Masashi, Mina, and Tetsuro sat in the cafeteria, eating their meals. Ever since their first hockey practice, they had been discussing updates to their training regimen. Mina was particularly focused on making improvements, having already shared the updated plan with the rest of the team. Tetsuro and Masashi were the last to receive it.
"What's his deal?" Tetsuro muttered between bites of food.
Mina shot him a disapproving look, clearly repulsed by his lack of manners. Ever since Coach Takematsu had stepped back a week ago, leaving the coaching and training to the specialized coaches and the Captain's leadership, things had felt off. Mina herself was frustrated by the Coach's strange behavior. She hadn't seen him on campus or in his office at all.
"He hasn't done this in the four years he's been here. Maybe he's coming up with a coaching system that fits everyone." Mina said, frustrated.
"Yea okay, but what's the deal with him not showing up to practice?" Masashi quickly chimed in.
A heavy silence followed Masashi's question. The one thing Mina couldn't stand was not having answers or being in the dark about what was happening, it made her feel useless. She had asked the specialized coaches where Coach Takamatsu was, but they quickly changed the subject. The fact that they were hiding something only added to her concern. Had Coach Takematsu abandoned them?
"There's no way! You want me to do weight training, more skating and puck handling drills?" Tetsuro blurted out as he glanced at his training regimen.
"Obviously," Mina replied coolly. "Your skating has improved, but it still needs work, especially your edges when cornering or changing directions."
Tetsuro frowned. "Where am I supposed to find the time for all of this?"
"I don't know. That's your problem," Mina shot back. "You heard what the other coach said, you're too slight. Now stop complaining and stick to the regimen." She stood up, clearly frustrated.
"What's her problem?" Tetsuro asked as he looked towards Masashi.
"Let her be; something's clearly bothering her. Who knows what it is?" Masashi replied.
Masashi glanced at his training regimen and noticed it was filled with puck-handling drills. According to Mina and the other coaches, his skating wasn't a concern. Yet, it still felt odd to focus solely on one aspect of his game.
"Hey, want to practice early in the mornings at the skating rink by your house?" Masashi changed the subject.
"Uh, sure. They open early. We should go in the morning. I doubt we'll have the energy to go after practice," Tetsuro agreed.
"Perfect, let's start tomorrow. Anyway, I have to go. I'll see you in class," Masashi replied.
Masashi quickly got up and headed for the cafeteria exit. Tetsuro couldn't help but wonder what was going on with Mina and Masashi. They were acting strangely today. He didn't dwell on it for long, though, as he focused on enjoying his miso soup and the rest of his meal. Lately, he had been feeling hungrier, probably due to the long practices.
After lunch, Tetsuro rushed to his homeroom class. He passed a few of his teammates, waving at them as they waved back. The team's sense of unity was still a work in progress. The Captain did his best to be the glue that held them together, but ultimately, it was up to the coach to get the team to buy into his vision. However, with Coach Takematsu missing from practice, it was difficult to foster that sense of bonding.
As Tetsuro entered his homeroom, he noticed that everyone was still engaged in lively conversation. He saw that Masashi's seat was empty. With lunch still stretching ahead of him, Tetsuro sat down in his chair, unsure of how to pass the time.
"This is the first time I've seen you alone," Mai said, sliding into Masashi's empty seat.
"Mizuno said he had to do something after lunch, so it's just me," Tetsuro replied.
Tetsuro picked up the sheet of paper Mina had given him and began reviewing his training regimen. Unbeknownst to him, Mai's curious eyes were also scanning the paper.
"What's that?" Mai asked.
"It's just a training regimen the hockey manager made for me," Tetsuro replied, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
"It says you have to do weight training," Mai said, leaning in to get a closer look at the paper.
Tetsuro nodded, puzzled by her interest in his training regimen. It was just a list of stretches and exercises recommended to him, nothing special. He couldn't understand why it seemed like such a big deal.
"You know our high school has a gym with weights, right?" Mai asked.
"I didn't know that, but thanks for letting me know," Tetsuro replied with a sigh of relief. Finding out the school had a gym was perfect. It meant he could do his weight training before or after school, saving time since he wouldn't have to travel outside the campus.
"If you want, I can show you where it is," Mai offered. "I have to do some training myself for the upcoming football season."
"Uh, sure," Tetsuro said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
"Sounds like a plan. I'll see you after class," Mai said with a smile.
The next teacher entered the homeroom, ready to begin the lesson. Mai quickly returned to her seat, and Masashi barely made it on time. Tetsuro wondered what he had been doing during lunch. Though he was naturally curious, he decided not to ask.
The afternoon classes dragged on as Tetsuro struggled to concentrate. His mind kept wandering, searching for reasons why the head coach hadn't shown up to practice. The specialized coaches weren't bad, but the head coach was the one who organized the lines and determined the special teams. In the meantime, they were stuck doing basic drills, which he understood, but it also meant the more advanced players were being held back from further development.
"Tetsuro!" His thoughts were abruptly interrupted.
"Yes?" Tetsuro looked up at the teacher.
"What is the answer to the question I just asked?" The teacher's voice was firm. Tetsuro stared blankly, his face growing hot and red as the class began to snicker, realizing he didn't know the answer.
"Sorry, I don't know," Tetsuro muttered, lowering his head in embarrassment.
"Pay attention, Tetsuro," the teacher scolded.
