(Part 5)

The boys soon made their way back into the lodgings, spirits high. Heading straight to the gymnasium floor, only to find Seles waiting for them with his usual warm and welcoming smile, "Welcome back, everyone."

"Thanks Coach Seles." The boys replied following him.

"And, morning." Ezekiel greeted.

"Hm, good morning to you all too." Seles replied, settling himself on a flat bench.

The boys sat on the floor in a semicircle around him, while Yusuf leaned against a nearby power cage, arms folded.

"So, what did you all want to discuss?" Seles asked gently.

"You mentioned before that you knew what we were missing," Seraph began, "Last night, you pointed out our mistakes, how the high schoolers tried to cover for them, how we got cornered in the last match, and what we could've done to turn things around." he sighed, "Unfortunately, we can't undo the match, and the fact we lost won't change either. However, since you've seen our shortcomings, we'd like you to assist us."

Helios nodded, "Yeah, not just from the last match, but from all three we've played so far. We know you coaches keep a sharp eye on our progress and regress. That's why we're asking for your guidance."

"We want to be a hundred times better before the next match," Xavier added, "Please enlighten us."

Seles exchanged a glance with Yusuf, then looked back at the boys, all of whom wore unwavering expressions.

"You all don't blame the high schoolers for yesterday's loss?" Yusuf asked.

Feng smiled, "Nah, why would we? We're not fools. We played together with them. Their desperation, desire, and determination we clearly felt it yesterday."

"They weren't slacking off," Cassiel added, "They were giving their best effort. Maybe not their absolute best, because we know they've got more to give, but it was genuine."

Kenzo remained silent as the others spoke.

"They got hurt, they fell, they dirtied themselves and sweated nonstop. Coach Seles, Coach Musa… that alone was a huge contrast from how they played against Peshawar," Poseidon observed.

"It wasn't them. It was us who lacked this time. We simply couldn't support them," Helios grinned bitterly.

Seles blinked surprised however smiled at their honesty.

"So…" Kenzo finally spoke, his gaze sharp, "Can you help us break through these bottlenecks?"

Yusuf exhaled standing up straight, "No."

The boys exchanged confused glances.

"Because, only you can break through your own bottlenecks," Yusuf explained, "We can guide you, but you're the ones who have to do it. So, what do you think? Can you pull it off?" he asked.

Azazel grinned, "Who do you take us for? We're aiming for the top!"

"Yeah, we're ready," they all agreed in unison.

Seles, proud of how they'd bounced back from the setback just hours ago, crossed one leg over the other, grinning. "Well, well… I didn't expect to meet such a troublesome group of boys just after handling one three years ago." 

Helios glanced at Gabriel, puzzled.

"What do you mean?" Heber asked.

Seles smiled cryptically, "Maybe you'll be the ones..." 

The middle schoolers frowned still unsure.

"To conquer the world," Seles mused to himself, "Congratulations Alan, Rauf… you've finally found those hidden gems."

"Haiz, honestly, you should be going after Nidou's brain instead of grilling those two right early in the morning," Musa's voice broke through as he scratched his head, stepping into the room.

"Coach Musa?" Poseidon asked, while Ryan narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah, it's me," Musa replied, taking a seat beside Seles. He turned to Poseidon, his tone turning serious, "So, tell me, Poseidon. You still haven't nailed it?"

Poseidon, swallowing hard, looked down, "I'm… still working on it."

Sensing his unease, Musa smoothly turned his attention to Ryan. "And you, Ryan? What's the plan? Hoping to get out on a duck next time?" he teased.

Feng glanced at Ryan, whose glare sharpened in Musa's direction, clearly annoyed.

"Glaring at me won't help you, son," Musa grinned, "But swinging that bat a billion times might save you from that fate."

Ryan fell silent, reflecting on his words. Helios, watching the exchange, smiled to himself. "Like father, like son," he thought.

Seles then addressed both Helios and Poseidon. "You two," he called.

