— At the club's training center, inside the coach's office, two men were talking —
"So, old man… you picked him. I'm glad you followed my intuition, haha," laughed the man sitting across from the desk, a glass in his hand.
"Yeah right, Senda, as if I hadn't felt his talent from the very beginning myself,"
replied Coach Sato.
Senda and Sato were old friends. They used to play football together when they were younger… but that's another story.
"Yeah, yeah. Just admit I was right to bring that kid here, even though he had no experience in Japan.," Senda answered, annoyed and slightly drunk.
"Don't talk nonsense, you old fool. Even if you shared your opinion with me, I'm the one who decided to call him up," replied Coach Sato, just as drunk.
"Well obviously, because you're the coach, idiot," Senda shot back.
The two men kept arguing about one topic… Rikuo.
Even though they were very close friends.
"Anyway," Sato continued, sounding more serious,
"tomorrow I don't even know if he'll play, not even for a few minutes. The opponent is very solid. Throwing him into such a high-intensity match when he just arrived is risky. He's good very good but we have to be realistic."
"That's true," Senda admitted, "but remember this, Sato. If my eye caught him, if I fell in love with the player, then he won't be crushed so easily from the start. Remember my instinct with Minato back in the day."
"Yeah, yeah… we'll see. For now, let's drink, old man! Hahaha," Sato concluded.
Back at Minato's warm, beautiful house.
"Hey Dad, is that the new player you destroyed in training?" Kaze said, laughing.
"'Destroyed me?'" Rikuo thought.
"Yeah, you saw that, haha. I'm the strongest!"
Cough cough.
"Uh… Minato, did you lie to your kids? Want me to tell them you were on the ground after I nutmegged you?" Rikuo replied teasingly.
"You're lying! Dad would never lose to someone like you. You're a liar!" said Hina, Minato's daughter, pointing at him.
"Haha, thank you kids for defending me against this liar. Dad is proud," Minato said.
"Alright, go play with this young man while your mother and I prepare dinner."
"Can I help?" Rikuo asked.
"No, it's fine, thank you. Keep the kids busy and get to know them," Hana replied with a smile.
"So I'm really being left alone with these two kids… I'm 20, you know," Rikuo thought, his face completely blank.
"Come on, big liar brother, let's go play together. After all, you're our guest, so we have to take care of you," Kaze said.
"That's weird. It feels mature… but also like he thinks I'm younger than him," Rikuo thought.
"Alright. My name is Rikuo. Call me Big Brother Rikuo, please not Big Liar Brother. And I'm 20. I used to live in France before coming here with my dad two years ago."
"Oh! You're from France? That country in Europe, right, Big Liar Brother?" Hina asked excitedly.
"Yeah… that's the one," Rikuo replied.
"They really won't stop calling me that. My ego is officially wounded," Rikuo thought.
"That's so cool! One day I'll go to Europe too, like Dad when he was young!"
"That's boring, Hina. Who cares where he's from? Tell me how many goals you've scored in your career, Big Liar Brother. And can you play FEFA?" Kaze said arrogantly.
Hina shot her brother an annoyed look.
"That's not very nice to your sister, kid. And I never counted my goals. But yeah, I know that football game on the P.s.y," Rikuo replied with a smile.
"How old are you anyway? You didn't even introduce yourselves. That's rude," Rikuo added.
"We're eight." They said.
"We're twins. I'm Hina, and he's Kaze. He likes football and video games. I like TV… and the ladies on TV," Hina said proudly.
"Oh, you mean journalists. That's great. I bet you want to become one and go study in Europe someday. That's amazing, Hina."
"Hehe, thank you, Big Brother Rikuo!"
Rikuo was deeply moved.
"She called me by my name… I might cry from happiness. So this is what it feels like to be a big brother," he thought.
From the outside, the scene was hilarious. Minato and Hana were laughing as they watched.
"Yeah, yeah. I'll always call you that. You don't even know how many goals you've scored, so you must be bad. Come on, let's play FEFA, Big Liar Brother."
Rikuo's heart shattered.
"This one's going to make me cry for real," he thought.
"You won't even let me answer? Fine. I'll teach you to respect your elders on the game."
After several matches most of which Rikuo lost badly to Kaze Minato called everyone for dinner.
