The next day,
"Everyone, please welcome the new transfer student. He arrived late yesterday and joined the match with Raimon, and now he arrived just as we finished our session… So, you all didn't meet him…", The teacher sighed before looking at Shinichi, "Will you introduce yourself please?".
"My name's Kudou Shinichi! Nice to meet you all!", Shinichi smiled at his new classmates, already being liked by them after his performance yesterday in Raimon's match. He waved for the students who were taking to him, greeting them, before placing his bag on the empty seat next to the window, in front of Gouenji, while Endou was right next to him.
"Hey Kudou, how've you been?!", Endou asked, his attitude more excited than usual.
"I'm okay, what about you? You seem very excited.", Shinichi noted.
"He's excited because of what I told him.". Shinichi looked at the girl sitting in front of Endou.
"My name is Raimon Natsumi, I'm the daughter of the owner Raimon Middle School, and the head manager of Raimon's team.", She introduced herself with a smile.
"Nice to meet you.", Shinichi greeted.
"I told Endou-san since Teikoku Gakuen forfeited the soccer's club fate was temporarily safe but now it's on the line.", Natsumi explained, "The Occult Team challenged us to a match in two days from now, and if we lose, the soccer club will be disbanded.".
"We already have a match again?", Shinichi asked surprised.
"Yes!". He looked at the girl who was sitting in front of him who answered.
"Raimon's win against Teikoku spread like wildfire and made several schools want to face Raimon.", She explained, "My name is Kino Aki and I'm the manager of Raimon's team, in Tactics mainly!".
"Oh yeah I saw you yesterday, nice to meet you.", Shinichi recalled before he relaxed his back on the chair, "Guess that means more training.".
"You bet, I'm not gonna stop training until I master all techniques Jiichan had here!", Endou cried as he showed Shinichi his grandfather's notebook.
Shinichi took the notebook, and sweat dropped once he opened it.
'What the hell…', He immediately thought once he saw the awful handwriting, that looked more like a child doodles.
"Yeah…", Kazemaru said as he walked towards the group from his seat, "We all had the same face expressions.".
'Pretty sure Tatsuya is having a much easier time in practice.', Shinichi thought.
Teikoku Academy,
The Teikoku players were training on their football pitch while Tatsuya, Genda, Sakuma, and Kidou sat on the bench resting.
"Our match with Raimon made many schools want to face them now.", Sakuma said.
"Definitely because our forfeit counted as defeat. Now every school will wipe the floor with them.", Genda said.
"Doubt it. That Endou is a tough guy, and with Gouenji and Shinichi on their side, they're a tough cookie now.", Tatsuya said before drinking from his water bottle.
"For someone who hasn't touched the field before, your cousin is very talented.", Genda noted.
"He'd train at home or play somewhere else, since the coach refused to let him play, for being a spoiled brat.", Tatsuya rolled his eyes at the last sentence.
"Your tone says that that is not the real reason.", Kidou spoke up.
"No actually…", Tatsuya trailed off once he realized that Kidou finally spoke up.
"I almost forgot how you sounded like.", Tatsuya snorted but Kidou responded with nothing, so he decided to continue his explanation.
"My father has two older twin brothers; Yusaku and Toichi. Older by three years. Yusaku is older than Toichi by five minutes. They hate my father and disowned him, and kept their sons away from us. We managed to stick to Shinichi through Kaachan's friendship with his mother until he started visiting us in secret, but my other cousin hates us because his parents made him hate us.", Tatsuya explained before taking another sip of water, "Agasa-Hakase, Shinichi's neighbor, once went to ask why Shinichi wasn't playing, and the school told him his parents said he wasn't that good and just wanted a connection with his shady uncle, my father.".
Kidou looked at Tatsuya's hand to see him clenching the now empty water bottle in anger, the opposite of his calm speech.
"Does Kudou know that?", Sakuma asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Oyaji doesn't want to ruin Shinichi's parents' image in front of him, so he said nothing when he called Agasa-Hakase and found out.", Tatsuya shook his head.
Genda whistled, "Wonder why your paternal uncles hate your father so much like that.".