"Yes?" they both responded in unison, exchanging puzzled smiles.

"Again! You spoke together again. It's the fourth time now." Adam counted.

"With this, you're closer than you think," Seles added, though the meaning eluded the two, they simply smiled back, still unsure.

Meanwhile, Yusuf advising Azazel told, "It's not your aggression that's the problem, Azazel. It's where you're directing it…"

"As for you Heber, your acrobatics might change your entire batting style. How about we try some of the tricks that you have in your mind and see if they work out?" Musa asked.

Heber nodded in agreement.

"I bet it's the grip…" Yusuf continued to guide Helios next as the room filled with a mix of advice, suggestions, and the boys' determined affirmations.

Kenzo, watching them getting drawn into the conversations with the coaches, frowned and glanced down at his hand, soon clenching it tight.

______

Time passed, and back in the infirmary, Nidou sat at Seles's desk, reviewing player files. His eyes flicked over the papers as he crossed out and rewrote names on a list. 'Alan'—he crossed the name out, only to write it again, repeating the process multiple times before letting out a frustrated sigh.

Glancing up, his gaze rested on Alan, who was sleeping soundly on the patients bed ahead. His breathing barely audible. Nidou's brow furrowed as he spun his pen between his fingers. A soft breeze ruffled his disheveled, wavy hair as the clock struck 9.

Alan's eyes began to twitch, disturbed by the sunlight seeping into the room. Blinking and spotting out his surroundings for a while he shifted, turning his head, his vision initially blurry but soon focusing on Nidou.

Nidou was seated, absorbed in the file, his pen moving steadily. The faint sound of scratching paper indicated cuts, corrections and amendments something Alan couldn't understand but knew well—it was the sound of something being crossed out and rewritten.

As Nidou lifted his pen, about to make another cut, Alan spoke, his voice steady, "Stop… don't cut it."

Nidou immediately looked up, his expression softening for a moment before his usual indifferent demeanor returned. "Awake, are you?" he asked, his tone flat and emotionless.

Alan nodded and sat up. "Old man… let me play the next match." he pressed.

"Oh?" Nidou leaned back in his chair, "Seeing you lying there like that, I thought you'd given up already."

Alan grinned, shaking his head, "Given up? Not a chance." "Yeah, I was a bit tired, but not enough to throw in the towel," he added firmly.

Nidou stared at him silently for a moment before huffing, "Hmph, acting bold, are you? Seems like you still need to learn a lesson or two." He set his pen aside and began organizing the scattered sheets in front of him.

"You've finalized it, haven't you?" Alan guessed, watching him work.

Nidou, securing the papers in his file, replied, "Of course. The candidates for the next match have been decided. Now, let's see what they'll show us." he placed the files to the side and leaned back in his chair.

Alan chuckled, "As expected. You may seem like the idlest person on the planet, but you always finish your work on time… Just like the old days."

Nidou's expression softened, a flicker of the past crossing his mind. He recalled the days when Alan was young, often falling asleep on the couch near his desk. Whether immersed in reading, writing, consumed by anger, or showing care, the same scene would play out.

Alan would wake up and glance over with that same familiar look—an unspoken distrust and dislike mixed with the desire to be noticed, yet wanting to remain unseen. And each time, Nidou would respond in kind—sometimes with a smile, other times with a frown, and occasionally with distant indifference. The distance had always been the same growing wider and wider. And, in the blink of an eye, that child had grown, matured. Now, that same child was seeking all the answers alone.

Nidou bit his lip as he stood up, breaking from his reverie, "Get ready. We're leaving for Quetta at 12:30 sharp. Make sure you pass the message to the others."

He was about to leave when Alan's voice stopped him. "Head Coach Nidou..."

Nidou paused mid-step but didn't turn around.

"This time, for sure… we'll win the World Cup, I promise." Alan said.

There was a brief silence. Then, without looking back, Nidou replied quietly, "Best of luck," and left the room.