Break Him Out Of His Shell

Chapter 7: Tengawara

-Tenma's PoV-
Then, I discovered Sangoku knew how to cook and, in fact, he was in charge of today's dinner; it seemed it was regular for his mother to come late from work; he managed his way on the kitchen and that seemed to be his way of helping her out when she arrived late.
"That's impressive!" I told him, I knew how to cook basic things but it's not very common to know at the age I started learning, but, nevertheless it's a very impressive skill to learn.
"Maybe you would like to join us?" He stared at me hopefully, I had no other option but agree. He soon made a space for me on his bike and we rode to his flat, Sangoku started cooking, once he finished, I was given a plate of what seemed curry.
"Wow! It's as good as Aki-nee's!" I beamed, somewhat exited for the taste of the food, I was not particularity fond of eating as I had not much space for it in my stomach, but, I could tell it was very good.
"Aki-nee?" He asked, of course he wouldn't know.
"Yeah, she is a relative of mine." Damn, he did not seem to like that answer. "My parents are... not here, so she is the one who takes care of me!" I finished, my voice sounding cheerful for him not to have such a concerned expression.
"I take it's tough not to live with your parents." He said in a soft voice, as if not to hurt my feelings or evade touching a nerve.
"Nah, I have her and she is the best. But I would like to be as independent as you, so I could help her as much as I could, I can't rely on her forever." 'Which is true.' Jack appeared. 'She might get bored of having a burden like you around.'
"Flatter me some more and you'll get pudding!" He smiled at me, clearly proud of his cooking skills; I smiled back, ignoring my inner voice.
"I'm home!" A voice behind me said, it sounded acute, so, before the woman came to sight, I realised it must be Sangoku's mother.
"You are home early, mum." He said calmly while he was setting the table for her.
"Yes, the meeting ended earlier than what I anticipated." Then, she looked straight at me, it made me feel nervous, but she smiled reassuringly. "Oh, a friend, this doesn't happen often; and who might you be, my dear?" She asked as she took off her jacket.
"Matsukaze Tenma, a first year that has just entered the football club." I answered.
"I see, are you aiming for Holly road again this year? Maybe you will win!" It was then when Sangoku cut me before I had the chance to answer.
"Come on, mum, it will get cold." He said while pushing her chair backwards.
"My son doesn't talk about soccer nowadays, maybe because he has reach that difficult stage in life?" I swear I didn't know what to do, did I even had to answer? "Having no father around... he doesn't talk to me about what happens to him. Tenma-kun, are you like that with your family too?" I wasn't like that, I didn't tell anyone anything, except maybe Gouenji, but no one else, they didn't deserve to know and... I didn't deserve help... I quickly changed topics; I asked if it was her who had taught Sangoku how to move around in the kitchen. My teammate eyed me warily, I ignored his stare.

"I'm stuffed!" Even if I had not eaten much, I did feel full, uncomfortably so.
"In which position do you play, Tenma-kun?" The woman asked me.
"Midfielder!" I Tod her back happily, I had tried many positions but in none of them I felt as comfortable as midfielder, I could score, I could defend, I could for once make my own choices in the game and I could move freely; a comfort no other position provided.
"Ah... I see... those are the ones who score, right?" She wasn't very sure, I nod.
"We do score, not much, as the ones who do that are the strikers, but what I'm best at is dribbling up the pitch; I have scored of course, but I'm not very good at them."

-Sangoku's PoV-
Not good at them? I stared in disbelief, he was good, a normal shot had a lot of power; this was no normal kid, he was hiding something, I had no proves though, just his strange behaviour but that is enough for me.
"Well, then I will cheer for the both of you and prepare you some bentos for you two!" I held my breath, she couldn't come to see us, I would be a failure, I would become the worst son on Japan, I can't let her see how I act to protect the goal, specially when I don't protect it.
"You don't need to come." I told her quietly, hoping that would be enough to make her back up as it normally was.
"See? He has been like this since he started on Raimon, he tells me not to come to watch." Once she said this, I looked up to Matsukaze, he caught up pretty quickly, it seems it is easy for him to read me, he nod at me as if encouraging me with just a connection between his eyes and mine. I felt... very strange, as if a warm feeling spread through my heart, I was been comfort from a mere stare.
"I'll go make some tea." Mother stood up, I finally saw the opportunity to speak up to the boy.
"I'm sorry, Matsukaze, I know you want to play soccer as it is though... I can't be like you, I can't push myself to follow you." I told him seriously, it pained me to say this things out loud, I have to admit, I am not nearly as powerful as him. He staggered while getting up, I though he would fall and got prepared to catch him if that was the case. He eyed me dead in the eye, I gulped, suddenly, the usual sparks were back, probably just my illusion.
"Sorry, Miss, I have realised I need to be back, or my guardian would worry." He bowed at us, got his things and walked away, if I hadn't been looking closely at him , I wouldn't have noticed that his legs were still wobbly, as if the were far too tired to maintain the body; my mother waved back and told him to come back as son as possible t have a chat as she enjoyed his stayed. We heard the door closing.
"Tenma-kun it's like you when you started football, it was all you thought about back then." By her voice I could tell she missed those times as much as I do.
"It's been too long I can't remember." False, I did, I just simply didn't want to recall those times and compare them with our current situation, that will only lead to depression.
"I guess you say that because winning is hard, don't worry, you guys will find a way." She left to clear the table, I moved robotically to help her, she pushed me aside, she ordered me to go to my room and relax, I had done enough for the day; for once, I agreed and once I had laid back on my bed, I closed my eyes and succumbed to sleep.

