PLANS AND AMBITION

Osiko had chosen to stay in the Hajita A team and had now stepped into the professional level. The training was tougher, the competition was tougher and the pressure was greater. However, the ambition inside him motivated him more and more each day. Setoshi, on the other hand, had moved up to Yuto FC U21 and had turned down the opportunity to go to Europe. He thought it would be wrong to go without proving himself in Japan. But this decision meant a greater struggle for him. Setoshi's reputation had been heard in the U21, so his new coach Suzuna wanted him to start in the first 11, but he had doubts in his mind, if Setoshi wanted to convince his coach, he had to work even harder in training.

Osiko was trying to adapt in his first weeks at Hajita A. The team was full of experienced players and they didn't trust the young players. Even though his coach Tutusiki didn't give him many chances, Osiko tried to show himself at every opportunity. Setoshi was noticed right away at Yuto FC U21. He caught the attention of the coaches with his talent and was in the first 11 in a few friendly matches. However, things were much more serious here. Even small mistakes were unforgivable. In fact, he couldn't control himself in a friendly match and objected harshly to the referee, and his coach got very angry and took him off the game in the 30th minute. Setoshi was surprised and angry, but Suzuna wanted to instill discipline in him.

Osiko's biggest rival was still Matsui. In every practice match he played, Matsui tried to crush him. Since the other players also relied on Matsui, Osiko felt lonely. But giving up was not his thing. Tutusiki approached Osiko after a practice and said, "If you want to beat Matsui, you have to understand his game. You have to overcome him mentally, not just physically." Osiko thought about his coach's words and started to come up with a new plan. Matsui was always tough on him, and Tutusiki ignored every foul, perhaps because he wanted to train him, or maybe because he liked Matsui more. "Maybe I should play the game their way," Osiko thought.

There was a week left until Hajita A's first official match and it was not clear whether Osiko would play or not. The competition within the team was at its peak. During training, Matsui had taken the ball again and quickly came to Osiko, Osiko had let him pass, his coach was looking at this situation in surprise, at that very moment Osiko made a hard move towards Matsui's ankle from behind, Matsui was lying on the ground in pain. Tutusiki was watching from the sidelines, not making any moves. Matsui shouted at his coach and said, "Tutusiki! Osiko practically tried to injure me, aren't you going to say anything to him!" Tutusiki, however, remained silent. Osiko came and extended his hand to Matsui and said, "Be more firm next time." Matsui got angry and pushed his hand away angrily, got up with the support of his other friends and went to the locker room. Tutusiki sent Osiko home to rest so that the tension would not grow. Setoshi, on the other hand, had proven himself in Yuto FC U21 and earned the right to play in one of the team's most important matches. However, they were up against Kaisima FC, one of Japan's strongest youth teams. Since he was still new, his coach was going to start him on the bench.

Matsui had a grudge against Osiko for the blow he had received and faked an injury so Tutusiki would punish him. Tutusiki noticed this and told him to rest and that he would take care of the matter. When the squad was announced the next day, Osiko was on the bench instead of Matsui. Osiko was both surprised and happy to thank his coach. When Matsui saw the squad, he immediately asked why he wasn't there, but his coach said that he needed to rest because he was injured. Matsui hadn't thought that his plan would affect him so badly. Osiko was taking his place in the U18s and then in the A team, and he had to get revenge on him. Osiko entered the game in the last minutes and stepped onto the professional field for the first time. All eyes were on him.

Setoshi was in the first 11. His coach trusted him very much and he had to not let this trust down.

The two old friends were chasing the same dream in different fields: To become a world-class football player...