#engouki

Other Characters: Kazemaru Ichirouta / Nathan Swift, Matsuno "Max" Kuusuke / Maxwell "Max" Carson, Kageno Jin / Jim Wraith, Otonashi Haruna / Celia Hills, Raimon Eleven (Go), Kageyama Hikaru / Lucian Dark

Context: Endou and his year are third years. If you remember, the club room was destroyed in the aliea arc and was reconstructed sometime before the final match in the ffi arc but it was implied that they had a new club room before that (or was at least using a room with lockers elsewhere). This story runs on the assumption that they already have a new and bigger clubroom but they still have access to the old one (at least before the og members graduate). They also keep the trophies in there as is shown in the series’ last episode.

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With the school ground rules instilled in his system, Gouenji speedwalked on the hallway; the two years of his residence there apparent from the number of staircases he had to descend to get to the ground floor.

Buzzes and clamors from the students that remained in the building were nothing but the usual background noise to one Gouenji Shuuya; more concerning in his foresight were the usual greetings and squeals that waited the long day for his meager attention.

"Good luck in practice!"

“Looking forward to your kicks!!"

“Good work today!"

"Do your best!!”

"Whaaaa, it's -senpai!!!

He didn't hate this per se, but it was something he could live without. There was something about it that kept him in his toes, made him guarded. This was despite knowing the student body's genuine intentions. While no serious incident could really justify this feeling, he still feared that someone would ought to want to see him eat dirt in front of everyone. You know... sometimes. That's a normal feeling to have... right?

After years of getting used to it, this routine was a non-issue in a typical day. He could just nod, give a single affirmative, and tell them he was needed in the club room if someone initiated a full conversation.

Unfortunately, this one isn't one of those days.

So, instead, all of them were answered with a quick “thanks” or nod without much of a glance as he speedwalked. While he felt sorry, he didn't have any time to spare.

Because right now… was a matter of life and death.

He gripped the strap of his bag tightly. He thought himself stupid for forgetting that he had cleaning duties today. Of all the days, why did it have to be when he needed to be responsible for— No. That's not an excuse. He should have remembered he had cleaning duties before making a decision that could cause a lot of harm.

Stupid. Really stupid. What if something happened to her?? What if someone took her and bullied her?! Or messed with her another way?! That made Gouenji no different from those people if any of this happened because he left her alone…

Like the trained athlete that he is, Gouenji utilized his full speed to switch his indoor shoes to his outdoor ones— exactly as he visualized while sweeping the floor in haste earlier!

He ignored more friendly goodbyes on his way out and finally. Finally. The moment he stepped out the door, he darted with all the strength in his powerful legs, taking the wind with him.

That fast sprint brought the old soccer club room into view. He clumsily halted at what he found in front of it.

Kidou, already in his kit, stood with all the weight on his feet; arms folded on his chest and deep ostracizing darkness over his eyes. He towered over the poor first and some second years kneeling on the ground; most of them had tears welling up the side of their eyes, mouth quivering.

The wind blew Kidou's cape on the side, doubling the intimidation to his already shoulder-pressing aura.

Gouenji felt his heart sink; his breath was replaced with hot piercing strikes on his chest. Did something happen to her?!

“Kidou!” Gouenji didn't wait for a second and skidded to Kidou's side, worry and guilt written on his face.

Kidou merely acknowledged him with a glance then glared back at their juniors (most already in their kits, some not). He didn't wait for Gouenji to ask nor did he notice his guilt. “You're the last person I want here. Knowing you, you'll defend them.”

“!!” Gouenji held his chest, confused. “What hap–”

“Gouenji!”

“Endou?!?!!” Gouenji shouted in surprise. Their captain sat at the end of the two line ups of players facing Kidou's wrath. There were seven of them in total and Endou's the only one not on the verge of crying and the only one from their year. A few steps from him was Kazemaru standing with his palm on his forehead; he didn't seem to be part of… whatever this was.

“You have to help us–!”

“What did I just say?!” Kidou roared, stance not changing, making Endou whine.

“Like we told you!! We didn't bring the cat–!!”

