My system allows me to copy talents

552  Sidelined!

Just the mention of Manchester United was enough to pique their interest. After all, it was one of the biggest clubs in the entire world. Although their form had been declining recently it was an undeniable fact that they were one of the big six in the premier league. So, if such a prestigious club showed interest in talent from their nation, it was bound to create a sensation among the people. With a mix of curiosity and surprise, they looked at Hiro and the female reporter, their eyes moving back and forth between the two. They couldn't help but look forward to their exchange. Hiro, however, remained composed as he answered, "I don't know about the interested clubs. So, it might or might not be true. At the moment, my sole focus is to recover well and get back on the pitch as soon as possible." Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Since it was a sensitive topic, Hiro didn't want to talk about it. So, he intentionally tried to divert the topic elsewhere. After all, he could tell that Eric wouldn't have shared the information. The reporter before him should have acquired the information from another source. Although he couldn't be sure about the source, he could tell that it wasn't Eric. So, there wasn't any need for him to give himself out. As they heard Hiro's response, many of the reporters frowned. They were left visibly disappointed by Hiro's response. It seemed like Hiro wasn't as naive as they thought and it'd be rather troublesome to make him open up. Even so, the female reporter couldn't bring herself to give up. She was reluctant to make him speak about the matter, "I understand that recovery is your priority at the moment. But as you know there are already players in Europe who are making headlines despite their age, aren't you worried that you'll be left behind if you don't make your decision quickly?"

As she mentioned, while he was recovering there were already many young sensations who were making headlines across the world. So, it'd only make sense if he acts upon it as soon as possible. However, even if he rushed things, who could guarantee that he'd do well later?

With a year left in hand, he wasn't in any rush to make decisions about his future. Hiro looked her in the eye as he spoke confidently, "Why should I be afraid of getting left behind? I'm not competing with them. They have their own path and I have my own. It's not me against them, it's me against me. I hope that answers your question."

After that, Hiro spent some time answering their questions. However, unlike manager Nanami, he didn't answer all of them. After all, he wasn't obliged to answer all their questions either. So, after answering a few questions, he left the stage. Although the reporters pressed him to answer a few more questions, he left nonetheless. After returning to the club, the club ran a few medical tests on him to determine how long it'd take him to heal. The results showed that he'd need at most three months to recover. Since it was already September, it meant that the season was over for Hiro in theory. After all, there were only about three months left for the season to end. Fortunately enough, they had been dominating the charts. Even if Hiro were to end his season now, it'd take a miracle for the player tailing him in the goal tally to catch up to him. So, it was almost guaranteed that he to win the top scorer award despite having played much fewer matches than other players. "How did the result come out?" Naoto asked as Hiro walked out of the infirmary with the report. Hiro revealed a subtle smile as he said, "I'm done for the season."

Upon hearing Hiro's response, Naoto and Tatsuki frowned. Their expression turned gloomy as a dark shadow loomed over their head. "Cheer up, guys. There's no need to be sad about it," Hiro said in an attempt to cheer the people before him. "How can you smile so brightly, Hiro? Aren't you upset about the news?" Naoto asked albeit appearing somewhat heartbroken. It was as if he was the one suffering at the moment.

Hiro let out a subtle chuckle as he said, "What's there to be sad about? You can't change the past. So, it's better to accept and progress than to get stuck in the mess. Don't you agree?"

Seeing such a warm smile on his face, Naoto and Tatsuki couldn't help but stare at him. They were mesmerized by his attitude. It seemed as if he would remain unfazed under any adversary.

So, if he wasn't making a fuss over the matter, how could they bring themselves to dampen his confidence?

They let out an encouraging smile as they looked at him with reverence. "Indeed, it's just as you said. You just have to accept the fact and move on. Seeing you made me realize that you'd definitely come back even stronger. So, until then let us burden the responsibility of guarding the spot that you've earned us," Tatsuki said firmly, determination flashing in his eyes. "Exactly, we'll guard the spot that you've earned us with our lives," Naoto chimed in. As he heard their resolve, Hiro's eyes glistened with joy. He felt that he could hold them accountable for what they said. Hiro nodded his head, "Then I'll leave the rest in your hands."

After conversing a little more with them, Hiro left the facility. Since he'd be out of the sideline for the next three months, there wasn't any need for him to remain there. So, he returned home to be by his parent's side. The day he arrived home with a broken arm, his mother nearly burst into tears. First, it was her husband and now it was her son. It seemed as if their family had been cursed. One after the other, calamity would befall their family. It took a lot of convincing to assure his mother. Well, it should have been Hiro who needed the consolation. But somehow, he ended up being the one providing the consolation.