Challenge Accepted

"Alright," he finally said. "Let's do it." 

Although Sota had never played football in a long time, he had decided to go against Koenji to stop him once and for all. Now that he thought about it, this was a good way to prove to him that he didn't want anything to do with the sport. 

After all, whether he wins or loses, he could just tell Koenji to leave him alone. That's it. 

Kaminari smiled, his eyes flashing with approval. "Good. Now, let's get back to work. We've got a lot of ground to cover."

As they resumed their sweeping, Sota couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He didn't know what to expect from the upcoming game, but he knew one thing for sure: it was going to be a test of his skills and his resolve.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of sweat and dirt. By the time they finished, the sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the school grounds. Sota and Koenji were exhausted, but there was a sense of anticipation in the air.

As they walked back to the school building, Koenji glanced at Sota. "You better be ready for tomorrow," he said, his voice full of determination.

Sota nodded, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. "I will be."

Kaminari watched them with a thoughtful expression. "Remember, this isn't just about winning. It's about proving your skills and respecting each other as players."

Sota and Koenji both nodded, understanding the gravity of his words. They might be rivals, but they needed to respect each other's abilities if they were going to settle this once and for all.

As they parted ways, Sota couldn't help but wonder what the future held. He had a lot to prove, not just to Koenji, but to himself as well. The game was on, and he was ready to face whatever challenges came his way.

That night, as he lay in bed, Sota couldn't stop thinking about the upcoming match. He knew it was going to be tough, but he was determined to give it his all. This was his chance to show what he was capable of, to prove that he still had what it took to be a great player.

As he drifted off to sleep, his mind was filled with thoughts of the game, the challenges ahead, and the determination to succeed. No matter what happened, he was ready to face it head-on. The game was on, and he was ready to play.

However, as he lay there, reality began to set in. The thought of playing again, of stepping back onto the field, filled him with a sense of dread. He didn't want to play. He had been provoked to the point where his emotions had gotten the better of him. Now, he regretted accepting the challenge.

Frustration and regret welled up inside him. Sota punched the air, his fists pounding against his pillow as he screamed into it. He didn't want this. He didn't want to play. But now, he had no choice. He had to see it through, for better or worse. 

"Wait..." 

Before Sota could fall asleep, he finally came to the realization. 'No wonder it seemed like I was missing something.' Sota thought to himself as nervousness kicked in. 

How were they going to compete with each other when football is a team game? 

Just the thought alone was enough to keep Sota awake the entire night. 

— — — 

Sota couldn't shake the regret from the previous day's altercation. Accepting the challenge had been a mistake, a moment of weakness where his emotions overpowered his rational mind. As he navigated through another school day, the impending confrontation with Koenji weighed heavily on his mind. He couldn't help but wonder how they were supposed to resolve their differences when football and flag football were fundamentally team sports.

The school day blurred past him, and before he knew it, Sota found himself once again at the front gate with Koenji, brooms in hand. The air between them was tense, their mutual disdain evident in their silence.

Just as they began their tedious task, a familiar voice broke the silence. "Hey, you two."

They looked up to see Kaminari from the day before. He had a confident, almost cocky smile on his face. "I've got something to discuss with you."

Sota and Koenji exchanged wary glances before turning their attention to Aozora Kaminari, the yellow-haired senpai. As usual, he had this calm demeanor in him. He took his sweet time walking towards them. 

"I have great news for the two of you." He didn't waste any time bringing in the news as he grabbed both of them by the shoulders. "This is a rare opportunity, you know, and we have our manager to thank." 

"As it turns out," Kaminari began, "you both are going to have a chance to settle this once and for all. We're having a practice match against Kogane High."

Raising an eyebrow, Sota suspiciously glanced at Kaminari. Quite frankly, he knew Kogane High since they have a prominent football team there. However, this was the first time he heard of a flag football team from that school. "A practice match?" He asked. 

Nodding his head, Kaminari confidently started walking, dragging the two of them along with him as he locked them a little tighter with his shoulders. "Yeah. You two will be subbed during the first and second halves. Your performance will be evaluated based on how well you play. And then... everyone on the team will determine the winner. Easy speasy, right?"

Feeling a surge of panic, Sota finally knew how they'd be competing with one another. It's as if everything that happened in the past was thrown out the window, and the inevitable presented itself right in front of him. 

The last thing he wanted was to be dragged into another football-related situation. "I don't know about this…" Sota trailed off, scratching his head as he mentally decided to drop out of the match. 

While his pride would suffer a deadly blow, he'd rather suck it up than play another football once again. It took him an excruciating amount of determination to give up on football. There's no way he'd play a game after all that!

Koenji scoffed at him, his eyes looking down as if he was staring at trash ready to be kicked into the garbage bag.

"What's the matter, Kazemachi? Scared you'll embarrass yourself? Haha~ I guess you're all talk. You probably have stage fright despite being good at the game. Is that the reason why you can't play for the life of you?"

Sota clenched his fists, his earlier resolve faltering. "I just… I don't think it's a good idea."

Stepping forward, Kaminari gazed into Sota's soul, his orange eyes piercing into Sota's. "Look, Kazemachi. This is a chance for you to prove yourself. Not just to Koenji, but to everyone. Are you really going to back down?" 

"Are you willing to give up on the sport before you could even play it for the last time? Come on, won't you at least give flag football a chance?" He continued.

Sota's heart raced. The pressure was mounting, and he could feel his anger bubbling up again. He didn't want to let his emotions control him, but Koenji's taunts and Kaminari's challenge were too much to ignore.

"Fine," Sota finally said, his voice firm. "I'll do it. But on my terms. I'm only playing quarterback, nothing else." 

"Good, now we're talking" Koenji smirked, satisfied with Sota's decision. 

"Great! Then it's settled. The practice match is tomorrow after school. Be ready." Kaminari clapped his hands together before excusing himself. "Now do your sweeping or whatever. See you two tomorrow. Don't go tucking your tails now." He said, waving his hand.