“Yawn… Sleepy…”

 

I felt extremely sleepy the morning after my conversation with Charlotte-san about our aspirations. I had fallen asleep just as the sun was rising, so honestly, I hadn’t gotten anywhere near enough sleep.

 

“I can’t believe we did it until morning…”

 

I was so eager to comply when she asked that I had lost all sense of time, and by the time I realised it, it was already morning. That was just how infatuated I was with her.

 

…That being said, could it be that Charlotte-san actually… has a strong sexual desire…?

 

When she kept asking for kisses like that, I just couldn't help but think about it. It felt like, with nothing to stop us, we could have gone on forever. Not that I’m complaining, but–

 

“—Akihito-kun?”

 

“Whoa?!”

 

“Kyaaa?!”

 

I turned around in surprise and Charlotte-san jumped. I was startled by the sudden call, but it seemed like I had surprised her in return. 

 

“Sorry, sorry, you've returned, huh?”

 

The girls had gone back to their rooms to change, as today was a holiday, and we were going to the park to play. 

 

By the way, it was Emma-chan who woke Charlotte-san and me up today. She would usually sleep until we woke her, but today, she got up on her own, seemingly eager to play.

 

“Were you thinking of something?”

 

As expected, she was as perceptive as ever.

 

“Well, something like that.”

 

I couldn’t say that I was thinking of Charlotte-san’s seemingly strong sexual desires.

 

“...?”

 

Perhaps noticing my awkwardness, Charlotte-san tilted her head curiously and stared at me. Sometimes she acted like an airhead, but fundamentally, she was sharp. I need to make an effort not to show it on my face…

 

“–Onii-chan, are we not going yet?”

 

As I avoided Charlotte-san’s gaze, I felt a tug on my sleeve. When I looked down, there was Emma-chan, clutching a soccer ball and pouting in dissatisfaction.

 

Right, I promised to play soccer at the park with her today. Emma-chan woke up early, not just to play like usual, but also because she probably wanted to play soccer. It seemed like soccer had become this child’s latest craze.

 

“Sorry, let’s go.”

 

“Mm! Carry me!”

 

Emma spread her arms wide after energetically nodding, asking to be carried. 

​

“Today, we’re going to the nearby park so let’s just walk, okay?”

 

“Mm.”

 

Lately, I’ve been paying extra attention to Emma-chan’s legs and feet, encouraging her to walk more. She seemed to understand, grudgingly complying despite expressing her discontent. Of course, to keep her frustration in check, I made sure to balance between letting her walk and carrying her, adjusting based on her reactions.

 

Eventually, there may come a time when I would no longer need to carry her.

 

–Well, I guess I’d miss it by then. Perhaps this is how a father feels watching his daughter grow up.

 

Afterwards, the three of us happily held hands and walked to the park together.

​

​

 

**

​

​

​

“–Onii-chan, here I go…!”

 

Emma-chan raised her right hand energetically, asking me for confirmation.

 

“Anytime’s fine.”

 

“Mm! Hyaa…!”

 

Emma-chan kicked the ball with vigour from afar, and it landed perfectly at my feet.

 

“Yeah, that was perfect.”

 

“Ehehe”

 

How many 5-year-olds can kick a soccer ball this precisely? I really think that this child is a bundle of talent.

 

“Emma-chan, why don’t you try kicking it back directly next?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Emma-chan tilted her head in confusion at my suggestion.

 

“Try kicking it.”

 

Thinking it would be easier to demonstrate, I passed the ball to Emma-chan. As she kicked it back to me, I swiftly returned it, landing it perfectly at her feet.

 

“Oooh..!”

 

Emma-chan clapped happily as the ball came back to her feet without losing momentum. She gave a nice reaction, as always.

 

“Next, Emma too…!”

 

She passed the ball back to me, seemingly motivated. I thought about kicking it back directly, but instead, I decided to slow down as usual before passing it back to Emma-chan.

 

Then…

​

“Ah…!”

