Chapter 78 Football 78 Rationality
If it happened in that place, there's only one answer—it's instinct.
Ranse Kurona's words echoed repeatedly in Amanomichi's mind. He raised his head, his golden eyes narrowed slightly, and his gaze fell on Suoh Koki not far away.
Suoh Hyo-hee was standing at the edge of the court, his tall figure shining brightly under the lights.
He stands 1.92 meters tall, and his long limbs, far from being clumsy, are a perfect blend of strength and flexibility. His speed and agility are not diminished by his height.
They were practically born to become athletes.
Whether it's football, basketball, or volleyball, he can handle them with ease, as if these sports have long been ingrained in his blood.
If physical condition is a gift from God, then instinct is also innate.
Does this prove that he doesn't need "rationality" at all?
So I'm the one who trapped him?
Amano Minaka watched quietly, a complex emotion rising in her heart.
Suoh Hyo-hee has clear goals and dreams, and every choice he makes is firm and confident.
He was born to be the best athlete; fate had already paved the way for him.
"Perhaps... he can make it to the end alone."
Amano Minaka murmured to himself, his voice so soft it was almost inaudible. A strange bitterness welled up in his heart, as if he had been left far behind.
He closed his eyes, trying to suppress the restlessness and unease in his heart. He knew he shouldn't be controlled by these emotions, but a sense of powerlessness surged up like a tide, almost overwhelming him.
Bless him.
Reio Mikage's words resurfaced in his mind.
Tenno Minaka took a deep breath.
"middle."
Suoh Kōki called out the name of Amanomichi.
His slender fingertips were unconsciously rubbing the back of his neck, his knuckles turning white from the force, as if he wanted to rub off a layer of skin.
He didn't know what to say.
No amount of explanation can hide the fact that she chose Mikage Reio.
His head was bowed, his messy hair sweeping across his brow bone and casting a shadow under his eyelids, but it couldn't hide the turmoil churning in his emerald green pupils.
"The match is over." Suoh Koki's Adam's apple bobbed rapidly, his voice sounding like it had been sanded. "We chose Mikage."
His tall frame was slightly hunched, his shoulder blades protruding sharply beneath his green jersey, as if bent by an invisible weight.
In the manga, one can clearly see the bulging veins on Suoh Koki's neck, wrapped around his violently pounding pulse like vines.
His golden pupils contracted as he suddenly remembered a promise he made as a child—to become the best in the world.
"Mikage?"
Amano Minaka heard himself speak in an overly calm tone, but his fingertips secretly dug into his palm, "Rei-ou is a good match for you and Ryosuke."
The stinging pain of his nails digging into his flesh brought him back to his senses. His gaze swept over Suoh Koki, "Rei-oh's basketball IQ can make up for your..."
Before he could finish speaking, his almost broken breath interrupted Suoh Hyo-hee's carefully constructed composure.
I'm sorry.
The air suddenly became viscous.
Amano Minaka smelled the metallic scent and then realized that she had bitten her lower lip until it bled.
"I'll choose Shido for the next round!" Suoh Koki suddenly looked up, his eyes glistening like jade washed by a downpour. But before he could finish speaking, he froze on the spot, because if he chose Shido Ryusei for the next round, this stage would end.
The veins on the boy's long neck bulged, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down like a trapped beast.
I'm starting to regret it.
This is what Suoh Hyo-hee thought.
As time passed, the intense emotions faded from my mind, replaced by guilt and unease.
He didn't know what to say again.
"I don't know what to say either," Tenno Minakataka said first, his composure rising amidst the tense atmosphere.
Sweat dripped down his jawline onto the collar of his jersey, spreading like ink spots on the dark blue tights. The light slanted in through his hanging dark blue hair, casting dappled shadows on his face.
“I saw you on the court.”
Amano Minaka's voice was as soft as falling cherry blossoms, yet it instantly tensed all of Suoh Koki's muscles. His left hand, hanging at his side, suddenly twitched nervously, his fingertips scraping along the seam of his trousers with a soft, rustling sound.
"Persistent and relentless, every step you take..."
"middle!"
The words, which sounded like a summary, made Suoh Hyo-ki suddenly look up, and the back of his head slammed heavily against the metal door with a dull thud.
The emerald green eyes churned like the sea before a storm, but when the calm golden pupils of the Heavenly Emperor came into view, all the surging waves shattered into foam.
Suddenly, my mind exploded.
Suoh Hyo-ki's vision began to blur.
"It's time to end this, Hyoki."
Amano Minaka reached out and smoothed the wrinkles on his jacket, his golden eyes shining brightly under the light, and said with a smile, "Thank you for playing soccer with me."
"I'm also very grateful that you pulled me out of my world of solitude."
He suddenly curled the corners of his mouth into a smile, an expression that should have been warm but instead made Suoh Hyo-ki's stomach ache. "But after all these years, I still don't like this sport."
