The entire house was silent for a moment.
"What the hell?" Muttered Kairo.
Kairo's mom was sitting across the table from the visitors. She turned around and faced her son.
"Kairo, thank God you're home."
"What are you guys doing here?" Kairo asked.
"We didn't exactly introduce ourselves properly earlier, did we?" He stood and extended his hands out.
"My name is Rintaro Kurogane. I'm a former professional football player, now a coach and manager."
He points to the lady beside him, "This is Naomi Vale, Director of Youth development, and my right hand."
She bows her head out of respect, her eyes stare at Kairo.
She's kind of pretty with that pink hair and eyes, no, no, no, why am I thinking that? I shouldn't be thinking that.
Rintaro turns to Kairo's mother, "May we officially start, Mrs. Lane?"
"Oh yes, we can," she answered quickly. She then turned to Kairo, "Come, son lets listen to what they have to say."
Kairo moves closer to them, but he doesn't like it.
"They told me that you might have a chance of being good at football," his mom said with happiness in her voice.
" That made me happy, but I had to tell them the truth."
"Which was?" Kairo asked gently.
"That you're not as gifted as your father and that you only play football because you want to feel a connection to him."
"You want to feel a bond with him."
The room got quiet instantly.
Rintaro starts to smile, "With all due respect, Mrs. Lane, that's not the reason why your son plays football."
She looks at Rintaro and then at Kairo.
Kairo's eyes open wide. What is he talking about? he thinks to himself.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"I think when Kairo is ready, he will tell you himself," said Rintaro.
Mrs. Lane looks at Kairo and back at them.
" I already told you guys, We cant afford it," said Kairo
"He's right, we can't. I'm sorry for wasting your time," said Mrs. Lane
Naomi finally spoke, "Money won't be necessary," she said while looking at both of them. "
Kairo and his mother gave her their full attention after that.
"We're offering a full scholarship. Tuition. Equipment housing traveling Nutrition education personal expenses."
"Mrs. Lane, you won't have to spend anything. All he needs to do is show up and do the work," said Rintaro
"This offer is real, no loans, no debt."
Kairo can't believe it, his heart starts to beat fast, he places his hand on his chest, "What's the catch?" he asked.
Naomi answered, "There's no catch, just expectations."
Rintaro nodded, "Six days a week, sometimes twice a day, constant evaluation, and if you can't keep up."
"I will be cut." Kairo finished the sentence for him.
"Yes," said Rintaro
Kairo shakes his head, "You're wasting your time. I don't have any talent."
Kairo said these words more than four times, and each time he says it, he means it more and more. You can see it in his eyes.
Naomi looks at him, "Talent will get you noticed, but vision will get you kept, and right now you have a great vision."
Kairo brow raise "That's just something you tell kids who aren't good enough."
"This isn't charity, Mr. Lane. FC Blau Noire Academy doesn't save players, we sharpen them, or we discard them."
The room felt quiet once more.
Kairo looks at his mother, her hands were around her teacup, trying to think about everything that's happening here.
He placed his hands on her mom.
She said softly, "Yes, I know, son. They compared you to your father. And I did that too.
"I was afraid...Afraid you would chase football the way he did after you would disappear, afraid you would fail and blame yourself for it."
Kairo looks at his mom.
"You don't play like him, and that might be the reason why you are still here with me," she continued.
"We will give you both a moment," said Rintaro.
"Please take your time." Both of them got up and when out side
Kairo shifts his eyes to the wooden table. "If I go, I'm going to lose."
"You already are by not following your dreams."
Kairo's eyes widened.
"If you're going to lose, and if you are going to lose, then lose for something that's yours."
Kairo looks down at his hands.
"And if you're gone, our expenses will decrease. I can handle that, so don't burden yourself with that guilt. I am your mother, let me make your dreams come through that's my job."
"Mom its okay, I don't need football, I'm not good at it." He took a deep breath.
"I will go to school, I will get a good job, you said lose for something that's mines football isn't mines but school is."
Her eyes close and reopen
"Okay, I won't force you." She gets up, and he gets up behind her.
They came out of the kitchen, she opened the door, and invited those two inside.
"He's not going. I'm sorry for wasting your time. "
Kairo took a step forward. "Yes, please go ahead and give someone else the scholarship, someone who needs it and really loves football."
Naomi nods her head. "That's okay, we tried, and that's all that matters. I guess I hope you do well, Mr. Lane."
"Yes," said Rintaro.
They turn and face the door to leave, but something clicks in Rintaro's head.
"Just a moment," he said.
He turns and walks up to Kairo he place a hand around his shoulder and whispers in his ears "I knew your father."
Kairo Froze "Wait, what?"
"I played with him, and against him, I know exactly how good he is."
Kairo looks at him in his eyes.
"I can help you destroy him."
Rintaro starts to smile. Kairo's heart starts to beat fast.
"Isn't that what you want? Isn't that why you play to stand on the same field as him and destroy him?"