Morning on the day of the finals.
Lihan woke up earlier than usual.
It wasn’t even fully light out yet, but he couldn’t sleep.
Today’s match would be the last one, and then the tournament would be over.
And he also remembered what Ryu had said yesterday.
When the final is over, I have something to say.
Lihan stared at the ceiling for a long time before checking his phone.
There was a message from Ryu.
Awake?
Lihan replied right away.
Yes. What about you, senior?
I woke up too. My ankle is fine.
Liar.
I’m really fine today.
I’m glad then.
A little while later, another message came from Ryu.
Lihan.
Yes.
Don’t be nervous today.
Lihan thought for a moment before replying.
If you’re there, I don’t think I’ll be nervous.
A few seconds later, a reply came.
I think I’ll be fine if you’re there too.
Lihan stared at that line for a long time before putting his phone down.
Then he laughed softly.
When he arrived at the stadium, the atmosphere was heated, just as you’d expect for a final.
The stands were packed with students cheering for both teams, and officials from the tournament had gathered around the stadium too.
Ryu couldn’t play today either because of his ankle.
But he was on the bench checking the players’ condition and the opposing team’s tactics.
When Lihan walked over, Ryu said,
"Today’s the last game."
"Yes."
"Nervous?"
"A little."
"Liar."
"Why?"
"When you’re nervous, you talk even more."
Lihan snorted with a laugh.
"Senior, you really do know me well."
"I think I’ve gotten to know you a bit lately."
"Then do you know this too?"
"What is it?"
Lihan looked at Ryu for a moment, then said,
"I really want to win today."
Ryu smiled.
"Me too."
"And you still have something to say after the game, right?"
"Yeah."
"Don’t run away."
"I won’t."
"Really?"
"Really."
Ryu held out his hand.
"Promise."
Lihan took his hand too.
"Promise."
The match began.
As expected of a final, it was intense from the start.
The opposing team focused on shutting Lihan down.
Two players, sometimes three, stayed on him.
But Lihan didn’t rush.
Whenever he got the ball, he checked his surroundings and passed to a teammate.
20 minutes into the first half.
Our team got a chance to attack.
Lihan received the ball on the wing.
Two defenders rushed him.
Instead of breaking through, Lihan passed it toward the center.
A teammate sent the ball back to Lihan.
At that moment, Lihan spotted open space in front of the goal.
Shot.
Goal.
1–0.
Cheers exploded from the stands.
Lihan immediately looked toward the bench.
Ryu had stood up and was throwing both hands high in the air.
Lihan smiled too.
Then he mouthed,
See that?
Ryu nodded.
Good job.
But when the second half started, the mood of the game changed.
The other team’s attack grew fierce.
10 minutes into the second half.
In the end, they conceded the equalizer.
1–1.
And not long after, they allowed another counterattack.
1–2.
15 minutes left until the end of the match.
Lihan panted and looked around.
His teammates were clearly exhausted too.
From the bench, Ryu shouted,
"Lihan!"
Lihan looked up.
"It’s not over yet!"
"Yes!"
"Do it the way we prepared!"
Lihan nodded.
But his heart was starting to waver a little.
What if they really lost this time?
Then Ryu shouted again.
"Lihan!"
Lihan looked toward the bench.
Ryu was smiling.
"Trust me!"
At those words, Lihan smiled too.
And ran forward again.
5 minutes before the end.
The ball came to Lihan.
Three defenders rushed him.
For a split second, Lihan remembered what the old him would have done.
Dribble through alone, and shoot alone.
But now it was different.
Lihan rolled the ball back.
A teammate took it.
Pass again.
And Lihan moved into the open space.
"Lihan!"
The pass came in.
Lihan didn’t shoot.
He pushed the ball to the teammate sprinting in from the side.
Shot.
Goal.
2–2.
The stadium erupted again.
Lihan gasped for breath and laughed.
And once again, the first person he looked for was Ryu.
Ryu was clapping.
But this time, his expression was a little different.
The corners of his eyes were red.
1 minute before the end.
Both teams were squeezing out every last bit of energy.
Extra time was right in front of them.
Our team stopped the other team’s attack.
The ball came to Lihan.
Lihan ran forward.
One opposing defender.
Two.
Three.
Ahead was the goal.
Beside him was a teammate.
And behind him, there was no one.
Lihan stopped for a moment.
Then he heard Ryu’s voice from far away.
"Lihan!"
Lihan looked up.
Ryu was gesturing to him.
Believe me.
Lihan kept running.
He got past the first defender.
He dodged the second defender.
The third defender made body contact.
Lihan almost lost his balance for a moment.
But he held on until the end.
And at the very last second.
He laid the ball off to the teammate in front of the goal.
The teammate shot.
Goal.
3–2.
The whistle blew.
End of match.
The players all rushed onto the field at once.
Some shouted, some hugged each other.
Lihan stood there for a while too.
He couldn’t believe it.
It was really over.
