The Rise of the Iron Wall!

Chapter 160: Last Night in Niigata

It was night after the tournament was over, and somehow, Kumiko was kind enough to let everyone have fun one more night before they went back to Hakodate the next morning. Still, most of the players didn’t have any desire to do anything, opting to just go straight to bed and sleep.

Well, this was understandable. The combination of the exhaustion after playing three full games in a week and the disappointment from slipping at the last second was indeed a bit too much for any high school students to handle. If only they were a little bit older, they would’ve drowned in sake or any cheap alcohol outside.

Of course, there were still a few restless souls who couldn’t even get a proper rest here.

In one bed, Hiroshi was just rolling over so many times in the last few minutes, not being able to sleep. His mind was haunted by a lot of things, before he finally shut his eyes forcefully, even enveloping his body in a thick blanket, while not caring that he was at the peak of the summer.

In another one, Makino just stared at the rooftop with blank eyes, his mind recalling everything that had happened today. So many ’what-ifs’ flashed inside his mind, before, in the end, the boy just let out a deep, exhausted sigh.

’It seems... I have to wait a little bit more to earn something glorious in my last year for the team, huh?’

There were still a few more, but of course, the two protagonists of the story, Higo and Kumiko, were also on the list. Somehow, they made promises to each other, sneaking from the hotel room just to spend their last night in Niigata together.

"No proper Yukata for this year, huh?" Higo couldn’t help but sigh, feeling disappointed when he saw his best friend in her casual clothes.

"What are you thinking of?!" Kumiko just slapped his back playfully, but a hint of red tint could also be seen on her cheek. "We are not in our hometown, bringing Yukata will be troublesome. Renting will also be expensive, so just be grateful for what you have." The girl added shyly.

Not that she could blame Higo, of course, since the girl herself always enjoyed the admiring gaze she received from her best friend. No, she wasn’t narcissistic, always eager for praise. However, when it came to Higo, there was not a lot that she wouldn’t really do.

"Anyway, do you bring it?" Kumiko suddenly asked, her tone eager.

Higo didn’t answer immediately, but took out a plastic bag from his pocket. Then, with a smug smile, he added, "Of course, I have it. There is no way I would forget your favorite."

The girl’s eyes shone brightly as she snatched it from Higo’s hand. There, she saw a pack of sparklers inside, and she couldn’t help but squeal, "Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She even hugged the boy unconsciously, turning his face so red like a tomato.

"Ah... It is nothing..." Higo just accepted the hug awkwardly.

Indeed, out of all the summer activities that they could possibly do, this was definitely Kumiko’s favorite. Not swimming at the beach, not even watching the grand fireworks in the sky, but just playing with the small sparklers around her beloved people.

In the past, they would always do this with her family, and Higo and his mother would sometimes join the fun. Now that they were far from home, having the boy celebrate with her was definitely the best thing she could ask for.

They reached an empty park nearby, and within a second, that place was filled with a little laughter from two teenagers who were enjoying their youth; the dim light only made the sparklers shine brighter.

Still, the girl also noticed that Higo was distracted right now, having a lot on his mind. So, after playing for a while, she couldn’t help but ask, "Mind sharing anything inside your head?"

Higo was stunned for a second before a wry smile formed on his face. "I cannot hide anything from you, huh?"

"Of course you cannot! I know you from before I could even walk, there is no way you can hide anything from me." The girl giggled. "Now, spill, what bothers you so much? Is it their invitation?"

The invitation she referred to was the one Higo got after winning the MVP award. This was the prize promised earlier, but instead of a direct contract with Albirex Niigata, he was getting invited to join a trial to be on the first team.

This was definitely a huge thing compared to just a mere contract. After all, the normal development after he got a contract at such a young age was that he would be put on the youth team to develop first, while the trial meant do-or-die here.

If he was able to impress, he would’ve jumped into the first team immediately, but if not, Higo had to be satisfied with the rejection. A big gamble, indeed.

"So, what really bothers you?" Kumiko asked again.

"I... Don’t know..." Higo sighed, letting his butt fall on the bench nearby while also rubbing the bandaged hand unconsciously. "It is just... Everything is moving so fast, don’t you notice? Just a few months ago, you invited me to the club, and now, even a professional team has offered me a chance to join them. I just... I don’t know, I cannot process everything right now."

Kumiko’s gaze softened when she listened to the boy’s rant. While yes, she was so proud of him, the girl also realized that he moved so quickly, and in this situation, anexistential crisis was indeed bound to happen.

"So, what is your answer? Do you want to try to go to a professional stage?" She asked softly, her hand touching his gently. Seeing him so quiet, though, the girl finally got up and patted his shoulder fondly. "It is fine if you don’t know what you want to do. You still have a few months before you graduate and have to make a decision, right?"

"Um." Higo nodded shortly.

"Then, we have to move fast!" She clapped excitedly. "Let’s try to broaden your horizon and see if you can be hooked deeper into this sport!"