They tried a more practical kind of training. A mini offense versus defense match between the forwards and defense. Shindou joined the four defenders and goalkeeper while all the other midfielders went with Tsurugi and Matatagi.
Aoi couldn't help but smile when she saw them. Especially... "Sakura sure has changed. She was always a cheerful person, but now she looks so much more alive."
"Indeed." Mizukawa stated with her usual blank expression. Suddenly, the coach stood up to leave, and she went to tail him as usual.
Aoi's gaze dropped, a pang of loneliness hitting her before shaking her head and focusing back on the match.
Throughout the game, while there were scuffles here and there, they all encouraged one another to keep on going. It was a good change.
But it was still a small one.
Just as she and Tenma finished complimenting them, Shindou came over and shot them all down. "They may have gotten more or less better, but they're still beginners."
"Shindou-san..." Tenma gave him his usual smile. "But it was Matatagi's speed, and Sakura's pass that helped us score the tying shoot with Korea and the winning goal against Australia, isn't it? Also, Ibuki blocked a shoot in the Australia match."
"Regardless. Ibuki still has much to improve on as goalkeeper, and Minaho, Manabe, and Morimura's abilities are still unknown. Kusaka can't even receive a pass properly yet."
"Maybe, but―"
"Tenma. The world isn't that easy."
Without letting him get another word in, their senior walked away.
Tenma casted his gaze down in thought before quickly shaking his head, telling himself that "It'll work out somehow." Aoi smiled as she watched him head inside and was about to follow, but stopped when she noticed Tsurugi standing behind them.
She was sure a small smirk just left his face. "What?"
He shook his head. "I didn't say anything."
"You had a look on you, though..."
"What look?"
Since he genuinely looked confused, she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. Letting it slide, she followed the others in.
~~~~~
"Our opponent for the quarterfinals has been determined." Their coach started after breakfast the next day. "It's Saudi Arabia's team, Shamshir."
"Their speed and destructive power, not only individually but also as a unified team, is near number one champion in offense." Mizukawa continued. "Their play style involves persistently attacking their opponents' weak points until they're brought down. Thus, they are feared as Arabia's lions."
"Starting tomorrow, we will make adjustments for our Saudi match." He said. "For now, you are dismissed. Spend the rest of your day freely."
"Eh?"
"Use this opportunity to absorb yourselves in things other than soccer."
That was the last thing they expected their coach to say days before an important match.
But I guess... Breaks are alright every once in a while. Tsurugi thought as he heard all the others talking about how they would spend their day. He gave it some more thought as he walked out, considering all his options. He could take the train and visit his brother, maybe see how the others at Raimon were doing with Tenma if he wanted to, go to the park and get some ice cream since he hadn't had any in a while, or...
Heh. Nah. Even on day offs, it really does have to be...
"Tsurugi!" His thoughts were cut off by a call from exactly the person he was about to think of. Ibuki. "Help me out with practice."
He smirked. "Alright."
Like all the previous times, it didn't take long for the keeper to be covered in dirt and sweat. Still, no matter how many times he was pushed down, he kept getting back up.
They kept it up until the afternoon before the sound of footsteps interrupted them.
"Tsurugi! Ibuki!"
He turned from the goal to find their blue haired manager in a panic. "What is it, Sorano?"
"It's Kusaka! He got arrested!"
His foot slipped off the ball, though only slightly so the other two didn't notice. Meanwhile Ibuki had his lower jaw on the grass. "Arrested? The heck for?"
"He got into a fight with another gang in town." She looked down in thought before she continued. "Tenma went with Coach Kuroiwa to help him. And Trainer Funaki just sent out a text to the group chat to let everyone else know..."
He hummed slightly, a memory returning to the front of his head. "Now that you mention it, he made that foul play back in the match against Teikoku..." He trailed off with a click of his tongue. "Not that I can say anything."
She choked out a small laugh. "Tsurugi wasn't that bad back then, I think..."
"The whole second team would disagree, and I'm half-sure Kurama-senpai is still mad that I drove Minamisawa-san out."
"Ahahaha... Well... At least you apologized already?"
"Uh... What?"
Oh, right. Ibuki's still there. He shook his head at the other boy, saying "Nothing. Don't mind it." before turning back to her. "When will they get back?"
"Huh?" She blinked before understanding. "Oh! Well, since they just left, it may take a while. It's possible they'll get back around dinner time."
"I see." He nodded once before addressing Ibuki. "Do you still want to continue?"
