13.MVP OF THE MATCH

The whistle blew again.

Second half underway.

Seikan led 2–0

 The defenders fell into a compact block, triple-marking Masaki. Their midfield clogged passing lanes. Their forwards began pressing.

"Don't get cocky," Taira muttered beside Masaki. "They're coming."

Masaki didn't answer. His eyes were already scanning every blade of grass, every breath of space.

Nishitama kicked off.

Within moments, Masaki cut off a pass with a clean intercept, his body low. He darted through two midfielders with a feint so fluid it looked rehearsed.

"Go!" Hyuga roared from the left.

Masaki didn't even glance just dropped his shoulder and accelerated. The sideline erupted.

One defender. Two. Then a third.

Gone.

The crowd gasped as Masaki slipped past all of them like water through cracks.

Nishitama's keeper rushed out—

Masaki lob the ball over the keeper's like it was nothing.

3–0.

He didn't even celebrate. Just turned around and jogged back with that calm.Now He start to serious play.

⸻

49th Minute

Nishitama tried to push forward again, desperate to claw one back.

Masaki read their movements like he'd seen it all in a dream. He dropped deeper, now operating from midfield. With one perfectly timed sliding tackle, he stole the ball off their midfielder, bounced to his feet, and launched a switch pass to Hyuga.

"MASAKIIII!!" Hyuga screamed as he received it.

Masaki surged down the right wing to catch up and as Hyuga cut in and drew defenders, Masaki curved behind him like a shadow. A sneaky no-look backheel pass from Hyuga found him.

Boom.

Masaki volley it into the top right corner.

4–0.

He point at asuka this time after he score

⸻

58th Minute

Nishitama's defenders started panicking. They pressed too hard and overcommitted.

Masaki baited them beautifully.

He took a long ball from Taro with a soft touch off his chest, rolled it under his foot, and give a through pass into Taira's path.

Taira sprinted forward, but instead of shooting, he sent it wide to Hyuga.

Hyuga took the ball.

Then unleashed cannon from outside the box.

GOAL. 5–0.

Masaki grinned wide now. This wasn't just a win. It was joy in motion. The ball was alive in their feet, and he was breathing with it.

Masaki was everywhere and nowhere defenders looked over their shoulder and found him already gone.

"This isn't fair…" Nishitama's captain muttered. "Is this even high school?"

Masaki smiled lightly when he heard that.

⸻

60th Minute

Masaki dropped into midfield, weaving passes between him, They flooded the midfield, closing every lane, stacking three men on Masaki.

Big mistake.

Masaki didn't run.

He flicked a backheel to Captain Taro, who returned it first-touch. Masaki tapped it once, then passed blind to Taira. Taira immediately curled it back with a chip over a sliding defender.

The ball returned to Masaki

One-touch. One-touch. One-touch.

Tiki-taka - fast, sharp, surgical.

It was football poetry.

Masaki skipped forward again then curled a ground pass into the box.

Taira ran onto it and shoot it past the keeper.

6–0.

⸻

Final 10 Minutes

Nishitama was shattered. Their legs were gone, their hope vanished.

But Seikan wasn't done.

Misugi dribbled through midfield and spotted Masaki making a diagonal run.

He cross it perfectly in front of goal post and Masaki with a full sprint jum into the air.

The jump is high that make the goalkeeper shock

He smashed it with a diving header into the corner of the net.

7–0.

⸻

Masaki looked up at the stands.

Asuka stood there while holding her sign crookedly, eyes locked on his.

She gave a little smile.

Masaki too give a smile and.

He just mouthed:

"Thanks for coming."

⸻

The sun had begun its slow descent behind the Nishitama stands as Seikan's players gathered near the bench, drenched in sweat and adrenaline. Their victory had been absolute statement.

Coach stood before them with arms crossed, looking like he was trying very hard not to grin.

"You all played like demons out there," he finally said. "Even you, Masaki."

Masaki wiped his face with a towel. "Even me?"

"You followed orders in the first half… mostly. Then went rogue in the second and made it look like jazz."

The others laughed.

Coach's eyes softened. "Don't let that fire burn out. Quarterfinals are coming. Take tonight, rest your heads. But come tomorrow, it's back to the grind."

The team clapped together, some throwing their arms around each other.

"SEIKAN!"

Back With the Team

In the locker room, the mood was electric.

Taro leaned against the wall, icing his knees. "You and Taira were just messing with their midfield by the end."

"Not messing," Taira added smugly. "It was art."

Masaki chuckled. "Wasn't planning to go wild. Coach's strategy was solid. But…"

"But?" Hyuga asked, unlacing his boots.

Masaki leaned back on the bench, tossing his towel into his bag. "I just… started having fun. Couldn't help it."

Hyuga grinned. "That's when you're scariest."

Taira nudged him. "And your girlfriend was watching."

Masaki narrowed his eyes. "She's not my—"

"Sure, sure," they all said in unison.

———

When Masaki stepped out, hair still damp, he saw her right away. Asuka stood by the gate, and a water bottle in hand.

"Hey, take this" she said handing the water bottle to him.

"Thanks, Asuka chan" he said, taking it

Asuka looked up at him, brow lifted. "So… are you gonna explain what happened?"

Masaki blinked. "What do you mean?"

She playfully shoved his shoulder. "You in the first half? Very 'yes coach, tactical, measured'… You in the second half? a dash of chaos."

Masaki rubbed the back of his head, grinning. "I was trying to stick to the game plan at first. But then… I don't know. The energy, the crowd, you being there… I just wanted to enjoy it more. To play like my way."

Asuka looked at him for a moment, her expression soft. "Well… I'm glad you did. You looked happy. Like… really happy."

Their eyes met a second too long.

She quickly looked away. "Don't get used to me complimenting you, though."

Masaki smirked. "Too late."

She laughed and hit his arm again, lighter this time.

"Masaki~!" a familiar voice called from behind.

Nana waved both arms exaggeratedly, dragging Asuka's friend behind her. "You're soooo famous! The girls around us were screaming."

"Stop it," Masaki muttered.

But then came Mom graceful as ever 

Dad, who clapped Masaki on the back with enough force to knock a smaller player over.

"Proud of you, son," Dad said.

"You were incredible out there," Mom added. Then she turned to Asuka. "You must be Asuka? Alright Asuka-chan, Would you and your friend like to join us for dinner? We're heading to that beef grill near the station."

Asuka looked surprised. "Oh! Uh—if it's not a bother—"

"Nonsense!" Nana chimed in. "Niichan needs someone to humble him and You pointed at Asuka neesan when you celebrated the goal, not me, betrayal!"

Asuka flushed a little.

Masaki cleared his throat.

"You're all ridiculous," Dad muttered with a chuckle, ushering them forward.