 

Emma-chan, tensing up, kicked the ball in a completely different direction. 

 

“Surprisingly difficult, isn’t it?”

 

After running to stop the ball, I turned to Emma-chan and smiled at her. She pouted in frustration as she couldn’t kick it the way she wanted.

 

“Mm…”

 

“It’s okay, you’ll get the hang of it soon once you get used to it.”

 

Mastering the feel of kicking a stationary ball to the desired spot ensures that even with a direct kick, it will reach its intended destination. With Emma-chan's determination, she'll surely get the hang of it quickly.

 

As anticipated, after about four attempts at direct kicks, Emma-chan's ball control began to stabilise. By the third try, it was evident that she was making subtle adjustments, showing that she had mastered the sensation of kicking more effectively.

 

We continued kicking the soccer ball back and forth, akin to a game of catch, until Emma-chan was satisfied. This moment, which felt like playing with my own daughter, was incredibly enjoyable.

 

I absolutely don’t want to lose this happy time.

​

…My fiancée, huh?

 

“—Good job.”

 

Returning to the bench with Emma-chan, Charlotte-san hands me a water bottle. Even though it must’ve been really boring to just watch, she doesn’t show any form of displeasure. She really was well-behaved.

 

“Thanks.”

 

“You too, Emma. Here.”

 

“Mm, I’m good.”

 

Emma-chan shook her head, refusing the water bottle, and looked at me. She was probably waiting for me to sit down.

​

“Emma-chan, it’s important to stay hydrated, so let’s drink even if you’re not thirsty, okay?” I said to Emma-chan as I sat next to Charlotte-san.

 

Emma-chan sat on my lap before glancing at the water bottle Charlotte-san was holding.

 

“Mm.”

 

Then, as if to say “Give me the bottle”, she extended both of her hands toward Charlotte-san. As always, she was such a well-behaved child.

 

“—Is something troubling you?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Charlotte-san spoke to me as I watched Emma-chan drink.

 

“You were sometimes lost in thought while playing soccer, weren’t you? Even when we returned to your room today, you appeared to be preoccupied thinking about something.”

 

I was indeed ruminating about something at that time, but it was different from what I was thinking about now.

 

That being said, both matters are hard to explain…

 

“I’m just a little sleepy.”

 

I ended up just making an excuse.

 

“Shall we go home and take a nap?”

 

“......”

 

A nap… was a truly tempting suggestion. If I slept, Emma-chan would likely nap with me, and there was a chance that Charlotte-san might join as well. That would just be way too blissful. However—

 

“Onii-chan, let’s do juggling next…!”

 

Emma-chan wanted to play soccer, so that seemed difficult. She was tugging insistently at my clothes, as if urging me to hurry.

 

“Emma, we’ve only rested a little. You need to rest properly.”

 

“I’m fine…!”

 

“But…”

 

Charlotte-san seemed to be struggling with the ever-energetic Emma-chan. Even though Emma-chan insisted she was fine, her well-being still concerned those around her. However, given the cool weather and the lack of sweat, it seemed safe to resume quicky.

 

…The three of us napping together would have to wait.

​

“Alright then, let’s play a bit more—”

 

“Hey, you look like you’re having fun, Akihito.”

 

“—!”

 

Out of the blue, I heard a voice calling out my name. I turned around to see a man whom I hadn’t met for several years, smiling joyfully.

 

“Riku…”

 

The man who appeared before me— Kannagi Riku, was the most famous soccer player of our generation.

 

“Don’t be so wary. It’s not like I’m here to pick a fight.”

 

“........”

 

I didn’t reply to Riku, my gaze instead shifting to the person beside him. There stood Shimizu-san, looking somewhat uncomfortable. 

 

What was their connection? 

 

“Shimizu-san… So that’s what it was…”

 

Charlotte-san narrowed her eyes sadly, seemingly having understood why the two of them were here.

 

“I’m sorry…”

 

In response, Shimizu-san apologised remorsefully.

