[Warning: Cursing/Profanity]

I dashed back to the storage room to grab my coat and my backpack, which was more filled than usual. Before I could dart past the counter, my eyes thankfully caught the open bag of coffee beans, which was still home to Sesame’s shit.

“God, fucking hell,” I cursed under my breath while tying the bag up and dragging it from behind to the back door where the trash was. I then ran back inside and found Sesame who was curled up in a ball in the corner of the storage room next to his cage and litter box.

“Okay buddy,” I leaned down next to him, and opened the cage. “I guess I have no choice but to take you with me tonight.”

Sesame tilted his head at me and hissed. He then dashed away into the kitchen, prompting me to give chase.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing, stupid furball!”

In every spot I searched in the café, all I could find was Sesame’s wagging tail or long whiskers poking out from random corners. “Ugh, I don’t have time for this!”

My head was getting dizzy from all the spinning around as I gave chase, as if I had just come out of a rollercoaster. Soon, his tail had disappeared.

“Shit, where did you go now?!”

Instead of going back to the kitchen, I turned around at the windows next to the entrance, hoping to find him hidden behind the curtains.

“Hey, how did you…”

Instead, Sesame was outside, staring back at me through the glass door. I glanced at the closest possible answer:

Oh shit.

One of the windows was still open.

“Just what kind of customer would open this window when it’s been so cold outside?!”

Grabbing my coat and flipping my bag onto my back, I stormed out the door to chase Sesame, who ran down the crosswalk leading into Febai Park.

“Sesame, stop! It’s dangerous!” I yelled, but to no avail.

Wait, I got an idea!

Taking off my bag and unzipping it, I took out a black and white soccer ball.

“Here, chase this!” I yelled, throwing the ball down the patches of grass near the park entrance, where I hoped Sesame would run.

“Meow!” he shouted and pounced at the ball.

I breathed a heavy sigh of relief. This was my only chance of making it to the stadium on time.

Despite it only being 6 PM, the sky was already filled by a blanket of darkness, with twinkling dots spreading across the horizon. Sesame trampled down the grass of Febai park, where I continuously kicked the ball.

“Meow meow!” shrieked Sesame again, dashing past various trees and crowds of people, who directed their eyes at us. All I could do was ignore the constant gazes while chasing the cat, letting Sesame claw at it like a ball of yarn.

“We’re going to be barely on time!” I yelled while running as fast as I could. If only I exercised more…

From one block to another, Sesame and I barely dodged the various branches and cars which filled most of our path to Febai College. Occasionally, I would slow down my pace to catch my breath, but as soon as I saw Sesame diverting away from the path, I had no choice but to run like the wind again.

Ugh, c’mon, we’re almost there!

Finally after the marathon, the cat and I made it into the campus grounds of Febai College, where I saw Rin waiting in front of the tall black gate. My lungs and heart were about to explode, and I leaned against the brick walls next to the gate while trudging my feet.

As expected, Rin was wearing her usual brown coat and black leggings. This time, instead of boots, she donned a pair of white running shoes. Her eyes stuck to her wrist, probably checking her watch. The way she was dressed made me guess she came from her own home for this rendezvous I planned.

Once Sesame and I finally reached only a few yards away, I caught the corner of her view, and I knew what she was about to say.

“You’re late!” shouted Rin, with her hands gripping her hips in disapproval. “Care to explain what you’re trying to do?”

Every time I saw her, no matter what face she wore, I couldn’t help but smile. Kicking the ball through the gate -

“Follow me and the cat!” I replied in-between my panting, grabbing her hand. “I have something to show you at the stadium field.”

It was time to show her my surprise.

“Wait, why do you have a soccer ball?!” she asked while letting me hold her hand while running. This time, I didn’t glance back at her to see if she was blushing or not. “And isn’t that the cat from your café?!”

“It’s mine! I thought I’d bring it with me on this occasion!”

“The cat is yours?!”

“No!” I laughed as we headed closer to the stadium. “I meant the ball!”

Campus appeared emptier than last time I visited; Rin told me that exam season had just started, so most students were studying at home since classes were finished. The lack of students across the stone pathways made the various castle-like buildings look ancient and uninhabitable. Even the main tower in the center seemed lifeless, without a single spark of light shining from inside.

The soccer field itself was always covered by its four stadium lights until midnight, so its lime grass was glowing as brightly as when I last saw it.

Except this time -

“Wait, what’s that noise and laughter?” asked Rin as we neared the same white building next to the field, which contained the dugout.

I grinned, hardly containing my excitement. Instead of answering, I replied with:

“Why don’t you shoot the ball over into the field? That way the cat will chase it, and we won’t lose him.”

“S-Sure…” she answered, and I passed the ball to her feet with Sesame watching intensely, keeping his legs tight against his body to ready another pounce.

Taking a few steps back from the ball, Rin then leaped forward with her left foot while lifting her right foot behind. She then stomped her left foot onto the stone pavement and struck the ball with her right.

Wait, why is she aiming for the wall and not the entrance to the dugout? I thought, watching from the side. But perhaps that thought lurked within my mind too soon; the ball curved as it launched into the air like a shooting star traveling across the sky, and what seemed like too right of a shot ended up being the perfect angle. Did I mention that despite the curve the shot produced, the ball blasted through the air like a bullet?

“There, now are you happy?” Rin asked with a hand on her waist.

A drop of sweat fell from my head. I could hardly react. “Ahaha yup, that’s the shot of a women’s team captain, alright.”

“Well, I play professionally, and you don’t,” Rin muttered with a flush of red across her cheeks and nose. “Anyways, why are you making me do -”

Her voice drifted into the air, perhaps frozen in shock from who appeared from the entrance of the dugout.

Holding the ball in his hands was Mr. Meyer, who donned his old jersey which I gave him the other night. With enough light coming from the stadium, I could make out his signature on the bottom.

Out followed eight more women, all sporting the same red jersey as Mr. Meyer, but each with their individual numbers behind their back and on their black shorts. Everyone had long black socks with shin pads underneath, and colorful soccer boots ranging from sky blue to pink.

“Everyone... Coach Meyer, Rose, Jade… why are you all back here?”

“Rin!” Rose waved her hand in the air as she emerged from the dugout. “Let’s play a game. There’s 10 of us, so we can play five-a-side!”

“But why are you here just to play a simple game?”

“Well…” Rose pointed at me. “This guy dialed us in a borderline illegal way, and found Coach Meyer somehow as well. He begged us to come back to play one more game to cheer you up, Rin.”

Rin brought both hands to her face, covering half of it as tears began forming around her eyes. Her knees were bent, and I swear they would’ve dropped if I just touched them.

Instead, I tapped her shoulders, which were shrugged as she cried. “Care to play a match in the Park of Life?” I asked, holding out my whistle. “I’m sure it’ll knock some life back into you. I'll ref this game, and make sure it’s done fairly this time.”