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36 UNO, DOS

"Well, as a formality, members of the top six will be playing in multiple games, but the remaining 29 will have just the one chance to play. Within each of these teams will be a personal manager—chosen by my own hand. Just as the players—the ones not chosen for the top six pairings, will not have the chance to participate in more than one game. With this out of the way, I will disclose the evaluations."

Those words catch your interest, and you look up at the large screen with expectant eyes. Egi pushes up his glasses, leaning back in his spinny chair and visibly folding one leg over the other—he looks much like a manga villain at this moment—with a blank look he announces, "Paired with the number one, Itoshi Rin and number two, Shidou Ryusei, will be..."

He pauses, and you can almost feel his eyes on you. "[name]." You shiver, lips slightly parted in shock at the sound of your name ringing through the room, in Ego's shrill voice. Still, you nod and step forward, beside Shidou and you fix your hair a little as you walk.

"That's fine." You quip, trying your hardest to ignore the feeling of eyes on you. You feel them following your each and every move—whether it be from jealousy or admiration, you aren't too sure—there is a thin line separating the two, after all.

Shidou looks at you from the corner of his eyes, eyeing you up and down before smirking, "Not bad." Rin doesn't bother to even glance at you, eyes trained to the ground like it'll knock him dead if they move. It doesn't bother you.

"Paired with number three, Karasu Tabito, and number four, Otoya Eita will be Merodi."

This is the first time I've heard that name, you think, watching intently at each of the girls for who it may be. The girl in question makes it abundantly clear who she is—pumping her fist in the hair with a wide grin. Your eyes widen at who it is. 

* Her voice is deep and calm, and if you listen hard enough, you think you can near a low note of a song playing from the one earbud stuck in her ear, "Wrong Itoshi. His brother's probably Sae Itoshi. That's the pro player. Pretty famous. Part of the Under 20's national league." She shrugs, and she blows a bubble with gum. You have no idea where she even got something like that in Blue Lock, where candy is all but a dream.

It pops beside your ear, and it bothers you, so you give her a look from the corner of your eye. The girl giggles and hides her black-painted lips behind her hand as she walks away. Weirdo, you think, shuffling your feet on the floor.

The girl, with the silver piercings, neon hair and raven lips, runs up and takes her spot beside Otoya, grinning wide enough that you can see the bubblegum in her mouth peeking out behind pearly whites. "Hell yeah! I knew it!" She pumps her balled hand up and without even a glance, lowers her fist towards Otoya, who gladly returns the fistbump.

Merodi... You squint, scrutinizing her with your gaze, In a way, it fits her.

Ego wastes no time in continuing, "Next. For the last pair, number five, Yukimiya Kenyu and number six, Nagi Seishiro, their manager will be Jennifer."

The chubby girl with royal blue hair and a charming smile steps up, taking a place beside Nagi and flipping a strand of shiny blue hair over her shoulder, "Jenny is fine."

From your first meeting with her, she's seemed laid-back and carefree—maybe, you admired it a little. A part of her practically radiated confidence, with the way she walked like she owned the place—but not overbearingly cocky. You should talk to her soon.

Ego doesn't acknowledge her request, tapping his fingers against each other and leaning forward with his elbows propping him up on his desk, "That is all. This is the final task of the revised third selection... with a position as a regular on Japan's national u-20 team on the line... It's time for your tryouts."

The ending sentence of his speech fooled you into thinking Ego was finally done yapping away—but as always, he has bamboozled you, and you curse yourself for not knowing better. Of course, Ego is not done talking yet—he has only been speaking for a good ten minutes instead of twenty! "Also—once the 29 who aren't in the top six divide into groups of three, three times nine teams makes 27 people. One team will be one member short, making them a team of two. So, as an exception, just one more person will have the chance to play in two matches. That honour will go to the runner-up of the top six, number seven... Bachira Meguru. You will assume that role."

You look over towards your former teammate and friend, eyes wide with shock at the expression he's making. A coy, cheeky grin that is core to his character lays on his face at Ego's words, and you can hardly find yourself believing that both you and Isagi had paired up with not one, but two of the top six players.

Ego speaks up once more, and this time, you really do think he's almost finished, "First, the top six, and consequent managers, you will all proceed to a different room." 

You stretch out your arms a little and as soon as Rin starts trotting towards the opening doors, you follow, hearing Ego's voice grow distant and quieter the longer you walk in the room. You feel relieved to be out of his suffocating digital presence, if only for a little while.

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* 17 — PLEASE TAKE CARE OF ME