All or Nothing

Volume 2: Chapter 5 Part 3

Nagumo still hadn't sent the serve over to Kiyotaka yet. He stood there staring at Kiyotaka with a frown and almost a glare in his eyes. The audience and other Commanders were not aware of this or the conversation they were having, so they all watched in confusion as Kiyotaka and Nagumo temporarily stopped playing.

"Hey. Ayanokouji. I don't like that type of question you're asking. It's almost as if you're saying you don't like anything I've done and you're looking down at me from the place upon where the Gods stay."

"Is that so? I'm just asking you since you are a senpai who is worthy of my respect. But I wonder if you have actually earned it yet compared to Horikita Manabu-senpai." Kiyotaka asked back with raised eyebrows. That only seemed to piss off Nagumo more.

"Tch. You know, Ayanokouji. I really hate that your expression never really changes. Ever since our meeting on the island exam, you've been exuding an atmosphere that's been saying you're better than everyone here, even me and Horikita-senpai. The fact you gained his attention despite the fact you did nothing is truly annoying. I'm going to wipe that indifferent expression off your face and put you in your place in this festival. Be prepared."

Nagumo then sent a hard swinging serve towards Kiyotaka, who perfectly rebounded the shot with ease.

"In that case, can you truly show me what it's like to be a strong Student Council President who rules over people and wipes the floor with a cold loner that obviously isn't me?"

"I'll wipe that goddamn expression off your face!"

The game continued on, an even score between the two until it reached 7 points each. However, from that point onward, Kiyotaka began to be the favourable player as he alone racked up to 10 points. It was now a match point to Kiyotaka. Realising this, Naugmo gritted his teeth in frustration.

In order to prevent Kiyotaka from gaining another point and winning, Nagumo needed to do something. After Kiyotaka made a serve and the two returned each shot to each other, Nagumo found an opportunity to try to finally gain a point. With a warcry of the sort, he smashed the shuttlecock towards Kiyotaka's field using a forehand overswing, intending to grab the point there. It was a shot with great amounts of force, no one else could possibly perform.

However... unexpectedly to anyone in the sports hall, minus a certain few people, the shuttlecock flew past Nagumo at speed and landed just barely within the court behind him. Nagumo had no time to react to the shot, and the audience just watched on in silence. Finally realising what happened, Nagumo turned to see the shuttlecock on the ground, indicating the worst for him.

As he turned back to face Kiyotaka, Nagumo noticed that only Kiyotaka's back was facing him and he was in a certain position that told exactly what had happened.

Immediately after Nagumo had sent a quickfire hit, Kiyotaka was already in the position to conduct a hard backhand underswing. It seemed as though Kiyotaka had gambled on a prediction and successfully pulled it off to win him the final point as the shuttlecock hit the racket and zoomed past to land just shy of the line covering the court.

The silence finally subsided and cheers across the hall erupted like a volcano spewing its lava. Hearing the cheers, Kiyotaka returned to just a normal standing position and looked over at Nagumo, expressionless as always.

"You're even more predictable if you are unable to control your frustration."

"Grrr! Ayanokouji. You-"

It was safe to assume that all the questions and slight jabs sent at Nagumo earlier on were for Kiyotaka to rile up Nagumo and then make him more predictable. A double trap. When he thought about it, Nagumo was both frustrated and amazed that he fell for such an easy trap.