"The Young Lady is a Goalkeeper!" Episode 1 [Creative Awards 2024 - Manga Original Story Category Entry]

Synopsis
The women's futsal team active in Kawasaki City, "Kawasaki Stella." However, they were being forced to suspend activities due to certain circumstances.
Appearing there was an elegant, gorgeous, and refined young lady, Moai Mizonokuchi.
After catching a shot that happened to fly her way, the young lady becomes a goalkeeper!?
A youth futsal story woven by unique girls! Kickoff right here!

Main Story
Prologue
“So, what are you going to do, Viola?”
A girl with a distinctive short haircut, woven with blue and yellow, who had been sitting on the court, asked the girl sitting opposite her on the bench, who had her long purple hair in a neat braid.
“If we can't get at least one new person to join, we'll be kicked out of here too...”
“Can't we use that ‘married woman’?”
“It will take a little longer for her to return... and I don't really want to borrow her strength!”
The girl with the braid turned away with a huff. The girl with the short haircut gave a bitter smile.
“Viola, you're always like this when it comes to that married woman~”
“W-what about you, Madoka!?”
“I’ve been asking around, but I’m still an ‘outsider’ around here, so I don’t have many acquaintances... and... position-wise, too.”
“I-I see...”
The girl with the braid looked down.
“What’s with the long face?”
“Not as long as yours.”
“What did you say!? What does that mean, Crest-head?”
“Take it however you like. Besides, I have a proper name, Hinako—do you understand? Wolf-san?”
“I’m Shinju!”
A girl with medium-length red hair, messy like a wolf, and a girl with light blue hair spiked up like a crest entered the court, arguing. The girl with the braid stood up to greet them.
“Hello, both of you. Please play nicely on the court...”
“O-oh...”
“S-sorry...”
The girl with the braid smiled sweetly, and the girls with the wolf cut and the crest hair bowed their heads slightly.
“Wow, she silenced those two with just one smile... as expected of the ‘Saintess’.”
“So? Did you two find anyone?”
The girl with the braid asked.
“Hah, a lone wolf like ‘Me’ doesn’t have those kinds of acquaintances!”
“I recruited properly. I said, ‘I-it’s not like I mind if you join my team or anything!’.”
“...Did that work?”
“For some reason, people keep avoiding me~”
The girl with the crest hair tilted her head at the wolf-cut girl’s question.
“Heh, I wonder why...”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“As always, your ‘reverse psychology’ is impressive...”
“W-what does that mean!”
Meanwhile, the girl with the braid suddenly shouted.
“Ah—! Seriously, everyone is just impossible!”
“Viola snapped!?”
“!!”
“Take this!”
The girl with the braid kicked a ball that had been rolling nearby with all her might. The powerful and accurate ball flew out through a hole in the net covering the court—exactly the size of a ball—and was about to hit a girl with bluish long hair walking nearby.
“L-look out!?”
“S-stop it!”
“No, Viola, stopping it is impossible no matter how you look at it!”
“...!”
“!?”
The girl with the long hair turned around gracefully and caught the ball.
“S-she stopped it...?”
“Vi-Viola, we have to go apologize!”
Urged by the girl with the short haircut, the girl with the braid took the three of them to the girl with the long hair, bowed her head, and apologized.
“I-I’m sorry! I suddenly shot the ball at you.”
“A shot...?”
The girl with the long hair tilted her head elegantly. Perhaps swallowed by her atmosphere, the girl with the braid asked for her name.
“U-um, what is your name?”
“I am Moa Mizonokuchi.”
“! A-are you the ‘Young Lady’ from the Mizonokuchi Group...”
“Yes...”
The girl who called herself Moa brushed back her hair. The girl with the braid, captivated by her beautiful gestures and long fingers, made an unexpected proposal.
“Mizonokuchi-san, would you like to be the goalkeeper for our team?”
“Eh!”
“...Sure.”
“Ehh!?”
Moa nodded. The three, including the girl with the short haircut, were surprised by the exchange.

1
“But... Viola, you’re amazing for accurately passing through that hole the size of a ball... but you’re also amazing for stopping it while turning around...”
“No...”
“It was nothing...”
Moa and the girl with the braid both held the back of their heads.
“That was sarcasm regarding Viola.”
The girl with the crest hair gave the girl with the braid a cold look.
“Ah, right...”
“Anyway... I’m glad nothing happened.”
“W-well, let’s go back to the court, Mizonokuchi-san.”
“Yes...”
The four of them took Moa back to the court.
“...So, our member count has increased~♪ Yes, applause~!”
“...”
