My Past, Your Present, Our Future

Chapter Six : Tears of truth

"No, not that one".

"Why ?"

"I'm sick of football".

The chestnut looked at him shocked. The other glanced at him, and sighed. He scratched his head as he took the telecommand from his hands.

"It's just that I've been bathed in the football world for quite a while, and I need to change air", Ishido said.

"That much ?"

"Yes," the blond replied, changing the channel. Kidou didn't say a word, and just watched the TV change images as Ishido looked for something interesting to watch on a monday evening.

Kidou had spent his day here. Normally, he should have stayed only for breakfast. But neither could tell why he had stayed here in the apartment with him, talking about everything and nothing, as if it were normal for them. What frightened him a little. Ishido swallowed at the thought of earlier, and drove it away again.

Leaning on the arm of the sofa, he continued to change channels, still dissatisfied with the movies and shows they had decided to pass. Kidou watched him doing it, his arms folded against his chest. He glanced at him, preferring to keep silent. Ishido finally opted for the football game, and this choice earned him a little chuckle from his partner.

"You're sick of football ?"

"No need for comments".

Despite him, he smiled. He put the telecommand back on the coffee table before taking his bottle of beer in hand. It was that kind of evening he preferred, and to pass it along with someone was even nicer. Kidou must have guessed it. Both stared at the television screen, the ticking of the clock echoing through the apartment.

"Japan doesn't play as well as it was then", Ishido commented, drinking a sip of the liquor.

"Yeah. They don't even know how to find openings to pass the ball", Kidou criticized when one of the players lost the ball so ridiculously. "They only tarnish Japan's reputation".

"At least the keeper is good. Considering all the shots he stopped".

"The keeper doesn't have a lot of abilities. He's lucky that North Korea had not such a strong team of football".

"If we were there, it would be different", the blond noted, finishing his drink. Kidou had glanced at her. He had noticed a touch of melancholy and bitterness. It was true, Gouenji had stopped everything to save football. He had put an end to his career as a footballer, for football and all those people who loved the sport as much as he did. He had understood it that evening, the one that went way back. A lot of things had already happened. Perhaps that was why Gouenji was moving away from the Fifth Sector.

Kidou had not commented, and Ishido had perceived his silence as a dive into his thoughts. Something seemed to torment him. He was frowning.

"Go ahead, ask me whatever you want," the blond finally said, putting his bottle where it had been a few minutes earlier.

The chestnut was taken by surprise. He stared at the blond through his tinted glasses, hiding his eyes fromhis friend's deep glance , who was staring at him with great intensity. Kidou preferred to flee, and turned again towards the TV.

"Why did you get away from the Fifth Sector ?"

"If I answer your question, will you answer mine ?"

Kidou took a minute to think, and wondered what he could ask him. He finally accepted his proposal. He nodded his head. The chestnut heard the other sigh.