"Raimon Jr. High?" 

My brother nodded at me before looking at our captain, Kidou Yuuto. From what I knew from my first day here, he always follows the commander's orders. "Etto, how come there?" I asked. "Rena, as his friend, I don't understand him either." He sighed. "Anyway, we better get to training before we get scolded." 

I gave a light laugh before going on the field, my brother following behind. Koujirou was already in his goalkeeper position and Kuroi was sitting on the bench. I'd usually sit with him, but Kidou had told me that I haven't been training for a while now, and the commander was getting strict about it.

I was already in my position, which was forward. Yes, I'm a forward. But my other positions are goalkeeper and midfield. I'd be training with my brother, Ena Kazuki, and Mukumoto Kei. I never got really close with them... or anyone else. Kidou was one of them, but the rest, just complete strangers.

Ena looked at me with a smirk. "Just because you're a girl, doesn't mean I'll go easy on you!" He boasted. I rolled my eyes at him. From first day... Ena is prone to injury, so he doesn't really play that much as often. 

As for Mukumoto, his ball dribbling skills are good, despite the small size. No offense to him that is. I talked to him once, only because I asked for advice on ball dribbling. Besides that, he's a good player.

"Kick the ball sis!" Jirou yelled. I gave a thumbs up before I kicked the ball at him. For sure I thought he would kick it back, but I guess I kicked it to strong and it ended up at Mukumoto's face. 

"Oi! I thought you were kicking it at your brother!" He yelled. I sweat dropped. "Aha... sorry!" From behind Mukumoto I could see Koujirou laughing a little. "Sis, don't stare at Koujirou and focus on training!" Jirou yelled, snickering. Mukumoto threw the ball back at me, but this time I kicked it straight at Jirou, who kicked the ball to Ena, and Ena kicked the ball to Mukumoto. This went on for a while until Jirou decided to break the passes off by kicking it into the goal.

"We've been getting better, eh Ena?" Mukumoto asked, looking at the said boy. Ena stretched her arms out. "Yep! Even though you got hit in the face." He snickered. I looked at Jirou, who was giving me a thumbs up. I lightly laughed. "Same with you bro."

After at least an hour, we had our break. I haven't even sweated that much, while the rest, they were sweating way more than usual. 

"Talk about hard." Kuroi said, sitting next to me. "You didn't even do anything." I said, giving him a playful punch on his arm. "Why can't you at least practice defending?" I asked him. "Cause, I never get to play and you never got to play either. So what's the point?" He said, shrugging. I mentally sweat dropped. "Ah gees... Even so, at least we'll be ready." 

"You changed big, didn't you Rena?"

I was taken aback. Me? Change? When did that happen? "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I mean, my brother said that you were, I don't know, more energetic, funny, and all other sorts of stuff. Although now... meh. You're too serious even for most of us to handle." He said bluntly. 

I just stared at him speechless before going back to practice with the others. In honesty... I have changed a little, maybe because I'm already teenager, and puberty had kicked in. And why would Koujirou even say those stuff to him anyway? I shook the thoughts out of my head as we resumed practice.

Probably after a few hours or so, the rest of us by now, except Kuroi, were panting heavily. "Argh, now that, was tiring..." I murmured, and Jirou nodded in agreement. "By the way, Kidou wanted to speak to you after practice. He's waiting in the locker room." He said. I raised an eyebrow, mainly because I was slightly suspicious, but I shrugged it off and went to the locker room.

"Kidou, you wanted to talk?" I asked, once I caught sight of him leaning against my locker. He looked at my direction. "I need you to do us a favor." He said. "What kind of favor?" I asked. "Spy on Raimon. After what happened in the match, I have a feeling that this would happen." He said. 

"I have to what?" I asked again, raising my voice a little. "I thought you had Domon do it." "With two people, it'll be easier to not be suspected." Kidou said, giving me the stink eye, even though I couldn't see his eyes. 

"Lemme guess; Commander had already spoken to my parents?" "You're a step ahead, not ahead enough." Kidou gave me a smirk before going out of the locker room. Wait... why would the commander even--- 

"Lemme guess; spying?"

I turned around to see my brother and Kuroi. Kuroi had an eyebrow raised and Jirou had his arms crossed. I sighed in defeat and nodded. "You won't be alone. By the day after tomorrow, Domon will be there, so the both of you will spy on them." Jirou said. Kuroi shook his head. "Don't take this the wrong way, but this is wrong." He said, looking at me and my brother. 