 

What on earth is going on?
 

“I’m sorry, Akihito-kun. About an hour ago… Shimizu-san asked me through a chat app what we were doing, so I told her that we were playing at the park.”

 

I see…

 

Charlotte-san understood that Shimizu-san contacted her so that they could come here. She didn’t seem surprised at the appearance of a celebrity, implying she knew about the connection between Shimizu-san and Riku. Was Shimizu-san his girlfriend?

 

“Why did you come here?”

 

I knew about Riku's achievements, but we hadn't seen each other in years. While I was familiar with his past personality, I had to consider that he might have changed. Moreover, considering my current strained relationship with the Himeragi Group, I couldn't afford to trust anyone easily. I wouldn’t know where a trap might lie. 

 

"I told you not to be so cautious. I truly don't mean any harm. It's just... Akira mentioned that you've finally moved on, so I came to have a talk. It's an important conversation."

 

I couldn’t detect any lies or malice from Riku’s demeanour. He had always been a pure-hearted guy devoted solely to soccer, after all…

 

“Mmm.”

 

Perhaps due to the interruption, Emma-chan pouted and looked up at Riku with clear dissatisfaction. Noticing this, Riku responded with a gentle smile, but Emma-chan turned away, still pouting, and walked over to Charlotte-san, burying her face in her leg. She seemed to be sulking, thinking that I wouldn’t play soccer with her due to the interruption.

 

“She’s a very honest child, huh…”

 

“It’s your fault for showing up unannounced, Riku.”

 

“If I had contacted you in advance, you wouldn’t have met with me, right?”

 

“........”

 

Certainly, I wouldn't have agreed to meet him even if he had reached out beforehand. After all, I try to avoid meeting people from my middle school days as much as possible.

 

“What’s this ‘important conversation’ about?”

 

I asked curiously, and Riku glanced at Charlotte-san.

 

“Can we talk, just the two of us?”

 

Apparently, it was something he didn’t want her to hear. I didn’t know what it was about, either, so it was probably for the best… Well, alright then. Surely, it wasn’t about the fiancée situation.

 

“—Riku, I don’t know what you plan to discuss, but keep your promise to me, okay?”

 

Shimizu-san, who must’ve had something on her mind, spoke up after having been silent, glaring. Riku responded with a reluctant smile and a nod, indicating that there had been some trouble getting here. 

 

Given that they had been calling each other by their first names, they truly did seem close. Was she really his girlfriend?

 

“Um… Shimizu-san, may I speak with you?”

 

Charlotte-san, who noticed my concern about their relationship, asked Shimizu-san for permission to speak.

 

“Ah, well, yeah. There’s no point in hiding anything since we’ve already come here together.”

 

Shimizu-san gave a troubled smile, averting her gaze. So, until now, she had deliberately been hiding it. 

 

“Aoyagi-kun, we’re cousins.”

 

Shimizu-san spoke to me with a serious expression once her wandering gaze met my eyes.

 

“Cousins…”

 

Ah, I see… Shimizu-san's apparent hostility towards me is connected to Riku. Still, it's puzzling why she was so hostile since I've never had any conflict with him.

 

The world is surprisingly small…

 

At least, I finally understood why Charlotte-san seemed interested in Riku. The reason being that she knew about Shimizu-san’s connection to him.

 

“Well, now that you’ve settled things with Arisa, shall we move somewhere else?”

 

“Ah, sure. Charlotte-san, please take care of Emma-chan.”

 

With that, Riku and I distanced ourselves from them. Given that I was still worried about Charlotte-san and Emma-chan, I wouldn’t leave the park or go anywhere far. 

 

“—So, what’s this important conversation about?”

 

“You can probably guess why I came, don’t you?”

 

“I’m not an esper, you know?”

 

I frowned at Riku’s joking manner.

