(Part 11)

As the hours passed, the coach made a stop midway, allowing the boys to stretch their legs and refresh themselves before continuing the journey.

"Hey, have you worked out the batting lineup yet, big guy?" Adam asked, leaning toward Haruf with curiosity.

Haruf smiled and nodded, "I think I have it figured out in my head."

Adam's eyes lit up with excitement as he pressed further, "So, where am I? Opener? Third? Fourth?"

Haruf shared a knowing smile with Aaron, who chuckled lightly. "Why don't you tell me your preference first?" Haruf asked, his tone playful, "Then I'll share my insights."

"The opener!" Adam declared with pride, turning to Seraph with a confident grin.

Seraph nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Back in the inter-academy nationals, I was always an opener," Adam continued, puffing out his chest.

"Hmm…" Haruf mused thoughtfully before responding, "I see. If that's what you want, then the spot's yours, wild card."

"Really? Are you serious?" Adam asked, his tone filled with disbelief.

Haruf nodded, and Adam's face broke into a wide grin as he high-fived Seraph, who reached out to ruffle Adam's hair.

"Good for you, isn't it?" Seraph said warmly.

"Hm!" Adam exclaimed, clenching his fists in excitement. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he asked, "What about Alan and Ryan?"

Haruf glanced at Alan, who was dozing peacefully in the seat ahead, and then at Ryan, engrossed in his book, "Since they're all-rounders, their skills suit the middle order. That's where they'll be."

"Oh…" Adam muttered, his initial enthusiasm dimming slightly.

Just then, Elias, passed a sheet to Haruf from ahead. "Take a look, Haruf. Vice-captain Evan wants you to see if the bowling order checks out. He says if you have any changes to make, you can discuss."

Haruf examined the sheet, a faint smile playing on his lips. 

"Looks like they're making good use of the time. Efficient as always," Poseidon whispered to Xavier, who nodded in agreement.

Nearby, Gabriel turned toward Kenzo, who sat silently with his chin resting on his hand, his eyes closed.

"You know… you look downright terrifying right now," Gabriel said, his tone half-joking.

Kenzo smirked faintly, not bothering to open his eyes, "I'm more surprised to hear that from you though."

"More like, he's surprised you'd actually say that, your highness," Feng chimed in, sneaking up to ruffle Kenzo's hair.

The irritated click of Kenzo's tongue was immediate as he turned to glare at Feng.

"Hehe…" Feng chuckled, making faces at him before Kenzo turned away, choosing to ignore him.

"Geez, look at you," Feng teased, leaning back, "The coaches are so nice. They didn't even pick you for the next match. You're still a substitute, yet you're sulking like it's the end of the world."

"Maybe he's gloomy because they didn't pick him," Mikael added with a grin.

Haris, sitting beside Feng, simply observed the exchange, an amused glint in his eyes.

"Honestly?" Senri chimed in from the front, "Are you mad they didn't pick you twice?"

Kenzo, now surrounded by what he deemed the most ridiculous people on earth, gave an exasperated sigh, refusing to respond.

Feng finally surrendering his teasing, raised his hands in defeat, "Alright, we've teased him enough. How about letting me sit with him for a while?"

Gabriel glanced at Feng, considering the suggestion, but as he began to stand, Kenzo cut in sharply. "Stay where you are, Gabriel. If he takes your place, I might actually lose my mind."

Mock Aversion!

"Rude!" Feng exclaimed in disbelief, drawing a round of laughter from the others. Kazuna coughed, struggling to keep himself composed, while Gabriel hesitated.

"Come on, Gabriel, stand up already," Feng pressed with an irritated pout. Eventually, he marched over and claimed the seat next to Kenzo, who let out a resigned sigh as Feng settled in triumphantly.

Moments later, with the others engrossed in their work, Feng leaned in closer and whispered, "Something's bothering you, Kenzo. I know you'll dodge the question, but I've known you long enough to recognize that expression."

Kenzo smirked, his mocking nature surfacing, "If you're so good at reading me, why don't you tell me what's wrong then?"

Feng's brow twitched in irritation. "You're impossible..." he paused, then added with sharp precision, "It's your skills, isn't it? Something's off about them."

Kenzo, caught off guard for a fraction of a second, quickly masked his reaction. "Really?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

"Yeah," Feng replied confidently, narrowing his gaze. "And no matter how hard you try to avoid it, I'm telling you now when we reach Quetta, you're playing me. No excuses."

Kenzo turned to him, his lips curling into a wry grin, "And what will you be doing? Bowling?"

"So what if I am?" Feng shot back, his tone firm, "It's not like it's hard. I can bowl spins pretty well and while I'm bowling, you're getting back on that field." 

Kenzo clicked his tongue and turned to gaze out the window, but Feng wasn't done. "I heard from Captain Xavier…" he continued, his voice dropping slightly, "Something about Senior Zachariah shutting down your skills."

Kenzo's gaze darkened momentarily, but Feng pressed on, "So… until you break out of this slump, I'll be practicing with you."

Kenzo looked at him with a flicker of surprise, though he quickly hid it.

Feng offered a small, poised smile, "Don't worry. You'll pull through this. I know you will."

Kenzo grinned, his expression turning dangerously confident. "Of course I will. It's obvious, isn't it? I'll break through this and shatter his constraining skill into a million pieces," he declared with a sharp edge in his voice.

Feng swallowed hard, thinking, "Intense…" before breaking into a grin of his own, "But insanely cool!" 

_____

After a grueling 14-hour journey, the boys finally arrived in Quetta and made their way to the lodgings. As they filed in, groggily bumping into each other and yawning, a sudden rumble echoed across the sky.

Cassiel and Gabriel, who had been last to enter, paused at the doorway, turning to glance upward. Above, faint flickers of lightning pulsed ominously through the clouds. The two exchanged thoughtful looks as the drizzle began to fall.

Cassiel raised his hand, feeling the light droplets and murmured, "Rain…?"

Gabriel squinted, offering a half-smile, "A fifty-fifty gamble, huh?"

Exhausted from the journey, they slowly made their way to their respective rooms, collapsing into bed almost immediately.

By morning, the city greeted them with a dull, overcast sky, signaling the calm before what would surely be a hectic day for the Kings.