well. It's just, I don't think Funabashi is the right place," commented Hiratsuka.
The bespectacled old man raised his eyebrows in confusion. He came here for help. The vice principal for student affairs also supported this step if it meant for the student's future. However, he didn't expect to be rejected by the homeroom teacher of the student in question.
"If it weren't for his past, could you explain why you think that way?"
Hiratsuka didn't reply and just gave the nod. She then went back to opening the document that Natsume had brought. She flipped through a few pages and marked them by folding the bottom of the pages. Natsume was curious about what the lady would present. He waited patiently for Hiratsuka to finish gathering her materials.
And as for Hiratsuka, when what she wanted to say was gathered, she opened the page that showed Natsume's default system. And only then did Hiratsuka place it on the table for everyone to see.
"On paper, you used a 4-2-3-1 formula," said Hiratsuka.
She then flipped to another page before continuing.
"The formulation you used was very fluid. You changed the scheme to 5-4-1 during the defensive phase with one of your wingers down. Then, you used a 2-2-3-3 formation when transitioning to the attacking phase. Both of your wingers will moved up and one of fullbacks will overlapped to became wing forwards so they can kept the width of the field. However, from each of the schemes that you applied to each situation, there is one thing that had not changed. It's the role of your three midfielders. And what's more striking, you didn't change the Hikigaya and Tsukishima duo as a double pivot, even though you made a bold decision to moving your fullbacks up."
Natsume didn't seem impressed by what Hiratsuka was saying. That much was commonplace to know for football fans. However, the old man knew that the woman had not finished expressing what she wanted to convey.
"If you look at the average statistics in each game, you don't show dominance of ball possession. And seeing that your tactic focuses more on the defensive phase and quick transitions to attack, I assume that you adapt the high press style and counter-press with fast direct passes," said Hiratsuka.
She paused to take a breath.
"For junior high level, this is a high-level game. The high press is the most powerful opponent of total football style. If in total football all players are involved in the passing phase for build-up attack, then high press requires all players to press their opponent from their final third and with a high line of defence."
Hiratsuka then flipped through the pages again. She opened a page where team statistics were shown in general, such as top scorers, top assists, most tackles won, and so on. After that, she pinpointed a specific point and resumed her presentation.
"In this section, your team was recorded as being able to win many second ball duels in the competition. It may seem natural. However, seeing that you apply a high press, I think your main goal is to press the opposing team to immediately send the ball forward, or we can say the counter-press. If the opposing team has good composure, then they can close the space and cut off the pass to win the ball. However, if their opponent lacks composure, they will tend to send the ball forward using the long pass. From here you will aim for the second ball then make a quick transition to attack."
As Hiratsuka said, the high press was a system that required all players to press with a high line of defence. It meant a team would press from the moment the opponent gave the first touch on their defensive line. Starting from strikers, wingers and attacking midfielders, they would be the first filters to press and close the possibility of opponents giving close passes. For this reason, their passing options were minimal.
A creative midfielder with high composure was the key to eliminating this press. However, suppose team A didn't have the quality of these players, and they met team B who applied high press. Team A would tend to be provoked to give long balls forward because they see the high line of defence for team B. Unfortunately, that was what team B expected. They were always ready to receive a long ball from the opposing team to win the second ball.
The second ball itself was a term used for rebound balls. The ball would be free when rebounded after a duel or cut in a pass. And the more agile team would win the free ball. It was called counter-press. That was why the second ball duel was crucial in a game.
If the team that used the high press could win the second ball, they could send a deadly pass forward with just two to three touches.
"Unfortunately, for quality at the junior high level, such a system is too high. That was what made you ever achieve invincible because other teams couldn't adapt to your style," added Hiratsuka, "To apply high press with fast transitions, you need a strong stopper in the middle and a playmaker who not only has passing accuracy, but also extraordinary vision."
Hiratsuka flipped to the last few pages, where Hachiman's personal statistics were fully displayed.