The three remained silent at the braid girl’s call. The girl with the braid tilted her head.
“Oh, what’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong, you ask... are you sure about this...?”
The wolf-cut girl asked Moa. Moa nodded.
“Yes.”
“Yes, you say...”
“I gather...”
“Yeah?”
“This team is short on members and has almost no real activity... and because of that, you are under pressure from those around you to give up the court to other teams that have enough people and are motivated... is that about right?”
“S-she hit the nail on the head, what amazing insight...!”
The girl with the short haircut was surprised. The girl with the braid nodded with satisfaction.
“If you understand that much, then it’s easy to talk... Do you have any plans after this?”
“None in particular.”
“OK, then let’s practice together... I’ll lend you my practice clothes and shoes.”
“Shoes are fine, but the practice clothes are unnecessary.”
“Eh?”
“I have my own.”
“You have them...”
“Working up a sweat at the gym near here is my daily routine...”
“Oh, is that so... the changing room is over there.”
Moa came back after changing into her practice clothes.
“...Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“...I’ll ask again, are you really sure about this?”
“Yes, I just wanted to try club activities.”
Moa nodded at the wolf-cut girl’s question.
“Is a school club not good enough?”
“How should I put it... it didn’t strike a chord with me...”
Moa muttered, placing a hand on her chest.
“M-money? I guess young ladies are strict about money...”
The wolf-cut girl nodded, placing a hand on her chin. The girl with the crest hair was exasperated.
“Leave the idiot alone...”
“Huh?”
“Do you have any playing experience?”
The girl with the crest hair asked Moa.
“Not seriously, but I’ve played soccer many times in PE class.”
“This isn’t soccer.”
“?”
Moa tilted her head. The girl with the braid opened her mouth.
“What we are doing is ‘Futsal’.”
“Futsal...”
“Yes, it’s a sport played 5-on-5, basically indoors, and it’s similar to soccer.”
“Hmm...”
“We are a team called ‘Kawasaki Stella’ and we practice on this court.”
“I see...”
“Is that clear so far?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Then, you’re joining the team...”
“Yes.”
“Things are moving along quite quickly...”
“Well, if she’s motivated, isn’t that fine?”
The girl with the crest hair responded to the wolf-cut girl’s words.
“Mizonokuchi-san is quite tall, so Goleiro is fine, right?”
“Goleiro?”
“Ah, sorry, that’s the goalkeeper. Sometimes we call it that in futsal. Basically, ‘goalkeeper’ works too.”
The girl with the braid clasped her hands in front of her chest. Moa asked while looking at the goal.
“Goalkeeper is the position that protects the goal, right?”
“Yes, it’s the ‘last line of defense’.”
“A fortress...”
“Will you do it?”
“Yes, let’s do it.”
“That helps~”
“W-wait a minute!”
The girl with the short haircut raised her voice. The girl with the braid tilted her head.
“Madoka-san, is something wrong?”
“No, Mizonokuchi-san is a beginner, right!? Is it okay to decide so easily?”
“She had a magnificent catch, didn’t she?”
“E-even so, there are other positions, and wouldn’t it be better to have her try them out first? To see her aptitude...”
“Tch, well, Madoka-san has a point...”
“You just clicked your tongue, didn’t you!?”
“Then, let’s start with some passing practice.”
“Understood.”
Moa nodded at the girl with the braid’s words.
“Then, Madoka-san, be her partner.”
“Y-yeah... oh, I’m Madoka Noborito, nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too.”
Moa bowed politely to Madoka.
“Then, let’s take some distance... there are many ways to kick a ball, but first, let’s learn how to kick here.”
Madoka lifted her own foot and rubbed the inside area.
“That’s an inside kick, right?”
“Oh, you know it well~ Then, let’s try to kick it to hit there... Whoa!?”
Because the ball came with speed, Madoka was confused. Moa tilted her head.
“...Was it too strong?”
“N-no... at this distance, that’s probably fine... okay, return... oh, your trap is good too... Whoa! Haha, that’s a good pass... Whoa!”
“Madoka is being pushed around...”
“It looks like she’s the one being taught instead...”
The wolf-cut girl and the crest-hair girl watched the passing exchange between Moa and Madoka, exasperated.
“Fufu... she’s pretty good...”
“No, that’s a refreshingly dismissive remark, you...”
The wolf-cut girl watched Madoka, who had gone outside the court, was on her knees, and was panting, with cold eyes. Moa caught her breath and looked straight ahead.
“...”
“That was pretty good.”
“Was it?”
“Yeah, beginners usually have a hard time even moving the ball forward.”
“PE class was useful.”
