The Ball

PART ONE

The week before the grand school competition, the team has been training in the special booth camp the school has laid out within the school grounds.

Because of the injury that I got from Kazuya-kun, I could only improve my endurance level with cardio. The whole week I've been running laps around the track.

Sakai-san has been warier of me since that incident in the alley. I still didn't receive any sort of thanks from her. Not that I care, but she could have at least said something.

The word goes fast around the school. So everyone knows about the incident with Sakai-san. They see me as a hero, and I've received many get-well-fast wishes from students. Some girls wanted to write on my bandage, but I kindly declined as I didn’t like the commotion.

PART TWO

I was on a bus with the other 20 students from our school. I sat next to Matsuda-kun.

It was loud; everyone was talking with each other.

“I’m so stoked for this!” It was Matsuda-kun who couldn't wait to arrive at our competition destination.

It wasn't that long of a drive from our school. We did leave the city and went to some industrial terrain.

“IT'S SO BIG!” A girl said who sat next to our student council president, Ichika Nonaka.

“It still surprises me every time I see it,” Ichika-san said.

It's Ichika-san’s third time that she has come here as she is a 3rd-year student.

“Is it the exact same location every time the contest is being held?” Matsuda-kun asked.

“Yes, it is the same every year,” she responded.

The place was huge. The bus driver drove into the building gate for buses, and we got off the bus. It was the first time I saw the other four schools. They had already sat down in their designated seats.

There the competition committee waited on the podium for our arrival.

I saw three individuals. Starting from the right, a man with glasses that wasn't that young anymore. He had a full beard that was also white, the same color as his hair. He was probably 50 years old.

Then in the middle, there was a lady dressed very elegantly but formally. She was probably the head of the three. Long dark hair with silver glasses soothes her very well.

On the left, there was a lady much younger than them, I think, around the same age as me, 17-18 years old. She had long blond hair, but on the lower part, it was pink—a nice and cute combination.

We waited patiently for them to start speaking, and the head of the three started talking.

“Hello, and welcome! My name is Wada Chiasa. I’m the head of the school competition committee. Next to me are Mister Jo Hisoka and Lady Taira Ryo. We will direct you the whole stay!”

Every school was instructed to go into a different building. This is where we will spend the nights. They told us to dress up elegantly because this evening we all were invited to a ball.

I reckon it’s because we can meet and talk with our upcoming opponents.

I shared my room with Yoshi-kun and Matsuda-kun. It does feel more lively with people in the same room. But if I could, I would’ve chosen to be alone in a room.

“Have you seen all those hotties?” Yoshi-kun said while we were putting on our suit that was ready for us on our bed.

“You don’t stand a chance the ladies like a real man,” Matsuda-kun responded.

Everyone is different and has other preferences; some girls like men who are strong and dominant, and some like softies but cute boys. So even if Yoshi-kun hasn’t had a chance with some girls, there must be someone who likes his type.

We got a message from our school that it was time to head out of our rooms towards the main hall, where we all would walk together towards the ball.

“Our school girls do look beautiful in those dresses,” Yoshi-kun said as we arrived in the main hall where our team was.

The ladies indeed looked good; Kojima-san rocked a violet-colored dress. Sashi Mai wore a green dress. It really complimented her eye color.

But Sakai Rumi…

She was gorgeous, stunning from top to toe. I almost forgot that I disliked her. Her beauty is truly mesmerizing. That beautiful dark red dress suited her persona brilliant; the Red Devil.

“You look great, Nage-kun,” Sashi-san said.

“Thank you, you do too,” I replied with a straight face.

We all walked together towards the ballroom and entered swiftly.

PART THREE

We made quite the commotion; everyone was looking at us. At the same time, the committee welcomed us, “Welcome Avion Seven Academy!”

After that, classical music started playing. And we started exploring. We all had a great time.

I sat by the punch table and had a red punch drink. Yoshi-kun and Matsuda-kun were at the buffet. Sashi-san in a whole group listening to some blond-haired guy

“You seem lonely; I can fix that,” a girl that came up to me said.

I took a sip from my drink.

“A little hard to get. I like that,” she continued.

“Can I help you?” I said.

She looked good in that blue dress. It sooted her blue eyes incredibly well. She had long dark hair that touched her hips.

“I saw you inspecting the whole room. You’re a student from Avion Seven Academy, right?” She said.

“Correct, and you are?”

“I’m Noda Nao, the captain of the First Years Team from Skye Forest High.”

So she pulls the strings and is my direct opponent in the competition.

“Can you tell me more about the other schools?” I asked.

“Yeah, sure.— In the corner over there,” she pointed to a group in the corner of the ballroom. “that’s the first year’s team of True Blomish Academy. They are new in this competition as this is the first time their school has managed to qualify.” She continued.

That group was listening to a tall guy with orange hair. It seems that he is their captain.

“The group you see over there at the buffet,”—she pointed in the direction of the buffet. “They are the first year’s team of Amazon Square School. They haven’t won a single title since they joined the race for the Best School Award.” She said.

They all looked dull. I couldn’t figure out who their captain could be.

Then she pointed to the blond-haired guy that had a lot of ladies around him.

“That guy is called Keno Yunai. He is the captain of the first year’s team of Saint Arts Academy. And that little guy next to him is called Gohn Rubio. I read about that guy in the newspaper last month.— he was the quickest student with a perfect score on their entrance exam.” She said.

If he is that special why isn’t he their captain. But this Keno guy. I don’t know but that fake smile he is showing the whole time is making me wary a lot more than it should.

“Saint Arts Academy is also the school that dethroned your school from it’s best school title.” She said with a little smirk.

So they are thé reigning champions.

She left me alone by the punch table.

I saw Sakai Rumi walking up to Keno Yunai. She ordered him to follow her somewhere back behind the orchest. It was to speak to him alone.

After 10 minutes I saw her again this time she walked up to me.

“I made a deal with the last year’s winning school captain.” Sakai-san said to me.

You did what?

“What kind of deal?” I said to her.

“Their team will form an alliance with our team so we can beat the other three classes more easily in the upcoming Athletic contest.”

“You do know that they are also our opponents how can you trust them?” I asked.

“I follow my gut intuition. I have not found any flaws in his speach when I talked to him alone I know I can trust that kind of person. He seems very kind and trustworthy. Something you definitely aren’t,” she said.

Making a pact with the enemy. She keeps surprising me. But as a follower I have to listen to our captain. I don’t think she will listen to me if I would tell her otherwise.

Lets see if that guy is trustworthy.