28. the food tastes better when you eat with others

After another failed attempt at trying to master Majin the Hand, Coach Hibiki suggested that everyone attend a training camp. They'd spend the night in the school, make a meal together, and do some training. At first Endou wasn't excited about it, but Hibiki insisted, and there was no way around it.

"What!? You're not staying for dinner!?" Kim wasn't happy to hear the news. "But- but, who will Cho sleep with? You've never spent a night away from home!"

"Cho will sleep with you, he'll be okay." Park chuckled lightly. She looked down at the fluffy Pomeranian at her legs. The dog only tilted a head, but Kim knew he wasn't happy either.

". . . I really don't want you to go, Mio." Kim sunk in her place. There was an obvious frown on her face, and her eyes looked so sad. Just as Kim said, Park had never spent a night away from home ever since she started living here. While Kim was worried for the young girl, deep down she was more worried for herself - she didn't ever want to be apart from her granddaughter. Having her go to school and spend time playing soccer with her friends was bad enough, now she was spending a night away from home?

"Yeobo, she'll be okay. Mio is growing up, we should let her have some independence." Jae made his way over to Kim, wrapping a single arm around her. "It'll only be for one day, right Mio?"

"That's right." Park nodded. "I'll try to come home early! Please, Halmeoni." The whitette clapped her hands together, pleading.

"Well. . ." It took a while, but Kim soon gave in. "Alright. Just promise me you'll pick up your phone whenever I call, okay?"

"Of course, I promise." With a sweet smile, Park hugged onto both of her grandparents, who returned the embrace immediately. 

"I'm gonna go pack my things." Park retracted herself and scampered up the staircase. She quickly made her way into her room, and grabbed her bag. Her eyes caught sight of a compelling drawer in her desk, that which made her stare for a moment. Slowly, she went over to the desk, opened the drawer, and picked up a familiar envelope. She flipped it to it's back, and looked at the name written in black ink.

"Sayuri. . ." The white haired girl muttered. All she knw about her biological mother was that she was a drunk, caused an accident, and was named Sayuri. She didn't know much about the family she used to live with, but that was fine. Park wasn't all that curious, they didn't want her, so she shouldn't bother trying to reconnect with them. Besides, she was happy enough with Kim, Jae and Cho.

"Fucking brat."

Park whipped herself around and looked towards her door. She left it slightly ajar, but no one was there - and yet she heard a strange voice. A strange voice that she felt she knew, a terrifying one.

"You ruined my life!"

This time, the voice was louder. Park dropped the envelope, and brought her hands to her head. She screwed her eyes shut, wincing at the sudden migraine that was pounding inside her head. A string of the same voice continued, but it was saying so many things at the same time, Park couldn't make out anything at all. Her migraine became unbearable to the point she dropped to her knees.

"Nnngh-" The white haired girl writhed on the ground, tears welling up in her eyes and falling down her cheeks. "Stop it, stop it. . . Make it stop." Her breathing went heavy.

Soon enough, the voices died down. The migraine slowly subsides, and Park managed to find her bearings again.

She was used to these panic attacks, this wasn't the first. Her rose-brown eyes looked over at the envelope as her hands dropped to her sides. Slowly, she picked it up, stuffed it into her drawer, and closed it shut. She'd probably never use that money.

The white haired girl didn't want to go to Raimon anymore, but she knew it was important. She had to support Endou, and finally master her hissatsu with Kazemaru. So, Park forced herself to go.

Park went ahead and packed her things, before making her way back downstairs.

"I'll see you both tomorrow!" Park gave Cho a quick pet, before waving goodbye to Kim and Jae. She slipped on her sneakers before heading out the front door.

As soon as the door was shut, Kim broke down. She instantly started crying on Jae's shoulder. Patient as always, Jae stroked at her dark black hair and comforted her.

"It's okay, it's okay. She'll be home before you know it." Jae cooed gently.


 Park showed up a little late, but just in time for the pillow fight with Shourin, Haruna, Kabeyama and Kurimatsu.