 

“Ahaha, well, it’s okay. There’s only one reason I’d visit you, right? Let’s get straight to the point. Come join my team.” Riku said, as he extended his right arm. It seemed he really hadn’t changed from before.

 

“You know I’ve quit soccer, right?”

 

“I do. But you’ve moved on now, haven’t you?”

 

“Sure, I’m moving forward, but…”

 

“Then let’s do it together. Your greatest strength is your intellect and knowledge. Don’t worry about the hiatus.”

 

Ever since our first game, Riku had overestimated my abilities. Despite living in Hiroshima, he would often visit me during his training breaks, mostly for recruitment purposes. Back then, he used to contact me far too often.

 

—Yeah, he was really persistent, this guy.

 

“Sorry, but I have no intention of playing soccer. If I had the motivation, I’d be on the same team as Akira by now.”

 

“Well, I figured you’d say that.”

 

“In that case, this conversation is over—”

 

“—But, are you really sure about that?” Riku lowered his tone and asked, right as I turned to head back to Charlotte-san.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Sensing something unusual, I turned back warily.

 

“That girl… she’s not someone introduced to you by the Himeragi Group, is she?”

 

“........”

 

I had a vague idea of what Riku was getting at. Since he used to cling to me, Riku was well-informed about my situation regarding the Himeragi Group. 

 

“I’ve heard from Arisa that she dotes on you quite a bit, Akihito. And similarly, you care deeply for her too. The reason you’re not going pro is probably because it would mean losing time with her, right?”

 

“So, what are you trying to say?”

 

“Don’t play dumb, you know what I mean, don’t you? You can’t stay with her if you remain compliant with Himeragi.”

 

I wonder where he got that information from— no, since he knew my stance regarding the Himeragi Group, it wasn’t hard for him to imagine the rest.

 

True enough, the president of Himeragi certainly didn’t approve of my relationship with Charlotte-san.

 

“A commoner who goes against a major conglomerate’s top brass would just end up being obstructed for life.”

 

“So, you’re saying I should become a pro soccer player?”

 

“At least with our owner being a rival of the Himeragi Group, you don't have to worry about any pressure from them. If you're genuinely thinking about a future with her, shouldn't you carefully consider what the best option among all your choices is?”

 

“.........”

 

As always, he was quite sharp for a seemingly gentle guy. Realistically speaking, if I were to oppose him, that president would come at me with full force, and that could affect Charlotte-san and Emma-chan too.

 

However, if I could achieve results in soccer, Riku’s team owner would protect me. 

 

Just like everywhere else, I’ll be treated well as long as I’m useful.

 

“Most people in the soccer community would know about that incident. They wouldn’t approve of me joining, don’t you think?”

 

“That’s already been discussed with the coach. I didn’t go into detail, but you’re not the kind of person who would disrupt a team, and I’ll take responsibility if anything happens. The coach seems to have been interested in you from the start, so the conversation went smoothly.”

 

“No, even if the youth coach approves, it’d still be impossible if the crucial top team’s— the pro coach doesn’t accept this, right?”

 

Even if I excelled on the youth team, I couldn't be promoted without the top team coach's approval. In other words, I couldn't become a pro.

 

“Ah, right, I forgot to mention. I’m being promoted to the top team next season. So naturally, the arrangement I made was with him. Well, he used to be the youth coach. While it’s impossible to immediately place you in the top team, if you deliver results in the youth team, a promotion is guaranteed.”

 

I must admit, I was a bit surprised. I always knew he was talented, and now, excelling as the ace striker for the Japanese national team of his generation, his skills were undeniable. Yet, it was still astonishing that he was promoted to a top J1 league team competing for the championship, despite still being in high school .

 

"Congratulations— But if that's the case, you shouldn't have the time to be idling around here, do you? With the harsh competition for a regular spot waiting, shouldn't you be practicing more? Besides, it seems your media exposure has been significantly rising lately, what's with that―"

 

“Yeah, yeah, don’t change the subject. To me, securing you is more important than my own training, which is why I came all the way here. Besides, there’s no way I could just ignore someone with the nickname of  “Master of the Pitch” like you.”