"Grandfather cheated on grandmother with some random woman and when she told him she was pregnant, he left. He did not even see my father until he was seven, when his mother died. My father's appearance made my grandparents divorce, destroying the peaceful happy life for Yusaku and Toichi, to the point that Toichi took my grandmother's name and lived with her relatives in Ekoda. Yusaku stayed in Beika with my grandmother and often visited Toichi. My father was left alone with my grandfather, who now put the blame of the destruction of his family on my father.", Tatsuya explained.
Sakuma, Genda, and Kidou shared surprised looks at Tatsuya's story.
"And I thought Kageyama needed therapy.", Kidou broke the silence.
"He isn't not that sane either.", Genda snorted.
"So… where did your father live then?", Sakuma asked.
"Orphanage, but his soccer skills made him able to enroll to Raimon Elementary and Middle Schools then Teitan then Tohto University, but whenever he was in the spotlights as a player, Yusaku and Toichi would deny that that was their brother, while my father would refuse to comment, respecting their stupid wishes.", Tatsuya explained.
"Toichi Toichi Toichi… as in Kuroba Toichi? The famous magician?", Sakuma recognized the name, Tatsuya nodding in confirmation.
"You want my honest opinion? Your father won.", Genda said with a smile making the other three boys look at him curiously, especially Tatsuya.
"He made Raimon breath a bit back in the day, gave Teitan a chance in soccer, lead the Japanese team during his time, won the Asian Cup, and third place in FFI, and almost improved Raimon and Zeus as a coach if it weren't for what happened.", Genda explained, "And he married the famous Academy winning actress; Sharon Vineyard when he was 20 and she was 30, which was impossible to happen considering Sharon's backstory, both of them becoming great parents to you and your sisters, one of which is adopted.".
"But what about your uncles? One is a novelist, but his wife quit acting and from what you say, have left their son in America. The other was a world-renowned Magician, not even as popular as Kudou Michiya…", Genda then lowered his voice, "And you said your younger paternal uncle was Kaitou Kid so he was a thief, and no one is sure if he is dead or not.".
"You're just saying that to make me feel better.", Tatsuya scoffed at Genda's comparison.
"You're talking to the most honest person here, honest to the point that he received detention for telling the teacher she looked like a clown!", Sakuma laughed lightly.
"Her make up made her look like clown, I wasn't lying.", Genda defended himself.
"You told the principal he looked like a round potato.", Kidou recalled.
"Because he was very fat, wearing yellow tight clothes.", Genda defended himself again. He crossed his arms as he said, "I never lie.".
"There is a thin fine line between honesty and rudeness, but I assume you believe they're the same thing.", Kidou sighed at his friend's attitude.
Tatsuya smiled, knowing that the three were trying to change the subject since they noticed he was angry and sad from talking about it.
"So… Does Kageyama want us to do something about Raimon now?", Tatsuya asked.
"He said he has his eyes inside Raimon, so there is nothing to be done now.", Kidou explained.
'His eyes inside… a spy then huh?', Tatsuya deduced.
Kudou Michiya's household,
Sharon sat at the dinning table next to Asami, who had a small kindergarten English book in front of her.
"Alright Asami, read this sentence for me.", Sharon said slightly slow in English as she pointed at the sentence.
Asami slowly pronounced the English words as she said, "The boy reads a… pook.".
"Book. It's B for Ball, not P for Princess.", Sharon corrected her daughter.
"The boy reads a book!", Asami read it at once correctly, a wide smile on her face.
"Good job!", Sharon clapped for her daughter with a wide smile on her face.
It was during moments like this that she forgot that she was an assassin and a criminal, or the witch with thousand faces. Her fellow organization members believed happiness was in power, money, and even killing.
But her, she believed her true happiness was in moments like this; Fuyuka winning Art competitions of the Art club at Teikoku Gakuen, Tatsuya's achievements with the soccer team and his goals, Asami progressing quickly in learning English and Japanese, and now, her godson's success at Raimon's first match.
Sharon looked up to see Michiya sitting in the living room ahead and frowned once she saw the expressionless look on his face, at what he was watching on tv.
It was a report about the latest things happening in Hollywood, with them talking about the success of a new mystery movie, based on the novel of Kudou Yusaku. It showed Yusaku with Yukiko supporting him at the press conference.
