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Chapter 3 - Rain and Rumors

The sky was heavy over Tokyo. Clouds rolled in thick as school let out

Ren walked with his hands in his pockets. Gloves stuffed in his bag. The sweat on his back already drying in the breeze

"Yo Ren" a voice called

He turned

It was Riku, their center back. Hair always messy, uniform never tucked. He jogged up with a grin

"You hear what the others said after the match? Coach might start you full-time now"

Ren kept walking

"I said might" Riku added

"I do not care about rumors" Ren muttered

But he did

He cared a lot

He just would not show it

As they crossed the main road near the station, the drizzle began. Light at first. Then harder. Riku ducked under the awning of a bakery

Ren stayed in the rain

"Man you are weird" Riku laughed

Ren looked up at the grey sky

He liked the rain

It made the city quiet

He walked home alone. Down narrow backstreets. Past vending machines and rusted bike racks. The puddles were starting to form

By the time he got to the apartment, his socks were soaked

Inside, his mother was already gone for her evening shift. A note sat on the table next to a bowl of curry

Eat. Rest. Do not break another window

He smirked

That happened once

Last year

He dived for a ball in the living room. His elbow cracked the old sliding window. He bled. She cried

Since then, all dives were outside

He ate quick. Then changed into dry clothes and went to the rooftop

Their building was only six floors high. From the roof, he could see parts of the Sumida River. Neon lights reflected on the water. Far off, a train screeched

Ren dropped into a crouch. No ball this time. Just form

He worked through motion drills. Push off the right foot. Shift weight. Hands up. Collapse low. Spring up again

Fifty reps

Rain soaked his shirt but he did not stop

Then he heard it

Voices below

He peeked over the ledge

Three boys from the school were talking under the bike shed

"I am tellin you that save in the last minute was luck"

"No way. He read the shot"

"Please. He got lucky. Takeda always goes near post. He guessed and got it right"

Ren stepped back

He knew those voices

One of them was second string keeper

It stung a little

But he breathed slow

This was part of it

Doubt

He had to live with it. Let it sharpen him

He dropped into form again

This time faster

Push shift hands collapse spring

Again

Again

The city below never stopped moving

But up here it was just him

And the rain

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