Takeshi sat on his bed, staring at his Star Wars comforter while his mind raced with everything that had happened in the past few hours.
Akari. She's here. She's real.
The memory of her smile, the way she'd looked at him like she could see straight into his soul, it changed everything. In his previous life, he'd thrown away love for ambition and ended up with nothing. This time would be different.
But being different means being stronger. Being worthy of her.
He pulled out the Ajax business card from his pocket, running his thumb over the embossed logo. Erik van der Berg. Three weeks in Amsterdam. The best youth development system in the world.
In my past life, I learned about Ajax later, when I was already eighteen. Their academy isn't just about football; it's about creating complete players. Technical perfection, tactical intelligence, mental strength.
The system chimed softly:
[NEW QUEST AVAILABLE: Complete Ajax Training Program]
[Reward: Advanced Technical Skills, European Football Intelligence, Mental Fortitude +10]
[Warning: This path will accelerate the timeline significantly]
The system wants me to go too.
But this wasn't about the system anymore. This was about becoming the person Akari deserved, someone strong enough to protect what mattered, mature enough to handle both love and ambition.
I can't protect anyone if I'm weak. I can't change anything if I don't take risks.
Three weeks. Three weeks to learn from the best coaches in Europe, to train with kids who were already thinking like professionals, to come back with knowledge that would make him unstoppable in Division A.
This is my stand. This is where I stop being afraid and start building the future I want.
He stood up, Ajax card still in his hand, and walked downstairs where his parents were setting the table for dinner.
"Mom, Dad," he said, his voice steadier than he felt. "I want to talk about Ajax."
The silence that followed was deafening.
His parents exchanged the kind of look that meant they'd already been discussing this exact conversation.
"Takeshi," his mother said carefully, setting down her chopsticks. "You're eight years old. Amsterdam is on the other side of the world."
"It's only three weeks, Mom."
"Three weeks is forever for a child," she replied, her voice tight with worry. "You've never been away from home for more than a night."
His father leaned forward. "Son, what's brought this on? Yesterday you seemed overwhelmed by everything, and now you want to fly to Europe?"
How do I explain that seeing the girl I loved and lost made me realize I need to become someone worth loving again?
"I've been thinking," Takeshi said, choosing his words carefully. "About what I really want. About who I want to become."
"And who's that?" his mother asked.
"Someone strong enough to protect the people I care about. Someone who can handle success without losing himself."
Someone who won't make the same mistakes twice.
His father's eyebrows rose. "That's... very mature thinking for someone your age."
"Ajax isn't just about football, Dad. It's about becoming a complete person. They teach mental strength, leadership, and how to handle pressure. Things I'll need no matter what I do in life."
His parents were listening now, really listening.
"The other players my age at Ajax, they're from all over the world. Different cultures, different backgrounds. I'd learn so much more than just football."
His mother's face was still creased with worry. "But you're so young, sweetheart. What if you get homesick? What if something happens?"
"Then I'll call you every day. I'll email. I'll send videos. And if it doesn't work out, I'll come home immediately."
I won't need to come home. But she needs to hear that I could.
"The scout said this program is only for six kids worldwide," Takeshi continued. "Six kids out of millions. This chance might never come again."
His father was wavering. Takeshi could see it in his eyes.
"What about school?" his mother asked. "What about your friends?"
"It's three weeks, Mom. I'll make up the schoolwork. And my real friends will understand."
Will they? That's tomorrow's problem.
The negotiation went on for another hour. Conditions were laid out: daily phone calls, weekly video chats with family, and immediate return if he was unhappy or struggling. His parents would research everything about the program, talk to other parents, maybe even call the scout themselves.
But when his mother finally said, "We'll consider it," Takeshi knew he'd won.
One step closer to becoming who I need to be.
The next morning at school felt like walking through a minefield.
"You're WHAT?!" Hiroshi's voice cracked as Takeshi explained about Amsterdam.
"It's just three weeks..."
"three weeks before Division A starts! You're abandoning us!"
The accusation hit harder than expected. His teammates gathered around, their faces a mix of excitement and betrayal.
"Ajax wants you specifically?" Matsuda asked, awe mixing with hurt in his voice.
"Yeah, but..."
"So you're just gonna leave us to get destroyed in Division A while you're off becoming a superstar?"
They don't understand. They can't understand.
"This will make me better," Takeshi said firmly. "Better for all of us. When I come back, I'll be able to help the team more than ever."
"If you come back," Kenji muttered.
That stung. But Takeshi forced himself to stay calm.
"I'm coming back. Tokyo FC is my home. You guys are my teammates. But I need to do this."
The group gradually dispersed, some offering grudging support, others still clearly hurt. Only Hiroshi remained.
"Why?" his best friend asked quietly. "What's so important that you'd risk everything we've built here?"
Because I've seen what happens when you're not strong enough to protect what matters. Because I've lived a life of regrets, and I won't do it again.
"Because I want to be worthy of the people I care about," Takeshi said. "And right now, I'm not strong enough."
Hiroshi stared at him for a long moment, then sighed. "You're different lately. More... I don't know. Serious. Like you're carrying something heavy."
You have no idea.
"I am carrying something heavy. But that's why I need to get stronger."
They hugged, awkwardly, the way eight-year-old boys do and Hiroshi whispered, "Don't forget us when you're famous, okay?"
Never. I'll never forget any of you again.
Walking to his next class, Takeshi spotted Akari by her classroom window. She saw him too and smiled that smile that still stopped his heart.
"I heard you're going to Amsterdam," she said as he approached.
News travels fast in elementary school.
"Yeah. For football training."
"That's amazing," she said, and her pride was genuine. "Scary, but amazing."
"You think I should go?"
She looked at him with those wise eyes that seemed too old for her eight-year-old face.
"I think you should do whatever makes you feel like you're becoming who you're meant to be."
God, even as a kid, she knows exactly what to say.
"I'll miss... I mean, I'll miss school. And friends."
"We'll be here when you get back," she said softly. "And you'll come back different. Stronger."
How does she always know?
As he walked away, Takeshi felt something settle in his chest. The doubt, the fear, the overwhelming pressure, all crystallised into simple determination.
Three weeks in Amsterdam. Then, back to building the future I want.
This time, I'm doing it right.
This time, I won't lose what matters most.
The boy who'd died at thirty-four had been weak, selfish, broken. But the eight-year-old walking down this hallway was different.
He was taking his stand.