Chapter 18: Ball and Challenger

For a moment, Fu Chin thought that the young man who was playing one versus three was Santi. The unique but powerful form, the suppressing presence, and the almost exact same sound of the ball's impact on his foot.

Her heart throbbed and her eyes widened. With the surprising appearance of Santi, whom she admired the most in the whole world; she could not help but let her imagination run wild for a second.

"Why is Santi here? Could it be he was planning to surprise us? Is he gonna confess to me? But-"

But as the fog cleared and they got closer to the players at the court, Fu Chin's wild imagination was finally shattered at the pathetic clothes and messy face of Chiko. His looks were earth and sky compared to the smooth and beautiful face of Santi.

But to everyone else, their surprise was still at the roof.

Jin Woo, the three-Star pointer of Korea did not hesitate and ran over to invite Chiko. Diros of Malaysia, Fu Chin, Mr. Gaje, and Mr. U-Bear were still quite a distance but they could also finally identify the mysterious figure.

"So the balut vendor has finally appeared." Mr. U-bear said with a smile.

"Wait, so the guy we have been looking for is that scrawny-looking farm boy? And where did that stinky smell coming from?" Mr. Gaje immediately complained at the faint smell of Chiko's combat boots lying around in a corner.

Everyone who accompanied Mr. U-bear has mixed judgment of Chiko's performance. Mr. Gaje was in disbelief at the pathetic look of Chiko, Fu Chin was disgusted, Diros was doubtful while Jin Woo was excited.

Mr. U-bear scanned the surroundings and found Rino and his regu standing like paralyzed ducks at the other side of the court. His gaze panned over at the benches and he found Yang, the school janitor who is cheering wildly while massaging his injured leg, and another tall and fluffy dude who also seems to be suffering some hamstring injury.

With one look, Mr. U-bear could already tell what has transpired and he smiled gently.

"So it has begun..." He muttered mysteriously to himself.

It took a while before Rino and his team finally snapped out of their shock. After shaking his head, Rino immediately beckoned at the Korean guy who is bugging Chiko at the other side.

"Hey! Can't you see we are playing here? Go away! I still have to crush that bastard!" then Rino looked at his dazed members and said, "Kurt! John! Get ready for our turn! let's end this once and for all!"

Rino refused to believe his senses this time. He was confident that what Chiko did was still another stroke of luck. There is just no way that a scrawny balut vendor would be able to replicate Santi's perfect spike serve. Until he sees it, again and again, he would never believe it! He may look like a fool but his pride would rather deny reality.

On the other hand, Kurt and John were a little bit more puzzled. Chiko's performance was a shocker indeed but what was more shocking was the presence of two incredibly familiar faces aside from Mr. Gaje and Mr. U-bear.

"Hey John, do you know that Korean guy and the other brown Asian-looking guy beside Mr. U-bear? Except for the girl, I really have no idea who she is but the other two young men seem to be some famous figure." Kurt asked while squinting his eyes to get a better look at the new people.

"I actually think I have seen them too but I can't just point it out," John replied while scratching his head and walking back to his position...

"Hey, you! You play with us! Yeah? What do you say? One on one with me? Yeah?" Jin Woo continued to invite Chiko.

"Ouch.." Chiko was starting to feel the pain of his strained muscles. He did not realize the presence of Mr. U-bear and the other Star pointers who settled themselves at the audience bench. He tried to ignore the excited Korean guy who is bugging him but the latter was too persistent.

"Hey! Hey! Play with me!"

"Lessen to me Kim Chi guy. We are playing at da moment okeh? You sho-sho ober der!"

Then Jin Woo saw the unique Santi ball at the hand of Rino and enthusiastically added,

"Oh, I see! You found our ball! Nice! Thank you!"

Hearing the Korean guy claiming the ball, Chiko could not take it anymore and ask.

"What yours-yours?"

"The ball you guys are using! That is ours!" Jin Woo replied.

"I pound that ball. Ip you can probe it is yours then I will gib. Ip nat, then sho-sho!"

