Rika and Ayumi were doing their best and true to their word, they must have had lots of stored energy and scored two times… The score was now 5-3. The opponent school called for a time out.



The day had finally come. There were many people in the school than usual. It’s because students and faculty members of the other 3 schools who were participating in the Interschool Futsal Competition were also there in support of their alma mater. Fireworks were lit in broad daylight. It’s noisier than usual. Besides from the actual game, there were dance and singing competition as a commencement for the said event in the evening. During the halftime breaks, the cheering team of their respected school will show some cool moves and choreography. The winner will be announced on the commencement activity later that night. Rika’s school were in the team A. They will immediately clash with last year’s champions. Last year’s 1st runner up will fight with the 3rd runner up on team B.

The principal of the host school made some speech. And then, the principal of the last year’s champion school initiated the start of the program. The four schools’ captain and sub-captain will give some ‘entertainment’ before they proceed with the game. The first team showed their music skills. The captain was playing the guitar while the sub-captain was singing. The second gave a magic show. The third, held their own gag show which made everybody laugh out loud. Ayumi and Rika will be the last to perform. The crowd roared when Ayumi and Rika got out wearing their varsity uniform. They have the same accessories, even the shape of their ‘dorky’ glasses were the same. They started to sing and dance “Chirarizumu”.

“Maybe that’s what they’re talking about last time… I didn’t know that the captain and sub-captain had a performance!” Eri shouted so that Reina will hear it against the noise.

“HAI!!! KAKKOI!!!” Reina answered back. Sayu was busy shouting “KAKKOI” and SUGOI” with the crowd. Maki was beside her, just smiling.

The program ended and the game will start within ten minutes. Abe-sensei gathered her team.

“Guys, this is the moment we’re all waiting for! Let’s aim for the gold this year!”

“HAI!!!”

“Ok, Ishikawa, take-over.”

“Hai… Our line up for the first game will be… Me, Shibata, Tsuji, Saitou, Korenaga and Kamei.”

“Ehhh? Why weren’t Maki and Reina in the first line up?” Sayu asked
Reina thought that Rika was still jealous about Maki that’s why she didn’t include her… She was somewhat guilty for not telling the truth.

“We were reserving them for the finals…” Abe-sensei explained.

“But our first match will be against last year’s champions… If we don’t win against them… How are we going to reach the finals?” Masae asked.

“There’s still the 2nd quarter right? We need to hide our secret weapons as much as possible so I ask the rest of you to do your best!” Ayumi said before bowing. Rika bowed after her.

“Yosh…. Let’s get to the finals!!!! Tsuji shouted and the rest followed.


………….
The first quarter started and their team was doing very well. The score is tied at 2-2. Eri was very tired. She did not experience this kind of stress when they were practicing.

“Good job Eri!” Miki shouted when Eri slided and got the ball away from the opponent. She passed it to Hitomi. Hitomi outrun the others and kicked the ball when she was near the goal. The goalie blocked it but Ayumi was there to kicked it the second time. It went in. By the end of the first quarter, they had a 1-point advantage.

“This is not good.” Abe-sensei said to them.

“Why? We were up one point against them… How can that be not good?” Sayumi questioned.

“It’s because all of us were already tired and I think the 10-minute break is not enough to get our energies back.” Eri explained after she drank Gatorade.

“I need Rika and Ayumi in the second quarter… Can the two of you still do it?” Abe-sensei asked.

“Hai… Don’t worry about the two of us…. We still have lots of stored energy in our bodies… This is the moment we were all waiting for. We will not let you down.” Rika answered Abe. The signal to start the second quarter went off.

“Good… Let’s show them what we’re made off!” Abe-sensei shouted and then the six players went to the field.

“Why are they preparing for the next battle when our opponent now is the champion?” Sayu questioned Reina.

“I don’t know.”

“It’s because, that team won last year by default. Those 1st runner-ups are the ones who were tough to handle…” Maki said.

“You were watching futsal last year?” Reina was surprised.

“Nope… Rika told me. They were in there right? That’s why I think Abe-san did this kind of strategy. They were watching this fight right now and I think… The three of us were needed as a secret weapon to win this championship.

Rika and Ayumi were doing their best and true to their word, they must have had lots of stored energy and scored two times… The score was now 5-3. The opponent school called for a time out.

“Great job there!” Abe–sensei exclaimed. Eri immediately sat on the bench…

“So tired!!!”

“I guess we’ll have you replaced. You’re really a tough defender.. Good job! Michishige.. You will replace her.” Abe Natsumi said.

“Hai!” Sayu answered excitedly.

“But don’t do anything… Just guard them heavily… Ok?” Natsumi blinked at her and smiled.

“Gotcha!”

The game ended with a score of 6-3. Ayumi scored in the last second. They still have the rest of the morning and afternoon before the championship match will begin. The 2nd match will start at 10 am… The championship will start at around 4 in the afternoon because the bazaar was scheduled for 12-4. And what Maki predicted came true. The opponent team didn’t even score. The game ended with a score of 9-0. But in compensation for that, the losing team’s cheering choreography was way better.

“Hey, good job there… Come on… I’ll treat you to lunch.” Maki said to Rika. Rika looked at Reina first. She could read Reina’s lips telling her to go on.

“Eh? Why only her… I did great too!!” Eri said to her.

“Don’t worry… I’ll treat the two of you.” Reina said to her best friends and whispered… “Don’t interfere with them…”

“Ooohh… Ok, we understand.” Sayu smiled at her.