"Hikigaya is the type of playmaker you need. He had astonishing intelligence and vision. The rest is just passing techniques that can be trained. You partnered Hikigaya and Tsukishima for this reason. Tsukishima as a strong defensive midfielder, and Hikigaya as a deep-lying playmaker who will initiate attacks. Those two are key to get midfield supremacy in the game."
The supremacy of the midfield was not about having high ball possession. Football was not only about playing with the ball. Both tactics, with and without the ball, were important in football. And even though you didn't play tiki-taka like Barcelona, it didn't mean you couldn't get supremacy in the midfield.
Hiratsuka then closed the document for good. It indicated that the session had ended. However, there were some final words she wanted to say.
"I'm sure you won't implement a scheme that your player can't run. However, seeing the stability and possibilities offered by Hikigaya and Tsukishima, made you willing to bet on this system. Unfortunately, you actually create a zone that is too comfortable for both of them. So, when you wanted to change the tactic in the third year, the stability of your team is disrupted. It was also what made your team lost to the more stable Esperion with their tiki-taka."
Natsume picked up the cup on the table and gulped down the last drop of the remaining tea.
"You're not just a casual fan, huh?" he replied as he put the cup back, "As you said. It was my fault for late making the change so they were too comfortable in their roles."
"And you want to fix that after you were appointed as head coach of Funabashi Academy for this season?" asked Hiratsuka.
Natsume just nodded slowly with his arms folded across his chest. Meanwhile, the vice principal—Takeda—still didn't understand Hiratsuka's way of thinking that rejected the idea of returning Hachiman to his nature.
"I am not a football fan. I also do not want to reduce the dignity of our school's prestige. However, isn't Funabashi Academy one of the best environments for Hikigaya-kun to polish his skills?"
Takeda paused his words for a moment. He waited for the reaction of his interlocutor. However, seeing the only woman in the room just silent made him rack his brain again to convey his sentiments better.
"Again, I'm not a football fan. However, I have heard a unique parable. Lionel Messi is the best player in the world because he grew up in the right country and environment. However, if Lionel Messi, with all his talent, was born in Asian countries such as China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea or even Japan, we might never hear the name Lionel Messi in this era."
This was not a racist statement. However, the fact that many countries in Asia adopt a tiger parenting style was one of the factors why not many countries in Asia have strong football teams compared to Europe.
Tiger parenting not only talked about strict children's education but also referred to the standards of children's success. This was because, in ancient times, the rank of commoners would increase if their children became government officials in court palaces. This stereotype has continued into this era. That was why many Asian parents wanted their children to become government officials.
Although not moving in a better direction, the emergence of professions that look sexy, like doctors and lawyers, made the standard of "success" even more absurd. That was why his football career wouldn't be cultivated even if Lionel Messi, with all his talents, was born and grew up in a tiger-parenting environment.
Hiratsuka looked straight at her superior. Her piercing eyes completely contrast her relaxed demeanour at every opportunity. The lines on her face did not show the slightest change, making her determination unshakable.
"With all due respect, vice principal. Have you ever heard of a young man named Mitoma Kaoru?" asked Hiratsuka.
Meanwhile, the subject she was talking to only replied with a confused look. Seeing that, Hiratsuka continued.
"He is a phenomenal youth player. About three years ago, he turned down a professional contract from Kawasaki Frontale in favour of going to university. To be honest, I don't really follow football in the age group. However, I can confirm that Mitoma was the best player in the U-18 at that time. When people thought that Mitoma had no ambition to go professional, he silenced them all by becoming a mainstay for the Japan U-23 national team."
Hiratsuka paused to take a breath for a moment.
"What I want to say is, a strong team like Funabashi does promise better facilities and opportunities. However, what must be paid the most attention is not that, but what is needed for these players to develop talent. Hikigaya probably received a lot of criticism during his final season of middle school. There may also be problems off the field that make him reluctant to continue his senior high to Funabashi Academy. However, above all, I believe that Hikigaya knows what he needs and understands what he must to do to improve his quality."