"See if you can dodge this!" Kurimatsu chucked two pillows at Shourin, who was seated comfortably in Kabeyama's hands. All the giant had to do was move him to the side and he remained unharmed.

"Counter attack!" Shourin threw a set of pillows back towards Kurimatsu and Park. Kurimatsu was hit straight in the face, but Park put up her battle stance, punched one of the pillows, and roundhouse kicked the other.

"Too easy." She proudly huffed. The pillow was sent flying, far off enough to knock Someoka in the back of his head.

"Shit! I'm so sorry!" Park called out to the boy.

"You guys. . . !" Someoka got right back up and chased after the five.

"We're sorry! We're sorry!" They all cried out.

In the end, they were all caught and hit upside their heads.


"What should we make? We've got so many ingredients." Kino hummed. After everyone got settled in, it was time to actually start cooking. Gouenji had brought along his younger sister Emori, who was quite excited to be with everyone and help out.

"What about udon in chicken vegetable soup and sushi rolls? I can direct everyone!" Park piped up, still holding on to the back of her head. Having fun with everyone really helped her loosen up and feel a bit more outgoing.

"That sounds wonderful, Park-senpai!" Haruna clapped her hands together happily. "Please teach us!"

Park had each person peel and cut vegetables while she took care of the chicken. Kino and Haruna were already familiar with making sushi rolls, so they took care of those.

"I want to help too!" Emori piped up because Gouenji was too nervous to let her use the sharp knives or peelers. In the end he just let her wash the potatoes while he peeled and cut them.

"Senpai, you have to peel them properly!" Shourin whined as Domon slacked in chopping up carrots.

"Does it really matter?" The lanky boy sighed. "I don't think it's a big deal."

"It is a big deal!" Shourin huffed. "Park-senpai!" he called out for the girl.

"I'm coming!" The whitette wiped off her hands before scampering over. "Domon, peel the carrots all the way, okay?" She smiled at him, picked up the peeler and handed it over to him.

"Alright, alright." He quirked his mouth to the side, and took the peeler.

Do things right the first time so you don't have to do it again! That'd be a good title name, huh.

Kurimatsu and Kidou were chopping the onions finely, but the first year was sobbing his eyes out as he cut them.

"I guess your eyes don't water since you're wearing those goggles." Kurimatsu sniffled.

"Well, you could say that." Kidou smirked.

The udon was boiled along with all the vegetables and chicken. The soup was coming along really well! Park used one of Kim's recipes, so it was bound to turn out perfect. Kino and Haruna followed Park's directions of mixing sesame oil in the rice for the sushi, and rubbing more of the oil on the seaweed once everything was wrapped up.

Kabeyama tapped Handa's shoulder not once, but twice.

"What do you keep doing that for!?" The brunet turned around and scolded poor Kabeyama.

"I need to go to the bathroom." Kabeyama nervously muttered.

"Bathroom?" Handa raised a brow, before facing his back to the boy again. "Then just go. What's stopping you?"

"By myself?"

"Of course by yourself! You're not a baby anymore!"

"B-but what if a ghost shows up!?" Kabeyama protested.

"Ghost- hey, how old are you!? You still believe in ghosts!?" Handa shot back.

"Um. . ." An eerie voice sounded. "I'll go with you if you'd like." It was just Kageno, but he freaked out Kabeyama and Handa pretty good - they both screamed, and Kabeyama jumped in Handa's arms. However the brunet was strong enough to carry Kabeyama was a mystery.

"I'll go with you, too!" Suddenly Park appeared. Her white hair resembled that of a ghost as well, and they screamed again. "Hey! It's just me, don't be so mean!" She puffed her cheeks.

"S-sorry. . ." Both Kabeyama and Handa lowered their heads a little. Just before Handa's legs were about to collapse, Kabeyama got back onto his own feet.

"Park-senpai. . ." A small voice said as someone gently tugged on Park's sleeve. When the whitette looked over, it was just Emori. "I want to go too."

