IEGO || Heart Catcher

『 CHAPTER 9 』

You were overjoyed this morning. Raimon Soccer Club would participate in the Holy Road, and their first match would be against Tengawara.

You know nothing about that school, but what you do know was that there was no predetermined score. With that knowledge in mind, you were all smiles throughout the school day.

Not even Tsurugi's meanness, when you asked him earlier whether you could visit his older brother, could shake your spirit!

"Did something happen today, [Nickname]?" Sangoku asked as he sat beside you during lunchtime.

You swayed side to side with a nod. Flowers bloomed around as though spring had arrived, even when it had passed.

"Oh, what would that be?"

"There's no score order for your first match! That's enough to make me happy today, cause it means I get to see you all play for real!"

Sangoku's smile almost dropped. He laughed, masking his guilt.

"I see. You must be real excited about it then."

"No heck, Sherlock." Your eyes perked wide suddenly. "Oh, Chi-senpai, is your mom gonna come for the match this time?"

"I don't think so." He ruffled your head. "She might be busy that day."

That would be a good thing, he didn't dare tell you that. I don't want her to be disappointed too.

♡ --- ♡ --- ♡

You were told to go out on an errand to refill the water bottles. You saluted at the order, and carried the basket of the bottles.

You looked around for a place to refill it, and borrowed the cafeteria's water dispenser. You took the time with each bottle.

"Do you need any help?"

You turned behind you to see two boys. You don't believe to see them, one with blonde hair with two side red streaks and blue eyes, while the other with simple brown hair and black eyes. You tilted your head at them.

"Oh, right. We forgot to introduce ourselves. I'm Ichino Nanasuke, and he's Aoyama Shunsuke," the blonde one said, while the brown haired one waved.

You waved back, before writing down a message. "I appreciate your help, thank you."

They were at your side to refill the bottles. With their help, you finished your task quickly. You bowed down as thanks again, and left with a smile.

Aoyama frowned when you did. "It doesn't seem like she knows...."

"But I don't think ... we're in a place to tell her, either," Ichinose replied.

♡ --- ♡ --- ♡

You had arrived at the clubroom. However, it wasn't you that opened the door, but Sangoku. You looked up in surprise.

"Out for practice now?" you asked through your notes.

"Ah, [Surname] —"

"Oi, Sangoku-senpai, could you step away a little if you're going to have a chat?"

Question marks floated above your head when everyone left. Somehow, you get the feeling they weren't heading for the field. Sangoku frowned.

"Sorry, [Nickname], but I have to skip practice today."

You were too shocked to stop him and ask why.

♡ --- ♡ --- ♡

Sangoku left after school. His only reason, via message, was that he needed to go out to buy groceries.

To fill in your loneliness, you decided to visit Tsurugi's brother, even if Tsurugi wouldn't like it. So, with some bought sandwiches, you made your way to the hospital.

505 — you fortunately remembered it. You knocked on the door. Yuuichi heard you.

"Oh, hello. I remember you," he said, putting down his magazine. "Came to visit?"

You nodded, and lifted up your shopping bag that had the sandwiches in it. Yuuichi smiled gratefully.

"How's Kyousuke?" he asked, gesturing for you to sit.

You placed down the sandwiches on the table. You noticed the magazine on the table. Looks like he likes soccer. Definitely different than Tsurugi-kun, you thought. You brought out your whiteboard, (you were worried if the phone's radiation would hurt Yuuchi's eyes in the room) and showed him your reply.

"Tsurugi-kun is fine. He's very busy." Busy doing anything but practice, you didn't had the heart to tell Yuuichi that.

Yuuichi looked surprised for a moment, but he smiled. "I guess he's swarmed with soccer practice then."

Oh how you wanted to laugh then and there, but you smiled in return.

"Pardon me, but may I ask why you don't speak?"

You nodded. You took some time to write your answer down, before presenting it to him:

"Due to an incident, my vocal chords have been damaged. I can still make sound, but forming full sentences takes work and it hurts my throat when I do speak."

"I see..."

"May I ask why are you admitted in the hospital?

"Leg injury. I fractured it when I was younger."

Almost, you wanted to ask how, but you chose not to. You vaguely figured it was an incident related to soccer, since Tsurugi seemed to despise it.

"So how was Kyousuke during practice?"

You stopped yourself from flinching in time. You hoped your fingers weren't shaking as you wrote: "Tsurugi-kun looks scary during practice." Tsurugi being scary was partially the truth.

"Ah, I hope you're not too scared by that," Yuuichi said. "He can be very enthusiastic when it comes to the field."

You really, really want to laugh, but you mustn't. Your guilt will shine through. Then, you realised something.

Had Tsurugi told his brother that his little brother is a SEED? That Tsurugi was tasked to destroy Raimon's soccer?

You can tell the answer already. And you hated that Tsurugi was keeping this secret from Yuuichi, but you couldn't blame Tsurugi. It's exactly how you couldn't blame Sangoku for not telling you about the score order for Tengawara, but you still hated that he didn't tell you.

(You also hated having to keep up the act you were still human, but you're not. There was still nothing you could do about it. There was nothing in a way for you to embrace your undead side.)

All of this circled into one conclusion you can come into: You just wanted to see an honest play. You wanted to see Sangoku Taichi play with fun; to see his smile on the field. And you wanted, too, to have Tsurugi play honestly with the team.

"Nii-chan, I — you."

You've decided.

"Oh, Kyousuke, you're here."

You stood up from your seat, and didn't bother as Tsurugi approached. He almost dragged you out, but he froze when he saw your face. The little droplets of your tears, that fortunately Yuuichi haven't seen, had wiped a bit away of your makeup, revealing your eyebags. And your pupils had dilated, uncannily so.

Tsurugi didn't stop as you bowed towards Yuuichi, then him, and left.

You've decided, since the world was already against you for breaking the cycle of life, to defy the orders fate beset. To do what you can to ensure your friends were happy, and that they could all play the soccer they want; to enjoy life before death takes them away, like it once did to you.