Chapter 7: Kondou’s Miscalculation

──Kondou’s Perspective──

Hmph. So this is the caliber of college students? I’m only permitted to join the second-string team’s practice, but honestly, no one here is worth my time. I’m in peak condition today, as always.

It’s dull. My flashy passes cut through with pinpoint accuracy, just as expected. But these talentless forwards keep botching their shots.

“Hey, you lot aren’t seriously getting outplayed by a high schooler, are you?!”

The second-string coach’s voice dripped with fury.

“Dammit!” The second-string captain collapsed to the ground, frustration etched across his face. This is what makes it worthwhile—watching these losers crumble, their confidence shattered by my overwhelming talent. At this rate, I’ll waltz onto the first-string team the moment I enroll.

“Tch, we can’t let this kid get too full of himself. Oi, Gouda! Get over here and mark that high schooler!”

The guy they called was a defensive midfielder from the first-string team, a bit shorter than me.

Huh, so they’re finally sending someone halfway competent? If I can outplay this guy, I’ll solidify my spot as one of the top dogs in college soccer. This should be fun.

A pass came my way almost instantly. Gouda-senpai squared up, eyes locked on me.

I’ll shake him off in a flash. The moment I moved to dribble past, my body slammed into something unyielding and was sent sprawling.

“Hah?!”

A strange yelp slipped out as I crashed onto the field, grass scraping against my skin and bits lodging in my mouth.

“Oi, you okay?”

Gouda’s voice cut through the haze. For a fleeting moment, a chill of fear gripped me at the raw power of his sturdy frame, which had floored me with barely a nudge.

No way! That was just a fluke. The skill gap can’t be that wide. I’m destined to rule soccer in this country!

──One Hour Later──

I was utterly outclassed. To think I’d lose this badly.

Every dribble I attempted was met with a effortless shove that sent me reeling.

Every pass I tried was read like an open book, intercepted before it could even unfold.

Just moments ago, I was dominating the second-string team like a god, but now I’d become a laughingstock.

I trudged to the bench to cool off, gulping down a sports drink.

It’s fine. I’m just off my game today. If I get serious, that guy’s nothing…

“Hey, Coach, are you really planning to recruit that high schooler?”

Gouda’s voice reached me from nearby, likely behind the bench, where he was talking with the coach.

“Yeah, that’s the plan. What’s your take?”

“Pass on him. He’s just a high school hotshot. Weak physically, no stamina, and he gives up the second he loses the ball. He’s a relic from a bygone era—a delusional ace who’ll strut around like a king on the second-string team. Total loser vibe. No good. Zero talent.”

My grip faltered, and the plastic bottle I’d been clutching slipped from my hand, rolling across the ground. I could only stare at it, stunned.

※

Damn it, who does that guy think he is?! Infuriating, infuriating, infuriating!

They kept talking behind the bench, completely unaware of my presence.

“Sure, he’s got some raw talent, but it’s obvious he despises practice. He won’t grow like that. He’s so full of himself, with zero respect for others, and he’ll tank team chemistry. Plus, he’s a walking yellow card—or red—waiting to happen, putting us at a disadvantage. I don’t see him being anything but a liability.”

The cold, surgical precision of his words made my blood boil, urging me to scream.

I stomped on the fallen bottle, crushing it underfoot. The remaining liquid spurted from the cap, staining the dirt.

“I hear you, but his talent’s undeniable. He was tearing up the second-string team. Can’t we take him in and shape him? Treat him like a raw gem.”

“Maybe, Coach, if you say so. We’ll do what we can. But guys like him tend to rebel, skip practice, and stagnate.”

“Then it’s on him. We’ll let him rot in the second or third string.”

Humiliation, humiliation, humiliation. The word looped relentlessly in my mind. My pride felt trampled, ground into the mud like discarded trash.

I yanked out my phone and shot a message to Miyuki, my convenient side piece—number two, to be exact.

