January

The year has dawn.

Some days of the New Year, team practice is off.

The teammates grabbed the old balls and were going to the department store.

It is to buy the games and toys that I wanted.

Meanwhile, I was practicing on my own on New Year's Eve.

I'm 31 years old and I don't have the willingness to buy toys with my old balls.

Save the money in full for the future.

Such New Year's holidays are over.

The adults get to work and go out as usual.

We were only a little more on winter break.

"Coata, your father, your mother. Nice to meet you. I'm from the Mariners of Yokohama."

of the New Year's Eve, one day.

Yokohama Mariners scoutman came.

This is a formal visit since I made a proper appointment.

The location is the office of Hirosaki Riverillo.

This time, we'll rent this place to discuss the negotiations.

This participant is me and my two parents and four coaches from Hirosaki Riveriro. Sit across from the office table.

"… these are the conditions we present. Here's the paperwork and a formal contract. And I'll give you a brochure for our club."

Scoutman explains all the conditions carefully.

It was the same story I heard after the last National Convention.

The main points of the conditions are:

① The cost of living in Yokohama on a dormitory-wide basis shall be borne in full by the club.

② Promise the highest cultivation environment in Japan

③ The Yokohama Mariners have the right to take precedence over later junior youth, youth, and top team affiliations.

It was like this.

In particular, the financial conditions of ① were quite broken.

My parents and coach who were listening were also surprised.

Coach's story says there can't normally be such a favorable condition.

So much so that the sincerity of the Yokohama Mariners would be serious.

The other day Flying Scouts would have stormed without an appointment because they also meant it.

The momentum around here is clear to me, who was a salesman in my previous life.

It was only through the grey zone that salespeople could achieve grades.

"Any questions?

"Why are you giving me such a favor? I've never been scouted anywhere before?

It's Question Time and I'll visit.

I'm not that much of a talented player. I've never been noticed before.

"In fact, we, the Yokohama Mariners, have been paying attention to you since the National Convention three years ago. This scout will be recommended by the Superintendent of U-12"

I see, is that what you mean?

Was there a recommendation from the director of Yokohama Mariners U-12?

With the team led by that guy, he fought as hard as he did every year in the national tournament.

It would have impressed me then.

"You don't have to hurry to reply. We, the Yokohama Mariners, are expecting you."

At the end of all the explanations, Scoutman walks away. This response was a rather gentlemanly business lyke.

I'll stay in the office with my parents and four coaches.

"Coach, I..."

"Neither I nor the team are going to bind Coata. You decide your own path."

When I talked to the coach, he replied like that.

Those eyes are serious and not in their usual bright shape.

“Think for yourself, judge and move!"

That's what the coach's eyes have told him.

The word was one of the team policies of Hirosaki Liberillo and was with his coach.

It sounds lethargic at first glance, but hard to put into practice.

But thanks to that teaching, we became strong.

Think for yourself, and because you've acted, you've been able to win three straight national tournaments.

"Father, Mother..."

"Your mother doesn't know how difficult football is. But Coata's chosen path will be fine, because we'll do everything we can to back it up!

"Right, Mother. Even if you choose a different path, leave it to your father and mother!

Both parents and replies were like that.

With a warm smile, he pledges my support.

"Yeah, okay. Just for a week, let me think, coach"

Answer that to the coach, who is the point of contact with the Yokohama Mariners.

A week from now, we have our sixth grade retirement game.

By the day before that, I decided to put my thoughts together.

This concludes our discussion on this day.

Then a few days go by.

Team practice had begun, and we had a soccer marination day.

Team practice from January will be dominated by 3rd, 4th and 5th graders.

We don't have an official tournament in sixth grade, so we turn to support.

Simply put, we're going to be practicing for juniors in sixth grade.

This will maintain the team's overall strength even after six years have passed.

Sixth graders will be able to maintain strength before practice begins.

"Okay, it's a break"

"" "Yes!

It will be such a break from team practice.

I keep my body rested while I rehydrate.

"Hey. Speaking of which, I got an example middle school selection!

"Seriously ⁉ I passed that club team too!

"Fine. I can't wait to hear from you."

Breaks, I hear other sixth grade conversations.

