Blue Dream Trail (Soccer) - Episode 5

3rd year in the U-15 team (3rd year of junior high school)

Ren was already over 170cm tall. He was starting to gain muscle, and his sprinting power had improved, but what had changed even more was his voice.

He just utters a word in the middle of the field, and those around him move naturally.

The atmosphere of “You can trust what this player says” was beginning to permeate Ren’s play.

Then, in the summer, it was decided that I would accompany the U-18 team to their training camp.

However, what awaited him there was a clash of talent.

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The U-18 players were on a different level in terms of physical perfection, speed, and reading the game acumen.

Among them, it was unusual for Ren, who was still in his third year of junior high school, to be included.

As expected, in the first Red vs. White game, Ren only touched the ball three times.

Moreover, there were two missed passes.

The moment the pass went awry, the gazes of his teammates sharpened for just a moment. No one said anything. However, that silence made Ren’s heart beat faster.

“…That boy, is he a U-15?”

“Just being big won’t do you any good.”

Ren is already 178cm tall. However, it was the “air” that overwhelmed him.

My mind can’t keep up with the “speed” of the game.

After returning to his room, Ren opened his notebook.

The playing tendencies, habits, preferred spaces, and timing of movements of each team player.

I didn’t sleep until the page was filled.

The next day, Ren’s play changed.

Instead of doing things at your rhythm, enter into the breathing of others.

And then, the moment he stole the ball and deployed it with one touch…

“Hey, Ren, nice!” “That was perfect!”

For the first time, the voice of an 18-year-old was directed at me.

When I turned towards the voice, it was Captain Hiiragi laughing.

He was usually quiet and strict, but right now he was a little softer.

I felt as if something had come loose deep inside my chest.

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From Shu Washizaki’s point of view

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Ren worries about not letting anyone notice.

I thought that was the kind of guy he was from the beginning.

It’s not that the intensity of their play has decreased, nor are they slacking off.

But sometimes there seems to be some hesitation.

The way the pass is made. The direction of the body. That split second.

(His good points don’t match up.)

I guess I wasn’t the only one who thought that way.

But nobody said it aloud

I didn’t say anything either.

–Then why didn’t you say anything?

The answer was simple.

“I didn’t have that much trust yet.”

The back of Ren that I saw was always lonely.

He didn’t laugh with anyone or give any instructions, he just quietly watched the game.

Even though we were on the same pitch, it felt like we were in two different places.

But I was thinking.

(He’s going to go higher. Probably much further than me.)

My eye is on the consistency of play.

Correct placement, correct coverage, correct risk management.

However, Ren’s play sometimes goes beyond that “correctness.”

Knowing that, I watched in silence.

The day his doubts will eventually turn into confidence.