Chapter 6: Familiar Foe
Accepting the quest, he tried to focus on teachers words. With utmost concentration, he stared at his teacher. However everytime he tried to concentrate on her words, the noise from the background would somehow distract him.
'May be it's because I'm so far away from her that's why I'm not able to listen to her'
He mumbled.
While his teacher was reading a children's book, he raised his arm.
"Yes Hiro? How may I help you?"
The teacher exclaimed looking at his raised arms.
In Japan students are taught to raise their hands up before speaking or calling out for teachers to ask questions so as not to disturb them while teaching.
"Sensei I want to sit in the front row to hear you better."
He exclaimed.
His chances of hearing her words were much better in the front row than from his current place. Hearing his response, the teacher gave him a perplexing look.
Previously Hiro used to be one of those few troublemakers of the class. He would fold papers into the shape of balls and kick them. Celebrating as if he scored in an world cup or champions league final whenever he scored a goal against his classmates. And he rarely paid any attention towards his studies and teachers lectures. Around the time when she would be teaching, he would be napping in his desk.
"Are you sure Hiro?? Or are you not feeling well?"
She replied with a concerned look on her face.
"Thank you for your concern Sensei. But I'm alright. I just want to listen to the story you're reading a little better."
He replied back without any hesitation.
However from inside, he was extremely nervous. Afterall he himself knew the reason behind her baffled look.
The teacher took notice of his sincerity and called him forward. She then exchanged his seat with one of the students in the front row. After that she continued to read the children's book.
Finally he was able to hear her better. Although he could still hear the chatters of the kids behind him. However with some concentration, he could focus on her words without being distracted. Which is exactly what he did, he kept his eyes fixated at her lips so as not to miss her words.
Ding!!
[Congratulations to the host for completing the quest.]
[New skill focus is rewarded for the completion of the quest.]
[Please check your status window for more info regarding the skill.]
'Yes!! Finally I completed the quest'
He was celebrating like crazy inside his mind upon completing the quest. However he didn't show any emotions outwardly and maintained a poker face as if he was listening attentively.
'Status window'
He mumbled.
[Focus(skill description): When using this skill, the user can immerse himself completely in any kind of task he's undertaking, negating any kind of distractions.]
[Skill duration: 10 minutes]
[Skill CD: 24 hours]
[Note: The skill cd can be lowered as you upgrade your grades and skill duration can be increased respectively as well]
'Damn!! Such an OP skill. Doesn't it mean that I can negate any kind of distractions when using this skill. I can use it to negate the oppressive cheers of rival fans and I can even use it to negate the negative taunts of the opponents.'
'If Andreas Messi had this skill in 2015 Copa America then he wouldn't have missed his penalty.'
He chuckled.
"Hmm.. Hiro is everything alright?"
The teacher questioned him witnessing his wry smile. Without even realising he was smiling like a maniac.
"Ahh sorry teacher!! I'm alright"
He apologized for his behaviour while trying to regain his composure.
Ding!! Dong!!
The bell of the school rang. He was so focused on the task that he didn't even realize how fast the time flew by.
"Seems like this much for today."
"I'll see you tomorrow"
The teacher exclaimed.
"Thank you Sensei"
The students replied in unison. Although they were still kids, they were taught to appreciate their teachers since their childhood.
Hiro was packing his bags before even the teacher finished her sentence. As he carried the bag, she bewilderingly looked at him.
"Hmm.... Where are you going Hiro? You have cleaning duty today. Don't you remember?"
The teacher exclaimed while collecting her books.
"Huh!! I'm on cleaning duty today? Why does it have to be today?"
He frowned.
In Japan the school's don't hire any janitors for cleaning duty. Instead the students are required to clean their classrooms by themself. In order to teach the students humility and discipline, the school makes the student clean their own respective classrooms and hallways.
