The Golden Winged Of Football: Haruma Kusaka

Chapter 120 120: The Arrival

Haruma kept his gaze fixed ahead when another door opened behind him, and a second figure stepped out, taking position just a step back, it was Jiho, clad in the same attire, a fierce, almost predatory smirk playing on his lips.Toru's eyes widened slightly at the sight, the crowd around them falling into stunned silence once again.

Then, without breaking the rhythm of the moment, another figure emerged from the vehicle, it was Kabuto who stood beside them, standing tall, a sharp, dangerous smile curling across his face.

Toru's gaze tightened, his heartbeat beginning to climb as the reality of what stood before him started to settle in.

Then Izaya stepped out of the car, a wide, unrestrained smile on his face. He bounced lightly on his feet, almost as if loosening up, before straightening and taking his place alongside the others.

Toru was left in complete awe, frozen where he stood. Around him, his teammates mirrored the same reaction, jaws slightly dropped, eyes widened, unable to look away.

Next came Raya, stepping out with an easy confidence, a faint smile resting beneath his black glasses. Right behind him, Nagisa followed, composed and steady, his calm presence completing the formation as they all gathered together.

From the stands, Rukia stood staring with eyes wide, her expression locked in disbelief, while Toru felt his chest falter, dropping under the weight of what was unfolding.

Then, another set of boots met the ground.

The figure stepped forward into view, tall, composed, unmistakable.

Kurogami Shikyo.

For Toru, it wasn't just a surprise anymore, it hit deeper. The strength in his stance faltered, his fist slowly loosening as his arm dropped, his shoulders dipping under the weight of what this truly meant.

On the sidelines, Haruma's mother watched on with a warm smile, her expression calm amid the chaos. Not far from her, the principal stood frozen, lips slightly parted, while Kenta remained beside him, eyes widened, absorbing the moment in stunned silence.

A brief silence followed before the field erupted as the cheers and roars surged all at once, flooding the atmosphere and breaking whatever stillness remained.

At the entrance, Haruma stood tall at the front, with Kurogami beside him, steady and composed. Jiho and Kabuto carried faint, confident smirks, while Raya held a soft, controlled smile. Izaya looked visibly energized, barely containing his excitement, and Nagisa remained sharp and focused, his attention already set ahead.

All seven stood together in the same travelling wear, unified in presence.

Behind them, on the big screen, their advertisement pose remained frozen, unchanged, almost mirroring the reality now standing before everyone.

A bead of sweat traced down Toru's face as he swallowed hard, drawing in a breath that didn't quite settle. Beside him, Shino's breathing grew uneven, the intensity of the moment pressing in from all sides.

The principal snapped himself out of his daze, and a wide, eager grin breaking across his face as he moved quickly toward the main gate, the other authorities following close behind.

At the entrance, Haruma stepped forward walking towards the entry gate, his squad falling in behind him.

And the moment he crossed onto the field, the crowd surged again, cheers rising louder, deeper, echoing across the ground as the energy reached another peak.

The coach walks urgently with a broad smile, heading straight toward Haruma, when one of the bodyguards stepped forward to intercept him, Haruma raised a subtle hand gesture, signaling them to stand down.

The tension eased immediately.

Moments later, the principal hurried in, unable to contain his joy any longer, he pulled Haruma into a tight, heartfelt hug.

Haruma didn't react much, he simply stood still, allowing the moment to settle around him.

After a brief pause, the principal with a wide grin pulled back from the hug just enough to have a good look at Haruma.

Haruma met his gaze with a faint, calm smile of his own, sharing a quiet moment amid the surrounding noise and celebration.

Then the principal gave his shoulder a firm, reassuring pat and slipped an arm around him, pulling him slightly closer. Turning toward the crowd, he raised the microphone to his mouth, drawing the attention of the entire field once again.

"Ladies and gentlemen…!"

The principal's voice rang out through the microphone, cutting cleanly through the roar of the crowd.

"Please join me in welcoming your friend, the pride of Hanaka, the pride of Tokyo, the prodigy of Japan…"

He paused just long enough for anticipation to build,

"HarumaaaaaAaaaA!"

The crowd lost itself instantly.

Cheers exploded across the field, arms shooting upward, voices colliding in waves of raw excitement that rolled from one end of Hanaka High to the other.

"KuuuuuusaakaaaaAaa!" The principal finished but the crowds didn't, they kept on cheering.

And after a second the chant took over everything, loud, rhythmic, unstoppable, until the entire stadium was unified in one repeating call,

"Haruma! Haruma! Haruma! Haruma!"

