Have you, as a person, had any inner desires you had no idea you ever had come true? Well, that sounds a bit confusing, even for me.
Have you ever felt like you want or need something even when you have no idea what it is in particular? Something that you feel can have a big impact on your life.
It's quite disturbing since you have no idea what it is and no idea how to fulfil it. I mean, there's no way you can fulfil something you have zero idea about.
My case is quite different, to the extent I began having illusions about something I had no idea about. It's a different place from where I know.
It's a place where… my inner desires can be fulfilled. A place where I felt safer in. A place… where I want to believe that I belong in.
"Hey, Basara-kun, did you get the limited time goodies from Marts?"
"Yeah, I did."
"For real?! I'll be coming over to see it this weekend."
"Okay okay."
*So noisy.* I thought, placing my bag beside my table and looking out of the window.
*Looks like nothing's gonna change… huh?* I thought before letting out a sigh.
The first class for the day was homeroom. The homeroom teacher was giving an announcement about the upcoming school sports festival which was to be held in the coming week.
She asked us to pick out an activity that we'd be able to engage in and report to her the next two days.
Everyone was to participate, and no one was excluded.
BOYS- Football
GIRLS-Volleyball.
During lunchtime, I grabbed my bento box and left the classroom, ready to go up to the rooftop.
"Atsu-kun!" A girl shouted, running in my direction and waving.
*Huh? Atsu-kun?! Why Atsu-kun? Only Shi…* I thought, standing and waiting for her to approach me.
"Atsuya-kun." She called, running past me, smiling at the guy who stood behind me.
Smile... smile...💢💢
*Well, luckily, I didn't try talking to her. That would have been embarrassing.* I thought, walking away hastily.
As you'd have guessed, I'm a loner. No friends to call my name, no one to eat with during lunch and no one to have fun with.
The only person who cared about me, my mom, disappeared all of a sudden before I got into high school. It's safe to say she died, though. And my dad… well… I have no clue who he was since I never got to meet him.
~ ~ ~
"Guys, let's go train for our match against the second years. Jo would surely play for his class, and we might lose." Juro, our assistant class prefect, said as the others concurred.
Jo's a member of the school's soccer team and was a really good player in junior high. He wasn't an ace in the senior high school soccer team, but he was the rising star.
We all went to the field, and they began their training. I had to lie to sit it out since I didn't really like engaging in team sports.
They discussed tactics, had fun, had practice, and so on.
I decided to stay with them, though. I would have left since no one would care anyway, but I stayed back.
Soccer has kinda piqued my interest over the years. I felt something towards the sport but I had no idea. I used to play in the past with my uncle, and that was that.
But still… the feelings I had while playing with my uncle felt incomplete. That wasn't what I wanted. There was something more intriguing. Somethinh that drew me closer to it. I wasn't satisfied no matter how much we played together and so I gave it up.
And it hunted me…
The practice ended a little later than I had hoped, but I was finally free to leave the school.
I went straight home to open up our diner. It was more like a family business that was passed down to my mother by her father. The business wasn't a bad one, so with the money realised we could make ends meet.
Luckily for me, I wasn't a bad cook since I watched my mom every day and helped her out whenever she needed help.
"Hey, Atsushi-kun." An old man called walking into the diner as I looked towards him.
"How have you been, Fujita-San?" I asked as he took a seat.
"Ha… managing, I guess. I see you aren't having any problems." He said.
"I'm not. Thanks for your care." I said.
"One plate of curry rice for me." He said as I nodded before turning on the cooker.
The next customer walked in and sat at a table, and I greeted him before asking what he needed. He replied, and I rushed to prepare it as more customers kept coming in.
Our diner wasn't really a popular one. Just a diner where the locals come to eat after work or school.
My mom was really good with what she did, and because of that, we began having many customers patronising us.
I closed the shop after having a series of customers and walked back home, which was actually the floor above the diner. After I was done showering, I fell on the bed and slept off.
☆ ☆ ☆
The next day, I went to school as usual and went straight to my class, class 1-9. First class, homeroom. The teacher asked us to pick papers for the activities that we would engage in during the sports festival ( activities other than the general class one).
*The hell?* I thought while looking at the paper, boys 100 meter dash.
"Oshiba Atsushi, 100 meters dash." The teacher said as my name was written down on the board.
"The day's almost here, do your best." He said before leaving the class.
*Tch, I should have tried avoiding this.* I thought going back to my seat.
Ha... the terror.
The sports day came, and everyone seemed really happy. I mean, it was a festival. No school, just a day to have some real fun, laugh at others, or get laughed at.
Running wasn't a sport that I hated. I didn't hate running at all. I actually started running after I gave up on soccer.
In the end, I gave up on it in my second year at junior high. Sounds like I've given up on most things that I loved.
"Runners for boys 100 meters dash please line up." I walked up front and stood on my marks.
"Who's that kid that's running for our class?"
"I don't know, I don't think I've seen him before."
"I hope he doesn't make us lose. We've been doing badly since today."
I knew I was the one they were referring to, and yes, we've been behind in the activities we've done. The whistle was blown, and as I was about to start running, I tripped and fell.
"Wait. I think I remember him." Someone said.
"Whoa!"
"Dammit, we'll lose."
*Arrgh! I've gone and done it.* I thought, my face buried in the sand.
I didn't want to stand cause I was ashamed. But still… I didn't want to lose. Not for anyone's sake but for the fact that I made a promise to a certain someone…
Before I knew it, I stood up and began running again. This time around, as fast as I could.
*Can't imagine her face if I just act nonchalantly.* I thought, running past the seventh and sixth placers.
"Whoa, he's really fast." Someone said as I ran past the 3rd placer.
We reached the finish line, and I came in second, that's cause I barely made it past the second as we approached the finish line.
"Who's that guy?!"
*I'm never doing that again.* I thought breathing heavily as the others came to congratulate me.
PS: None of them knew who I was, just that I was in the same team as them.
The sports festival went smoothly later on and we had no problem. I hid behind another team when they were looking for boys to replace one of the soccer players.
I went to watch the soccer match between my class and our opponents to cheer my class on.
The second half of the game was already beginning with no goals from any team.
The red team, our opponents passed the ball to the guy in the right wing, and then, there was a corner and then...
"GOAL!!!!!" The red team had scored.
*How nice, if only I was down there.* I thought, smiling lightly before closing my eyes.
"Y…"
*Hm?*
"Argh!" I screamed as I felt a sharp pain on my neck.
*Huh? What's this? It's wierd.* I thought looking at them.
None of them had a face, and their movements were slowed down.
I stood up immediately, but others were still clapping. Then, all of a sudden… everything blurred.
My whole body felt numb, and I didn't even know what to think anymore.
"Your wish… is my command." I heard a creepy voice say.
*What the hell is… that creepy voice? What wish?* I thought before finally blanking out.
☆ ☆ ☆
"What's going on?" I asked, opening my eyes.
*Ugh… it's so bright.* I thought, sitting up.
"Where's this place? What's going on?" I asked, looking around me.
"Welcome to SW East." A man said as I looked up at him.
"Who?" I asked, confused.
"You'll be in my care throughout your stay here. I am Yamazaki Haruya. You can call me coach." He said, his face too stern.
*Oh, I get it. Maybe it's cause I was too tired from running that I'm having this kind of dream.* I thought.
"You might be thinking it's a dream, but it isn't. Follow me and I'll take you to the main hall." He said, walking away.
*Reality?* I thought before walking behind him.
That was the beginning of my dream. It wasn't something I had no idea of but wanted to figure out. It was something I wanted and tried to fulfil.