“The Young Lady is a Goalkeeper!” Episode 3 [Creative Award 2024, Manga Original Story Category Entry]

“They’re here...”
A few days later, the opposing team arrives at the court where Kawasaki Stella is practicing.
“They’ve got quite an atmosphere...”
“What’s wrong, Tsun-Tsun? Are you scared?”
“I-I’m not scared!”
“Are they a bit older than us?”
Ignoring the bickering between Shinju and Hinako, Madoka asks Viola.
“Yes, that’s right. They are students from the women’s university affiliated with the academy that Mizonokuchi-san and that... Saginuma-san attend.”
“U-University students!?”
“Yes.”
Viola nods.
“JD... are they a futsal club?”
Shinju asks.
“No, it doesn’t seem to be that serious. It’s what you’d call a circle activity... but...”
“But?”
Hinako tilts her head.
“They have a fair amount of skill. We should definitely consider them superior to us at this point.”
“How did you arrange the match?”
“I have a few connections, so I asked them, and they agreed.”
Viola answers Madoka’s question.
“But hey, isn’t a match all of a sudden a bit too rushed?”
“I agree with that.”
Hinako nods at Shinju’s words. Viola tilts her head.
“Is that so?”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Mizonokuchi-chan is still a beginner, you know...”
Shinju and Hinako whisper so Moai cannot hear them.
“That is exactly why.”
“Eh?”
“Practice alone is boring, isn’t it? Playing a game is the most fun after all.”
“That’s... well, that might be true...”
Shinju smiles.
“Right?”
Viola winks with a smile.
“It seems you didn’t run away...”
Miran looks up at Moai.
“No, I’m not running away... but even so...”
“? What is it?”
“You’ve returned to your twin-tail hairstyle.”
Moai looks at Miran’s head and smiles.
“! I-If I do this... you will recognize me properly, won’t you?”
“Yes, I won’t forget.”
“Honestly... I was thinking it was about time I graduated from being childish...”
Miran mutters while stroking her own hair.
“But...”
“Eh?”
“It suits you very well”
“!”
Miran’s face turns bright red. Moai tilts her head.
“Is something the matter?”
“N-Nothing! It’s nothing at all! I’ll make sure to crush you in the match, so be prepared!”
Miran leaves the spot. Viola calls out.
“Mizonokuchi-san, let’s have a meeting.”
“Yes.”
Moai approaches Viola and the others. Viola picks up a whiteboard and begins to explain. Round magnets are stuck to the board.
“We are a team that has barely just started. Normally, it would be important to gauge the opponent’s moves, but... for today, let’s put aside winning or losing and focus on having fun. Is that alright?”
“...”
Moai and the others nod silently. Viola continues.
“Now, I will announce the positions... Pivot is Shinju-san.”
“Yeah!”
“Ala, left is Hinako-san.”
“Yes.”
“Right is Madoka-san.”
“Yeah.”
“Fixo is me... Goleiro, goalkeeper is Mizonokuchi-san.”
“Yes...!”
“...Then let’s go! This is the debut of the new Kawasaki Stella!”
“Oh!”
Responding to Viola’s words, everyone takes their positions.
“Tweet!”
The referee—a substitute player from the opposing team—blows the whistle, and the match begins.
“Viola!”
Hinako passes the ball to Viola.
“Here!”
Viola sends a sharp pass directly to Shinju, who is positioned in front.
“Alright!”
“Hmph!”
“Whoa!?”
Shinju takes a shoulder tackle from an opposing player and is easily blown away.
“There!”
“Ha!”
“Gotcha!”
“F-Fast passing!”
Madoka is bewildered.
“Leave it to me!”
“!”
The ball is passed between Hinako and Viola, and an opposing player breaks through. Hinako clicks her tongue.
“Tch!”
“Mizonokuchi-san, come forward and narrow the shooting angle!”
“Yes!”
Following Viola’s instructions, Moai quickly rushes out of the goal and closes the distance to the opposing player.
“Here!”
“!!”
The opposing player passes to the side. Miran was waiting there.
“Hmph, well done...”
Miran calmly slots the ball in. Kawasaki Stella has conceded the opening goal in no time.
“Yay, as expected! That was my pass!”
“The win was decided by my pass before that, right!”
“Now, now, don’t fight over me... It’s thanks to everyone.”
“Yes~♡”
“I see, that presence... are you the princess of the circle, so to speak...”
Viola mutters. The match continues at the pace of the university circle.