Hiratsuka was panting a bit after saying that long sentence without pause. She wanted just a little rest to catch her breath. Unfortunately, Funabashi's coach didn't let her.
"To compare Hikigaya to Mitoma is inappropriate in my opinion. Mitoma joined Frontale Academy. He has even had several opportunities to play in the J-League as an academy player. He had gained a lot of experience before he finally made the decision to go to university. As for Hikigaya, he's not at that level."
Hiratsuka was silent for a moment with an even expression. A second later, she exhaled and smiled faintly while closing her eyes.
"I guess we'll agree to disagree here. In fact, I cannot make decisions on Hikigaya's behalf," said Hiratsuka as she shrugged, "I will convey your good intentions to that boy. However, he is very stubborn and it is difficult to even give him advice if he has covered his ears."
Takeda—the vice principal—just stared at Hiratsuka with a suspicious look that was hard to understand.
'Didn't you just get that kid to join Yukinoshita-kun's club?'
Hiratsuka noticed the gaze. However, she ignored it and focused on what she was about to cook.
"I understand that. One of Hikigaya's weaknesses is his stubbornness," replied the Funabashi coach.
Hiratsuka nodded and said, "That's why, I want a commensurate feedback. You asked us to convince one of the top talents in our school to transfer to Funabashi Academy. So, it's only natural that I, or us, ask for something in return, right?"
Natsume frowned at the offer. He glared at the woman. The atmosphere around him stiffened at what she said. However, before he could say anything, Hiratsuka interrupted him.
"Please don't misunderstand. What I want to say is not something Funabashi will lose out on. On the contrary, maybe this is just something trivial. However, it will be a great experience for us, Sobu Senior High."
Natsume took a deep breath. His shoulders relaxed slightly after hearing the woman's plea. Even so, his suspicions did not just disappear. A point inside him told him she was up to something.
"Name it," Natsume replied curtly.
Hiratsuka smiled broadly at that. It wasn't a sly smile or an evil grin. It was just a broad, genuine smile based on authentic concern. Whatever she was cooking, she was doing it sincerely from the content of her heart for the good of a student who had recently been attracting her attention.
"Please, have a friendly match between the Funabashi football team and us," she declared.
—OoOoO—
The counselling room was a particular room used by teachers to give extra lessons to students with morality problems. Or at least, that was the stereotype that appeared when someone heard the word 'counselling room'. It couldn't be helped since those summoned to the room were mostly problematic students.
However, the counselling room, in general, was used by teachers to have personal conversations with their students. There were many things that a teacher and student couldn't talk about when they were in an ordinary classroom or even the teacher's room. For that reason, this counselling room was created.
And of the many students at Sobu High, Hikigaya Hachiman was one of the students with the most records related to the counselling room.
"So, for what reason did you call me this time, Hiratsuka-sensei? I don't remember doing anything to offend anyone recently, though."
Hachiman was not a delinquent. He didn't have a record of delinquency to deserve repeated summons to this room. However, morality matters not only about being delinquent and being a crook. Things like laziness, undisciplined, and a corrupted mind were also moral problems that must be overcome. Unfortunately, Hikigaya Hachiman had those qualities.
Laziness? He had been caught sleeping several times during class. Undisciplined? He was once caught carrying a light novel and manga during an impromptu luggage raid. Corrupted mind? Hachiman was a deranged bastard who openly cursed those who enjoy youth to just die in his essay.
Those were just a few small examples. However, Hiratsuka Shizuka understood very well that a few screws were loose in the young man's head.
"Too bad I called you here not for me to lecture you," said Hiratsuka, who sat in a single seat.
While gesturing with her head, the woman gave a clear order to the teenager.
"Sit down."
Following the order from the woman, Hachiman sat in an available chair.
