ᴀᴄʜʀᴏᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ | ɪɴᴀᴢᴜᴍᴀ ᴇʟᴇᴠᴇɴ

➥▮『ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 𝟷𝟽』▯

That's businesslike of you.

"WAH-! NOZOMI-SAN FIGHTO-!"

You squinted at the voice that had shouted, and upon realizing who it was, you turned your head to the bench and saw Ootani cheering for you.

You acknowledged her existence by waving your hand and nodding, causing Ootani to emanate a floral aura.

As she observed her co-antics, manager's Mikado merely sat there nervously chuckling and sweating profusely.

Goujin whispered to the rest of the team, "I thought the coach was joking when he said that someone would replace Hiro."

The said name, "Okuiri Hiro," a member of Inakuni Raimon who wore glasses and agreed with his coach that he would not play today, went to change his clothes.

He truly understands the reason because he could see in himself that you have the potential that others don't, even if he wasn't sure if he could trust you to win this game.

Huh, smart time.

"Are you okay with this?" Iwato asked, grasping Okuiri's shoulder.

"At first I wasn't, but now that I give it some thought, I see how Nozomi-san can help out the team, so I'm okay with it."

"Is she that good?" Hattori paused momentarily, to which Mansaku responded, "We don't know yet, but let's see."

On the spectator side of the stadium, a particular pair had already positioned themselves to observe the game

Nosaka, as he chewed on some marshmallows, remarked, "Mmm, these things have a sweetness that makes me want to jump, jump, jump."

Nishikage responded "Yes" without hesitation. He then realized, "Wait a second, huh?"

"Let's see how Zhao Jinyun devised this strategy," he continued to eat while offering the treats to the taller boy, who replied, "Let's see how he came up with it."

"It's Raimon vs Hakuren, with Raimon kicking the ball!"

When the announcer proclaimed the start of the match, you stood there like a piece of frozen meat waiting to be cooked, and paid attention to what was going on for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

Unlike most first-timers, who will likely be shaking with fear, you handled the situation with poise and composure.

Learning the game's rules; you've come this far without knowing the fundamentals, but what should you do now that you're actually on the field?

"All you have to do is defend, attack, and have fun!" The words that Zhao Jinyun had previously spoken echoed in your head.

"Fun, he says?" You hesitatingly closed your eyelids momentarily. Unconsciously smiling faintly so no one can see, you may have fun again after a while, even if only for a short time and even if you don't know how to play.

However, when you realize you're involuntarily grinning, your gracious smile becomes a narrow line.

Confused, you asked yourself, "What am I smiling for?"

"Mui-san?"

"Earth to Mui-san."

After a few owlish blinks, you saw a hand in front of you shifting uneasily from left to right. As soon as Asuto realized he finally had your attention, he beamed with confidence and flashed a broad grin.