The field was quieter than usual.
Not empty.
Just… different.
The energy from yesterday hadn't fully settled.
You could feel it.
Yusuke stepped onto the pitch again.
This time
Not early.
Not late.
Right on time.
"…Normal."
He walked forward, eyes scanning.
Riku was already there, juggling a ball casually.
Sora was stretching.
Yuma was arguing with Hiroto about something dumb.
Takumi was already doing passing drills by himself.
Everything looked the same.
But it wasn't.
Yusuke noticed it immediately.
Kaito.
He wasn't there.
"…Hah."
"You noticed?" Riku said, not looking at him.
"…Yeah."
"He's late."
"…Again."
Riku caught the ball and dropped it.
"…Or avoiding us."
Yusuke shrugged.
"…Not my problem."
Riku smirked slightly.
"…Sure."
Daniel stepped onto the field.
"Line up."
No delay.
No warm up talk.
Everyone moved.
"Today," Daniel said, "we fix your decision making."
A few players sighed.
"…Again?" Yuma muttered.
"Yes. Again."
Daniel's eyes didn't move.
"You're fast."
"You're skilled."
"But you're inconsistent."
Silence.
"That loses games."
Yusuke stood still.
Listening.
"Split groups," Daniel continued.
"Attackers. Defenders."
Players moved.
Yusuke stepped forward.
Kaito wasn't there.
So
He was the main striker.
"…Figures."
"Drill one," Daniel said. "Limited touches."
"Three max."
"After that, you shoot."
Groans.
"…That's annoying," Sora said.
"That's the point."
Ball rolled in.
Riku started.
Three touches.
Shot.
Saved.
"Next."
Takumi.
Two touches.
Shot.
Goal.
"Clean."
Sora.
Three touches.
Extra step.
Shot
Blocked.
"Too slow," Daniel said.
"…Relax."
"Yusuke."
He stepped forward.
Ball came in.
First touch.
Second
No third.
Shot.
Goal.
No hesitation.
"…Good," Daniel said.
Yusuke stepped back.
"…Obviously."
"Next."
The drill continued.
Faster.
Sharper.
Mistakes punished instantly.
Then
Footsteps.
Everyone turned slightly.
Kaito.
He walked in.
Late.
Again.
No apology.
No explanation.
Just walked straight in.
"…You're late," Daniel said.
"I know."
Silence.
"…Get in."
Kaito joined.
Immediately.
"Your turn."
Ball rolled.
Kaito stepped.
One touch.
Two
Shot.
Goal.
Clean.
No reaction.
"…Fine," Daniel said.
The drill continued.
But now
The tension was back.
Yusuke felt it.
Sharp.
Clear.
Every movement slightly more aggressive.
Next drill.
"Conditioned play," Daniel said.
"Only forwards finish."
That changed things.
Everyone knew what it meant.
Yusuke.
Kaito.
Riku smirked.
"…This'll be fun."
Play started.
Ball moved.
Takumi.
Hiroto.
Back to Riku.
Yusuke moved.
Into space.
Riku saw it.
Passed.
Yusuke received.
Turned.
Shot.
Goal.
Clean.
"Again!" Riku shouted.
Reset.
Play again.
This time
Kaito moved.
Demanding.
"Here!"
Ball came.
He turned.
Shot.
Goal.
"…Hah."
They reset.
Again.
Now
Both moving.
Both demanding.
Both finishing.
The pace increased.
The tension built.
"…They're competing now," Hiroto muttered.
"No shit," Yuma replied.
Next play.
Riku held the ball longer.
Looked at both.
Yusuke.
Kaito.
Two options.
He smirked.
"…Let's see."
He passed
To neither.
Takumi.
Takumi crossed.
Yusuke moved.
Kaito moved.
Both reached.
Collision.
The ball bounced loose.
"…Watch it," Kaito snapped.
"…You were in my way."
"Your way?"
"…Yeah."
Tension spiked.
Daniel's voice cut in.
"Play."
They separated.
Barely.
Next sequence.
Hiroto intercepted.
Passed.
Riku.
Turned.
This time
Straight to Yusuke.
He received.
Kaito immediately closed in.
"…Move."
"…No."
Yusuke pushed forward anyway.
Kaito stepped.
Tried to take it.
Yusuke shifted.
Kept possession.
Shot.
Goal.
"…Tch."
Kaito turned away.
"Then pass faster," he said.
Yusuke stared.
"…Or you take it."
Silence.
Sharp.
Next play.
Ball came to Kaito.
He drove forward.
Yusuke ran beside him.
Open.
"Pass."
Kaito didn't.
Shot.
Goal.
"…I don't need you."
Yusuke smirked slightly.
"…We'll see."
The drill stopped.
"Enough."
Daniel stepped in.
Everyone froze.
"That's your problem."
Silence.
"You both want to finish."
No one spoke.
"But you're not thinking."
Daniel looked at them.
One by one.
"Strikers don't just score."
"They decide when."
A pause.
"You two are fighting each other."
Another pause.
"That helps no one."
Silence.
Then
"Again."
Play resumed.
But slower.
More controlled.
Riku took over.
"Move smarter," he said.
Ball moved.
Clean.
Sharp.
This time
Yusuke didn't force it.
He moved.
Waited.
Timed it.
Riku passed.
Perfect.
Yusuke received.
Shot.
Goal.
Simple.
Kaito watched.
"…Better."
He moved next.
Received.
Shot.
Goal.
Clean.
No ego.
Just execution.
The tension shifted.
Still there.
But controlled.
Training ended.
Players dropped.
Exhausted.
Yuma lay on the ground.
"I'm done."
"You're always done," Sora said.
Hiroto sat quietly.
Takumi stretched.
Riku looked at both.
Yusuke.
Kaito.
"…We'll need both."
Neither responded.
Kaito grabbed his stuff.
This time
He didn't leave immediately.
He paused.
"…Next time."
Yusuke looked at him.
"…Yeah."
Kaito walked off.
But slower.
Less angry.
Yusuke watched.
"…He's changing."
Riku nodded.
"So are you."
Yusuke didn't respond.
He looked at the field.
Quiet again.
But not empty.
Not anymore.
"…Good."