It took Ryo some time to adjust to his new life. Ryo had seen the date crossed out on the calendar: November 12, 2026, and it sealed his suspicions. He had regressed to just a few days after his fifth birthday—meaning he still had some time to play football in case he went blind again.
Even though he knew the layout of his house by heart, having working vision made everything easier. He could see the green blades of grass in the backyard, the telephone poles towering over the street, the food he ate, and most importantly, the faces of his family.
Both of his parents had gentle, youthful features, having only just crossed into their thirties. His father's dark brown eyes were so deep they seemed to blur the line between iris and pupil. He kept himself clean-shaven, his short black hair always neatly trimmed, yet slightly tangled—traits Ryo had inherited. His skin was clear and healthy, though his frame remained thin despite long hours at the restaurant.
His mother, by contrast, wore her long brown hair—dark enough to pass for black—down to her shoulders, though she often tied it up while working. Her eyes were also a dark brown, with her pupils sharpening into knives when she was upset.
They had fallen in love young and married barely two years out of high school, ignoring the warnings of relatives. Instead, they moved to Nagano together, determined to chase their dream of opening a restaurant.
As for their sons, each had taken complete opposite traits. Ryo had inherited his mother's eyes and his father's hair, while Ren carried their father's eyes and their mother's hair. On top of that, Ren's body was already toned and powerful for his age, his build a natural fit for the sport he loved. His features were softer than Ryo's, though still extremely striking.
In his previous life, Ren had drawn no shortage of attention, especially from girls—but he turned them all down, devoting himself to football and, though he never said it aloud, to looking after his younger brother.
Seeing his family again after so long left Ryo quite vulnerable. His family had always helped him, guiding him when he went out or helping him find things. Always kind, always supportive.
Yet near the end of his previous life, Ryo had felt guilty—he couldn't remember their faces. They were there for him until the end, but he didn't know what they truly looked like. Pathetic.
Seeing them together now, he nearly broke down. He rushed to the bathroom to hide the tears threatening to roll down his cheeks.
Although his doubts about The System lingered, one thing was clear: even if for a short time, he was able to see his family's faces again. That alone was worth more than everything else it could offer.
As the days passed, some things about The System began to make sense. Years of practicing football in his first life explained why some of his stats were unusually high for a five-year-old. I must have inherited some stats from my previous life.
Some stats, like Physicality, were low, but that made sense given his young body. There was no way The System would carry over his Physicality.
Artificially boosting the stat while his muscles still developed seemed unnecessary and unnatural. Ryo still wanted to live a normal life. His body would naturally grow stronger with age, and that would be enough for now. That doesn't mean I won't exercise, though.
Likewise, a lot of Ryo's other stats made sense. He had spent countless hours going head-to-head against Ren, so as a result, his Tackling and Defensive Pressure were naturally a bit higher. Same with Passing and Intelligence—he had practiced every type of pass and studied many strategies endlessly with his brother.
So, with his slightly deeper understanding of The System, Ryo soon started to chase his dream.
—————————————————————————————————
On a cool November afternoon, barely a week after his regression, Ryo finally decided to take a step toward football. It would be unnatural for me, who had never shown interest in football, to pick up a ball and to juggle it.
In order to get back into football and to play with Ren, he had to have good timing to broach the topic. Luckily for him, he wasn't the one who would mention it first.
Ren came home from school that day extremely excited.
"Ryo, guess what?" he called.
"What happened, Ren-nii?" Ryo asked.
"I'll play in my first football game tomorrow!" Ren exclaimed, practically jumping with excitement.
"Which one of you is being so loud in the house?!" Their mom's voice echoed from the kitchen. Ryo's hair stood on end, but Ren didn't even flinch as he ran up to her. Uh-oh, Ren's about to get an earful.
"Mom, I'll be playing on the school's football team tomorrow!" He exclaimed proudly, pointing to himself with his thumb
"That's great, Ren," she said warmly—but her tone immediately turned dark.
"But what did I tell you about yelling? This house is too small for you to be running and shouting everywhere."
Ren's smile quickly disappeared, and realizing what he had done, he bowed his head quickly. "Sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to. I was just excited because I made the team."
Ryo couldn't help but admire him. Most kids would have thrown a tantrum or argued, but Ren apologized sincerely, without hesitation. Even in his first life, Ren always knew better than to make a scene.
"I'll let it slide today," their mom replied, softening her expression. "But next time you go yelling around the house, you'll be scrubbing every corner of the house until it's spotless."
"Yes, Mom. I'm sorry," Ren said again, bowing.
Their mom had always governed their home with a firm set of rules. Yet, beneath this rigid exterior lay a heart that understood mercy. She ensured that her children understood their mistakes without reprimanding them severely.
Ryo respected his mom for doing it as such; on the inside, he knew she was happy for Ren, but she had to let him know that he couldn't parade around the house without care.
Ryo deeply admired the delicate balance she fostered. He knew that within her, she was proud of Ren's accomplishments. However, she made sure that such a celebration would not break the rules she set for them. Being happy did not exempt them from the rules, so they should always celebrate in moderation while being respectful of their surroundings.
"How about you take your energy outside and play football with Ryo while I make dinner? I am sure he would love to learn how to play from his nii-san," she suggested.
"Okay, Mom," Ren said with a grin. He turned to his brother. "Come on, Ryo, I'll teach you how to play football."
With that, the stage was set, and he didn't have to lift a pinky. Ryo grinned. Nothing can stop me now. Even if I go blind again, I will make it to the professional stage.
"Okay!" Ryo answered excitedly.
They headed out to the backyard, slipped on their shoes, and Ren immediately grabbed the ball.
"First off, the most important rule," Ren said, dropping the ball at his feet. "No hands. You can use the rest of your body, but if you touch it with your hands, that's a foul."
He nudged the ball forward and started dribbling confidently. "And to win? Just score more goals than your opponent."
Ryo watched closely, even though he already knew the rules. But he focused on Ren's movements. He really loved football. This time, I'll make sure he doesn't get injured. Ryo smiled, vowing to keep Ren from giving up on football.
Just then, the air in front of him shimmered. The now-docile screen showed up in front of him, its surface shimmering as it materialized.
{New Quest!}