The next day, the move to Bydgoszcz went quite smoothly, as they finally left the small, countryside city for the real fight. The moment they arrived there, the atmosphere was quite different. Every corner of the city was filled with a bustling atmosphere, and unlike in Warka, this time, all the boys could see that the World Cup was coming to this country, even though it was just for the U-20 group.
The street was decorated with so many accessories from the other countries. Higo himself could see a fake tree with Sakura flowers being placed close to the hotel they were going to live in, coupled with the jersey from Japan, the color tone of the country, and so many small details that would make them feel at home.
Then, as a cherry on top, the moment they stepped into the hotel, the one who greeted them was not the worker there, but a bunch of random Japanese people who were waving a small Japanese flag in their hands.
"Welcome to Bydgoszcz!"
"Good luck, Young Samurai! We are going to support you!"
"Come on! Show them what we are made of!"
"More will come in the future, don’t worry about it!"
The number wasn’t that big, just around twenty people, even fewer than the number of players here. However, it was the sentiment that mattered the most. In this foreign land, where everyone talked in a different language, being welcomed by familiar faces with the Japanese language was enough to warm their heart.
"Damn, how could there be so many Japanese here?" Higo couldn’t help but mutter.
"Well, Japanese people living abroad have a group for them to keep in touch with others, so the news about us coming to Poland spread quickly. I think most of them are not just coming from Poland, but also from neighboring countries like Germany or something around." Kumiko answered with a shrug, giving a smile to a person who waved at her.
Higo just hummed lightly, but his eyes also shone a little bit here. In his mind, he thought, ’IF all the Japanese people living abroad are in the same group like this, should I be included in this one? I mean, living abroad will be lonely, so it will be good to have a connection like that. Maybe I have to talk to Fujita-san about it.’
He saved that part at the back of his mind before focusing back on what was in front of him.
Since it was the first time they arrived at Bydgoszcz, the coaching team allowed them to have a day off to connect with their supporters. After all, it was always important to make them realize who was standing behind them, having their back no matter what happened.
This would give the boys a sense of responsibility, making them fight harder than anyone else.
The rest of the day was spent with just a casual chat and sometimes a photo session with those people. Hell, Higo even got closer to one of them, a man around 40 years old, as he approached him with his little daughter.
"So, you are the Iron Wall of Hakodate? I heard about your reputation from my cousin back home, and it seems you are as impressive as what he said!" The man laughed boisterously. "Anyway, my name is Koji Yabu, and I grew up in Motomachi! You know, that old place near the port?!"
The man was a native of Hakodate, growing up there before he went to Tokyo for his university studies. Then, a few years ago, he and his wife went to Germany for their master’s degree, and together, they settled in Warsaw, working in one of the biggest companies there.
He also had a cute daughter, around 8 years old, who was so shy and always hiding behind her father’s leg. The name was Chiaki Yabu, and with her twintail style, the girl soon became the darling among the boys here. Even Kumiko was not immune to her cuteness, squealing and hugging her so endearingly before having to give her back to her father reluctantly.
One thing for certain, though, the man, Koji Yabu, was a fanatic of football. In the past, he always supported a big team since Hakodate itself didn’t have any professional teams. However, it was different this year, as he started following Hakodate Nishi’s journey from his cousin’s story.
Yeah, his cousin was a native of Hakodate, one of the very first few fans that the team had. This was a big revelation for the Hakodate gang, because they knew that man quite well.
"The world sure is so small, huh?" Kumiko couldn’t help but let out a sigh when she heard the full story.
"Well, that only makes everything interesting, right?!" The man laughed boisterously.
In the end, they decided to exchange contact, with Higo being the one who benefited the most. After all, he was the one who was going to live in Germany, so having a familiar face around would definitely help.
"Still, Schalke and Yokohama FC, huh? I cannot believe that our small town could produce so many talents like this..." The man sighed in melancholy. "Oh, yeah, I cannot forget about you as well, Shishida-chan! Getting a scholarship for the Nadeshiko program, your future sure is bright! Damn, you guys are the pride of the Hakodate people! I will follow your journey closely, so make me proud, okay?!"
"Sure, just watch us, Old Man!" Makino grinned widely. "Soon enough, I will also follow his path, and you will see two proud Hakodate kids wreaking havoc in the football world! Just wait!"
Seeing that the players were connecting well with the people here, Kageyama-sensei, who hadn’t gotten involved since the beginning, couldn’t help but smile. It seemed he already got the result that he wanted here, igniting the spirit of responsibility among the team.
Seeing that it was almost time for lunch, the man finally clapped loudly, gaining everyone’s attention.
"Okay, the meeting is over! The players need to rest, so please, give us time to settle down here! Once again, thank you for all of your support! We will wait for your presence in the stadium a few days later!"