Chapter 10

  The Pitch in My Dreams

  That day, I walked home surrounded by my classmates and Takachika.

  “Don’t run away tomorrow, Captain.” “Soccer again after school, yeah?” “Bring your A-game.”

  Laughter followed me out of the school gate. Someone slapped my back. The sunset painted the field gold.

  It had been a good day.

  And yet, that night, I couldn’t sleep.

  My body was exhausted, but my mind wouldn’t slow down.

  Something deep in my chest felt restless.

  When I finally drifted off, I found myself standing somewhere unfamiliar.

  A wide soccer pitch.

  Neither day nor night.

  The sky was white, the grass unnaturally green.

  It felt like a world cut out from reality.

  I stood at the center circle.

  Someone stood across from me.

  A boy about my age.

  Short black hair.

  Sharp eyes.

  He was glaring at me.

  He was shouting something.

  But I couldn’t hear the words.

  His mouth was moving. His voice was there.

  Yet the sound itself never reached me.

  He was angry.

  Angry at me.

  He marched forward like he was about to punch me.

  I instinctively stepped back—

  And jolted awake in my bed.

  Morning.

  My heart was racing. Sweat clung to my skin.

  “…What a weird dream.”

  But it didn’t end there.

  Night after night.

  The same pitch.

  The same boy.

  The same one-sided shouting.

  And every time, I woke up before understanding anything.

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  During the day, Takachika and I dominated every soccer match.

  Our classmates started betting on us.

  We got dragged into games every afternoon.

  And every night, I returned to that pitch.

  “Are you sleeping properly lately?” Takachika asked one day.

  “Do I look that bad?” “Yeah. Better than before, though.” “I keep having the same dream.”

  I didn’t know how to explain it, so I switched to English.

  “What kind of dream?”

  The reply came back in perfect English.

  “…You can speak English?” “Yeah. You never asked. So I never said anything. Now tell me.”

  I explained.

  “A wide pitch. A middle school kid yelling at me.” “What’s he saying?” “I don’t know.” “Have you tried talking to him?” “No. He just yells.” “Then try talking back.” “Maybe he’s trying to tell you something.”

  I thought about it.

  “If I see him again tonight, I will.”

  Takachika nodded, satisfied.

  “I think that’s a good idea.”

  That night, I stood on the pitch again.

  The boy was there.

  Arms crossed. Eyes burning.

  He was shouting.

  This time, I stepped forward.

  “Who are you?”

  My voice carried.

  The boy froze.

  His eyes widened.

  Then he rushed me.

  He grabbed my collar.

  “It’s your fault!!”

  I could hear him now.

  “Because of you, I can’t go back!!”

  I knew that face.

  I had seen it in the mirror.

  Under the hospital lights.

  —Hinomichi Nia.

  “My body!” “My life!” “Give it back!!”

  The ground cracked beneath us.

  The world shattered.

  I said his name.

  “…Nia.”

  Everything exploded into white.

  I woke up.

  Morning.

  My heart felt like it would burst.

  But I understood now.

  That wasn’t a dream.

  That was the owner of this body.