The junior team was still celebrating their win over their seniors. But the two protagonists of the match were standing a few meters away from the rest of the players.
"Someone who could use me?", Ju asked.
"I mean, I'm just a player, not the coach. So I don't get to decide, but I believe the team I play for could use a talented striker like yourself,", Keisuke said.
"So you don't play in this school's football club?", the striker replied.
"No. I don't know how to say it respectfully, but this high school's football team is known to be one of the worst in all of Tokyo."
Ju already expected something like this.
"And I imagine your team is better?", Ju asked jokingly.
"Yes. I'm playing for Kuro Academy. It's a special football academy that was founded by former professional players. It's one of the ten top academies in Japan,", Keisuke explained proudly.
"Give me your number,", Keisuke continued. "I will hand it to the coach. With my personal recommendation, of course."
Ju hesitated. He didn't expect to receive an offer from a team. Even if it was just an unofficial one from a player. Could this be his chance to pursue his dream again?
"Come on, at least try out for the team. You can still decide to decline afterwards,", Keisuke said, noticing Ju's hesitation.
"Alright. I guess it can't hurt,", Ju replied.
"Yesssssssss! Trust me, you made the right decision,", the tall guy said.
"I have to go now. Actually, I'm already late. My coach will contact you!", Keisuke said while he was already jogging away.
[Another chance...]
Ju couldn't think about it for long since he was approached by a certain energetic classmate of his.
"Did Akino-kun just make you an offer to play for his team?", Masao said, amazed.
"Yeah. I promised him to try out for the team. But I don't know if I will actually join,", Ju replied.
"You don't know? Kuro Academy is one of the top ten academies in the country. Even though it's sad it would steal another player from our club, Kuro is your best bet on making it to the pro league,", Masao said with even more energy than he usually had.
[Steal another player? Is he talking about Keisuke?]
"So you would advise me on joining?", Ju asked.
"Trust me. If you want to go pro, Kuro is your best bet."
After a few words from the high school team's captain, the players disbanded. While the others changed back into their school uniforms, Ju decided to keep on his sports kit, only changing his shoes. He felt more comfortable in sports clothes than in his normal uniform.
Masao wanted to walk home with Ju, but his wish couldn't be fulfilled since they had to walk in opposing directions. The boy uttered his disappointment loudly, which led to the other students looking at him. Masao wasn't particularly bothered by it though, and Ju was just happy that he wasn't the one receiving stares for once.
After Ju arrived at home, his mother instantly sent him to the bathroom to shower. It wasn't a surprise, since he was sweaty and still wore his sports clothes. After he was showered and changed into some comfortable clothes, he sat down at the dinner table with his parents, Mayumi and Daniel Sato.
"It seems like it didn't take you long to find people to play football with you. You've always been like this,", his mother said.
"So did you decide to join the football club?", his father asked.
"Maybe... but I got another offer today", Ju replied, explaining what happened with Keisuke.
"This academy definitely wasn't around when I went to school.",Mayumi said.
"Yesterday you were complaining about how there was no chance you would make it to pro football in Japan, but it only took you one day to get an offer from a team,", Ju's father said, laughing.
"It's not an official offer. And I don't even know if I'll do it,", Ju replied.
After dinner, Ju went to his room while his mother looked after his ill grandfather.
Ju threw himself onto his bed, just staring at the ceiling. He thought about the past day. About school, Kyoko, Atsushi, Masao, the match, his duel with Keisuke, and the offer he got.
[I wonder if I would have scored if Keisuke didn't fall.]
[I probably wouldn't have joined the match if Masao hadn't invited me. And if I hadn't joined, I would have never met Keisuke. So I would have never received the offer.]
[Maybe I will never receive a message because the coach rejects Keisukes proposal of having me try out for the team. Or Keisuke was just messing with me and never intends on having me join the team.]
No use thinking about it now, he thought, and he stood back up. He got his laptop and started watching the replay of yesterdays Champions Cup quarterfinal 2023.
[I wonder if I will ever get to play on this stage. I have to. Even if it's just to make him proud.]
With that thought, Ju drifted to sleep, ending his first day of school.