Chapter 2: The Day Everything Fell Apart

A Normal Day That Wasn't

The day his parents died had started just like any other.

Shun still remembered the smell of his mother's cooking. The way his father ruffled his hair before heading to work. The warmth of their home, filled with small, forgettable moments that felt permanent.

But life never gives warnings before taking everything away.

It happened in the evening. Shun was at home, waiting for his parents to return. They never did.

Instead, the phone rang.

"There's been an accident."

His uncle's voice was calm, almost too calm, as if saying the words would make them less real. But Shun didn't understand. He was only eight. How could he?

The next time he saw his parents, they were lying still, covered in white sheets.

Shun screamed.

No one could comfort him.

No one could bring them back.

The Empty House

A week later, Shun was sent away to live with his uncle.

It wasn't that his uncle was cruel—he wasn't. But he was distant, busy, and had his own family to take care of. Shun felt like an outsider in his own home.

For weeks, he barely spoke.

For months, he barely left his room.

He stopped smiling. Stopped feeling. It was as if his heart had been buried alongside his parents.

The only thing that kept him going was the thought of Ken.

His older brother.

His idol.

The person who had promised to always be there for him.

"I'm coming back for you, Shun. Just wait."

But that promise had been a lie.

The Call That Broke Him

One night, after weeks of silence, Shun finally gathered the courage to call Ken. His fingers shook as he dialed the number.

It rang.

Once.

Twice.

Then—Ken's voice came through.

"Shun? Why are you calling me?"

A lump formed in Shun's throat. He hadn't heard Ken's voice in months.

"Onii-chan… I miss you. When are you coming back?"

A long pause.

Then—Ken sighed.

"Shun, stop it."

"You're being pathetic."

Shun's stomach dropped.

"I don't have time for this."

"You're the most worthless brother I've ever had."

Click.

Ken hung up.

Shun stared at the phone in shock, his body frozen. The silence of the room crushed him, pressing down on his chest until he couldn't breathe.

His brother—the only person he had left—had abandoned him.

Something inside him snapped.

The tears stopped.

The pain hardened into something else.

Fine.

If Ken didn't want a weak brother—then he wouldn't be weak.

Finding Soccer

The next day, for the first time in months, Shun left the house.

He didn't know where he was going. He just walked. And walked. Until he ended up at a small, dusty soccer field near his neighborhood.

Kids were playing. Laughing. Running.

Shun stood at the edge, watching. Something about it felt alive—like the opposite of everything he had felt for the past year.

A ball rolled toward him.

"Hey! Pass it back!"

Instinctively, he lifted his foot and tapped it forward. The second it connected with his shoe, something clicked inside him.

A tiny spark.

It wasn't much.

But it was something.

Training, Falling, Rising Again

From that day on, Shun started playing. He was terrible at first. He fell, missed passes, and tripped over his own feet. But he never stopped.

Because every time he kicked the ball—every time he ran, every time he pushed himself to exhaustion—he forgot about Ken.

He forgot about the pain.

Soccer became his escape.

His weapon.

Fukura High – A New Beginning

By the time he turned fifteen, Shun had made his decision.

He would join Fukura High School, known for its soccer team. He would train harder than anyone else. He would become so good that Ken couldn't ignore him anymore.

So good that one day, he'd stand on the same field as his brother—as his rival.

As someone, Ken would be forced to chase.

And thus, his journey began.