"the third stage's 3 vs 3 "rivalry battle" goes to team red, with 5-2!"
"who do you think, Shonan, Rin?"
"who shall we steal?"
"doesn't matter. they're all the same." to be honest, shouldn't Rin be angry at me for stealing his goal? is he acting differently around me? maybe he really hates me... "hm... someone useful..." i couldn't really decide anyways, they're all my friends.
Aryu made up his mind since both of his teammates didn't mind (care), "come on... Meguru Bachira." Bachira, huh... not bad.
"you can assist with my glam goals. you shall be my assistant, Meguru Bachira." Aryu twirled his hair, "how long are you idiots gonna chatter. let's get going."
"don't space out, bob-cut. i hold your fate in my hands." Rin sounded like he was some sort of god, but oh, who cares?
メ
third stage bath
"OH FUCK THIS BATH!" i groaned, me, a girl who just wanted to have a nice dip into the sauna, realised this was a building full of boys. thinking deeply, everyone was already inside the relaxing bath, yet i was sitting here, thinking if i should go to bath or not.
"fuck this.... i'll go.(with a towel)" silently stripping myself, i carefully wrapped myself in the comfy towel, walking in with a messy bun and barefoot. i sneaked into the side of the side of the bath house, but seeing my teammates just made me really wanna say hi to them.
"don't swim... in public baths."
"awww, what's the problem, Barou? this is fine! look, i'm a ninja. blub blub." maybe i should scare them...
i quietly dipped myself into the bath, hugging my knees. "and you guys! you made sure to wash off properly before getting in here, right? and your towels are dirty so don't drop them in!" Barou ordered, side eyeing everyone as my eyes went round.
"hey, it's Shonan..." Nagi blowed bubbles, "hey..." i waved, surely, it was already obvious that my forearm was so slim, i barely had muscles.
"woh... you look very slim for a male." Kunigami pointed, "duh! look at you!"
"yeeeeah. Shonan does. anyways, i conditioned my hair, too." Chigiri replied to Barou's order, "hey, Isagi, Shonan, is Barou really this uptight?"
i shrugged as i looked around, "yeah... he's super particular about this stuff..." i saw Barou and Nagi arguing in the distance, but my focus got chopped off when Chigiri spoke up, "so? have you decided on your next opponent yet?"
i gulped, "no, not yet. Shonan is with Rin, Aryu and Bachira. what about you guys?" Isagi placed his elbow out of the water, "we..."
"we're obviously gonna play you guys. that's the only reason i teamed up with these two." Reo's voice invaded, "Reo! it's been a minute! listen to this Reo, i've been practicing a lot, and-" Nagi held up a hand, but Reo only slapped it away, "stop it."
"you and i... are rivals now, Nagi. you didn't choose me... so i'm gonna crush you." Reo, it sounds just like a breakup!
"so... how 'bout it? don't run away."
"all right. just what i wanted."
with me that is in none of the teams, i lifted my hand to cover bits of my face from the light, bored. "wait... Shonan, why do you have a towel? we're all boys here! you don't have to-"
i scratched my nape, "umm... privacy?" i nervously laughed, "maybe it's cuz he's really slim." that was a really good excuse, thanks!
"umm yeah! welp, gotta go or else, ya know, Rin...!" i jumped out of the sauna, releasing a huge sigh of relief.
"that was close..."
メ
"hey, you guys... how about playing against me and my team?" Aryu pointed at a random dude, "we need to have an opponent..." i mumbled, "huh?! you're the top three, right?! we're gonna pass..."
after asking a few more different people, they all passed, "what do we do... bruh..." i stared at the ceiling, playing with the chair in the cafeteria. "there's no style in playing a team that makes it this far just to run away. they're just going to drop out anyways." Aryu twirled his hair like always.
"i don't wanna play any of them, either. i'd rather wait for Isagi's team to get to the fourth stage and play them." Bachira munched on his food, "what if they like... never get here..." i daydreamed, "they will. what about Rin-chan?"
"ah... Rin is..."
メ
"hey. let's finish this up quick and move on... " we were currently preparing for our next match, going against: Isagi, Nagi, Barou and Chigiri. "we're gonna insta-kill them."
"sounds good." Bachira smirked, while i tied my hair into a messy bun as always, entering the field right behind Rin.
TEAM RED: SHONAN ??? - RIN ITOSHI - JYUBEI ARYU - MEGURU BACHIRA
VS.
TEAM WHITE: YOICHI ISAGI - SEISHIRO NAGI - SHOUEI BAROU - HYOMA CHIGIRI
"Aryu?"
"hey, redhead..."
"yeah?" Chigiri raised an eyebrow, "what kind of conditioner do you use?" Aryu asked, twirling his red hair, "huh? the one in the bathrooms, same as everyone else..."
"but your cuticles are far too glam... that means your hair has innate brilliance potential... in that case, you must have natural glam..."
