“Welcome to the first Quarter-Final of the All-Japan High School Championship! We have Kagoshima Jitsugyo High School and Kyoto Akiba High School squaring off.”
“Yes, Morikawa, we shall take a look at the starting lineup later. But for now, let’s talk about the two teams. And as we can remember clearly, a moment of magic from Terakawa Tetsuyoshi gave Akiba a narrow 1-0 win over Kochi Minami in the previous round. On the other hand, Kagoshima Jitsugyo, which boasts Japan international Yasuhito Endo among its alumni, strolled to a 4-0 win over Naniwa High. What do you think?”
“Akiba needs to improve drastically to stand a chance. Kagoshima has Ryuzaki Jin, and you know how well he is playing at the moment. An average of 2 goals per game. He got a hat-trick in the previous game. He won’t miss those chances Kochi missed.”
“So, looks like it would be a challenge for Akiba then.”
“We will have to see. And we have the team lineups. Oh! Tokiwa Takuro, Captain of Akiba is on the bench today.”
“He wasn’t himself in the previous game. But it is interesting to see how Akiba will cope. Remember, Tokiwa has been the heartbeat of the team all this while.”
On the field, the team lineups were being announced.
“Number 9, Terakawa Tetsuyoshi. Number 11, Yoshida Akihiro…”
“No Tokiwa Takuro. What a pity. I would have loved to play against him,” Ryuzaki Jin thought to himself.
“All the best.” Terakawa’s handshake was firm. “He’s a good player. But volatile.”
“And we are off!”
“Ball down the flank…found Kumada. Kumada with a cross…GOAL!”
“Who else, but Ryuzaki Jin, the scoring sensation!”
“Just 30 seconds, and Akiba finds themselves one goal behind!”
“They are restarting…Terakawa is frustrated, it shows on his face.”
“Idiot!” Terakawa slammed his fist on his palm.
“Kumada is causing a lot of problems. He has been given a free role, apparently.”
“Another foul on Kumada. This time by Terakawa, he has dropped deeper to help out in defence.”
“Kumada floats the ball in…Ryuzaki! Oh! So close, just over the bar. Ryuzaki is disappointed. Akiba are relieved.”
“Kumada swivels on the ball…Oh! Scythed down by Terakawa.”
“Bad foul, Endo, it was a bad foul. Hacked him down from behind.”
“The referee gives Terakawa a yellow card.”
“Terakawa is clearly frustrated with the way things are going at the moment.”
“Free kick, close enough for a try at goal.”
“Kumada…Crashed against the post! Anywhere will do! Tokieda clears it out for a corner.”
“There is abit of a scuffle in the box and the referee is separating Ryuzaki and Terakawa. Terakawa has to be careful..he’s on a yellow already.”
“Here comes the corner…Ryuzaki..flicked it across goal..oh just wide! Surprised everyone there, we thought Kumada was playing it to Ryuzaki to head towards goal.”
“It was Haneda, the rightback. Ran in from deep. Good play there. And still 1-0 to Kagoshima.”
“Half time. 1-0 to Kagoshima.”
Kubo was silent.
“Come on! We have to fight! Get the ball up!” Terakawa ranted.
“Just do your best.” Kubo finally said.
Tokiwa’s eyes followed him out of the dressing room.
“5 minutes into the second half, still pretty much all Kagoshima.”
“Kumada, holding on to the ball…moves to the left…flicks it through..Goal!”
“Oooh nice play there. Ryuzaki again. Ran in behind the defence to get that ball and tucked it into the bottom corner. And he gets his second goal.”
“2 goals per game.”
“Terakawa with the ball, a rare foray upfront for Akiba…Ikeda goes in on him. Clumsy challenge! Oh what is happening?”
“Terakawa got up and shoved Ikeda to the ground!”
“The referee is blowing his whistle. Ikeda stays on the ground.”
“And that is a second yellow for Terakawa. He is shown the red. And Akiba are down to 10 men.”
“Terakawa cannot believe it, but you have seen it coming. That frustration crept in…”
“Yes, Endo…”
“Hey Ref! He fouled me!” Terakawa protested.
The referee shook his head and gestured towards the bench.
Terakawa turned away and walked out of the pitch.
“There seems to be tears on his face.”
“He is a brilliant player. But his temper has undermined his ability.”
“Absolutely, Morikawa. So, half an hour to go, down two goals and one man, what will Kubo do now?”
“Slightly more than 20 minutes to go…Kagoshima are still trying to increase their lead.”
“Tokiwa!” Kubo called to his captain.
“Yes, Coach.”
“Tokiwa,” Kubo put his hand on Tokiwa’s shoulder. “Look at the crowd. There.”
