(Part 10)

Speechless to the point of disbelief the highschoolers some looked away while the others hid their laugher entertained.

"Pft, haha! So that's what was troubling you all." Senri wiped his tears.

"It's not something to laugh about." Gabriel frowned. 

"Rest assured…" Isa patted Xavier's shoulder. "We have already won many of those trophies, we won't steal your limelight. Yeah, if things still don't go in your favor then it won't be our fault for winning them." he teased ironically.

"Hearing it from your face annoys me the most for some reason." Ryan uttered irritated.

Alan amused, shook his head over their innocence, "Win them, all you want. After all, this is your golden age1…"

"That's right. Do whatever you can to achieve it. And when you do we'll applaud from the sides for you, little kings." Haruf concurred lovingly.

The middleschoolers remained silent over his encouragement. Kenzo staring at the magazine exhaled keeping it aside, "I am going to change. Helios, Seraph watch over everyone for me."

"Hm." the two replied.

"Captain, vice-captain, we are back!" Ezekiel's voice suddenly invaded the room. Helios walking over looked at Cassiel and Ezekiel who carried piles of books. Taking it from their hands, the two came in. 

"Ah, Nagi is also here and Evan too." Noah waved.

"Good morning, Evan, Nagi." Isa greeted.

Evan nodded coming in, "Are all of you awake?"

"Yes, everyone is awake." Elias replied.

"Good. To all middleschoolers…" Evan eyed them one by one, "Congratulations on winning your very first match. You went through many new experiences for the first time and would be holding lots of questions as well. We'll aid you over them no matter what so keep up the good work and strive."

Ryan narrowing his brow doubted, "Is he really saying all this…?"

"I don't believe my ears…" Azazel added.

The rest of the middleschoolers agreed. "As for now, you all are assigned for a meeting shortly after 20 minutes. All of you must gather on the first floor beforehand." Evan informed.

"Huh?! Another meeting?! Didn't we just went through one roughly 5 hours ago?" Ren and Senri shrieked bewildered.

"Of course another one. Our coaches have doubled now thanks to coach Musa's addition and so did their concentration and progression speed. Our second match order is also decided as well as practice matches and training schedule. Since both us and middleschoolers have to participate in the next match together we'll have to practice beforehand to be safe from future glitches." Nagi explained. 

"Augh~ my stomach churning…" Orion felt sick, "Didn't saw this coming after 2 years of ease."

Nagi twitched his bow annoyed, "Do you ever even feel good?"

"Huh?" Orion snapped.

"Oh please, don't just start now." Kazuna interrupted curtly.

"Tch, forget them. Can we have our breakfast in the meantime Evan?" Aigou asked instead. "Hm, if you don't waste any more time you can." he replied.

The middleschoolers and highschoolers all getting ready headed to the cafeteria. After breakfast and morning strolls, Christopher, Damian and Mikael tagging alongside the middleschoolers gathered for the meeting on the first floor.

All coaches settled on the round table, Seles smiling gestured the boys to take their seats. Haris twirling his cocoa-flavored milk carton beside Lou Wang and Ibrahim waved, "Morning~"

"Good morning." Seraph replied courteously.

Rauf glancing at Alan nodded who in turn smiled. 

"So you all were here?" Noah settled beside Lou Wang.

"Yeah, Rauf took Haris with him the moment he woke up…" Lou Wang said. "

And Haris took you both along with him, right?" Ren guessed the half of his sentence right on mark.

"Yeah…" Lou Wang exhaled exhausted.

"Tch, he is such a devil, directing all the anger he should have for Rauf at you two, you poor souls." Isa taunted, feeling sympathetic simultaneously.

Haris obvious of the mockery, threw daggers at Rauf.

"Haha…" Aaron chuckled speechless.

"Ahem! So... you all rested well or what?" Nidou started, his words blunt and apathetic. Ruining the entire mood.

The boys unamused nodded. "Not that I expected anything better coming from him…" Kenzo thought.