With his pride as a star player and champion being pinched, Jin Woo was finally getting irritated at Chiko's ignorance.

"Hey! Just so you know, I am a star pointer! A three-star pointer as a matter of fact! Do you understand what that means? I have successfully made three points against the Sepak Takraw God Santi-"

Hearing the Korean guy calling himself a Star pointer, John and Kurt finally realized just who the person actually is.

"Top Tekong of Korea, it was him! It's Jin Woo!" Kurt quickly exclaimed.

"No Way! Then that guy, could he be another star pointer? Wait, I think he is. He looked like... no. that guy is Diros Rihays!" John excitedly said but all their words just passed by Rino's ears. His itching pride made him itch and he just wants nothing but to defeat Chiko right now.

"So you are a friend of that Vegeta-egg guy? Get lost!" hearing the name of the famous guy who insulted his balut business, Chiko was also starting to ignite.

"No! That's it. You think you are worthy to play or even touch that ball!? Hah!? Just because you can serve nicely like Santi, you think you are worth it?" Jin Woo insisted on his point and arrogantly walked towards the other side of the court. He was planning to get the ball back from Rino.

"Are you deaf? Can't you see we are still playing? You stay aside and eat kimchi, I will finish this game in a minute!" Rino tried to sho the Korean guy away but the latter ignored him and quickly grabbed the Santi ball.

"Give. it. back." Jin Woo's face was starting to darken. As a star pointer, he too has the pride to protect. And to get insulted by an unknown island sepak takraw player is something he can't endure. Kurt and John went close and were about to warn Rino when the latter suddenly shouted at the Korean guy who is holding the ball.

"F*ck off!"

SWOOOSH!~

And with his switch flipped, Jin-Woo suddenly performed a rolling spike in front of Rino. With his striking foot grazing just an inches away from Rino's nose, the latter hurriedly stepped back and let go of the ball.

For a moment, Jin Woo's friendly and enthusiastic energy turned into a fearsome demon that was just about to devour Rino. And to stop the incoming trouble, Fu Chin and Diros has finally stepped in and stood beside the raging Jin Woo.

"Jin Woo, I think you are going too far. Can't you just ask nicely?" Diros calmly said while holding Jin Woo's shoulder.

"Remember that we are supposed to be as lowkey as possible. If the media knows about this, our precious record as athlete might get blemished." Fu Chin added.

On the other side, Kurt and John were finally able to pull Rino out and handed over the ball to Jin Woo. Without hesitation, the two explained to Rino who the foreign visitors are and the latter immediately slapped himself.

"Why did you not tell me before?! I could have saved even a tiny bit of my face for today." Rino complained regretfully.

"We tried but it seems you were not listening," Kurt explained.

"Oh well, we can leave the ball since they said it was theirs. That means we automatically win right?" John reminded them.

Meanwhile, Mr. Gaje was starting to get annoyed at how long it took for Jin Woo to take the ball back. He was just about to go ahead and pick it himself when Mr. U-bear's hand grabbed him back.

"Stay here. I have a proposition to you."

"A what? A deal you say?" Mr. Gaje snapped out of his annoyance and looked at Mr. U-Bear intriguingly.

"It is more of a gamble. And I think you will like it." Mr. U-bear added.

A smile crept at the oily face of Mr. Gaje,

"Alright, I am all ears."

***

With Rino's team out of the way, the three-star pointers were just about to leave with the ball when Chiko suddenly blocked their way.

"Where are you tekeng my ball?" Chiko asked seriously.

"Oh, you are still claiming this ball yours?" with both Fu Chin and Diros standing beside him, Jin-Woo raised the ball in front of Chiko and confidently said,

"Alright, we will give you this ball. But on one condition."

There was a momentary silence in the air. Chiko and the Star pointer players are currently assessing each other. After brief thinking, Chiko asked,

"Sure, what es da condition?"

Smiling confidently, Jin-Woo said, "If you can score at least once against me. Then you can have this Santi-ball for yourse-"

"Deal." Chiko abruptly agreed and stood at the service circle in the middle of the court.

"Lit's do dis." He added with serious eyes of determination.