FRIENDSHIP OR COMPETITION?

The next morning, Osiko was both excited and nervous about entering Hajita's youth academy for the first time. He was on the field at exactly 8 o'clock. The first light of the day was illuminating the field, and only the chirping of birds broke the silence around him. Setoshi, on the other hand, had arrived a little late, with his usual relaxed demeanor. However, Osiko could tell from his eyes how eager he was.

Kojima-san called the two boys over. His face was stern again, but his speech was full of determination. "Today will be a trial day for you. We will test your various abilities. On the field, it's not just talent that matters, but also stamina and intelligence," he said. Then he gestured to the field with his hand. "Start with a warm-up lap, then we'll work on ball control."

Osiko and Setoshi started running. Setoshi was full of energy; he was joking around and trying to cheer Osiko up as he ran. "Don't take it too seriously, it's just a trial," he said. But Osiko had other things on his mind. His father's successes, Hosogoshi's gaze, Kojima's words... They all weighed on his shoulders like a burden.

After the warm-up, ball control and passing exercises began. Kojima tested the children in turn. Setoshi's relaxed attitude was also evident on the field. His ball control, passes, and agility were remarkable. However, Osiko seemed more nervous. He could feel the pressure inside him as he tried not to make mistakes. A few times, he sent the ball too far or missed the timing while passing. Kojima and the other coaches were carefully watching the performance on the field and taking notes in their notebooks.

After a while, the next test was a one-on-one match. Osiko and Setoshi would face each other. Both were waiting for this moment; despite their friendship, there was a deep sense of competition. Setoshi smiled and said, "Can you pass me, Osiko?" Osiko took a deep breath, nodded silently, and took the ball in front of her.

When the match started, Setoshi immediately noticed how determined Osiko was. The seriousness in Osiko's eyes reminded him of his father's focused gaze on the pitch. While he controlled the ball, he also observed Setoshi's moves. He quickly dribbled the ball and made a perfect Marseille turn past Setoshi and headed toward the goal. Setoshi quickly followed, but Osiko was protecting the ball very well. Just as he was about to take a shot, Setoshi made a hard tackle and stole the ball. However, Osiko fell to the ground during the tackle. There was a slight silence, then Kojima's voice echoed: "Go ahead!"

When Setoshi dribbled the ball and scored, there was a look of triumph on his face. But then he turned to Osiko and extended his hand. "Nice try," he said. Osiko stood up, holding Setoshi's hand, and tried to smile. But the disappointment in his eyes was evident. "I'll do better next time," he said determinedly.

At the end of the day, Kojima called the children over. "I have been watching your performances today. You are both talented children. However, there is something I need to explain to you. You both will not be able to enter this academy. I will announce my decision tomorrow morning, go to bed and rest today," he said.

These words created a complex emotional atmosphere between the two friends. The confident expression on Setoshi's face faded slightly. Osiko, on the other hand, was afraid that the opportunity to realize his father's dream would slip away from their hands. The two of them looked at each other silently. At that moment, their friendship was being tested under the shadow of competition. The mocking attitude inside Setoshi had turned serious. Osiko, on the other hand, was looking at Setoshi harshly, fearing to lose, and he didn't know who to blame.

When he returned home, Osiko picked up his father's old cleats and looked at them for a long time. "Tomorrow, no matter what happens, I will do my best," he whispered to herself. Setoshi was sitting quietly at home with his father Hosogoshi. When Setoshi told his mother what had happened, he spoke with certainty that he would get in, saying things like "Osiko is talented too, but you should have seen how I beat him today, it's impossible for me not to be selected after this performance." His father was lost in thought as he looked at his son. When Setoshi made a harsh intervention in the match and knocked Osiko down, he had given Kojima the signal with his fatherly instinct to continue, but now he was regretting it, if his son was going to get into the academy, he should have gotten in with his own talent, not with his help.

The next day, when the moment of decision came, Osiko and Setoshi's lives would change completely.