“The ball spilled out! Shinju!”
Madoka calls out.
“Alright!”
“I won’t let you!”
“Whoa!”
Taking another shoulder tackle, Shinju falls, and the ball spills out again.
“Hinako-san!”
“I know!”
Responding to Viola’s voice, Hinako runs in to pick up the loose ball.
“I won’t let you!”
“Ugh!?”
A player who was behind Hinako overtakes her with quick movements and picks up the ball.
“Hey! Over here!”
“Okay!”
The university circle sends a good pass to the opposite side.
“Ugh...!”
Madoka presses against the opponent who received the pass.
“Hmph!”
“Ah!”
“Ugh!”
Since Madoka was dodged, Viola comes in to follow up.
“Over here!”
“Here!”
“Mmph!”
Because Viola was drawn in, the ball is easily passed to the open opponent.
“...!”
Moai rushes out with a sharp start, trying to steal the ball.
“Whoops!”
“!”
As if mocking Moai, the ball is passed to the free Miran.
“Nice pass!”
Miran scores without any trouble.
“Nice, Princess!”
“As expected!”
The university circle members run up to Miran. Viola tilts her head.
“...I don’t really understand why the university students worship her as a princess...”
“It’s simple.”
“Eh!? M-Mizonokuchi-san, when did you get behind me... wait, you know the reason?”
“Yes...”
“W-What do you mean?”
“Because she’s cute with twin-tails...!”
“Huh...?”
Viola is dumbfounded. Moai tilts her head.
“Is something wrong?”
“N-No, is that all?”
“That alone should be enough. Twin-tails have that much charm!”
“E-Even if you say that with such certainty...”
Viola is bewildered. Madoka calls out.
“Viola! The match has restarted!”
“Ah, e-excuse me!”
“Let’s focus!”
While nodding at Madoka’s words, Viola mutters calmly.
“...As expected, the opponent is several levels above in everything, including physicality, speed, and technique... I wonder if this gap is hard to bridge...!”
The ball is passed to the opponent in front of Kawasaki Stella’s goal. Viola responds. She keeps her distance well, trying not to let the opponent dodge her easily. The opponent is also slightly bewildered.
“Mmph!?”
“Over here!”
“P-Please, Princess!”
“Leave it to me!”
Once again, a good pass reaches the free Miran. Moai takes a stance.
“...”
“I’ll score this for a hat-trick! Come to think of it... ever since I was a child, I’ve always had to settle for being second to you... Hearing that you started futsal, I knocked on the door of the university circle and took control of the team in a few days... or rather, becoming friends with everyone was all for this moment...!”
“P-Princess, don’t mutter to yourself, hurry up or the enemy will!”
“Hmm!?”
Miran is surrounded by Shinju and the other two who have returned.
“That’s a bad judgment!”
“You should have just shot it quickly!”
“We’re going to steal the ball from you and counter!”
“Hmph! Don’t underestimate me!”
“Whoa!?”
“What!?”
“S-She’s good!?”
Miran dodges the three with delicate ball touches and enters a 1-on-1 situation with Moai.
“I’ll stop it!”
“Coming out was your fatal mistake!”
“!!”
Miran fires an exquisite loop shot over Moai, who had come forward.
“I’ve got it!”
“Hah!”
“!?”
Moai rolls her body forward and deflects the ball with the heel of her right foot. Madoka calls out.
“N-Nice keeper!”
“...Now, let’s counterattack!”
Moai, having regained her posture, claps her hands together to encourage everyone.
“! Y-Yeah!”
“That’s right!”
“We’re just getting started!”
The three nod strongly. From there, Kawasaki Stella begins to show good plays. Viola mutters.
“The flow changed with just one good save from Mizonokuchi-san... She has the makings of a guardian deity”
“Tweet! Match over!”
“Argh, a draw!”
“Well, we did pretty well...”
“Yeah, we fought well against a superior opponent.”
Madoka nods to Hinako, who mutters beside Shinju, who is looking up at the sky. Miran approaches Moai. Moai asks.
“? Is something the matter?”
“Please let me join your team too! No, even if you say no, I’m joining!”
“Eh... ah, yes, isn’t that fine?”
“Then, it’s settled!”
“P-Princess!?”
“I’m sorry... I cannot bear to see you all fighting over me any longer... The only thing I can do is step aside...”
“N-No way~!”
The university circle members are disappointed by Miran’s words. Viola mutters under her breath.
“A circle crusher is it? I’ve seen it for the first time...”