The Dreamers
Message at the end of the day

"Takehiro Miyoko, you have been called up for the friendly matches against Hong Kong and Indonesia this September.

We apologize for this sudden call. Your call-up is based on the fact that a core player who is also in the same position as you, Matsuoka, is injured, so we need you to increase the depth of our squad.

We beg you after you receive this message, reply as soon as possible. We beg you to take this call. All players will gather together on September 4 in Yokohama. See you there."

...

...

Hiro looked at his phone screen seriously. He was still digesting every word that was in that message.

"A.. I'm summoned?" In Hiro's heart. Hiro is very happy with this opportunity.

Although it can be regarded as a lucky one because one of the players who usually fill that position in the national team suddenly injured, so the coach must rack his brain by calling Hiro.

Quickly, Hiro immediately replied to the message he had just gotten from the Japanese football Federation.

'Ready! I'll be happy to come.' Hiro replied via a short message.

After replying to the message, Hiro immediately searched for plane tickets to Japan on his phone. After a long search, Hiro finally got a ticket for one person at a price that was quite expensive because he did not look for the ticket in advance.

After he finished searching for the ticket, Hiro hung up his phone and put it back on the table. Hiro could not hide his smile that night. Hiro glanced at Saki who was already fast asleep. Hiro will have to wait until tomorrow if he wants to tell Saki that he has returned to the national team.

...

Hiro pulled back the blanket.

Today did make Hiro's emotions go up and down. He still remembers when during the day he was still convinced that Yamamoto would definitely call him to the national team. But when the afternoon came, he began to be pessimistic. At night, Hiro completely forgot about the call-up. Now, just when he wanted to sleep, Hiro instead got the national team call for an unexpected reason.

Although this call is a lucky break for Hiro, he will definitely prove that the coaching team will not be wrong when they call him to the national team.

...

...

03 September

...

🍃

Today, Hiro will depart for Japan to join the squad tomorrow. Again Saki will not join Hiro to Japan. But Saki was so happy to hear back this morning that Hiro got the call-up to join the national team.

...

"When are you going to the airport?" Saki asked while chewing on her toast.

"Oh, it'll be nine, then" replied Hiro who was still stuffing things into his bag.

"Be careful there, baby. Sorry I can't come. Any time, hehe."

Hiro who heard it smiled, "Here, don't apologize. It is precisely I who must apologize for leaving you alone here."

Saki's heart was touched. He left the dining table and walked over to Hiro who was still stuffing some of his belongings into the suitcase he had placed in the middle of the living room. "Hehe, I'd love to be his football player girlfriend. Especially if a great player like you, must need a club with the country."

Hiro laughing. "Can you, "

Saki laughed too.

...

Hiro then closes his suitcase when he puts the last item in it. "Saki..," Hiro sighed. ".. We've been in Holland long enough, haven't we?" This question just came out of Hiro's mouth.

...

The empty space had long occupied Hiro's heart. During this time she never felt the role of a mother in her life. No woman can make Hiro feel special. But in recent months, new colors have begun to appear in Hiro's life.

...

"Yes" Saki replied. "Why? forgetting something?"

"No.., it's just that I'm curious, will our relationship continue like this?"

"You mean?"

Hiro again took a breath. "Huft.., I just feel that all this time we are too happy with the status of a girlfriend like this. Aye right?"

...

Ever since Saki's presence in her life, Hiro never realized that she was a woman worthy enough to be a 'substitute' for her.

"We live together in one house. You always give me what I need here. You're always there when I need someone by my side. I just. I just feel-," Hiro paused his remark for a moment before continuing, "- I just feel if our relationship should be more than this."

...

Saki looked surprised at Hiro's words. They have been dating for almost two years. Now they live independently abroad. Of course with the dating status, it feels like none of this is what should have happened.

...

"Hiro..," Saki said. His hand touched Hiro's. "So.. You mean you're asking me to get married?" Saki's face also grinned. He understood what Hiro meant.

Hiro smiled. "Yes, what do you think? After all.., this choice is the best, right? Plus, your mom doesn't have to wonder anymore about our relationship."

"Hihi, yes," Saki hugged Hiro tightly. "Thank you Hiro, you've asked me about it before."

Sensing Saki's body tightly hugging her, Hiro returned Saki's embrace. Her hand caressed Saki's long hair from behind.

...

Hiro did not believe what had just happened. Although he used to dislike Saki for always bothering him when he was in college, but now look, it is Hiro who first wants to ask Saki to be the person who will accompany him throughout life.

Starting from a match bet when he was in college. Because of that bet, Hiro is dating Saki, and now ends up in one house with her.

...

"Yes already, it's nine o'clock. The online taxi I ordered has arrived. I better get going." Hiro. "Let's discuss this further after I get home from Japan."

Saki nodded. Hiro says goodbye to Saki while carrying her suitcase out of the house.