Tokiwa saw his schoolmates, the supporters of Kyoto Akiba. They were still waving the school flag.
“Do something, you are a man!” Kei seemed to be screaming at him.
“They need you there. Can you play?”
“Don’t you dare lose it,” he remembered Kei’s words.
“Yes, Coach.”
“20 minutes to go…substitution for Kyoto Akiba…Oh, it is the Captain Tokiwa Takuro coming on for Tokieda Yasuhiro.”
“Kubo wants to win. He is taking off a defender for his Captain. The crowd is cheering. Their Captain is coming on. It’s interesting to see what he can do in the remaining 20 minutes.”
Tokiwa waited at the sideline, eyes closed. He felt Tokieda’s hand slap against his own palm and opened his eyes. It was now or never.
“Finally. Tokiwa Takuro. I have been waiting for you.” Kumada thought.
“20 minutes, surely too late?” Ryuzaki smirked.
“Matsuda with the throw. Tokiwa flicks the ball…he’s free! Goes by Kumada…another…”
“It is now!” Tokiwa thought.
He played the ball all the way to the left side of the box with the outstep of his left foot.
“Oka is free…Goal!”
“I am stunned. Endo, what a clever piece of play by Tokiwa. He went to the center, sucking everyone else with him and simply played a perfect ball all the way to the left winger Oka, who has all the space and time he needed to put it away.”
“We over-shifted. One step behind him. He punished us for it,” Kumada thought.
“Tokiwa again. Plays the ball to Nagai, Nagai to Yokoi. Better play from Akiba.”
“Yokoi back to Tokiwa…oh, cheeky! Held back by Kumada. Free-kick to Kyoto.”
“Kumada gave away a free-kick in a dangerous position. He pulled Tokiwa back after Tokiwa had nutmegged him.”
“Yes, what a change. Kumada has been playing with the Akiba players.”
“I dare say Tokiwa will go for goal.”
Tokiwa raised his arm. “We have done it before, Yokoi. I will do my best to place it there. It’s up to you to put it in.”
“You will go for goal, won’t you, Tokiwa Takuro?” The Kagoshima keeper thought.
Tokiwa chipped the ball into the box. The onrushing Yokoi stabbed it past the surprised keeper.
“Goal! It’s all square now!”
“What a setup. Everyone thought he was going for goal, but he placed it right in front of the keeper and Yokoi was there to put it away.”
“What a turn of events!”
“Tokiwa Takuro is finally playing like Tokiwa Takuro.”
“Here comes Akiba again. They certainly have the momentum.”
“Tokiwa. Yokoi. Back to Tokiwa. Tokiwa goes for goal…GOAL!”
“Unbelievable, struck low and hard to the bottom corner, beyond the keeper’s reach. Less than 5 minutes to go, including injury time. Looks like Akiba will go through…”
“Kagoshima restarts quickly, they have no time to waste!”
“Long ball, Ryuzaki controls it, turns and volleys…palmed away by the keeper for a corner!”
“I think we will go right till the last whistle. Everyone is in the box, including the Kagoshima keeper. Kumada with the corner…Ryuzaki again! Oh, cleared off the line by Takeda! Fallen to Konno, Konno plays it to the right, to Kumada. Kumada assesses his options…robbed by Tokiwa!”
“Here comes Tokiwa again! Oh, is he trying to get another goal?”
“They can’t catch him, they have thrown everyone forward!”
“The referee is not blowing yet…”
“Tokiwa at the halfway line…Kumada is there! Slides in on Tokiwa.”
“Just managed to get the ball away. The whistle is blown. 3-2 to Akiba. Tokiwa totally changed the game.”
“Yes, he’s back, he’s back.”
Tokiwa caught his breath. Kumada was lying on the field, eyes closed.
“I wouldn’t have caught you if you didn’t have the ball. You are too fast. You would be even faster without the ball.” Kumada said.
Tokiwa smiled. “Good game.”
‘There is no future in football!”
“What do you mean there is no future in football?”
“Father used to play football, didn’t he? Then that injury. He had nothing left after that. What can you do with football? I don’t want Takuro to end up like Father.”
“He had you, your brother, your mother. Hiroko, your father has never regretted playing football. Even though he couldn’t play anymore after his injury, he still loved the game. He never blamed it.”
Hiroko was holding her grandmother’s photograph.
“Your father would have stopped Takuro. But he didn’t. You were too young to understand, Hiroko. Your father took it all in his stride. He was happy, Hiroko. Because of you. Because of your mother. Because of Taku. Let Taku play.”
“I am back!”
Hiroko turned around and quickly put the photograph back on the altar. “Welcome back.”
“Takuro, what does football mean to you?”
“Everything,” Tokiwa replied. “Why do you suddenly ask that, Sister?”
