Returning home, Azazel shut himself in his room, the heavy blow of defeat replaying endlessly in his mind. He buried his face under the pillow, feeling utterly crushed.
"Azazel," Hoor called softly as she entered the room.
Azazel quickly sat up, forcing a smile despite his broken and upset state.
Hoor, closing the door behind her, approached him with a bowl of fruit. "Look what I brought for you today," she told proudly, "All your favorite fruits—strawberries, cherries, pears, apples, and grapes. Let me know if I missed anything."
Azazel took the bowl and giggled softly, picking up a strawberry and taking a bite, his curly hair hiding his expression.
Hoor gently ruffled his hair, her touch full of warmth.
Azazel's lips trembled as he asked, "Mama... am I still wrong?"
Hoor smiled tenderly, "If you realize that you might be, then I'm glad. And if you believe you're not, stay determined. The right path will reveal itself. Azazel Minhas can overcome any challenge. Tomorrow is a new day, and there's so much left to try. With a heart of steel, why shouldn't my soldier fight harder tomorrow?"
Seeing his tears and broken spirit, she added softly, "Trying is already a victory, correcting yourself is bravery, and improving yourself is true growth, Azazel. Remember, tomorrow is a new day. When has my little love ever given up?"
"Never," Azazel responded between hiccups, his determination shining through.
______
In the following days, Azazel repeatedly stood before the Cricket Society with his application form, facing rejection time and again. Undeterred, he persisted. "Captain Kenzo, I want to join the Cricket Society! Please accept my form," he said, saluting.
Kenzo, weary from reviewing the paperwork, sighed. "How many times do I have to reject you before you understand?" he asked, clearly frustrated.
Azazel, undeterred, replied with resolve, "No matter how many times you say no, I'll keep coming back until you change your mind."
Kenzo, shutting the files with a resigned air, extended his hand for the form. Azazel's eyes lit up with hope as he handed it over with an eager smile.
However, Kenzo, with a cold glare, ripped the form in half. Damian, Vincent, and Faris observed in silence as the fragments floated through the air.
Azazel's hopes were instantly crushed, but he smirked and replied, "That's it? Tomorrow, I'll come back and hand in the form after filling it halfway so it won't hurt as much when you tear it. It's hard to fill it again and again, that's why." With that, he bounced out of the pavilion.
Heber watched in stunned silence.
"Are you serious…?" Izaak uttered.
Kenzo rested his forehead in his hand, letting out a deep sigh.
"That was harsh, Kenzo. It's obvious you have a soft spot for him, yet you act like this," Silas said, feeling a twinge of sympathy for Azazel.
Izaak chimed in, teasing, "Yeah, who knew a freshman would have to work this hard just to get his form approved by you?"
Before Kenzo could respond, a voice called out, "Little king."
A man with honey-brown wavy hair, neatly parted on one side, and dressed in a suit, smiled warmly at Kenzo. Kenzo looked up at him. "I always ask you to use your head to make decisions right? This time, just follow your heart," the man advised.
Vincent, curious, asked, "What do you mean by that, Coach Mirac?"
Mirac's smile remained, his eyes on Kenzo. "Kenzo knows exactly what I mean," he said, leaving the room.
Kenzo's gaze following Azazel as he walked away, he called, "Heber."
"Hm?" Heber looked at him.
"I want you to do something for me." Kenzo simply asked.
The next day, Azazel caught sight of Kenzo in the hallway and immediately handed over his form. Kenzo, with a raised eyebrow, tore it up in front of the gathered students.
The day after that, resolute, Azazel interrupted Kenzo during recess, calling out, "Captain Kenzo! My form!" Kenzo, in the middle of his lunch, nearly choked as he glared at Azazel and once again ripped the form apart.
Damian, Faris and Vincent watched speechless, while Heber, amused, ruffled Azazel's hair. Azazel pouted, but Heber only laughed. "Haha, you got it torn again. Persistent, aren't you, kid?" Izaak and Silas chuckled.
This back-and-forth became a daily occurrence. Kenzo, witnessing the growing friendship and Azazel's unwavering tenacity, smiled despite everything.
...
