"Wow, I can't believe New Year's tomorrow." Akatsuki said, heading the ball to me.
I controlled the ball with my chest and then kicked it high up.
"Yeah…" I said as he ran for the ball.
"Come on, any plans for next year?" He asked.
"Hm… nope. Haven't o of anything, you?"
"Not really. I'm just waiting to see how it'll turn out." He answered, kicking the ball to me.
"Then why'd you ask?"
"Well… I just wanted to."
"What do you mean by that?" I asked, chuckling.
"Come on, make your kicks harder."
"I will!"
"So how's it going with you and Aka…?" He began as I kicked a ball to his face.
"Hey! That almost hit my face." He said.
"Did it? That's bad. It was supposed to hit, not almost hit." I said.
"Hey guys." Tanaka called, walking towards us while waving.
We both looked at each other before trapping the ball.
"Hey, what are you doing here? I thought you guys were busy in there." Akatsuki said.
"Mm… kinda. But they've all gone to bed. I couldn't sleep so I decided to come stay here. Didn't expect you guys here either." He said.
"Is that so?"
"Mmn."
"Well…"
"Can I join you guys?"
"I don't mind." Akatsuki said, looking at me.
"Me neither." I said as he smiled at us.
"Thanks." He said as Akatsuki passed the ball to him.
"It's almost 12, so let's have fun." Akatsuki said.
"Yeah."
~~~
"Happy New Year, Atsushi-kun." Suzune said, smiling at me as I jumped on my bed.
"Happy New Year."
"Looks like you guys were out having fun." She said.
"Oh… yeah."
*Looks like she's not mad anymore. Thank goodness.* I thought, smiling weakly.
We stayed outside till 2 so I was really tired.
"I'm going to bed…" I said, yawning.
"Okay."
"Yeah…"
~~~
"Wake up, Atsushi-kun!" I heard someone say while shaking me violently.
*What the…?*
"Wake up! Wake up!" He said again, jumping on me.
"What the fuck?!" I shouted.
"Hehe, you're finally awake." Akatsuki said as I kicked him in the abdomen.
"I'm going back to bed." I said, closing my eyes with the hope of continuing my sweet dreams.
"Urgh…" He groaned, falling on the floor.
…
*This guy's persistent and annoying.* I thought, squeezing my face.
"Come on, Atsushi-kun~"
"…"
"Wake up Atsu…"
"…"
"I'll jump on you again if you continue pretending." He said, grabbing my hand and pulling me out of my bed.
"Argh! Dammit!" I shouted, standing from my bed.
"Hehe."
"What do you want so early in the morning?"
"It's already afternoon, though."
"Afternoon?!"
"Mmn, you've been sleeping for a long time."
"Ugh…"
"Come on, let's go prepare breakfast." He said as we walked out.
He put his arm across my shoulder.
"Move away, I'm so tired I can't even stand on my own." I said, pushing his hand away.
"Aw, come on."
"Tsk."
☆☆☆
"Ugh, it's already new year, but there's nothing to do." Akatsuki said.
We but laid on the floor in the field, the balls, dummies, and cones scattered around us.
"Yeah… and the coach still isn't back. Everything seems boring now." I said as we kept grumbling.
"I expected Akaji to call the team together and at least train a bit, but we haven't had a single practice."
"Yeah…"
"Hey guys." I heard someone call.
*Don't tell me that's him again.*
"Hey Koenji." Akatsuki said as I looked back immediately.
"Hey Atsushi-kun." Koenji called, smiling.
"Hey, Saito-kun." I said as he walked towards us.
"Well…" He began, looking at us.
"Hm?"
"I've tried asking others to help me, but they've been too busy, and you guys are always here training, so I thought asking you won't be bad." He said.
"What's wrong?"
"Can… I train with you both?" He asked.
"Huh?" We both asked, looking at each other and then back at him.
"Hahaha, he just asked whether we can train with him." Akatsuki laughed.
"I thought I heard wrongly, hahaha. He really did ask." I said, laughing hard.
"Hahaha ha…" We laughed before looking at him seriously.
"Wh-what?" He asked.
"Do you think we come here just to lie around and have some hot gossip?" Akatsuki asked.
"Um… well…"
"Of course, we'd love to have you! Come on, what position do you want to train for?" Akatsuki asked as we stood up immediately.
"R-really?! I'm so happy!"
"Mmn."
"I'm sure I'll be the goalkeeper, so I'd like to learn how to stop the ball from getting into the net." He said.
"Really? Come on, you've come to the right people."
"Yeah, we were getting tired already. Thank goodness you came to us." I said.
"O-ok! I'm getting excited." He said as we grabbed the balls.
"We won't go easy on you."
"I don't expect you guys to." He said, his face beaming.
*He looks really happy. Looks like he really wanted to train for a long time.* I thought, smiling at him.
"We were already thinking of learning how to score goals, too. This'll be good training for us too."
"Yeah that's right."
"Okay, we're helping each other."
~~~
"Whew, that was good practice." Akatsuki said as we sat on the floor.
"Please pass me that towel." I said as he looked around before grabbing it.
"Thanks again, guys. This feels good. I'm really loving it."
"Haha, come to us again whenever you feel like it."
"I'd rather you come every day, Saito-kun." I said.
"Haha, I will. And call me Koenji. Hearing you call me Saito feels kinda off."
"Oh, is that so? Don't you like the name?"
"I do. It's just that we've stayed together for two months now. I think our brotherly bond should be stronger than this." He said.
"Brotherly bond? Haha, that feels weird. Okay, I'll call you Koenji" I said.
"Nice." He said as we shook hands.
"Ha… today was fun." Akatsuki said.
"Yeah."
"How'd you like it today?"
"I really loved it. Haven't played like that for a while."
"Hm… you still didn't join any soccer club in middle school and high school?"
"No, but how'd you know? I haven't told anyone about it."
"Hm…? Intuition, I guess. I just thought you stopped playing in middle school."
"Like I'd believe that. And I never said I didn't join any club in middleschool, so how'd you know, unless…"