A day has passed, Arthur stretches in his room, today Professor Mery would publish the lineups made by Tarmi, Arthur has lunch quickly, puts on his school uniform which is a red suit and white pants, ties his tie, grabs his backpack and leaves the apartment door. He meets his neighbor Vert, who greets him kindly with a Japanese bow, the other neighbor, Yami, also a somewhat strange Japanese boy, comes out with a smile greeting Arthur, Arthur returns the greeting and asks — Hey Yami, what class are you going to? — Arthur asked, showing interest. Yami smiled offended — What!? I go to your class! I'm not a ghost~ — He said with an exaggerated voice, Arthur was surprised since he didn't know that Yami went to his class. — I'm sorry, I hadn't seen you Yami. — He replied, somewhat ashamed of his own lack of sight.
On the way to class, Arthur chatted with Vert eagerly and Yami, Arthur asked seeking some confidence — Vert... Do you think I have any chance of being a starter in the first game? — He asked anxiously, seeking some recognition from Vert. — No, I honestly don't think you'll get in Arthur-kun — He replied, without any filter, Arthur felt more insecure now.
Upon arriving in class, the familiar smell of chalk and windows reached them, everyone was chatting, Mery hasn't arrived yet, on the board, the lineup is posted. Sonny as center forward, Kermin as left winger, Rodriginho as right winger, Tarmi as attacking midfielder, the two midfielders who would support Tarmi are Yami and Vert, the pair of center backs would be Oliver and Carl, the left back is Nicole and the right back is Minseok. The goalkeeper, the wall, Yerm, a quiet Swedish boy. Arthur didn't react immediately, but felt insecure at that moment, was his father right? Well, it was to be expected for Arthur, but he needs to start from the bench. Mery arrives saying good morning, and begins to give normal classes, explaining mathematics.
Before the recess bell rings, Mery comments as if talking about the weather — This afternoon at 5 p.m. you have a league match against 1Y. So I want all the called-up players on the field. — Several murmurs sounded, the bell rings and everyone rushes out the door like animals. Arthur walks through the hallways, and meets Sonny, he smiles as always, but his eyes are still evaluative as always. — Arthur, what will you do to be a starter? Would you sacrifice everyone to be one, or would you sacrifice yourself to be one? — He asked, with interest. Arthur not understanding the question. — What do you mean sacrifice? I don't understand what you mean — He replied, trying to decipher the question, Sonny said nothing more and left.
The bell rang, several students stretched, some happy to finish the school day, others planning hangouts with their new classmates. Arthur picked up his books, and Minseok approached Arthur. — You're the only substitute in our class, aren't you ashamed? Because that's too embarrassing to be the worst of all, besides, what's your position? — He commented, with a dismissive tone. Arthur stood up quickly with white knuckles.
Arthur almost shouting — What's wrong with you!? Don't underestimate me, you damn idiot. I'm a winger, why are you asking? Are you afraid I'll steal your useless right back position? — Minseok looked with disgust, and replied — As always, the bugs believing they have a place among the superior people — He commented to himself, more than to Arthur, and left Arthur's desk. Arthur went up the stairs to be on the terrace, to rest. He found Alice sitting, and she greets him. — Hi Arthur! How are you? You seem a bit discouraged, is it because you didn't get into the starting lineup? — He asked, too kindly, too kindly.
Arthur felt a little suspicious, but decided to trust. — I guess so... What's with so much curiosity? — He asked, suspecting, Alice smiled even more. — Oh! It's because I care about my classmates, everyone should be happy! — He replied, smiling.
Arthur nodded a little. — I guess that... That's fine — He replied, trying to thank.
Alice nodded and said goodbye leaving the terrace, Arthur stayed there alone, he decided to start doing a little touches. His maximum was always 30 touches, he never exceeds that amount, he started, when he reached touch 26, the ball slipped, he kept practicing until there was an hour left for the match, he picked up the ball and headed to the field. Upon arriving, he found his teammates warming up, about 20 or 30 people in the stands, students who had nothing to do came to watch the match.
Arthur observed from the bench, 1Y had two players in particular that were too interesting. Manuel, a player of Spanish nationality, is too hyperactive.
The match began with the referee's whistle, Sonny kicked off from the center quickly and Vert receives it, Vert upon receiving it puts calm to the game with a pass back to Oliver, Oliver upon receiving the pass, does not hesitate, shouts with all his soul — UP TEAM! — sending a pass that is more a clearance than a pass, the ball falls to Yami who easily tames it, in front of him a player from 1Y comes at full speed, Yami makes a roulette getting rid of him and putting a pass between the legs of another player that goes directly to Sonny. Sonny makes an oriented control getting rid of the defender who was stuck to his back, he is going to shoot but Manuel arrives from midfield making a damn clean tackle, the stands shouted an "OHHHHHH", Manuel upon recovering it, does not clear it or pass it, he starts dribbling laughing like a child who is given a candy, Sonny presses him but he puts a nutmeg on him, he continues with the ball to midfield.
The defense quickly went to cut off Manuel, the first to arrive was Yami and Minseok, making him a sandwich that should have knocked him down, but he got rid of it easily. He starts making wall passes with another player from 1Y who is too good at balance, Max, a player from England, with a wall pass he gets rid of Carl, Oliver remains as the last man in defense, but Manuel quickly marked himself passing him, without any offside, and Max put it over him.
Yerm came out to cut off the attempted shot, but Miguel only had to redirect the lob to make it a chip. GOAL
Mery from the bench frowned a little while pointing, she could barely see her notes, but she was frustrated, they were scored on in the 4th minute.
