(Part 10)

Reaching their accommodation which was a huge glass windowed apartment building with fountains running before the entrance and huge practice grounds constructed on both its sides. (Wow, what luxury…) The boys came out. Tired, disheveled, moody and drained. However, the sight before them immediately lit a light on their faces.

"Whoa~" Adam looked around diverting his mind, "Is this where we'll stay?"

"I guess so." Poseidon ruffled his hairs.

"Don't tell me this whole building is for us?" Heber asked awed.

"Of course." Nidou scratched his hairs gurgling his sports drink, "Augh… my back." he growled complaining like usual.

Feng glancing at him teased, "To think you could do something so rich despite being this petty makes one doubt."

Nidou twitched his brow, "You brat…"

"Pft! Haha!" Haruf, Aigou and Noah laughed instead.

"Hmph, as if he did that." Pedro mocked walking ahead.

"See? I knew he wouldn't be so grateful." Feng concured.

Walking inside, the curious middle schoolers looked around. "Wow! It even has a garage!" Azazel pointed.

"And grounds too!" Adam hung on the fences.

Heading towards the reception hall. The sight was grand. Marbled walls, tiled floors and furnished ceilings. "Is this really just a temporary accommodation?" Ezekiel questioned stunned. Taking 4 huge lifts, middle schoolers, highschoolers and coaches scattered into each. 

As soon as the doors opened 6 familiar figures waved joyfully.

"Yo! Everyone. Surprise!" Christopher waved beside Mikael.

"Finally back? Literally I was tired of waiting." Damian sighed.

Kenzo looked at them surprised, "Damian?"

"Yeah, I had to get up from my beauty sleep since Coach Pedro called saying; you were arriving soon. But who knew you'd come back 2 hours later? I feeling like beating you all up." Haris complained massaging his back.

"Hm." Lou Wang and Ibrahim agreed.

"Hehe..." Senri chuckled massaging Haris's shoulders as Rauf shook his head. Isa and Aigou too chuckled.

"Chris?! Mika!? And Damian!" Adam asked happy running over to them.

"Senior Mikael…!" Feng cried instantly hugging him as Ryan too went over.

"Haha! Are you that happy to see us?" Mikael ruffled his hairs.

"Of course." Ezekiel replied pleased.

Gabriel grinning tapped his fist against Christopher's while Damian dabbed Kenzo's shoulder as Azazel and Heber smiled.

"When did you arrive?" Kenzo inquired. 

"In the morning. We left our homes last night." Christopher told.

"And as soon as we arrived Islamabad we completed some paper work and were resting here until Coach Pedro called informing us about your arrival." Mikael continued.

"Thanks goodness you've arrived. It was hell up until now." Feng uttered exhausted hugging Mikael.

"Hell? Why hell? I thought you'd enjoy the scenery and atmosphere here. Islamabad's cold and refreshing for a change." Lou Wang asked.

"And where's Alan? He must be eager to visit Shah Faisal Mosque and Pakistan Monument." Haris looked around.

However, as soon as the middleschoolers heard his name a gloomy silence befell on them, their expressions becoming indifferent.

Mikael, Christopher and Damian too looked at them confused. "Did something happen between them?" Mikael thought.

Zach shook his head grasping Haris's attention, "He is downstairs with the instructors."

Not sensing something right Haris gave a light nod.

"Never mind." Ibrahim smiled turning around, "It was a hard day for you all. Why don't you go ahead and refresh yourselves? We'll inform you once you are needed." he dabbed Ezekiel's shoulder who agreed. The middleschoolers immediately left to their rooms. 

Haris turned to the highschoolers once again. "What happened?"

"Are you going to ask everything here?" Rauf questioned instead.

Haris realizing that they were still standing before the elevator laughed, "Haha… right. Come in, come in." he grabbed Rauf's file tugging him by the shoulder and taking him inside as the rest followed.

Inside the big lounge Isa settled down exhaling deeply rubbing his hands over his face. Kazuna and Haruf too settled down beside him. "They knew the reason why Alan can't play simple as that." Senri told.

"Yeah, the fact he was ill and his senses losing syndrome. All thanks to Lahore Qalandars they found out." Orion added.

"Seriously?!" Haris, Lou Wang and Ibrahim gasped.

"Yup… what was his name again…?" Evan tried to remember.

"Feyz." Senri recalled.

"Yes, Feyz, their middleschoolers leader. He seemed to know a lot more that meets to the eye and blurted it all out just because he wanted to play a match against him." Evan told.