“PE class is pretty versatile...”
“Geez, can’t be helped...”
“Huh?”
“It seems it’s my turn...”
“Is that so?”
“That’s right.”
The girl with the crest hair stepped forward, brushing back her hair.
“Hey, hey...”
“You!”
The girl with the crest hair pointed sharply at Moa.
“Y-yes...”
“Don’t get cocky just because you beat Madoka.”
“Y-yes...”
“Wait, am I considered beaten!?”
“Shut up, just watch silently...”
The wolf-cut girl responded to Madoka’s question.
“That girl is the so-called ‘Four Heavenly Kings’ weakest...”
“S-she’s the weakest!?”
“I’m hearing about the Four Heavenly Kings for the first time!”
The wolf-cut girl raised her voice at Madoka, who asked again.
“I understand well that your passing technique is quite good.”
“...Thank you.”
“But what’s most important in futsal is ball handling!”
“Ball handling...”
“Yes, carrying the ball with dribbling and keeping the ball so you don’t give it to the opponent is what becomes most important!”
“I-I see...”
“I’ll check those things for you!”
“Thank you. Um...”
“Ah, I’m Hinako Todoroki.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Moa bowed politely to Hinako as well. Hinako rolled the ball toward Moa.
“Now, this is a practice method called 1-on-1.”
“1-on-1...”
“Yes, from there, use your dribbling to get past me!”
“Y-yes...”
“Mizonokuchi-san, try to think about catching your opponent off guard.”
The girl with the braid offered a helping hand.
“Catching off guard...”
“Now, start!”
“!”
Hinako, who closed the distance at once, easily took the ball from Moa.
“Oh well... I was able to take the ball easily~”
“Hmm...”
“Why is she acting so cocky to a beginner...”
The wolf-cut girl sent an exasperated look at Hinako.
“M-Mizonokuchi-san, try to be more conscious of fine ball touches!”
Madoka called out to Moa. Hinako was surprised.
“What... Madoka, are you betraying the Four Heavenly Kings...?”
“I don’t remember joining! And being called the weakest is terrible!”
“Fine ball touches...”
“It means increasing the number of times you touch the ball. Also...”
The girl with the braid whispered to Moa.
“I-I’ll try...”
“Then, once more...”
The girl with the braid raised one hand. Hinako frowned.
“I’m not convinced that Viola is in charge before I know it...”
“Start!”
“Hmm!”
Moa began to keep the ball by putting her body between Hinako and the ball.
“This is...”
“Heh, Viola’s coaching...”
“Ugh!”
“Hinako can’t get the ball!”
“She’s making good use of the physical difference. At this rate, Spiky-hair can’t get into the Young Lady’s space.”
Madoka and the wolf-cut girl analyzed respectively.
“Hmm...”
“Tch!”
Furthermore, Moa used her hands to keep Hinako from getting close.
“That’s a good use of hands! She’s holding Hinako back!”
“Is that also Viola’s coaching? At this rate, Spiky-hair can’t get close easily.”
“...Well, a referee might call a foul, though...”
“She’s still a beginner, but Spiky-hair’s pride won’t allow her to invalidate the match for that reason.”
“Heh...”
“What? Why are you grinning at me...”
“You two get along well, Hinako and you.”
“Huh? We don’t get along...”
The wolf-cut girl glared at Madoka. Madoka muttered while looking away.
“Y-you don’t have to glare at me...”
“She’s going to move soon!”
“Mizonokuchi-san, use the sole of your foot well!”
“Sole of the foot... I see...”
Moa tried to turn from a backward state and pass Hinako on the left side. Hinako, of course, sensed that movement.
“I won’t let you do that so easily! Eh!?”
Hinako was surprised. It was because there was no ball at the feet of Moa, who was trying to face forward.
“...I caught her off guard!”
“! She rolled the ball in the opposite direction with the sole of her foot!”
“Yay!”
“!?”
Moa, who turned again, kept the ball and passed Hinako on the right side.
“Haa, haa...”
“N-no way, that...”
Beside Moa, who was panting, Hinako stood still with an expression that said she couldn’t believe it.
“Your passing and dribbling are both above average...”
“You can’t acquire that just from PE class... she has quite a sense.”
Beside Madoka, who was confused, the wolf-cut girl smiled.
“Haa, haa...”
“Are you okay? Mizonokuchi-san...”
The girl with the braid called out.
“Y-yes...”
Moa raised her right hand. The wolf-cut girl entered the court.
“Alright! Next is finally my turn for 1-on-1!”
“Mizonokuchi-san is tired, let’s leave it at that for today...”
