"But, back to our question... what are you all up to?" Isa asked.
Helios exhaled, "Isn't the answer already before your eyes? Why don't you try and look for it a little bit more attentively and carefully?"
"No way. Too much of a hassle you tell us." Aaron immediately retorted.
"Sigh, are they idiots or something?" Ryan mortified.
"Let me correct, big idiots." Adam agreed, instantly jumping up and down waving at Kenzo and Xavier.
The highschoolers (God knows how kept their composure during this humiliation though…)
"You see… you can take a situation like this lightly but, we can't. You are the ones who have already conquered this stage once, we haven't. You are the ones who are also at a disadvantage since your abilities are revealed while at the same time, we aren't. That's why we have to stand on our utmost guard." Poseidon turned to them serious.
Kenzo returning to the pavillion clapped his hand against Seraph's, soon keeping his bat aside while Feng and Ryan surrounded Xavier.
"Senior Romeo, Rovan, Haitam, Asim, David and all of you present here. You are our seniors and we greatly respect you. However, you are our senior's friends not ours. We are head on rivals ready to clash any time! That's the sole reason we can't be like you all right now." Cassiel claimed.
Rauf hearing them smirked ever so lightly, while Alan grinned amused.
Kenzo grasping the turn of events kept his sports drink aside. Seraph recalling their converstaion from before turned to the highschoolers...
[KARACHI KINGS LODGINGS (Apartment 3rd floor 'Gymnasium' early morning)]
The thirteen boys warming up for the upcoming match, exercised.
Seraph switching off the tread mill stepped down. Immersed in thoughts, his brows squinted, picking the towel up he wiped his sweat. Glancing at the rest who were working on different gears, he grabbed his sports drink. Uncapping and taking a sip he called, "Everyone…"
The rest hearing his call faced him. "What is it?" Poseidon asked sitting on the bench press seat.
"Do you need help? Or is it something else?" Xavier added from the gym bike.
Cassiel wondering too looked. "
I wanted to talk to you all…" Seraph hesitated, "If you all don't mind that is."
Kenzo and Gabriel glanced at each other. "What's there to mind Seraph?" Helios stood up.
"Yeah, yeah, we are all listening." Adam came over alongside Ryan after keeping the dumbbells aside.
Ezekiel, Feng and Azazel too nodded, coming closer.
Settled together, Kenzo asked, "What is it? No need to hesitate just say it."
Seraph grasping his fingers spoke, "I wanted to ask you all about something more like... I wanted a suggestion because there's something that has been troubling me…"
Adam curiously hopped over his back. "There's something that even troubling you?" "Tell me, tell me, what it is? Don't say you feel remorseful over the way you talked back to Feyz yesterday?" he assumed.
Seraph remembering his split personality interference sulked.
"Tch, now don't remind him that. He just came out of that shock today." Kenzo interrupted.
Xavier, Ezekiel and Poseidon chuckled.
Seraph looked up, "After the meeting with teams at the stadium's back stage, I realized how Rauf is the center of attention in this PSL. It maybe because of his return after two years however every single team is dead set on facing him. The atmosphere he creates amid all that is stifling but exciting too. So… I was wondering… why don't we stay low key for a while?"
Kenzo glanced at Helios jumbled, "Why…?"
"By low key I mean... let's not put everything we've got in today's match and try to keep ourselves reserved." Seraph explained.
The middleschoolers still glanced at each other confused.
"Is it because of Islamabad's match yesterday?" Xavier smiled figuring out his concern.
Seraph blinked for moment immediately nodding.
The boys turned to Xavier clueless. "Yesterday I watched Islamabad's match. As expected their team is quite sturdy and encompasses dominant presence on the field. However, they played the match concealing too many of their abilities. Since, I have watched them carefully I could trace that. So what Seraph means is that we better not unleash all your abilities and tricks right in the first match." Xavier told.
"Rauf is the center of attention and so is his team. So, are we and so is our match tomorrow. Every single team and mostly highschoolers will all be present there to see how much progress we have made and pull out our information which they all simply lack. And I earnestly don't want that." Seraph added serious.
"Ah… I see. You want us to hold back a little, right?" Poseidon smiled positive, "In case we give them a humiliating defeat."
"Hold back… a little…?" Seraph repeated awkwardly.
