March 30th, Tuesday, School, 7:30 a.m. - School Festival, Day 2
Since early morning, the school was buzzing. Everyone was talking about the team chants and presentations. Even before the bell rang, the entire building was already filled with rumors, shouts, and protests about the results from the opening of the school festival.
The results had already been posted on the bulletin board in the covered courtyard. Minami saw the chart and ran to tell the girls.
"Did you see yesterday's results? The Blue Team got first place in both the opening and the chants. I was shocked." Minami reported.
"WHAT? BUT WE HAD THE POEM, THE PLAY!" exclaimed Aino, visibly outraged.
"I told you…" said Yukino in her usual pragmatic tone from the back.
The Oceanics came in first, the Glaciers in second, and the Firefighters in third. But that hadn't been the only event of the previous day.
"It seems we did well in the musical part." said Miyu.
The first-year class had scored good positions in the music competitions. Akiko, who had taken part in the artistic dance performance, had secured first place.
"Oh! I'll try to get us more points in the sports events!" said Akiko enthusiastically, determination gleaming in her eyes.
On the second day of the school festival, the focus was on court sports. The first event was the girls' handball match. In the first-year team, Akiko played as the goalkeeper.
The games were thrilling. Akiko showed great defensive skill, fearlessly diving to reach the ball. Her ability to shift direction to protect the goal was admirable. The team was united and well-coordinated, allowing for a strong dynamic during the matches. The captains shouted commands, and everyone did their best to follow the strategy.
Match 1 ended with the score: FIREFIGHTERS 8 x 3 OCEANICS.
The third-year team couldn't keep up with the first-years' energy and teamwork.
The second match was much tighter. Both the Firefighters and the Glaciers were determined not to lose. Akiko had to show her full skill to defend the goal, while the attackers struggled to score points. The referee blew the whistle to end the match, and the scoreboard read: FIREFIGHTERS 9 x 5 GLACIERS. The first-year team cheered and celebrated emotionally, a well-deserved victory.
The next competition was basketball. On the Oceanics' team, Naoko played as the striker, and nothing could rival her; her jumps kept her out of reach of all the other players. She practically scored all the points in the match. The Oceanics' defense wasn't very strong, so the games were close.
Match 1 ended OCEANICS 15 x 21 FIREFIGHTERS, and Match 2 was OCEANICS 12 x 11 GLACIERS.
"The only person who can beat me is myself." said Naoko after securing the win. The whole team cheered at her words.
The boys' matches for the same sports also took place that day. Once again, there were no regular classes, though attendance was still taken as usual. The students were excited and confident to continue with the competitions.
That day also featured the most popular sport of all: soccer. First came the girls' matches, and once that stage ended, it was time for the boys to play.
The Glaciers, led by the second-years, had the school's favorite player: Adonis, who stood out in P.E. class. He was the star of the first match, scoring incredible goals that left the opposing goalkeeper helpless.
Match 1 ended with GLACIERS 4 x 0 FIREFIGHTERS.
The whole team celebrated as everyone chanted Adonis's name; he had secured the win for them.
But against the Oceanics, things weren't so easy. The third-year team was highly skilled, and even Adonis's agility wasn't enough to keep ball possession. The Glaciers' defense had grown too dependent on him; they waited for him to act instead of taking initiative. That mistake cost them dearly. Adonis lost the ball at a crucial moment, frustrating his teammate, who grabbed him by the shirt and started yelling.
"DAMN IT, ADONIS! YOU LOST THE BALL! THINKING ABOUT YOUR GIRLFRIEND, HUH?" shouted Blake, taunting Adonis because of the rumors going around.
"WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM, MAN?" yelled Adonis back, grabbing Blake by the arms.
"FOUL!" shouted the referee, raising the red card. "ADONIS AND BLAKE! TO THE BENCH, NOW!"
Both walked off and sat on the sidelines, watching the rest of the game. The match turned into a disaster, ending OCEANICS 7 x 1 GLACIERS. The only goal scored by the Glaciers had been Adonis's.
Meanwhile, in the open courtyard, the Art teacher began the plastic arts competition. One representative from each team was chosen to create a piece. Yukino, who had strong artistic skills, was chosen to represent the Firefighters.
"Here are your panels. You'll have three days to finish! Remember, the theme is the Environment, and your painting has to relate to your team." explained the teacher.
The panels were huge, taking up most of the space. The materials available were water-based wall paints, which didn't stick well to the wood but were inexpensive. Yukino listened carefully, then faced the panels.
Summary… draw Firefighters! she thought sarcastically, already annoyed.
The third day of the school festival arrived. The sports competitions continued, and now it was time for volleyball. The school had a tradition of strong female volleyball teams, some of which had even won state championships. The star players were, of course, on the Glaciers' team.
