Chapter 4: The Missing Piece

MVP. Top Scorer. Champion.

The moment the final whistle blew, the stadium exploded.

Fukura High had done it.

They were state champions.

Shun stood in the center of the field, breathing hard, sweat dripping down his face. His teammates rushed past him, celebrating, cheering, screaming in joy.

But his mind was blank.

He had won.

He had scored the most goals in the tournament.

He was named MVP.

But something inside him still felt... empty.

The Ceremony

The award ceremony felt like a blur.

Cameras flashing.

Hands shaking.

A medal was placed around his neck.

Officials and coaches patted him on the back. Fans chanted his name. His teammates shouted, hyping him up.

Yet, as Shun looked at the gold medal in his hands, he felt nothing.

Not yet.

This wasn't enough.

Not until he surpassed Ken.

The Locker Room

Inside the locker room, the team was buzzing with energy.

Laughter, shouts, and the sound of jerseys being thrown into bags filled the air.

Shun sat on the bench, rolling his shoulders. That's when he noticed them—his teammates.

Some were grinning and joking, others sizing him up like he was competition.

One guy—Renji, the forward—smirked.

"MVP, huh? Guess we should all bow down now?"

Shun raised an eyebrow.

"Tch. I don't need that."

Another voice cut in—Kaede, the clumsy defender.

"Wait! So we have a new superstar?! Shun, you gotta teach me how to NOT fall on my face every game!"

The room erupted in laughter. Even Shun couldn't hold back a small grin.

Some were friendly. Some were competitive.

But they were his team now.

And then—

His hand went to his ear.

And his heart stopped.

The Missing Earring

It wasn't there.

The earring.

The small silver piece he had worn for as long as he could remember.

The one thing he knew was important, even if he didn't know why.

His mind raced.

Where did I lose it?

He stood up so fast that his chair nearly fell over. His teammates blinked.

"Oi, Shun, what's wrong?"

He didn't answer. He was already out the door.