After waiting for Margaret’s car to gradually disappear from view, the two headed up to the dormitory together.
It would have been fine if they hadn’t waited together. Despite Henry saying it was okay for Declan to go up first, he stubbornly saw her off.
On the way up, they received numerous curious looks. It was only natural, since Declan and Henry were rumored among the students to not get along.
Henry pretended not to notice the attention directed at him, while Declan somehow seemed not to even notice, his eyes looking somewhat dazed.
Only when Henry reached the third floor where his room was located did he awkwardly say goodbye to Declan.
“…I’m going. See you tomorrow.”
Only then did focus return to Declan’s eyes, as if he had just woken up. He nodded slightly, then walked up one more floor.
Henry familiarly opened his room door and went inside.
He put down his bag and was about to sit on the bed when he suddenly noticed the plant at the head of Joseph’s bed.
‘Water this for me over the weekend.’
Recalling a weeknight dinner from last week, Henry got up his tired body and examined the potted plant. Since the soil was dry, he filled the cup he had with a small amount of water and moistened it.
Only then did Henry change his clothes right away and collapsed face-down on the bed. Before long, Henry fell asleep just like that.
***
Henry, who had been asleep without even eating dinner, opened his eyes around 4 AM.
Remembering that today was the practice game, Henry went for a run to loosen up his body. After finishing a round of running, he completed some light strength training at the school gym.
After showering, he slowly got ready, ate breakfast in the dining hall, and headed to the classroom where his first period would be.
Without knowing what might happen today.
In the afternoon when the practice game was starting, Henry arrived at the field on campus already completely drained.
It was because a rumor had spread among the students: “Declan Russell got out of a car driven by Lowell’s mother together with Henry Lowell. They even walked side by side into the dormitory.”
The fortunate part was that after arriving at the field, he escaped from question hell.
It was partly thanks to students from other schools being there for the practice game, and partly thanks to David being there.
At school, Henry always stirred up rumors. Thanks to that, it was natural for attention and gossip to follow him wherever he went. Henry also took this for granted.
However, bringing up gossip about fellow club members within the field—David, as captain, hated this. It was the one thing that made the fundamentally kind and generous guy angry.
Thanks to that, Henry could warm up comfortably. He even exchanged nods with Declan. Thinking no one would ask him.
But contrary to expectations—
“Henry.”
Somehow David approached him with a pleased expression. Henry, who had been stretching, looked up at him.
David spoke while putting on an exaggerated act of wiping away tears of pride.
“This hyung is so happy. To think you’re greeting Declan. So the rumor was true.”
Henry looked up at David in bewilderment.
“Now you just need to coordinate during the game.”
He tapped Henry’s shoulder a couple times—tap, tap—then left. As his back grew distant and Henry was about to turn his head, he and Declan’s eyes collided.
They looked at each other for quite a while. In the end, the first to look away was Henry. This time, at least, he didn’t feel like he was losing.
***
Tweet—!
The game started with the whistle blown by the coach of the Platts football club that Henry belonged to. The crowd that came to watch upon hearing news of the practice game sat in the stands and cheered enthusiastically.
Henry positioned himself behind Declan, the center.
“Black, 22! Black, 22!”
When Henry, the quarterback, gave the signal, the linemen in the front row, including Declan, got into position.
Confirming that they were ready to attack, Henry also lowered his stance. Ready to receive the ball from Declan, he shouted loud enough for his teammates to hear.
“Set, hut!”
Simultaneously with Henry’s shout, Declan threw the ball to Henry. Catching the ball, Henry quickly stepped back about two steps.
The players from both schools became entangled with each other. The opposing team that started on defense tried to block them from getting in, while Henry’s offensive team tried to carry the ball to the end zone.
Henry swiftly moved his feet to the left. Of course Declan, and one of the opposing team’s defenders immediately rushed at Henry. It was because three defenders rushed at Declan to stop him, creating an opening.