"This afternoon, during break time, Coach Natsume from the Funabashi football team visited here," Hiratsuka said slowly, "the point is, he asked me to persuade you to come back to Funabashi."
Hachiman showed no signs of being surprised by this information. It also didn't bother Hiratsuka with the reaction she didn't expect. Quite the contrary, it proved that Funabashi has taken another approach to the boy.
'Perhaps Hikigaya's teammates persuaded him first?' Hiratsuka thought.
The woman tapped her index finger on the table's surface while waiting for a reply from her student. However, the unspoken answer made her patience disappear.
"I assumed you wouldn't come back to Funabashi even if I talked you into bleeding my mouth?" asked Hiratsuka.
Hachiman finally sighed and shook his head slowly.
"I'm sorry, but that one is impossible for me."
Hearing that reply, Hiratsuka nodded in understanding.
"It's fine. I won't dig any further why you reject them."
Hachiman didn't expect his teacher to drop this topic just like that. He kept thinking Hiratsuka would continue digging for information, given her persistence. However, Hachiman wanted to avoid being stuck with that thought. For him, this was the best chance to escape while the creepy woman hadn't changed her mind.
"Not that fast, you cocky brat," commented Hiratsuka, who seemed to know what her student was thinking.
Hachiman finally sighed again. From the start, he should have realised that escaping from a teacher known to be friendly but a killer was never easy.
'If it were that easy, I'd never be stuck with that bastard Yukinshita,' he thought.
"I feel something is wrong, to be honest. Besides, please don't call me 'brat', sensei."
"You're a brat because high schoolers are actually just brats. Meanwhile, people my age are more suitable to be called 'young'. That's right, I'm still young," replied Hiratsuka as she hit the table with a smile.
However, Hachiman actually looked at that beautiful smile with a pitying look.
'Those who are young would never admit being 'young' that easily, sensei. That just makes you look pathetic, you know? Someone, please ask her out to an amusement park and give her a drama-like high school experience before I'll do it myself!'
Hiratsuka realised the meaning behind her student's blank stare and could only clear her throat. She was desperately trying to restore her pride as a teacher.
"So, is there anything else you'd like to say?" asked Hachiman, who broke the silence.
Hearing the initiative behind the question, Hiratsuka crossed her arms over her chest with a smug face. With apparent intentionality, Hiratsuka let the student wait for the answer from her mouth for a few seconds.
'Seriously, what's wrong with this woman? Is the screw in her head loose or something?' Hachiman thought.
After feeling satisfied with making her student curious, Hiratsuka finally opened her voice.
"Have you ever played Master League or Become a Legend mode on PES?"
Hachiman frowned. He still needed to understand where this conversation was going.
"I rarely play Master mode, but I do play Become a Legend a lot."
Hiratsuka nodded vigorously and replied, "Surely you named your character after yourself, right? I know, I know."
Hearing the nonchalant words of his teacher made Hachiman's cheeks flush red without him even realising it. He wanted to protest, or rather, he tried to change the subject. However, the woman who was now at the peak of this utopia preceded him without consideration.
"No need to be embarrassed, Hikigaya. Anyone would do it. You also don't need to be embarrassed if you change the name of a player at your favourite club, to your own name just to satisfy your imagination."
Hachiman's face, which was red before, was now even redder, as if the blood vessels in his head were blocked by something. Well, that's right, because the vein in his head was now clogged with his dark secret!
"Please, just get straight to the point," interrupted Hachiman before completely collapsing from the darkness within him.
'Besides, where did she get those ideas from? I mean, only high-level delusional know the habits of other delusional.'
Hachiman was silent for a moment before he finally realised something.
'You're apparently a high-level delusional too, aren't you, Hiratsuka-sensei?!'
Hachiman could only laugh bitterly in his heart. He didn't expect that his teacher was the same type as him. Seeing this woman was like seeing his reflection in the future if he failed to reach his dream. And Hachiman didn't want to end up being a delusional person forever.