Ezekiel and Heber looked at each other speechless.
"He is thinking on an entirely different level." Azazel exhaled.
"I get that! We have to keep ourselves as reserved as possible since there will be many Cassiels' in the ground today to write journals on us that would lead us to a disadvantage." Adam summarized idiotically.
"You little…" Cassiel twitched his brow.
"Not that he is wrong." Feng whispered in Gabriel's ear who in turn rolled his eyes.
"It's not entirely about writing journals on us. Real problem arises when the opposite team starts to take measures. After knowing our abilities they'll look for solutions and stand before us all prepared ready to take us down. Only at that time we'll feel pressured and lose the game." Helios enlightened, "No wonder Seraph feels concerned."
"Furthermore, our seniors are also doing the exact same. They had been rewinding and memorizing the entire match yesterday." Feng shuddered sympathizing, "Poor Islamabad middleschoolers…"
"Yeah, it's better not to take them lightly as well." Heber agreed blase, "Ours are 'Kings of Devils'."
"Right now we are Karachi Kings greatest asset. Our hidden abilities are also weapons for us to win. Even if highschoolers don't realize that we aren't prohibited on making that decision." Xavier smiled.
"Hm." Seraph hummed.
"Now for the other problem…" Ryan interrupted, "What if we can't win today's match without giving our all? If for instance, our opponents are too much to handle. What are we supposed to do then?"
"Depends on how well you can tackle your opponents, brat. If you think you can't do it. Pass the chance to others. Don't keep everything to yourself." Kenzo advised taking the sports drink from Seraph, "Or if things take a real downturn in the end give all you've got. Hiding abilities and losing the match cannot be an option." "Though I doubt we'll lose if we hide some abilities." he added poised.
"Yeah, Islamabad's rookies also did the same." Adam nodded, "Summing it all up if we get out… we don't have to pull a long face, right?"
Heber exhaled, "Yeah give chances to others but don't get out on 0 or 1 now cause' that would seriously be humiliation."
"Hell… I won't do that even if someone pays me millions of dollars." Adam shrugged.
"No one would do that." Helios smiled awkwardly.
"Was that it?" Gabriel looked at Seraph.
Seraph nodded, "Yeah, that was it. Sorry to take your time."
Gabriel twitched his eye, "What the hell do you mean by sorry to take our time. You better stop apologizing and toss away all this formality before I beat you up."
Seraph scratching his temple laughed clumsily.
"Good thing you took this into consideration, Seraph. It didn't even cross my mind." Kenzo stood up.
"Yeah, you know I feel like making you the vice-captain thanks to your ingenious brain." Helios added.
Seraph shaking his head smiled, "It's nothing."
"Captain, aren't you just tossing all you work to him." Ezekiel asked Helios unamused.
Helios instantly glared, "Yeah, says a certain someone who sleeps a second after another. Makes me want to drown him."
Ezekiel flinched hiding behind Feng.
"Seraph, don't fret. My title is now yours." Helios winked.
"Hehe." Poseidon chuckled.
"But… what are we going to do if highschoolers notice this change." Cassiel realized.
Helios, Xavier, Kenzo, Seraph and Gabriel looking at each other grinned mischievously. The middleschoolers glancing at each other exhaled obvious, for they knew nothing good was on their minds...
(PRESENT)
"Oh our esteemed seniors~" Kenzo chanted standing up. "Are you dumb or acting dumb?" he taunted looking at Isa out of all.
"These friends of yours sitting around you are like intelligence acquiring spies. Encouraging smiles casing their faces, their minds are working in quiet the opposite direction, aren't they?" Kenzo asked Romeo.
Romeo smiling, gave out a chilly glance.
"Haha!" Kenzo chortled amused.
Seles and Yusuf too looked at them surprised while Mir and Pedro revealed a light beam.
"If you think we'd be stupid enough to reveal everything we've got, in a match already under our control then we'd be considered fools of fools. Doom's day to your luck everyone, we aren't giving you even the tiniest bit of lead!" Ryan stuck his tongue out.
"
"Pray we win, seniors." Poseidon added.
The highschoolers silent stared at their backs as they left.
"Seriously… what the heck...!" Rovan twitched his brow. "Are you all the ones who taught them all that?!" he asked in disbelief.