Metanoia

5

When you were still just a teenager–an actual teenager–you had started your professional career with nothing but an internship at the JFU.

You had applied there, only out of spite after your highschool's soccer team had lost once again, in the prefecture level qualifiers. But you hadn't known that the spiteful application would end up leaving you to learn so much, not just about football... but about life in general. It taught you that you would never succeed, not until you reached an environment where you were actually considered a human, not some sort of eye-candy.

And how did you learn that?

By watching the downfall of Teieri Anri, right in front of you.

————

Isagi Yoichi will never be the world's best striker.

That was the only thing that ran through your head as you stared ahead at your childhood friend, watching with a blank look on your face as he passed the ball–a grave mistake–to one of his teammates; Tada Tomonori.

You could only watch how the said boy failed to kick the ball in the net and managed to make you all lose the match after Kira Ryosuke goaled with the ball instead. You watched with gritted teeth and clenched fists as your team lost, an embarrassing score on display with the Matsukaze Kokuo High's soccer team winning, 2-0.

How... pathetic.

And to think that you wasted your time managing this stupid team for the last two years?

Give me a break... This was a total waste.

As if last year's embarrassment wasn't enough that they didn't even make it to the district level, this time you guys literally lost the prefecture level? Not even making it to the nationals, let alone winning it...

Utterly pathetic.

Seriously, how could our team suck this bad? It's truly a specialty in on itself. I'm sure even my dead grandma could play better than these morons.

In midst of your angry inner monologue, you could only watch as Kira Ryosuke–the star of today's match was slowly getting swarmed with reporters, while your own loser of a team, was being consoled by none of than your stupid fucking coach.

That dumb bastard. He's the reason for all our problems.

You thought, glaring at the balding man with anger in your eyes.

Up until junior high school, Yoichi was unstoppable. He was unbeatable in soccer. No one else could score with him on the team.

And yet, here he was. Standing with his head hung in shame.

But frankly, you couldn't even find it in you to feel sorry for him.

He had brought this upon himself. He had the chance to make that goal, and yet he chose to be a team-player.

Well, guess what? That sportsmanship of his was the reason why he lost today's match, and failed to make it to the finals.

"It's alright, everyone! You all made an active effort! And for what it's worth, the Ichinan High School soccer team is the best in the world to me!"

What is he, their mother? Just like how a useless child is special to their mother, this useless team was also special to their dumb coach.

Why did you expect anything else?

The older man cried a few tears alongside the other members, before he turned to you, "[Name]-chan, wouldn't you like to give a few words to these brave soldiers that fought so valiantly?"