Chapter 188 On Target
Kan sprinted after his parents, attempting to close the distance as they sped towards home.
Despite calling out, his words went unheard. Undeterred, Kan persisted until they reached their doorstep. Opening the door, he found his parents on the couch, panting.
"What's... why were you running?" Kan inquired, slightly out of breath. His parents exchanged a side glance, sighing instead of responding.
Perplexed, Kan pressed on, "Why were you running? Was someone after you?" He peered through the door, scanning for any potential pursuers.
His dad stood up without a word, heading to his room. "It's nothing, really," his mum finally said, rising to follow his dad.
Kan overheard his dad's murmured question, "How did he find us...?"
"I believe he can't find us in here...." His mum replied
The statement left Kan surprised.
"Who has finally found them? Is there something they're hiding?" he wondered.
Attempting to eavesdrop, Kan approached their door, only to find an unusual silence. It seemed as if his parents either sensed his presence or had nothing to discuss.
After a brief wait, Kan walked away, pondering the mystery.
Outside, he sought Ellie, but she was gone. Assuming she went home, Kan returned to finish his meal.
As he ate, he couldn't shake off the concern about his parents' unusual behavior. Their determined run was out of character.
Kan thought about what might be chasing his parents or what they were running away from. Their atypical behavior raised questions he couldn't answer.
His parents had never displayed such urgency before, leaving Kan puzzled and concerned.
******
There was a loud noise emanating from the clubhouse walkway. After class, Kan walked to the football ground for the day's training, finding an unusually bustling scene with numerous students moving about.
Typically, Kan would pass through, encountering only a person or two. However, today, the walkway was teeming with people walking in pairs, engaged in conversation, or standing in matching club attire. Some shirts were unfamiliar to Kan, but he recognized them as belonging to various clubs.
Half of the walkway was now cluttered with empty containers and trash. Pausing at the football clubhouse door, Kan heard an unusual noise emanating from inside. As he opened the door, he was surprised to find a multitude of students all dressed in the school's football jerseys—far more than the usual 14 he was familiar with.
Approximately 25 players occupied the space, with some playing on the pitch and others seated on the reserve bench. Kan stepped onto the pitch, scanning for familiar faces amidst the crowd of new ones. "Who are these guys?" he mumbled as he walked past them. The only familiar face was Coach Nami, chatting with an official at the other end of the pitch.
"Where's Emily, Wick, and the rest?" Kan muttered once more, his attention divided. Not watching where he was going, he bumped into someone on the other side, quickly turning to apologize.
"Sorry, mate..." Kan began, only to realize the person was Wick. "Oh, Wick, didn't see you. How have you been?" he asked, offering his hand for a knuckle bump, which Wick accepted.
"I'm good, and you?" Wick replied.
"Same, what's with these guys?" Kan inquired about the reason behind the sudden gathering of players.
"They're all here for the football competition coming up," said Emily, walking towards them with a smile.
"They've gathered to train, and the selection will determine who gets to play in the upcoming competition," Emily added.
"Oh, I see. So others are also eager to participate. But that's not fair. Why are they only coming because there's a competition ahead?" Kan complained.
"Well, it doesn't matter; if you're good enough, you'll get nominated. Only 18 players will be chosen, and the rest will have to go. I believe you won't be among those who have to leave," Emily assured. Kan chuckled at her words.
While they were talking, Coach Nami walked to the center of the pitch and made an announcement, "Come closer, all of you!" Coach Nami said. In response, the players, whether sitting or standing, gathered around the coach, maintaining their silence.
"I'm pleased to announce that the competition is scheduled for next week and will span a month, with numerous schools participating. I expect each of you to give your best," Coach Nami declared, pacing around and making eye contact with each player.
"Your performance in the training sessions will be the key factor in determining your participation," she emphasized, underlining the importance of their dedication and effort.
"Today's training will focus on ball control and passing. But first, I want all of you to circle the pitch 50 times at a normal speed and then 20 times at full speed. Savvy?" Coach Nami announced once more.