She’d been whining about feeling lonely since I couldn’t walk home with her today. If I call, she’ll come running, no matter where. That girl’s already half-broken, clinging to me like a lifeline.

My strategy has her crushed under the weight of self-loathing and desperation. She’s nothing more than a trophy—beautiful, an honor student, utterly obsessed with me, willing to do anything. I savor the thrill of making her betray that pathetic boyfriend of hers so easily, begging me not to cast her aside.

“Oi, Miyuki. Can you come out? Wanna go on a date in Tokyo?”

The message was marked as read almost instantly.

Too easy.

“Yes, I’ll be there right away!!”

As expected. I arranged a meetup near a station by the entertainment district, where I can have my fun with her.

This university? I’m done with it. I’m too good for this place. I’ll keep my options open, wait for an offer from a school that’ll build a team around me, and then I’ll crush Gouda and get my revenge.

They’ll regret crossing me.

Just you wait.

──Miyuki’s Perspective──

Senpai’s call came, and I hurried to change and head out.

The meeting spot is the kind of place where I’d get nabbed by the police in a heartbeat if I showed up in my school uniform. So, I slipped into something that makes me look as mature as possible—a chic navy dress for today. It’s another trick Senpai taught me. In the end, I’ve been completely reshaped by him, dyed in his colors.

At school, I play the diligent vice-class-rep, but inside, I’m rotten. All I’ve gained is cunning know-how, like dodging cops while loitering in nightlife districts.

“Hey, Miyuki, where are you headed? It’s nearly sundown. It’s not safe for a girl to be out alone.”

I usually sneak out to meet Senpai on nights when Mom’s pulling late shifts, but today’s different. I meant to slip away for some fun, but my luck’s sour. I planned to brush her off, but with everything crumbling around Eiji, my heart’s fraying at the edges. I just wanted to lose myself in Senpai’s arms, even for a fleeting moment.

“Sorry, someone I owe a favor to called.”

“Miyuki, something’s wrong. You’ve been off for a while now. Is it something bothering you? Or is it about Eiji-kun…?”

The moment Mom uttered Eiji’s name, my blood ran cold, as if my veins had frozen solid.

“Eiji’s got nothing to do with this!”

My own shout startled me, ringing harsh in my ears. Mom’s face crumpled, her eyes glistening with the threat of tears.

“What’s gotten into you, yelling like that out of nowhere?”

“Shut up! I’m in high school now, so stop meddling in my life!”

I shook off Mom’s clinging hand and bolted out the door, fleeing the house. I hopped on a train, bound for Senpai.

※

“Senpai!”

I rushed into the fast-food joint at the station where we’d agreed to meet. He was still in his practice gear, sweat lingering from training. Not the school’s standard kit, though—with his broad frame, he could easily pass for a college student. His school bag’s probably stashed in a coin locker somewhere. You don’t carry bags or wear uniforms with school logos in the entertainment district.

“Yo, you got here fast.”

Senpai had just polished off a cheeseburger and fries. Good. I didn’t keep him waiting long.

“Sorry for making you wait.”

“So, what’s the plan? Wanna hit an arcade?”

The game centers around here always intimidated me; I’d never dare step near them alone. But with Senpai by my side, I feel untouchable. That’s his allure—something Eiji could never match.

“That sounds fun, but…”

“Hm?”

His smile seemed to pierce right through me, sparking a rush of joy. I pressed on.

“I don’t want to go home tonight.”

Senpai nodded, a pleased glint in his eyes. Tomorrow’s Saturday, and there’s a school-wide mock exam, but it’s not mandatory. Senpai said so once. I want to keep sinking deeper, chasing the twisted thrill of self-destruction.

And so, we headed to a hotel.

In the room, I clung to him. In these moments, his gentle “I love you” soothes my tattered heart. Happiness. For just this instant, I can bury the guilt, possessiveness, and jealousy I feel toward Eiji.

