"Chibiko! I'll strangle you!"
"You're absolutely despicable, Eririn! It's just a phone! I'll bring you one from my house, death!"
"I don't want your phone! And you completely ruined my favorite dress!"
"Eririn! Don't tear my clothes or I might just burn all your notebooks, death!"
"Go to hell, you annoying Chibiko!"
...
"Alright, Aunt Sayuri, I get what you're saying. Even though Sanae broke Eriri's phone, it all started because of me. I'll make it up to Eriri by getting her a new phone."
He didn't consider a phone to be a big deal.
"You don't have to buy her a phone, Hayama. Truthfully, Eriri's phone should have been replaced a while ago." Sayuri wasn't entirely honest. Eriri's phone had been purchased less than a month ago.
She added, "However, some emotional compensation is still necessary. So, as a punishment, you should accompany Eriri to pick out a new phone! Here's a little secret, Eriri likes the kind that's big and last a long time!"
"You mean a phone with a big screen and long battery life," Hayama's forehead creased with frustration. She had such a dirty mouth!
"Hayato really gets Eriri!"
After finally finishing the phone call, he let out a relieved sigh. He wasn't adept at handling someone like Sayuri, who had a knack for vulgar language.
Golden Week was becoming busier than expected! He had hoped to spend the Golden Week leisurely working on a few scale models, but it seemed like one thing after another kept popping up.
...
Afternoon of May 1st.
Toyogasaki High Stadium was nearly packed with thousands of seats, as the audience split into two groups. Supporters donning black school uniforms represented Team Sobu, while those in deep blue uniforms represented Team Toyogasaki.
Although the majority of Sobu supporters had traveled from afar and were outnumbered, they dominated the northern stands. The remaining three stands were firmly held by the Toyogasaki supporters, forming a sort of encircling formation. However, the momentum on the Sobu side was equally fierce as that of Toyogasaki.
"Crush Toyogasaki! Show them who's boss!"
"Toyogasaki is guilty as sin, causing immense dissatisfaction among the people!"
"Hayato, do it for your mom!"
"Sobu, defend with all your might! Don't let them breach our defense more than twenty times in a single game!"
Yesterday, the poster released by the Toyogasaki soccer team had clearly struck a nerve among the crowd. The Sobu side was seething with anger, shouting at the top of their lungs!
On the other hand, the Toyogasaki side appeared somewhat smug. They remained unperturbed, with only a few hotheaded individuals engaging in verbal disputes with the Sobu side.
"The match is about to begin. Let the players from both teams take the field!"
The two teams approached the center of the field at a deliberate pace. The Sobu players cast piercing glares, their eyes brimming with a hunger to conquer the Toyogasaki team. In response, the Toyogasaki players stood their ground, equally unyielding. Despite lacking the aura of main characters, their body language exuded provocation and disdain.
"This joke is so funny! Toyogasaki, a team that has never even made it to the county-level competition, dares to provoke Sobu?" a Sobu player sneered.
"Shut it! None of us have won a national championship! We're all in the same boat!" the Toyogasaki side retorted, showing no signs of weakness.
It was expected that Toyogasaki, a team that had been established for less than ten years, had yet to earn any notable achievements. In contrast, Sobu soccer team had a long-standing reputation as a powerhouse. Despite reaching the finals eight times since its inception, they had never clinched a championship.
Exposed by this truth, the Sobu side couldn't hide their displeasure. If it weren't for Hayato and Kakeru Tobe restraining them, one of the more muscular players would have impulsively charged forward, ready to start a brawl.
"At least we're superior to you, Toyogasaki, a bunch of nobodies with no monikers!!"
Hayama blinked in surprise upon hearing this. It seemed that the lack of reputation for the Toyogasaki soccer team was widely known, even among the Sobu players themselves.
"Tch, who cares about monikers? Look at your own team, Sobu Howling Monkeys!"
"Bwahahaha!"
It was at that moment that Hayama realized that all the Sobu players had names associated with primates. What in the world was going on in this bizarre school?
Sobu Howling Monkey, Sobu Silverback, Sobu Long-Armed Ape...
He felt like his eyes had been contaminated. In contrast, his teammates without any monikers seemed rather adorable.
"Players from both teams, please get ready. The match will begin in three minutes!"
The voice from the speaker eased the tension between the two sides. Hayato approached Hayama Kazuto's side and greeted him, "Kazuto! It's been a while."
Hayama Kazuto's eyebrows twitched. After a brief glance at Hayama Hayato, he said nothing and went straight to his position.
(Note: The protagonist's name is Hayama Kazuto. He shares the same family name with Hayato, a pretty boy from Oregairu.)
"And here we go! The home team, Toyogasaki, kicks off! The ball finds its way to number 14 of Toyogasaki. A brilliant through pass! The soccer ball is perfectly delivered to the feet of their star player, Hayama Kazuto! Hayama takes off with lightning speed, showcasing his incredible dribbling skills!"
"Looks like Toyogasaki is shaking things up with a different tactical approach today. Usually, they'd spend about five minutes passing the ball in the backfield before launching an attack. But today, they're going all-out with a strong offensive right from the kickoff."
"Hayama Kazuto displays his skill as he maneuvers past four players and reaches the penalty area. The Sobu side seems a bit taken aback. Are they still getting warmed up?"
"Kakeru Tobe tries to intercept the ball with a cut! Oh, he misses! Tobu gets left behind! Now, Hayama Kazuto is face-to-face with the Sobu goalkeeper, the formidable Sobu Long-Armed Ape! It's a thrilling showdown!"
"Sobu Long-Armed Ape is renowned for his towering height and exceptional control over the goal range. He confidently claims that as long as the ball is within his reach, there's no shot he can't defend! Will he be able to successfully block this intense one-on-one attack from Hayama Kazuto?"
"Wait, what just happened?! The ball is in!!! In less than a minute into the game, the unstoppable ace Hayama Kazuto scores a sensational solo goal! Sobu Long-Armed Ape can only watch in disbelief as the soccer ball glides into the net without any reaction from him! Let's take a closer look at the replay before I break down what happened."
"The replay reveals Hayama Kazuto executing a subtle feint with the ball, tricking Sobu Long-Armed Ape into believing he would continue his advance and prompting the goalkeeper to prepare for a charge forward. However, in a blink of an eye, Hayama takes a direct shot, catching Sobu Long-Armed Ape completely off guard, leaving him unable to react!"
"Hayama Kazuto truly lives up to his title as the Emperor of Toyogasaki! His skills are absolutely remarkable!"
"But let's face it, Sobu's defense during that goal left much to be desired. Hayama Kazuto single-handedly maneuvered past the entire Sobu team, displaying a splendid solo performance. It was an extraordinary goal that exceeded all expectations!"
"Just one minute into the first half, the sensational ace Hayama Kazuto strikes with lightning speed, scoring a goal! The score now stands at Toyogasaki 1-0 Sobu!"