The topic is about their future course.

In January and February before graduating from elementary school on this team, many will have a path to take.

Options include:

A: Get a selection of football mighty middle schools in the province

B: Joining a local football club while attending a neighborhood middle school

It was two choices like this.

As there is no J-Club team in my city, the mighty middle school is by far the most popular.

But I have a selection exam to get into the mighty football club.

"Everybody listen up. We took it to the middle school football club!

"I got it!

Among those sixth graders, there were two great Venus.

They are two of the example defenses.

When it comes to the Yamada Middle School football club, it is the most powerful school in the province, having also dominated the country.

It's one of the few parts of the country where J-Club youth teams can fight each other.

There are only a few seniors in the history of Hirosaki Riveriro who were received by the Mountain Multi Middle School Football Club.

"That, speaking of which, what about the one from Sawamura? Are you off practicing today?

"Rumor has it I'm talking to a J-League Scoutman..."

"Seriously ⁉ wow! That's Sawamura!

The target of such a pathway story turns to you, the resting leopard.

Rumor has it that those sixth graders are talking to J-League scoutmen today.

The place is your house, Hyoma, and your father, Naoto Sawamura, says he's with you.

(Wow! That's you, Leopard!

When I heard the rumor, I was surprised inside.

This is the first time I've heard this rumor because I'm dull.

(But Hyoma, if your grades are obvious...)

Hyoma, you are the third consecutive scoring king at the National Juvenile Football Games.

Also last year, at the age of twelve, he was elected to represent U-15 Japan and scored five points in the Asian Games.

Extremely, this year's U-12 World Cup is the ace striker who led the team to victory.

To be clear, among today's sixth graders in Japan, he is a top-notch player.

So there's no reason for J-League scoutsmen to leave you alone.

(So... Hyoma, I guess you'll advance to J Junior Youth...)

Ha, I notice that.

There are no J-Club teams in this province.

In order to join the group, we need to move.

I mean, Leopard, you and I, we're gonna be separated.

"What's up, Coata? You look so blue?

"Speaking of which, what does Coata do with the path?

"Right? You haven't even heard the rumors, have you?

Suddenly the pathway story turned out for me.

"What, me? I guess I'll go to my neighborhood middle school... but what about the team...?

"Are you serious? You're the same strange one, Coata."

"Right. I mean, you were a lot of captains! Ha ha ha..."

I managed to mislead the story.

Nobody knows I was scouted by the Yokohama Mariners.

It's too special a condition, so I kept it a secret.

"Okay, break, over!

"" "Yes!

The break is over.

We were supposed to resume team practice.

(But what am I really going to do...)

While practicing, my heart was shaking.

My teammates were even more troubled when I heard about their path.

Thus, a few more days have passed.

Deadline to reply to Yokohama Mariners, it was the morning before that.

"What shall we do..."

I sigh as I lift on the practice field.

It's 4: 30 in the early morning, it's still dark time.

Actually, I was so worried, I woke up.

Of course there's no one on the practice field yet.

I was worried, lifting by myself.

"Really, what shall we do..."

What's bothering me is the matter of the way forward.

The Scouts of the Yokohama Mariners were attractive.

But there was a desire to stay locally.

I had the desire to save the local football team from the crisis of disbandment......

Such troubles in me have always crossed.

"What can I do... that's okay... eh?

I was lifting by myself, that's when.

All of a sudden one ball flew towards me.

Trap with your feet reflexively and take it.

What the hell happened?

It's still 4: 30 in the dim early morning.

You're saying it happened in the Poltergeist phenomenon, too?

"Hmm? Is that...?

Staring at the shadows that have come to the practice field, I lose my word.

It wasn't the ghost who kicked the ball.

"Mr. Hyoma?

It was you, Leopard, who kicked the ball.

Just like me, I was dressed in a team uniform.

But this morning's practice starts at 6: 00.

What happened this early in the morning?

Besides, Hyoma, your face was stiff.

He has a serious look and a scary aura.

"Coata, seriously fight me!

"What?"

"Let's go!

It was serious.

An early morning practice area with no one.

Seriously, Leopard, you and I are going to face each other.