Meanwhile, Hiratsuka felt she had said something that indirectly exposed her dark secret. She wanted to curse her stupid mouth that spoke without the consent of her brain. However, she had to put that aside first and endure her embarrassment because there was something she had to prioritise for now.
"Basically, I plan to become the coach of the Sobu High Football team," Hiratsuka said directly.
Hachiman could only blink his eyes at that absurd statement.
"Please, your joke is not funny at all."
"I'm not joking, though. I'm one hundred percent serious now."
"Still, it's not funny."
"I told you. I'm not joking."
Hachiman chose to remain silent for a few moments so he could adequately digest the situation he was in. However, he still couldn't understand the slightest meaning behind his teacher's declaration.
"To be honest, those who say Tottenham can win the league under Pochettino are far funnier than your jokes. However, that aside. Can you explain what you mean?" asked Hachiman.
Hiratsuka took a deep breath, hearing her student again think her words were a joke. However, it was understandable. The reason was she said the declaration out of the blue. On top of that, she didn't even have any previous tactical team management records.
"You know, I've dreamed of this for a long time, dreaming of coaching a football team even if it's just a high school team. However, I have never seriously pursued this ideal and only gave vent to it in games."
Hachiman listened carefully to what Hiratsuka had to say. Her confession also confirmed his assumption about Hiratsuka, who played PES as an outlet for ideals she couldn't even realise.
"I know this is sudden, but seeing even an irresponsible person can coach this team, it makes me jealous," Hiratsuka continued in a low voice with a long face.
"Then, do you want to kick the current coach of Sobu High just like that?" asked Hachiman.
"Instead of kick him out, I will offer a more promising program to the principal."
The current Sobu High football team coach was just an amateur coach with coaching as his side job. He was a freelance journalist hoping to get a regular contract with NHK. He was appointed the coach simply because he was an alumnus of the Sobu High football club. However, he was never interested in taking the course to get his coaching license from the JFA.
In fact, a licensed coach was the standard set by the JFA for the U-18 team. However, it was not a binding rule for teams in the U-18 second division below or high school teams. In contrast, teams in the premier league, The Prince Takamado Cup, were required to sign JFA-licensed coaching as the minimum bar.
In response, Sobu High, which was not too focused on non-academic fields, never had a problem with it. Moreover, in the last two seasons, Sobu High has managed to stay in the second division after, in previous seasons, they only competed in the third division or the prefectural level. So, there was no push and demand for the school board to further boost the football team's performance.
"I don't understand, to be honest. However, let's say you do intend to become a coach. But do you think they will let you, who is a teacher, be a coach of football team? Actually, it makes a lot more sense if the PE teacher is in charge of this team himself."
Hachiman's question was not without reason. Sobu was a school with academic achievement as the main reference. Seeing their orientation, it was almost impossible for schools to let one of their best teachers devote some of their focus to fields other than academics.
"You're right. However, you forget that a teacher can also be in charge of a club supervisor. And at this school, the football team is seen as nothing more than a club," said Hiratsuka.
"And you are already in charge of the Service Club."
"Is there a rule against a teacher being in charge of more than one club?"
Hachiman was silent at the defence. To be honest, he didn't know how the standard of procedure was implemented for them, the teachers. However, from an efficiency perspective alone, being the supervisor of two clubs was clearly inefficient.
Hiratsuka sighed, seeing the doubtful gaze of her student.
"I understand your issue. However, trust me, everything will be fine."
Hachiman couldn't get rid of his doubts even though he had received many words of encouragement from his teacher. However, he immediately dismissed that thought as it was not a matter he should concern himself with.
Hiratsuka noticed that Hachiman had started to calm down in dealing with the situation. Or maybe he was just trying to act indifferent. However, he knew he couldn't hide that much from his teacher.
"Alright. Let's say you succeeded in persuading the principal and becoming a supervisor to the football club. Then, what would you do? If you just think of this like a Master League on PES, with all due respect, Hiratsuka-sensei, you are no different from the current coach."
