"Ah...Ah!!!" I shouted in realization.
"Hmm?"
"I remember where I saw him. He's from Team J." I said as the others looked back at him.
"Oh, now that you said it, I just realised." Ryuto said.
"Coach, what's going on?" Akaji asked.
"Well, it was decided by the higher-ups. All members from Team J should be scattered and put in the remaining teams." The coach said, slumping on the sofa.
"Oh, I see." I said as he walked in after tye Coach.
"Well, you're welcome, I guess." Misaki said.
"Tch." He sighed before the coach looked at me.
"Hmm?"
"Atsushi, you both will use the room downstairs, Suzune would stay alone from today." He said.
"Room downstairs?" We all asked as he nodded.
"C-coach..." Suzune called, looking down.
"Hmm?"
"They can both stay up stairs. I'll be staying with the other girls." She said.
"Are you really okay with that, I don't want to impose." I said as she nodded and then smiled.
"Yeah."
"O-okay, Atsushi, you heard the girl. Please, you both should get along, okay." The coach said as I nodded.
I later took him up to the room after cooking. By that time, Suzune was done packing out.
"Um... hey, I am the captain and your roommate, Oshiba Atsushi." I said as he placed his box beside his bed.
"Tch, I've already heard about you." He said, sitting comfortably on the bed.
"Oh, that's nice?"
"Are you asking me that?"
"Well... yeah."
"You guys... seem to have it easy here." He said as I turned towards him.
*I didn't expect him to speak to me.* I thought before looking away.
"Easy, huh? I won't say we're having it rough, but yeah, we are doing good, I guess." I said, sitting on my bed.
"Hey, were you aware of what they were planning for you?" He asked.
"Well, yeah, I think I heard most of the things."
"And you still act all buddy buddy with them." He said, a hint of anger in his voice.
"Pfft... hahaha... what the hell man, why you getting all pissed for?" I asked, still laughing.
"Am being serious. I seriously hate such things." He said.
"Well... I've learnt my lessons though, I can't trust them again but we're still teammates, I can't bring personal issues when dealing with them." I said, lying on my bed.
"You really are quite dumb, I can't imagine doing that." He said as I laughed.
"Yeah, right. Just be cool with the others." I said.
"Huh?!💢 Try saying that again." Kimishita shouted.
"I don't have time for dumb people." Teijiro said.
"A-Atsushi... they're quarrelling again."
"Ha😮💨..." I sighed before grabbing a cup of water.
*They've been at it for weeks now.* I thought, sitting on the couch.
"Um... Atsushi." Akane called walking towards me.
*Surprising, she tried her best to avoid me all these weeks. Didn't expect her to start speaking to me.* I thought.
"Y-y-yes!!"
*You fool, what was that about?* I thought, dropping the cup on the table.
"Well, I wanted to speak with you." She said.
"Okay, I'm all ears." I said as she began looking around nervously.
*Hmm?*
"Oh, you wanna head out?" I asked as she nodded.
"Alright." I said, trying my best to avoid her gaze.
We stood inside the training room for a while without speaking to each other. We just kept meeting eachothers gaze and shifting it immediately.
*Am feeling uncomfortable.* I thought, looking at my feet.
"Um..." She began, looking up at me.
"Y-yes!" I said, looking up at her as she began laughing.
"S-sorry." She said, looking away.
"W-why are you laughing?" I asked, looking away.
"It's just... it's just... pfft." She said before laughing again.
*Argh! I feel foolish!!*
"Am sorry, you're acting weird. You don't usually act this way." She said as I looked away, my face red with embarrassment.
"S-s-sorry, I just felt uncomfortable." I said, looking up.
"I understand, and I'm sorry." She said.
"So...? Why'd you call me out?"
"Oh, yeah. Am sorry for avoiding you all this while. I didn't want you to get into trouble with the others, so I tried avoiding you." She said, looking down.
"There was no need for that. They can't tell me who I talk to and who I don't." I said.
"I know, and I am sorry." She said.
"No problem." I said, rubbing the back of my neck.
"Also, thanks for helping me out last time. I'm sorry for not being careful." She said.
"Come on, it's not something too hard, right? I mean, we're..."
*We're what again?* I thought, looking down at her.
"Friends." I said, looking away.
"Yeah." She said smiling.
"So... we back to normal." I said, and she smiled and nodded.
"I still have feelings for you." She said while walking out as my face turned red.
"Me too..." I murmured as she looked back.
"Hmm? What was that?" She asked.
"N-n-nothing." I said as she smiled and walked out.
I closed the door behind her and slipped down the door.
*Dammit.* I thought, my hand over my face.