After he heard about the sudden announcement of the match, Hiro couldn’t stop himself from staring at manager with his eyes wide open.
At most he had predicted to start training with the team right away. But just as manager Nozomi made the announcement of the match, he felt betrayed by the manager.
By announcing a match out of nowhere, he completely deprived him the time he needed to bond with his teammates. And for a playmaker who’s main job is to organise and control a team’s attacking play, communication is very crucial.
But by depriving him of the opportunity to bond with his teammates, he basically was giving him a handicap.
‘What!! A match on my first day? What is he thinking about? Has the coach gone mad?’ While staring at manager Nozomi, several thoughts began to surface in his mind.
Neither did he knew about the names of his teammates nor did he knew about their playstyles. He was going to play a match with complete strangers.
The sudden match announced by manager Nozomi left him completely baffled. The match was completely unfair to him.
While he was staring at the manager, Nozomi turned his head towards Hiro and asked him with a slight smile on his face;
“You can start right? Or do you want to stay at the bench for a while?”
Upon hearing such questions coming out from the mouth of the manager, he felt mocked. He felt like being challenged, as if the manager was intentionally challenging him to showcase his talent despite the handicap placed upon him.
‘Huh!! Is he for serious? Is he belittling me? Is he telling me that I can’t play well without relying on my teammates? If it is so, then bring it on you son of a dog.’ He thought to himself while staring at Nozomi’s face.
“No sir!! I can start right away.” He replied with a smile on his face, while clenching his fist.
“Good!!” Nozomi mumbled and turned around to arrange the team.
And as such, he began to arrange the players for both the teams. The selection of the players for the team without the training bibs went very smoothly.
However the selection for the starting players for the team with the training bib proved to be extremely strenuous because of the large pool of players playing in the reserve team.
Compared to the 11 players of starting team there were 15 players in the reserve team. And among those 15 players, 5 players were also the regular substitutes of the starting team.
Altogether there were 26 players playing for the U-15 team of Kawasaki Frontale club.
And each year many of the graduating players who wouldn’t get promotion to the U-18 team would have to leave the club.
Just as the coach finished announcing the starting players for both the teams, one of the player who played as the substitute for the starting team burst out on the scene after getting replaced by Hiro.
“Why is he selected? I play as an substitute for the starting team and now I’m getting substituted by a completely new player in the reserve team as well?” He exasperated while expressing his frustration of getting left behind in the bench.
If it was any other normal matches, he wouldn’t have complained to the coach. But since that match also decided the roster for the upcoming match against Chiba Middle School, he wasn’t willing to let go of that opportunity as well.
And also it was his last year at the U-15 team. Thus he had to seize every opportunity that came along the way to appeal for his promotion.
Since Hiro was new to the team, he couldn’t say anything to Kota Yui, despite getting his finger pointed towards him.
‘I do feel bad for him but I have to prove my worth as well. And I’m sure the coach has picked the team based on the talent. If he was more skilled than me, then the coach would have picked him over me. So sorry dude you can only blame yourself for your lack of talent.’ He thought while standing straight without reacting to his taunts.
“Kota Yui, do you have problem with my arrangements?” Manager Nozomi mumbled while giving him cold stares.
Upon hearing Nozomi’s words, he couldn’t say anything at all. He simply remained frozen at his place, completely speechless. 𝐞𝗼𝘃𝐞𝐥．𝗰𝐨𝗺
Since the coach’s decision was absolute in the club, no player was permitted to speak against him. Talking back to the coach was simply like rebelling against the coach’s decision.
And Kawasaki Frontale club’s youth team whose motto was to nurture the players under strict discipline didn’t tolerate those kinds of players who talked back to the coach.
Since undisciplined players were the ones who’d create most of the troubles for the club. They taught their youth player from young age to be disciplined and respectful towards the coach.
“Answer me Kota Yui. Are you unsatisfied with my arrangements?” Manager Nozomi erupted all of a sudden.
“No sir.” Kota replied while shaking his head.
From outside it seemed like he had completely accepted the decision of the manager. But just from looking at his facial expression, it was clear that he wasn’t satisfied with the coach’s decision.
“Okay then we’ll start the game within five minutes. Go and loosen your body.” Saying such he dismissed the teams after announcing the starting players for both the teams.
‘Great I should take this opportunity to bond with the team.’ He thought after he heard about the five minute warm up time.
But before he could even approach other players, Kota Yui, the guy whom Hiro replaced began to gaslight other players against him.
“You guys saw how coach favoured him right? Without even training with the team, he has already given him the opportunity to start. Now imagine if he even performs decently, the coach will put him on the starting team. And if that happens he’ll only snatch our rightful spot because of the coach’s favour. So do you guys want this newbie to snatch our rightful spot?” Kota Yui began to gaslight other players and turned them against him.
“You’re the striker of our team right?” He approached one of the player with slightly tanned skin and short hair.
Just as he approached him, that player suddenly started to dribble the ball and moved away from him. He ignored his presence as if he wasn’t even there to begin with.
“What a strange fellow.” Hiro mumbled upon witnessing his actions.
He then turned his head towards other players. But almost everyone in his team gave him cold shoulders. He wasn’t aware of the ill rumours made by Kota Yui.
Finally he approached Kota Yui despite his unwillingness to approach him because of the earlier dissatisfaction and some suspicion.