-Third's PoV-
That Saturday was the start of the Holly Road championship, every team was reunited in the pitch for what would be a commemorative act; the crowd cheered for their team as they entered the stadium.
One thing was noticeable for everyone: order, there was a lot of order, each team respected their formation and had a resemblance to soldiers; not that many payed attention to this fact. Only Raimon members seemed to care; but that was not the only conversation topic that was been brought up among the players, but also how they were destined to loose on the very first match of the competition. Tenma, as he was, tried to cheer up his teammates, he wouldn't fail Gouenji after all he had done for him.
"Come on guys, everything will turn out somehow!" Shinsuke smiled wider than ever before, Tenma's words had touched him.

Tengawara versus Raimon was about to start, the crowd was cheering for both of the teams as they occupied their positions.
"It's too bad you have to loose on the first game, such an unexpected result for the team that reached the final last year, poor you." Andou said, he was the other team's striker.
"Sorry for his behaviour, it would have been nice to play with you without an order, but, nonetheless; we do have to act as if we were playing with all we've got, we have a public to entertain after all." Tengawara's captain: Kira Ichiban said, before running towards his side of the pitch; leaving a mad Shindou behind.
The match started, Hayabusa tried to pass through Tenma, to no avail, the brunet smiled as he stole the ball and ran forward. As he dribbled up, one of the others defence pushed him aside, he hit the ground. The ball was stolen, Subaru didn't bother to defend, he let them pass as he turned his head. When the player was about to shot, Tenma blocked his sight and stole the ball with a slide, none of them saw that coming. He passed it over to Kurama, hoping that was enough tom make him act and play in the match. He did as if he got the ball and moved his body as if he wanted to dribble, but he gave the ball to a forward of the other team. Number eight from Tengawara got the sphere and decided it was fun to shot at Tenma.
"Tenma!" Shindou yelled from the other side of the pitch, horror in his eyes as the first year hit the ground; the move was a nasty play, he had no idea how Tenma was standing against the pain.
"I don't want to loose my energy on you, Raimon team, unlike you, we have other matches to play." The player told Tenma who was standing beside him, unmoving, bangs covering his eyes. The ball reached Hayabusa's feet, no one was moving.
"Tighten up the defence!" Takuto shouted, no one complied and he understood.
Hayabusa prepared to scored, Sangoku hit the post furiously as he though about yesterday's conversation with the brunet. 'Sorry, Matsukaze.' That seemed to be the end, the first goal; Tenma was way to up to come all the way down, yet, there was someone who stop the shot and run up with the ball: Shindou.
"Wouldn't it be easier if you let us score right now?" The striker asked the Raimon captain.
"I won't let you score, blondie. I'm not following Fifth sectors orders, Raimon team is going to win!" His words shocked everyone, put bright smiles on Tenma's and Shinsuke's faces and made Tsurugi, who was sitting on the bench armed crossed, insult him.
"Come on, don't need to joke." Hayabusa said calmly while suppressing a laugh.
"I am very serious!" He moved forward.
"Have you lost your mind! You have just ruined your future!" A player shouted at him as he did a slide to steal the ball; Shindou jumped up to evade it while answering.
"I will decide my own future!" he made a pass to Kurama, already knowing he wouldn't move. The ball kept spinning there for some seconds until it rebounded up and to the left; Shinsuke got the ball without any difficulty and showed thumbs up. Kurama was paralysed, Takuto predicted he wasn't going to react.
"Thanks for the pass, Captain!" The tiny one said with a smile; this left everyone speechless, the comentar couldn't stop narrating on excitement at the incredible skill Shindou had for game making.
"God's Baton!" There it was, a beautiful pass was made to Tenma, he dribbled forward, successfully showing his 'new' technique 'Soyokaze Step', he shot the ball up in the sky just like the yellow line ordered him; the tiny one went through the defence and passed the ball to Tenma; on the last pass to Takuto, Tenma lost his balance, his toe was aching, it probably wasn't a nice idea to keep on playing but there was no way he would be failing his team like that. The ball was a little deflected to the right. Shindou acted on instinct and jumped to get the ball at the same time number three from the other team did the same action.
Takuto jumped higher and performed his shot once his feet touched land: Fortissimo hit the net.