The girl with the braid held up both hands to stop the wolf-cut girl.
“Eh~ don’t be so stingy~”
“At. That. Point!”
The girl with the braid stood in front of the wolf-cut girl. Madoka raised her voice.
“Viola’s pressure is amazing!”
“When that happens, that idiot gets pressured...”
Hinako gave a bitter smile.
“Ugh, wouldn’t a little bit be fine...”
“No...!”
“Stingy~”
“Even if you say it childishly, it’s no.”
“I-I want to play with the newcomer too...”
“Even if you say it a little cutely, it’s no.”
“H-huh!? I-I’m not being cute!”
The wolf-cut girl’s face turned red. The girl with the braid sighed.
“You’re troublesome...”
“...Um, I’m fine.”
“Eh?”
When the girl with the braid turned around, Moa was standing there, having caught her breath.
“I had a little rest...”
“E-even so, 1-on-1 in succession is...”
“No, my body has just warmed up...”
“Wait! Was the 1-on-1 with me just a warm-up!?”
“Haha, she probably doesn’t mean any harm...”
Beside Hinako, Madoka gave a bitter smile.
“If she doesn’t mean any harm, she’s a natural-born provocateur...! She’s a young lady you can’t let your guard down around!”
“I was just dissed by Hinako as the weakest of the Four Heavenly Kings, though...”
“...Did I say that?”
“Unconscious...!? That’s nasty!”
Madoka looked coldly at Hinako, who was scratching the tip of her nose.
“Oh, it’s starting!”
“She changed the subject...”
Madoka sighed and turned her gaze to the court.
“Then, I’m on the attack, try to defend, Young Lady! No hands, okay?”
“Um...”
“Ah, I’m Shinju Miyuki, nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too.”
Moa bowed politely to Shinju as well.
“Something feels off... Referee.”
Shinju looked at the girl with the braid. The girl with the braid tilted her head.
“When did I become the referee... Start!”
“Uwooh!”
“!”
“She’s keeping up with Shinju’s linear speed!”
“Her physical ability seems to be decent too...”
Madoka was surprised, and Hinako was impressed.
“Ugh...”
“...”
“Shinju stopped!”
“Lowering her center of gravity... that’s a stance you wouldn’t expect from a beginner.”
“That’s because Viola was whispering something earlier.”
“Even so, she has quite an absorption capacity...”
Hinako crossed her arms.
“Oooooh!”
“This time in the opposite direction!”
“That level of shaking won’t work.”
Just as Hinako said, Shinju couldn’t shake Moa off.
“Nuooooh!”
“!?”
Shinju pushed in halfway forcefully and blew Moa away. The girl with the braid announced.
“Yes, that’s a foul.”
“Hah!? Where is it!?”
“Foul charge, an unfair charge.”
“That level of competition is normal, isn’t it!”
“Please consider that the opponent is a beginner...”
“W-what does that have to do with anything!”
“The referee is absolute.”
“G-grr...”
Shinju was intimidated by the girl with the braid.
“Shinju is a sore loser~”
“Because she can’t shake off a beginner with speed, she resorts to a power struggle... she’s simple...”
“But, that simple side of her is unexpectedly reliable sometimes~”
“Yes! Even in the last match...! I mean, I don’t rely on her at all!”
“You two aren’t honest with each other...”
“You’re noisy, Madoka!”
While Madoka and Hinako were talking about something, Moa returned the ball. Shinju and the girl with the braid tilted their heads.
“Hmm?”
“Mizonokuchi-san, it’s your turn to attack?”
“No, this is for my defensive practice... besides...”
“Besides?”
“I want to try stopping this person’s attack...!”
Moa pointed sharply at Shinju.
“! Heh, you’ve got guts... I’m going all out! Don’t come crying to me if you lose!?”
“Usually, people who say that have loose tear ducts.”
“Alright! I’ll definitely make you cry!”
With the referee’s signal to start, Shinju rushed in. Madoka raised her voice.
“She rushed in again! Shinju, did she snap!?”
“No, her head is calm...!”
The moment Shinju stepped over the ball from inside to outside with her right foot, she showed the ball behind her left foot with the sole of her right foot, and tried to bring the ball forward with her left foot.
“Got you! What!?”
Shinju fell down. It was because Moa’s foot cut the ball.
“Phew...”
“You practiced the advice of not taking your eyes off the ball right away, didn’t you♪”
The girl with the braid ran up to Moa happily.
“Tch, Viola’s coaching again... damn it.”
Shinju looked up at the sky, looking frustrated.
“I think it’s difficult to deal with that at top speed, as expected...”