“Senpai,” I murmured, my voice sweet and coaxing as I held him close.

“What’s up?”

“Let’s skip school tomorrow. I want to spend as much time with you as possible.”

“Sounds good to me.”

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in tight.

──Somewhere in Tokyo, Unknown Perspective──

“Hello, is this the police? I’ve spotted a couple who look like high schoolers checking into a love hotel. Isn’t that an issue? Yes, the location is…”

I hung up. This should nudge Kondou closer to his downfall.

Let’s rewind. I’ve always been a weakling.

I had a childhood friend. We were inseparable since kindergarten, our families entwined. As kids, she was the bold one, stealing our first kiss. As we grew into adolescence, we cared for each other deeply and became a couple. Middle school was the happiest time of my life. I was dating my beautiful childhood friend, harboring quiet dreams of marrying her someday. I thought those joyful days would last forever.

But that summer, in our second year of middle school, everything shattered—because of that vile Kondou from the soccer club.

Kondou was a seasoned playboy, infamous even in middle school. He exploited a crack in our relationship, worming into her heart and leading her to cheat.

“That otaku’s so creepy.”

“Having him as my boyfriend was the biggest shame of my life.”

Kondou coaxed those words from her, feeding his own ego. It’s the lowest kind of game.

Then came the day I confronted her about her cheating.

“Don’t ruin my happiness. Please, just break up with me.”

The girl who once smiled so warmly at me glared as if I were scum, her arm linked with Kondou’s.

“Why?! Why?! Didn’t you promise we’d get married?!”

I clung to her, sobbing, casting aside all pride. But she laughed, cold and cruel, and hurled reality in my face.

“Don’t you get it? I’m crazy about Kondou-kun, so I’m done with you! That’s how it is, so end it already. I’m going to be happy with him.”

In that moment, my world collapsed. All that remained was a burning hatred for Kondou.

I stopped attending school. It took over two years to crawl back.

I was strong academically, and my middle school teachers never gave up on me, so I clawed my way into a prestigious prefectural high school. But Kondou and my childhood friend were there too. Word was she got dumped by him almost immediately and turned into a near-stalker. I treated her like a stranger.

I wanted a fresh start in high school, but my first semester was wasted—friendless, consumed by distrust.

Then, after last summer break—around this time a year ago—I met someone who changed everything: Aono Eiji. He’d noticed me isolating myself since the first semester. A seat change after summer break put us close enough to talk.

“Hey, you’re always reading, huh? I’m in the literature club, so I’m curious. Got any book recommendations?”

We didn’t hang out after school, but our shared interests made him the only classmate I could chat with casually. That alone pulled me from the colorless void I’d been trapped in for years. Talking with him helped me connect with others, and I began to reclaim my lost youth. Aono-kun probably never realized he saved me, but he did.

I switched to a science-track class, so we drifted a bit, but I’ve always wanted to repay him. My happier high school life is thanks to him.

Then, a year after meeting him, right after this summer break, a rumor tore through the school: he’d been violent toward Amada-san, his supposed girlfriend, and became a pariah. There’s no way my hero would do something so despicable.

Digging into the rumor, I found Kondou’s shadow lurking behind Amada-san. Rage consumed me. I couldn’t forgive him for hurting someone I care about—not once, but twice.

“Kondou. You again!”

Driven by fury, I started investigating him, hunting for any leverage.

Yesterday, I saw him enter Amada-san’s house. But that wasn’t enough—he could shrug it off as a visit.

So, I waited for a decisive moment. It came sooner than expected.

I caught them meeting in Tokyo’s nightlife district, slipping into a love hotel—a place high schoolers are barred from entering. I snapped photos with my phone and called the police without hesitation.

This should corner them. I’ll print these photos and send them to the school. This evidence will topple that fake soccer club king.

Now, I’ll exact my revenge and justice, hoping it’ll ease Aono-kun’s burden, even just a little.