"Yes!" The players shouted in unison.
"Okay, go, go!" Coach Nami exclaimed, clapping her hands to urge the players to start jogging around the pitch.
Immediately after her announcement, the players started running around the pitch in a random manner.
"Go in pairs!" Coach Nami instructed, bringing order to the chaos. The players quickly organized themselves into pairs, with Emily partnering with Kan as they circled the pitch.
Emily, accustomed to jogging around the pitch, found it effortless. Kan, too, showcased perseverance, unlike many players who were newcomers and struggled to keep up. Some lagged behind, and a few had already stopped.
"Hey, you! Come on, come on! Get going!" Coach Nami shouted, encouraging those who were falling behind to keep up.
The players who were lagging mustered every bit of strength in them to continue going around the pitch.
As they progressed, the challenge increased. Kan struggled to keep up with Emily, who was accustomed to the routine, especially after completing the 15 rounds at full speed.
Many newcomers barely managed to keep up, but they persevered and finished the jogging rounds.
Afterward, panting heavily, they gathered as Coach Nami addressed them.
"Alright, this is just the start; you'll be doing more than this tomorrow. Consider it a warm-up," she announced. Coach Nami signaled, and an official outside kicked a ball towards her. With precision, she controlled the ball mid-air, surprising Kan, who hadn't expected such skill from her.
"Wow," Kan exclaimed, impressed by Coach Nami's ball control despite her appearance not suggesting she would excel as a player.
"Alright, I know you all saw how I controlled this ball, right? I want each of you to control it even better than I did," Coach Nami instructed. The players nodded in agreement, though some doubt lingered on a few faces.
"There's no control better than that, I believe," Kan overheard some players murmuring behind him.
"I want all of you to control the ball without making a mistake. Make it perfect, understand?" Coach Nami emphasized.
"Yes!" The players replied, ready to take on the challenge.
"Good! Now, group yourselves into your specialized positions: goalkeepers, midfielders, defenders, and attackers. Each of you will undergo different control training.
Defenders will control the ball and pass, attackers will control the ball and kick it towards the goalpost, and midfielders will control the ball, dribble, and then pass. Now, form your groups," she announced.
The players began to separate into their respective groups, with the majority joining the defenders, a few in the attackers' line, and a scarce number in the midfielders' group.
Kan found himself in the attackers' group alongside Wick and six others, while Emily and four others joined the midfielders. There were only two goalkeepers.
"Strikers, this is how you'll control the ball," Coach Nami said.
"A goalkeeper should enter the post," Coach Nami instructed and a guy entered the goalpost.
She smoothly passed the ball to the official waiting outside the pitch.
The male official, demonstrating precision, kicked the ball back to Coach Nami with a powerful stroke.
The ball soared through the air in a graceful arc, propelled by the well-executed kick from the official.
As it approached Coach Nami, she stood poised in the center of the pitch. With a keen focus, she anticipated the ball's descent.
Time seemed to slow as the ball met the sole of Coach Nami's foot with precision. In a seamless display of skill, she controlled the ball effortlessly, letting it rest momentarily before swiftly lifting her leg.
The next moment unfolded in a mesmerizing sequence – a powerful kick, executed with the finesse of a seasoned player.
The ball left her foot in a perfect volley, sailing back across the pitch with accuracy.
Coach Nami's movement exuded both grace and authority, leaving an indelible impression on the players who watched in admiration.
The ball sailed with precision, targeting the top corner, but the goalkeeper, displaying remarkable agility, dove and punched it out.
"This is how I want the strikers to play it – even if they don't score, let it be on target," Coach Nami emphasized.
She then singled out a new player among the attackers, a short guy who struggled to control the ball, let alone kick it.
Despite the initial disappointment on Coach Nami's face, she refrained from harsh words, choosing instead to encourage him with a round of applause.
"Now you," she said, redirecting her attention to Kan.
"Come and show us what you're made of."
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