The locker room buzzed with the low hum of exhaustion. Aiko watched the team slowly settle onto the benches, their jerseys clinging to their sweat-drenched skin, faces flushed from the high-intensity match. Her expression softened as she stood near the door, arms crossed gently in front of her. Despite the subtle fatigue on her own face, she was the steady rock for the team, and now more than ever, they needed her to keep their spirits up.
Ryuji wiped his brow with his towel, throwing it over his shoulder as he glanced around the room. "We did it, but man, I thought I was going to collapse out there. Tsubasa High almost had us in that second half."
Koenji leaned back against the lockers, stretching his legs out in front of him. "No kidding. I was thinking they were about to flip the game on us when Akito broke loose."
