Monday
Rain again
But it wasn't the same
This time it felt heavier
Like the clouds knew something was about to break
Reiji walked into class late
Eyes unreadable
But the room froze for a different reason
There was a new student at the front
Female
Short hair
Glasses
Uniform perfect
Smile fake
"Hello everyone
My name is Shirabe Mika
Nice to meet you"
Her voice was clear
Too clear
Like she practiced it a hundred times
Reiji's eyes locked onto hers for a second
She looked harmless
Too harmless
---
During break
Everyone swarmed around her
"Where are you from"
"You're cute"
"Transfer student huh"
Mika laughed politely
Answered nothing specific
Her bag had no keychains
Her phone was blank
She was a ghost
And Reiji hated ghosts
Because that was his role
---
Lunch
She sat alone
Reiji watched from the rooftop
Leo joined him
Holding two melon pans
"You gonna interrogate her
Or wait for her to attack"
Reiji took the bread
"She's not here for school
Not here for football either"
Leo raised an eyebrow
"Then what"
Reiji didn't answer
He just watched
As Mika suddenly looked up
And stared directly at him
Even from five floors down
---
That evening
Coach Nakamura pulled Reiji aside after practice
"We've got a guest watching our sessions now
Says she's just a student
But she takes notes like a scout"
Reiji sighed
"She's not scouting
She's analyzing"
Coach blinked
"Same thing"
Reiji shook his head
"Scouts look for talent
Analysts look for flaws"
---
Two days passed
Minamino's next match was in 48 hours
A casual school league game
Or so it seemed
Because on the group chat
Someone leaked the game plan
Reiji's formations
Tactics
Rotations
Word for word
Leo slammed his locker open
"Who the hell leaked it"
Yamato shouted
"Only our squad and coaches knew this
Who's the rat"
Kenta looked at Reiji
But Reiji was calm
He walked to the whiteboard
Erased everything
"Forget the plan
We're going random"
Yamato cursed
"That's suicide"
Reiji looked at him
"No
It's jazz"
---
Game day
Stadium empty except for students
And one girl with glasses sitting in the third row
Mika watched with hands folded
Notebook in her lap
Reiji walked onto the pitch
Didn't tie his shoes properly
Didn't tuck his shirt
The opponents played by the book
Minamino played chaos
Reiji kept switching positions
Striker
Then center back
Then right wing
He gave no orders
No hand signals
But the team moved with him like shadows
Even the opponents got confused
Who was marking who
Who had the ball
Why did it feel like they were defending against air
---
Mika closed her notebook
Someone beside her asked
"Are you writing for the paper"
She smiled
"No
I'm writing a thesis
On how to dismantle a football demon"
---
Final whistle
3–0 win for Minamino
But no one celebrated
Reiji walked straight to the stands
Up to Mika
He leaned down
"You're not here to study me
You're here to stop me"
Mika stood up
"Not stop
Redirect
You're wasted in school leagues
You're something else"
Reiji smirked
"Then watch carefully
Because I'm about to become something even worse"
---
Later that night
Mika sent a voice message to someone abroad
"He's more dangerous than expected
He doesn't seek the spotlight
He makes it orbit him
I suggest immediate intervention
Before this becomes uncontainable"