“We’ll be going now!” Maki held Rika’s hand before walking away. They didn’t notice that the three were grinning at what they saw. Reina was glad that Maki made the first move to ‘appease’ Rika’s jealousy.
The day had finally come. There were many people in the school than usual. It’s because students and faculty members of the other 3 schools who were participating in the Interschool Futsal Competition were also there in support of their alma mater. Fireworks were lit in broad daylight. It’s noisier than usual. Besides from the actual game, there were dance and singing competition as a commencement for the said event in the evening. During the halftime breaks, the cheering team of their respected school will show some cool moves and choreography. The winner will be announced on the commencement activity later that night. Rika’s school were in the team A. They will immediately clash with last year’s champions. Last year’s 1st runner up will fight with the 3rd runner up on team B.

The principal of the host school made some speech. And then, the principal of the last year’s champion school initiated the start of the program. The four schools’ captain and sub-captain will give some ‘entertainment’ before they proceed with the game. The first team showed their music skills. The captain was playing the guitar while the sub-captain was singing. The second gave a magic show. The third, held their own gag show which made everybody laugh out loud. Ayumi and Rika will be the last to perform. The crowd roared when Ayumi and Rika got out wearing their varsity uniform. They have the same accessories, even the shape of their ‘dorky’ glasses were the same. They started to sing and dance “Chirarizumu”.

“Maybe that’s what they’re talking about last time… I didn’t know that the captain and sub-captain had a performance!” Eri shouted so that Reina will hear it against the noise.

“HAI!!! KAKKOI!!!” Reina answered back. Sayu was busy shouting “KAKKOI” and SUGOI” with the crowd. Maki was beside her, just smiling.

The program ended and the game will start within ten minutes. Abe-sensei gathered her team.

“Guys, this is the moment we’re all waiting for! Let’s aim for the gold this year!”

“HAI!!!”

“Ok, Ishikawa, take-over.”

“Hai… Our line up for the first game will be… Me, Shibata, Tsuji, Saitou, Korenaga and Kamei.”

“Ehhh? Why weren’t Maki and Reina in the first line up?” Sayu asked
Reina thought that Rika was still jealous about Maki that’s why she didn’t include her… She was somewhat guilty for not telling the truth.

“We were reserving them for the finals…” Abe-sensei explained.

“But our first match will be against last year’s champions… If we don’t win against them… How are we going to reach the finals?” Masae asked.

“There’s still the 2nd quarter right? We need to hide our secret weapons as much as possible so I ask the rest of you to do your best!” Ayumi said before bowing. Rika bowed after her.

“Yosh…. Let’s get to the finals!!!! Tsuji shouted and the rest followed.


………….
The first quarter started and their team was doing very well. The score is tied at 2-2. Eri was very tired. She did not experience this kind of stress when they were practicing.

“Good job Eri!” Miki shouted when Eri slided and got the ball away from the opponent. She passed it to Hitomi. Hitomi outrun the others and kicked the ball when she was near the goal. The goalie blocked it but Ayumi was there to kicked it the second time. It went in. By the end of the first quarter, they had a 1-point advantage.

“This is not good.” Abe-sensei said to them.

“Why? We were up one point against them… How can that be not good?” Sayumi questioned.

“It’s because all of us were already tired and I think the 10-minute break is not enough to get our energies back.” Eri explained after she drank Gatorade.

“I need Rika and Ayumi in the second quarter… Can the two of you still do it?” Abe-sensei asked.

“Hai… Don’t worry about the two of us…. We still have lots of stored energy in our bodies… This is the moment we were all waiting for. We will not let you down.” Rika answered Abe. The signal to start the second quarter went off.

“Good… Let’s show them what we’re made off!” Abe-sensei shouted and then the six players went to the field.

“Why are they preparing for the next battle when our opponent now is the champion?” Sayu questioned Reina.

“I don’t know.”

“It’s because, that team won last year by default. Those 1st runner-ups are the ones who were tough to handle…” Maki said.

“You were watching futsal last year?” Reina was surprised.

“Nope… Rika told me. They were in there right? That’s why I think Abe-san did this kind of strategy. They were watching this fight right now and I think… The three of us were needed as a secret weapon to win this championship.

Rika and Ayumi were doing their best and true to their word, they must have had lots of stored energy and scored two times… The score was now 5-3. The opponent school called for a time out.

“Great job there!” Abe–sensei exclaimed. Eri immediately sat on the bench…

“So tired!!!”

“I guess we’ll have you replaced. You’re really a tough defender.. Good job! Michishige.. You will replace her.” Abe Natsumi said.

“Hai!” Sayu answered excitedly.

“But don’t do anything… Just guard them heavily… Ok?” Natsumi blinked at her and smiled.

“Gotcha!”

The game ended with a score of 6-3. Ayumi scored in the last second. They still have the rest of the morning and afternoon before the championship match will begin. The 2nd match will start at 10 am… The championship will start at around 4 in the afternoon because the bazaar was scheduled for 12-4. And what Maki predicted came true. The opponent team didn’t even score. The game ended with a score of 9-0. But in compensation for that, the losing team’s cheering choreography was way better.

“Hey, good job there… Come on… I’ll treat you to lunch.” Maki said to Rika. Rika looked at Reina first. She could read Reina’s lips telling her to go on.

“Eh? Why only her… I did great too!!” Eri said to her.

“Don’t worry… I’ll treat the two of you.” Reina said to her best friends and whispered… “Don’t interfere with them…”

“Ooohh… Ok, we understand.” Sayu smiled at her.

“We’ll be going now!” Maki held Rika’s hand before walking away. They didn’t notice that the three were grinning at what they saw. Reina was glad that Maki made the first move to ‘appease’ Rika’s jealousy.