Hiratsuka smiled calmly. She was not offended by the last sentence she received. On the contrary, she was flattered that her interlocutor started talking about the actual context.
"Well, teams in the second division of the U-18 league are not required to have a licensed coach. That way, on the day I took over as club coach, I could start working right then and there. The first thing I will do is improve the organisational structure of the club, as well as a more structured training menu. However, in the long term, I plan to take a coaching course from the JFA and pick up my C license as soon as possible."
Hachiman listened to his teacher's explanation carefully. He rubbed his chin to give him a sensation where he could use his brain comfortably. His eyes narrowed, glaring at the woman. Meanwhile, he clenched his jaw so he wouldn't lose focus of this conversation.
"To be honest, that sounds pretty promising. However, becoming a coach is not that simple. Managing a team is not only about management within a club, but also about where you are going to lead it and how to achieve goals," Hachiman commented in his usual dry tone.
'At least, that's the experience I got from playing PES,' he added.
"Dahahahahaa," Hiratsuka laughed as she covered his eyes using his hand.
Hachiman was a little surprised because the woman suddenly let out laughter that filled the room. However, ignoring her antiques, he let his teacher laugh until she was satisfied and waited for her proper answer.
Hiratsuka rubbed the corners of her eyes that were emitting a drop of clear liquid. Gradually the laughter from her mouth disappeared. And when she had regained control of her composure again, Hiratsuka looked up at Hachiman with a determination that gave him a chill.
"Passed the Inter-High or Winter Cup qualifications, then finished top four in the Kanto Region league. Those two are my targets this season."
In Japan, there were at least three major tournaments at the U-18 level. The first was, of course, Prince Takamado, who has three divisions. If the primary division, or Premier League, was divided into two sides, namely East and West, then the second division was split into nine regions based on each region.
Only the champions from each region were eligible to advance to the next round, held by a knock-off system. The finalists have the right to promotion, while the third place had to compete in the playoff against the tenth-placed team out of 12 participants in the Premier League.
Sobu High miraculously made it into the second division two years ago, even though they almost got relegated to the third division last year. Despite impressing only as a regional league, securing the top four was an ambitious project for Sobu High, even though Hiratsuka did not aim to advance to the knock-off rounds.
Apart from the league, there were two main competitions, the Inter-High and the Winter Cup. Teams from the youth academy were generally not very interested in these two cups. For this reason, schools affiliated with clubs such as Tokyo Esperion, Kashiwa Reysol, Gamba Osaka, and others have generally banned their athletes from participating. So that only players at the high school level competed.
However, for high school giants such as Aomori Seiran, Funabashi Academy, and RKU Kashiwa High, competitions such as the Inter-High and Winter Cup were prestigious events that could establish their dominance at the high school level. Because of that, aiming to qualify for the Inter-High or Winter Cup was a bold declaration from Hiratsuka. Moreover, in Chiba itself, Funabashi and RKU Kashiwa played in the Premier League. In other words, their level was on par with the teams competing in the major league.
In short, if you want to qualify to represent Chiba Prefecture, you need a team at least on par with the Prince Takamado Premier League.
Hachiman was about to ask, but Hiratsuka didn't give him a chance.
"You want to know how I do it, right? If so, join my crew, Hikigaya. Together with me, let's explore the cruel ocean like we've never seen before."
He would lie if he said he wasn't stunned by her confident declaration. It was not a hunch like the one he had when he first met her. He thought that the woman before him had something special that could attract many people to her side. She had an incredibly strong and unique charisma that interested everyone in seeing what step she would take.
Even though she was hidden as a teacher, her quality as a transformational agent couldn't deceive Hikigaya Hachiman's eyes. He didn't want to brag that he could judge someone well. No, he was probably a pretty bad judge. However, not even the stupidest person could look away from the brightly shining diamond before him.
