After school

Communication is key in any team sport so when someone fails to remember this and tries to go solo the reprimand that comes with such a reckless act is to be expected. In soccer going solo can cost you and the team an entire game. Soccer is played with eleven people on the field and there's a pretty good reason for that. Every player has their roles and none must be considered more important than the others. There are four roles/positions in total, which are; goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, and forward. Three of these roles have sub-roles and the forward role holds the strikers. Strikers are the ones tasked with getting the ball to the opposite goal, they are the ones tasked with scoring the balls. So of course, sometimes the ones in those positions think they are better than anyone else and without them, the team would be nothing. That is the thinking of one of my teammates as he constantly refuses to pass the ball when he should. He's an amazing player, but as good as he is he can't do much when too many people are on him. He has to pass the ball to another forward so they can get a point, but he just refuses. He's a liability as long as he keeps this selfish thought process so, as the midfielder, I don't pass the ball to him as often anymore and that doesn't make him happy.

"What do you think you're doing!?" I'm being pulled by my collar by the angry second year with my feet barely still on the ground. Really man?

Why do I always end up in trouble with guys like him? And why do they always see the need to handle me so roughly?

"What's needed to get us a win" what do you think I'm doing?

"You should be passing the ball to me!" He's shouting and I'm no fan of it. He's too close and it irritates my ears. "I'm the main striker"

"I can't pass the ball to you because you're a liability. You don't pass to anyone else and that just ends with you losing the ball" this is just a practice game, but had it been a real thing we would have lost because of him. He is not the only striker and he's not above the others just because he's the center forward. We've got a second striker, a winger, and me, the midfielder. My job is both defense and offense and I'm supposed to score the ball if the opportunity arises. And there were many opportunities, not just for me but for the other forwards as well. This jerk should just learn to pass the ball or play a solo sport if he can't manage teamwork.

"Break it up you two" we're forced apart by the coach who gives our striker a scolding look. "Kitsune is right and she made the right choices. This is a team sport and not all about you. If you don't share the ball you're useless to us, do you understand?"

"But coach-"

"I have nothing more to say to you"

Oof.

"And you" this guy gives off military commander vibes so I just want to salute when he turns to me. "You're an amazing midfielder so it might be your permanent position"

Yes sir, that is exactly what I was hoping to get out of this. I would not be satisfied had I not been assigned midfielder or defender. Those are the two positions I greatly prefer, though midfielder gives me more range so I focused on that. Plus the midfielder is supposed to help the defenders as well as the forwards.

"That said I'm going to need you as the goalie for a while"

I wanna question it, but I don't, something that is greatly appreciated. While I'm gearing up to be in the net I learn that coach does this to every first year. Basically, he lets them play every position in order to decide what position they are best suited for. Well, it's safe to say I've already earned that midfielder spot, so I got nothing to worry about.

The game resumes with me now in the net and the former goalie in my last position. It's a bit mundane just standing and watching the game, but I know to keep alert and not lose sight of that ball. It could come for me at any moment and at incredible speeds.

Still, I end up losing sight of the ball and only manage to barely catch it through the shifting wind. Had I not been wearing these amazing gloves my hands would be unbelievably red right now. That ball came with a force!

"Nice going Kitsune!"

Konishi Ryōichi, the upperclassman that is always delivering news to me. Everyone likes him and from the authority he holds you would think him to be the team captain. He's the one that started calling me Kitsune and everyone followed suit. Apparently, it's far better than calling me Fox.

The game goes on for an hour or so and by now I've learned each of my teammates' patterns and styles enough to predict some of their movements. The most predictable are the strikers, each of them preferring a certain spot on the field to shoot from. With this predictability, it's easier for me to prevent any shots from landing through most of the game. One of our center forwards prefers coming from the left and waits for the defenders to chase her before faking them out and coming for the goal. The winger tends to stick to the sides, either coming from the right or left and he's very good at long-range kicks, so I know to be on the lookout when he enters midfield. The second striker doesn't usually come with the ball. He's often without it, which keeps the attention off him until he's close enough to the goal. That is when either the midfielder or his fellow forwards pass him the ball. He prefers close range and his kicks are powerful so I always have to brace myself lest I break my wrist with the impact.

"Woah Kitsune you're an amazing goalie" an arm is slung over my shoulders when I'm trying to drink my water to give myself some strength. "You got nearly all of them"

"Yeah that's amazing"

It's not, our players are just predictable.

"Our forwards are too predictable" the coach seems to have read my mind. And is that an approving smile I see? Awe, he's impressed. "That's how Kitsune performed so well. She watched and learned their patterns so she was always prepared when they came. Did any of you notice that most of the points earned came from the midfielder and not the forwards?"