"Sigh~ He didn't approve it today either," Azazel muttered as he stepped out of the academy.
"Bye, Azazel!" his friends called out, waving before taking a different route.
"Take care," Azazel waved back, soon turning his gaze to the new form he'd collected from the teachers for the sixteenth time. "It's almost been a month now. I'd better photocopy this; if I ask for another one, the teachers might file a complaint to the headmaster." he looked up at the sky and sighed deeply.
"Azazel!" A voice suddenly called out from the field below.
Looking down from the sidewalk, Azazel saw a familiar figure waving at him from the pitch, a bat in his other hand.
"Brother Ahmed?" Azazel recognized him instantly and rushed down the sloped walkway onto the field. Panting as he reached him, Azazel looked up at him, pleased, "What are you doing here?"
"Hm~ If I said I came to pick up my baby brother, would that make you happy?" Ahmed asked warmly.
"Baby... brother?" Azazel repeated, embarrassed, before shrieking, "No way in hell! That's so embarrassing!"
Ahmed laughed, "Haha, then how about an over or two before we head home? I've got fifteen days off work. If you want, we can play."
Azazel's face lit up with excitement, "You're serious, right?!"
Ahmed nodded, "Of course."
"YES!! What are we waiting for then?" Azazel shot his fist into the air, grabbing Ahmed's wrist and pulling him along eagerly.
As the days passed, Azazel continued to struggle and train relentlessly.
_____
Kenzo, stepping out of the academy, exhaled as he walked towards the grand limousine waiting for him. The sunlight reflected off his features, making his eyes glow, though they were devoid of any thrill. The chauffeur, bowing lightly, opened the back door for him.
Before Kenzo could sit, a familiar voice caught his attention.
"Ah! You got out again, brother?! How many times do I have to tell you to stay on the crease?" Azazel scratched his head in disbelief.
"I'm trying my best here, Aza. What can I do if your bowling is so good? I just keep getting out," Ahmed replied, confused.
"No, you still have to return it. Hit it high, low, up, down, slow, fast anywhere at all. I won't mind. He returned every single delivery of mine like it was a game of kick the can. So hold your ground, brother." Azazel reset the bails on the stumps.
Kenzo, walking towards the sidewalk, looked down at the two.
"But… I really can't hit your illusion deliveries. They're too hard," Ahmed exhaled.
"Too hard for you, brother. At the academy, even a first-year like me can return them without feeling challenged. That's why I have to increase my pace and diversify my abilities. But. I can't do that if you keep getting out," Azazel explained, heading back to deliver another ball.
Ahmed sighed, "Alright, alright. Just give me a break from those illusion balls and bowl me something else first. I need a change of pace."
Suddenly interested, Azazel asked, "Shall I show you my new delivery? I just mastered it recently."
Ahmed nodded curiously. "Yeah, what are you waiting for?" Tapping his bat on the crease, Ahmed waited for Azazel to bowl.
Completing his run-up, Azazel whispered, "..."
The ball left his grasp with twice the power and pinpoint accuracy, surprising Ahmed, who quickly stepped back but then smiled. Raising his bat, he swiftly connected with the ball, sending it high into the air.
Azazel stared at it, dumbfounded, as the ball landed in the trees a little way off.
Ahmed whistled at his own shot, "Oh my~"
Azazel, however, grabbed his hair in frustration, "What the actual hell?! You couldn't return my illusion deliveries, but you sent my newest delivery out for a six right when I showed it?! That hurts!"
"Oops!" Ahmed scratched his head, "It was such a good delivery; I never thought I'd counter it so easily." he teased intentionally.
Azazel pouted, "I thought I could use that delivery to beat Kenzo, but you shattered it before I even got the chance." disappointment weighed on him.
"Haha! Come on, you can do better," Ahmed laughed, patting his back.
Azazel looked away, annoyed. "Stop buttering me up." "Ah... my latest hard work again in ruin." soon crying as Ahmed laughed.
Kenzo, who had been watching them, chuckled softly, his hand masking his laughter. His expression remained hidden beneath his silver hair.
Turning away, he stepped into the limousine, thinking to himself, "Looks like I made the right decision. I think I'll approve it tomorrow."