11.NIGHT BEFORE THE MATCH

Masaki lay on his bed, while talking with someone

Asuka:

"If you had to pick one, eat only sweet things for the rest of your life or salty things?"

He smiled

Masaki:

"Salty. I'm not a sugar monster like you."

Asuka:

"Excuse you?? My sugar level is perfectly refined, thank you."

Masaki:

"Refined diabetes."

A few seconds later,

Asuka:

"You're just mad because I know how to enjoy life. Unlike a certain grumpy-faced dude who eats pickled radish with plain rice."

Masaki laughed out loud, tossing a pillow into the air.

Masaki:

"That's cultural pride. You wouldn't understand."

Asuka:

"Cultural pride doesn't make you chew like a depressed grandpa."

His lips curved into a grin. It felt fun talking to her like this. 

Masaki:

"Anyway, your taste is questionable. You once said melon pan was 'overrated.'"

Asuka:

"It is! Fight me!"

He chuckled softly, then:

Masaki:

"You're lucky you're cute, or I'd block you."

Asuka:

"Aw, so you do think I'm cute. Look at you, blushing."

Masaki:

"Heh, well because that is the truth."

She laugh

Then, after a moment, he added:

Masaki:

"Qualifier match starts tomorrow."

Asuka:

"Oh? Big moment. You nervous?"

Masaki:

"Not really. Just… excited, I guess."

Asuka:

"Of course you are. You're Masaki Renjirou. Ofcourse starting too, huh?"

Masaki:

"Yeah."

Asuka:

"Then go out there and destroy them. I expect at least one dramatic hair flip and a goal with style."

Masaki:

"I'll try to wink at the camera too."

 

She laughed then said 

Asuka:

"Lame celebration. I'll cheer for you… silently. From my couch. In my pajamas."

Masaki:

"That still counts."

Just then, his door creaked open. Nana peeked in and saw her brother smiling like an idiot at his phone.

"Niichan…" she narrowed her eyes. "Are you… flirting?"

Masaki didn't even look up. "No."

"You're smiling."

"I always smile."

"Liar. I'm telling mom you've got a girlfriend!"

"Heyyy Nana!!!"

Too late. Nana skipped down the hallway like she just won the lottery.

He groaned and dropped his phone on his chest, shaking his head.

Asuka:

"Your sister snitched, huh?"

Masaki:

"You heard her?!"

Asuka:

"Yeah.Little sisters always snitch."

Masaki chuckled then said

"Well thats true"

A second later, he heard her voice from the kitchen.

"Moooommm!"

"What is it, Nana?" their mom called back.

"Niichan's got a giirrlllfrieeend!"

The clatter of kitchen utensils paused.

Masaki shouted from his room, "Oi!"

Their dad's voice joined in, full of amusement. "Is that true, Masaki? Finally becoming a man, huh?"

"Stop talking like that!" Masaki barked, voice muffled by embarrassment.

Their mom laughed. "Aww, who's the lucky girl? Tell her to come over for dinner sometime!"

" I hate this house," Masaki muttered, face red.

[Later, at dinner]

Masaki sat at the table in silence, stabbing his rice like it owed him money. His mom placed an extra piece of karaage on his plate.

"Eat up. You need energy to impress your girlfriend."

He let out a long sigh. "I swear I don't have one."

Nana snorted. "You text and call her every night. I hear you laugh."

"Ever heard of talking with friend, Nana? It's called friendship."

His dad gave him a wink. "Friendship with sparkles?"

Masaki nearly choked on his miso soup.

Their mom patted his head gently. "We're just teasing. But whoever she is, if she makes you smile like that… she must be someone special."

Masaki paused, then gave a small smile not the grinning, flirty one from earlier. Just a quiet, grateful one.

"Yeah," he said. "She kinda is."

 

After the teasing died down, the room settled into that gentle kind of silence only close families share the clinking of chopsticks against bowls, the quiet hum of the ceiling fan, and the faint aroma of grilled fish still lingering in the air.

Masaki was finishing his second bowl of rice when his dad leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, a slight nod of approval on his face.

"Tomorrow's the start, huh?" he said, his tone calm but firm.

Masaki nodded. "Yeah. First qualifier match in highschool"

"You ready?" his dad asked not like a coach, but like a man who just wanted to hear the truth.

Masaki met his eyes. "I am."

His dad gave a small, satisfied grunt. "Good. Just remember, it's not always about scoring. It's about showing up. About playing the kind of game you won't regret, even if no one else sees it."

Masaki absorbed the words like a sponge. He wasn't the type to seek approval, but his father's rare advice always stuck.

His mom wiped her hands with a dish towel and walked over, placing them gently on Masaki's shoulders from behind. "Play your best, sweetheart. We don't care if you win or lost, just don't come back with regrets."

Masaki tilted his head slightly to glance up at her. "Thanks, Mom."

She kissed the top of his head with a warm smile. "Also, drink water. Don't push yourself until you collapse. And please don't forget your uniform like last time."

"I won't," he mumbled, cheeks burning slightly.

Nana smirked. "Should I pack your bag for you, niichan~?"

"Shut up."

His dad chuckled. "Don't worry. We'll be in the stands."

Masaki blinked. "You guys are coming?"

His mom looked offended. "Of course we're coming!"

"You're our son, not some stranger on TV," his dad added with a smirk.

Masaki scratched the back of his head, trying to hide his smile. "Okay. Just don't make something embarassing Nana."

"Too late," Nana chimed in. "I already made a banner."

Masaki looked horrified. "You did not."

"Oh, I did. It says 'GO MASAKI THE LOVE MONSTER.'"

He stared at her in dead silence.

"I'm kidding," she said, laughing.

Barely.

His mom finally gathered the plates. "Go get some sleep soon, okay? Big day tomorrow."

Masaki stood, "Yeah. Thanks… for everything."