“Do not forget December 3rd, do not forget December 3rd” He mumbled continuously on a cold chair, staring at the green football field from the balcony. I gently pulled his wheelchair back to his room as he started to cough out blood again.

Yoshiki is sick, physically if not mentally. The loss against Saigon Raiders 2-5 last year had huge impact on him. He spent three days in hospital being unconscious; therefore, was sent back home immediately here at Kyoto for further observation. The entire squad of Japan FC broke into pieces. Some decided to seppuku for the embarrassment they had, some went back to temples and never return, and some decided to pursue their career as robot engineers. Everything was too sad for this beautiful winter.

The first day of 2018 I had a visitor. The three heavy and determined knocks on the door woke me up five o’clock in the morning. I carefully opened the door and soon saw a half-naked man, with snow melting on his shoulder, stood bravely but shivering with only his red fundoshi AKA undergarments on. It was Takenaka. “Shohei, I need you to do something for me” he said. And that was the beginning of my short journey in Saigon.

Takenaka was at reserve team until the fall of his brother’s football club. No one ever questions his football talent but the culture of the team never gave him a chance to prove himself. Vertical relationship in our country is a MUST. When elder people (even just one year older than you) tell you to eat shit, you EAT it. However, Takenaka made up his mind to change the system as soon as he was nominated to be the new captain of this team.

Politeness is our virtue but that’s too weak for this shit, Takenaka concluded. There’s absolutely no need to take bow every time you slide tackle the opponents or handshake with those whose intention is clearly trying to break your legs. Aggression was what he wanted to add into his team and I’m seeing the improvement over this four months when I see some of the guys yelling mercilessly at Familymart staffs.

April 8th is the day. Takenaka’s team arrives at Chu Van Anh five hours early to start the warm up session. Even from far distance, I can easily tell the team is in great condition. Takenaka brings his samurais today. There is no anime otaku, robot engineers, nor porn film makers. With all honesty, I am a bit scared and nervous, maybe even more. I close my eyes to think about my brother back in Kyoto. As my phone starts to sing at 8 I walk out the door and slowly jog toward the center of the pitch. I try to hide my anger as I see those gaijin but keep reminding myself there is more important job to do here. Takenaka glances at me – I look back into his eyes and blow the whistle, game begins.

My job is not to do my job, very simple. Whenever the decision is fifty-fifty, I let it go. One of the tactics is to piss off the No.9 hage (mild offensive term for bald guy) which works quite well in the first ten minutes. Takenaka’s team struggles a bit as Raiders play with good short passing. When No.10 hage makes great through ball for the other hage, centre back Shibasaki chases the ball while attempting to make body contact with No.9 hage. As soon as Shibasaki senses the pressure from behind he quickly falls on the ground like a ninja, I give no foul. As I expect Raiders on the sideline start to make noise and universal English term ‘fuck’ just fly around several times as I carry on doing my job. A British looking boy on sideline starts to talk to me in Vietnamese but with my very limited vocabulary I decide to reply him with my poor English.

Raiders continue to dominate the midfield until I decide to use my linesman Omori and Suzuki. After 20 mins play, Takenaka spots out the space between the Raiders defensive lines. He shouts to his full-backs “quick long ball to the strikers”. Fullbacks start to feed the longball to strikers and with the linemen’s supports, Raiders defensive lines is threatened. At 25th minutes, Raiders loses the ball near Japan’s penalty area, the fullback quickly picks the ball up and makes long pass to the striker Konishi. With the team pressing forward, Raider only have this No.4 guy, who could have looked like Tom Cruise if he loses a slight bit of weight. Linesman Omori stays his flag down and the Japanese striker quickly with his pace runs the right field, crossing the ball to the center for Takenaka to chest it and volley – what a screamer 1-0 Japan.

Before the end of first half Raiders get a free kick outside of the penalty area. I often see this No.99 man, who looks a bit like Leonardo Dicaprio from Asian perspective, showing up at Chu Van Anh several times a week. I know this guy’s left foot is a threat so I quietly warn Takenaka. As the defenders shift the wall a bit to adjust the position, this old sport smart enough to use the space and drives a fast-low shot that hits the back of the net. 1-1 Raiders. He surely is Hollywood star.

My job gets harder as I start to hear voices questioning my identity at half time. “Is that referee Japanese? haha!” I hear. While I see Raiders sub off one of the hage midfield whose head is bleeding by shaving mistake last night, I tell Takenaka Raiders are doubting my identity and there’s not much I can do now. “Do what you can” he says.

Second half gets even more competitive. Raiders start to press the line up high and their coach starts to make substitution to further add the attacking attribute. Takenaka’s team starts to get frustrated by my fair decision as referee – the team now is continuously getting threatened as Raiders right wing makes good run. Midfields control the possession, defense being rock solid, and forwards threaten the goals several times with ambitious shots. But luckily the team get away with it. At 88th minutes, Japan finally gets the opportunity to find the net. With few minutes remaining Takenaka instructs the fullbacks to join the attack. The midfield Tamura who owns the sushi bar in Le Thanh Ton quickly sends long ball into the penalty area. Then fullback takes the shot with his left foot but unfortunately it is blocked by the mafia looking like keeper. It is a destiny that the second ball rolls into the feet of Takenaka, and as he sees the empty space of the goal he calmly slots in low shot into the right corner of the net. 2-1 Japan.

The game finishes with Japan’s victory. The squad bursts with joy on the tremendous win against the undefeated Raiders. All of them are talking about how they want the massage done and how much sake they wanna drink afterwards. With the happy atmosphere, I see Takenaka stands in the center of circle smiling to his mates. His 2 goals performance certainly earns huge credit to be selected as man of the match. But perhaps I’m the only person who knows how he behaves when he is truly happy. The very next day I take flight back to Kyoto. Yoshiki smiles when he hears the result. “It’s perfect, it’s perfect” he mumbles. The green field is now covered with cheerful pink – the beautiful sakura. But far away from the field I see a bald cherry blossom tree, standing there watching me. Whenever I see that hage tree, I feel those No.9 No.10 No.32 and the Coach are talking to me. A week later I decide to move my apartment.