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25 RUNNING DEEP

You sit up and pay attention once more when you finally hear them stop fighting, and Nagi looks over at Isagi, "By the way, Isagi, why'd you let them provoke you into agreeing so fast? We could've searched for a little while longer for some other team to play."

Isagi looks up, a long, drawn-out sigh escaping his lips, "Sure, we could've. I just didn't want them underestimating us. Our weapons are Nagi's first touch, Barou's dribbling, and finally, my direct shot. When we run into Rin's top three team, there's only one way we can defeat them. We gotta find a way to max out the stats we're lacking in."

Nagi raises a brow, "For example?"

"Hyoma Chigiri, the human lightning bolt. His speed... that's what we're gonna need." 

You find yourself silently agreeing with Isagi. For all it's worth, you did miss having late-night talks with him, when you both did your respective physical therapy sessions. That reminds me... I've been forgetting lately.

Nagi sounds as bored as ever when he rests his cheek in his hand and peers at Isagi through half-lidded eyes, "He's your first pick?"

Barou's taken-aback, nose scrunched up at the striker, "Hey, wait a second, I wanna steal someone who's good at hold-up plays. Like that beefy orange-haired dude. We keep the ball, it means more goals for me."

You wouldn't mind Kunigami either. You two weren't as close as you were with the redhead, but you did have some nice conversations with him, and he was one of the nicest people you've ever met. You'd like to be on his team again.

Isagi seems to consider his words, despite their ridiculously selfish reasoning, "I guess that's true. If we had Kunigami, the ball would definitely stay up front more. Also, he's got that killer mid-range shot."

"I guess I would have to choose Reo. After all, I promised him we'd play together again." Nagi looks lost in thought when he says that.

You can't say you have the best opinion of Reo—but you have to admit, he's pretty good at passing and making sure others have the best chance to score. He's a good way to link all these selfish strikers up. Maybe you judged him too quickly, based on his weird obsession with Nagi, but other than that—he didn't seem too bad, you guess.

And that also means Kyouka would be on the same team as me... can't say I wouldn't like that.

Isagi makes a noise of surprise, before he looks between Barou and Nagi in disbelief, "Hold up! Can't be good if we all want different people."

"You asked me, and I told you what kind of soccer I want to play." Barou closes his eyes and folds his arms over his chest when he talks back to Isagi. It's abundantly clear that even if you didn't know him, he's a stubborn person.

"It's still way early. Not like we have to make a decision right now," Nagi sips from his water bottle and adjusts the towel that hangs around his neck. "Besides, if we don't win, one of us will end up being stolen."

The silence of that reality settles in uncomfortably. You look at all of them sullen gazes, then stand up, abruptly and suddenly, so that they all look at you in shock. You pick up your notebook and pen, and clap your hands, "Okay. Let's run through the formation one more time."

This is the least you can do for them, you think, as they all nod and run onto the field. Their towels get left beside your feet, and you don't even glance at the forgotten pieces of damp cloth in favour of your eyes not straying away from the field in front of you.

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