Kai's heart pounded against his ribs as he slowly sat up. The bedroom was just as he remembered it, with the Hoshiyama High acceptance letter still prominently displayed on his desk, pictures of Zidane and Ronaldinho on the walls, and his first pair of cleats put in a display case. Ten years of memories came flooding back, including the weight of youth in his limbs, the distant roar of trains on the Yamanote Line, and the scent of his mother's miso soup coming from the kitchen.
Above all, there was no pain in his right knee. Not a single ache.
He tested his weight by swinging his legs off the bed and standing. Unburdened by years of professional wear and tear, his body felt incredibly light. His muscles were those of a teenager—strong but not yet fully developed. His fingers found his hair, now barely past his ears instead of the shoulder-length style he'd become famous for.
"Kai! Breakfast is ready!" His mother's voice drifted up the stairs, and his throat tightened. In his previous life, she had passed away during his second year at Bayern Munich, never getting to see him play in a Champions League final.
He called back, his voice trembling a little, "Coming!" It would take some time getting used to having teenage voice cords.
Kai's mind ran over what he knew about this day as he put on Hoshiyama's black uniform. His first day at the most prominent soccer academy in Japan was April 15, 2014. This had been the start of everything in his former life: his ascent to fame, his first serious injury, and the friendships that would ultimately bring him to ruin.
Not this time,
Taking his soccer bag, which he had used throughout high school but which was now beautifully maintained rather than worn, he went downstairs. His mother was making his bento at the kitchen counter. Kai had to fight the impulse to run and give her a hug when she turned and smiled.
"My little soccer star, off to his first day at Hoshiyama," she said, pride evident in her voice. "Your father would have been so proud."
Kai nodded, not trusting himself to speak. His father had died when he was young, but his mother had worked two jobs to support Kai's soccer dreams. In his previous life, he hadn't appreciated her sacrifices enough.
"I'll make you proud, Mom," he said softly, sitting down to eat.
"You already have." She placed a bowl of rice and grilled fish in front of him. "Just remember what Coach Nakamura always says—"
"'Soccer is like life,'" Kai finished, quoting his childhood coach. "'It's not about how many times you fall, but how many times you get back up.'"The words held new meaning now.
After breakfast, Kai shouldered his bag and headed for the station. The morning air was crisp with early spring, cherry blossoms swirling in the breeze. As he walked, he mentally reviewed what he knew about Hoshiyama High's soccer program.
The school accepted only twenty new players each year, divided into two classes. By the end of the first semester, half would be cut from the program. By graduation, only the top five would receive recommendations to professional teams. In his previous life, Kai had barely made it through the first cut, his raw talent overshadowed by more polished players.
But now I have ten years of professional experience in a sixteen-year-old body.
The thought made him smile. He knew every drill, every tactic, every little trick that could give him an edge. More importantly, he knew who his real friends were—and who would try to stab him in the back.
Hoshiyama's gates loomed before him, imposing and familiar. Students streamed through, many carrying soccer bags identical to his. Kai scanned the crowd, recognizing faces that had aged only in his memory.
There was Yuto Shimizu, already surrounded by admirers. In Kai's previous life, Yuto had been the first to make it to Europe, signing with Ajax at eighteen. They had been best friends until Yuto's aggressive style had led to Kai's first major injury during a practice match.
And there, walking alone with his head down, was Ryo Tanaka. The quiet midfielder would become Japan's youngest national team player—until a scandal orchestrated by jealous teammates ended his career before it began.
"Hey! You're Hasegawa, right?" A familiar voice called out. Kai turned to see Shun Yamamoto jogging toward him, grinning widely. The future goalkeeper had been one of the few who'd stood by Kai until the end. "I saw you play in the middle school nationals. That bicycle kick in the semifinals was insane!"
Kai smiled, genuinely happy to see his old friend young again. "Thanks. Your save against Sakura Academy was pretty impressive too."
Shun's eyes lit up. "You saw that game? Man, I thought nobody outside Tokyo bothered to watch the Kanto qualifiers!"
"I like to study my competition," Kai replied, falling into step beside him. In truth, he'd watched every match recording he could find before entering Hoshiyama, but that had been ten years ago—or a few months ago, depending on how you looked at it.
They made their way to the soccer complex, a state-of-the-art facility that put some professional clubs to shame. Three full-sized pitches stretched out before them, their grass perfectly manicured. The main stadium, where school matches were played, could seat five thousand spectators.
"Freshmen, gather around!" A booming voice cut through the morning chatter. Coach Kirihara stood at the center of the nearest pitch, his trademark whistle hanging from his neck. In Kai's previous life, Kirihara had been both mentor and tormentor, pushing his players to their absolute limits.
The twenty new students formed a semicircle around him. Kai could feel the tension in the air—everyone here knew that half of them wouldn't survive the first semester.
"Welcome to Hoshiyama," Kirihara said, his gaze surveying the gathering. "We chose you from over two thousand candidates because we recognized your potential. But potential is meaningless without hard work, dedication, and the determination to survive in this beautiful, harsh sport."
Kai felt a shiver go down his spine. He had heard this speech before, but now he realized what it really meant.
"Today, we begin with a simple test," Kirihara said, nodding to the balls lined in a perfect line behind him. "One-on-one matches." The winner remains on. The last five players standing receive starting spots in tomorrow's practice match.
Murmurs spread throughout the group.In his previous life, Kai had been eliminated in the third round because he was too eager to show off his dribbling abilities rather than play sensibly. This time would be different.
Kirihara yelled out, "Hasegawa," which made Kai's heart skip a beat. "You are up first. Choose an opponent."
Twenty pairs of eyes turned towards him. Kai peered around the circle, remembering who would become his adversaries, allies, and betrayers. His attention focused on Yuto Shimizu, who was already smirking confidently.
Some bridges, Kai reasoned, were better destroyed early.
"I choose Shimizu," he stated emphatically, locking eyes with his future best friend and worst adversary.
Yuto's grin broadened as he moved forward. "A bold decision, Hasegawa. Let's see what you've got."
As they took their positions on the pitch, Kai felt the weight of his second chance settling on his shoulders. Every choice from this moment would reshape his destiny—starting with this match.
The whistle blew, and the game began.