"Good morning, students. Welcome to Ryusei Elementary. For those returning, we're glad to have you back…"
The principal's voice echoed across the vast gymnasium, but Ryo's attention drifted almost immediately. So this is what the gym looks like.
For six years in his previous life, he had studied at this school—yet he had never once seen the gym in its entirety. Now, with clear vision, he could finally take it in: the wide, gleaming floor, the polished wooden floors, the ceiling that soared high above.
The space was massive, easily large enough to hold all fifteen hundred students, and marked with lines for multiple basketball and volleyball courts. Physical education here had always been well-rounded, with most modern sports played in the gym.
By the time the ceremony ended, all of the homeroom teachers were settled next to their students, and all of them were led to their classes.
Ryusei Elementary might have been unusual in size, but its system followed the Japanese standard. Students stayed in their homerooms for academics, while teachers rotated between subjects, with a new rotation every week. Ryo's class, 1–F, was located on the third floor. The naming convention was simple: each year was assigned a letter, progressing alphabetically as the floors went higher. So the bottom floor has all classes A and B, the second floor C and D, and so on until I and J on the fifth floor.
Ryo's classroom was bright and orderly. He slid into his assigned seat, located in the third row along the hallway wall, and glanced around at his new classroom. Their teacher, Ichida-sensei, introduced herself with a warm smile before outlining the plan for the day. As expected, the first day held no real lessons—just introductions, club information, and time to get to know one another.
When it was finally Ryo's turn, he stood and gave a small bow.
"Nice to meet you, everyone. My name is Aoyama Ryo, and I like playing football. Please take care of me."
Polite applause followed, just as it had for the others. One by one, the students went around until all twenty-six had introduced themselves. With sixty classes in Ryusei Elementary, each homeroom had around twenty-five students, forming somewhat small, tight-knit classes.
After a few icebreaker games, they were allowed to converse until lunch. Ryo sat quietly, looking at the many faces in his class. Even though I went to this school in my previous life, I don't recognize most of them, though I had been in a different class. And honestly, not many people spoke to me back then anyway.
"Aoyama-san," a voice piped up from beside him. "You said you liked football. Are you going to the practice later today?"
Ryo turned to look. The boy next to him was small, his legs dangling just short of the floor. His frame was slender, his straight flaxen hair slightly disheveled, and his striking blue eyes stood out even more. Is he a foreigner?
Not thinking too much, Ryo answered quickly.
"Yeah, I'll be at practice later. Are you going too, uh…" He froze. Shit, what was his name again? Misaki? No… Mitsudo? No, that's not it either.
The boy caught the hesitation and smiled.
"Mizuno. Mizuno Kazuki."
"Right, sorry, Mizuno-san. Are you going too?" I can't believe I forgot his name.
"No worries, I don't remember everyone's names either. Yeah, I'll be there. I want to get better at football."
"That's good. Are you thinking about trying out for the team?"
Kazuki shook his head. "No way. I'm just a first-year. I'm nowhere near the level of the guys already on the team."
"Are you sure? You never know until you try. Are they really that good?"
"Yeah. My sister dragged me to a couple of their games. She said she "needed a reason to go", so she made me come with her."
Ryo smirked. Poor guy—being used as cover so his sister can watch boys play football. Bold move for a nee-san.
"Well, it's not too late if you change your mind. You might surprise yourself."
Kazuki gave a small laugh. "Thanks, but I'm not that confident." He hesitated, then his eyes widened. "Wait—you're not saying you're gonna try out, are you?"
"That's right."
"No way, seriously? That's amazing. I hope you make it, though I heard it's really tough unless you're a fifth or sixth year."
"I know. But I think I've got a shot."
"Man, I'm jealous. I wish I had your confidence."
After that, the two chatted idly until lunch. The rest of the day passed in a blur, filled with introductions and small talk. When class finally ended, Ryo grabbed his football gear from his locker and headed toward the pitch, his footsteps echoing faintly as the school slowly emptied. Kazuki, without his own equipment, went straight ahead—like most of the other students eager for practice.
Ryusei Elementary was unusual in that, while most clubs waited until the second week to begin, the football club started recruiting on the very first day. Ren had already told Ryo not to wait for him, as he might be late getting to the pitch.
As Ryo walked out the back of the main building and onto the grounds, he was struck by how many students had gathered. All of them were older than him, milling around nervously or kicking balls to warm up for the tryouts.
Current players, identifiable by their matching team jerseys, stood comfortably, confident that they would all pass the tryouts. The team members had to perform in the tryouts, not to test their skill, but instead to see how well the recruits played against them. A handful of parents lingered at the sidelines, watching their kids with a mix of pride and hope.
Ryusei's football program was serious, but inclusive. Anyone could join and learn the game under the guidance of coaches and senior players. That was what most of the students, especially first-years like Kazuki, had come for. The open practice was low stakes, where students could focus on slowly improving their skills without the added pressure of being on a team.
Ryo's eyes swept over the facilities. So this is what it looks like… I never got to see it in my past life. Two U-12–sized pitches stretched across the grounds, properly marked and fitted with scaled goals. Tall nets rose behind each end line to keep stray balls from flying out, and rows of small stands lined the sides for future spectators. Everything felt professional, even if sized for kids.
In the far corner of the grounds sat a baseball field, which was currently empty, while the football pitches buzzed with energy—packed with hopefuls chasing their shot at a jersey. This energy was infectious, and Ryo broke into a wide grin.
These tryouts are going to be interesting.