“Nothing…Dinner is ready.”
“Yes, Morikawa, we shall take a look at the starting lineup later. But for now, let’s talk about the two teams. And as we can remember clearly, a moment of magic from Terakawa Tetsuyoshi gave Akiba a narrow 1-0 win over Kochi Minami in the previous round. On the other hand, Kagoshima Jitsugyo, which boasts Japan international Yasuhito Endo among its alumni, strolled to a 4-0 win over Naniwa High. What do you think?”
“Akiba needs to improve drastically to stand a chance. Kagoshima has Ryuzaki Jin, and you know how well he is playing at the moment. An average of 2 goals per game. He got a hat-trick in the previous game. He won’t miss those chances Kochi missed.”
“So, looks like it would be a challenge for Akiba then.”
“We will have to see. And we have the team lineups. Oh! Tokiwa Takuro, Captain of Akiba is on the bench today.”
“He wasn’t himself in the previous game. But it is interesting to see how Akiba will cope. Remember, Tokiwa has been the heartbeat of the team all this while.”
On the field, the team lineups were being announced.
“Number 9, Terakawa Tetsuyoshi. Number 11, Yoshida Akihiro…”
“No Tokiwa Takuro. What a pity. I would have loved to play against him,” Ryuzaki Jin thought to himself.
“All the best.” Terakawa’s handshake was firm. “He’s a good player. But volatile.”
“And we are off!”
“Ball down the flank…found Kumada. Kumada with a cross…GOAL!”
“Who else, but Ryuzaki Jin, the scoring sensation!”
“Just 30 seconds, and Akiba finds themselves one goal behind!”
“They are restarting…Terakawa is frustrated, it shows on his face.”
“Idiot!” Terakawa slammed his fist on his palm.
“Kumada is causing a lot of problems. He has been given a free role, apparently.”
“Another foul on Kumada. This time by Terakawa, he has dropped deeper to help out in defence.”
“Kumada floats the ball in…Ryuzaki! Oh! So close, just over the bar. Ryuzaki is disappointed. Akiba are relieved.”
“Kumada swivels on the ball…Oh! Scythed down by Terakawa.”
“Bad foul, Endo, it was a bad foul. Hacked him down from behind.”
“The referee gives Terakawa a yellow card.”
“Terakawa is clearly frustrated with the way things are going at the moment.”
“Free kick, close enough for a try at goal.”
“Kumada…Crashed against the post! Anywhere will do! Tokieda clears it out for a corner.”
“There is abit of a scuffle in the box and the referee is separating Ryuzaki and Terakawa. Terakawa has to be careful..he’s on a yellow already.”
“Here comes the corner…Ryuzaki..flicked it across goal..oh just wide! Surprised everyone there, we thought Kumada was playing it to Ryuzaki to head towards goal.”
“It was Haneda, the rightback. Ran in from deep. Good play there. And still 1-0 to Kagoshima.”
“Half time. 1-0 to Kagoshima.”
Kubo was silent.
“Come on! We have to fight! Get the ball up!” Terakawa ranted.
“Just do your best.” Kubo finally said.
Tokiwa’s eyes followed him out of the dressing room.
“5 minutes into the second half, still pretty much all Kagoshima.”
“Kumada, holding on to the ball…moves to the left…flicks it through..Goal!”
“Oooh nice play there. Ryuzaki again. Ran in behind the defence to get that ball and tucked it into the bottom corner. And he gets his second goal.”
“2 goals per game.”
“Terakawa with the ball, a rare foray upfront for Akiba…Ikeda goes in on him. Clumsy challenge! Oh what is happening?”
“Terakawa got up and shoved Ikeda to the ground!”
“The referee is blowing his whistle. Ikeda stays on the ground.”
“And that is a second yellow for Terakawa. He is shown the red. And Akiba are down to 10 men.”
“Terakawa cannot believe it, but you have seen it coming. That frustration crept in…”
“Yes, Endo…”
“Hey Ref! He fouled me!” Terakawa protested.
The referee shook his head and gestured towards the bench.
Terakawa turned away and walked out of the pitch.
“There seems to be tears on his face.”
“He is a brilliant player. But his temper has undermined his ability.”
“Absolutely, Morikawa. So, half an hour to go, down two goals and one man, what will Kubo do now?”
“Slightly more than 20 minutes to go…Kagoshima are still trying to increase their lead.”
“Tokiwa!” Kubo called to his captain.
“Yes, Coach.”
“Tokiwa,” Kubo put his hand on Tokiwa’s shoulder. “Look at the crowd. There.”
Tokiwa saw his schoolmates, the supporters of Kyoto Akiba. They were still waving the school flag.
