Getting to know You (Oikawa Tooru )

2.

It was a Saturday afternoon. The wind was whipping pretty harshly. The sun was shinning brightly down upon us.

It was over halfway through the game. Fifteen minutes remaining.

"Hachiko." I stood from the bench and jogged over to my coach. I bowed my head.

"Yes sensei!" I looked up, my hands were shaking as I held them together behind my back.

"I want you to replace Matsuun." He said sternly as he wrote down notes on his clipboard.

"Of course sensei." A big smile stretched across my face as I jogged to the center field mark and stood on the sideline. I rocked back and forth from my heel to my toe, shaking in my cleats.

Sensei called for subs to the ref when the ball finally made it out of bounds. I looked at coach and he tapped his watch and signaled ten minute with his fingers. 'That's all I got. That's all I'd be able to play.'

I jogged out into the field, giving Matsuun a high five as I went by her.

All those hours of weigh-training and practice needed to pay off. They just had to.

It took me a minute but I got used to playing during an actual game again. I was doing well covering my team mates and keeping the ball on their half of the field but no one was getting a shot in.

I looked at sensei and he put up three fingers after tapping his watch. 'I have to make something happen in three minutes or I'm removed from the game.' I took a deep breath and looked up the field.

'Open space. Find an open space.'

I looked around but no one was open. 'How are we supposed to play if no one is even open for a pass?'

So I did one of the most dangerous and stupidest things I could have done. The ball was halfway between the goal and the center of the field.

Without hesitation I ran up the field. The midfield, Tetsi, who had the ball immediately turned when she head me calling. "I'm open!" Immediately she kicked the ball hard towards me.

The ball went into the air and toward the goal keepers box. The goal keeper from the other team, Nekoma, ran out at full speed.

Immediately I picked up the pace, pumping my arms faster to gain more speed.

'I can't let her get that ball!'

She reached her arms out to grab the ball but I jumped forward, hitting the ball off my hairline on my forehead. I toppled into her as the ball soared into the net, just missing the girls running to try to cut it off.

The whistle blew signaling a goal. Everyone sat there silent as they stared at the net. Suddenly it was like someone released a wild herd from their cage. Screams filled the air and my team ran and picked me up, all of them hugging me.

Sensei screamed at us, telling us to get our buts back to our half, we still had around seven minutes to play.

After that Coach let me finish the game and we were able to hold them off, receiving the win and making our way to nationals.

My first year became hectic after that. I upped my work out time, and my solo practice sessions. I got more playing time in games at the nationals.

We did win that nationals that year. It was close but we won it all because of a shoot out after going into double overtime.

Our team was then interviewed for magazines and the news.

The third years had me interviewed kiddingly as the rising star of the team. Well the joke hasn't died down yet. It's been almost two school years and yet I'm still the first one they always come up to to question.

I do have teammates. They should at least accept them to. The whole situation with the media and the pressure put on me wasn't the best but it was better then being part of the shadows. But then again it was like you made one mistake and everything could come crashing down like a house of cards.

And all of that led up to this very moment.

"Hachiko, I am making you our head captain next year for the team." Sensei smiled at me. "Congratulations."

A huge smile spread across as I bowed. "Thank you so much Sensei. I won't let you down."

"You know what you have to do over the break right? Those girls need to be whipped into shape before try outs." He said as he looked at my anxious form.

"Of course. Practices and workouts in the gym are already arranged by myself and the other captains."

Sensei chuckled. "Good good. Now loosen up a bit and enjoy your last few days as a second year. Go on." He said as he shoed me out of his office. "Go on and have fun! I'll get into contact with you if I need to talk to you."

"Of course Sensei! Thank you!" I said with another quick bow before I ran from his office, leaving him chuckling to himself behind me.

I ran back to my classroom to find Junko. And when I did I tackled the girl with a hug. She let out a shriek and turned, hitting me for scaring her. Until she saw the huge smile on face. "You get it?"

I stepped back. "You are looking at the new head captain for Aoba Joshai soccer!" I said as I extended my hands to the sides.

Junko squealed and almost tackled me to the ground with her hug. When she realized how loud she was her face turned bright red and she turned her eyes to the floor to avoiding making eye contact with the rest of the room.

My classmates cheered as well, all of them giving me pats on the back and high fives, congratulating me.

I didn't know then but Oikawa Tooru was walking by the commotion. He heard and smiled to himself, ready to set a plan in motion.

The two had never crossed direct paths, but Oikawa was certain he could change that. Their paths would meet soon.

And for me? Well, let's just say that over the years that boy that seemed so innocent seemed to fade away until he became a playboy. A boy who broke girls hearts because he would lead them astray and let them fall in love with him.

I had dated guys before like him, from middle school and from other high schools. I decided that love in that way wasn't worth it right now, only what I had to do to achieve the goals I set for myself.

And summer began and my life began to change.