everything comes with a price

Chapter 30: Final Matches Day 3: Pride vs Shame

Forget about being together forever. We can't have it anymore." With that, his hand fell limp.

The cannon fires. The girl pressed her hands to his chest, pressing her ears to his chest, hoping to revive him back to life, even for a second, when it was clear that he couldn't be brought back. "Come on, Natsuhi, please." The girl pleaded. She pressed his chest a few more times, saying, "Don't go." Thankfully, no one appeared all the while she tried to revive him.

At night, the board with the faces of players remaining in the arena appeared. They focused on Natsuhi's face, before his face disappeared from the board. Just like that. Up there, she could see a brief glimpse of her face on the board. It was clear she was the only hope for New Day Academy to win. She forced herself to get up and leave Natsuhi. She heard the hovercraft appear to collect Natsuhi's body.

She didn't turn back.

The said girl got up, sweating all over. She checked the clock. It said 6.32a.m. she took a stuffed toy, and threw it against the wall, so that her boyfriend wouldn't be disturbed. No one wins the ITM. The girl did not feel like going back to sleep, so she went to take a long shower and refreshed herself. She dressed in her New Day Academy outfit, and decided to go to the roof for some fresh air, only to find Ryoma and Tyler already there, talking.

"Morning, Princess." they said in unison.

"Morning, Ryoma, Tyler." said Pakura. "I didn't know you two will be up that early."

Ryoma shrugged. "Well, I just couldn't sleep. Oh, if you are wondering where Keigo is, I let him sleep in. This is the first time I woke up earlier than him."

"Same here. I got woken up by my nightmares...again." said Pakura.

Tyler nodded. "Yeah. I know among all our nightmares, yours are the worst."

"Yeah, I know, right?" She checked the time. "Hey, let's go and have breakfast now."

They went to join the other champions for breakfast, and after that, they went to the gym. They did not expect the gym to be occupied, since it's only 7a.m. and the matches start 2 hours later. Meanwhile, a certain captain's family is going to the Training Center to support their son (or grandson). They came earlier due to the fact that they wanted to explore the Training Center before going to the gym to watch the matches. After telling the receptionist who they are related to (they even had to show their Identity Cards to prove it), they pressed the button to the 17th floor, as Tezuka mentioned that that is the tennis floor. When the doors opened, there were already 10 people inside. (9 champions and Atobe. Ryoga's a champion, remember?). No one noticed them. They heard the nearest three (Pakura, Ryoma and Tyler, the strongest three) talking to one another.

"Ryoma, do you receive discrimination because you're going out with another male?" said Tyler.

Ryoma said, "Well, so far, no. I mean, why would I be discriminated just because I like people from the same gender?"

"That's because it's wrong." said a voice. The three turned to find that they have company.

"Who said that?" said Tyler.

"Me." said the younger man. He resembled a certain captain that Pakura is going to beat today.

"Shut up and mind your own business." Tyler turned back to his friends. "I bet those three will hate it in the Village in America. People of the same gender kiss and hold hands in the neighborhood all the time. They probably have a fit during the Gay Pride Parade, where everybody is kissing and holding hands and shouting, 'We're Here, We're Queer, Get Over It.'"

"How dare you talk to us like that?" the woman shouted. Her shouts caught all the attention of the champions, and they walked over to see what was going on. "What the heck's with all that shouting, woman?" said William.