2 Chapter 2: Check and Stress

The crowd and the media-men were in shock together with their wide-open mouth. Those who were supposed to press their camera buttons even failed to do so.

Santi was an absolute being. It is safe to say that some mad followers had already deified him and even started a religion. He is honored, feared, and deeply respected by everyone in the world.

Except for Chiko, he doesn't give a sh*t.

The powerful cartwheel kick had successfully sent the ball straight to the face of the legendary figure; and hearing the crispy sound of revenge, Chiko stood up proudly and even has the guts to move towards the Takraw God.

The crowd, organizing staff, and security personnel have snapped out of their shock and were greatly annoyed. They were just about to mob Chiko out of the gym when Santi raised his palm up as a sign of his refusal to their move.

In contrast to everyone's expectation, Santi doesn't appear to be mad at all. The latter just calmly took the ball to his face without flinching despite the horrible force. Aside from his messy hair, everything else still looked fantastic about him.

Santi slowly pulled the lower part of his sleeveless attire and calmly wiped the dirt on his handsome face, revealing his well-formed abs that made the noisy women and half-women alike quickly shut their mouths and left it hanging open. Of course, the photographers saw this opportunity and knew they are getting the most beautiful and expensive shot for the day.

Chiko arrived at the opposite side of the court together with the dazed players from Bantayan University. Ignoring the unmoving trio, Chiko stood directly opposite of Santi's position and gave the latter an impatient look.

"So are you gonna pay me or not?" Chiko asked hurriedly not minding the angry shouts of the people in the background.

"What's your name?" Santi asked back with a cold gaze. They were both speaking in English.

Seeing the stubborn look of Santi, Chiko gritted his teeth and thought to himself,

"Patience...patience... I need that money."

The truth is, Chiko doesn't really know what the whole fiasco with this man is all about. All he knew is that the people loved the so-called "Takraw God' and that he is a good speak takraw player. What Chiko cared about is the huge crowd and the huge sale potential along with it.

He especially prepared to bring more Balut to sell today but seeing his products shatter to nothing because of this man, Chiko had an impulseto distort the man's handsome face using his fist.

But now is not the time to become too violent. Chiko then crossed his arm impatiently and said,

"Me don't need ene but you (point to Santi) pay me back my damedjes egg. After that I am out of here. you anderstan?!"

Chiko's English was, not quite good but with his actions, Santi understood him just enough.

However, Santi knew that proceeding with a conversation like this would be futile. Especially to this ragged farm vendor who seems to have been sleeping during his English classes.

Santi waived to his assistant who is standing not far away from him and talked in their Thai language.

"Give this man a million peso check and let's call this day over," Santi whispered to the gasping assistant. The latter's eyes grew wide in the realization that the Takraw God actually considered that spike a legit score.

"And tell Gaje to investigate this man and if it's possible to recruit him. I am leaving." Santi said casually before turning around to leave the court.

The assistant nodded quickly, took out a check, signed it, and throttled towards Chiko on the other side.

"Congratulations you lucky bastard. The kind and merciful Takraw God appreciates your skill and considered your point as a legit score. Here is your one million pesos check." the assistant half-heartedly said in English as he passed the huge money check to Chiko.

Chiko barely understood what the latter said since his English was too fast for his unfamiliar mind to follow. But if there is one thing that he understood well, that is the word 'check'.

Seeing the transaction happening in front of their eyes, the people were in shock for another round.

"Wait, he won a million!? That wasn't even a legit score!"

"Are you kidding me?"

"Hurry! Take a shot! The more the better!"

Click!~ Click~

Seeing the commotion he made, Santi smiled in satisfaction as he calmly walked away.

"A chek?!" Chiko happily received the money but only to suddenly frown.

Just that it was not the kind of "check" he was expecting.

"Are you pooling me?" Chiko's eyes flared in anger.

He had no idea what the words and numbers are written in the paper check. But if there is one thing he knew, it is that this is not the kind of "check" he was looking for. He was expecting real cash or even a live chicken or duck chick.

Though it was kind of stupid, it was indeed his expectation. Not a small piece of colorful paper full of complicated english and long numbers. It just drives his mind crazy.

"you coll a piece of papel a chek?! You tink I am stooopid?! It's not eben hab a one peder!"

Getting irritated, Chiko hurriedly tore the one million pesos check into little pieces before turning at the Takraw God leaving before him.

The people around him are speechless. Some even collapsed in disbelief.

"What!?"

"No way!

"Did he just-"

Santi too did not expect Chiko's reaction. Instead of a grateful bow, he received an even more hateful glare from the unappreciative winner.

Seeing that Santi just gave him a cold stare and turned away with a harrump, Chiko could not help but mumble in his own visayan language.

"Hoy bayad! (hey pay me!)" Chiko beckoned to the leaving figure of the Takraw God.

Santi did not understand what the vendor meant but now that he got irritated, he gave Chiko a cold middle finger salute without even looking back.

"You..." Chiko felt the unseen insulting force of the middle finger snap.

In reply, he picked up the messy takraw ball on the floor and forcefully threw it towards the Takraw God just to get his attention.

But the thrown ball was an insulting threat for the Takraw God.

As if he had an eye at the back, Santi gladly received the ball thrown by Chiko with a flash of backflip kick.

PHHAAAAANG!~

Chiko saw it but could not react immediately. It was, after all, a kick imbued with Santis' own King's Suppression energy.

The ball comeback towards him with a force that was seven times stronger when Chiko threw it.

The last thing he knew was that the ball went straight to his tummy, a loud "PAAAACK!~" rang from the impact and his world turned into a deep dark slumber.

As Chiko's figure quietly slept on the stretcher, the world was, at the same time, greatly shaken by the very unusual event.

