"Ha… ha…" I panted, falling on the floor.
*This isn't getting any easier.* I thought, breathing heavily as sweat rolled down my skin.
Three days had passed since we had our last match. I was so happy that I fainted since I became relaxed.
The team was already getting pumped up for the tournament phase, which was to start by the next two months.
I say that they're getting pumped up, but it doesn't look like it. They decided to have fun for a but before starting their training.
"Yawn…"
"Huh? Kenji?" I asked, looking at him as he laid on the floor.
*Thought so…* I thought, looking at him as he slept.
I stood up again and started running towards the goal post and back with the ball.
"Huh?" I asked as I felt a strong wind beside me.
I looked at my leg and saw that the ball was gone.
"Hm? You're training." Kenji said, yawning while looking at the ball.
"Kenji-San?"
*It's the first time I've heard him speak.*
"Well, let's play together then." He said.
"Hm?"
"Scared?" He asked, yawning.
*Hmph!*
"Scared my ass." I said, smiling at him.
"Since you're not, let's have a match." He said, juggling the ball and shooting it into the post.
*That was fast.* I said, looking at him.
"Hm! I'll get the smaller posts." I said, running into the equipment store.
I came out after a few minutes with them, only to see him sleeping.
*Does he just sleep every time?*
◇◇◇
"Ha… ha…"
"Hey look, shouldn't you be more serious?" He asked, yawning as I looked at the floor, sweat dropping on it.
*Tch!* I thought, running towards him again.
"Hmph." He snorted, drawing the ball back and flicking it over me.
"Tsk!" I uttered, trying to maintain balance and run back.
"What a bad play." He said, shooting it into the net.
*What the hell? That makes it 27! What am I even doing? How's there someone this good?* I thought, breathing heavily while drying the sweat.
"Hey, you're making me feel bored. The guys are even better than you're. I wonder how you guys came this far. Looks like the guys from where you came from are all bad players." He said as I clenched my fists and grated my teeth in anger.
*Why? I expected that I'd gotten better after all these days. Then why? Is there something I'm missing, or am I just too bad?*
"There's nothing fun in winning alone. Yawn… I'd better go get some sleep." He said about to walk out.
"Wait a minute." I said, rolling the ball back to myself.
"…"
"Let's keep going. I wasn't serious enough before, so let's go again." I said, my eyes fixed on the ball.
"Hm?"
"I know I'm not too good, but… I can't let you leave after insulting us." I said, looking up at him.
"Hehe. Looks like you're getting into it." He said, walking towards me.
*Don't think. Just act. He's better than you, so thinking will just make you feel useless. Don't think, just go.* I thought, running towards him with the ball.
"You won't be able to go past me. I'm faster than you." He said, about to kick the ball away from my right foot.
I used my right foot to tap the ball towards my left to get past him before tapping it back to the inside of my right foot, flicking it up and running towards his post.
"Hm…? That was unexpected but… I'm still faster." He said, standing before me.
*What? How did he…*
"Got it." He said, using the sole of his foot to roll the ball over to his side.
I put my feet in-between his, trying to kick the ball away.
"Your problem is that you're being too rational." He said, tapping the ball towards me.
*Too rational?*
"What do you mean?"
"Ugh, you don't even understand such a simple thing." He said, nodding his head disapprovingly.
"…"
"Ha… look. What are you trying to do?"
*What I'm trying to do…? What am I trying to do?*
"I…"
*I want to play soccer? Of course, that's it. There's nothing more for me to want.*
"I want to be able to play. I want to win this upcoming tournament."
"Then what?"
"Huh?"
"What will happen after you've won? You'll just go back to whatever life you've been living?"
"That is…"
*Now that I think about it… there's nothing left for me to do.* I thought, looking down at my feet.
"I was joking. Wait, don't tell me you actually have no plan."
"Huh?"
"That's sick. I thought you'd be dreaming big. I'm sure you guys will have more opponents from where you are."
*A soccer club?*
"What do you guys do here anyway?"
"Hm? Oh, we just live normal lives."
"Normal lives? This place is only about soccer."
"Ah! No, no, no! You're wrong. This is the sports season. We have different sports clubs here but they are in different places."
"What…?" I asked, stupefied.
"Hahaha, we have different seasons. It's the sports season, so the higher-ups decide on the venues we use for each sports group."
*Huh…? What's going on? I'm not following again. Is something wrong? Huh…?*
"This season, we decided to use this venue for…" Well, never mind. It's not like you're following." He said, lying on the grass.
"It's time for my nap. Later."
"Wait, Kenji-San."
"Zzz."
*He slept so soon.*
I looked at the ball and bent to pick it up.
*I'm still not good enough. I need to get better soon, or we might lose shamefully.* I thought, going through some videos on my phone.
*Rational? What does he mean by that?*