Pressure

~~~⛩️~~~

"Welcome everyone to the second day of the Takachiho Obon Festival!”

The mayor might have aspired to be an actor in his youth, as he never missed a chance to address the public and be the center of attention. Because of that, the prelude to the Tsuno vs. Kadogawa match was no exception, despite Takashi completely ignored his words once again.

"So annoying," he thought, yawning while in line to step onto the field.

"Are you falling asleep?" Takashi felt a nudge from Jun behind him. "Come on, I need you awake to help me score goals."

Jun's smile, which he saw when he turned to feel the contact, brightened his mood.

"Don't worry, today is our game," Takashi replied, facing him.

"That's the spirit!"

"Today is our game... it has to be," he marched to the center of the field with this determination in his mind. After the meditation he'd practiced with Nao, he sensed improved focus on positive thoughts, and the memory of their sweet, sincere hug blended within.

Nao, who, by the way, was back on the substitute bench. Takashi glanced briefly, spotting changes in her demeanor. Though separated by two seats, she appeared more at ease. That was, until she caught his gaze, responding with a smile and thumbs up.

Takashi repeated the gesture. "Don't worry, I won't let you down."

The game began. Far from the frenzy of the previous match, it unfolded slowly with few spaces. A favorable sign for defenders, but a challenge for Takashi and his fellow attackers.

"Takashi!"

A ball reached his position, and Takashi controlled it with some surprise. About to pass to Hiroshi after his call, a clear goal-scoring chance presented itself. Swiftly deciding, he took a powerful right-footed shot, narrowly off target.

"No!" he burst out.

"Good effort, Takashi. Slightly to the right next time," Hiroshi called. He looked and found Jun's reassuring thumbs up. It had been a good attempt.

An attempt he might not have taken the day earlier. Almost as if he'd whispered, ‘I can score the goal.’ Although it didn't translate to the match's opening goal, it was progress. Progress that the coach noticed, nodding slowly before indicating something to a defender about falling back. Meanwhile, Nao's gaze was steadfast upon him.

Despite this, Kadogawa capitalized on a corner just before halftime, securing the first goal. Tsuno was garnering a single point out of a potential six, casting a somber outlook for the end of the tournament.

~~~⚽~~~

"You're making very silly mistakes!" the coach told them at halftime. The boys sat down to listen on the floor of the locker room. "We have taller players than them, so go man-to-man, not zone defense! Don't let them escape!"

For fifteen minutes in the locker room, Shiraito's voice resonated while players drank or wiped sweat. Takashi listened, but his mind swirled in negativity. "This is going badly. We're not playing well, and I'm certainly not helping at all," he thought.

The coach gave the order to return to the field, and the players started to exit. However, Takashi paused at a shoulder touch, finding chestnut gem-like eyes upon him.

"How are you?" Nao inquired, having distanced herself from the group during tactics talk. Wise move, as she avoided the frustrated players' rage.

Takashi hesitated, looking at the ground, but he lifted his gaze again. "I can do it."

