บท 124: An Offer

Aiko's heart pounded heavily in her chest as she watched the players on the field, their movements a blur of determination and grit. The envelope she had briefly glimpsed earlier lay like a weight in the back of her mind. Although she had yet to open it, the implications were clear enough. A scouting letter, most likely—a gesture from another school's coach, eager to snatch up a talent like Sota.

Sota, who had been the heart and soul of Seiryuu High's flag football team, now found himself at a crossroads. The thought of a scholarship, of being scouted by another institution, tugged at Aiko's conscience. Encouraging him to stay, to continue fighting with his current team, felt increasingly complicated. Wouldn't it be a burden to ask him to choose between a promising future and the team that had become his second family?