You can't say you love the sport only if you win the game.
The excitement of victory cannot replace the heartbeat of passion.
What I've always pursued cannot be easily replaced, even if the substitute is more precious.
If you don't like it, you just don't like it.
Amano Minaka cannot bring himself to do anything that disregards his true inner thoughts.
But the blunt words made Suoh Hyo-ki's face turn ugly.
Am I in your way?
I'm dragging you onto a path that doesn't belong to you.
"I will sincerely congratulate you and Ryosuke when you win the W Cup."
The air currents created by Tenno Minaka's turn stirred up the bandages scattered on the floor, and the snow-white strips of cloth fluttered down like broken wings. Suoh Koki's pupils suddenly contracted. He saw the light brown tan line on the back of the boy's neck, faintly visible under his collar. It was a testament to the countless days he had trained under the scorching sun, a mark that even a year of rest could not erase.
The metal edge of the locker suddenly dug into his palm, the pain instantly snapping Suoh Koki back to reality. But his vision began to spin, and in a daze, he saw his fourteen-year-old self and Kira Ryosuke standing at the hospital room door, holding a soccer ball. Cherry blossoms drifted through their fingers onto the palette of colors in the room, and the boy smiled, saying, "Since we're just killing time anyway, do you want to be my models?"
"So that's why you abandoned the two of us?"
Suoh Hyoki's profile appeared exceptionally sharp under the stark white light, his black, tousled hair casting deep shadows in his eye sockets. His Adam's apple bobbed rapidly, as if he were trying to swallow some unspeakable words, but ultimately let them spill out from between his teeth.
The mineral water bottle creaked under the weight of his knuckles, its plastic surface wrinkled with tiny creases, mirroring his shattered state of mind.
The light refracted through the gaps in her hair into her emerald green pupils, but it couldn't illuminate the turmoil churning within them.
"I don't understand."
Suoh Kōki's voice suddenly rose, but the last syllable trembled and fell, "These things are obviously insignificant, aren't they?"
The mineral water bottle finally gave way under the pressure, making a muffled "bang," and a few drops of water splashed onto his tense jawline, like silent tears.
Amano Minaka watched all of this quietly.
His golden pupils contracted slightly, reflecting Suoh Hyoki's almost out-of-control expression.
"Whether it's passion or a goal..."
Suoh Hyo-ki suddenly released the deformed bottle, letting it roll to the ground. "With your strength, what can't you take? What can't you do?"
His voice choked with emotion, and his fingertips unconsciously gripped his green jersey.
Anger mixed with a hint of doubt eventually turned into sadness.
A kind of almost sluggish sadness slowly took root in my heart.
But people are inherently different.
Those who have goals and passions will never understand the meaning of emptiness.
The more something is lacking, the more persistent one becomes.
Just as Minaka Amano is devoted to his passion, Ryosuke Kira pursues his core values.
Only Suoh Kōki seemed to have everything.
Amano Minaka looked down at his hands, his fingertips trembling slightly.
He didn't know what he wanted, nor where he should go. He seemed to have never been as clear and intense as Suoh Hyo-ki; instead, he was always overwhelmed by countless questions and hesitations.
Amano Minaka admired Suoh Koki's innate confidence and determination, and even... felt a little jealous.
But all of this is about to end.
He will no longer play football, nor will he wallow in this endless negativity.
Reason tells Amanomi that his current condition is completely unsuitable for playing football.
And that's it.
Stop moving forward at this highest point.
So, this can be considered a successful "great undertaking," right?
"But the time I spent playing football will be the most unforgettable time of my life." Tenno Minaka tilted his head slightly, his eyes sparkling.
Suoh Hyo-hee looked at him quietly.
"You will always be the most special cog in my chain." Amano Minaka turned his head, looking firmly at Suoh Koki, and gently placed his hand on his shoulder, emphasizing his words.
Is it the most... special?
Suoh Hyo-hee silently repeated this sentence in his heart, and an indescribable sadness welled up in his heart.
He didn't understand why, given his unique status, Tenno Minaka would still choose to leave, to leave the football battlefield they both loved.
"Come on!" Tenno Minaka picked up the bottled water, a hearty smile spreading across his face. "A gift from the victor."
Suoh Hyo-hee was stunned.
Is it a gift from the victors?
He thinks I beat him.
They remained silent and did not speak.
He suddenly realized that this might be the last time they would stand side by side like this.
A white figure appeared in the doorway, peeked inside, and realized he seemed to have gone the wrong way. The person hesitated for a moment, then turned and quickly left, leaving behind a confused muttering: "Lost again? Where exactly is the A357 stadium?"
"What a hassle, why is the competition today?"
Suoh Hyo-hee watched the person appear and disappear at the door without saying a word.
Tenno Minaka looked at his trembling hands and gave a self-deprecating laugh.
In the end, he became a ghost.
I'm such a terrible bastard.
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