Shirabe POV
"2-0... Tengawara wins, right?"
I take a sip from my cup.
Kirara: "Yup! Too bad, Raimon has to lose already."
"Are you going to go watch, Kiri-chan?"
Kirara: "Mhm... why not?"
"I'll join you then."
Then Kirara and I went to the match at Tengawara High.
Kakuma: It's the first match in the Holy Road's district preliminaries! Raimon Jr. High versus Tengawara Jr. High. The path of the championship starts from here! Raimon, who won second in the Nationals chamionship last year, is up against the famous Tengawara! Which team will have the right to proceed down the road of glory?
I look down at Raimon. Then I saw that most of them were looking uneasy. All but... those two.
"They're going to do something."
Kirara: "Hm? Oh, Tenma-kun and Shinsuke-kun?"
"It's just them..."
I eyed the coach.
Kirara: "Hm... I don't think this is going to get pretty."
Kakuma: Kickoff! Matsukaze marks Hayabusa as he approaches! But Matsukaze doesn't get a chance with Hayabusa's skillful ball control!
But Matsukaze did give up and kept going after Hayabusa.
Kirara: "He's actually trying."
Kakuma: The ball is passed to Kita! Tengawara makes multiple passes and closes in on the goal! Will they be able to block their attack? Ah! He passed Amagi! He's heading in front of Raimon's goal!
But before they could try and score a goal...
Kirara: "Wha..."
Tenma jumped in and stole the ball.
Kakuma: First-year Matsukaze makes a good save!
Tenma: "Kurama-senpai!"
Kakuma: Oh, he missed a trap! Tengawara takes the ball!
Then Tengawara went after the ball but instead got rough played.
Shindou: "Tenma!"
Kakuma: Oh, Matsukaze! He boldly goes for the ball, but gets hurt instead!
Kirara: "Rough play, huh? Now that I think about it, Tengawara's known for their rough plays right?"
"Yes."
Kakuma: Amazing! Raimon doesn't stand a chance against Tengawara's waves of attacks!
I watched everyones' faces on Raimon.
Kirara: "They're in pain."
"... Are they hesitating? Huh?"
I look a little to the sidelines.
Huh?
Kirara: "Hm? What's wrong Shirabe?"
"... Mirai?"
Kirara: "Eh?"
Kirara turned to where I was looking. Mirai was watching the game on the sidelines while no being noticed. She looked in pain too.
What is she doing here?
Kakuma: Oh, Raimon's goal is wide open!
Then when Tengawara's captain was about to kick the ball, Sangoku-senpai looked down in pain. The Captain noticed and looked disappointed but then kicked the ball.
Kirara: "Tengawara's captain... he..."
But then someone came and stopped the ball.
Everyone: !
Kakuma: Wow, Shindou! He stops Kita's mightly shoot in midair!
"Shindou-san..."
Nishinosora: "What're you doing? Wouldn't it be easier if you just let us score one around now?"
Shindou: "I won't let you score."
Nishinosora: "Huh?"
Shindou: "I'm not going to obey Fifth Sector's orders. I'm going for a real win!"
Raimon: !
Kirara: "Wow~ so even Takuto-kun is going to join Tenma-kun and Shinsuke-kun? I wonder what changed his mind."
It was probably... that time I was going to watch him play but left.
Nishinosora: "Hey now. No need for jokes in the middle of the match."
Shindou: "I'm serious!"
Kita: "What?!"
Shindou quickly passed by Kita.
Kakuma: Shindou quickly dribbles! Hayabusa blocks his path!
Shindou: "Kurama!"
But when Shindou kicked the ball to Kurama, Nishinosora stood in his way and was about to get the ball until, the ball rolled hard on the floor.
Nishinosora and Kurama: "Eh?"
Nishinosora: "What?!"
Shindou: "Tenma!"
Kakuma: Oh, he covered for Kurama's miss!
Kirara and Shirabe: "That's...!"
Kirara stood up and smiled.
"God's Baton...."
Kirara: "Now this is getting interesting!"