And then one of the reporters asked, "Considering the fact that Kudou Michiya retired early from Soccer due to an eye injury that made him replace it with a cybernetic eye. What is your opinion on the drug scandal that caused the FFI to ban him from coaching any team two years ago?".
Yusaku's friendly face remained as it is, but Sharon could easily see the fake smile hiding the anger he felt as he said, "I don't see why I'm being asked this question, as I have nothing to do with soccer.".
"But Michiya is your younger half-brother.", Another reporter pointed out.
"He's not.", Yusaku answered immediately. Yukiko glanced at him pitifully but said nothing.
"So, you think what the FFI said about Michiya handing the soccer players drugs is true?", The first reporter asked.
"That is something to be decided by the police.", Yusaku replied.
"The police proved he did it.", A reporter recalled.
'False evidence.', Sharon thought with her eyes narrowed.
"So, he did.", Yusaku said without a second thought. Yukiko looked at him in disbelief for a second before looking away.
Sharon watched Michiya's face carefully. Nothing changed on his face, but she caught the glimpse of sadness that escaped from his eyes.
"Asami, sweetie,", Sharon started as she placed in front of her one of the notebooks present on the table and opened it for her. "The first two pages of the book, write their sentences. They're just six in total, and they're easy.", She said with a smile, "If you write them correctly with a good handwriting, I'll read you two stories at bedtime not just one.".
"Really?! I'll do it right now.", Asami said in excitement as she picked up a pencil and started writing in the notebook.
Sharon kissed the top of her head, making Asami smile even more, before she stood up and walked towards Michiya.
"Don't bother. We all know the evidence was false to keep you away.", Sharon said as she sat next to Michiya.
"Still… I'm known as the coach who gave his players drugs… And when I tried to call Chihaya, she told me there is no way she'd let a drug dealer like me near her son…", Michiya sighed heavily as he ran his hand through his hair.
"Someday the truth will come out, and you will return back and achieve great things as a Coach. As for the other Kudou and the Kuroba families, they need therapy.", Sharon assured him as she placed her hand on top of his, "And you are an amazing person, in my eyes, and you saved me back then, remember?".
Michiya chuckled, "I still remember when you met me when I went to talk to Toichi 17 years ago and you looked down at me as if I was an emo child.".
Sharon lightly chuckled, "You were very shady back then, and it would have never occurred to me that you'd sweep me off my feet two years later and immediately marry me.".
"Yeah… The news called me a gold digger and you a whore then.", Michiya snorted.
"Hmmm, the news also glorifies producers at Hollywood despite knowing they're sexual harassers, until it reaches the public, then they attack them.", Sharon shrugged before she remembered, "By the way, you said you had a surprise for all of us, what is it?".
Michiya smiled lightly, "You'll see.".
Shinichi stood at the side with Aki as he watched the team practice on the field of Raimon, without Gouenji, who was nowhere to be seen. He was wearing Raimon's soccer uniform like the team while Aki was wearing her Raimon school uniform.
"Why didn't you join the practice?", Aki asked confused.
"I want to analyze the team. We can't depend on a Hissatsu or two if we want to join the Football Frontier, that's after we defeat the Occult team of course.", Shinichi said.
Shinichi then looked at Someoka with interest once he received the ball and stood facing Endou.
Someoka raised his foot as a blue Asian dragon appeared behind him as he cried, "Dragon… Crash!", he kicked the ball, now engulfed by blue energy, towards Endou.
"Heavens Hand!", Endou cried as he used his hissatsu to block Someoka's new shot.
"That was awesome!", Handa cheered.
"We have a new Hissatsu shot!", Kabeyama cheered.
"Were you training in secret?", Matsuno asked.
"Yeah… now we don't need Gouenji since he refuses to play!", Someoka cried proudly. The team looked at Someoka confused and bewildered, not understanding why he would say that.
'Endou is the element of Earth while Someoka is Wood like me.', Shinichi noted.
"I think if we all have Hissatsu, not just I, Gouenji, Someoka, and Endou, we would be unstoppable.", Shinichi said.
"Always the observant one, aren't you?". Shinichi's heart skipped a beat once he heard the female voice.
He slowly turned around to see the new transfer student who was wearing the same uniform as Aki.
"Hi Shinichi.", Mouri Ran greeted with a wide smile on her face.