"Yes already. Be careful on the road yes, tomorrow when the match, I will see you play," Saki threw her smile at Hiro before she left for the airport.

...

"Just pray I'm given a chance to play later, haha." Canda Hiro shortly after he got into the cab.

"Titip my regards to your father huh!"

Hiro nodded and gave his thumbs out the car window.

...

...

Hiro begins his journey to Japan.10 hours in the air, and across the continent awaits Hiro.

...

...

...

...

Tokyo, Japan

04 September, 02.08 local time.

...

Hiro was still tired when he got off the plane.His body aches all day sitting.

Hiro decides to take a break inside Tokyo's Haneda Airport before heading to Yokohama.

Today Hiro will not have time to go to Sapporo first to meet his father or Ryota. Hiro could only contact them by phone.

"Hello Dad, it's Hiro."

"Oh, Hiro anyway, how are you, son..? It's okay, right?"

"Yes I'm fine. Now I'm in Tokyo, but I can't seem to get to Sapporo, Dad. Sorry yes,"

"Ahh, must you be called the national team?"

"Yes. I can only leave my greetings and Saki's for Dad there. I hope you're okay."

"Yes, thank you, son. Hopefully tomorrow you will also be given a good performance while playing."

"Well, thank you. But later after the game day if there's time, I'd like to meet up with Dad. I'd like to have a chat,"

"Oh, yeah, no problem. Come here anytime."

...

After finishing calling his father, Hiro tries to call Ryota, but there is no connection like being in airplane mode.

After trying a few times I still couldn't. Hiro just shook his head and put his phone back in the bag.

...

Moments later, the fatigue in Hiro's legs and back began to dissipate. He returned on foot to the train station to Yokohama.

...

30 Minutes later, Hiro arrives in Yokohama. There, he again got a message from one of the national team coaching staff members who had his number. Hiro was asked to come to the training ground at six in the morning.

When Hiro saw the clock, it was still 04:21. "Still long turned out. It's good to do it first, '" muttered Hiro.

Hiro also tried to walk around Yokohama for a while while looking for breakfast. However, many hours are still closed, there is only one ramen stall that is open.

...

...

05.15

Hiro has reached the national team training ground. Hiro came very early. He wanted to do his own training first.

...

Hiro first put his things in the player's dormitory not far from the training ground.

At the training ground, completely still quiet, there were only a handful of people who were cleaning up.

"It seems like I'm too early," murmured Hiro.

When preparing to enter the field. Hiro was called by someone behind him. "Hiroo!"

Hiro. He was surprised to see who called him. "Ryo?!"

Hiro saw that Ryota also wears a national team training jersey, just like it seems, the sign Ryota also get a call from the national team. "You also get the call of Ryo's national team? Well, finally...,"

"Yes, I'm so grateful."

"Hehe, I don't know if you're getting a call. I don't see any posts from the Federation, anyone on call."

"If I had known you were called. Because as soon as I got the national team call, I went to social media and saw who was on the call, and I saw your name. Therefore I deliberately came early here, because I had guessed you would also come early." Ryota Pungkas.

"Haha, it's good to be back playing one team with you again Ryo" Hiro said as he clasped his hand over Ryota's shoulder.

"Yes, similarly, I didn't expect this day to come again."

...

While Hiro and Ryota were having a conversation on the sidelines, they were suddenly approached by a man wearing a coaching staff shirt.

"Those who have come can go directly into the field. Hajime Yamamoto is coming soon." Said one of the coaching staff who had arrived at the training ground.

"Okay sir" said Hiro, bowing his body. "Come on Ryo, let's warm up first while waiting for the others,"

...

Hiro and Ryota enter the practice field and warm up independently while waiting for the others to arrive.

There were some players who were already present on the pitch but Hiro had never seen them. It feels like most of the players called up for the friendly this time are players who have never been called like Ryota.

"It seems, who will play tomorrow is the Japanese national team B? Haha." Canda Hiro was greeted with a smile by Ryota.

"Yes, there's no denying it. Hajime does like to experiment with players. Maybe this time he wanted to see other players he had never called." Ryota.

"But why did he call me? why not experiment with something else?"

"Maybe Hajime still wants to see more of your abilities." Ryota.

"Maybe..,"

...

After warming up, Hiro looked around and saw there were some players he had previously seen playing for the national team. There are even players who have not been called for a long time, now back on the call.

"It seems like the friendly match this time is really just for a try," Inner Hiro with a slight smile.

So far, Hiro has seen only three of the same players in friendlies against Honduras and Chile. One thing was certain, there was no Daichi figure this time.

Not only Daichi, the other players with big names were also not called.

In this way, Hiro became to feel that his abilities were still doubted by others. Hajime Yamamoto believes that Hiro must prove more to him. That was the reason why Hiro got the national team call-up again this time.