Though I talked about Heaven Len, I wasn’t in a position to rush to the Rin family’s mansion right away. The winter vacation would start soon after the competition ends, so I could prepare calmly then.
Yawn
“Daniel, if you yawn so loudly, people will say you lack manners.”
“But it’s boring…”
As I muttered while letting out a yawn heavy with boredom, Eve next to me scolded me while Tana agreed.
Eve, munching on the popcorn we bought earlier, looked quite tired with slightly darkened eyes and small squinty lids.
The feeling of eating popcorn to prevent dozing off.
“Did you sleep late last night?”
I had gone to bed late as well, but having stayed up all night often since my past life, it wasn’t a big deal for me.
Eve yawned in response, having just warned me a moment ago, and belatedly covered her mouth.
“Ugh, I stayed up late chatting yesterday.”
“With just the two of you? What could you possibly have to talk about?”
“We weren’t alone; Hayun and Sen were with us too.”
At first, Tana had been tapping her feet in front of her seat with irritation, but soon she got into the rhythm and passed the time actively.
Most of the students at Aios Academy were sitting in seats at the giant stadium of Bairn, watching the Pales Academy students practice.
It’s a shared practice space, so it’s the only place where we can openly observe the opposing team.
Since Pales can also watch our practice, we could start knowing each other’s strengths and aces in advance.
Of course, there’s an extra thrill with psychological warfare even in this situation, as well.
Since I couldn’t participate due to an injury, I was just mindlessly eating popcorn with Eve. Another yawn escaped, and Eve popped a piece of popcorn into my mouth.
“I’m bored.”
Mumbling with a mouthful of popcorn, Eve suddenly sprang up, claiming she had thought of something fun.
“I learned a dance from Tana yesterday; do you want to see?”
“What kind of dance?”
“It’s the Eve Cheerleading Squad dance!”
Huh?
I turned my head so swiftly that there was a whoosh of wind, and saw Eve blushing and smiling sheepishly.
“I got a recommendation from the class president. She thought it would be nice if I did it.”
“Tana, do you have a handkerchief? I’m about to cry from laughter.”
“Here.”
I wiped my eyes with the handkerchief Tana handed me. Is this really the timid Eve? Watching my little Eve grow up fills me with pride from the chest.
“Look, like this.”
Nodding my head while watching Eve move energetically.
“What do you think?”
“Tana, get down.”
As if she had been waiting for that, Tana promptly laid down. My pride evaporated in just two seconds.
“This is your fault. How can anyone dance with that body type?”
“I think it’s completely my fault. Eve hasn’t done anything wrong.”
Eve turned red as we spoke seriously, throwing popcorn at me.
“You’re really bad!”
I continued catching the popcorn she threw while adding, “Try moving your body a bit more flexibly. A wave? That could be fun to teach.”
Tana, who had been lying down, got up, brushed off the dust from her hands, and replied.
“That was a wave.”
“……”
“Daniel, you’re really, really bad.”
But isn’t this not my fault?
Giving Tana a pleading look for help, Eve plopped down in her seat and suggested,
“Then Daniel should give it a try. I’ll watch with both my eyes wide open to see how well you do.”
“I’ve never done anything like that.”
I answered carelessly because I was too lazy, but this time Tana cheerfully chimed in.
“I’ll teach you! I was bored anyway; this is perfect!”
“Well, I was bored, so I guess… I’ll give it a shot.”
I spent about ten minutes learning about the wave from Tana.
“Ohhh!”
Tana was clapping for me enthusiastically as I pulled off a clean wave. They praised me, saying I could even dance in a theater group later.
“……”
But Eve was glaring at me with her cheeks puffed out. I could see she was sulking, so I decided to comfort her.
My little Eve tends to binge when she’s stressed.
“Eve just learned for a bit last night.”
“I studied for three hours yesterday!”
Oh, this won’t do.
No matter how I phrase it, it feels like there’re traps set everywhere. This feels like going hunting with no prey but only hunters.
I thought it would be better to maintain silence, so I zipped my lips and sat in my chair.
“Daniel, you’re truly, truly bad.”
“I’m sorry, forgive me.”
“Prepare to be hit with a forgiveness punch!”
As Eve made a fist and raised it, I tried my best to dissuade her when Hayun and Sen, coming up the stairs, caught my eye.
“Did you have a good look?”
“You made it! Hayun, Sen! Listen! Just now Daniel…”
Eve rushed towards Hayun, practically jumping into her arms. They had chatted until dawn yesterday, and it was evident that they had become much closer.
Hayun smiled as she welcomed Eve into her embrace.
Seizing the moment, Sen subtly slid into Eve’s spot.
“So, how’s it going? Any rivals?”
I was curious about their impressions after watching the Pales Academy Mana Volleyball team practice, and they seemed in good spirits.
“None. I’ll just wipe them all out.”
“……If you’re saying that, it makes it sound like you actually could, so tone it down.”
“Sorry, it’s a habit.”
If someone from the Chokugen faction says they’ll wipe out someone, it might really happen. Eve, grumbling about losing her seat to Sen, immediately sat down beside her.
“Eh, volleyball is no problem, but I think the big battle might be a bit tough. There’s a gray-haired boy who’s pretty solid.”
“Gray hair? Oh, you’re talking about Anton Signir?”
Hayun’s words, as she stretched, brought Anton’s face to mind immediately. Hayun replied, confirming my thoughts.