"Pft! Is he an idiot? Cricket matches are all about playing with a team. How exactly does he want to play a match against him alone?" Haris derided.

"Who knows? It's more like he wanted to challenge for an over or two." Kazuna said.

"Moreover, thinking from a middleschoolers point of view he knew too much. I was afraid if he knew about anything else as well. Plus, if he would blurt that out too." Isa furrowed his gaze, "Thankfully that wasn't the case though."

"It would be impossible…" Ibrahim said, "To know about something else than this. Excluding our base and Romeo no one knows anything about it."

"I agree. There's no need to think so much, Isa." Zach concurred.

Isa exhaled, "I can't help it. I have to take care of all of you. Seeing Alan like this is already a huge pressure to bear."

Highschoolers silently agreed.

"Haiz… they must be in a pretty good shock including Alan." Haris glanced at the middleschoolers dorm which was shut.

"Else than that everything was fine right?" Ibrahim restlessly asked in Elias's ear.

Elias nodded, "Hm, they only knew about his illness nothing more."

"Seriously, their reactions after only hearing this was like that. Who knows what might happen when they get to know more." Aigou shook his head. 

"This troubles me too." Ren added.

"Blast after blast." Senri chuckled amused.

"It will be fine." Haruf cheered up again with his usual cheerful beam, "They are all good kids. They will surely understand.

"I do hope so." Lou Wang concurred.

"So, what's the situation now?" Haris turned to Rauf.

"We'll be heading downstairs." Rauf stood up, "The candidates participating for our first match are under selection. Since, tomorrow is the opening ceremony and Islamabad's first match there's no need to rush. Nonetheless, that doesn't mean we lower our guards. Practice matches from now on are devised by Elias and Evan under Coach Pedro's instructions so make sure to accomplish all of them. As for the rest Coach Nidou will explain in the meeting shortly."

"Very well." Haris stood up tugging his shoulder instantly chuckling, "And Pft! Quit making that stoic face. I feel like laughing, haha."

Rauf twitched his brow, "Why? Was something I said that funny?" 

"No your face looks funny." Haris teased, "To tell you the truth your entire team is turning like you day by day even Aigou and Noah. So have some mercy on them and kindly smile at least once in a day."

Isa giggled hiding his mouth as Zach shook his head speechless, his eyes closed.

"There's no need. Listen up…" Rauf turned to the boys, "Refresh yourselves and the moment I call come downstairs with the middleschoolers got it?"

"Hm." they replied.

"Are you going with Rauf, Haris?" Lou Wang asked.

"Of course. I'll make him laugh since we'll be alone." Haris winked showing a thumbs up.

Haruf hearing him nodded heartily while the rest chuckled. Annoyed over his words, Rauf shoved his arm off his shoulder walking away.

"Hey! Wait." Haris followed waving them. Senri waved back immediately turning to the rest who dispersed into their rooms. 

_____

Alan shutting the door behind removed his coat and tie that felt suffocating. Walking towards a chair he sat down remembering his words, "If I would've been that powerful. I wouldn't had to impersonate your every single skill and use it for my own good while playing against you!' "

"Oh dear…" he whispered blank.

"To think a middle schooler would threaten me to this extent? They surely underestimate me..." he thought annoyed yet anxious at the same time, "And with this…" he stared at his quivering hand.

"Another one of my secret is exposed." he clenched it into a tight fist.

"I think I should better teach them a good lesson for overstepping their boundaries and messing up with me just like the last time." he glared mad.

Taking his hand to his neck. He pulled out a golden chain. Amid it, in a cursive writing and embossed with diamonds 'Alain' was jeweled. Grabbing the name, he exhaled deeply, "As for those boys… I…" 

All of a sudden his phone began to ring. "Hello?" he answered.

"YO! Alan! What's up? Have you arrived at Islamabad?" the voice barged in his ear like a trumpet full of joy.

Alan's hairs perking up with the sudden jolt, he pulled the phone away. "Oh my dear goodness Aaron…" he murmured startled.

"Huh? Why OMG1? Don't tell me you still haven't arrived? I have been calling big guy Haruf, Ren and Isa too but their phones were off."

"We arrived this morning and are back to our accommodation just now after completing the registration process. No need to worry. Our phones were on Airplane mode 2that's maybe why we didn't realize when you called." Alan replied.

"I see…" Aaron realized.

Alan looked at the ground.

"Did something happen?" Aaron asked sensing his unusual silence.

"Huh?" Alan blinked.