And the first person he thought of, as always, was Ryu.
Lihan ran straight to the bench.
"Senior!"
Ryu also tried to stand with a smile.
But his ankle gave out for a moment and he swayed.
"Senior!"
Lihan hurriedly caught him.
"Are you okay?"
"I’m okay."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Lihan let out a sigh of relief.
Then he smiled.
"We won."
"Yeah."
"We won."
"I know."
Ryu said with a smile,
"You were really amazing."
When Lihan heard that, his eyes strangely started to sting.
"Senior."
"Yeah?"
"I did well, right?"
"Yeah."
Ryu put a hand on Lihan’s shoulder.
"Better than anyone."
Lihan smiled at that.
After the awards ceremony.
Even after the players gradually returned to their lodging, Lihan stayed at the stadium.
Ryu was sitting on the bench too.
The surroundings were quiet.
The stadium that had been full of people just a few hours ago was almost deserted, as if that had all been a lie.
Lihan sat down beside Ryu.
"Senior."
"Yeah."
"Say it now."
Ryu smiled.
"So you remembered."
"Of course."
Silence fell for a moment.
Ryu looked out over the field for a long time before slowly speaking.
"At first, I just thought you were a good junior."
"Yeah."
"Then you were such a good player that I couldn’t stop noticing you."
"Yeah."
"And then, at some point, if I couldn’t see you it felt strange, if you were with someone else it bothered me, and if you got hurt I worried even more than if I’d gotten hurt myself."
Lihan listened quietly to Ryu.
"And when I heard you might go to another school, that’s when I finally realized."
Ryu looked at Lihan.
"That I hated even just the idea of you leaving."
Lihan’s eyes wavered.
Ryu gave a small laugh.
"So I kept making excuses. Because I’m the captain, because of the team, because I couldn’t bear to let you go."
He took a breath and went on.
"But now I’m not going to make those excuses anymore."
Lihan asked carefully,
"Then what about now?"
Ryu looked straight at Lihan.
"I like you."
It was a short sentence.
But it was the one Lihan had been waiting for.
"Not as a soccer player."
Ryu smiled.
"I just like you as Lihan."
Lihan couldn’t say anything for a long time.
Then he lowered his head and laughed.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Because I’m happy."
"……."
"I had something to say too, you know."
"Yeah."
Lihan looked at Ryu.
"I like you too, senior."
Ryu was speechless for a moment.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Since when?"
Lihan thought for a moment, then smiled.
"Maybe since the time senior kept teaching me team play."
"When was that?"
"I don’t know. Just at some point, if I couldn’t see you I’d get distracted, and if you were with someone else I’d hate it."
Lihan smiled faintly.
"And whenever senior told me I did well, I was in a good mood all day."
Ryu smiled too.
"You’re the same as me."
"Exactly."
The two looked at each other for a moment.
Then Ryu asked carefully,
"So... what do we do now?"
Lihan smiled.
"What do you mean, what do we do?"
"Now that we..."
Ryu chose his words, then finally said,
"We’re dating, right?"
Lihan’s face turned red.
"You said it first, senior."
"So?"
"Then you’ve got to take responsibility."
Ryu laughed.
"Okay."
"And one more thing."
"What is it?"
"I’m not transferring to another school."
Ryu’s expression brightened.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Lihan looked out over the field for a moment.
Then he looked at Ryu and said,
"I like it here."
"Because of soccer?"
"No."
Lihan smiled.
"Because you’re here."
Ryu looked at Lihan without saying anything for a long while.
Then he gently ruffled Lihan’s hair.
"Then I’d better keep doing well until graduation too."
"And after graduation?"
"Then we just stay together then too."
"How?"
"Even if it’s not soccer."
Ryu smiled.
"We can just go anywhere together."
Lihan smiled too.
"Then it’s a promise."
"Another promise?"
"This one’s a promise that lasts."
Ryu held out his hand.
Lihan took it.
Some time later.
Even after the tournament ended and they returned to school, their relationship didn’t change much.
On the field, they were still captain and ace.
Ryu was still nagging the teammates, and Lihan was still dribbling around with confidence.
But there was one thing that had changed from before.
After practice.
"Senior."
"Hm?"
"Where are you going today?"
"Why?"
"We said we’d meet up without soccer."
Ryu smiled.
"Where do you want to go today?"
Lihan thought for a moment.
"Let’s go back to that bookstore we went to last time."
"Buying books again?"
"No."
"Then?"
Lihan looked at Ryu.
"I just want to walk with you."
Ryu smiled.
"Let’s go."
The two of them left the field side by side.
At first they met because of soccer,
and because of soccer, they started being aware of each other.
But in the end, even without soccer, they found themselves looking for each other.
Not people who parted ways when the game was over,
but someone they still wanted to walk beside after the whistle blew.
That was Ryu to Lihan,
and Lihan to Ryu.
And the story of the two of them,
was continuing even after the final whistle blew.