"Sure, we'll all go together." Park chirped. For a second she wondered why Gouenji wouldn't go with her, but she then realized he probably wouldn't want to go into the girls bathroom. What Park didn't know was that Gouenji deliberately had Emori ask her rather than him.


The school was pretty damn dark. To see anything properly, the kids had to use a flashlight. Kageno held one, while Park held the other. Kabeyama held on tightly to Kageno's shoulder - who didn't seem to mind at all. Park held onto Emori's smaller hand as the group slowly made their way down the hall.

"See? It's not all that scary." Park tried to make Kabeyama and Emori feel a little better, but it didn't seem to work all that much.

"Haven't you seen those video games and anime? Something bad always happens to students in the school at night!" Kabeyama raised his voice a little, then shuddered at the echo that bounced around the hall.

Kabeyama had every right to be afraid, and his fear was starting to make Park a little anxious as well - not that she showed it.

"Is that true?" Emori asked quietly, looking up at Park with a pout on her face. "Is something bad gonna happen to us?"

"Nothing is going to happen, don't worry." Park smiled at the younger girl. "Kabeyama, don't scare her like that."

"R-right, I'm sorry. . ." Kabeyama muttered.

The four kids managed to make it to the bathroom unharmed. A minute later or so, they were ready to leave. Although for some reason the atmosphere felt heavier for Park. As the four were walking down the hall, it felt like they were being watched. In the darkness, a shadow loomed. Kabeyama and Park suddenly looked over their shoulders at the same time.

"Something wrong?" Kageno came to a halt. Both he and Park shined their light towards where they thought someone was standing, but no one seemed to be there.

"Weird. . ." Park blinked her eyes a few times in confusion.

"Must be my imagination." Kabeyama laughed nervously, trying to brush off the fact he genuinely thought there was a ghost.

Just then, the same shadow appeared once more, right in front of everyone. Without missing a beat, Kabeyama, Park and Emori screamed, took Kageno, and ran for their lives until they made it back to the group outside. Kabeyama cowered behind Megane, while Emori hugged on tightly to Gouenji.

"What's a freaking ghost doing here!? All we do is play soccer!" Park cried out. "It's my ancestors, they're pissed off I don't like spicy food!" The white haired girl sat in the grass by Kazemaru's feet.

"I- highly doubt that, Park." Kazemaru exhaled, reaching a hand out and patting the girl on her head.

Handa suggested that it was one of Kageyama's underlings, which was a pretty smart thought. Although when everyone went into the school to check, it was just four men from the Inazuma Eleven: Master, Biruda, Kamimura and Aida - all of them had joined for dinner.

"I'm glad everything turned out well, the soup is so delicious." Kino chirped, earning a smile from Park.

Before eating, Park clapped her hands together and muttered a small prayer beforehand. She wasn't exactly religious, but this was a habit she picked up from Kim and Jae. They always thanked for the food, even if they made it themselves.

After dinner, Master and the other three had taken everyone down to the Inabikari Training Center to present a. . . Well, what looked like to be a torture machine. It turned out to be the machine that Daisuke - Endou's grandfather - had used to perfect Majin the Hand. As everyone turned the cranks, the machine operated and Endou had to make his way from one end, all the way to the other - which wooden obstacles were in his way.

It took quite some time, but Endou managed to finally do it, and everyone was ecstatic, until Endou tried the hissatsu and couldn't manage to do it. . .

"What's the matter everyone? Why are you looking so down, the match hasn't even started yet!" Kino piped up, but was met with a multitude of sad faces.

"But if we can't stop their shoots. . ." Kabeyama trailed off.

"We have Daebak the Hand! And if we still can't stop their shoots, then just get points! If they score one, we score two. If they score one hundred, we score one hundred and one!" The short haired girl continued.

"Kino-senpai is right!" Haruna exclaimed.

"Endou, you've looked after our backs until now. It's time for us to look after yours." Park stepped up. "If they make a shoot, every single one of us defenders will try stopping it before it gets to you! We'll weaken their shots for you, and every one of our forwards will score us points. We're going to give it our all!"

Encouraging words spoken before disaster.

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