THE NEW STAR OF HAJITA

In the early morning, Osiko and Setoshi met again at Hajita's field. A light mist had covered the field, and the morning chill made the seriousness on the two young men's faces even more apparent. Osiko had put his father's old cleats in his bag; he hadn't worn them, but he felt that carrying them with him somehow brought his luck. Setoshi, on the other hand, had stepped onto the field with confidence, but the familiar smile on his face was a little dim. Something inside him told him that the day would bring something different.

Kojima-san approached the boys waiting on the field. He was flanked by other coaches and scouts holding their notebooks. As he scanned the boys, he noticed that both boys were holding their breaths. It was he who broke the silence again.

"I will announce my decision today," Kojima said. His voice was calm but firm. "You are both talented. However, this academy evaluates not only talent, but also a player's character, team spirit, and intelligence on the field. We paid attention to these factors when testing you."

After a momentary pause, Kojima turned to Setoshi. "Setoshi, you have attracted attention with your comfort and confidence on the field. However, these qualities sometimes overshadow teamwork. Yesterday, in the one-on-one match, the hard tackle you made on Osiko showed your talents, but it also showed that you are too aggressive towards your opponent. This is a major problem for a team player on the field."

Some of the confidence on Setoshi's face disappeared, but he pulled himself together and said, "You're right." However, there was an expression in his eyes as if he wanted to say something.

This time, Kojima turned to Osiko. "Osiko, you were more nervous on the field. However, this tension made you a player who did not give up. I saw that you tried harder with every mistake you made. I felt that what I heard from your father was reflected in your talent and determination. But you should know that you cannot get a place in this academy with just your name or background. You must work harder and increase your confidence."

Osiko's heart began to beat rapidly. The pride and pressure he felt when he heard his father's name overwhelmed him at the same time. "I understand," he said quietly, but there was a determination in his voice.

Kojima looked at both of them carefully. Then, taking a deep breath, he announced his decision: "There is only one place in this academy. And that place…" Kojima looked at Hosogoshi, then at the scouts, and said, "That place belongs to Osiko."

The surprise on Osiko's face as the words echoed on the field was remarkable. He paused for a moment, then looked at Setoshi. Setoshi tried to control his expression, but behind his smile, there was disappointment and jealousy.

"Osiko," Kojima said, "This is just the beginning. You will face even greater pressure when you join the academy. Whether you can handle it is entirely up to you. But the determination you showed on the field yesterday was instrumental in making this decision."

Setoshi's silence finally broke. "Kojima-san," he said, his voice trembling slightly, "I respect your decision. But I have a question... If I won the one-on-one match yesterday, why wasn't I chosen?"

Kojima looked at him calmly. "Because this academy doesn't just look at results on the field, Setoshi. You won the one-on-one match, yes. But as a team player, it's also important to show respect for your opponents and prioritize the team's well-being. You still need time to develop that."

Setoshi bowed his head when he heard those words. "I understand," he said. However, he felt as if something inside him had broken. He turned to Osiko and gave him a forced smile, "Congratulations, my friend. I hope you do well here." But there was a sadness in his eyes that overshadowed the sincerity of those words.

Osiko was somewhere between surprise and happiness. "Thank you," he said in a low voice. However, he understood the disappointment Setoshi felt. Osiko quickly left the field to inform the people at home. Meanwhile, after Setoshi was sure that Osiko was gone, he asked his father, "You know I'm much better than him! He can't even dribble, he's not durable, and he's not a team player at all! Didn't you see how selfish he was in the first training? Are you punishing me for something?" Hosogoshi replied, "That kid is a real talent, you're talented too but he's different, if I told them to pick you, it wouldn't have been the scouts' independent decision, Kojima picked Osiko, not me, and I didn't interfere. Maybe you'll prepare better next year." He said. Setoshi quickly left the field, hiding his face with an angry and very sad expression. He was very angry with his father and had to prove his talent somehow. An idea came to his mind at that moment, if he couldn't beat him, he should work with people who could. Hajita wasn't that good a team anyway, they were 15th out of 18 teams in the U17 league. Why was he acting like he had to work with Hajita? He could show his talents without his father. So he went home immediately and started making plans...