"Exam takers, caii have your attention please?" A low yet audible voice cut through the room. Aizaki and the exam takers where currently in a cafeteria, sitted behind a long table which was assorted with all kinds of Japanese delicacies.
Aizaki looked up to see a man with a smallish man with glasses standing at the entrance to the cafeteria. The man who introduced himself as Midorikawa kiochi, the head of Esperion city PR department continued.
"About the Youth selection first exams, I would like to thank you all for your hardwork. Right now the coaches are gathered in order to select the students who will proceed to the final exams in the afternoon. This cafeteria is usually reserved for the senior team, but for today we decided to open it up for yourselves. Please enjoy eating the foot the senior players eat everyday." With those words, he left the room.
Aizaki raised an eyebrow in surprise at the treatment they were currently getting.
"Well this is new." He thought to himself. After all, during tryouts in his previous life players were encouraged to bring snacks from their homes but not outrightly given food.
His eyes drifted the food arranged on the table before him. The meal composed of the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats needed for an athlete to function properly.
"As expected of a professional club." Aizaki nodded to himself as he quietly concentrated on the food before him, listened to the players chatting around him.
"You sure can eat a lot huh." Otomo said to Aoi and who was sitted besides him.
Aizaki glanced at Otomo, before his eyes settled on Aoi, but what he saw left him speechless. The curly haired teen was like a vacuum cleaner stuffing himself full with rice without even chewing. His chopsticks had become a blur and he was visibly sweating having a serious expression like he had just met a sworn enemy.
"Huh? Oh Otomo didn't see you there." Aoi replied after hearing Otomo's question. "Well I need my energy to be the best on the pitch." Aoi continued, with a mouth full of food.
"You really should slow down Aoi-kun, after all the food isn't going anywhere." Kazuki a random defender that was part of his white team replied.
"Hehehe, I'll try be best" Aoi replied with a sheepish grin. "But Otomo, why aren't you eating?" Aoi asked turning to look at the green haired teen sitting beside him.
"I way to nervous to eat right now, I need to know the results of the exams. The suspense is killing me." Otomo replied while poking his food with a fork, an absentminded look on his face.
"That's true, Kaneda replied. "We were pretty abysmal during the first five minutes of the game,
"Courtesy of someone." Aizaki cut in while glaring at Aoi who glared back at him.
"And we also lost the game," another voice chimed in. "I hope that doesn't affect the results to badly."
Meanwhile, in a large room all the coaches of Esperion youth were gathered together, sitting behind a round table, discussing the results of the first exams.
"So let's dive straight into the selection process." A man with dark hair gelled backwards spoke.
"FW Tachibana Souichirou, FW Kaneda Akinori, FW Aizaki Kawada, MF Hasegawa Yuudai, and DF Hiroshi Ueda. This five leave little to be discussed."
"Kaneda-kun seems to have a short fuse though" a coach interrupted.
"But you could also argue he just really hates to lose." Another voice responded.
"Tsukishima." Fukuda called out, in the midst of the argument. "What's your opinion?"
"Finally, I've been waiting for this!" The blonde haired coach said sporting a childish grin. Adjusting his glasses, he said, "Otomo Eisaku was very fun to watch."
"Eh the short MF teen? What's so special about him?" Inquired another coach.
"Didn't you guys notice? It started before the exams even began. He went to talk with many of the players. And not just that, the players he spoke to were only those who had a similar white bib like him, or had a number close to the one he had." Tsukishima took a pause.
"See what am getting at? Realizing there was a high possibility of the players being organized and divided under specific conditions, he was the only player who went to talk with the players aiming to find out more about their personalities and playstyles."
"I-is this true? A coach asked with a trembling voice. "Of course, after all i deduced it. He's very perspective." Tsukishima replied with his chest puffed out.
"We're lacking in midfielders, so let's keep him" Fukuda said holding back a yawn.
"Next up is the problem child, who has us equally divided. Aoi Ashito" A brown haired coach called out.
"His last play was brilliant." Coach Tsukishima said while nodding his head. " He managed to Manipulate the entirety of the opposition team luring the whole team to move up to pressure him before releasing an accurate pass towards the forwards."
"Certainly that was an impressive play," Coach Nozomi with his gelled hair spoke. "However up until that moment his performance was crude to say the least. I might be overthinking, but I think we might be overestimating the value of that single pass, after all, can we possibly evaluate a player based on a single play? Nozomi asked leaving the other coaches lost in thought.
BACK IN THE CAFETERIA
Aoi who has just finished his food rushed to get another plate, when he saw a familiar face.
"I see it now, you were the cafeteria's granny all along!" Aoi shouted having a look that said he had solved a humanity's greatest problem.
"Wrong wasn't I helping out at the tryouts to?" Hana replied with a sigh. "I'm just doing volunteering work. More importantly I can't give you another serving."
"Huh? Why?" Aoi replied with an anxious look on his face.
"Isn't it obvious?" Hana replied with furrowed brows. "The ones who remain for the final exams will have to play soon. Besides you can't do any exercise for at least two hours if your stomach is full! And since you've been eating greasy food which stretches the stomach membrane, your digestion efficiency will only get worse, and your energy absorbtion will be inefficient!!"
Aizaki who came to drop off his plate and overhead their conversation was impressed by her level of nutritional knowledge." He was about to turn and leave when he heard something that caught his attention.
"You don't look like the type that plans ahead, but you made a really beautiful pass back there. Tell me was it intentional or just a coincedent?" Hana finally asked a question that was in her mind.
"Heh, an idiot like him couldn't possibly have planned that, isn't that right Aoi-kun?" Aizaki finally chipped in from the side.
"Y-you who are you calling an idiot!!" Aoi almost exploded with rage.
Seeing His angry face, Aizaki couldn't help but chuckle. Raising his hands in surrender, Aizaki said "relax okay, I was just messing with you, besides it's not like am wrong right?"
Aoi couldn't retort to that as he truly hadn't thought that far ahead it was more instinctual.
Aizaki observed Aoi with a smirk knowing he felt a gaze on him. Turning around he saw Hana staring straight at him, she immediately broke eye contact as soon as he turned back.
With a smile he introduced himself. "The name's Aizaki Kawada, do pardon my intrusion." Hana looked back at him, her cheeks turning slightly red as he replied "I'm Ichiro Hana Coach Fukuda's little sister, well sister in law to be specific. nice to meet you."
Aizaki was a bit shocked when he heard her say she was Fukuda's sister, but he put it at be back if his mind and said. "I happened to overhear your previous conversation, and i must say, your knowledge on nutrition is impressive."
"Thanks." She replied, her smile widening. "I try to read up on nutrition when I have the time."
"Oh, maybe you could write me a meal plan sometime?" Aizaki replied in a joking tone.
"Really?" Hana said, her eyes widening even further, "Then I'll right you the best meal plan ever!" Hana replied, her voice getting louder with each word.
Aizaki felt a bead of sweat role down his back when he noticed her enthusiasm. " What have I gotten myself into?" He thought to himself. He was about to tell her he was joking, when a loud voice resounded throughout the cafeteria from the PA system.
"Attention all candidates. The selection of successful candidates is now complete. Please gather at the main grouds as we will begin to call the names of the candidates who will proceed to the final round.