Fifteen minutes after training, the field had mostly cleared.
A few players sat near the sideline, catching their breath.
Yusuke stood off to the side, quiet as usual.
Riku walked over, hands on his hips. "So… you joining or what?"
A couple of heads turned.
"Yeah," someone added. "You're clearly not just a one-day guy."
Yusuke looked at the ground for a second.
Then exhaled.
"…Yeah."
Riku grinned. "Good."
"Don't slow us down," Takumi said.
"Or take my spot," Kaito added.
Yusuke glanced at him.
"…Then don't lose it."
Daniel D. approached as the others talked.
"You."
Yusuke looked up.
Daniel stopped in front of him, arms crossed.
"For someone who 'quit,'" he said, "you didn't look like it out there."
Yusuke stayed quiet.
Daniel nodded once.
"Good first session."
Not loud. Not exaggerated.
Just honest.
"Don't take it the wrong way," he added. "You're still behind."
"…Yeah."
"But," Daniel said, turning slightly, "you didn't waste my time."
A small pause.
Then
"Be here tomorrow."
Yusuke left the field without saying much.
The sun had already started dropping, casting long shadows across the street.
His hands slipped into his pockets as he walked.
No rush.
No destination in mind.
Just walking.
The sound of the ball still echoed in his head.
That clean strike.
That feeling.
"…Tch."
He passed a small convenience store.
The door slid open as someone walked out, cold air spilling onto the sidewalk.
Yusuke stepped inside.
Grabbed a drink.
Didn't even look at the options.
At the counter, the cashier barely glanced up.
"Three dollars."
Yusuke paid, cracked the bottle open as he stepped back outside.
Cold.
Refreshing.
He leaned against a nearby wall, taking a slow sip.
People walked past him.
Talking.
Laughing.
Living their own lives.
None of them knew what had just happened on that field.
"…Good."
He pushed off the wall and kept walking.
A park came into view.
Empty.
A single goalpost stood at one end.
No net.
Worn down.
He stopped.
Stared at it.
For a second
his foot shifted.
Instinct.
He looked down.
No ball.
"…Right."
Yusuke let out a quiet breath.
Then turned away.
He kept walking.
Streetlights flickered on one by one.
The sky darkened.
By the time he reached home, the air had cooled.
He stepped inside.
Quiet.
No one around.
He dropped his bag near the door and headed straight to his room.
Collapsed onto his bed.
Staring at the ceiling.
His legs felt heavy.
But not tired.
Used.
"…I said one practice."
Silence.
Then
his foot twitched slightly.
Like it was still chasing the ball.
Yusuke turned his head, staring at the wall now.
"…Yeah."
A small pause.
Then he closed his eyes.
Not fully asleep.
Not fully awake.
Just drifting.
And for the first time in three months,
his mind wasn't empty anymore.
2 weeks later
The team stood gathered near the sideline.
The usual noise was gone.
No jokes. No arguing.
Just focus.
Daniel D. stood in front of them, arms crossed.
"You've all played together long enough," he said.
No one responded.
His eyes shifted slightly.
"Except you."
For a split second, they landed on Yusuke.
Then moved on.
"You've had two weeks to adjust."
Yusuke said nothing.
"They're not like the teams you're used to," Daniel continued, glancing toward the field.
Across from them
VANTA stood in formation.
Still.
Silent.
Watching.
"They don't play fast."
"They don't play loud."
"They don't make mistakes."
A pause.
"They wait."
The team listened.
Then
"They take one moment…"
Daniel's voice lowered slightly.
"And end the game."
The tension in the air thickened.
"If you hesitate, you lose."
"If you overthink, you lose."
"If you rely on someone else…"
His eyes sharpened.
"You lose."
Silence.
"So don't."
No buildup.
No dramatic speech.
Just facts.
Daniel turned slightly.
"Their striker…"
A brief pause.
"Don't let him breathe."
That was all.
"Positions."
The team moved.
Cleats pressed into the ground.
Shoulders squared.
Yusuke stepped forward with them.
Hands in his pockets.
Expression still dull.
"…Just another game."
But this time
his eyes didn't drift.
They locked forward.
Right at them.
Across from them
VANTA.
They stood in formation, completely still.
No chatter. No wasted movement.
Just… watching.
Yusuke's eyes shifted.
Scanning.
One by one.
At the front
Kurogami Rei.
Jet black hair, slightly messy but sharp at the edges, with faint dark purple highlights that caught the light. His eyes were a cold violet, almost empty, staring straight ahead without emotion. His face was completely blank. No tension. No excitement. Just stillness.
Like the game had already ended in his head.
Next to him
Mikael Dray.
Silver hair, medium length, slightly wavy and loose, falling around his face. Pale blue eyes, relaxed and almost amused. A faint smile sat on his lips, like he was already enjoying something no one else could see.
Behind them
Shirogane Luka.
Clean, straight white hair, neatly parted. Light grey eyes, calm and focused. His expression was gentle, almost friendly, but his gaze never stopped moving.
Calculating everything.
On the left
Guren Akashi.
Bright red hair, spiked and wild. Sharp amber eyes, burning with intensity. His expression was aggressive, teeth slightly clenched, like he was ready to explode forward at any second.
On the right
Aoi Jin.
Deep blue hair, straight and smooth, covering part of his forehead. Dark navy eyes, quiet and unreadable. His face showed nothing. No emotion. No reaction.
Just silence.
Further back
Tetsu Kiba.
Short, rough dark grey hair. Heavy build. Dark brown eyes, narrowed. His expression was serious, jaw tight, like he was already locked into a battle.
Next to him
Raiden Kuro.
Long black hair tied loosely at the back. Deep crimson eyes that felt almost piercing. His face was stern, unshaken, like nothing could move him.
Beside him
Sora Hoshin.
Light blue hair, soft and layered. Pale blue eyes, sharp despite their color. His expression was calm, but his gaze tracked every movement on the field.
On the right side
Zen Itou.
Bright green hair, short and slightly messy. Sharp green eyes, restless and active. A smirk sat on his face, like he was itching to run.
Opposite him
Kairo Shin.
Muted purple hair, straight and smooth, neatly cut. Violet eyes, steady and calm. His expression was neutral, balanced, almost unreadable.
And in the back
Leon Voss.
Short blond hair, slightly tousled. Ice blue eyes, sharp and confident. A faint smirk rested on his face, like he was already daring someone to try him.
Silence stretched between both teams.
Yusuke stared at them.
Then
his eyes went back to one person.
Kurogami Rei.
Still not moving.
Still not reacting.
"…Tch."
For the first time in two weeks
Yusuke felt something.
Not excitement.
Not fear.
Something sharper.
Interest.