"Finally done!!" Kenzo claimed sitting on the ground with a thud after ticking the last box on his training plan. "Good work, you are the first one to complete the training scheme." commented Cassiel taking his sheet. "Of course, I am it's expected." Kenzo replied proudly wiping his sweat with a towel.
"Tch!" Ryan clicked his tongue annoyed. "Don't be so full of yourself when you just lost twice on the hill before, you mock up king." he taunted unsealing the sports drink cap.
Kenzo clicked his tongue. "You damn brat…!" he gritted his teeth annoyed. "I am also done." told Gabriel handing the sheet over to Cassiel. And so on, Seraph and Adam with Feng handed Cassiel their sheets next.
"Here you go…" said Poseidon. Sitting beside Kenzo he coughed lightly. "Are you done?" Kenzo asked. Poseidon nodded smiling. Staring at him for a while with his eyes twitching Kenzo clicked his tongue, "Tch, don't smile like that Xavier all the time. It pisses me off."
"If you're in pain express it. If you are tired just say it. There's no use in hiding it and even, if you don't we still know. But still… good work for today." he praised patting his shoulder.
"Yeah! Good work! And best of luck for tomorrow." Adam cheered Poseidon suddenly hugging him from behind.
Poseidon chuckled whispering, "Thank you…" Seraph eyeing the high schoolers spoke up, "To think that they would keep an eye on us for this long. They really are acting like responsible seniors."
Kenzo sighed "Forget them, those pains in the neck." "Just tell me how many are left with the training. And, what time it is?" he asked Cassiel. "Looks like they're all finally done." guessed Isa.
However, suddenly a loud clank was to be heard as the middle schoolers turned around to grab a look at the pitch. Gazing at the sight the middle schoolers stood stunned, their expressions widened. "What in the world is going on over there?" gulped Ezekiel.
At the pitch Xavier stood on the balling crease smirked at Helios who in turn stared back at him surprised. The wicket behind Helios was completely swapped off. Not even a single stump was standing straight. Xavier seriously headed back.
"Helios was completely bolded by Xavier?" asked Seraph shocked. Kenzo and Ryan stared at the two of them in utter disbelief. "Heeh… so this is how much stronger you've gotten, Xavier?" asked Helios standing straight. Xavier smiled suddenly returning back to his usual gentle self.
"I didn't… it must've been the heat of the moment." he replied turning around.
"Only four balls are left and we'll be over with our practice as well." he reminded going back. "It wasn't the heat of the moment…" whispered Isa going inside the stadium. The others soon followed behind him. "I cannot believe it… even as a fluke, Helios was never bolded on a clear three wicket ever before." Poseidon told.
"But I did it before…" Ryan pointed at himself. Upon his comment Ezekiel shook his head in rejection, "What you did back then was a center bold not a clear three stump wicket. It's the first time, Captain got out like this in his life." Feng and Seraph eyed him wordless.
"Eh~ is that so…" Ryan smirked. Xavier spinning his ball asked, "Shall we go once more?" Helios smiling replied, "Is there even a need to ask?" Xavier rushing forward balled as fast as he could towards Helios who eyed it fixed in motion. "A straight Yorker!" pointed Cassiel and Nagi together.
Blinking their eyes one after another the two of them looked at each other speechless. "A dangerous delivery." Isa remarked, "Just who is this boy?"
"The Hetric boy!" reminded Noah excitedly, "The one about whom we talked back at the dorms." "Vice-captain…" whispered Ryan. The ball hitting in between Helios's feet was stopped by his bat returning as a dot return. "A great defense." Nagi commented.
"The one batting against him is not as bad…" complemented Ren. "He is the captain of the Eight Generation Academy cricket team. Helios Zadeh, the infamous cricketer who leaded victory for his team three times in national's one after another." Noah informed.
Xavier panting hard smiled, "Good…" "You as well." Helios responded. Once more picking the ball up Xavier twirled it around. Smiling at Xavier's sight before his eyes Helios remembered.
A figure dressed in a white uniform with a shining blue badge imprinted with the name Aitcheson Academy in gold, draped by a white jersey upon his shoulders stood beneath the cherry blossom tree. His dark brown hairs fluttering with a light breeze. A frown rested over his lips. Clutching his bag tightly he gazed at Helios who approached, with his sea green eyes which showed neither joy nor sorrow.
"Are you leaving?" Helios asked seriously. The figure replied back with his slight nodding gesture. "Are you sure you don't want to clear things out between you and Xavier?" Helios asked.
The figure suddenly frozen stood silent for a while. "You know he is really shocked, he can't even reciprocate to everything that happened. Are you sure you don't want to clear the whole thing and just leave?" Helios asked once more.
The figure still silent spoke up, "He is innocent and way too kind…" Looking at Helios he smiled, "You know… he'll cry the moment I leave this place and he'll be sad for a few days after that. However, the next time I'll meet him… he'll be much stronger than I could have ever imagined he could be. At that time he might resent me… no, he won't even do that. I can clearly say that. Even I who see and judge things beforehand can't guess what would happen if we meet in the future and neither do I want to day dream about it. But, witness it with your own eyes, how he evolves. And with him evolves my whole team."
Nodding at Helios one last time, the figure turned around. "Remember… I am not leaving Xavier under your care and neither my team. They are strong enough to stand on their legs. Just like Ryan is my team's sword and Feng is the shield, Mikael its soul, Hadi its brains and Theo its strength.
"Just like I am recognized as its backbone. Xavier is my team's heart. And I didn't name him my team's heart for nothing. Even he knows that. Anyways… Let's make sure… we meet again at the nationals." He told firmly soon heading outside the outspread path. Helios stood with a widened gaze staring at his back until his sight fully vanished.
"See it with my own eyes hun…? He's become a lot stronger. Your team's heart has grown up beyond my expectation Hugo…" thought Helios proud.
"At first when I saw him at inter-academy matches I wondered how someone as frail and gullible as he was, is able to come all the way to the top. However, that Hetric had shown me what you and your team was made of. And now, I can see it once more… the one standing before me isn't the one who was smiling in his dreams before or even caring about anyone. He is a hidden Pandora. A true genius with an unbeatable eyes of a king." He thought.
Xavier once more threw a Yorker right before his feet. "A Yorker again." pointed Aigou.
Isa smiled while Zach uttered, "It's as clear as day." The middle schoolers except Kenzo turned around to ask, "What is?" "That boy wants to make sure, that Helios getting out wasn't a fluke." Orion told.
"Sigh… a true monster amongst monsters." Nagi commented. Helios once more spotted the ball with a dot return. Xavier smiled walking back again.
"Does that mean… Xavi, Xavi wants to bold Helios once again?" asked Adam surprised.
"Seems like it." Kenzo agreed