“Do something, you are a man!” Kei seemed to be screaming at him.
“They need you there. Can you play?”
“Don’t you dare lose it,” he remembered Kei’s words.
“Yes, Coach.”
“20 minutes to go…substitution for Kyoto Akiba…Oh, it is the Captain Tokiwa Takuro coming on for Tokieda Yasuhiro.”
“Kubo wants to win. He is taking off a defender for his Captain. The crowd is cheering. Their Captain is coming on. It’s interesting to see what he can do in the remaining 20 minutes.”
Tokiwa waited at the sideline, eyes closed. He felt Tokieda’s hand slap against his own palm and opened his eyes. It was now or never.
“Finally. Tokiwa Takuro. I have been waiting for you.” Kumada thought.
“20 minutes, surely too late?” Ryuzaki smirked.
“Matsuda with the throw. Tokiwa flicks the ball…he’s free! Goes by Kumada…another…”
“It is now!” Tokiwa thought.
He played the ball all the way to the left side of the box with the outstep of his left foot.
“Oka is free…Goal!”
“I am stunned. Endo, what a clever piece of play by Tokiwa. He went to the center, sucking everyone else with him and simply played a perfect ball all the way to the left winger Oka, who has all the space and time he needed to put it away.”
“We over-shifted. One step behind him. He punished us for it,” Kumada thought.
“Tokiwa again. Plays the ball to Nagai, Nagai to Yokoi. Better play from Akiba.”
“Yokoi back to Tokiwa…oh, cheeky! Held back by Kumada. Free-kick to Kyoto.”
“Kumada gave away a free-kick in a dangerous position. He pulled Tokiwa back after Tokiwa had nutmegged him.”
“Yes, what a change. Kumada has been playing with the Akiba players.”
“I dare say Tokiwa will go for goal.”
Tokiwa raised his arm. “We have done it before, Yokoi. I will do my best to place it there. It’s up to you to put it in.”
“You will go for goal, won’t you, Tokiwa Takuro?” The Kagoshima keeper thought.
Tokiwa chipped the ball into the box. The onrushing Yokoi stabbed it past the surprised keeper.
“Goal! It’s all square now!”
“What a setup. Everyone thought he was going for goal, but he placed it right in front of the keeper and Yokoi was there to put it away.”
“What a turn of events!”
“Tokiwa Takuro is finally playing like Tokiwa Takuro.”
“Here comes Akiba again. They certainly have the momentum.”
“Tokiwa. Yokoi. Back to Tokiwa. Tokiwa goes for goal…GOAL!”
“Unbelievable, struck low and hard to the bottom corner, beyond the keeper’s reach. Less than 5 minutes to go, including injury time. Looks like Akiba will go through…”
“Kagoshima restarts quickly, they have no time to waste!”
“Long ball, Ryuzaki controls it, turns and volleys…palmed away by the keeper for a corner!”
“I think we will go right till the last whistle. Everyone is in the box, including the Kagoshima keeper. Kumada with the corner…Ryuzaki again! Oh, cleared off the line by Takeda! Fallen to Konno, Konno plays it to the right, to Kumada. Kumada assesses his options…robbed by Tokiwa!”
“Here comes Tokiwa again! Oh, is he trying to get another goal?”
“They can’t catch him, they have thrown everyone forward!”
“The referee is not blowing yet…”
“Tokiwa at the halfway line…Kumada is there! Slides in on Tokiwa.”
“Just managed to get the ball away. The whistle is blown. 3-2 to Akiba. Tokiwa totally changed the game.”
“Yes, he’s back, he’s back.”
Tokiwa caught his breath. Kumada was lying on the field, eyes closed.
“I wouldn’t have caught you if you didn’t have the ball. You are too fast. You would be even faster without the ball.” Kumada said.
Tokiwa smiled. “Good game.”
‘There is no future in football!”
“What do you mean there is no future in football?”
“Father used to play football, didn’t he? Then that injury. He had nothing left after that. What can you do with football? I don’t want Takuro to end up like Father.”
“He had you, your brother, your mother. Hiroko, your father has never regretted playing football. Even though he couldn’t play anymore after his injury, he still loved the game. He never blamed it.”
Hiroko was holding her grandmother’s photograph.
“Your father would have stopped Takuro. But he didn’t. You were too young to understand, Hiroko. Your father took it all in his stride. He was happy, Hiroko. Because of you. Because of your mother. Because of Taku. Let Taku play.”
“I am back!”
Hiroko turned around and quickly put the photograph back on the altar. “Welcome back.”
“Takuro, what does football mean to you?”
“Everything,” Tokiwa replied. “Why do you suddenly ask that, Sister?”
“Nothing…Dinner is ready.”
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