"Huh, what's the summer party?" I ask my brother.
"I have no idea, Takato just said that this weekend is one of those," he replies indifferently.
"Fool, and you're not asking what that is?"
He just shrugs and continues to eat his toast. When I've finished my toast, I get up, put on my shoes, take my satchel and go outside to the shed to get my bike. When I push it to the fence, I can already see Heiji waiting. I still resent yesterday, my friend! When he notices me, he only smiles briefly and greets me with a friendly "Good morning. Isn't that a wonderful summer day!"
"Well, you are in a good mood.", I state while I am closing the garden fence.
"Can't I do that?" He asks snuggly and his beaming face changes to a pouting one.
I just wave it off. Speaking of summer ...
"Hey, Heyji, what is the summer festival?"
He looks at me a bit puzzled, but then grins and says:"It takes place on the sports field nearby. The two bars on our street organize it every year. Most of the time, only the people from Kansai come. It won't be a big street party. Thank God."
I nod gratefully and the two of us drive to school in silence.
On Saturday, the day of the summer festival, I made an appointment with Imaro at 2 am. I am tying my ponytail with a purple bow when suddenly there is a knock on the door of my room and Imaro comes in.
"Man, you are still not finished! Everything has already started."
I hurry up and then run to the sports field with Imaro.
"Great outfit today. Where did you get that from?", She asks me as we slowly walk towards the built pavilions, where a lot of people have already taken their seats.
"I bought the T-shirt two days ago after school. Heiji and I drove past a great clothes store. And my mom gave me the shorts a year ago."She grins slightly and leads me past pavilions to the edge of the field. First I notice that a soccer game is in progress. 2 teams with adult men play against each other.
"That's what makes the summer party so special," explains Imaro.
"Every year the men from Kansai play a different team. I think this year it's from Kyoto."
I watch the game for a while and realize that football is not that uninteresting.
"Hey you 2. Have you been here a long time?" Suddenly asks a voice behind me.
I turn around and see Heiji with his cap that he was already in the hospital.
"You are a little too late because you still had to make yourself pretty, right?" Imaro says.
"Oh nonsense! I still had to go shopping for a moment. Besides, the games here are never anything special.", Heiji defends himself.
The game ends and Osaka wins 2-0.
"Hey, the old men keep getting better," says Heiji with a laugh."Don't be too cheeky, little hattori!" A player from the Osaka team warned him and he just smiled back.
Now young soccer players who are about my age are taking to the field. Are they all from Kansai? I didn't even notice them, even though they look so good. I turn to Heiji and ask:
"Who are they all?"
He points to the blond boy with the number 10 who first caught my eye and says:
"This is Takayoshi Uno. He is one of the best young stars from Osaka ..." But Heiji is interrupted by Takayoshi, who also waves to him:
"Hello Heiji. Nice that you came too. Don't you want to play too?"
"Hi Yoshi. Um ... no ... let's go ... it's ... ok."
"Oh come on. You're good!" Says Takayoshi and walks towards us.
"We could use someone like you."
That's right, he told me about football in the hospital. Why doesn't he want to? I poke him lightly in the ribs and say:
"Yes, play along!"He looks at me for a moment, then sighs and agrees. Takayoshi is very happy and quickly runs away.
"You gave me something."
A short time later, Yoshi comes back and holds a blue jersey with white inscription 'Osaka Young Tigers' in his hands that matches his. Then he puts on a big grin and turns it around. There is a big 13 emblazoned on it and above it is written in bold: Hattori.
My eyes got bigger and Heiji just sighs:
"Where did you get that?"
Yoshi throws the Heiji jersey and says:
"Do you think the club will just throw away their best player's shirt?"
Best player? With the Osaka Young Tigers? Heiji? I notice how my mouth opens a little in amazement. Then Heiji moves his hands to the bottom of his T-shirt and slowly pulls it up so that I can see part of his stomach. Now I see more and more skin and for the first time I see the muscles that this stomach has. Small bulges are clearly visible on this smooth browed skin and I notice how fawns rise up in my head.I'm trying to look normal again when I notice myself staring at Heiji. Now his entire upper body is free and I feel a tingling sensation in my stomach area, which is not uncomfortable. Heiji takes his jersey and pulls it on elegantly. Wow what a body!
"Hey great. Come on. The game is about to start.", Takayoshi exclaims happily and runs out onto the field. Heiji comes to me and I try to appear as normal as possible, although what just happened still blows me away. He takes off his cap and hands it to me.
"It only interferes with playing. Take good care of it!"
I nod slightly and he walks comfortably onto the field. But suddenly he pauses again and turns around. I see his gaze go down from my face and stop at my torso. Where is he looking? I blush again and indignantly ask:
"What is there to look at?" And hide my bust a little.
He puts on a thoughtful expression and then says:"Isn't that the shirt you bought in that weird little shop?"
I look a little surprised and am slightly surprised. He realizes it. How sweet…
Then he continues:
"Yes, exactly. I recognized this ugly thing right away. I actually advised you against it."
He proudly walks on and then talks to his teammates. Really great memory! I think pouting.