“Ahh the cat!! Where is she?!” Gouenji's unusual spur shocked everyone; even Kidou out of his pose, arms thrown on his sides. “Is she alright?!!” Gouenji eyed every single person on the scene but they all just gawked, mouths hanging open.

Gouenji felt a tight twist of a knife on his chest. Did they not hear what he just asked?! He clicked his tongue then dashed inside the clubroom, shoes collecting even more dirt from the speed he fled with.

“...you bewitched her with your tassels. No fair.”

Both Kageno's and Max's back came into view as he entered. They loomed over the two old desks in the room as if looking at something; Max held one of his cap's earflaps forward as he hunched lower than even Kageno's posture.

“I'll let you use the other one if you want to know the truth. You'll be disappointed.”

“Myaaa…”

Tender sounds of small mewls…

Gouenji felt the hot tears threaten from the back of his eyes… The tiny hesitant squeaks quelled the cold anxiety racking in his heart.

He lightly pushed the cooing Kageno and Max out of the way, to which the two responded in confusion.

“Whoa…” Max said, ready to complain but halted as he saw Gouenji's bewildering expression. "???"

Gouenji sighed deeply… as if the well before his lungs were long enough to reach underground, even below the inabikari training center... and an exhausted smile crept up his face. In one fast sweep, he felt all the weight on his shoulder fly off the sky; like, like when the steam from a rice cooker could finally be free from where the lid held it back.

“You worried me…” a soft tone escaped Gouenji's mouth. He picked up the black little cat. The scar over one of her golden eyes pierced a mighty wall within Gouenji, what and who could have hurt an animal this young… not to mention her blurry eye under it. “I'm so glad you're alright,” he said breathily.

“Myarr.” She looked so small in his hands. Despite her trembling form, she still managed the strength to bump her head on Gouenji's chest. “Mraahh.” A chest that now welled with so much warmth that Gouenji felt it on his cheek. Who would imagine that this amount of happiness and emotions could be caused by such a little thing…

“Cheater.”

The barrage of chills kicked the homely feeling out of Gouenji's chest like a fire tornado straight to the goal. Only, not fire. Ergh, ice tornado? The hair on his back stood altogether as he once again fell victim to Kageno's famous frights. He shook his head at the sudden switch of emotions, Kageno sure has a powerful influence. Happy for him that he finally knew how to utilized it but he didn't make it easy to get used to.

“Yeah, Gouenji. We got here first,” Max supported his empowered bestfriend, twirling an earflap as he stared at the happy litter. “You can't just hoard her.” He leaned over Kageno who had his arms crossed.

Gouenji stepped back defensively, holding the kitten more secured than necessary. “You got it all wrong. I've known her firs–!”

“Gouenji!!” Kidou stepped in the room, the sun behind him made his shadow bigger and his goggled eyes darker. “Don't think I don’t know what you're doing, pretending in front of everyone that you're the one who brought her!”

Endou and Kazemaru trailed after him, with questions for Gouenji in their heads obvious from how their brows were angled; and, from the way they harmonized looking at Kidou after he said his piece, questions also for their deluded strategist.

“I'm not, I'm not pretending, Kidou. I really did–”

“You're trying to cover for them!”

“!!” Gouenji blinked at the accusation (so did everyone). “I'm not– Why would I–?”

“You're too soft. You've always defended them. You've always been soft on our juniors; not to mention, on Endou!!!”

“Wah!” Endou yelped at the finger pointing at him, bumping his head at Kazemaru who had to step back with a soft ‘ow.'

“No, Kidou, it really is me. Look!” Gouenji pointed at the kitten trying to get his attention by brushing her face on him and mewling louder. Isn't she a cute little—no, this is not the time. Focus.

“That proves nothing! Every cat is like that to you!”

“I found her on my way to school! Crying in a box, no food or water. I bought her some but I didn't know where to bring her after and I'm running late so I…” Gouenji looked solemnly at the feline who seemed to be consoling him (although it may just be his imagination), “I brought her here… I didn't think anybody would be here– *nobody* was here when I was running out every break time.”

