Chapter 11: A Morning Encounter

The sun had barely risen, casting a soft golden glow over the quiet stadium. The cool morning air brushed against Shun's face as he jogged along the familiar path. His body still felt the fatigue from last night's match, but he welcomed the soreness—it was proof of his hard work.

As he ran, his thoughts drifted.

Everyone was sleeping like idiots…

He smirked, remembering how Kazu had fallen asleep with a slice of bread still in his hand and how Taro had nearly rolled off the bed in his sleep. It was rare for the dorm to be so peaceful.

But just as he turned the corner near the practice field, he noticed something—

A girl was standing near the goalpost, her back turned to him.

She wasn't just standing—she was practicing.

Her passes were sharp, her movements precise. She had been at it for a while—Shun could tell from the slight huff in her breathing.

A dedicated player?

He was about to ignore it and keep jogging, but then—

She kicked the ball against the post, and it rebounded awkwardly. She turned to chase it—

BAM!

She crashed right into Shun.

"Oof—!"

Shun barely managed to keep his balance, but the girl stumbled back, looking startled.

And that's when he got a good look at her.

Wait a minute…

Short hair. Sharp eyes. A familiar face.

Shun blinked.

Rika.

For a second, neither of them said anything. Then, Rika narrowed her eyes.

"You again?"

Shun raised an eyebrow.

"You're blaming me? You're the one who crashed into me."

Rika crossed her arms.

"You were standing in the way."

"I was jogging. You weren't even looking where you were going."

She clicked her tongue, glancing at the ball that had rolled away. Without another word, she jogged over, picked it up, and returned to practicing.

Shun hesitated for a second.

Should he just continue jogging?

Or should he stay and watch?

There was something about Rika that bugged him. Like a puzzle he hadn't figured out yet.

And for some reason, he felt like he had known her from somewhere before.