Shindou: "Tenma!"
Tenma: "All right!"
Andou: "You're really getting on my nerves! Hey now, think you can come from the front?"
Tenma: "Soyokaze Step!"
Kirara: "Whoa~ when did he learn that hissatsu?!"
Kakuma: What amazing dribbling! Matsukaze zips right through enemy territory!
Then Tenma started getting surrounded.
Shindou: "Tenma!"
Shindou used God's Baton and point to where to kick the ball.
Kakuma: Matsukaze is surrounded by the defense! He sends the ball high up in response!
Shindou: "Shinsuke!"
Shinsuke: "Tenma!"
Kakuma: Nishizono uses a heading to bring it back to Matsukaze!
Tenma: "Captain!"
Kakuma: Matsukaze makes a high pass to Shindou! But it's a little off! Will this pass be for naught?
Tenma: "Captain!"
Mirai: "... Shindou-senpai!"
The managers turn to see Mirai cheering.
Aoi: "Mirai-chan?!"
Midori: "When did?!"
Hoshifuru: "What?!"
Shindou got the ball first.
Shindou: "Fortissimo!"
Minami: "What?!"
Kakuma: Goal! It's a goal! Raimon Jr. High's captain, Shindou, makes a goal to take the first point!
Kirara: "Wow! He made a goal! Shirabe!"
Kirara hugged me tightly and I slightly smiled.
"Mhm."
Matsukaze and Nishizono went up to him and smiled. He smiled back at them. Then Shindou looked through the crowd.
Kirara: "Ah!"
Kirara quickly ducked down.
"Kiri-chan?"
I look down at her and then when I looked back at the field...
!
Shindou made eye contact with me. He smiled at me. I felt my chest hurt a bit. Then Shindou went back to position on the field.
Kirara: "Ah~ that was close."
"... What was that?"
Kirara: "Hm? What's wrong Shirabe?"
I put my hands to my chest.
Not only did he remember what I said... but it hurts a lot here...
Kirara: "Shirabe?"
"... What's this? My chest hurts.... and I think my cheeks feel hot too."
Kirara: "... Heh~"
"W-What's with that reaction?"
Kirara: "Oh nothing~ I was thinking maybe~ you've taken a liking to Takuto-kun."
"A liking?"
Kirara: "Yup! He even was looking for you in the crowd aw~"
"I don't get it..."
Kirara: *sweatdrop* "Of course you don't."
?
Kirara: "But..."
Kirara turned serious and looked back at the match.
Kirara: "Now that they've disobeyed orders, we'll have to do away with them soon."
I turned back to the match and look at Shindou and his team.
Kakuma: The first match in Kanto's A block district preliminaries of Holy Road! With Shindou's elegant shoot, Raimon takes the first point! The game resumes! Shindou goes to mark him!
Nishinosora: "I won't be holding back."
Shindou: "Ugh!"
Tenma: "Captain!"
Kakuma: Nishinosora makes a forceful tackle! But no whistle! The ball goes to Andou!
Andou: "Move, get out of my way!"
Hayami: ! "Ugh!"
Shindou: "Hayami!"
Kakuma: Tengawara is breaking through Raimon's defense! And now they pass!
Nishizono: "I'll stop them! Tch! Ugh!"
Kakuma: Nishizono falls this time!
Tenma: "Shinsuke!"
Kakuma: The ball goes to Captain Kita! But Matsukaze is standing in his path!
Tenma was trying to reason with Kita but...
"He hasn't noticed they've surrounded him."
Then Hayabusa knocked down Tenma.
Kakuma: Hayabusa goes deep into Raimon's end of the field! What's happening? The Raimon Eleven make no move to answer Shindou's commands! Have they gotten scared of Tengawara's rough plays?
Shindou: "Everyone..."
Kirara: "Aw~ so only Tenma-kun, Shinsuke-kun, and Takuto-kun are trying here?"
"It seems the rest of the team is still afraid of Fifth Sector and of Tengawara."
What will you guys do I wonder?