Tracing Memories

13: N o t h i n g

It had been twenty days since you left the team. The team's preparation to fight the aliens was in full swing. Us managers were also doing our duties without fail. I did what I was told and worked with Haruna to find out whatever information we could find out about our opponents. We would sit in front of the computer for several hours trying to fish out their location or where they were possibly going to reappear. I did my job mechanically and at night quietly went to sleep. But I wouldn't fall asleep for hours. I would keep thinking about you and the possible reason you could have left us in the middle of our journey like this. I would toss and turn in my bed or sometimes I would walk out of the tent where us managers used to sleep and roam around for a while. I would look at the view in front of me, the mountains, the trees, the night sky and the moon but it's like nothing would register in my mind as it never brought me any joy. I was desperately waiting to see you again if that was even going to happen at all.

What if I never saw you again? The thought pierced through my mind. I suddenly felt weak in my knees and I fell to the ground, quietly sobbing, struggling to hold back my tears but failing miserably as a sky full of stars lay above me like a giant sparkling umbrella.

The next day I learnt that we were going to Hokkaido to look for a new teammate. Endou seemed pretty excited about it as always while the rest of the team cheered in support. I stood quietly in the back with an expressionless face. I was happy that the team was high in spirits and ready to take on the next challenge but I couldn't bring myself to smile along with them and I felt guilty for it. I was struggling to fake a smile when Aki came over to me and gently squeezed my hand,

"Are you okay?" She asked with gentle concern.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." I assured her. She remained looking at me with worry and sympathy, "He'll come back soon." She mumbled to me.

I thought it best to focus on something else before I break down again so I quickly changed the topic, "We should prepare for tomorrow's journey!We have to go a long way."

In Hokkaido we met Fubuki Shirou who played forward for his team. We ended up having a match with his team, Hakuren Junior High and we got to see how powerful he was. Endou convinced him to join us in our mission to defeat the aliens and he became our new ace striker. I was glad our team could proceed further in our quest but at the same time I hated seeing someone else take your place. I didn't have any complaints from Fubuki. He seemed like a good-natured boy who got along with everyone immediately, but for me you were the only ace striker of Raimon.

Someoka seemed to share my views on this topic since he was reluctant to accept him as the new ace striker as well. He continued to insist that no one could replace you. He seemed angry and frustrated at everything that had happened recently and the fact that he couldn't do anything to stop this chain reaction of bad events. Seeing him in that condition I thought about how I felt the same way. I felt angry at myself for not being there for my friends when our school was destroyed right in front of them. I wasn't there for our team when they had their first match with Aliea Academy and Raimon was gravely defeated. Most importantly, I wasn't there for you when you were in trouble serious enough to make you leave the team. I frequently wondered if I could have said something to stop you.

Once again I found myself standing under the indigo sky as the world around remained eerily quiet. A cold breeze occasionally blew past me adding to the tranquil atmosphere. But my mind was the opposite of the outside world. I leaned down at the metal rails made at the edge of the cliff, our caravan standing nearby. I stared at particularly nothing, lost in my thoughts.

A couple of minutes later I felt some movement from the direction of the caravan. I turned to find Someoka quietly getting off the bus making sure he doesn't wake anyone up in the process.

"You couldn't sleep either?" I asked, not moving from my position. He immediately gestured me to lower my voice and then came over to the fence. We both continued to look towards the valley in front of us quietly.

"I still can't wrap my head around everything that has been happening." He finally commented.

"A month ago, who would have thought we'd all be here in the middle of nowhere facing 'aliens'. " I answered.

It got quiet again for a couple of minutes. I retreated to my own thoughts not taking note of what he was doing. My mind went to you again and involuntarily some words escaped my mouth,

"I wonder where he is now." I said in an exasperated sigh, barely audible.

"You mean Gouenji?" Someoka's comment startled me. I didn't know he was still standing there.

"Yah." I answered, "He just left so abruptly and now someone else has taken his place."

"I do not accept that boy as our ace striker." Someoka frowned, "That position will always belong to Gouenji."

"You are right." I promptly replied, "I just hope he comes back soon." I sighed.

"We can only hope for the best." Someoka commented before going back to the caravan. 

A/n : Guys, if you like this story please don't forget to VOTE and COMMENT.I'd love to hear from you what you guys think of it so far. Please don't hesitate.