He clearly forgot that he was on cleaning duty
Another batch of kids who didn't have cleaning duty packed their bags. However even after packing the bags, they didn't leave the classroom. They were required to wait for their parents to show up before they could head home.
Everyone who were on cleaning duty grabbed their respective mops, brooms, and other tools required for cleaning.
He remembered that he previously cleaned the blackboard in order to complete his cleaning duty so that he can leave quickly.
While the kids whose parents didn't show up stayed late to help in cleaning. Hiro glanced at the duster infront of the teacher's desk. Satoshi a snotty kid was about to pick the duster.
Worried that he'd get the duster before him, he ran towards the duster. Just before Satoshi's hand reached the duster, he snatched the duster from him with lightning speed.
"Hehe... I could even outrun Usain Bolt. Hahaha"
He laughed maniacally.
'Is something wrong with his mind?'
Satoshi gave him perplexing look.
Not only Satoshi but everyone in his classroom looked at him as if he had gone crazy.
He looked around him and to save himself from embarrassment, he calmly exclaimed;
"Ahum!! Please excuse my behaviour."
He spoke in a confident tone as if nothing ever happened in the first place.
He then went directly towards the blackboard without looking at anybody and began to clean the blackboard.
'Feuh!!! That was close'
It didn't take him long to clean the blackboard and by the time he finished his cleaning his father had arrived as well.
"Hiro!! Takahashi Hiro!!"
The teacher called his name.
"Yes mam!"
He yelled.
"Your dad is here. You can go home if you've finished your cleaning duty."
She exclaimed.
He then placed the duster at the teachers drawer and carried his bag.
If he went directly towards the futsal he could still make it for the tournament in time. But he didn't have his cleats with him. So he needed to go back home in order to fetch his cleats.
"Argh!! I should have brought my boots with me."
He frowned.
As he walked infront of the entrance, he noticed his father carrying a bag.
"What's that dad?"
He questioned.
"I knew that you'd forget your boots. So I brought it with me."
He replied with a smile.
Hiro returned back the smile. Because of that simple gesture of his dad, he could make it to the tournament in time and he didn't have to go back to home to fetch his boots.
"Thank you daddy"
Grateful for his gesture, he thanked his father while revealing a big warm smile.
He hopped onto his father's bicycle. And both of them headed towards the futsal. The futsal was about 20 mins away from the school.
As they reached the futsal at the front gate, he saw his mother waiting for them.
"What took you so long? The game's about to begin."
She exclaimed with a worried face.
They hurriedly ran towards the field and barely reached the futsal in time. While the coaches were assembling the team, he was tying his boots.
Flexing his Andreas Messi jersey, he walked towards the field. But nobody even took notice of him except his parents who were cheering loudly for him.
At the center of the pitch many kids were gathered in a circle. Different kids dressed in different jerseys. Most of them were dressed in Andreas Messi and Christian Romero jersey. While there were some of them who were dressed in the jersey of national team and other clubs. He looked extremely average, that's why nobody took notice of him.
While most of the anonymous kids who showed up alone were gathered in the middle. The kids who showed up in teams were far in the right corner and left corner.
However among those numerous teams, one team stood out than the rest. Every member of that team was dressed in pinkish jersey. And most of the kids in that team looked older than the rest of the kids who showed up for the tournament.
Behind their backs were huge letters which read 'Sakura FC youth club'. They were the team of the organiser.
Their keeper was almost 4 feet tall. Compared to the rest of the kid, he was extremely tall. Even the goal post was barely 4.5 feet tall and 5 feet wide. He could instantly recognise the keeper of the Sakura FC youth club.
'So we meet once again huh? Kurosawa Taki'
He mumbled looking at him.
He could have never forgotten his face. Afterall that keeper infront of him was the future keeper of the national team. And because of him previously, he was denied many goals.
Even when the coach infront of him was assembling the team, his eyes were fixated on that keeper.
"Just you wait, I'm gonna humiliate you so much that you'll beg me to have mercy."
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