*Next Day*
Shirabe POV
Kirara: "I'm so excited~ Raimon vs. Teikoku it's just like when the Raimon Legends started! Right, Shirabe?"
"Yes..."
Kirara: "Hm~ Trying to look calm huh?"
"W-Wha, I'm not trying! I am calm."
Kirara: "Sure~ You're doing a great job not getting into your fan-mode."
*sigh*
Kakuma: What? Raimon only has ten players! Forward Tsurugi and Defender Kono are absent from the roster! With no reserve players, Raimon will have it tough today!
Kirara: "Hm~ So that's what Tsurugi's planning?"
"But where's Mirai?"
Kirara: "Oh speaking of Mirai! I saw at the hospital the other day!"
"The hospital?"
Kirara: "Yeah, I was visiting Tai-kun like normal until I saw her! She said she volunteers there sometimes."
"Volunteers? Is that why she's not here today?"
Kirara: "Maybe."
Kirara and I look back at the match.
Kakuma: Raimon starts the game at kickoff! Teikoku's 2-top, Mikado and Itsumi, are approaching!
"Teikoku's skills are good."
Kirara: "As expected of Kidou Yuuto!"
Kakuma: Asukaji steals the ball from Hamano and brings it to Itsuki! With long, consecutive passes, Mikado takes the ball! He blows past the defense! Raimon's in a tight spot early in the game! Mikado shoots!
Sangoku: "Burning Catch! Guh...!"
Kakuma: He blocks it! Sangoku stops Mikado's shoot with his full body!
Kirara: "He got pushed back so easily."
"I thought it was going to make it in..."
Kirara: "I'll say! Look at the ground."
"... They weren't even using a hissatsu too."
Kakuma: The match resumes! Shindou has the ball!
Shindou: "Tenma!"
Tenma: "Right!"
"Ah..."
Kirara: "God's Baton!"
Shindou: "Kurama!"
Kakuma: Shindou makes his orders!
Kurama: "Make it in! ...What? Damn it!"
Teikoku however was able to stop the shoot with just the defense line.
Kirara: "Nice Defense!"
Kirara gave a thumbs up.
"You're more excited than normal..."
Kirara: "Of course I am!"
Kakuma: The ball goes to Teikoku's captain Mikado!
Mikado: "Begin the attack!"
Shindou: "Stop them!"
Kakuma: Raimon's defense moves speedily to mark them! But Sasaki is unmarked! Mikado uses this chance to make a quick pass! Dribbling, Sasaki approaches the goal! With only ten people, Raimon's defense is stretching themselves out thin!
Tenma: "I won't let you!"
Kakuma: Amazing! Matsukaze comes back all the way to defend! He's one fast runner!
Kirara: "Wow~ Ten-Ten is really fast! He's like the wind!"
"True... but his speed is still not match for you Kiri-chan."
Kirara: "Hehe... Yup!"
Mirai POV
Kakuma: Now, the match resumes with Teikoku's throw-in!
I looked at my phone that was showing the match between Raimon and Teikoku. I was outside of Mari's room. I looked at my phone for a moment and then turned it off.
It's too late. And it's not like I can go.
Shirabe POV
Kakuma: Teikoku's ball has been cut!
Shindou: "Hamano!"
Hamano: "Shindou!"
Shindou: "Let's do it, guys! Kurama! Tenma! You two, move up!"
Tenma: "Okay!"
Kirara: "Oh? What are they doing?"
Hamano: "Hayami!"
Kakuma: What's this? Raimon makes a back pass! They're sending the ball away from the goal! What are they about to do?!
Amagi: "Shindou!"
Shindou: "Here it goes! Ultimate Thunder! ...Guh... Gah!"
Kirara: "It failed...?"
Shindou: "The ball is still in, grab it!"
Tenma: "O-Okay!"
Kakuma: Matsukaze seizes the ball that bounced back on Shindou!
Tenma: "Soyokaze Step!"
Kakuma: Matsukaze slips past Asukaji and moves on with dribbling!
Shindou: "Here, Tenma!"
Tenma: "Captain!"
Kakuma: Shindou has been moving up as well!
Shindou: "Tenma!"
