[Congratulations! You have completed the quest "Beat the Sleeping Monster"!]
[You have earned the following rewards:
+200 Star Points
+1 Epic Loot Box
+10 Attribute Points
+1 Mysterious Common Card].
Lucas Tanaka saw the system's notifications appear in front of his eyes as soon as he left the arena.
So I really managed to outsmart him? Ah, what a relief. I thought for a moment that Nishidahad taken all the attention. Lucas thought, but unfortunately, he wouldn't have time to check his reward yet. Better to take his time.
Lucas Tanaka took one last look at the field, where the echo of the shouts still echoed in the stands.
After this exhausting game, all he wanted was a moment's rest and a hot shower.
The entrance to the locker room was a hubbub of voices and laughter, a lively celebration of the hard-fought victory.
"Hey, Lucas!" Kuwabara's voice stopped Lucas in his tracks.
"What?"
"Did you see that woman over there? The one with the dark hair and the blue eyes? She keeps looking over here. Do you think it's me?" Kuwabara asked, pointing to a woman in a white summer dress.
Lucas followed Kuwabara's gaze to near the steps of the grandstand, where the woman was standing. She was small, with black hair cascading down her back.
Lucas stifled a laugh. "This is Moeka Tahara, Kuwabara. She's the volunteer nurse."
Kuwabara's smile faltered for a second before he pulled himself together and forced a laugh that clearly masked his disappointment. "Oh, really? I didn't know they had such an impressive nurse." He scratched the back of his head, trying to hide his discomfort.
"That's right." Lucas replied, already imagining that Kuwabara was trying to find a way to save face. "Actually, I need to talk to her. I'm going to thank her for her help with my ankle."
Kuwabara raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Go on, man. Thank her for me too. After all, if it wasn't for her, you might not have been able to play today."
Lucas nodded slightly and walked over to Moeka. As he approached, he saw that Moeka Tahara was a little lost as to where to look. It seemed that she hadn't noticed that they were talking about her yet, so her eyes went to different places when she saw he approaching. She was the kind of person who didn't open up easily to others. Lucas respected that, but he still had his other mission to complete.
"Hi, Ms. Tahara." Lucas started, trying not to sound nervous. "I just wanted to thank you for helping me with my ankle before the game. If it wasn't for you, I probably wouldn't have been able to play."
Moeka gave a soft, almost imperceptible, but genuine smile. "I'm glad I could help, Lucas. But it was you who did all the hard work on the field. I just did what was necessary to make sure you could play safely."
"Anyway, thanks for that and thanks for coming. Do you want to talk somewhere that isn't so noisy?" Lucas asked.
He had already noticed that Moeka Tahara was the kind of person who preferred to go unnoticed. She had a quiet personality, and that was something Lucas admired. He knew that this invitation to talk in a quieter place might seem a little unusual, especially after she had already turned him down, but, surprisingly, she accepted.
"Sure, we can talk somewhere else," she replied him with a shy smile, the kind of smile that warms any man's heart. It was as if she was trying to hide the fact that she was flattered but didn't want to show it too much.
"Great."
As the two of them walked towards the exit, Lucas felt the eyes of some of his teammates following him. One of those looks belonged to Tsuyoshi Nishida, who had just taken off his boots to let his feet breathe.
"Hey, Tsukada," Nishidacalled to the teammate next to him.
Tsukada, who was drinking water from a bottle, raised an eyebrow and followed Nishida's gaze, noticing Lucas next to Moeka. He smiled, noticing something he rarely saw in Lucas: an attempt, however clumsy, to get close to a girl.
"Well, that's something new..." Tsukada commented with a mischievous grin. "I never thought of Tanaka as the flirtatious type."
Nishidalaughed softly and shook his head in disbelief. "If he's trying to be, he's doing it wrong."
"Why?"
"Look at him," Nishidapointed with his chin. "All sweaty, still in his game clothes. If he really wants to impress an older woman like that, he should at least shower and change first."
Tsukada laughed and agreed with Nishida. "You're right, but now it's explained how he had so much energy to run in that game."
Nishidatook his cell phone out of his jacket pocket and quickly typed a message to Lucas. He glanced at his friend, who was still focused on Moeka, and sent the message without hesitation.
A short vibration on Lucas' phone alerted him to a new message. He asked Moeka to excuse him before checking what it was.
Lucas opened the message and his eyes quickly scanned the words:
[Nishida: You should at least shower and change before going out with a pretty girl. She deserves at least that, don't you think?]
Lucas couldn't help but laugh silently. He quickly glanced at Nishida, who nodded slightly, as if to say "Trust me".
Knowing that Nishidawas right, Lucas turned his attention to Moeka, who was waiting patiently with a curious expression on her face.
"Moeka, I think it would be best if I changed before we go out to talk. Would you mind waiting for 10 minutes?"
Moeka looked slightly surprised, but then agreed with an understanding smile. "Sure, no problem."
"Thank you. I won't be long." Lucas replied with relief in his voice.
He turned quickly and headed for the changing rooms with a new sense of urgency. As he passed Nishidaand Tsukada, he couldn't help but notice the mischievous smiles they both threw in his direction.
"Go ahead, Casanova," Tsukada teased with a small laugh.
"Don't ruin everything," Nishidaadded, patting Lucas on the back as he passed.
Lucas shook his head, a half-amused, half-embarrassed smile forming on his lips. He knew his friends were having fun at his expense, but deep down, he appreciated their concern.
Nishidawas right, smelling fresh and not being sticky with sweat would probably help him avoid being rejected by Moeka a second time, and his chances seemed better now than before.