"Alright, we get off here!" Seff snapped his fingers, instantly erecting the slouching members in line.
In union, they descended the van and whirled into a group. Eying the curtains impeding their connection with the second team slide aside.
A group of chatty, amiable teenagers joked while following their captain.
"Hey, so why isn't Miss Posseto here, again?" A curly green-head boy with his above-average features coated with a tint of childishness, asked with his coarse voice while playing around with an empty can.
"Jenny," The boy behind him with blonde hair and pale black eyes, bemused by the question, retorted, "How many times are you going to ask that?"
"Huh!? What you said Feddi?" Jenny knitted his brows and asked while shoving his pinky in his ear, "Couldn't hear ya."
"Why're you arguing with a brick? Just tell him that she was busy." Haien, the only female in the group, massaged her temples. Pushing her spectacles up, she glanced a peek at the other group that left before them. Incidentally, matching Rua's gaze as he, too, sized the group with interest.
The two awkwardly smiled at being caught and looked away.
'What a rowdy bunch.' Rua muttered in his heart, his eyes again traveling toward them.
But this time, instead of the group, another object slowly crept wider in his eyes, spontaneously a gentle crunch sound settled to the back of his head, ignored and forgotten.
"O-Oi! Look out!" Haien's voice trailed into his ears, but his mind was still unable to decipher things.
Just when his sixth sense told him of an incoming crash, the object abruptly paused, barely brushing his nose.
"Huh!? ...Huh!?" Rua staggered backward, stumbling to his butt in panic at the sudden pang of everything that happened hitting him at once.
"What just--" He dazedly glanced at Nein smiling sweetly toward him, his suspended hand gripping lightly a can he recognized.
His eyes shifted to team 2, all frozen in their tracks.
"G-Go and apologize!" The man, currently in charge of them in place of Posseto, ordered sternly.
"Uh! Ye-Yes, immediately!" Haien nodded and dragged the sheepish Jenny over by the wrist.
"He is- We all apologize for this incident." She bowed politely, nudging the frozen Jenny to do the same.
"Aw! Yes, I am very sorry! It wasn't on purpose." He also did a gentle bow, ruffling his attention as if to shake off his shame.
"Hmm!? What do you say, Rua?" Nein sent the latter a glance, leaving the decision up to him.
"Uh! I-It's fine. Fine! Raise your heads, please!" He jumped to his feet and waved his hand dismissively, his cheeks burning up realizing how dumbly he reacted, 'I should've been more attentive. I'm disappointed in you, Rua!'
"That is that then." Nein shrugged and flung back the can. Making Jenny catch it instinctively.
"Thank you very much!" Haien pushed her spectacle up as she gazed around, flashing her teeth, she introduced herself, "I'm Haien. And this is Jenny! Sorry for creating such a scene. This clumsy fool never does anything fine." She gently fisted Jenny on the head.
"Sorry!" The latter looked away.
Seff peeked at the whole group from the corner of his eyes before sighing, 'I told them to not make ties with the other groups, they are responsible for whatever happens next.'
Nein glanced at Haien as she beckoned the rest of the team and began introductions.
There was another boy around Feddi's age. He introduced himself as Asae, and his stern aura and responsible demeanor impressed Mika, 'Why aren't our boys like him?'. He made sure to apologize personally on behalf of the group again.
And the last one, one who piqued the group's interest the most, was Duth's long-lost brother.
He had a strange pessimistic aura around him, heavy bags under his eyes, and a sulky expression. "I am Gimmy, just call me Gim."
Unsurprisingly, due to the team's friendliness, Seff's team opened up and began mingling without care. Seff's warning lost in some foreign space, far away from their memories.
Time passed as the group became cozy and chatted away. The groups swarmed the place making herds amongst each other. The vans were arranged neatly behind.
And finally, the two gates languidly pushed back, unraveling behind them bustling crowds of students dressed in stunning uniforms of red and white.
The numerous flyers fluttered in the students' hands as they excitedly gawked at the new faces joining them.
The stands set up had another charm entirely, it was the evident difference between rich and poor clubs.
"Follow me strictly. Do not wander. We don't have time to dilly-dally here." Seff commanded sternly and began marching forward.
Just as he crossed the gates, the breathless students burst with vigor and swarmed over.
But one chilly glance from Seff and all of them evaded him like a plague and chased the guys following behind him.
Jenny and the group tagged alongside Seff as well, even against the meek voice of their Captain wondering if they would honestly be missing this opportunity.
"Doesn't Captain Seff seem much more reliable than our substitute?" Jenny murmured to Haien, his voice piercing into the Captain's sharp ears clearly.
"Ahem! Mind your voice, it's quite audible!" Asae coughed lightly, peeking at their depressed captain.
Walking over the paved tiles, Rua's head whooshed back and forth as he sized up the various club names, "Why are we in such a hurry? Shouldn't we amuse ourselves a bit?"
Seff, not bothering to budge his head, responded, "The opening ceremony or this little drama. You choose."
Rua's eyes glinted, 'We really are getting admitted into this prestigious institution... aren't we?'
Meanwhile, Nein had other things intriguing him, 'Amusing! This is totally opposite to what he was saying.' He peeked at Srid leisurely swaggering over while getting frank with Feddi. Despite their age difference, the two got along well.
But as if to smack his track of thoughts, a boy suddenly bumped into another. His flyers scattered everywhere in the wind, "He-Hey!" He scurried forward, wishing to hog them all back. But his vain efforts only turned to furry as he feared his impending scolding.
"Can't you see where you're going? Who's going to pay for all thi--" As the boy turned back to glance at the perpetrator, his tongue froze as he mulled long and hard over his next words.
"Huh!? What did you say?" A crisp and heavy voice reprimanded him. The evident fury and malice in it attracted the attention of the nearby people.
Nein's brow rose, but seeing Seff continue to walk steadily with his pace slowed a bit, he stared back with even more curiosity.
"What's the riot about?" Haien questioned her companions.
"U-Um! That guy bumped into him on purpose. But..." Duth pointed at the perpetrator's study physique towering over the quivering guy and frowned, "But the other guy just shut up suddenly."
Gim snickered, "He must be a wuss."
This was the first time Gim spoke, his voice was strangely chilly and meek. But it carried some kind of enchanting effect, making the others want to listen and spread a gloomy vibe around.
"Their both's physique is good. I don't see any scaling difference." Feddi rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Difference? You don't see the difference? I sure do!" Srid voice seemed to mock everybody who had gotten chummy and were enjoying themselves, "Can't you see the difference in their uniforms?"
Mika frowned, "There's no difference."
Srid rolled his eyes and stayed hushed. Suddenly, the Captain of the second team spoke up, "Oh! He's a noble!"
The word spoken so casually and effortlessly caused the group's spine to tingle. "No wonder!" Their voices let loose in unison.
"We don't have time for this. If you wish to watch this drama unfold, help yourself." Seff scoffed and began striding.
Disregarding Seff's command, the Captain of the other team commented cheerfully, "You see their collars? That's the difference. The nobles have black collars. While ordinary students have white."