"I am not predictable"

"Says the girl who does the same thing almost every day"

"Shut up, Konishi"

~~~~~~~

What I've realized about school in Japan is that the kids tend to spend almost the entire day there. School ends at around 3:15, after that it's after-school activities most of which last from an hour to three depending on what club you're part of. Being a part of the soccer club I sometimes leave school at five in the afternoon, maybe even six, which is evening already. I would not have liked to attend school in Japan in my last life, not at all. I don't know how I can stand it right now even.

Today is one of the days I leave school later than I would like, having stayed for practice until the very end.

Leaving school at this time I often see the weirdest things taking place on the schoolyard and today is no different. Well, I wouldn't consider it weird, just unusual to me. Perhaps it's not that unusual to find a lonesome Kirishima sitting on the bench just by the gate. It's where I sit when I need to wait on Morgan to come get me and this is the first I'm seeing him there. It's still odd to see him so unlike the boy I know. No red hair, no cheery grin, no uplifting personality. Seeing him now I wonder if there is anything I could do to help him or if I should even interfere with him. I'm not sure if I could help him any, I doubt I'm any good with such things, unlike Mina. She's the people person after all.

But I'm an empath, you'd think I'd have better people skills.

There's no avoiding him right now since I occupy the bench often. Though I could just go wait somewhere else, there are plenty of other places where I can wait.

Yet I still end up sitting next to him. The silence is way too loud for me and I can tell he's a bit nervous. I chance him a glance to find him already looking at me, only to panic slightly when I catch him.

He's really jumpy.

"Kirishima right?" Might as well give it a shot.

"Yeah, and you're Fox" he manages a weak smile before dipping his head again and simply staring at his shoes. "Gotta wait too, huh?"

"Yup, it can take a while" wouldn't be Morgan if she wasn't late. I should get a bike.

"Sorry for taking your spot" he apologizes when there really is no need to. Seems he knew I always sit here and it's because of me that he never sits here, but since he didn't see me today he thought I had already left.

"It's okay, it's not like I own the bench"

There's a long silence again, neither of us knowing what to say apparently. Kirishima's had a pretty terrible day, so I'm not sure I should try to make any further conversation.

Why did I come sit here?

The silence lasts until Kirishima's parents get here and that's when I learn something quite interesting. This guy has two mothers, isn't that cool? What would having two mothers be like I wonder? Well, I could only imagine what having two Roses as mothers would be like. The food would be endless.

Not long after; Morgan shows up, just a little bit earlier than usual. Hopefully, that means she's improving her punctuality.

"Hey kid" the usual greeting when I scramble into the passenger seat. She's dressed as dapper as ever, always looking as if she has to go see some impressive friends, and for all I know that's the actual truth.

"You're not as late as usual, good going"

"Glad you noticed, I'm striving to be a better person" she's grinning brightly, way too excited about this apparent strife to be better. She's odd like that. She says this today but in a day or two, she'll be back to her ways.

"I'll give you two days max"

She's offended by the words, saying I could put a bit more faith in her and actually encourage her instead of looking forward to her failing. While that would be good and all, what's the fun in it? Besides, she'll try to prove me wrong which will just motivate her to stick to her words. So in a way, I am encouraging her because I'm a great person and anyone would be lucky to know me.

That sounds very arrogant.

"So, Zen, got any friends?" It's the first she's asking this, though it's not too surprising. She is the one encouraging us to make friends and even had the balls to comment something about me being lonely. Why would I be lonely? I've got Alissa to bother me constantly and Israel to tease and now I've got Morgan to pester as well. I am not a lonely person.

When I say nothing she chuckles as if expecting that.

"Awe, still friendless? I'm starting to think you're afraid of people"

Fear isn't the right word for it, but I'll let you think so.

"If you must know, I have made a friend" though not entirely willingly as Mina just decided she liked me enough to stick around. And we did have somewhat of an agreement as stupid as that thing was.

Oh yeah, I promised her a badge. I'll ask Alissa to make me one.

"Imaginary friends don't count Zena" she's way too amused when she says this and that's not very nice. I'm capable of making friends, I can talk to people.

"She's not imaginary and you're not funny"

"Come on, I think I'm pretty funny. If I wasn't interested in the hero business I could be a very successful comedian"

I doubt it and she knows it. She doesn't care enough to say anything else on the matter, though I'm sure she'll try to sell me some jokes later.

"Okay, so you've made one friend in the one month you've been in that school"

"Sounds about right"

"Well, I guess that's good enough" she shrugs and I detect a bit of surprise from her. Is she surprised I made a friend?

"Why do you sound surprised?"

"I didn't think you'd bother talking to anyone at your school, so I didn't think you'd make a friend this soon" there's no jab or joke, just honesty. I guess she has a point there and I actually didn't talk to anyone, safe for Kirishima today, but that was pretty pathetic. If Mina hadn't been persistent I probably would still be without a friend.

Ugh, I'm not socially skilled.

"I didn't actually talk to anyone. Some kid thought it was a good idea to pick on me, I punched him, amongst other things, he wanted to fight, someone stepped in to defuse the situation. One thing led to the next and she started sitting with me during lunch and hasn't actually left. Then we had some stupid conversation that led to her just saying she's my friend now and I joked about getting her a badge"

Morgan is quiet after my ramble and I'm worried for a second before she bursts into laughter, which is just very concerning since she's behind the wheel.

"She basically adopted you" Morgan wheezes.

What no, that's not what happened, we had an agreement. Well not really. She just said that we were friends from that point on and I could not disagree.

Wait, is Morgan right then?