(Part 10)

Helios stood still for a moment, stunned. But then, slowly, he nodded, "You… have my gratitude."

Kenzo scoffed. "I don't need your gratitude, Helios." He turned, both hands slipping into his pockets. Then, with a glance over his shoulder, he added, "I want you twice as strong the next time we meet."

Helios, watching him leave, turned on his heel. Before he could take another step, he called out, "Kenzo..."

Kenzo paused, looking back.

"Make sure you take that Cup home this time," Helios said.

Kenzo raised an eyebrow, smirking, "Oh? Is 'The Ultimate Paladin' cheering for me now?"

Helios let out a fleeting smile before tossing the ball toward him and heading back to the pavilion, where the others were already gathering.

Kenzo caught the ball with ease, stepping outside the grounds. His gaze drifting towards Helios and his team from the other side, watching as they packed up hastily and began filing out of the stadium one by one. His fingers clenched slightly. If one looked closely. Past the confident exterior, past the smirk, they would see it. A flicker of concern buried deep in his dark blue orbs.

A pair of eyes from the upper stands had caught that flicker. Beside the figure, Ryan smirked, leaning against the railing, "Hey, Your Highness. If you keep staring at the entrance like that, you and your team might be the next ones walking out empty-handed in the finals."

Kenzo turned, glancing up at the familiar faces above. He scoffed, amusement gleaming in his eyes. "Aitcheson Academy and Hugo…" he thought, glaring at the figure staring at him amid the rest.

His grip on the ball tightened, "Hmph. We'll see about that," he smirked back with an invigorating grin.

_____

The moment the HiAce screeched to a halt before the hospital, the boys poured out one after another, rushing inside. Six hours had passed since then. The afternoon sun bore down mercilessly as Helios sprinted around the corridor, the others trailing behind. His gaze snapped upward.

Karin, Sara, Poseidon's father and Sehan sat rigidly on the seats, their hands tightly clasped. The sign above the operating room door still glowed red, the surgery was still ongoing. A deep, inescapable heaviness settled in Helios's chest.

"Don't worry…" Mirza murmured, giving his back a reassuring pat.

Helios nodded slightly, stepping forward.

The sound of hurried footsteps made Sehan and Karin look up.

"You boys…?" Sehan rose, walking over, "How did you all get here? You didn't even call…"

Claude offered a small smile, "A friend arranged a car for us. We barely had a chance to think."

"I see…" Sehan nodded, but his expression shifted as realization dawned. "What about the match…?" He trailed off, noticing the silent grief on their faces, particularly Helios's. The answer was clear without being put into words.

Sehan ruffled Ezekiel's hair as the boy hung his head, then patted Haadi's arm. "It's all right. Win or lose, that's part of the game. What matters is that you gave it your all, right?"

Azazel's voice wavered, "We did. We gave it everything. Ezekiel, Luci, and Mirza set a huge target. Captain Helios and Haadi bowled brilliantly, but…" His words faltered.

Sehan offered a comforting nod, "It's alright. Don't dwell on it."

Nearby, Karin approached Helios, who stood unmoving, staring at the ground. Without a word, she raised her hands and gently cupped his face.

Helios flinched slightly, blinking, "A-Aunt…"

Karin's smile was soft yet firm, "Smile, Heli. There's always a next time."

Helios nodded, lips curving faintly, but his eyes lingered on her cold, trembling hands. Even now, as her son fought for his life, she was comforting him? A quiet sigh escaped him. "Let's sit, Aunt." He grasped her arm, guiding her back to her seat.

Karin cast another anxious glance at the doors, "It's been so long… I can't shake this unease."

"Six to twelve hours," Helios murmured, "That's what my father told me. We just have to hold on a little longer."

Karin sighed but remained resolute despite her exhaustion.

"How about going home to rest? Sehan, Aunt Sara, Uncle and I will stay. We'll call as soon as there's news," Helios offered.

Kinza shook her head gently, "Thank you, love, but I wouldn't be able to sleep until I know he's safe. I'll stay until the surgery is over."