The match was fierce. Akiko defended the court with incredible agility. The Firefighters' team was very united. Minami was on the attack, delivering perfect serves. But nothing could match the Glaciers' defense; they blocked and countered every move with mastery.
The score for Match 1 was FIREFIGHTERS 2 x 9 GLACIERS, showing the overwhelming power of the second-year team.
The second match was also heated, this time between the Glaciers and the Oceanics. Naoko was unstoppable, both attacking and countering. They scored more points than in the previous game, as both teams had learned to spot each other's weak points. Despite the third-years' efforts, the state champion team proved why they held their title.
Match 2 ended GLACIERS 15 x 7 OCEANICS.
The Glaciers had already secured their gold medal, but silver and bronze were still up for grabs. It was time for the Firefighters and the Oceanics to face off, on one side, Akiko, Minami, and their team; on the other, Naoko and hers. Would friendship be set aside in the battle for second place?
"Second place is ours!" declared Akiko, staring at Naoko.
"That's right!" Minami shared the same determination and wasn't going to make things easy.
"Hmph…" Naoko just scoffed, glancing disdainfully at the two challengers.
PRIIIIIIIIIII! The whistle blew, announcing the start. The battle had begun, and neither team was holding back. The attacks were sharp, the counterattacks fierce. The match moved at a frantic pace, sweat dripping down the competitors' faces. Akiko, Minami, and Naoko shone brightest, exchanging challenging looks that revealed their focus and determination to win. Their friendship made the competition even more intense.
Match 3 ended FIREFIGHTERS 13 x 13 OCEANICS.
The whistle should've signaled the end, but the teams were tied.
"THAT'S IT, MY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE! THIS MATCH IS GOING INTO OVERTIME!" shouted the P.E. teacher excitedly, as the crowd roared.
Naoko's blood boiled. There was no way she'd let this go. She used every second of overtime to unleash attack after attack, each one stronger than the last. The battle ended quickly.
Match 3: FIREFIGHTERS 13 x 18 OCEANICS.
Every single point had been scored or led by Naoko, who once again proved her sharp strategic sense even outside class. She left the court triumphant, earning the silver medal for her team and leaving the Firefighters devastated.
The school festival events were draining the students' energy. They were fun but also exhausting. Adonis had spent the whole day at school and came home completely worn out. After a good shower, he collapsed onto the couch.
"Ahhh… damn… this school festival…" he muttered, sprawled out.
Koa, already dressed neatly, stopped beside the couch and looked at him.
"Tired from school activities?" Koa asked calmly.
"Ah, the school festival's cool, but some weirdos are real pains…" Adonis replied, using his teenage slang.
Cool? Pains? Weirdos? What kind of language is this?
Koa didn't fully understand Adonis's slang and was slightly horrified by how the boy spoke.
"Here, take this!" said Koa, handing him a shoebox.
"Huh? What's this?" Adonis asked, confused.
Inside were black leather sneakers with white toe caps, light laces, and a distinctive logo stitched on the tongue: a brand known as a rebellious youth icon.
"Whoa! That's awesome! Thanks, Koa!" Adonis said excitedly, clearly recognizing the brand.
Koa showed no visible reaction to Adonis's enthusiasm. That didn't mean he was cold; he had gone out of his way to find something the boy would like, he just wasn't good at showing affection.
"Just don't kick a ball with those. They're for going out." Koa warned, making sure the redhead wouldn't ruin them.
"Yeah, I got it! Don't worry!" Adonis replied happily.
"Alright, I'm heading to work. Keep an ear on the intercom." said Koa, putting on a black cap. His outfit was entirely black, as if his job required some level of discretion.
"Intercom?" Adonis asked.
"Itzel and Maureen are coming over to celebrate your birthday." Koa replied, leaving through the door.
A little later, Maureen and Itzel arrived at the apartment with a box in their hands.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ADONIS!" Maureen cheered brightly.
"This gift's from both of us!" said Itzel, handing over the box with Maureen.
"Oh! Whoa! Thanks!" Adonis said happily, already tearing it open.
"Ah, we got here too late. Koa's not here!" Maureen noted, glancing around the apartment.
"Awesome! A Discman! Now I can listen to music without annoying Koa! Oh… and a phone too…" said Adonis, already turning on the music player, thrilled to finally listen to his favorite songs. The phone, for now, was forgotten.
The night went on with lots of laughter and soda. Since everyone had work or school the next day, they couldn't stay too late, but they ate plenty of cake and snacks.
That night, Adonis took a while to fall asleep despite his exhaustion. He felt that his days were getting better and couldn't remember the last time he'd been this happy in Finalia. He eventually drifted off with his headphones on. His sixteenth birthday marked a joyful moment, though one that also carried quiet questions within him.