Chapter 28: Run and Promise

"Sorry I am late," Chiko shouted as he joined in with the running players. Together with Yang and Gantes, the six young men continued on their lap with pouring sweat.

"So you are the reason for our suffering huh." it was an unexpected reply from one of the older members at the front. His name was Jevin and he is the Tekong reserve of the second regu.

"Thanks to you, we might as well just run all day." another tall but skinny guy called Inoy mumbled.

"Yow, Chiko wassup. You owe me a good lunch later or you will die early. Can't you see my precious fat is melting like butter in this sweat?" Gantes threatened jokingly.

"What did I do?" Chiko was taken aback at their unwelcoming reply.

Upon seeing Chiko's awkward face, Yang calmly filled in to explain,

"It is a tradition in this school's Sepak Takraw team."

"Tradition?" Chiko replied with a puzzled face.

While Yang was incredibly pale, his well toned muscles were betraying him thru the drenched t-shirt he was wearing. The latter calmly smiled and explained while keeping up with Chiko at the back.

"One's fault is everybody's fault. If one of us is late, failed to inform in advance, and especially with no valid reason, the whole team is required to do twenty laps in the oval as punishment."

"What!? So the reason you guys are jogging right now is because of me?"

"Basically yes. Regularly it should only have been three laps as a warm-up, but since one of the members was late, hence the punishment of thirty laps. I personally think it is a good discipline for us to be responsible with each other and also a good way to condition our mind to be always united."

"No wonder the cold gazes from those other members at the front." Chiko mumbled when suddenly frowned, "By the way, how come I don't see those three ugly bastards from last night? What was the leader's name again? Was it Rico or Rino...."

Hearing Chiko's question, the guy running at the front could not help but finally speak, "Rino and his regu have already left this school's sepak takraw team. I heard they are now currently playing for the Salazar College; thanks to you guys."

Then he turned back with a scrutinizing gaze at Chiko, "I just hope that Mr. U-bear made the right choice to accept you guys. I don't know what magic you guys did but, I believe at the moment, our school's sepak takraw team is currently the weakest sepak takraw team in the whole Bantayan island."

"Anyway welcome welcome welcome to our humble sepak takraw team guys!" a sleepy-looking brown guy quickly brightened up the mood. His name was Bogro and he is responsible for the feeder position.

Together with Jevin as the Tekong, Bogro as the setter or bowler, and Inoy as the spiker, they are the reserved regu of the Madridejos College. Although they are not as great compared to Rino's regu, their solid foundation and experience were good enough for them to compete decently even on a municipal meet.

Unfortunately, without the presence of incredibly talented players like Rino and his team and even the dreaded Daryn of the Salazar College, climbing up to the Regional meet remains a pipe dream at the moment.

"But perhaps, with the addition of Chiko, Yang, and Gantes, who knows what the future holds?" Jevin thought to himself, he looked back and panned his eyes to the three new members and instantly realized how pathetic the three of them actually looks.

Too bad their new players consist of a quick-tempered bald fatty, an anemic-looking former school janitor, and a renowned balut vendor. Hope instantly dissolved in Jevin's eyes like the coffee on hot water.

"Forget it. We are hopeless."

A few minutes later, with the exception of Chiko, every sepak takraw players has finally finished their thirty laps around the Oval ground. With a wave from Mr. U-bear, they all went to take a rest in huge nearby threes and gulped their thirst away at the small fountain a couple of meters away. Chiko on the other hand still had about 45 laps to go.

While Chiko was still doing his punishment, Mr. U-bear gave permission for everyone to rest for fifteen minutes before they start on their actual practice.

With the sudden addition of Chiko's regu, Jevin and his team were not yet comfortable blending with them. Judging from their sad looks, Jevin and Inoy were not really happy with the coach's decision to replace their best regu with the new worst halo-halo players the island can find.

Meanwhile, Chiko on the other hand was feeling guilty and grumbled from time to time. However, every time he thinks about the fact that he is now a bonafide athlete of the school, he quickly erased the negative thoughts in his mind and focused on improving himself.

With his recent breakdowns, he realized just how weak his body actually was despite the kilometers of walking he does every day selling balut.