Gouenji panted. This was not the longest speech he's ever done but for whatever reason, it felt like it was. He felt all the weight of the day back on his shoulders. Slumping him forward, kitty in arms.

Maybe it's the controlled speedwalking since first class, maybe it's the anxiety grating at him every time he watched the ticking clock every period, maybe it's the way the kitten still looked up to him with those expectant eyes despite him not being able to care for it properly… despite him disappointing it.

Silence filled the room. Even the kitten's meows had less vigor than it did earlier.

Kidou approached with a glimpse of sympathy from his face. He showed his palms, as if asking to give him something. Gouenji didn't need a word to know what it was. He'd always been able to tell what Kidou wanted. He gave her the cat silently.

Unexpectedly though, Kidou handed her over to Endou who sported a concerned expression. Despite that, he accepted the litter and shared it with Kazemaru.

Kidou faced Gouenji, adopting the same darkness that placed the other players on their knees. Gouenji felt his hair stand, and gulped. He closed his eyes for the impact.

“This is the most irresponsible thing I’ve ever seen you done, Gouenji!” Kidou pointed at his chest, a few centimeters from prodding it. Gouenji faced the floor, his heart weighing all too heavy. “How could you leave that kitten alone inside a molded room!!”

“Hey! This is our clubroom!” Endou shouted in defense while cradling the kit; Max and Kageno, now beside him, were visibly offended. Kazemaru held Endou's shoulder and firmly shook his head.

“Did you even think about how little water you can put in a bottle’s cap?!” Ignoring Endou, Kidou continued his attack. “That was not enough!! And how much bacteria could have gone in what she drank, huh?!?”

“I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!!” Eyes filled with regret, Gouenji bowed low, directing it towards the cat's way; the passion on the action was not lost from the people watching (even the first and second years peering quietly from the window outside). Gouenji didn’t move from the position, his voice strained and sounded close to tears. “I know I couldn’t have looked after her yet I still took her here…”

‘I should have known better.’

“...I didn't even have a place for her after this. I can't keep her. I don't know if anyone would take her…”

‘I should have thought things through before taking such a huge responsibility… before risking her life.’

“I don't–” Gouenji sighed. He closed his eyes tightly. “I, I don't know if there's anything I–?!”

Kidou's hand on his shoulder snapped Gouenji's head up to meet his eyes, peering his soul even behind the goggles– the usual poison of it nowhere to be found… there was an unfiltered softness to them. Quite similar to how it feels to lay down Kidou's own king sized bed as wide as the bathroom in Gouenji's apartment; the one that conked him out in 5 seconds record time.

Gouenji couldn't take his eyes away from Kidou's soul. Unlike the bed incident, indulging this time couldn't possibly be the clubroom's teasing parade for a week, right? Ever the sensitive person... Kidou never backed away from his feelings. What an admirable guy.

“I…” Kidou closed his mouth for a moment, and then opened it again. “I'm sorry. You did try everything to make sure she's fine.” Kidou looked solemn for a short while. Then, soft tone turned immediately full and more enthusiastic. “In fact, if you didn't take her from that box, who knows what would have happened to her now.”

“Yeah!! I mean you even gave her your towel!” Endou pointed at the white towel folded on the floor where the bottle cap, the bottle with half filled water near the towel, and what seemed to be pieces from a boiled egg were. “...Even though you'll need that for practice later. Ain't he nice, little guy?” Endou then turned to the cat who purred on his arm in response. “Aw, she loves me!”

Gouenji slowly straightened up his body, eyes still glazed with guilt. He stared at the kitten now being spoiled by four of his teammates and sighed.

Kidou followed the direction of his gaze and crossed his arms, mouth forming a straight line. He raised his chin the same way he always did whenever he provoked Gouenji. “What are you planning to do with her?” But the light tone proved that it's anything but.

Gouenji sighed again. “Even if I can somehow bring her home, I wouldn’t be able to take care of her so I was planning to find her an owner after class.”

“Let’s keep her in the soccer club!!” Endou bounced on his feet, ecstatic at his own idea. The kitten was no longer with him but on Kageno's arms, luckily.

“No!!”