 

Riku grinned wryly. In response to that, I—

 

“No, don’t bring up that nickname…!  You guys are actually harassing me, aren’t you?!” I vehemently complained, irritated by how it seemed like even people other than my former teammates were aware of it.

 

Who was it, really, that gave me this nickname…?! This is going too far with the damage to my reputation! 

 

I couldn’t help but feel anger surge within me, anger towards the bitter memories associated with that nickname.

 

“I think it’s a good nickname, though.”

 

“In what way?!”

 

“Well, whatever. More importantly, I’ve made the necessary preparations to welcome you, so I hope you’ll consider it carefully. For the sake of your cute girlfriend too, you know?” 

 

Saying that, Riku turned towards Charlotte-san, who was sitting and talking with Shimizu-san on the bench. As a result, I was drawn in and ended up looking at Charlotte-san as well, before our eyes perfectly met.

 

Had she really been listening to our conversation, after all? This girl seems to have exceptionally good hearing…

 

“...Right, I’ll think about it.”

 

What Riku was saying made perfect sense. If I were to oppose the Himeragi Group, having a solid backing was essential. While I doubted whether I truly had the skill to go pro, it was still a welcome invitation to protect my future with Charlotte-san. 

 

However, if I were to aspire to become a professional, the real question would be whether dedicating all my time to soccer would suffice. If it came to that, and my time with Charlotte-san and the others diminished, wouldn’t it be counterproductive in the end?

 

“Hehe, well, just the fact that you’re thinking about it now is progress. If there was no chance at all, you’d just outright refuse.”

 

“...In any case, the conversation’s over, right? Let’s go back to Charlotte-san and the others.” 

 

I turned my back to Riku, who was smiling cheerfully, taking a step forward. Then—

 

“Nn…!”

 

Seemingly tired of waiting, Emma-chan spread her arms wide. Understanding that she wanted to be picked up, I slowly lifted Emma-chan into my arms.

 

“Ah, seriously?”

 

Riku lets out a troubled sigh upon seeing my actions. 

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“Mmm, well, if it comes down to it, I’ll just edit it to hide the kid. Right, cheese!”

 

“Huh?! Hey!”

 

Riku linked arms with me out of nowhere, using his phone’s front camera to take a picture of the three of us. I raised my voice in response.

 

“Riku…!”

 

Even Shimizu-san was raising her voice. She was usually quite calm, so it was a bit scary seeing her angry.

 

“Both of you, don’t get so angry.”

 

“You’re doing whatever you want! We agreed not to be forceful or annoying!”

 

So that was what Shimizu-san meant by his promise to her. As I thought, she was definitely a well-organised girl…

 

“What’s wrong with just one picture?”

 

“You can still say that even after seeing her face?!” Shimizu-san pointed at Emma-chan, whom I was holding. 

 

As for Emma-chan, she was puffing her cheeks and glaring discontentedly at Riku.

 

…Yep, she definitely looks like she hates it.

 

“This might be the first time a girl has ever hated me.”

 

“Stop bragging about being popular and quit it with the weird stuff. The kid doesn’t like being forced or loud things.”

 

“Okay, okay, sorry. Um— Emma-chan, was it?”

 

“Hate…!”

 

Emma-chan shot an irritated glare at the smiling Riku, pointing her index finger towards him sharply. She had been interrupted since he arrived, and it seemed her anger had finally exploded.

 

“There, there.”

 

I patted Emma-chan’s head to comfort her while looking at Riku, who seemed slightly downcast.

 

“She’s still young, she’s just being honest.”

 

“That doesn’t make it any better, you know?!”

 

Riku’s eyes widened as he retorted in surprise. Well, I didn’t have the intention to comfort him in the first place. 

 

Emma-chan burrowed her face into my chest, displeased. It seemed she didn’t like our loud voices just now.

