บท 5: A Glimpse
As Ryuu ran back to the centerline with Yuuto in tow, they were met by their excited teammates.
"Ichijyou, good job!"
"Nice goal!!"
"Yuuto, nice assist!"
"I'd never thought you would initiate the push!"
'Everybody's suddenly approaching Ryuu-chan without the awkwardness…The influence of a goal is amazing!'
"It was a decent goal Ichijyou, even if it appeared a bit forced."
Ryuu couldn't respond to the incredibly accurate statement. Scoring was satisfying, but he had always been someone who focused on both the process and the results. Tap-ins and lucky bounces were not consistent.
"Yo-"
"Miyazaki, you're not being honest!"
"There's a forward who can score that joined, be a little happy!"
"I guess so…."
Ryuu understood Miyazaki's troubled expression. The latter had likely watched him play before his injury and felt mixed emotions about his return to the pitch. However, now was not the time for such thoughts or conversations.
"Everyone! We've got an opportunity right in front of us. Their team was about to win, but they missed their chance. The pressure they'll be feeling from now on will hinder their play. With 3 minutes left…."
Ryuu grabbed the balled and placed it on the centerline to restart the match.
"… We'll score a goal and win! From the kickoff, press them and try to force sloppy traps and passes."
- - -
"…See, I told you so."
"What?"
"It's just like Grandpa said. He's a completely different player. To think his shot would be so ungraceful it's t-"
Anna's tirade was stopped by Yuki pulling on her cheeks.
"Hey, hey, hey. Do you even know how difficult it is to score a goal?"
"OW, OWW…"
After pulling her face away from Yuki's clutches, Anna honestly expressed her thoughts.
"…I don't know! I'm a beginner at soccer. But…The previous him got a novice like me to feel excited. It wasn't just me. Whenever he got the ball, the audience would LOOK in anticipation. He had an influence that affected everybody. To the people watching him for the first time today, that goal just now. People would just view it as a losing team managing to catch up. They probably didn't feel anything beyond that. Is that really the soccer that he wants to play?"
"…WHY YOU! Talking as if you know everything! Even though you're avoiding rehab!"
"You should quit looking from only one perspective."
Seeing how heated the argument was getting, Dr. Takano intervened.
"The two of you, calm down. Huh?"
Just then, the doctor felt a raindrop land on his head.
"Is it going to rain as predicted?"
- - -
Right when Shimura restarted, Ryuu led the charge to pressure them.
"Go!"
[Ooura East is putting on the pressure! Now that they're tied, they're being more aggressive than before!]
"Ichijyou."
The Ooura East head coach couldn't suppress his excitement as he watched his players manifest such fierce and determined expressions.
'Our players would be satisfied after being tied, but as expected of Ichijyou! He's going for the win.'
Ryuu, as the center forward, constantly pressured the opposing defense. His ferocity even stunned Miyazaki.
'Two years ago, I watched the match between Ooura SC and FC Kagaya. Even though Ichijyou was the same age as me. He was in a completely different world! One thing that stood out was a quick cut-in followed by a long-range shot! That speed, sharpness, excitement…How could I not respect him, even now he's….'
Right then, Yuuto managed to intercept a pass and immediately sent it to Miyazaki.
"Miyazaki!"
When the #10 met the eyes of his former and maybe current idol, he felt it. That spark. Swiftly, he sent an aerial pass towards the left flank.
Ryuu trapped the ball, and a quick glance allowed him to recognize the poor positioning of the center backs. After a ball roll, he sprinted down the flank.
Whether it was Yuki, Yuuto, Anna, Anna's grandfather, or Miyazaki, their hearts were thumping in anticipation.
[Ichijyou was known for his cut-in into a long-range shot, right? It'll be a complete revival if he manages to do that!]
However, unlike the previous Ryuu's direct play, the current slowed his pace and started using step-overs to confuse his defender.
The #17 feinted left, and he dashed right after shifting his defender's weight!
While the start was slightly different, it was still the pattern of Ryuu's patented goal-scoring method. A lightning-fast cut-in into the left side followed by blasting a long-range shot at the goal.
Those who knew Ryuu in the past dreamt of the boy's complete revival, and their hopes soared.
Ryuu, after his cut-in, took a few steps, planted his left foot, and was ready to pull the trigger when he felt the tackle coming in.
Nonetheless, he was determined to get the shot off. With sheer willpower and a flash of brilliance, he smashed the center of the ball with the outside of his foot.
Even as he tumbled and heard the referee blow his whistle, the rehabilitated prodigy watched the ball elevate and start to curve rightwards, but his expression turned bitter and angry.
"F---!!"