The event ended earlier that day and Chiko earned a thousand new enemies while he continued dreaming of selling baluts inside the recovery room.

***

It is already 5 pm when Chiko woke up at the school's recovery room. His tummy still hurt while his muscles are all stiff and inflamed. The room only has him and a dozing female school nurse near the door.

"Agggh."

The more he tried to move, the more painful his sore muscles get.

Chiko realized it was an after-effect from performing the cartwheel spike without a proper warm-up and trained body.

Luckily, Chiko has an excellent core which allowed him to at least withstand the force of the backflip spike.

Aside from his swollen tummy, His thigh muscles were stretched beyond its normal flexibility and now Chiko could barely stand nor walk properly on his own.

His back hurts like there were needles in every back joint, while his neck was stiff. Then his eyes grew wider while streaks of sweat dropped heavily out of his messy brown face.

"Shit..shit.. I am dead."

He just realized that his money is gone and worst was he started a dangerous fight against a very respected person.

But what he is most afraid of was not Santi nor anyone else but...

"Grandma's gonna kill me."

***

At the school's faculty, a loud voice continued to echo on a certain spot where the college instructors usually stay. Only this time, the voice was not from an instructor but from an old friend of one of the teachers.

"Yes...understood. You can leave the rest to me. Please enjoy your vacation on our island Mr. Arthrit. Yes, goodbye and see you."

Gaje ended the phone call with a very happy tone and grinned with oozing excitement.

He is the sole responsible person for having the sepak takraw event held in this small college institution called Madridejos Community College.

He wore an expensive business black suit, fingers latched with glittering golden rings, smooth and shiny brown leather shoes, and a brightly glowing bald head.

A look of overflowing confidence and pride can be seen on his clean shaved face.

"I assume you accidentally heard our conversation too, Mr. U-Bear.." Gaje proudly glanced at a certain college instructor who is busily working on school papers on his own wooden desk.

"I can't help it. You are just two meters away from me while you talked like you ate a megaphone for dinner." Ulysis, also known as U-bear by his close friends, finally stopped what he was writing as he glanced back at the professionally attired baldy before him.

"UP, UC, Davao University, there are literally thousands of better colleges with better gyms around the Philippines. Why do you have to bring the event to this small distant island institution?" U-bear calmly asked his old friend who is currently sitting carelessly on top of his wooden desk pretending to be busy on his phone.

"Oh don't overthink Mr. U-bear. We just happen to passby for a vacation. I heard our beaches has greatly improved and the island has become more tourist friendly..."

Then Gaje moved closer with a sneaky smile.

"Then as a representative and a trusted talent scout by your excellency Santi Arthrit, which if you don't know, also known as the Takraw God; it is my responsibility to offer him our beautiful island and to make sure that we also get to nurture if there are any possible talents we could train here.."

Then he stood back up and raised both his hands on shoulder level,

"And guess what, luckly, it seems we have found him. A little rough and disrespectful but I am confident that can make that scrawny vendor into a professional Sepak Takraw player just like I am. But how about you? Mr E-for Epol, Bee for Bol? Did your salary loan finally got approved? Do you need some cash? I got some if you want. Just say the word 'plweeeese.' and it shall be yours - interest free! hahaha!"

U-bear smiled calmly despite the mean words of his old friend.

"Gaje D. Chavez. My old friend and old teammate. It seems your bitter heart still hasn't forgiven me."

"Who cares about the past!? Right!? We should look forward in the future! That is what you would always say. So here I am. Successful and rich! A real sepak takraw national champion and now a coach and a trusted scout by the Takraw God himself!" Gaje boasted with bulging veins.

"I am happy for you my friend. In fact, you do look very successful but your dark crescent moon-size eye bags says otherwise. Are you stressed?" U-bear asked with a gentle smile on his charming goat -bearded face.

"Aren't you jealous? You are supposed to be the most successful one among us! You have the talent, the body, the brain, and all that it takes to become a real sepak takraw champion! But what did you do!? You intentionally lost on the most important moment! You wasted it! You wasted it all you wasted our friendship!" Gaje shouted like a mad person. His bitter heart poured out all of his disappointments to his old friend.

"If you are our friend, you should know it well that it was better to lose than risk his life." U-Bear calmly replied.

"And now he is dead! Did it made a difference!? No! Friendship!? That doesnt matter! The prestige and the gold medal is what matters! Friendship doesn't bring food on the table you fool! Look at you now! You are a disgrace! From a talented athlete to a stupid f*cking teacher!"

"A teacher is an honorable job just so you know my friend. It takes passion and love for education so if you are driven by money when teaching, it will be really hard for you. I maybe not rich but I am happy." U-bear replied as he started to arrange his documents preparing to leave.

Gaje continued to bicker while following the U-Bear who is about to leave the faculty room.

"Don't call me your friend and don't pretend that you are happy. I heard you can't even afford a car with your minuscule salary! Where are your investments!? Zero! "

"But I can help guide the youth's future. I think that is enough investment for me. I am now living a stress-free life!" U-bear gently replied.

"Screw their future! Why don't you be like me!? I am smart and I know where to invest. Ten years of hassling and kiss-ass doesn't matter as long as I get where I am now. Look at me! I am rich! I am happy! I am a real stress-free person!"

Just when they were about to exit, the school nurse suddenly came rushing through the door and stopped in front of Gaje. She was gasping for air as she brought Gaje a piece of unexpected news.

"The..hah...balut vendor kid hah...that you told me to watch out.... he...he disappeared!"

"What!?" Gaje's neck veins bulged like a pipe about to burst while his eye-bags swelled like a fat small boat ready to sink anytime.