 

“If you’re done talking, we’re leaving!”

 

Shimizu-san, slightly irate, tried to pull Riku’s arm to get him to leave. It might have been the first time I saw her that angry.

 

However, despite his appearance, Riku had a well-trained body. He wasn’t someone a weak girl like her could just drag along. 

 

“You’re not moving…!” 

 

Shimizu-san let out a frustrated voice, seeing that Riku wouldn’t budge despite her efforts.

 

“Don’t be mean, just go.”

 

Feeling sorry for her, I gave Riku a gentle push on the back.

 

“No, I’m not. I just don’t feel like going home yet…”

 

“Isn’t the conversation over?”

 

“It’s not about that. It’s already lunchtime, right? Why not have lunch together since you’re already here?” Riku invited us with an innocent smile.

 

He had a surprisingly natural airheaded side to him too. 

 

I looked down at Emma-chan in my arms. 

 

“Emma-chan, are you hungry?”

 

“Umm… Soccer…”

 

Apparently, she wasn't hungry yet, still wanting to play soccer. Misunderstanding or not, it seemed she had grown to dislike Riku, so it was probably best to part ways.

 

“Sorry, let’s do this another time.”

 

“...Alright, gotcha.”

 

Surprisingly, Riku backed down easily. Perhaps he had sensed the risk of becoming someone Emma-chan hated?

 

“Sorry, Charlotte-san, Aoyagi-kun, for interrupting your fun.”

 

“No, please don’t worry about it. We always appreciate your help.”

 

Shimizu-san and Riku left after that, and Emma-chan and I continued to enjoy our time playing soccer.

​

​

​

**

​

​

​

“—Hey, Charlotte-san. What if I said I wanted to pursue a professional soccer career?”

 

After Emma-chan had fallen asleep, I brought up the topic of my conversation with Riku to Charlotte-san, who was sitting on my lap, wanting to discuss things that I could confide in her about. 

 

Charlotte-san seemed to have something on her mind, as she got off my lap and, with her back straightened, turned to me with a serious expression.

 

“I think you look really cool while playing soccer, Akihito-kun, and I love watching you. But— if it’s not truly what you want and you’re pursuing it reluctantly, then I would be against it.”

 

She had never been so outspoken in her objections before . Even when it came to the things I did at school, she had never spoken her mind so directly.

 

In other words, I could tell that she was serious, but there was also probably more to it than just that. It seemed like she had been listening in on our conversation, after all.

 

“Akihito-kun, please lie down.”

 

“...Huh?”

 

I looked at Charlotte-san in confusion at her sudden request.

 

“Please.”

 

I couldn’t bring myself to refuse, seeing her serious expression. And so, I laid down just as she requested, and then—

 

“Please put your head over here.”

 

My head was gently cradled before being brought onto something extremely soft.

 

Wait, this is…

 

“I should be the one to pamper you every now and then.”

 

Charlotte-san blushed as she stared down at my face. 

 

Right now— I was being given a lap pillow by her, and that made me incredibly happy.

 

…Is it okay for me to turn and press my cheek against her thigh like this?

 

“Um… I’d appreciate it if you said something…”

 

Charlotte-san looked at me, slightly embarrassed, as my attention was solely on her lap pillow. My silence appeared to have made her unbearably shy.

 

“Sorry, I was just a little surprised.”

 

“We’re always the ones being pampered by you, so…” Charlotte-san started stroking my head as she said that.

 

Her movements were gentle and careful, but also somewhat ticklish.

 

"I know you're constantly concerned about me and Emma, and I realise things are challenging for you at home as well. However, please don't neglect your own feelings. As I've told you before, if there are any difficulties, let's face them and overcome them together. Also—" 

 

Charlotte-san stopped speaking and, for some reason, brought her face close to my ear. As a result, an intimate part of her was pressed firmly against my face, although she didn’t seem aware of it.

 

“I… am content just being with you, Akihito-kun. I don’t desire anything else.”

 

​

​