"hey... don't touch my hair!" Chigiri slapped his hand away, making a what-a-freak face. "oh, my apologies, it's just too beautiful... and i'm obedient to style. i'm honoured to battle some as glam as you. shake my hand. let's have a good match, Hyoma Chigiri."
what is this? war? i silently giggled at the corner, while what i didn't see was Rin, Nagi and Isagi staring at me in the side. "you've got a pretty old-fashioned name for how you look. let's have a good match, Jyubei-san." Aryu looked like he was mental, "stop... that name is so not glam... the overwhelming vibe of a medieval samurai... the cloying whiff of antiquity... that first name... is the only thing i have a complex about...." he placed a hand over his forehead.
"i'll wipe it away with these glam poses!" he started posing like a maniac, "hey Isagi... what's his deal?!"
"i dunno... this seems worse than before..."
"Aryu... can you like stoppp...?" i walked over to the taller male, "you're gonna tire yourself before the game staaartssss."
"it's no use... the afterimage of my flustered look from before still remains... how shameful!" i rolled my eyes, "it's fine... just like.. ya know?"
"uhh... are these guys really that strong?"
"yeah... they can play football at least..."
"will you shut the hell up?!" Barou growled, "get in formation already... let's do this..."
"alright... mom."
"i'll take this asshole!" Barou pointed at me, "who'd you say doesn't know about setbacks?!"
"m'kay. i'm cool with anyone." i was still playing the rap part of my [f/s] in my head, "okay... so... are you cool switching positions with Barou, Nagi?"
"hm... sorry, Isagi. can i say something selfish? if i don't go with what's exciting... then leaving Reo behind would have no meaning. i want... to battle the number one."
"but... Barou is with Shonan."
"bbuuuuuttt...-"
"it's fine, i can go against both of you." i mumbled, eyeing Aryu with a nod. "okay. but... if you lose, i'll crush him instead... okay then, let's go, Bachira!"
SECOND SELECTION RIVAL BATTLE 4 VS. 4.
FINAL MATCH!!!
KICK OFF!
with Rin quickly kicking the ball to Bachira, his honey hues glowed, his monster telling him to do... max speed scissors. then with a deep fake step, into a switchback. "what's wrong, Bachira? try to get past me."
'in that case...'
"i figured that ball is mine, bangs." Bachira kicked the ball, but Isagi blocked it before it go anywhere else, "Isagi?!"
"i'll take this."
"gah, dammit! outta my way!!" i eyed the situation, if... the ball lands to Nagi... i observed around, Chigiri would get it...
i got it.
"guess there's no reading something like that the first time..."
"gimme a floaty one." Nagi ran, "i know. over there, right?" the ball flew up high, almost landing right between Nagi and Rin. ah wait, if Nagi tried to just charge in full speed, he couldn't get it over with Rin in one kick... and if he tried to stop right before, Rin would be on me in one step...
but what if... he jumped up and stop the ball right before anything? and as predicted, that's what Nagi just did, "can you feel it? it can only be here... red panther."
"perfect. i'll smash through." the point where they all intersect... get there an instant early! right now, those coordinates... this moment, are Chigiri's sole break through point!
ever since... Isagi and Barou stole the ball with their anti-combo... everything has been going according to Isagi and Nagi's visualisation! and then Nagi... surpassed even that with his incredible trap and that breakthrough pass... and Chigiri's legs... responded perfectly... this is the ultra coordination from their chemical reaction... that they've polished... to defeat us... the four of them.. are a perfect match for us!!
GOAL!
1-0
i smirked, after cracking every mystery, "i've been waiting, egotist. my monster... is rejoicing." Bachira grinned.
KICK OFF!
with Aryu dealing with Chigiri from the side, Rin was free because i was handling with Barou and Nagi. Bachira suddenly stopped dribbling, passing the ball without looking, making a blind pass.
"blehhh."
"get in front of it! take it, princess!" Aryu took the spotlight with his legs, "no way... a mid-air cut? those legs should be illegal!!"
"absurd. airspace is my territory. and i'll pass before... your speed can reach me." i licked my dry lips, running towards the ball, "no, it's mine, you boulder!" Barou appeared behind me, "ah. the scary gorilla man." i chuckled, "who's a gorilla?"
"rin!" i direct kicked the ball to the green head, "no... i'm still here. i won't let you shoot. trying to force a shot?" Nagi was perfectly reading him, Rin doesn't have any shooting options, and yet, there was something he forgot, a shoot feint.
Nagi did fall for the trap, Rin made Nagi think he was reading him to get him to charge forward, he was a step ahead, but with that time loss, Isagi could catch up. "nice cover, Isagi! we'll box him in!"
i quietly shuffled behind him, appearing right next to Rin, it's a two on two! will he pass or dribble? "he's planning to shoot between us! he's greedy!" no, that's not it! this is a feint, too!
"no he isn't, he's just not giving you guys a chance to think." i titled my head, with Rin fouling Chigiri and Nagi, only Isagi was left. "hmph. it appears you've learned... how to use your eyes on the field. but such a tepid soccer... doesn't move me in the slightest."
GOAL!
1-1!
KICKOFF!
"it's still just 1-1... let's do this!"