Helios nodded, clasping his hands together as he swallowed. His mind allowed for no other thoughts, only silent prayers for Poseidon and quiet support for his parents, enduring this battle beside him.

The hours stretched on. Seven. Nine. Eleven.

Sleep-deprived and drained, Helios sank onto the bench, fatigue washing over him. The exhaustion from the match, the sleepless nights filled with nerves, it all came back to him now.

"Helios."

He stirred at the voice, forcing himself to open his heavy lids.

Ebraham held out an iced coffee.

"Thanks…" Helios muttered, accepting it.

"No worries," Ebraham replied sitting beside him.

Just as Helios was about to uncap the bottle, a soft beep shattered the silence.

The red light above the doors blinked off. Green.

Helios's breath hitched. His body moved before his mind caught up, the coffee forgotten. Karin was on her feet in an instant, Sehan and the others standing frozen. A heavy silence settled, thick with anticipation.

A cold sweat broke across Helios's forehead.

Then, the doors opened. Sahil, Layla, and the team of surgeons stepped out, exhaustion lining their faces.

Helios's stomach churned. "F-Father…" his whisper barely carried, but in the hush of the corridor, it was loud enough.

Sahil's tired eyes lifted, and his lips curled into a weak yet unmistakable smile.

Layla rushed forward, arms wrapping tightly around Karin.

Karin's knees nearly buckled, her mind going blank but Layla's words held her upright, "The surgery… was a success. Little Poseidon is safe, Karin. We… did it."

Tears welled in Karin's eyes as she clutched Layla desperately, her strong front shattering, her cries were a release of relief and exhaustion.

Helios, trembling, stepped into his father's open arms.

Sahil chuckled weakly, "Easy, big guy. I'm not as young as I used to be."

But, Helios barely heard him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you…" The words tumbled out like a prayer, like a plea that could never be repaid.

The rest of the boys embraced, joy spilling through the corridor. Every sacrifice, every risk, every shred of hope and stubborn will—it had all been worth it.

Helios turned, his gaze locking onto the stretcher being wheeled out of the operating room. Poseidon lay there, fragile yet indomitable, a fighter through and through.

Sahil rested a hand on Helios's back, "Now… all he has to do is come back."

Helios swallowed hard, "When will he wake up?"

Layla wiped Karin's tears away, her voice steady but grave, "Within the next 24 hours. The surgery was just the first hurdle. He's still critical until he regains consciousness. We're not out of danger yet."

Helios's hands clenched.

"Can we see him?" Claude asked.

"In six hours, yes. One by one…"

Just then, Layla swayed.

Helios's heart leapt as he sprung forward, catching her.

"M-Mother?! Are you alright?" he rubbed her back as Sehan rushed to get a calcium drink.

Layla exhaled weakly, "I'm fine… Just exhaustion catching up. Honestly, if your father hadn't been there with me, I don't know if I could have done it, Heli. I was so scared."

Sahil stepped closer, gently rubbing her back.

Helios gave a soft smile before bending down and pressing a grateful kiss to her hair. "I know," he whispered, "Thank you. Thank you so much." He then helped her settle onto the bench, crouching before her as Karin handed her the drink.

Layla sipped it slowly, regaining her strength. 

"Better?" Sehan asked.

Layla nodded lightly, "Much better. Thank you."

Then, she turned to Helios, a knowing smile on her face, "You lost, didn't you?"

Helios looked down, a small, self-deprecating smile playing on his lips. "Yeah… It was a crushing defeat."

Layla chuckled softly, raising her hand to ruffle his hair, "Silly boy. At least now you have something to share with Poseidon, don't you? And something for him to teach you a valuable lesson on improving."

Helios blinked. Then, warmth spread through him as a mile-wide grin stretched across his face, his cheeks tinged pink, "Yeah!"

Layla chuckled, and beside her, Sahil, Karin, Sara and Sehan smiled, too.

They had all endured so much. But if this was the outcome that had been written for them—Then it was, without a doubt, the best one.