The match resumes, Tarmi receives the kickoff from Sonny, and advances calmly, the first to arrive to pressure him eats a feint, the second a rainbow, it was a fluid sequence of incredible dribbles, under pressure, Tarmi did not hesitate, did not think, he put a cross with his left foot. The ball came down in a spiral, and there was Sonny, he jumped like a spring and without hesitation, he shot the ball with a scissors kick. On top of the defender, obviously he is tall and gives him the advantage, but he jumps like a spring. The ball went into the net, not because of the aim, but because the goalkeeper could not have predicted a play of that quality. GOAL
Arthur got up from the bench euphoric, they had tied the score in less than 2 minutes, but Sonny's goal was impressive. He clenched his fists with a radiant smile. Mery's stiffness in her shoulders disappeared and she continued pointing. On the field, Sonny approached Tarmi — Thank you very much for the assist, Capi — offering him a smile, which after all, his eyes did not show what his smile showed. Tarmi replied with a neutral tone — You need the ball to be put at your feet, isn't that being useless? — Vert came to calm things down with his typical kind smile — Hey hey hey, it's not time to argue about whether or not he needs a pass, he stands out in his own way, so let's continue with the game — While pointing to the opponent, who had already woken up.
Minutes passed, minute 40, corner for 1Y, Max prepares to send a cross, and puts a cross that is not at all soft or precise, it is a bomb, whoever it falls to will fall, Manuel ran towards the ball, at the penalty spot, and jumped with his back to the goal, trying a bicycle kick, but it went wrong, it didn't come out with force, it came out a little deflected, but another player from 1Y arrived, and put it in. GOAL
Yerm frowned and pointed to Minseok — Try harder, you're leaving gaps in the defense when you go up, Nicole doesn't do that — and Minseok replies angrily — You've been scored on 2, shut up already man — Just about 6 minutes later, the halftime whistle sounded.
At halftime, Mery starts giving a talk — Listen to me, Manuel and Max have a lot of chemistry since Max gives him the most dangerous crosses in his class, and Manuel knows how to redirect them explosively. So, in the second half, Arthur comes in for Minseok. — There was an uncomfortable silence, first the assimilation, Minseok out and Arthur in? The problem was not the change... Arthur is right-footed, not left-footed, and much less a full-back, he is a winger. Putting him on the right wing and down, is torture for Arthur and the team.
Tarmi is the first to speak — But, Arthur is a right winger according to his data, putting him as a full-back, and even worse, as a right full-back, is a burden for the team.
Mery was quick to answer — Yes, but I want to try something, listen to me, the full-backs will be more offensive in the second half, so Arthur will go up the wing to support Rodriginho since he spends his time dribbling and wasting time, since he can't find space. — After the talk, the players get up, Minseok lets out a "Tsk" only audible to Sonny who was passing nearby.
The second half whistle sounds, 1Y kicks off from the center, Manuel receives and starts dribbling like crazy, getting past 3 easily, Oliver comes out to cut off the machine, but Manuel tries to make a wall pass with Max, Arthur more than luck, managed to intercept the pass, although the ball bounced a little, he dragged it back putting calm to the game. A pass to Yerm, Yerm controls it and puts a clearance from there, Arthur is very fast, so he goes up the wing, Rodriginho seeing him, gives him a touch redirecting Yerm's cross to Arthur, Arthur has a defender coming, he lobs it to Rodriginho who is in front, and he puts a trivela that reaches Kermin, he shoots it with a volley. The goalkeeper miraculously saves it, the rebound falls to Sonny who just pushes it in. GOAL
2-2
Mery nodded with satisfaction, it's not that Arthur is useless but he's not useful either, but he makes Rodriginho wake up. Since Minseok doesn't support Rodriginho in attack, so, he decided to bet on Arthur and the bet paid off.
1Y kicks off from the center quickly, Manuel puts calm for as long as possible, wasting time with passes, minutes pass and nothing, there are no attacks that score the goal, they are tied. Arthur fed up with the situation, recovers the ball in a situation, minute 70, advances down the wing like a rocket since he is good at running, he remembers what his coach told him, although this will also serve to cross. Arthur supports his left foot, and puts with his right foot a cross that almost touches Manuel, the ball reaches Sonny although a little misplaced, but Sonny always takes advantage of any pass, runs and jumps, shooting with a bicycle kick. Yes, bicycle kick, Arthur can't react since it's too much. The ball enters the net miraculously.
The euphoria in 1Z erupted, Nicole came running, Yami jumped on Sonny's back, he only offered his typical smile. Tarmi nodded satisfied, although he didn't like that Sonny only depended on crosses.
The match resumed, Manuel kicked off from the center, and came out like a bullet, Max without hesitation, puts a cross from there. Arthur came running but fell to the ground after being body checked, rolling like a potato through the grass, Manuel made a feint, got rid of Oliver with a nutmeg, made a sombrero to Carl, and shot a whiplash inside the area, Yerm could not do anything. 3-3, the result had turned around again in a tie.
Minutes passed, minute 90 of the match. 1Y corner, Max prepares and takes the corner with a cross, Arthur is glued to Manuel, but Manuel leaned on him performing a damn aerial scissors kick, Yerm stretched out covering it, the damn ball falls at the penalty spot, and a player from 1Y arrives and shoots it. GOAL
The invasion of the 1Y bench was spectacular, shouts, everything. The sound of the final whistle resonated in Arthur's head. He blamed himself mentally... If he had jumped and blocked that shot, at least it was a tie or they could have made a counterattack and come back.
Mery put away her Tablet and left without any frustration or irritation.
Arthur stayed on the ground sweating, while Sonny approached him with his typical smile, offering water.
— Good game, Art. — Arthur turned and his knuckles tightened until they turned white — But we lost because of me — He said with an irritated voice, Sonny raised his eyebrows and with a flat tone said — So you chose to sacrifice yourself, what a strange decision, well, take the water, Art —