“Yeah, that’s right. Speaking of which, didn’t he pick a fight on the first day?”
That time, I had intended to teach Anton a lesson for making lewd remarks about Eve, which is how I got into a scuffle with him. And yesterday, I’d secretly given him a good beating.
“But the numbers have decreased a bit. It seems some kids can’t participate due to injuries.”
“……”
“Why the gloomy face? Are you feeling guilty about something?”
“Oh, no?”
Since I had pretty violently dealt with Anton and his gang yesterday, I likely broke something on each of them. Luckily, Anton’s injuries only resulted in a bloody nose.
Yet, since nobody has said anything to me, it seems they understand the embarrassment of being beaten by me while dealing with a kid with a broken arm.
‘Well, I guess it’s embarrassing to admit they all ended up getting beat by the same guy who handled a kid with one arm in a splint.’
As I looked down at my right arm, still in a splint, a satisfied smile spread across my face.
Hayun was looking at me with suspicion, but what could she really do just with a hunch? She let it slide.
At that moment, Sen spoke bluntly.
“I overheard the professors asking if you guys got beaten up by thugs last night.”
“What professors?”
“The ones from Pales.”
Did she say she overheard the Pales Academy professors chatting?
Just a moment ago, I had been claiming not to suspect anything without evidence, but now I turned to Sen to interrogate her.
“Why were you listening to them?”
“……I just heard it.”
“How often do you have close contact with Pales? That’s got to be a lie!”
“……”
Sen’s eyes darted around. Trying to escape my interrogation looked desperate, but she was already caught in the net.
“Be honest. What did you do?”
Finally, with her head hung low, Sen fidgeted with her fingers and confessed.
“I was just eavesdropping on the Mana Volleyball strategy.”
“That’s quite a good thing to do. Forget fair play!”
“I heard that to win, one must utilize any means and methods, and stepping on the opponent is a sign of good manners.”
“Who said that? Did some Chokugen leader teach you that?”
I wondered if the influence of the Chokugen faction had sunk in so deeply with Sen that she felt compelled to take it seriously, but then an unexpected name came out.
“Tana.”
“……”
I glanced to the side as if I had expected it, and there was Tana in the distance, trying to change the subject.
“Guys! Let’s go! It’s our practice time!”
Tana exclaimed loudly as she noticed Pales walking in. I opened my mouth to say something but ended up just letting out a sigh as I trailed behind.
*
After the training at Pales Academy ended, the Aios students poured out from their seats into the stadium.
This was the only time when Pales and Aios could get so close together. The crossing students intentionally ignored each other’s gazes or blatantly growled to stake their territory.
The prime example of delinquents, Beldament, May Plov’s right hand, was no different.
With his hands shoved in his pockets, leaning forward with a mostly intimidating expression, he glared at Pales.
But standing in front of him was a well-dressed male student with glasses, Hendrick.
Approaching Hendrick had an expression of triumph on his face.
“You said that, but you really put Anton in his place. It’s a pity he didn’t get injured, but he definitely lost some power. I left a bag in the male locker room number 103, so go get it. Thank you.”
Hendrick, with a handshake, was holding up the key to room 103.
In a scenario that made no sense at all, Beldament just went ahead and accepted the keys.
‘What the hell is going on?’
Anton Signir got stomped?
Yesterday, they had simply wanted to hang out with May but found no one and ended up playing poker among themselves.
No matter how bewildering the situation was, Beldament’s eyes sparkled.
After all, they’d hit the jackpot.
Forcing himself down the urge to check immediately during breaks, he held off until the time rested.
The other three friends who had joined Hendrick called out to Beldament, who was trying to catch a glimpse of Daniel McLean, who was shielding himself from the sun.
‘Ah, forget it! He’ll probably demand it back anyway.’
One wrong word might mean spitting out what they had already chewed.
Ultimately, as the four headed towards the locker room, they unexpectedly bumped into May Plov, who was resting.
“Oh? Where are you guys going?”
As May asked, huddling with her group, Beldament awkwardly laughed, trying to squirm out of it, but he saw it as an opportunity.
“Is there anything you want?”
“Oh? Anything I want?”
May immediately thought of a man’s name, but this wasn’t something Beldament could provide, so she shook her head.
“Nothing particular?”
At her innocent reply, Beldament smiled.
“Think about it. I’ll buy you one.”
“What are you talking about? Where would you get the money?”
She snorted and dismissed him. He thought that was a reasonable reaction; oddly, instead of a response lured by money, Beldament found it more appealing.
The four of them opened the door to locker room number 103 and checked inside. Sure enough, a money bag that they had seen yesterday was impressively in place.
Clink.
As they opened the bag, cash greeted them.
Eyes wide, they cackled and laughed for several minutes, and then a thought struck them – they couldn’t leave this here.
“First, let’s all go to the hotel together and drop it off.”
There was an underlying suspicion that if one person went alone, someone might sneakily take it, but everyone agreed.
Since they all shared the same thought.
After all, they’re delinquents.
They figured no one would care if they missed practice in the competition, so they hastily exited the stadium.
“Ah, there they are.”
“Hey kiddos, that bag looks nice?”
A group of large men approached, waiting as if they had been tipped off. Beldament, being a delinquent himself, immediately recognized that these guys were no ordinary thugs.
Thus, without thinking, he asked, “Who are you?”
“Our?”
The spiky-haired guy shrugged, his grin exposing golden teeth.
“Pirates.”