Endou deflated as Kidou, however, immediately shut his brilliance down.

“Raimon doesn’t allow pet mascots! You should have known that the most, captain!!” Kidou seethed, his arms doing theatricals following his emotions; his sharp voice echoed strongly in the small room.

“But… BUT!!”

“He's right. Remember Regie last year?” Max pressed his hand over Endou's shoulder, a bit heavy from sadness that wasn’t obvious from his casual tone alone. Endou frowned as the memory of an old friend racoon flashed in everyone's mind. Everybody followed Endou's reaction. Oh Regie, you were a steadfast and hardworking small beast.

The world renowned goalkeeper slumped in defeat, which was always painful for Gouenji to witness. That shoulder of his is the team's pride and Gouenji's mighty pillar as well as source of comfort. With a dejected sigh, Gouenji followed suit. He gazed at the stray again. She gazed at him longingly, not knowing he was the one to doom her in the first place. His foolish self didn't deserve that passion.

Kidou turned to Gouenji with a serious expression and Gouenji's face lit up; it seemed like their strategist found a solution to this predicament. As expected of him.

But then Kidou cleared his throat and Gouenji knitted his brows in suspicion.

“If you really can’t find an owner… The Kidou household accepts cats.”

'Ah. So, that's what it was.'

“I knew it!!” Endou's uproar caught everyone's attention. “You just wanted to take her for yourself! That's no fair, I wanted to adopt her first!!” Endou asserted, already at Kidou's face.

Kidou remained unfazed, raising his chin once again. “But you don’t have anybody else to take care of her, do you? That’s why you suggested that we keep her in the clubroom instead.”

“N–No! I– But, But I can ask my mom–!”

Kidou planted his foot firmly. He faced them both and clenched his jaw the same way he prepared to pass his opponents with a spectacular technique. “Endou, Gouenji! If you let me adopt her you can both visit my house anytime and I can bring them to yours! She'll never be left alone!”

Endou's and Gouenji's faces brightened, they looked at each other almost automatically knowing full well that they'd meet gazes and grins. Gouenji imagined the amount of butlers and maids that the Kidou household had and the luscious life that was ahead of her. Without a word, Gouenji nodded at Endou who seemed to be thinking the same thing. Both their appreciation pointed at the smiling Kidou's way. “That’s a great idea!”

Gouenji felt the thick clouds part ways in his heart and he sighed in relief. To think that the solution Gouenji was looking for was not only just a question away but that he actually could even see her on a regular basis. This put an even bigger smile on his face… and peace in his heart.

She deserved a loving warm home with a lot of people to take care of her. What a nice ending to his worries.

“Hoarders.”

This time all three of them shared the hair-raising scare that only Kageno could incur. Gouenji was really glad he had gotten more confident in just a year... but he really wished he didn't need to hold his heart everytime Kageno did this. And there he was indeed cradling the comfortable black stray to send the message better (it was an image that surprisingly fitted Kageno).

Beside him was Max with his arms crossed. Kazemaru stood behind them and kept a neutral expression about the matter– which made sense because his father has a cat allergy, Gouenji remembered.

“Since Gouenji found her, he has the right to choose who to give it to,” Kidou said with a knowing smirk, confident that he already made a convincing sale.

“?!” Gouenji pointed at himself in shock.

Kidou's right, no doubt. He was the one who brought her here so she was his responsibility. And choosing for her new home was his duty. To attend it, needed no question—

But something started building up on his chest. This increasingly heavy feeling…

Right on his instinct, he felt a group of eyes on him; sharp, piercing, much like a predator in wait… the hair on his back all stood in attention in response.

He sucked his teeth, slowly… he opened his own eyes and then met an entire soccer club's worth of pairs...

‘...This is going to be troublesome.’

—————

“Hah. As if it was ever a question that anyone but me would be chosen.” Yuuto's green glasses glinted with pride. His smile reached his ears, much to the bemusement of the new soccer club who were earnestly listening to this cute little tale nine years ago... while it was cute for a moment. The Raimon Building's meeting room held the presence of the new raimon eleven and four adults, all invested in this narration.