"yeah.. our attacks are working!"
"counter... attack..."
i glanced at Rin, who was already eyeing me for the position, mouthing an okay, i ran to the middle of the field. Rin is already positioning himself to respond to whatever choice Chigiri makes.
using this moment, Isagi slipped into their blindspots. but sadly, it was too obvious, Chigiri tried to make a long shot to Isagi, but Rin jumped up and stopped it, running towards the goal, he was stopped by Nagi and Barou, "not gonna happen."
"oh! you passed to me, Rin-chan!" Bachira exclaimed, "bring it up to the goal box."
"yessir."
"get back! it's a counter!"
"that's not fair. let me join in, too! i can have more fun..." by kicking the ball towards me, "surprise!" he smiled, it was a super long airborne pass with a back spin, that creeps up after hugging the ground?! 'no wait... it's not a pass to Rin! Bachira's target is...' Isagi grit his teeth.
Shonan!
yep, me.
"damn that's clean." i mumbled, knowing Chigiri was gonna catch up with his speed, "i'm sorry but, i'll crush you!"
"i'm here too, you know." Nagi was not too far away from me, "notice it, Shonan-kun, that pass... feel its "line", not its "point.""
"gotcha." with this parabola, the ball will get stolen if i wait until it lands. so, in order to catch it... i must intersect that parabola... at a midair point... only i can reach!!! i hopped up on to the fresh air, twisting my body due to my flexibility, the tip of my toe ever so slightly touched the ball, making it spin.
performing a mid air split upside down, i opened my red hues, the ball shot right in, just like i wanted it to. "완벽한.(perfect)" i landed, looking over my shoulder.
GOAL!
2-1!
'god, that was hot as fuck... how can Shonan be so- stop! i'm not gay!'
"ha. tepid."
KICKOFF!
'Nagi is already trying to set up a pass from Chigiri, by using Barou as bait while he moves around Chigiri, he's positioning himself for a direct shot that Rin or Shonan won't be able to touch! but... Rin or Shonan sees that too, i have no idea what the three of them see... but i think... their vision is on the same level! but the reason Isagi can't beat Rin or Shonan is probably... a base of difference in physical abilities! aside from spatial awareness, Isagi can't measure up to Rin... or Shonan either, in terms of reach, physique, speed, or height!'
'... i'll take the vision... of the field's future that you've created... and smash it apart.' Nagi thought, come on, Chigiri. pass... to me!! Rin... his reactions are so fast! and he's keeping that same distance... so i'll ignore him! but what about Shonan? he's always unpredictable... eh whatever,'
'look, Isagi... use your visual awareness to grasp the situation!! in an instant rewrite... the field's future to help me score a goal!' Isagi kicked a long distance shot to Nagi, who appeared right next to Rin within a few seconds, "perfect."
whoa really?! he's just barely able to read and respond to such a perfect, sneaky pass?! then... i'll make a shot. like a trap! into... a two stage feint volley shot!!! Nagi used his full force to kick the ball, andddd....
GOAL!
2-2!
"are you some kinda god?" Isagi grinned, 'if i'm with Isagi... there's no limit to how strong i can become...'
"sorry, Reo...." i can't go back to who i was before i knew... that football is so much fun!!
"haha... they got you, Rin-chan... are they still "tepid"?"
"shut up, bangs... i'm annoyingly fired up."
"don't lose your nerve. i'm about to rule this field." Rin spat, "if you want to win... give it all you've got." is he angry...? "this is a rare sight..."
"i like it! show me... how you go all out, Rin-chan!" Bachira grinned, but i noticed something, Rin's cold eyes were different, he looked much more... tempted.
KICKOFF!
time for the second half!
Rin kicked the ball to the side, off to the empty space, welp, i didn't even think, my body just moved itself all the way to the ball. "oh my gosh. this scary gorilla guy... move, will you?"
but the ball moved to me with its backspin, "yippee.." i easily tricked Barou with a scare, passing everyone, but never passing the ball.
it's not like i'm gonna pass the ball anyways. i ran and ran towards the opposite goal, "he's not passing!" ah, but seeing Isagi and Nagi right there, i made a blind pass to Rin, ah, that's a shooting motion.
'no... don't rush in!! he's only moving his leg... it's a feint! i won't fall for the same trick!' Nagi and Isagi was sandwiching him from the front and back, tugging the ball slightly, 'he's using a roulette here?'
"that's impossible..." Nagi mumbled, "i saw through you..." Isagi clutched his jaws, 'i made it! i'm one step ahead of-'
"you're two steps too late." Rin spat, huh?
'where's... the ball?'
"i see... he didn't read us... he was manipulating everyone. you pushed us all to our limits... and drew out even higher levels of skills.. we're just dancing to will..." my smile dropped, kicking the ball right into the goal.
GOAL!
3-2!
'Rin's marionettes! this is how Rin goes all-out... with his puppet master football!!!'
"there's no way you can read me... you're just a supporting character." Rin looked over his shoulder, "Rin-chan! you're a real sadist!"