Despite the teacher's request for him to pay attention, Tetsuro's mind remained elsewhere. Fortunately, the teacher didn't seem intent on embarrassing him further, as she directed her questions to other students. Tetsuro felt a sense of relief when the class finally ended. As he gathered his things, Mai quietly approached him, and the class's curious eyes focused on their interaction.
"You ready?" Mai asked as she grabbed her bag.
"I guess. I haven't really done weights before." Tetsuro confessed.
"We all start somewhere." Mai assured him.
Mai took the lead, guiding him down a separate hallway toward the gym. They walked side by side, but a calm silence lingered between them. Back in Canada, Tetsuro had only a small circle of friends, usually the same ones. He was content with those friendships and didn't feel the need to make more. However, in Japan, he was beginning to realize that making new friends wasn't as daunting as he had once thought.
As they walked down the hallway, Tetsuro noticed through a window that Masashi and Mina were walking together. He slowed his pace, soon realizing what he thought was happening. Tetsuro believed they had a mutual interest in each other and wanted some time alone. He had no issues with it; he just wished they had been more honest with him about it.
"Everything okay?" Mai asked as she noticed Tetsuro was multiple paces behind.
"Uh yeah everything is fine." Tetsuro assured her as he jogged to catch up to her pace.
As they entered the gym, Tetsuro was struck by its size. Different areas were designated for specific types of workouts. The treadmills were located on the second floor, while a small boxing section with punching bags filled one corner. A basketball court was separated from the rest of the gym, and the weight area was closest to the entrance. Tetsuro couldn't help but be amazed at how spacious and well-equipped the gym was.
"Well, let's get started." Mai said, interrupting his admiration of the gym.
Mai and Tetsuro went their separate ways as they entered the changing rooms to change into their workout clothes. Afterward, Tetsuro made his way to the weight section with the barbells. He glanced at the sheet Mina had given him once more and noticed that the exercise highlighted as most important was deadlifts. Looking at himself in the mirror, he realized that, as the specialized coach had mentioned, he was a bit slight. His thighs and legs, in particular, looked more like slender tree branches than the thick trunks of a large tree.
Tetsuro began his deadlifts with just the bar, assuming it would be easy. As he gradually increased the weight, he started to feel the slight ache and strain of his muscles working. He moved on to squats, and the exercises progressed smoothly. Sweat started to bead on his forehead, and his shirt slowly became drenched.
His next exercise involved jumping drills with a plyometric box. Since it was his first time trying these exercises, he had to search for videos on his phone. As he watched the videos, he gradually became more comfortable with the movements. The first exercise was called vertical single-leg jumps, which focused on explosiveness and balance. Essentially, Tetsuro would jump using one leg at a time, aiming to jump as high as possible while maintaining control and stability. The final jumping exercise was the sitting vertical jump. This exercise involved starting from a seated position and then explosively jumping upward.
As he finished his jumping drills, his lower body began to ache, reinforcing the fact that he wasn't accustomed to these exercises. The rest of the afternoon was spent following the regimen Mina had prepared for him. By the end of his workout, he was on the ground, gasping for air.
"You okay? It looks like you overexerted yourself," Mai said, looking down at him as he lay on the ground.
Mai tossed him a water bottle, and Tetsuro caught it just before it hit him in the face. He quickly unscrewed the cap, splashed his face with the ice-cold water, and then drank deeply. The cool water helped ease his dry throat.
"These training sessions are the worst. I have to do this every other day?" Tetsuro complained to himself, silently cursing Mina for the tough regimen.
"It gets easier once it becomes a routine, and your body gradually adapts to it. Whoever created this training regimen really wants you to suffer," Mai said, finally finishing reading the entire plan.
"Thanks for agreeing. When I see Oshiro, I'll let her know how unfair this is!" Tetsuro said, struggling to sit up.
"Mina Oshiro?" Mai questioned as she helped Tetsuro get up.
"Yeah, she's the hockey manager. Do you know her?" Tetsuro replied.
"I know of her. We went to the same junior high. She's always been obsessed with hockey. It makes sense, though, since her father was an Asian scout for a professional hockey team in the States" Mai explained, sipping her water.
"Are you serious? How do you know that?" Tetsuro asked, surprised.
"It was all she would talk about—how her father was this important hockey scout," Mai explained.
"That's pretty cool that her father was a hockey scout," Tetsuro admitted.
"Yeah, he used to be. But, as you know, Asia isn't exactly known for producing hockey talent. So he lost his job as a scout. It's more likely to find talent in baseball or football." Mai added, wiping sweat from her forehead.
"Huh, you really know your stuff. You're more than just a pretty face" Tetsuro said, impressed.
"Gee, thanks. That's more of a backhanded compliment," Mai teased.
"Sorry, that came out wrong" Tetsuro apologized.
"I know," Mai replied with a grin.
"Well, it's time for me to go. Do you think you can walk me to the station? It's getting late." She glanced at her smartwatch, realizing they had stayed longer than she had anticipated.
"Yeah, sure, it's the least I can do," Tetsuro said.
"I can't wait to get home and take a warm bath." He stretched his arms, his muscles still aching.
"Well, let's go. We might miss the next train," Mai said as she grabbed her bag.
Tetsuro quickly grabbed his things, and they made their way to the station. Another day of progress had passed, and he hoped that soon his team would be ready to begin practice matches with other schools.