He raised an eyebrow at that. "It's not like we can do anything else, right? Dinner's still hours away."
"True." And back to the manager. "Sorano. Want to stay and watch?"
"H-Huh?"
"Unless you have some other plans, it's better that you stay here and take notes of our practice rather than worrying yourself sick."
"T-That's true..." She looked down in thought for a moment before nodding. "Okay, I'll get the tablet. Be right back!"
And she was. Most of the other members came back not too long after, the last being Shindou, who came as they all took turns showering. They gathered in the lounge area and waited impatiently for either their captain or coach to arrive. Mostly hoping for the former.
And thankfully, it was.
"We heard the news, captain." Tetsukado was first to speak up. "Kusaka got arrested?"
"Y-Yeah..." He was probably thrown off by how he wasn't even greeted first, but in this situation, it made sense that part was kind of forgotten.
"So, how did it go?" Aoi asked.
"For the time being, the coach identified himself as his guardian and brought him back."
"I see..." Tetsukado said with a sigh.
"Thank goodness it didn't turn into anything big." Sakura added.
"What are you all doing here anyway?" Tenma suddenly asked.
Manabe pushed up his glasses. "The truth is, we got to wondering and checked up on several things."
That they also did.
"Kusaka is actually quite a dangerous person."
"He caused a problem at his school, so he and his friends are expelled from school right now." Minaho said. "At school, he was a delinquent who controlled the baddest of the bad kids."
"Normally, he has the kind face of Buddha, but once he loses his temper, he changes into a demon." Manabe continued. "The dragon 'ryuu' kanji that's in his name earned him the nickname 'The Dragon With Two Faces' in that school."
"His terms for being hired by Coach Kuroiwa is that both he and his friends be reinstated back into their school."
"But it's strange. I went back even further in my investigations about him, and apparently years ago, he was a very kind person who was more of a scaredy cat than someone who got angry easily."
It took quite a lot for Tsurugi to not react to that because― How the hell did you find that kind of info?― And he hoped that there wouldn't be anything that'd prompt any investigations on him. Being beginners, they knew nothing of Fifth Sector, and it was in everyone's best interest to keep it that way.
"But after a certain incident, he suddenly changed into a whole different person."
"Incident? What happened?" Tenma asked.
"I don't know that much..."
"Either way, Kusaka is going to be dropped from Inazuma Japan." Tetsukado said. "Trainer Funaki came in earlier to tell us that."
"That's inevitable." Minaho nodded. "It didn't develop into anything serious this time, but what about the next time? It would be horrible if he causes another problem for us and ends up withdrawing the team anyway."
"He can't do that!" Tenma immediately defended. "I'm going to have a talk with Trainer Funaki!"
"Tenma." Shindou called back. "Why are you defending Kusaka that much?"
"Why...?" He looked down for a moment before staring him back with even more determination than before. "Anyway, I'm going to Trainer Funaki!"
"Tenma!"
He ran off, not letting anyone else change his mind.
"Always so persistent..."
"Well, it is Tenma." He couldn't help the small smile creeping up his face as he stood up.
"And where are you going?"
He blinked at his senior. "It's dinner time, isn't it?"
Apparently, they all forgot with all the drama that went on. They then stood up and headed for the cafeteria. Tenma came not too long after, looking far more relieved. Kusaka was at practice the next day.
~~~~~
On the day of the quarterfinals, Kusaka woke up the earliest. He wanted to get some extra practice in before the match. Knowing that he was one of the ones falling behind the most, he needed it.
He couldn't drag the team down anymore. Not if he wanted to protect his friends.
After changing into his tracksuit, he decided to practice dribbling all around Odaiba. That early in the morning, hardly anyone should be walking about, so it was perfect. He took a ball from the front field and went a couple of laps around it before making his way to the crossroads. Just as he turned towards the station, he stopped.
Their navy haired striker was standing there with his back to him, facing the station. He had a ball cradled in one arm, and was holding something else in his other hand, though, with how tiny it was, he was sure he would've missed it if it wasn't glinting in the bit of sunlight that was starting to come out.
The first train soon arrived and people were beginning to fill the space. When it departed for the next station, he heard the boy sigh. When he turned around, he thought the pair of amber eyes widened a little, but they returned to normal so fast that he couldn't really tell.
"Practicing?" He was asked.
"Y-Yeah... Kind of..."
The striker nodded. "Don't push yourself too hard. We don't want you exerting yourself before the match."
"Ah, right..." He watched him leave silently.
He couldn't bring himself to ask what he was doing there.