Chapter 8.

"Argh, am so tired 😰." One of the girls said as we ran the 20th lap.

"When's it gonna be over?" Ueta asked panting as she rested her hand on her thigh.

"So this is your natural hair colour eh?" Tanaka asked running beside me.

"Huh? Oh yeah." I said not stopping.

"It looks beautiful, why'd you dye it?" He asked.

"No reason, just wanted to." I said.

*It looks weirder in blinding bangs, looks like I'll have to go out to buy dye.* I thought.

"Your hair's growing out, you don't wanna cut it?" He asked.

"I'll still cut it, just want it to be longer."

*Then i'll tie it, not too long, a medium sized stuff.* I thought smiling.

"Oh."

With that, he ran even further. I kept jogging at a slow pace till Sugawara approached me.

"Hey." She said smiling.

"Huh? Thought you'd never speak to me again. "I said as she giggled.

"Not really."She said. "You hair.."

"Oh, yeah. It's growing, I know." I said as she smiled.

"I mean the colour."

"Oh."

Then, she began talking about things completely irrelevant to me.

"Okay, that's all, I believe you all ran 30 laps." The coach said smiling as he sat on a seat enjoying his yakisoba.

"Ha.."

That was a tough one, I understand why they'll be so tired. We all picked up a towel and used it to dry our sweaty faces.

"It's almost Christmas, maybe we'll do more than this." He said smiling.

*It's still weeks from today.*

"Today, we'll be going into the training room, I guess. Maybe two times a week, from today." He said standing up and walking into the room.

"What now?"

"Sit ups, squats, push ups, chin ups, lunges, each of them, 30. Now begin." He said.

"What the hell?!"

"Oh ladies, please just do the squats and lunges, oh and maybe jumping Jack's, each of them 20." He said grabbing a basketball bat.

"Boys, this is for you guys." He said swinging it. "Take this seriously."

We finished those ones and sat on the floor very tired. We grabbed bottles of water and gulped the whole thing down.

"Don't be too hasty, run 10 laps before heading in." He said.

"Mean." Nakamura said.

"Fast!" He shouted as we ran for it.

"Ah, am beat." I said pouncing on my bed.

"Oh, looks like you guys are done." Ueta said said as I nodded.

"I just left the bathroom." I said covering myself with the duvet. "It's so cold."

"Yeah, it's winter after all." She said smiling.

"Heh...?"

"So, what do you think about this place?" She asked.

"Well, it's not too bad I guess, I like the place and the goal they made for me. Soccer seems fun and I've found something I can devote myself to." I said looking up.

"Heh...? Nice." She said.

*I wonder what's on her mind.* I thought sitting up.

"Others would soon leave the bathroom, I'll go get diner ready." I said as she nodded.

I walked down the stairs and straight to the kitchen.

"Oh hey, if it isn't Atsushi boy." The coach said. He was in the sitting room going through some documents in the laptop he held.

"Hey." I said putting on an apron.

"I believe you had fun today." He said.

"Well, I guess you're right." I said washing some of the vegetables.

That's your natural hair colour if am correct?" He asked.

"Oh, yeah."

"Heh...?"

*He was staring at my hair this morning, maybe he hates light colours* I thought.

"That's good to know, I'll change out drills tomorrow." He said before closing the laptop.

"Cool."

"Well then, I'll be back when you're done cooking." He said before walking out.

*Change the drills, he says. I wonder what's going to happen tomorrow." I thought.

Just then, I got a message. I turned my phone on and saw who the message was from.

"Hell yeah!!" Nakamura shouted.

Tomorrow, training would start by 2 at noon, make sure you rest up.

*This guy, what does he plan for us tomorrow.* I thought dropping the phone and continuing with my stuff.

When the food was ready, I called them and we had dinner before going to bed.

The next day, I went to the training room to do some stuff.

"Kinda figured you'll be here." The coach said smiling and walking towards me.

"Oh, hey coach." I said.

"Doing press ups so early in the morning, aren't you a hard worker." He said.

"Well..."

"That's good, keep up the good work." He said before leaving.

I kept doing my push ups till I was tired, I ended up sleeping there.

2:00.

We all gathered in the field waiting for instructions from the coach.

"Seems like you all are here." He said walking towards us.

"Yes sir." We all answered.

"Now, for today, just for now, you guys would have a match." He said.

"Huh?"

"As I said just for now, I need to see how you guys have grown since."

"Y-yes sir."

"Now to divide you guys. You guys are 12 so it's okay for today." He said.

"Now, we'll have Team A and Team B. Team A: Tanaka Akaji, Yamazake Akane, Watabe Ryuto, Ueta Suzune, Kisho Akatsuki and Hayashi Chika.

Team B: Yusuke Nakamura, Kimishita Kiichi, Saitō Koenji, Sugawara Misaki, Tamura Hinami and Oshiba Atsushi.

Now stay in form." He said before sitting on a seat.

"Yes sir." We answered arranging ourselves.

"This seems kinda fun." Kimishita said smiling.

"Yeah."

"Well, I'll take the post." Saitō said grabbing a pair of gloves.

"Oh, big guy's got it." Nakamura said smiling.

"Now, let's begin, first to score 2 goals." He said.

*Ha, I really don't know how to play.* I thought. Nakamura was the very first person. I and Kimishita stayed behind him in opposite directions.

The game started with Team A making the first passes.

"Let's go get 'em." Saitō shouted as we ran towards them.

*Maybe, just maybe.*