Rain pelted the roof of the warehouse like applause from the sky
The match was heating up not because of goals but because of confusion
Amano hadn't touched the ball in seven minutes
Yet the other team was panicking
"Mark him"
"He's not even moving why's he just standing there"
"Just cover him don't let him breathe!"
The panic spread like wildfire
Amano stood quietly in the final third staring at the goal his body language unreadable
He wasn't sprinting he wasn't shouting he wasn't even calling for the ball
But the space around him bent
It was like gravity forgot the laws of physics
Every time a teammate ran past him a defender was pulled out of shape just by Amano's presence
The ball finally rolled to him
He let it go past
"Did… did he miss it?"
"No…" Hibiki grinned watching from the rafters "He let it go because he already knew what comes after"
The ball rolled perfectly to the feet of another kid waiting near the edge of the box
One touch
Top bins
Goal
Everyone turned to Amano
Still didn't move
Just stared at the goal
Like he'd already seen it ten seconds ago
---
Later in the grimy locker room someone asked him
"Why didn't you touch the ball bro we needed you"
Amano just pulled his hoodie over his head
"If I touched the ball that goal wouldn't have happened"
---
At the edge of the city in a scouting room Rei replayed the goal ten times
"I don't get it" she muttered
Then she paused the frame
Amano in the background still motionless
"Is it even football if the best move is… nothing?"