Tenma: "Captain!"
Shindou: "Fortissimo!"
But then the goalkeeper caught it easily without a hissatsu.
Kakuma: A-An incredible catch by Teikoku's goalkeeper, Miyabino! He caught Shindou's hissatsu shoot without even batting an eye!
Kirara: "Aw too bad."
I look towards Tenma.
"He's using so much energy in the first half already...."
Kirara: "True, it's like he's playing two positions."
Kakuma: N-Now Teikoku has made a bold move by dividing their players and lining them up on either side! Miyabino passes to Ryuuzaki!
Shindou: "Guys, tighten the defense!"
Kakuma: Ryuuzaki passes to Narita on the opposite side! This time Narita passes to Sasaki! Teikoku is making long passes on both sides, leaving Raimon floundering! With that, they move up to attack!
"A good tactic."
Kirara: "Without Takuto-kun's strategizing, they're basically useless."
Kakuma: A high ball! It's a centering for Itsumi! Itsumi jumps high!
Nishizono jumped and tried to get the ball but was pushed away by Itsumi.
Itsumi: "Out of my way!"
Shinsuke: "Ugh!"
Kakuma: Itsumi makes a heading, but it lands a few inches outside the goal! Did the shoot miss due to Nishizono's desperate defense?
Kirara: "Wow, way to go Shinsuke-kun!"
His jumping didn't seem to go well though...
Kakuma: Raimon is stuck defending throughout against Teikoku's fierce attacks! Will they continue to be kept back at arm's length? Or will they be able to find an opening and charge through?
Mirai POV
I walked through the hallway without being able to get my mind off Raimon.
Will they be okay? No! Stop thinking about them! I've made my choice already!
*Thud*
I flinched at the noise and turned to the door from where the sound came from. Then when I read the name plate.
!... Tsurugi Yuuichi... so this room is the room Tsurugi's brother is in?
After a moment of hesitation I look through the door.
!
Yuuichi-san was trying to get the wheelchair next to his bed. He was struggling to get on it so I knocked on the door. He turned his head to me.
Yuuichi: "Ah... sorry for the noise."
"Um... do you need help?"
Yuuichi: "Huh?"
"With getting on the wheelchair."
Yuuichi: "Oh... do you mind?"
I shook my head and then walked over to him. I helped him get on the chair.
Yuuichi: "Thank you."
"Not at all. Um, are you going somewhere?"
Yuuichi: "Yes, I was going after my brother... he's been acting weird. Ah, you're Mirai-chan right?"
"Eh? You know me?"
Yuuichi: "I've heard about you from the nurses."
Yuuichi smiled at me. I smiled back at him.
He's completely different than Tsurugi... *sweatdrop*
"Um, if you don't mind, I can help you with that?"
Yuuichi: "Help?"
"Yes, I'm sure you've heard about my sister here too right?"
Yuuichi: "Yes..."
"Then as fellow older sibling can I help you?"
Yuuichi: "... Haha, okay. Thanks."
"Not at all."
I went behind Yuuichi-san and started pushing the chair.
"Which way did he go?"
Yuuichi: "He said he was going to get a drink."
"Ah, then the nearest vending machine I guess."
Then when we went to the vending machine we saw someone approach Tsurugi.
That's... Kuroki-san I believe.
The two of them went outside.
Yuuichi: "Who is that?"
Yuuichi-san doesn't know who that is?
"Not sure..."
I pushed Yuuichi-san's wheelchair behind the wall and we listened to their conversation.
Kuroki: "I believe Fifth Sector gave you a mission... To lead Raimon to defeat."
Tsurugi: "... There's no need to worry. Even if I did nothing in this match, Raimon will lose."
...Tsurugi...!
Tsurugi: "Teikoku Academy tempers their skills with a strict training regime. There's no chance that Raimon can win with only ten players."
Kuroki: "Let's hope so. But on the off-chance that Raimon does win and Teikoku is defeated, you will have to give up on the money for your brother's surgery."
! Surgery...?! Does he mean for Yuuichi-san's legs?
I look to Yuuichi-san and he looked completely shocked.
Tsurugi... Has everything you've done up till now been for... Yuuichi-san?