"I'm terrible at everything. A kid doesn't respect me and beats me easily at a game from my childhood…"
Rikuo thought, completely defeated.
"Whoa, Rikuo, you don't look so good. Eat, you'll feel better. Don't worry…he beats me too," Minato said, trying to comfort him.
"Minato… at least you understand me," Rikuo replied, emotional.
"I see you got to know our twins pretty well. I'm happy about that, Rikuo," Hana said.
Dinner went on warmly. Rikuo laughed a lot and felt completely relaxed with Minato's family. Dessert was about to be served.
"See? You didn't even think about the match since you arrived. These kinds of evenings are my favorites before a game just enjoying time with my family," Minato said.
"That's true… tomorrow is the big day, and I didn't think about it at all."
"Are you going to play, Big Liar Brother?" Kaze asked.
"I don't know, Kaze. But I'll be on the bench, at least."
"Oh… so you're bad."
Rikuo's heart broke in two.
Kids are brutally honest.
"Hahaha, no he's not bad. Don't worry, Kaze. He's just starting with the club. Maybe he'll get his chance. That's up to the coach. Now go take your dessert to the living room," Minato said.
After that, Rikuo's expression turned serious.
"Minato… why does Bao hate me so much?" Rikuo asked.
"Ah, Bao… I have an idea."
"I'm listening."
"He's been here for four seasons. He barely played. I came back two seasons ago, and since then, he hasn't really been in the coach's plans."
"So… he hated you too?"
"Probably. I understand him. He's a good player, but there are many profiles like his in the club. This is probably his last season. He stayed until the end of his contract so he could leave for free."
"I see… I know he's a good player. I can recognize talent. But I feel guilty if he hates me for nothing especially since he's starting tomorrow and I'm on the bench," Rikuo said, lowering his head.
"That's exactly why. You just arrived, and you're already on the bench. The president and the coaches like you. Imagine how that feels for someone who's been here four years and never got the same treatment."
"Yeah… I get it. I'll try to talk to him face to face. I don't want an enemy in my own team, even if he won't be here much longer," Rikuo said, lifting his head.
"That's the right choice, little genius."
They kept talking for a while. Then it was time for Rikuo to leave. Minato drove him home. The kids said goodbye with their mother.
On the way back, Rikuo was deep in thought.
"I just realized… I need to give the two match tickets to my dad. He's going to be so surprised tomorrow when he understands why there are two tickets, haha."
A few minutes later, they arrived.
"Well, here we are, prodigy. I'd love to say good evening to your father, but I don't want to intrude," Minato said.
"No problem, I understand. Thank you for the ride. Good night," Rikuo said, bowing.
"Oh—and wait," Minato stopped suddenly.
"Did I forget something?"
"No. Just… listen. If you're stressed tonight, talk to your father. It might sound strange, but having your loved ones close helps more than anything. It helped me a lot in the past," Minato said with a smile, before driving away.
"Thank you, Minato," Rikuo whispered.
Rikuo thought his father would already be asleep it was past 10 p.m.
But when he entered his room, he saw his father sitting on the bed, holding a photo of his mother.
"Dad? What are you doing here?"
"Oh, you're back, my son. How was it?" Takeshi asked with a smile.
"It was good, Dad. I learned a lot about Minato today."
"I'm happy for you. Come, sit next to me."
"Is something wrong?"
"No… I just wanted to stay here with your mother and you beside me. It helps wash away the stress and fatigue," his father laughed.
"That's exactly what Minato told me. Being close to the people you love helps you forget stress," Rikuo said.
He handed his father two tickets.
"For tomorrow's match?"
"Yes. Since you have a day off, I thought it'd be great if you could come. Is that okay?"
"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss my son's first match for the world. Thank you… but why two tickets?"
"Haha. You'll understand tomorrow," Rikuo said with a smile.
After talking a bit more, Takeshi stood up to leave, then paused.
"I'm truly proud of the man you've become. I hope you get to play tomorrow. Your mother would be just as proud," he said, erasing all of Rikuo's doubts.
"Thank you, Dad. Good night. See you tomorrow."
Dreams are meant to be lived.
And tomorrow, Rikuo may live his dream playing his first professional match in a great stadium, full of people… under his father's eyes, wearing a number that will always remind him of his mother.