Rukia stood in the stands clapping with a bright, uncontainable smile, tears still shining in her eyes as she watched the moment unfold.

On the field, Haruma's teammates exchanged quiet smiles, before taking in the roaring crowd as their eyes scanned across the stadium.

Haruma himself held a faint smile, steady and calm, until his gaze shifted to find his mother was walking toward him.

Watching her, Haruma's expressions softened, a gentle smile crossed on his face. Haruma's mother was approaching with her eyes carrying warmth that cut through everything else around them.

Without a word, he stepped forward towards his mother, moving away from the center of attention.

As Haruma moved away, the principal turned his focus to the rest of the Wolves, quickly resuming his role, welcoming them, shaking hands, and introducing the gathered authorities as the celebrations continued to ripple across the field.

Haruma stepped forward and gently pulled his mother into a warm embrace.

She immediately held him back, gripping him tightly as silent sobs escaped her, her shoulders trembling with emotion.

For a brief moment, everything around them felt distant, the noise, the crowd, the celebration, reduced to serene stillness between a mother and her son.

After a while, Haruma slowly pulled back from the hug, a soft, reassuring smile forming on his face.

Looking at him, she reached up, cupping his face in both hands, tears still falling quietly as she looked at him as if trying to take in every detail.

Haruma remained still, meeting his mother's gaze with calm, gentle eyes, giving her the moment without interruption.

Just then a voice called out from behind him.

"Haruma!"

He turned to find Masaru standing a short distance away, a wide, genuine smile on his face, and behind him, the Hanaka High team gathered together, all looking at him.

As Haruma looked at them standing together in their All-School Cup jerseys, a wave of flashbacks surged through his mind.

The time he began as the waterboy, standing at the edge of the field, watching from a distance, waiting for a chance that never seemed close enough.

The selection match followed, the loss still sharp in memory, the sting of not being enough for being in the playing eleven.

The moment he got his first jersey only to notice the wrong number printed across the back, a small imperfection in something he had waited for so long.

The moment he fixed Toru's dislocated ankle, the urgency and focus in that moment etched deeply into him.

Then the final match.

The moment he stepped in for the first time, starting as the center back, his first save.

The intensity of the game. The noise around him.

Then the blood on his jersey.

The final goal.

The roar he let out after that goal in the final.

And his celebration, raw, unrestrained, surrounded by everything he had fought through to reach that point.

All of it passed through him in a single breathless sequence, merging into the present as he stood there, looking at them now.

Haruma kept his eyes on the team, his gaze lingering on Shino and Masaru as they stood there looking back at him.

Haruma held that moment for a few seconds, simply taking them in, no words, no movement. Then, slowly, a genuine warmth spread across his face.

Watching the smile, The Hanaka High players seemed slightly taken aback. Masaru, however, couldn't hold himself together. His eyes welled up almost instantly, tears slipping through as he tried to keep his smile steady, emotion breaking through whatever restraint he had left.

Haruma noticed, and his expression softened even more, keeping his eyes on Masaru.

And just like that, the two of them stayed locked in that moment, Masaru smiling through tears, and Haruma returning it with quiet understanding.

After a brief moment, Masaru broke into hurried steps, moving straight toward Haruma without hesitation. Haruma, still holding that calm smile, began walking toward him as well, meeting him halfway.

As the distance closed, Masaru threw himself into a firm, emotional hug, pulling Haruma in with all the feeling he had held back until now.

Haruma reacted gently, wrapping his arms around him in return, holding him steady with a soft, understanding smile.

Around them, the crowd softened, cheers turned into warm applause, carrying a lighter, celebratory energy.

In the stands, Rukia watched with a soft smile, while Toru stood with a faint, satisfied expression, taking in the moment without needing to say a word.

Masaru slowly pulled back, keeping both hands on Haruma's shoulder taking a good look of him adorned in the Japan U19 travelling wear, the calm confidence in his stance, the quiet maturity he now holds in his presence.

Keeping his smile Masaru let out a shaky laugh.

"Well, I must say…" his voice wavered slightly, emotions still sitting close to the surface, "you've gone from bad to the best I've ever seen."

Haruma let out a warm, genuine smile at that, the kind that felt effortless.

"Well, I'm still struggling with a few things," he admitted honestly, "so I might need my best friend to help me fix them. Just like old times?"

Listening this, Masaru let out a big soft giggle before nodding frantically,

"Don't worry, I'll help you out," he said, his voice still carrying traces of emotion while Haruma was looking at him with a calm, soft smile resting on his face, as the two were now holding the moment…