At the same time, Henry’s eyes, quickly scanning the surroundings, caught sight of a wide receiver without a defender on him.
Henry pretended as if he would run forward, took a stance to deceive the opposing defender, then tried to throw the ball to the side without hesitation.
If only the opponent hadn’t reacted.
Henry clicked his tongue at the narrowly failed pass. In the meantime, the wide receiver whose hands had been empty also got marked.
Henry’s waist was grabbed.
It was when Henry was about to shake him off and run toward where the opposing defense wasn’t positioned.
Thwack!
Declan, who had been running fast while shaking off one defender, pushed away the enemy who was defending with his body. A terrible sound rang out as the opposing team’s shoulder collided with Declan’s shoulder.
The person who had been holding onto Henry and trying to endure was pushed back by Declan’s strength.
As soon as he confirmed this, Henry immediately ran toward where there were no defenders.
The line of scrimmage changes.
To carry the ball as far as possible.
So that Henry and the running back can advance.
The Platts linemen hold back the opposing team trying to block the running back.
Henry threw the ball accurately and quickly toward the running back running ahead.
The running back who jumped in place caught the ball in one go.
One, two—to grab the ball, the opposing players pushed aside the Platts linemen and chased the running back.
The running back who advanced near the end line in one go with a long pass and sprint—facing the crisis of being surrounded by the opposing team that had already caught up, the running back threw the ball again.
To the wide receiver who was 1 yard behind.
At a distance not far from the touchdown, most of the defensive forces rushed to the wide receiver and became tangled up and fell.
Just before falling, he passed the ball to Henry.
“Henry!”
Called by his teammate, Henry ran to catch the ball thrown in the air.
Likewise, one defender who couldn’t reach Platts’ wide receiver because he was relatively far away immediately turned and ran toward the ball.
Thwack! Henry grabbed the ball.
However, right after getting the ball in his hands, Henry became entangled with his opponent and fell, rolling on the ground.
Pain surged through the shoulder that collided with the opponent, but Henry didn’t care.
He immediately regained his balance and sprang up.
He ran through the left side where only one defender remained because the defenders had rushed to the receiver. The opponent who had collided with Henry and fallen also immediately got up and followed behind.
“Lowell, run!”
Declan’s shout heard from the side.
Henry looked toward where the sound came from.
An opponent who had at some point started running toward Henry, chasing the ball.
Declan, who had run out from behind, dove at the opponent. The opponent who had been running toward Henry at high speed momentarily lost balance from Declan’s force and fell.
“Henry! Now!”
At some point, David was also tenaciously holding back an opponent trying to block Henry as he shouted.
The only one opponent remaining on the left side—Henry twisted his feet as if he would dig into the left side once more.
As soon as he confirmed that the opponent who had been fooled had his center of gravity shifted to the left, Henry turned his body and cut across to the right, running toward the end zone.
His teammates calling his name. The enthusiastic spectators. The enemy team shouting to stop Henry Lowell.
His heart pounded fiercely. Inside the helmet, the sound of breathing in and out echoed in his ears.
Elation welled up. Henry threw his body toward the end line right before his eyes.
“Touchdown!”
Cheers burst out toward Henry from all directions. Henry, who had rolled on the ground, breathed roughly as he looked down at the ball held in his arms.
From 0:0 to 6:0—the score changed.
“Nice! Henry!”
The teammates who ran over high-fived Henry. After high-fiving David last, Henry looked at Declan and said.
“…That was good just now.”
Below the helmet, Declan’s lips could be seen curving shallowly. Without even a moment to talk more, the coach’s call to prepare for the kick play was immediately heard.
Henry and several players came off the field, and the special team entered the field.
About 20 yards behind the end line—the holder caught the ball that came flying from the long snapper. After a running start, the kicker powerfully kicked the ball up.
The ball that flew in a parabolic arc headed toward the opponent’s end line.
7:0.
It was a perfect start.
