Chapter 41 – Celebration

The table was loaded with food in Team Z's celebration room, an eclectic feast brought together by everyone. Plates of golden omelets, crispy gyoza, sizzling yakiniku, fresh salads, stir-fried vegetables, and thick sirloin steaks filled the air with delicious aromas. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement and joy as the players reveled in their victory. Imamura and Bachira were in the middle of a chaotic pillow fight, laughing loudly and leaping across the futons, sending feathers flying as they wrestled for dominance.

"Stop fooling around and help set up the victory feast! And put those futons away!" Iemon barked, balancing several plates while trying to keep order amidst the chaos.

"Yum!" Naruhaya grinned, already nibbling on a piece of gyoza, completely ignoring Iemon's attempts at discipline.

"Quit eating the food, Naruhaya!" Gagamaru scolded, still focused on setting the table beside Iemon.

"That's right," Chigiri chimed in, as he stealthily sliced off a piece of sirloin steak and popped it into his mouth.

Kunigami, noticing Chigiri's snack theft, rolled his eyes as he moved the futons aside, "Take your own advice, Chigiri!"

Kuon, struggling to tidy up the mess caused by the playful duo, glanced around and asked, "Can someone go grab drinks from the dining hall?"

"I'll go," Isagi offered immediately.

"Me too," Kira added.

"I'm coming!" Bachira chimed in excitedly, bouncing on his feet as he joined them.

Just as Kira was about to head out with them, his phone buzzed in his pocket. "Sorry, I have to take this," he said, giving a nod to Isagi and Bachira before stepping out. The two waved him off, unfazed by the delay.

Kira made his way to the quieter locker room, sliding his phone from his pocket. The caller ID showed 'Coach K'. He answered, leaning back against the lockers. "Coach, what's up?" Kira greeted.

"How's it going? It's been over two weeks," Coach K grumbled, his voice filled with the familiar gravel of impatience. "Is it to your liking?"

Kira grinned, staring at the ceiling. "More fun than I expected. This bunch has way more talent than I thought. We were missing out," he said, his tone nonchalant, though there was a note of admiration for his teammates.

They exchanged updates for a while, Kira talking about the standout talents he'd seen so far—particularly Raichi's mastery of set pieces, a skill that left a lasting impression on him.

"That's all well and good," Coach K said, cutting to the chase. "But have you been keeping up with your own training? You didn't slack off, did you?"

Kira hesitated for a fraction of a second, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah, yeah, I'm sticking to the plan. I've got the staff helping me follow your regime, and I've added some extra stamina work. I ran out of gas in one of the games, so I had to compensate."

"And the results?" Coach K pressed, not willing to let him off easy.

"I'm scoring at least one goal every game," Kira answered confidently, trying to maintain his composure. "It's a lot tougher here than I imagined. You wouldn't believe how well some of these strikers defend."

There was a long pause on the other end. Kira could almost feel his coach's disappointed aura through the phone. "You're falling back into your old habits, aren't you?" Coach K finally said, exasperated. Kira could practically see him rubbing his temples.

"N-no, I'm not!" Kira stammered, though he knew the coach had nailed it.

"We've talked about this, brat," Coach K muttered, his tone hardening like a stern teacher catching a student in a lie. Kira winced at the term "brat"—a title he only earned when he was seriously messing up and a term he himself used on others who, in his eyes, weren't taking football seriously enough.

"I'm averaging a goal per game!" Kira tried again, but Coach K was having none of it.

"Don't kid yourself! The training was for you to score at least three goals per game. You're capable of so much more, but you keep getting distracted!" Coach K's voice rose, launching into a tirade about Kira's bad habits and lack of focus. Every word hit like a punch to Kira's pride, the harsh criticism sinking deep.

"Do you understand?" Coach K barked, finally wrapping up his scolding.

"Yes, sir!" Kira saluted reflexively, standing straighter as if his coach could see him through the phone.

"You'd better not just be humoring me, boy."

"No, I'm not! I promise I'll score more in the second selection!" Kira replied quickly, eager to avoid another barrage.

"Now, tell me how you scored all your goals," Coach K grunted, his voice laced with skepticism. He clearly wasn't fully convinced by Kira's previous explanations but was willing to let it slide for now.

Taking a deep breath, Kira began recounting each goal he'd scored, meticulously describing the buildup and execution. He detailed every play, explaining how he used his vision to read the field, how his passing dictated the tempo of the game, creating opportunities not just for his teammates but for himself as well. He spoke of how he manipulated the flow of the match, moving players like pieces on a chessboard. Every nuance and strategic choice he made on the pitch was laid bare for his coach to analyze.

Coach K listened intently, his eyes narrowing in thought. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke. "Hmm... You've done well with your vision, I'll give you that. But you've neglected one of your other main weapons," he said, his tone measured, as if drawing a larger conclusion.

"What? My passing?" Kira asked, genuinely confused. "I controlled the tempo, kept the game under my command. My opponents barely had a say."

Coach K shook his head with a chuckle, cutting through Kira's self-assessment. "No, I'm not talking about your passing," he refuted calmly. "It's clear you've uncovered one of your weapons, but you're still blind to the other."

Kira's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

But Coach K merely smiled cryptically. "That's for you to discover," he said, his voice trailing off in a way that only deepened Kira's confusion. The mystery lingered in the air as Kira's mind raced, searching for an answer that eluded him. Before long, Coach K decided to end the call,

"Remember, Kira, the young lion cub that survives..."

"...will go on to become King for the rest of its life," Kira finished, echoing the mantra he'd heard countless times before. His focus sharpened, the fire inside him reignited.

"Good. Don't forget it," Coach K grumbled one last time before hanging up.

Kira stood in the locker room for a moment, the echo of his coach's words hanging in the air. The weight of expectation settled on his shoulders again, reminding him of his ultimate goal. 'That's right,' he thought, 'this is all about going pro. No more holding back. Ego only values goals, so I'll score more from now on.'

With renewed determination, Kira pushed himself off the bench and headed back to the celebration, leaving the heavy conversation behind for now. It was time to feast and enjoy the victory before the next battle began.