"An athlete's body is just really incredible," he muttered as he recalled the different people he met last night. Rino and his team were incredibly flexible and fast, although they lagged far behind compared to the three foreign Star Pointer players, it was still enough to overwhelm a new player like him.

"But that Santi was truly something else." He recalled Santi's performance and he could not help but shiver. Not because of how amazing the guy's performance was but because of the terribly painful cramps Chiko personally experienced after imitating Santi's moves.

"Come to think of it, how did I do it again?"

Strange enough, Chiko could not find the guts to do those moves again. It was not because he can truly do them with full control but because he was fueled by rage, inspiration, and adrenaline at that time.

At the moment, Chiko knew he won't be able to do it. His body and mind just refused to do so. His muscles seem to have taken a great toll on the last performance to the point that they were able to instill fear in Chiko. He can't blame his body though, Sepak Takraw is not a game without risk.

The sheer flexibility, power, and control required for each player were extremely high that people would often time mistaken them as martial artists.

"I don't think I have the guts to do them again." Chiko realized just how dangerous he was threading before. He had no real idea how he did those crazy spikes but if his current sober mind was to be asked, he knew he would never dare to do them again.

After all, one mistake from those spikes could very well end up to a bad fracture that might just end up his career for good.

"Maybe I should just stick to the basics?" he mumbled to himself as he contemplated at the risks currently on hand.

With his body refusing to remember those spikes, at best, Chiko could only do a normal inside kick at the moment! And at that rate, how would he be able to face those pro players again?

Chiko knew that all the sepak takraw games he played so far were not formal. In any case, he faced those people again in a real match, he knew they would never stand a chance to win even if they play for a hundred times.

The disparity in skills, talent, foundation, and the experience was just too wide and Chiko was convinced that they were just lucky before.

"However I can't continue to play it that way for long. If I want to last on this scholarship program, I might just need to continue training myself until I am confident to do those spikes again." Chiko made up his mind.

Chiko knew he had to step up. He looked in front of him and his eyes reflected the long rubberized track ahead. The bright morning sky covered in white puffy clouds was cheering for him.

"I still have a long way to go." then he closed his eyes briefly and listened to his light footsteps,

"But every step counts. I should speed up and break my limit if I want to catch up."

A burst of inspiration bloomed in his heart. His body started to warm up and the road seems to just widen. Chiko's breathing increased as his body accelerated like a man on a hundred-meter dash.

In an instant, Chiko exploded with an energetic but inspiring vibe. It was like his body was glowing under the morning sun. It was a sight that made everyone feel like going back to the track again.

Little did Chiko knew that he was starting to develop a unique leadership aura.

Seeing the sudden burst of speed by Chiko from the distance, Yang and Gantes smiled at the same time.

Jevin and his regu on the other hand looked bewildered at the weird sensation they felt as they watched the vendor guy running passionately.

Nope. It was not a gay feeling but a full inspiration of contagious passion for sepak takraw.

"That's a good start." Mr. U-bear watched with a wide smile.

***

Chiko was still drenched in sweat as he finally joined the team for a quick meeting. Under the Gmelina tree, U-bear stood in front and faced the six young men that represented the entire Madridejos Sepak Takraw team.

Looking at the curious eyes of the players, Mr. U-bear, their coach, spoke in a serious tone,

"Hello and welcome again especially to our new members." he started while looking at the direction of Chiko, Yang, and Gantes.

"First let me be clear on our new mission for this batch." a resolute and determined tone suddenly came out of the usual smiling face of the coach. He panned his gaze to everyone and finally stopped in Chiko's direction.

"Our aim is to be the best and to win. It's that simple."

"coach!" Jevin's voice came from the side as he raised his hand for a question, U-bear nodded to him as a go signal.

"Coach, with our new team, I doubt we could even last in a preliminary round in a municipal meet-"

"Who says we will just aim for a municipal meet?" Mr. U-bear interrupted as he reaffirmed his resolute gaze towards the sky.

"We won't aim to the municipal meet. Not even the regional and national meet." then he looked back at Jevin before he turned to everyone.

"Our true aim is to dominate the top of the international stage."

Hearing this, Chiko, Yang, and Gante's fire instantly ignited. While Jevin and his team frowned with skeptical eyes.

Then Coach U-bear added with a surprising declaration,

"And eventually challenge and defeat Sant together with his best team. This I promise to you."