Rin likes ice cream. That's why Sae always buys Rin a cheap popsicle* that he can buy with his allowance at the penny candy store. No, on the contrary, Rin might have liked anything, be it ice cream or chocolate, as long as Sae bought it for him.
*1 棒アイス is just any ice cream on a stick.
The older brother, Itoshi Sae, 13 years old. The younger brother, Itoshi Rin, 11 years old.
They're on the way home from a practice match. While gazing at the afterglow at the sea, the two of them sat on the embankment, and had popsicles again today.
"Rin, what are you thinking about when you play soccer?"
Rin scored two goals in today's match. Meanwhile, Sae scored three points with a hat trick. His Nii-chan is great after all.
"Hm? Nothing. I guess it's just about goals. I just run to the bad area and then Nii-chan pass to me."
"What do you mean by bad area?"
Sae asks, while playing with the stick in his mouth.
"Hm. The area where the enemy panics and falls through."
The area the enemy falls through. Sae let his younger brother's words quietly seep into his mind.
"You rely too much on your intuition, you know."
"But Nii-chan always passes to me, so why not? Nobody else is good enough for me."
That's why it's okay to move on impulse without thinking.
"...What will you do when I'm not around?"
"I don't know but, I guess I'll look for a replacement." Rin says nonchalantly.
"Who would that be? Who the hell do you think I am, huh?"
Sae jokingly kicks Rin.
"Ow! Yeah, yeah, You're "the world's best", Itoshi Sae-sama."
Their faces are red, bathed by the sunset. It's interesting to see the sea changing colors rapidly, they never get tired of watching it. However, this is the last time they're going to spend time like this.
"Rin..."
Tomorrow, Sae and Rin will be parting ways. So the usual popsicles and the usual pranks will end today.
"I'm going to Spain tomorrow. I'm gonna play soccer in the youth team for the best club in the world, Real Madrid."
"I already know. What's this about? Nii-chan's gonna be the world's best striker, so that's obvious."
The Kamakura United Youth, which the Itoshi brothers belong to, won the Japan Club Youth Championship (U-15). Competed as the ace despite being a first-year junior high school student, Sae was the key player in winning the championship. He was highly regarded for his potential, and was finally approached by Real Madrid. When it was decided that Sae would be joining them, the media went wild.
...Japan's Treasure takes on the World, the challenge of Itoshi Sae...
...The genius Sae Itoshi joins Real Madrid! The beginning of a legend...
Being a treasure, a genius and a legend, his Nii-chan is just amazing.
"I'm just going first. Come after me. Don't give up while I'm gone."
At Sae's words, Rin nodded reassuringly.
"Okay. My goal is to become the best in Japan and get scouted like Nii-chan!"
"Yeah. and then the world, we will become the world's best together."
Sae's words made him very happy. With a clap, their hands overlapped.
"Let's go home."
"Okay!"
Sae stood up and Rin followed him.
...Nii-chan keeps getting ahead, leaving me behind. ...Once Nii-chan's gone, how am I supposed to fight?
The truth is, he's a little anxious. As Rin watches the sea of orange gradually darken, he suddenly remembers a match in the junior youth category of his club team. In combination with Sae, he cut through the enemies and received a perfectly timed last pass in front of the goal. Rin's shot drew a parabolic line and was sucked into the goal. It was a great feeling.
"...Just now, that shot was naive, Rin."
However, his Nii-chan is strict.
"Really, Nii-chan? I'll be careful next time."
"Now, one tempo faster...can you do it?"
"Sure. I'll try."
Again, they're playing with their opponents with their combination, then a strong shoot from a sharp last pass.
Twack!
"Hell yeah!"
This time, it was perfect.
Sae and Rin are invincible.
(...Playing soccer with Nii-chan is fun. When I'm with Nii-chan, I'm invincible. Me and Nii-chan are gonna be the world's best.)
So he has to be patient even if he's lonely. Rin tightly closed his lips in a straight line.
The next day. At the airport, they saw off Sae who was leaving for Spain.
"Take care, Sae!"
"Take care of your health!"
Their mother and father waved their hands.
"Nii-chan, take care!"
At the sound of Rin's voice echoing through the airport lobby, Sae turned around. A smile is on his lips. It was the kind of smile that Sae only shows to his younger brother Rin.
"I'm off. To be the "world's best striker"."
Nii-chan's really cool. Next time we meet, I want to be someone who can fight on the world stage. One day...I'll catch up to you!
Sae's eyes are set on the world. Then, just like Sae, he will become their team's ace and win the National Youth Competition.
Watching his older brother's back, Rin made up his mind.