"Well... it's the Commander's decision, not ours." Jirou said, opening his locker. "Besides, not like anything bad will happen." "That's what you think." Kuroi muttered. 

----------------------------------------------------------

I had felt extremely nervous by the time I was already walking at Raimon. I didn't have the uniform yet, so I just got stuck up wearing a white shirt and a grey jacket. I can't believe my parents actually allowed me to transfer here, and not knowing the reason why. 

I stopped walking when I reached the riverbank. I saw some people playing soccer, probably the Raimon Eleven. I looked at my clothes. Maybe they wouldn't know that I'm a new student. I found myself watching them, at least for a while. Not that it bothered me, but somehow... I wanted to watch them up close.

I saw two girls sitting at the side of the field, so I just went there for starters. And by the looks on the uniform, they must be from Raimon. A girl in an orange jacket noticed me walk towards them, so I stopped in my tracks and continued watching the players.

"Hey, are you going to watch them?"

I looked next to me only to see a girl with blue short hair and is wearing a lime colored jacket. "Err, yeah. Their next game is against Occult, right?" I asked. She nodded at me. "Ah, forgot to introduce myself! I'm Otonashi Haruna, nice meeting you!" She introduced, gleefully. "Uh... Sakuma Rena." I introduced, rather awkwardly. Otonashi seemed to look at me in disbelief. 

"Uh, you don't believe me, do you?" I asked. "It's not that. It's just... Sakuma has red eyes and an eye patch while you..." She pointed at my eyes. "Oh. Well, my brother had a tiny accident, but my dad wouldn't tell me what it was so, it remains a mystery." I said. "Ohh, I see. By the way, mind if I interview you?" She asked. "What for?" I asked back. "To see your opinion on the match tomorrow!" Otonashi grabbed a notebook and pen from her pocket. "So, what do you think the outcome will be after seeing their match against Teikoku?"

"Uh..." At moments like these, these are the kind of moments that make you wanna lie at her. "Well... I think that the outcome... I think Raimon will win." I finally said. "What makes you think so?" Otonashi asked. "Well, after watching the match between them and Teikoku, I saw some determination in their captain. And without their captain they probably wouldn't be here." I continued. She closed her notebook. "That's everything I need, thank you!" "You're welcome. By the way, they're still opening slots right?" I asked.

"Wait... you're going to join the team?!" She asked rather loudly, earning stares from the players and the girl with the orange jacket. I gulped. "Y-Yeah... so are they still opening?" I asked again. "What makes you think you have the skills?" A guy in glasses asked me. I gave off a sigh of irritation before giving the guy a small smirk. "Where's your goalkeeper?" 

"I'm over here!"

Everyone else, including me, looked at the goal. I raised an eyebrow. 'He looks like Endou Daisuke...' I thought to myself. 

"Alright, let's do this." I said, removing my jacket and tying it around my waist. He threw the soccer ball at me, so I kicked it back at him. He caught it. After a few seconds he threw the ball back, and this time, I used Fire Tornado to shoot.

"Fire Tornado!"

"God Hand!"

I didn't expect him to stop it that easily. 

"So, you're the one who can copy hissatsus."

I didn't need to look behind me to know who that was.

My arms were crossed. "Well, I didn't expect you to be here, Gouenji Shuuya." I said. I turned to the goalkeeper. "So, am I in?"

"Of course you're in!" Their captain exclaimed, walking towards to me and extending his hand out. "Name please!"

"Sakuma Rena."

"Endou Mamoru!"

"Oh wait, how can you join in if you're not registered in Raimon?" Otonashi asked me.

I slapped my forehead. "I forgot why I was walking. I was going to Raimon to get my uniform. I'm gonna be a new transfer student."

----------------------------------------------------

"Not much data, but it's enough."

I was talking to Kidou on the phone, since he called just as I was about to sleep. After telling what I got so far, I hanged up. I sighed before lying down on my bed. I just noticed this now though... I haven't felt that good in years.

"Real soccer? Dad, what do you mean by that?"

"When I meant by, 'real soccer', I meant, playing soccer in your own way."

I remember what my dad said before I started my elementary days. "Playing soccer in your own way.", were the things that my dad said to me when I asked him about real soccer. 

"Real soccer, huh...?" I murmured to myself before letting sleep consume me