“She has quite the ability to respond...”
Madoka and Hinako were both impressed.
“...”
The girl with the braid spoke to Moa, who was sitting on the bench taking a break.
“Is the seat next to you taken?”
“...Go ahead.”
The girl with the braid sat down and opened her mouth.
“Your passing ability as an ‘Ala’...”
“Eh...”
“Your dribbling ability as a ‘Pivo’...”
“Hmm...”
“Your defensive ability as a ‘Fixo’...”
“Hmm...”
“I felt a good sense in all of them.”
“Haa...”
“Mizonokuchi-san, which position do you want to play?”
“Eh? Was it a talk about positions?”
Moa tilted her head.
“Y-yes, it was. Ala is a midfielder in soccer terms. Pivo is a forward, and Fixo is a defender.”
Perhaps embarrassed that she was getting excited by herself, the girl with the braid turned red and explained quickly.
“I see...”
“W-well, strictly speaking, it’s a little different, though...”
“Hmm...”
Moa stared intently at her own hands.
“As expected, Mizonokuchi-san...”
“I... I want to try being a ‘Goleiro’, a goalkeeper.”
“!”
“...Is that not allowed?”
“It’s not that it’s not allowed, but why?”
“Your... um...”
“Ah, excuse me, I haven’t introduced myself yet, I’m Viola Daishi.”
“Daishi-san’s...”
“Viola is fine.”
“! Vi-Viola-san, the kick you aimed at me...”
“N-no, I didn’t aim at you! It was by chance, by chance!”
Viola waved her hands violently left and right.
“When I caught that ball...”
“You caught it magnificently.”
“It was exactly at that moment...”
“At that moment?”
“In my heart...”
Moa placed a hand on her chest.
“In your heart?”
“Lightning struck.”
“A-an inversion!?”
“Yes?”
“N-no, sorry, please continue...”
“I have never had such feelings in my life until now...”
“Is that so?”
“That’s when I thought this.”
“W-what did you think?”
“I felt it, destiny.”
“An inversion again!?”
“Is something wrong?”
Moa tilted her head.
“N-no, it’s nothing... I see, destiny, is it.”
Viola stood up. Moa gave a bitter smile.
“Fufu, it’s exaggerated, isn’t it? I have this kind of side...”
“Isn’t that fine?”
“Eh?”
“I haven’t lived a long life either, so it’s not like I can say it so proudly, but I rarely realize that a single event is destiny.”
“I-is that so?”
Viola nodded.
“Yes, that’s right. That is also a kind of good fortune.”
“Good fortune?”
“Yes, because you’ve gained a trigger to color your life richly. That’s what I think.”
“Then... I have grasped the trigger in my hands...”
Moa clenched both hands. Viola smiled as she watched.
“Fufu, it seems you’ve grasped it, the heart...”
“Huh?”
“Ah, this inversion doesn’t get across!?”
Viola turned red again. Moa tilted her head.
“What do you mean?”
“N-no, please don’t worry about it... since you must be tired, goalkeeper practice will be another day...”
“No, I want to start right now.”
“Eh?”
“Somehow... before I forget the feeling!”
Moa clenched her hands tightly. Viola muttered.
“If it’s the court office, they had goalkeeper gloves for rent...”
“Are there any for sale?”
“Eh? Ah, I think they handled a few types, but...”
“...Then, I would like the most expensive one among them.”
Moa took out a black card.
“Y-Young Lady! I-is that okay?”
“Yes, I’m the type to start with the form in everything...”
Moa, who had put on the purchased goalkeeper gloves, returned to the court. Viola called out.
“Then, let’s do goalkeeper practice... all three of you, come here.”
“?”
Viola explained to Shinju, Hinako, and Madoka, who had gathered. The four lined up in order.
“Then, here I go... Madoka-san!”
“Yay!”
“Phew!”
“! She went to take the low ball with her hands firmly... Hinako-san!”
“There!”
“Hup!”
“! She jumped at the ball that aimed for the side... she has no fear of jumping sideways... Shinju-san!”
“Take this!”
“Hah!”
“! Seeing it was a strong ball, she switched to punching... her judgment is good... my turn!”
“!?”
“! Against a knuckleball she saw for the first time, she reflexively defended with her knee... her reaction is sharp too... everyone, is it okay if this Moa Mizonokuchi is our ‘Kawasaki Stella’ goalkeeper?”
“No objections!”
The three nodded in unison. Viola smiled gently.
“...So, please take care of us, okay?”
“Yes, please take care of me too!”
Moa nodded strongly. On this day, the Young Lady became a goalkeeper.