Chapter 796: Stubbornness & Impatience (I)

Three weeks had passed since Higo got injured, and honestly, the boy started to realize that what Sakura said about the third or fourth week was the worst possible moment for him.

Oh, it wasn’t like his injury relapsed, or something went wrong with his body. If anything, the boy felt great right now, especially since the sling was already out of the equation.

Of course, some problems still occurred. His shoulder was still stiff after waking up from his sleep, and lifting his arm was harder than ever. He also became tired quicker, as if his stamina bar had shortened to half of what it usually was when he was healthy, which bothered him a little.

However, other than that, his body started to get better, and Higo could feel it clearly. Hell, he could even sleep soundly without getting bothered by it anymore, which was huge progress compared to restless nights in the last couple of weeks.

So, if all was great, why would he feel like crap right now?

Well, the worst moment that Sakura mentioned a few weeks ago didn’t mention that it wasn’t related to his body, but to his mind. Yeah, his brain started to make a mess right now, filling him with so many negative thoughts like anxiety, impatience, and fear.

Just like right now, this morning, like any other morning in the last couple of days, had to start with Higo feeling so irritated. He managed to sleep soundly, but the moment his consciousness was back, the dull pain throbbing on the right side of his body constantly reminded him that he wasn’t completely okay yet.

’For fuck’s sake... It no longer hurts, and I should be close to being freed from all of this bullshit, but this almost state is going to drive me crazy! God, I really want to go back to the pitch as quickly as possible!’

It was only when he wasn’t allowed to do it that Higo started missing the smell of the fresh grass outside and the sensation of his hand deflecting the ball away from the goal. All the simple things in the training ground that he took for granted now felt like luxuries that he yearned for day and night.

Not only that, butthe constant fear that something went wrong also lingered inside his head.When the boy started to forget that he had an injury, trying to do something light like taking out the trash or just pouring water into a glass, the tightness in his shoulder would appear once again, enough to make him retreat immediately.

This was probably the biggest source of his anxiety right now.

’It has been the third week of the rehabilitation plan, right? How could it still be like this?’ He whispered secretly, starting to get worried. ’If the doctor noticed it, would he prevent me from joining the training session? No, I cannot let this little trouble set me back too long! I have to do something about it!’

In that moment when his mind was so cloudy, the boy even thought about lying to the doctor in the next assessment if this matter was mentioned. However, once he calmed down later, the boy just shook his head wryly, knowing that it was a stupid decision in the first place.

’Lying to the doctor? If the others know, not just Kumiko-chan, but Aya-nee and Mom will definitely kill me. No, that is too risky.’ He shook his head, dismissing that terrible idea quickly.

In the end, all he could do was put more effort into his rehabilitation training, especially when it came to his shoulder’s mobility. He gritted his teeth tighter than ever, trying to rotate his arm to the maximum angle even when his body was screaming, complaining about it.

It was fortunate that he didn’t do anything stupid alone. Sakura noticed his current state immediately, and the girl stopped the training straight away without hesitation.

"You are trying too hard today. What is going on?" The girl asked with her arms crossed in front of her chest. "It is not like you to get impatient, you know? You are a smart guy, Ryusuke, so you should know that rehabilitation is not a race, but a marathon. One wrong move from rushing things up, and you can jeopardize all the effort you put in the last couple of weeks."

Higo was quiet, letting his body slump against the gym bench he used right now while his body was sweating profusely. His eyes shut tightly as the boy tried to keep his breath steady. It was fortunate that Kumiko had an exam in her room right now, as Higo didn’t want her to see this pathetic side of him.

"I... Know I shouldn’t rush things up..." Higo finally spoke; his breath was still uneven. "But I feel great, honestly! I feel like everything is good as new! My right arm didn’t even feel that stiff anymore! Only the tightness in my shoulder left, so if I could train harder than before, maybe..." He clenched his fist secretly.

Even though the boy didn’t finish his sentence, Sakura could read the implication behind it perfectly well, and the girl sighed one last time in exasperation before rolling a magazine on the table and swinging it to Higo’s head.

Smack!

"Ouch! What the hell?!" Higo blinked, not from the pain, but from the surprise. "Why are you hitting me like that?!" He rubbed his head with his left hand while looking at the girl with eyes full of grievance.

"Well, that is what you get for being an idiot. I mean, what the hell are you thinking right now?!" Sakura scolded him mercilessly. "Rehabilitation doesn’t work that way! The more you force your way, the worse it could get! Your shoulder wouldn’t be able to relax, and it could even hurt you more! It is just a simple combination between work and rest! How the hell did you graduate from high school? This is a fucking basic biology, for God’s sake!"

Higo felt the corner of his lips twitching for a moment, definitely not expecting a rant from Sakura. Still, he was in his stubborn mood right now, as the boy just looked back at the girl intently.

"So, what is your solution here? I know my body better than you, you know?"