"Ran…", Shinichi mumbled in disbelief as the girl walked towards him, "Why… when… how?".
"I convinced my parents to transfer me to Raimon. Otousan well… he's too busy drinking… but Okaasan noticed that Raimon in terms of education is better than Teitan.", Ran explained, "Even Sonoko will transfer here, when she recovers from her cold.".
"She's still sick?", Shinichi asked, earning a nod from Ran.
He smiled widely, "You have no idea how glad am I that you're here now! With me…".
Ran slightly blushed at his words but said nothing.
A cough interrupted their moment making Shinichi pale as he turned around. The team was standing across him with Aki.
Aki was gushing at them while Kazemaru, Someoka, Matsuno, Handa, Kurimatsu were giving him teasing smirks. Shourin, Endou, Kageyama, and Shishido were smiling friendly at Ran, while Kageno was as gloomy as he always is.
"Who's your girlfriend?", Kazemaru asked making Shinichi and Ran's face color become tomato red.
"SHE'S/I'M NOT MY/HIS GIRLFRIEND!!!", Both chorused in embarrassment and denial, but their faces weren't helpingthem.
"This is my childhood best friend and former Karate Captain at Teitan Middle School, Mouri Ran.", Shinichi introduced.
The boys and Aki were immediately impressed by Ran as Endou immediately shook hands with Ran as he said, "Nice to meet you! I'm Endou Mamoru, Raimon's Captain and goalkeeper!".
One by one, the players and Aki introduced themselves to Ran, getting easily acquainted with her because of her nice personality.
"I hope I didn't interrupt your training.", Ran said slightly worried.
"Nah, we were about to take a 10 minute break so no worries.", Endou assured her.
Ran sat next to Aki on the bench as the team stood around, drinking some water from their water bottles.
"So Endou, are you working on another Hissatsu?", Shinichi asked.
"Nekketsu Punch. I'm close to getting right so it won't take that long to be mastered.", Endou nodded.
"I don't think it's just Hissatsu you need to work on.", Ran spoke up, making everyone look at her interest, "You need to work on your physical abilities without Hissatsu too.".
"How did you-".
"She's been watching for awhile.", Gouenji interrupted Aki as he reached the field, wearing his Raimon soccer uniform, much to Someoka's annoyance.
"Gouenji! I knew you'd join us!", Endou said happily and Gouenji simply smiled in return.
"I'm not surprised you noticed that since you're a martial artist and having a keen eye for noticing such things is essential for one.", Shinichi smiled proudly.
"I can design a program for you, but I won't do anything now, since you might not be able to walk.", Ran said.
"Not be able to walk? Why? What can your training do to us?", Shourin asked slightly suspicious.
"Allow me to show you the results of my training.", Ran said sweetly as she stood off the bench looking around, until she a light pole near the pitch that needed to be fixed.
She walked towards the pitch until she was standing right in front of it, took a deep breath, before letting out a battle cry as she slammed her right fist into the pole.
Everyone's eyes widened as Ran formed a huge dent in the pole, causing it to slightly bend.
"That was… scary…", Kabeyama shivered.
"Now I see why she's the Karate Captain.", Shishido gulped in fear.
"I think the bullies in Raimon will disappear for awhile.", Kageno commented.
"You know, after you told me you're a detective I wondered how come you were never hurt by the criminals… now I know why.", Gouenji commented with an impressed tone, his arms crossed.
"Yeah… Ran's the brawn and I'm the brain.", Shinichi chuckled.
After the break, Raimon practiced a few more times with Shinichi and Gouenji playing on the team this time, giving a chance to one of the players who needed a break to take a rest.
They trained until the sunset, and that was the time everyone left the soccer field to return back home.
"Tadaima!", Shinichi called as he opened the door, the widest smile on his face as Ran entered the house behind him before he closed the door.
Tatsuya was slacking on one of the couches while Fuyuka sat on the other, with Asami next to her watching tv, Michiya sitting at the dining table reading the news while Sharon was almost finished preparing dinner.
"What took ya…", Tatsuya trailed off as he turned to the face door, once his eyes landed on Ran.
He then smirked, "Ohhh! You were busy kissing your girlfriend!".