Even so, every human being was not perfect. Hachiman could pick up some strange things about it, even for Hiratsuka Shizuka.
'Exploring the seas, she says? what's wrong with her? Are you a pirate in a straw hat or something?'
Putting that aside, there was something that caught Hachiman's attention.
"Wait, Wait. So, out of all this talk, your main goal is to recruit me?"
Hiratsuka nodded proudly and replied, "I've studied your profile. When kids your age prefer to be strikers or wingers, you actually say you want to be a deep-lying playmaker without coercion. You know what you want, and you know what you have to do to achieve it. I believe, that was the main reason you chose to part ways with Tsukishima Kei."
Hachiman couldn't help but gasp at Hiratsuka's deduction. He was curious about where the woman got the idea.
'Did Coach Natsume tell it? No, that's not possible. I never told that to anyone. Besides, if he were to ask Hiratsuka-sensei to persuade me, he wouldn't be able to tell about my reason not continuing on to Funabashi Academy. Because if that's the case, Hiratsuka-sensei will definitely refuse his request if it's something that makes her student feel uncomfortable.'
Hachiman racked his brain at full power for an answer to his question. He kept forcing his head to work even though he had no clues to tell him the truth. No matter how many times he thought, the outcome he always got would still be the same. The deduction Hiratsuka put forward was purely derived from her own analysis, which she considered it.
"I realised that I had no experience. All the provisions that I have come only from my experience playing games and discussions of football pundits on YouTube and television."
Hiratsuka paused for a moment to take a deep breath.
"I have no insurance for your future as an athlete. I also can't embelish yourself and ignore the other kids. You've fallen and become the butt of gossip because you can't adapt to new strategies from your coach. However, I know that's not true. That's why, there's only one thing I can offer you."
Hiratsuka again put off her words. She refilled her lungs with fresh oxygen after she ran out of fuel.
"I will help you and create a stage where you can prove them wrong about you. I will lead you to complete your youth career without regrets. Together with me, let's kick some ass, Hikigaya."
Those were sweet words full of rhetoric that Hachiman often heard. It was like honey coming out of the beautiful mouth of the black-haired woman. However, he realised that the value of a speech did not come from how beautiful the string of words was. The true weight of words lay in whose mouth they were spoken. And Hachiman knew he could place his bet on her once Hiratsuka had shown the strength that radiated from her inner resolve.
He also told his old team that he might join the Sobu team if there was a radical change in this club. Hiratsuka hadn't shown any changes yet. However, he knew Hiratsuka would be humming heavy metal that might upset Chiba's untouched football throne, which was currently controlled by the three great powers, Funabashi Academy, RKU Kashiwa High, and Kashiwa Youth.
"Tell me, what do you expect from me in your project, sensei?" asked Hachiman with a calm intonation.
Hiratsuka smiled lightly. He was satisfied with the results the young man gave.
"There are many, of course. However, first, I want you to prepare yourself. Three days from now, we will have a friendly match against Funabashi. Come in for the second half and go greet them."
—To Be Continued—
Author Note: This chapter actually took a long time to finish because this is an old story. However, due to the messy writing, I had to edit it first and add details to build this story up. Because of that, the chapter that was originally only around 6k words, now has 13k words.
That aside, I actually have an original character for Hachiman's teammate. However, since this is fanfiction, I decided to include characters from other anime lol. That's why Tsukishima appear in this story. But I don't have the complete list yet. So, if you have any suggestions or requests for any characters to be included, just state them in the review.
However, please pay attention to the criteria I set. First off, I'm not looking for badass characters or OP characters. Only normal characters, but can be relied upon in some situations. All in all, I don't want to form an OP team, but a sufficient team that is able to wade through the competition stably. Why? Because of Sobu's background itself is impossible to have a strong sports team.
Besides that, I also have plans for Yukino and Yui, but not in a romantic way. they will still have a role in this story. As for romance, it won't be a harem and Yumiko will be his partner.