Higo had been waiting for this moment since the beginning of the tournament. Even though the chance was small, the boy still believed it would come to his hand eventually, and he would be able to capitalize on it.
However, once it truly fell on his lap, he didn’t feel excited. He didn’t feel any enthusiasm. Instead, the boy felt... Disgusted.
Yeah, disgusted by how the team treated him. They didn’t even give him a proper minute, just using him as a spare tire for the worst possible situation. If he was put on the pitch right before the shootout, everyone would know that he was there for that moment, and if he failed to perform, he would only be a laughing stock outside.
This was just like a move to protect Zion from having to face the worst, and by doing so, he was the ultimate sacrifice here.
Well, at least, that was what he thought before Kumiko decided to sit his ass down and explain to him, phrase by phrase, why this was important.
"World Cup 2014, the top 16 round, Netherlands versus Costa Rica." The girl started her speech. "With the score tied 0-0 until the 120th minute, Netherlands’ head coach, Louis Van Gaal, decided to take his main goalkeeper, Jasper Cillessen, for their more experienced one, Tim Krul, to face the shootout. You can imagine the situation at that time."
Well, Higo nodded quietly, because that was the scene he imagined would be if he had to replace Zion for the penalty shootout.
"Louis Van Gaal was a maverick coach, infamous for his unique borderline crazy approach toward the game. Still, even for him, this was a bold decision, enough to make people scratch their hair." The girl paused for a second, looking at her best friend in his eyes. "Then, you know what happened?"
"What?" Higo asked, trying to feign his curiosity. Kumiko sure knew how to pique his interest.
The girl just smirked secretly, knowing that she got him hooked with this story. "Well, in the end, Tim Krul proved that the coach’s decision was right. Out of four penalties, he blocked two, including one from the opponent’s best player, Bryan Ruiz. He single-handedly carried the team through the next stage with his performance between the posts, becoming a classic substitution case in the World Cup."
An awkward silence followed for a moment as she finished her story. In the end, though, Higo tried to pretend to be stupid here, not caring too much about the story. "So, why are you telling me that story? You mean I have to accept that role readily? Sorry, but I still think that I am a better goalkeeper and deserve better here!" He snorted before throwing his face like a child throwing a tantrum.
Kumiko just let out a big sigh here, knowing that Higo was just being difficult for nothing. Well... For his pride, of course, but the girl wouldn’t count that for now.
"So, what are you going to do when the team needs you the most? When it is so close to the penalty shootout, and Kageyama-sensei asks you to come in? Will you refuse?"
At that question, Higo finally wilted. He was a proud boy who thought that he deserved better, but if the coach truly needed him to come in, there was no way he could reject it.
The boy felt his shoulder sag a few inches, his face looking tired as ever. "Fine, you win. Bring me all the intelligence you have; let me study it first. But if the game doesn’t go down to the penalty shootout, you owe me something, Kumiko-chan." He grumbled grumpily.
"Good. If you didn’t have a chance to play, I owe you a date with me planning everything. How about that?"
Higo perked up immediately when he heard that. "You are not joking, right? Pinky swear on it." He raised his pinky seriously. This was the first time Kumiko was offering to plan the date herself, so he had to make sure that the girl was serious about it.
Kumiko laughed secretly at Higo’s childishness before nodding slightly, entangling her pinky to his. "Sure, I am not joking here. Don’t worry about it."
Well, with another new motivation coming, Higo started his study more seriously. Even the rest of the team could see the change in him and couldn’t help but tease the boy. "What? Did you get something from Kumiko-chan?"
"Oh, shut up, will you?! Also, since when did you get close enough to her to be on a first-name basis?" Higo narrowed his eyes at whoever said that suspiciously.
"Don’t be so possessive and jealous like that! Kumiko-chan also has her own life and can have friends as well, you know?!" Makino sent a head chop to remind his friend.
In return, Higo just grumbled lightly, making so many rude hand gestures to reply to his friend’s remark. Of course, he knew that as well. However, knowing was one thing, and accepting was another. Kumiko was always brilliant, so he was afraid she would find someone better than him.
"Anyway, don’t think too much. You have a big role to play, so get ready for it."
Higo nodded quietly, starting to open his note. The team’s preparation also started, as they learned some intelligence about the South Korean team. Higo and some of the boys here were quite familiar with two players on the other side, as Kang Do-Jin and Park Han-Gyeol, the duo from Shimizu Higashi High, were the main players of the South Korean team.
However, Team Japan found out that those two were just important role players, not the best ones that the South Koreans could offer. No, that would be their star player, Lee Kang-In, as the left winger had always been the most threatening player on the pitch.
He was like the combination of Kawabe and Mamoru, speedy enough to race with everyone, but so delicate when handling the ball. His vision was also top-notch, creating so many chances for his team to score. The man was currently the team’s top assister, providing three for the others so far.
’Lee Kang-In, huh?’ Higo narrowed his eyes lightly as he observed the boy’s movement on the footage. ’I really hope I will have a chance to face him...’