Thankfully, the referee's whistle drowned out Ryuu's curse, but the defender, who soon received a yellow card, heard him and couldn't help but feel intimidated.
Just like that, those lofty expectations came crashing down, but Ryuu was the most disappointed. However, he pretended to be more focused on his tackled leg.
As Yuuto helped him up, Ryuu gave his teammates a brave face.
"It's the perfect angle for a free-kick, no? Let's use this chance to win."
"Ichijyou, did you purposely cut in slow to get a foul?"
Instantly Miyazaki regretted asking the question as he stared into Ryuu's frustrated expression.
"As if. That was my all. Otherwise, we would be celebrating at the corner flag right now. Trust me when I say this, Miyazaki. I am far from satisfied with this level of play."
"…Seriously…"
Ryuu went to set the ball but was interrupted by Miyazaki.
"Ichijyou, you kick. Since it's you're free-kick. Yuuto, you're the decoy; stick with him.
'Please, even if it's just once. Show me what makes you Ichijyou Ryuu!'
As Miyazaki lined up near the wall, it became clear to everyone that Ryuu was taking the free-kick, which sparked another bout of conversation.
"Yuuto. It was raining that day, too, huh. I can't thank Yuki enough for staying by my side and you for waiting for me to recover. Thank you."
"…Ryu-chan…"
Ryuu's expression relaxed as he closed his eyes and took deep breaths.
'I'm still greatly lacking….'
"Alright. If I need to score, I'll score."
"Yeah."
'Please. Just give me a fraction of what I can do.'
Ryuu took a few steps back at an angle and, after a skip step, drew back his foot. Like flowing water, his leg swung down in a motion identical to his past self.
The ball sailed past the wall. As the ball curved, the crowd watched with bated breaths. As the ball dove past the outstretched hands of the keeper and flew into the net, the audience was once again captured by the genius of Ichijyou Ryuu.
Seeing the ball's arc, Ryuu couldn't suppress his jubilation as he thrust his arms upward in a rare display of overt excitement.
'Still got it, baby.'
[The free-kick! HE DIRECTLY SCORED!!!]
As Ryuu roared with joy, he was embraced by a tearful Yuuto and his ecstatic teammates.
- - -
{It was splendid. The free-kick he did that summer was superb. Anna, that free-kick just now was the same miracle.}
Anna stared at Ryuu in a daze as he celebrated with his teammates.
Right after the kickoff, the match was over, and Ryuu and Yuuto rushed toward the stands.
"Yuki. Doctor Takano. Even Anna."
"Ryu-Kun, congratulations! You did very well!"
Dr. Takano felt what Anna meant in that last free-kick. The magic that Ryuu possessed, and the medical professional could only imagine what the youth was like years prior and hoped he would return to that level eventually.
"Thanks, Doctor."
When Anna wanted to approach, she saw Yuki blur past with teary eyes as the black-haired girl crashed into Ryuu.
Yuki thought of Ryuu's journey. His accident, his rehab, and his eventual return.
"RYU-CHAN!! UWAAA!"
Despite Yuki's momentum, Ryuu managed to catch her while standing and comforted her and Yuuto as they both cried into the shirt of their closest friend.
"Yuki. Thanks. I won't let the care you and Yuuto showed me go to waste."
Watching the emotional twins hugging onto the slightly somber Ryuu, the parents of the three also cried.
"I'm really glad that Yuuto-kun and Yuki-chan were with him. I'm really glad…."
The twin's mom managed to stop her tears long enough to respond to Mari.
"That's the same for us! If Ryu-chan wasn't there, Yuuto would have…."
"Thank you…thank you both for raising such a good son."
Near Ryuu and the twins, Anna watched them with various emotions in her heart. Unbeknownst to her, Ryuu noticed her condition but made no comment.
.
.
.
Later that evening, at the Ooume residence. The two families were celebrating Ryuu's revival with sushi.
Even as he ate and laughed with his family and friends, Ryuu's attention was split.
'Revival, huh? It's barely a return. There's still much more to improve.'
Unknowingly, due to his inattentiveness, his bad habit of mixing all his food together reared its ugly head, making everyone cringe or laugh.
"This kid. Eat it separately!"
"Huh? But it still tastes good, though?"
.
.
.
Inspired by Ryuu's performance, Anna started to take her rehab seriously.
"If it wasn't for that wheelchair, even I can…humph!"
All the while, her grandfather felt pleased by his granddaughter's change in attitude and could only internally thank the boy who inspired her.
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saturrn
saturrn I'm not going to lie; I teared up a bit going through these manga chapters.
I liked this chapter quite a bit.
If you see any mistakes, feel free to point them out. Just you know, don't bash my head in.
As always, thanks for the read.
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