"BAR BE CUE!"
"BAR BE CUE!"
"BAR BE CUE!"
The whole bus was in a festive mood as they chanted out their destination. The coach had promised he would take them out to a Barbecue restaurant if they managed to qualify for nationals.
Of course the school wouldn't fund such a thing, so the expense would come directly from his coffers. Yet with the smile painted on his face, it was clear that he didn't mind too much.
As they finally pulled up to the restaurant, Coach Hanada apologized to the staff in advance since he knew the teens would struggle to remain orderly after their game.
The restaurant was rather empty at the moment since it was around 3pm, so the owner didn't seem to mind. The old man even offered to throw in some desserts for free at the end of the meals.
"Thank you so much owner" Seiji bowed.
Ken found his way to a booth and slid to the end, hoping to get a little alone time in order to check on the system. Since the game ended, he'd been crowded by his teammates who were reveling in their victory.
Of course he didn't think it was annoying, in fact he was just as happy at the result. However, he knew that there were many rewards waiting for him beyond the system window.
Just thinking about the skill and elixir he would receive filled him with excitement.
Yet not even a few moments after taking a seat, a wonderful smell assaulted his nose, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Is this seat taken?"
Ai brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled, looking at him expectantly.
"Ah, nope." He responded, making a bit more room for her.
Only after smelling her did he realize just how bad he smelled at this moment. He subconsciously reached under the chair in order to get his bag, however he remembered it was left on the bus.
'Damn it…' He cursed inwardly. What was the point in packing deodorant if he didn't use it.
Shiro was about to slide into the long chair in front of the two, but he was pushed aside by two large mounds which acted like a barrier. He fell to the ground emphatically, looking as if he'd just been run over by a truck.
"Ai! Look who I brought!"
Yuko dragged someone behind her, obstructed by her large chest. It was only when he caught up that both Ken and Ai saw Yuta whose face was beet red.
It looked as if Yuta's daringness back then had paid off as he was now being dragged along to a date so soon. Yet now that he was here, his confidence had reverted to that of a newborn kitten.
"We can now have a double date" Yuko stated, her face full of smiles.
'Eh…' Ken almost choked on his saliva at these words.
Ai too had a similar reaction, however her face heated up in an instant. She stole a glance at Ken as to check his expression.
Thankfully, Ken's poker face was working perfectly, masking his internal awkwardness.
"A-Anyway. Senpai, when did you two start dating?" Ken asked, trying to keep the topic off him and Ai.
Yuta's eyes widened as he stared at Ken in a dumbfounded manner.
"I-I don't know?." He admitted. One moment he'd been trying to act cool, and the next he was whisked away by the woman he'd casually asked on a date.
Ken took one look at the expression on Yuta's face and felt it looked oddly familiar.
"Hey, doesn't that face look exactly like the one your Dad makes?" He said to Ai, pointing at Yuta.
There was a few moments of silence before…
"Pffft"
"Hahahaha!"
Ai couldn't help but burst into giggles. Whenever her father was in trouble and didn't know the reason, he would make such a face.
Both Yuko and Yuta looked at each other with confusion, not understanding what was so funny. Their eyes moved to Ken who was watching Ai with an amused expression, a smile evident on his features.
A few moments passed before Ai was finally able to calm down.
"Ai, let's go to the bathroom." Yuko announced, getting up from her chair.
Shiro who had just picked himself off the ground suddenly felt the same sensation he experienced prior, right before he was propelled backwards and into the lap of Makoto.
The contrast between the soft and bouncy barrier that threw him and the stone-like muscles he'd fallen onto was like heaven and earth. He felt his bones bend and crack from the impact, feeling as if his soul was about to escape his body.
"Shiro? You can't sit on my lap, I'm not into that." Makoto said simply, picking up his frame with one hand and placing him on the opposite seat.
The sound of chatter soon filled the restaurant, creating a harmonious yet noisy atmosphere. Coach Hanada was busy placing the orders for the meat and vegetables, taking close account of the expenditure.
While he was paid well, it wasn't to the point where he could blow all of his savings on a team dinner. If they were ever to win nationals, he may even need to declare bankruptcy before the after party.
Once he was done, the coach returned to the seating area and called for everyone to be quiet. It took a little while, but he managed to get the rowdy teen's attention after some time.
"First off, I wanted to say congratulations to you all for qualifying for Koshien this year."
"ORYAHH!"
Makoto's loud voice called out, only to receive a glare from the coach.
He quickly shrunk down, forgetting that this wasn't a place where he could yell as he pleased.
The coach cleared his throat and continued.
"Ahem. As I was saying… I am proud of how you all performed throughout the tournament. Your work ethic this year has been a big reason for your improvements."
He paused for a moment as surveyed the room, his gaze resting on Ken for a little longer than the rest.