Chapter 33: Backstory: Tachibana Sora, Aiko's Father

Aiko had always been a flag football enthusiast, but the true spark that ignited her passion came from her father, Tachibana Sora. Sora was a legend in the world of flag football, a name known to everyone who followed the sport.

Tall, with a lean but muscular build, and a quickness that left his opponents spinning in circles, Sora was a force to be reckoned with on the field. His tactical mind and ability to read the game were unmatched, and his leadership was what made him a captain of his team.

Growing up, Aiko idolized her father. Every weekend, she would sit in the stands, watching as he led his team to victory after victory. The crowds would chant his name, and Aiko would beam with pride, knowing that her father was the reason they were cheering. He was more than just a player to her; he was her hero, her role model, the person she aspired to become.

Sora noticed Aiko's interest early on. Instead of discouraging her from pursuing such a physically demanding sport, he encouraged her, teaching her the basics and sharing his love for the game.

"Everyone can play the game, but there will come a time when you have to put something much greater than the game itself. That's when you'll find your true calling." Her father used to teach her, implying that there's always something far greater than any game he could've played.

Back then, Aiko didn't know that her father was talking about her and her mom. A smile spread across her dad's face as he passed the ball to her.

Their backyard became a makeshift training ground where he taught her how to catch, how to run routes, and how to strategize like a pro. Aiko absorbed everything he taught her, determined to follow in his footsteps.

But then, the injury happened.

It was a day like any other, a big game with the championship on the line. Sora was in peak condition, leading his team as usual. The game was intense, with both teams giving it their all. In the final minutes, Sora saw an opportunity to secure the win. He darted down the field, catching the ball with perfect precision. But as he pivoted to make a run for the end zone, a defender collided with him from the side.

It wasn't a hard hit, but the angle was wrong, and Sora's knee twisted in a way it wasn't meant to.

"Dad!" Aiko let out a scream as time seemed to slow down. There he was, by the sidelines, watching his dad roll on the ground as he writhed in pain.

His teammates could be seen flocking around him, giving him the support he needed as they sat him upright. Medics were called, and the rush of the football field had become a rush for Sora's injury.

The crowd gasped as Sora collapsed to the ground, clutching his knee in agony. Aiko, who was watching from the stands, felt her heart drop. She had seen her father take hits before, but this was different. This was serious. Medics rushed onto the field, and after what felt like an eternity, they helped him off the field as he groaned in pain.

A second ago, he tried to walk, but his knee gave out beneath him. And the look on his face told everyone that something was terribly wrong.

The diagnosis was devastating—a torn ACL and severe ligament damage. The doctors told him that while surgery could help, he would never be able to play at the professional level again. The news hit Sora hard. He had dedicated his life to the sport, and now it was being taken away from him in an instant. For Aiko, it was even worse. She saw the light in her father's eyes dim, and the man who had always been so strong and confident now seemed lost.

Sora underwent surgery and months of grueling rehabilitation, but his playing days were over. He could no longer run, no longer make the plays that had defined his career. Aiko watched as he struggled to find a new purpose, trying to stay involved in the sport by coaching younger players, but it wasn't the same. The fire that had once driven him was gone, replaced by a quiet resignation.

But Aiko refused to let this be the end of the story. She knew how much her father loved flag football, and she was determined to reignite that passion in him. Even as a teenager, she began to train harder, pushing herself to the limit, driven by the desire to make her father proud. She wanted to bring back the spark in his eyes, to show him that his legacy could live on through her.

Yet, the journey wasn't easy. Aiko's skills improved, but her family's financial situation took a turn for the worse. Sora's medical bills piled up, and the cost of living in their city became too much to bear.

"We're moving away?" Aiko asked, but she didn't complain. Although on her teenager phase, she completely understood the situation and just nodded along.

It's not like her dream of becoming a professional in flag football would be extinguished by the simple move alone. Well, quite frankly there was the problem of moving to a lesser known school... but she could always start from the ground up.

Eventually, they had no choice but to move to a more affordable area, far from the competitive leagues and teams that had defined Aiko's childhood. It was a hard decision, but one they had to make to survive.

Aiko's new school, Seiryuu High, wasn't known for its athletic programs, much less for flag football. Most students didn't even know what the sport was, and there was no existing club for it. But Aiko wasn't about to let that stop her. She saw this as an opportunity to start something new, to create a team from the ground up, just like her father had done in his early days. And maybe, just maybe, she could bring that passion back to her father's life.

With renewed determination, and with the goal of giving her father the spark of loving football again, she faced the school with her head held high, telling herself that this would be her time to shine.