"Alright. Best of luck," Nao smiled, almost without embarrassment.

~~~🦊~~~

The second half rushed by, but change eluded them. Kadogawa retained control, and Tsuno's scarce attacks met stout defense. This included Takashi, Jun, and Hiroshi, with frustration and pessimism evident.

Worse, around the seventieth minute, Takashi began to feel tired. “I must continue. I can't allow the team to waste an offensive substitution.” That's what he thought, although deep down he felt, ‘I don't want to be substituted.’

"Takashi..." Nao observed with deep concern.

The plays went by, but there was no success. The team didn't react, and the young number 11 grew increasingly exhausted.

"Damn. I'm going to fail again. I'm going to..."

"Takashiiii!"

He turned towards the substitute bench at a sudden scream. Nao stood up, heading to the sideline near the field. Her arms raised, waving vigorously, surprising substitutes and even Shiraito.

Nao became a cheerleader. Or tried, but her actions were clumsy and feeble. Distorted moves and unathletic jumps displayed her lack of fitness.

"Keep running, Takashi! Don't give up!"

Takashi had realized her balance issues earlier, now apparent as she fell attempting a one-legged stand. Laughter echoed from the stands, spectators astounded by Nao’s unexpected acting.

"How clumsy," Takashi chuckled quietly. He watched Nao rise slowly, noticing her resolute eyes.

"Come on, Takashi!" she persisted.

Only then did Takashi fully register the good-natured laughter from the crowd and substitutes. A realization struck him.

"She's receiving the laughter from everyone but keeps dancing. She... cast aside her fear of being humiliated to help me."

Nao's expression fully mirrored her unease. Flushed cheeks, clenched fists, and, above all, closed eyes starkly conveyed her emotions. Yet, during fleeting moments when her eyes opened, Takashi glimpsed something extraordinary. They displayed unwavering determination but also warm affection.

"Nao overcame her fears..." Takashi clenched his fists and eyed the opposing goalkeeper readying for a kick. "How can I not want to shatter my own barriers?"

Anticipating Kadogawa's short pass, Takashi sprinted towards the defenders with the ball. Briefly circulating it, they eventually cleared it, and the ball found its way back to Tsuno.

"Oh..." Shiraito sensed something in the boy.

He repeated the process, without success. And once more, with no success. But on the fourth attempt, Takashi foresaw the pass amidst defenders, pressuring the target. He played a weak pass to a left-side teammate, and Hiroshi didn't hesitate. he intercepted, firing a long shot, deceiving the unprepared goalkeeper. The ball entered the goal flawlessly, striking the top corner of the near post.

"GOOOOOOOOAL!"

Hiroshi rushed to retrieve the ball, aware that a draw fell short.

"Takashi! Good pressure! One more goal, let's go!" he exclaimed, tousling Takashi's hair. Both dashed resolutely to their side of the field.

The goal not only leveled the score, but rattled Kadogawa. They required a victory, as two draws held little promise, heightening their playing pace. This urgency drove Kenjiro to many midfield interceptions, and in one of the match's final plays, he reached the right wing. Amidst two foes, he executed a dribble reminiscent of top Brazilian wingers, positioning himself to deliver a cross.

"Kenjiro!" multiple voices rang out, Takashi's among them. Inside the box stood Jun, Hiroshi, two other teammates, and six Kadogawa players. The retreat transformed the area into a bustling anthill.

The captain launched a powerful cross towards Hiroshi, closest to the goal. His shot ricocheted off a defender, threaded between Jun's legs, and then past another defender's legs. All box occupants managed to evade the ball, even the goalkeeper.

Everyone except Takashi.

With more intuition than thought, Takashi contacted the ball as well as he could. The sphere slid slowly toward the goal while all watched, time seemingly pausing to savor its trajectory.

"GOOOOOOOOAL!"

"Huh?" Takashi froze, embraced by teammates forming a jubilant mob.

Tsuno erupted in celebration at the marvel. Shiraito embraced assistants, substitutes shouted vigorously, and a particular girl on the bench leapt with joy multiple times.

"You did it, Takashi!"

As they lifted him from beneath his teammates, Takashi discerned the high-pitched voice akin to a gazelle's hearing.

"Well done, Takashi!" Hiroshi grinned, having held him to his feet.

"That's it, Taka!" Jun embraced him, lifting slightly off the ground.

"Nice goal, Ueda. Keep having that good luck with you" Kenjiro congratulated with a characteristic less-than-joyful expression.

He glanced back, witnessing his teammates’ hugs and exultation in the stands. His gaze settled on the girl in pastel attire, embodying pure happiness. Her look overflowed with emotion and affection, embracing him and thawing his heart. In that moment, he finally realized it. He knelt, his gaze lifted to the sky, and released a relief-laden cry, its intensity mirroring the roar of a thousand streams.

"GOOOOOOOOAL!" he exclaimed until he ran out of breath.

Minutes later, the match concluded. Tsuno 2, Kadogawa 1.