On Yuuto's lap is the aforementioned black cat who was not recognizable from the one in the story, save for her color and her one blind eye. From the confident way she brought herself, down to her age and her luscious fur; the one in the tale just seemed like a stranger.

“That was umm…” Hayami started to talk faintly from one of the benches. Due to his distance from the adults who were sitting on the round tables, he might as well have whispered. Kirino placed a hand on his arm. He shook his head at him, pigtails lightly bouncing. Hayami closed his mouth.

“Yea–Yeah. It wasn't an easy choice to make, though…” Gouenji sweatdropped at the fiery arguments and loud shouts that would follow in his memory… It wasn't easy. It tested his diplomatic skills and patience. He didn't even know he had that much of those back then. He may have remembered a soccer ball flying at some point in that.

“But I never saw Kageno that passionate about something outside of horror and soccer before! It's like I've seen a new side to him.” Mamoru leaned back on his chair with eyes closed and a full smile, also unaware of some of his players’ concerns in this old club tale. Gouenji simply forced a smile. Mamoru shouldn't call Kageno's entire visage as his likening to horror. That's... Is that rude? Well...

Sigh. At least one of them had fond memories of that war.

“Thanks to it we let her choose which owner she wanted. And she chose ME.”

…Two of them. That's really… good for them both.

“But what about the other club members? The ones you thought brought Momo?” Hikaru asked the question in everyone's mind as he leaned close, and Gouenji cleared his throat to contain his now restrained amusement.

Ever since Yuuto invited Hikaru and his mother to his house a lot and asked him to treat him like his own uncle, Hikaru gained more confidence in approaching Yuuto and his partners casually. In fact, he even took the chair beside Yuuto, and was even petting Momo as he asked a question that made his teammates tense up. No one else in the room would have the guts to ask Yuuto that, Gouenji was sure. He couldn’t help but feel some sort of pride, and he wondered how much longer before Hikaru would start calling him uncle, too. That would be nice.

“He bribed them,” Haruna said, eyes firmly closed, tired drawn in her words. Despite it being above a whisper, most of the Raimon team received the message loud and clear; they straightened their backs and avoided eye contact with their counsellor.

‘Sharing his luxury is just his way of doing things…’Gouenji wanted to defend Yuuto but he knew better than to get in between a developing sibling disagreement…

He saw the dreaded look in Mamoru's eyes and locked with them. Reading the laced desperation, the same thoughts run in their mind: *‘Hopefully, being around these kids won't turn this into a full fight.’*

“I asked them what can make them forgive me.” Yuuto's lips formed a thin line, his voice sailing on respectful disquiet but there was a sharpness in its tail. “I suggested the cruise to let them know the threshold on what I'm capable of.”

Mamoru faintly brushed a few of his fingers on Yuuto's arm as he pretended to pat Momo. It seemed like the tender action took the poison out of Yuuto since his tone took a gentle turn. “...I apologized… but did you think it wasn't enough?” He carefully asked his sister, now concerned himself.

Haruna blinked at the change of tone and sighed quietly, “I mean they were pretty happy with the cruise. It was fun,” she garbled the last part as she bit at the biscuit that Gouenji and Yuuto brought on their visit.

Gouenji saw the silent collective sigh in everybody's eyes. They were all spared the exchange of harsh words from the siblings, thanks to Mamoru's quick thinking. Always the perceptive one, that man. As expected of Gouenji's and soccer's saviour.

Gouenji took this opening to cough lightly and pointed at his wrist. Which Yuuto caught.

“Ah. Well, it's time to go.” Yuuto picked up Momo gently and she took upon his arms snarkily as if she owned it. And Yuuto smirked as if he was given a mighty blessing by the Gods.

Gouenji resisted a chuckle… while Mamoru didn't even try; he put his entire back to it. Yuuto raised an eyebrow at their partner, who answered by shaking his head.

Gouenji smiled, and he smiled widely. Ah, he couldn’t wait for Yuuto to prode him for answers after they step out of the school, and to see him be proud of the reaction anyway. Neither could he wait for after hours to see Mamoru again and the tight goalkeeper hug that he brings home...