at Saitama Stadium, the Inter‑High football tournament officially opened. Nearly 52 high school teams from across Japan gathered, their team banners fluttering in a warm morning breeze. A traditional opening ceremony was held, local high school dance performances, and formal speeches from officials, including the JFA executive and the Fukushima governor, urging Fair Play and perseverance.The opening ceremony of the Interhigh tournament was a grand spectacle. Fireworks burst over the stadium, banners flew proudly, and the national anthem echoed as thousands of students from all over Japan gathered with their respective teams.
Seikan High's students stood proud during the parade of schools, carrying their flag.Masaki with his eyes so bright, though usually quiet in crowds, let out a silent breath. This was it the national stage with seikan high this time.
Mom squeezed Nana's hand beside him. Nana hopped excitedly. His father winked. "You're already our champion."
After the ceremony, the team hopped on their bus toward the hotel.
"Yo, do we get to choose our rooms or what?" Ishizaki asked, kicking back with his arms behind his head.
"No way, they probably assigned us rooms. Otherwise, you'd sleep on the balcony like last time," Soda grinned.
"Oi! That was one time, and I did it on purpose!"
Everyone laughed.
As they arrived at the hotel, the energy changed. Some of the younger players practically sprinted inside, eager to check the room assignments. A few even started rock-paper-scissors tournaments in the hallway to decide who got the beds next to the window.
"Aight, listen up!" Yuzo Morisaki, the goalkeeper and one of the calmer seniors, held up the list. "Here's the room list! No complaints!"
He started reading aloud.
"Room 201: Masaki Renjirou and Genichiro Taira."
…
———
Meanwhile, the second year and other first year were losing their minds.
"Who do I gotta fight to get the corner room?!" one of them yelled.
"I call dibs on the bed near the AC!"
"Too late, I already jumped on it!"
There was even a pillow thrown mid-air, which hit Shingo Aoi in the face.
"Oi!! That was a surprise attack!" he barked, rubbing his cheek.
"Friendly fire, my bad," Nitta said, not sounding sorry at all.
In one room, Aomine Daiki lay sprawled across a bed. "This is nice. I'm never getting up again. I'll play the match from here."
"Get your lazy butt off the bed!" Matsuyama yelled, throwing a bottle of coca cola at him.
"I swear, he's like a cat. Sleeps 20 hours a day and still scores goals," Tomeya Akai joked.
Back in the seniors' room, the atmosphere was calmer. Hyuga Kojiro and Hiroshi Jito sat on the floor, looking over a tablet with notes on Touin Academy.
"They're good at pressing. Midfield transitions fast," Misaki Taro commented, flipping through match data on his tablet.
Makoto Soda added, "Their midfielder, is fast and clinical also with the new comer his new first year Takumi hoshina and hayato kaidou it make them strong this year well as all expected from top of tokyo prefecture"
"Yeah" Jito grunted. "We'll crush them early."
Misugi Jun leaned against the window. "Let the younger ones have their fun. It's good for morale. We'll tighten things up tomorrow."
Meanwhile, in the hallway…
"Hey, who snores the loudest?" someone asked.
"It's gotta be Ishizaki!"
"Shut up! I have sinus problems!"
"Sure, sure. And I bet you hog the blanket too."
"I only did that once! In winter!"
Laughter echoed down the hall as the team settled into their rooms.
Later that night, everyone gathered in the hotel lounge for a quick team huddle. Misaki Taro stood in front, holding a mic he clearly didn't need.
"Alright! Listen up, everyone! I know we're all having fun and you better, 'cause tomorrow it gets serious. Our first opponent is Touin Academy. They're no joke."
He looked around the room, his expression calm but focused.
"But we're Seikan. We're not just here to play. We're here to win. And I want every single football fan in Aomori to be proud of us. So tomorrow, let's play our hearts out and show 'em what Seikan High is made of!"
Cheers erupted. Even Aomine sat up a bit straighter.
"Also," Taro added with a smirk, "if I hear anyone snuck snacks into the room again, you're doing 200 pushups before breakfast."
In that moment, Masaki gave a soft exhale. He turned to Taira and said coolly, "Takumi Hoshina, huh… it's been a while since National Middle School."
Taira chuckled. "Yeah, since then. Looks like fate wants a rematch."
"Hope he's gotten better," Masaki smirked.
"Hope you don't oversleep again like that one time."
⸻
The night had barely settled, and most of the team had already unpacked, some lying on their beds, some reviewing their strategies quietly. Everything seemed calm across the hotel floors.
Until…
BANG!
A loud thud, followed by a CRASH and the sound of someone shouting, "YO, NITTA! CATCH THIS PILLOW GRENADE—!"
Room 204 — the assigned room for Aomine Daiki, Shun Nitta, and Hikaru Matsuyama — had officially turned into a battlefield.
"YOU'RE DEAD, AOMINEEEE!!"
Nitta leapt over the bed like a man possessed, tackling Aomine, who was cackling like a maniac while holding an open bag of snacks and an upside-down water bottle.
"STOP—AAH—YOU GOT THE FUTON WET, YOU MORON!"
"I WAS AIMING FOR YOUR FACE!"
Matsuyama, who was just trying to brush his teeth five minutes ago, stood frozen at the door holding a towel, looking like he aged five years in ten seconds.
"Guys… guys… GUYS!!"
Crash.
"YOU BROKE THE LAMP! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
"Whoops," Aomine shrugged. "It was already leaning funny anyway."
Just then, the door burst open.
Coach Himura stood at the entrance with Jito Hiroshi, Hyuga Kojiro, and Captain Misaki Taro right behind him — all staring at the chaos inside the room.
Aomine was standing shirtless with a ripped futon around his neck like a cape. Nitta was stuck halfway between two mattresses. Matsuyama was holding a wet towel like it was his last defense.
"…I leave you alone for ten minutes," Coach Himura said in a terrifyingly calm voice.
"I told them to stop," Matsuyama muttered, voice cracking.
Captain Misaki closed his eyes and sighed. "Tomorrow's the opening match. And you two are wrestling like monkeys in a hot spring."
"Technically, monkeys in hot springs are very chill," Nitta mumbled, still stuck.
Hyuga cracked his knuckles. "Looks like someone needs bedtime reinforcement."
Aomine and Nitta paled.
"NO NEED! We'll go to bed right now!!" they shouted in unison, diving into their futons.
Coach Himura slammed the door behind him.
Silence.
"…You think they're gone?" Nitta whispered.
"Don't," Matsuyama warned. "Just. Don't."