"Tatsuya, behave.", Michiya scolded as he folded the newspaper and placed it on the table.
Tatsuya's words made Fuyuka at once look at the door, a wide smile spread on her face, before she got up and ran towards Ran, Asami following her.
"Ran-neechan!", Fuyuka cried happily as she embraced the girl who immediately returned the hug.
"Oneechan!", Asami cried as she hugged Ran's legs.
Both girls lightly laughed as they ended their hugs before Ran knelt and gave one for Asami.
"You transferred to Raimon, didn't you?", Tatsuya guessed as Fuyuka and Asami led Ran and Shinichi to the living room.
"It was easy convincing Okaasan, Otousan…", Ran sighed heavily as Tatsuya got up and gave her a side brotherly hug.
"You don't need to talk about it if it's bothering you.", Tatsuya smiled.
"Arigatou, Tatsu-niichan.", Ran smiled gratefully at Tatsuya just as Michiya approached her and ruffled her hair.
"How about you stay over here for a day or two? Some sort of change of scenery you could say.", Michiya suggested with a smile.
"I don't know if my parents would agree.", Ran wondered.
"I will talk to them.", Michiya assured her with a smile just as Sharon left the kitchen.
"This is the surprise you were talking about.", She said with a smile once she saw Ran.
"Sharon-san!", Ran said happily as she hugged the elder woman.
"It's been a while, my Angel.", Sharon chuckled.
"Kaaaaachaaaan!!! I'm hungry…", Tatsuya called.
"How old are you? Four?", Shinichi scoffed at Tatsuya's attitude, "Even Asami didn't talk like that.".
"Because I'm a big girl.", Asami puffed her chest forward making the teens and adults laugh.
Michiya ruffled her hair as he said proudly, "Yes you are!".
"Dinner is finished. I just need help preparing the dining table and placing the utensils.", Sharon said as she walked back to the kitchen.
"I'll go call Eri.", Michiya said as he opened the backyard door.
"I'll go take a quick shower and change.", Shinichi said as he went upstairs.
"I wanna help Mama!", Asami said.
"Alright, come on girls, let's all help Kaachan.", Tatsuya said as he held Asami's hand and he, Fuyuka, and Ran went behind Sharon.
"I guess Ran is at your house since you called me, Michiya-san.", Eri guessed.
"Indeed, and I think she should stay over a day or two here. She needs a breath from Kogoro's antics.", Michiya said as he walked around aimlessly in the backyard.
"I don't mind, but just keep an eye on her and Shinichi…". Michiya chuckled at Eri's stern tone.
"Don't worry, nothing will happen with Asami's super hearing and energetic personality.", He said.
"By the way, I got some news for you about your case.", Eri said, now serious.
"It's been two years now…", Michiya said, feeling slightly hopeless.
"True… but I've got my hands on evidence that prove your innocence, and that Kageyama Reiji was behind this to prevent you from coaching.".
Michiya remained silent for a few minutes, a look of disbelief on his face. He was not surprised that Kageyama was behind this, but he thought because of the man's connections, he would never be able to do anything or prove his innocence and return to coaching.
"So why haven't you done anything yet? Or are you waiting for the right time?", Michiya asked.
"Indeed. There is still one piece of evidence I need to get my hands on before opening the case again. But trust me, before the end of this year, you'll be back to coaching.", Eri assured.
"Arigatou Eri.", Michiya said gratefully.
"Anything for the man who saved my daughter from abduction years ago.", Eri said in the same gratefulness before she ended the call.
Michiya walked back in, and his eyes fell in on his family that were waiting for him to have dinner together.
"We've been waiting to you.", Sharon said.
"Come one, Oyaji, I'm starving!", Tatsuya complained earning a slap on the back of his head from Sharon, making Asami snicker.
"Behave.", She scolded.
"Gomen.", He immediately apologized, for he believed that his mom being stern or angry was the scariest thing he'd ever seen.
Michiya sat at the head of the table, on his right were Sharon, Asami, and Tatsuya, while on his left were Fuyuka, Shinichi, and Ran.
Michiya glanced at his loved ones, the people that loved him for who he was, and smiled as he clapped both his hands and said, "Itadakimasu!".
And everyone chorused after him,
"Itadakimasu!".