Reappearance of the phantom soccer ball, strangely absent in the anime where Hikaru's room is a tad tidier.

There may be too many soccer AUs but I don't think its totally irrelevant: In 2002 the FIFA soccer world cup was co-hosted by Japan and S. Korea. It had to have been an exciting time.

Hikaru's Dad is back too, or at least half a foot and a bit of pyjama (bottom left)