Teaming up Began Part 4, Shinji's Team

"I'm not aware that Sei-san is actually your sister," Takeru remarked casually to Jin as he walked alongside them, occasionally turning his gaze to see Jin and Kenya.

He noticed that both of them were still brimming with anger over recent events, their expressions sharp and fierce as they seemed to engage in some silent conflict.

The way Takeru looked at them suggested a sense of camaraderie, as he spoke lightly, as if they were merely friends discussing something trivial, rather than the serious conflict that had erupted previously when he had fought against Sei. 

"Umm, well… we're actually siblings," Jin finally responded, his voice a mix of hesitation and reluctant affirmation, trying to convey the complicated nature of their relationship amidst the tension.

"It makes a scene now," Keigo remarks with a laid-back attitude, his cheerful and relaxed demeanor making it clear that he is in a good mood. As he strides forward, moving confidently in front of his friends, he pauses, turning back to face them with an infectious smile. 

"Hey, by the way, what happened to that team we were discussing earlier?" he asks, his expression radiating genuine excitement about the topic they had touched on before, as if he had been eagerly waiting for the chance to hear more.

"Eh!?" Kenya's eyes widen in surprise, clearly caught off guard since he hadn't been part of their previous conversation.

"What are you talking about?" he responds, feeling a bit out of the loop, and then he glances over at Jin, who appears to be lost in thought, contemplating the memories or details of what they were discussing.

''Oui, Jin?'' he called out, directing his voice towards Jin, who stood nearby.

''Hah?... Ah! Regarding this whole situation, I'm actually okay with teaming up with you guys,'' Jin responded earnestly, as he turned to face Keigo, Shinji, and Takeru, who were eagerly awaiting his answer. With a nod of agreement to them, he shifted his gaze to Kenya, curious about his thoughts on the matter.

''So, what about you, Ken?'' Jin inquired, raising an eyebrow and looking inquisitively at Kenya. The latter paused for a moment, taking a moment to glance at the three individuals standing in front of him, then exhaling softly as he contemplated his reply.

''It's okay,... I think!'' he replied with a hint of hesitation in his voice, still gauging the atmosphere among the group.

"What's about Sei and Juro?" Kenya asks, curiosity evident in his voice as he turns to Jin.

"Well, it seems they might have formed their own team now," Jin suggests thoughtfully, his gaze drifting toward the horizon. He notices a group of students not too far away—Kaito, Haruto, Kenjuro, and Sei—deep in conversation.

They are animatedly discussing something, and their expressions indicate that they are fully engaged in whatever topic has captured their interest. This suggests that there may be new developments that Kenya and Jin are not yet aware of.

AHAHAHAAH!

''HUH!?,'' 

Without warning, a loud and cheerful laugh echoed through the air, immediately grabbing Kenya and the others in the group's attention.

Curious, they all turned to face the source of the sound, where they discovered a young man looking directly at them, sporting a sly smile that hinted at mischief or a playful secret.

"Oui, Rookie! We finally met after all this time!" He exclaimed enthusiastically, rising from the wooden bench where he had been sitting and making his way over to them with purposeful strides.

Once he reached them, he stood tall in front of the group, casting his keen gaze over each individual one by one. His expression held a sly and mischievous quality, reminiscent of a wolf carefully sizing up its surroundings and determining its next move.

A guy dressed in a crisp white uniform, which clearly signifies that he is a member of The S・A team, is currently engaging in conversation with them.

It's rather intriguing to wonder why the upper-ranked students are showing interest in their group; interestingly, they all share the same thoughts about the situation unfolding before them. 

''It's been quite a while, Senpai!'' Takeru enthusiastically greets him and gives him a respectful bow.

"Ah! Takeru, it's been a while," he said, addressing Takeru as if they had known each other for a long time. This made Jin, Kenya, and Keigo exchange glances while Shinji adjusted his glasses.

"This is Akashi Kotaro-senpai from the third year," Takeru introduced, his voice carrying just enough for everyone to hear as they silently observed the unfolding interaction. 

Kotaro took a moment to meet the eyes of each of them, offering a friendly smile that lit up his face, before his gaze drifted away to where Kaito's team was standing at a distance, engaged in their own discussion.

"They might very well be your rivals," he remarked thoughtfully, keeping his eyes focused intently on Kaito and the others, who seemed oblivious to the attention.

 Then, after a brief pause for effect, he shifted his gaze back to the group around him and posed a question, 

"Don't you agree? It certainly seems that way, doesn't it?"

"What do you mean by that, Senpai?" Takeru asked, looking to the others to see their thoughts on the issue.

"Ah, so you're saying you don't even understand your own feelings? ..... Heh.... Hmmm, is that really the case?" He continued speaking to Takeru.

"Are we rivals because of our rank?" Jin asked after a moment of silence. Kotaro smiled slightly, his eyes sparkling at the question. 

"Urh! What I'm trying to convey is the goal associated with the SA rank that we all have in our minds: today's friend could easily become tomorrow's rival, or something along those lines," he elaborated, further clarifying his point.

"It's a dynamic situation where relationships can shift, and the very people we consider allies today might find themselves in opposition to us in the future."

"One more thing you can't imagine," Kotaro, a kind senpai, said with a smile. "But you'll understand when you're fighting..." He glanced at his watch.

"Oh, it's time. Sorry, I have to go now." He smiled as he walked away toward a guy who seemed to be waiting for him.

"I don't think you should follow his advice, Kotaro!" said Kagami, who stood a distance away. 

"Understanding their aura doesn't mean I have to do what he says," Kotaro replied casually, allowing himself a small smile.

"Now I see why he chose the other one over his brother."

Meanwhile, Takeru and the others were watching as Kotaro walked away, which caused them to turn and focus on each other instead. The atmosphere shifted as they began to realize that they were forming a new dynamic among themselves.

"So, it looks like we're officially a team now," Keigo remarked, breaking the silence that had settled over them. With a thoughtful expression, he then posed a question,

"But who's going to be the leader?" After asking this, he turned to look at each of them one by one, clearly seeking their opinions on the matter at hand.

"Ehh? I guess that would be Takeru, right?" Shinji responded, glancing at Takeru, who appeared quite surprised upon hearing Shinji mention his name in that context. The unexpected attention caught him off guard.

"It's you," Takeru said, turning his gaze towards Jin and Kenya, both of whom wore equally confused expressions. They seemed uncertain about what to think or how to respond to this emerging leadership question.

"Don't look at us; we have no idea," Jin said with a shrug, his words echoing the confusion that hung in the air. Kenya nodded his head vigorously, clearly agreeing with what Jin had just said. It was evident that they were all in the same boat regarding the leadership issue.

"What? So, you're telling me we really don't know who's going to be the leader?" Shinji asked, his voice laced with confusion and disbelief as he tried to comprehend the situation unfolding before him.

"In my opinion, you should be the one to take charge," Takeru insisted, still advocating for Shinji to step up as the team leader, despite Shinji's bewildered expression. Shinji looked at Takeru with wide eyes as he processed the suggestion.

"Me? Really?" he asked incredulously, his tone reflecting a mixture of surprise and skepticism at the prospect of being chosen for such a role. The group collectively assessed the possibilities, each member unsure of who would take on this important responsibility.

''I think that's okay,'' Jin talked while Keigo and Kenya just nodded their head to agree with them.

''I'm counting on you, leader!''