The Dreamers
New day

Hiro's heart was pounding. His foot stepped into a large gate that read ‘Zekka Football Academy’. That place is huge. Green fields are scattered. Hiro is still fixated on not believing that in this elite football school he will hone his skills.

“Ngapain bengong Hiro? Let's go straight into the field!” Ryota's chirps made Hiro flinch.

“Eh? Direct entry to the field?” Ask Hiro.

“Iya! It's already on my father's list.” Ryota said.

“Yes too yes,”

Hiro and Ryota also entered one of the special fields for the age group of 12-14 years. In this field many children are the same age as Hiro.

The first time he entered the field, Hiro became the center of attention because of his small body. They were all thinking what a kid like Hiro was doing here.

“Why do others see me like that? Do I look weird?” In Hiro's heart.

Faintly Hiro heard some people talking about it.

“Who is the child?”

“Heh.., his body is skinny once,”

“Is he a new kid? What's name?”

But Hiro ignored the bad views of his friends on the field. If the look is unreliable, then Hiro will prove it by action.

PRIIITS!!

A young man wearing a hat blew the whistle tightly. “Everything's gathered!”

The young man is a coach who specifically handles the age group of 12-14 years. His name is Takashi, he is 20 years old. He is an alumnus of this academy and was once the best graduate.

After everything has been gathered, Takashi announced that today there are two new students who will join Zekka Football, namely Ryota and Hiro. “I hope you can all work together in the field with each other,” Takashi said.

Even so, there was still not a single child who was acquainted with Hiro. Unlike Ryota who has met many friends of his age. Hiro was also embarrassed to want to get acquainted as people continued to look at him with strange gazes.

That day, Hiro had to undergo training by not speaking at all. He just listened and carried out the coach's orders. Every time he gave the ball to his friend other than Ryota, Hiro was never given the ball back. As a result that day, Hiro did not touch the ball so much during practice.

Takashi is a caring coach. He saw something was wrong with Hiro. Takashi approached Hiro on the sidelines during the break. “Hey, your name is Hiro?”

Hiro just nodded. His head bowed down not daring to look up.

“From yesterday I noticed you, have you been ostracized by your friends?” Ask Takashi.

“Ah?” Hiro was surprised the coach approached him. He just kept quiet and did not answer.

“If yes I will scold them,” Takashi also want to go to another place immediately.

“Do not!” Hiro's hand restrains the coach.

“Why?” Takashi's confused.

Hiro remained silent as if he had no explanation. Her plight still held Takashi back from going to scold his friends.

Takashi sighed. “Good.well, I won't scold your friends. Now can I release my hand?”

“B—Alright, sorry,” Hiro let go of his grunts.

Takashi then sat down beside Hiro who was still down while playing the grass in front of him. The voices of people playing football are heard from every field.

“Listen to me Hiro, they're not excommunicating you. They just don't know you.”

“Huh? What does coach mean?” Ask Hiro.

Then Takashi pointed to Ryota who was joking with his friends in another corner of the field. “did you see Ryota? He's your friend, isn't he? He's the most curious kid here. He always talks to someone nearby without seeing who he's talking to.”

“True too. Ryota is always fun to talk to.” In Hiro's heart.

“But not because he's a cool kid to talk to. Ryota only dares to communicate with others. You should be brave like that too Hiro! No matter what other people's response to you is, you just need to take the first step. Otherwise, you won't be able to have friends.”

“But coach, what if they don't like me?”

Takashi laughed, “Have you ever tried it?”

“Alright, break is done. Let's quickly get your friends back on the field now,” Takashi said.

“A—I tell them?”

“Iya, let's hurry,”

Hiro stood in the middle of the field and shouted as loud as possible. “Everything regrouped!”

All the children in the field were directly to the origin of the sound, precisely Hiro.

“Did they listen to you?” Takashi asked beside him.

“Iya,” Hiro replied with a smile.

Hiro started to realize something. All this time he was silent and waiting for someone to come to him. But he knew that it had to start with himself.

...

Until then, the first practice for Hiro on that day was over. Shortly before returning home, he and Ryota are given one soccer jersey suit each. The jersey is an official mark for Ryota and Hiro, who are already part of the Zekka Football Academy.

"Waahh! The clothes are good Hiro!" Ryota. "The color is pure white!"

"Yes, great!" Hiro looked at his number on the back of Jersey.

Hiro wore the number 19 as a right-wing. Ryota wears the number 4 as a centre-back. That's the jersey they'll both be wearing while they're at Zekka's academy.

...

While in Ryota's car, which picks him up to return home, Hiro asks Ryota about the friends he made on the first day of training. "Ryo, I see you've made a lot of friends in the field?"

"Eh, Yes Hiro! I made a lot of friends there! where have you been?"

"Look.., I'd like to ask. How do you think your new friends are?"

"They? hmm, I think they are very kind and friendly. No one behaves badly" Ryota explained.

"Oh so,"

"Why? you want to be friends with them? then, just get acquainted, there is no need to be afraid. They won't reject you, I'm sure of it!"

"Yes, thank you, next week I'll try." Hiro. Even so, actually Hiro was still not confident.

...

When he got to his house, Hiro got off Ryota's car. "Thank you for the ride Ryo!"

"No problem, every week I'll drive you!"

"ah! thanks!" Hiro happy. "Then I go first!"

"Yes!"

Ryota leaves with his car back to his house. From far away Hiro could still see his car leaving.

After Hiro quietly stood in front of his house, he went into his empty little house. The dim light that illuminated his house had already been lit. Hiro's Jersey was hung from a clothes hanger near his father's. Hiro wants his dad to see that Jersey.

After washing the sweat on his face, Hiro immediately returned to the activity as usual afternoon, which is to prepare his merchandise for tomorrow.

Hiro can still be said to be a child. But the responsibility is as big as an adult.

...

Time pass. It's more than midnight now. "Dad go home..," Hiro's father said softly as he opened the door.

The clink of the wall clock is louder than the sound around. Hiro was already asleep in a dream when his father came home. "Hiro is asleep?" Mumbled Hiro's Father.

There was no answer from Hiro who confirmed that Hiro had actually slept.

Hiro's dad has to clean up before he goes to bed. As he took off his uniform and hung it, he saw a Jersey with the name 'Hiro' on the back that was definitely Hiro's. Hiro's father smiled at him. His eyes were full of water, but he could not cry that night.

"Pursue your dreams, son" Hiro's father. "Dad will always support you even if you don't need to know that,"