"All smooth morning commentary mood just ran off me like a sprinter..." Poseidon masked his irritation with a beaming smile.

"Scary…" Adam shrugged.

"Ahem~" Nidou discreetly coughed trying to capture everyone's attention once more. 

The boys listened attentive. "As you all passed the first match and adapted with the match rules, player styles, stadium, and field conditions. We are now standing before the second match. Day after tomorrow, we'll be facing Peshawar Zalmi." Nidou informed.

Musa, blasé over his speech spun his chair round and round bored.

"The candidates participating in the match have already been decided. Including middleschoolers, 4 highschoolers will be joining the next match, 2 batsman and 2 spinners." Pedro continued. The highschoolers glancing at each other fathomed.

"That means… 7 of us middleschoolers will be participating." Helios pondered.

"The match's order…" Nidou nodded at Seles who gestured his hand vertically before the LED screen, causing the shift of document slides. Revealing the match's participants, balling and batting order. The boys reading their names smirked. 

"Now attentive all of you." Rauf took their concentration, "The candidates for the 2nd match are: Azazel Minhas, Seraph Awan, Xavier Ibn Zain, Feng Mir Ozer, Kenzo ShahJahan, Ren Maaz, Nagi Srour, Senri Ibn Daud, Gabriel Harut, Elias Hud Armand and Cassiel la Roux. With Helios Zadeh and Aaron Noel Herve listed as substitutes. The team leader is 'Senri Ibn Daud' with vice leader 'Feng Mir Ozer.' Elias hud Armand will take the 'Wicket keeper' position in balling overs. Am I clear?" he inquired.

"Wha…?" Feng pointed at himself puzzled, "How can I be the Vice leader?!"

"It's not bad to experience it for the first time as well." Xavier encouraged.

Senri grinning chanted, "Okay~"

"I am not in team list this time." Adam pouted sad instead.

"Me neither." Ryan added.

"Don't let it get you down. You may be added in the next one." Alan consoled.

"As for the balling and batting orders. I have handed the sheets to Rauf who'll share it with you in the near term. Now heading to the main objective of this meeting…" Mir turned the page of his file.

"Main objective…?" Seraph wondered.

"We'll be travelling to Peshawar today." Mir stated.

"Huh?" the boys taken aback, swallowed the instant crash of the so called 'Main Objective' on their heads, which they were entirely unprepared for.

"B-ut…? Didn't we just arrive Islamabad two days ago?!" Heber uttered.

"We did, however, we have no match scheduled in Islamabad from now on. Today's match is the last match that will be played here between Multan and Islamabad. The next three matches that includes yours as well, will be played in Peshawar from tomorrow onwards. So there's no point in staying here." Musa clarified.

The middleschoolers looked at each other silent. "But we didn't even tour around…" Azazel puffed his cheeks.

"Nor did we get the chance to watch Senior Romeo's match." Poseidon added disappointed.

Nidou twitched his brow, "Tour around here when you are on your vacations, brats! And, you have all kinds of devices to watch the match in this era, be grateful and use your phones instead." 

Senri however gulped stuttering, "We'-ll… go by…?"

"Oh boy…" Isa immediately realized.

"Peshawar is not far from here, we'll reach there within two hours by private coaches through motorway. We have already booked them so don't worry, you aren't running off anywhere." Rauf warned, already aware of his uneasiness.

"Haha…" Elias, Aaron, Noah and Aigou laughed awkwardly while Senri nodded relieved, "How thoughtful of you, boss."

Kazuna exhaling dabbed his back.

"Summing it up, go on now and pack your bags, the coaches will start moving by 11am. We have no time to waste." Nidou called the meeting off, "Upon arrival to Peshawar, we'll hold another meeting where your training sheets and balling, batting orders will be handed over."

The boys nodding headed back to their dorms once again. "Sigh~ such a bummer. Just when I started enjoying here…" Feng complained.

"Yeah, I didn't even visit Pakistan Monument 2and Shah Faisal mosque.3" Adam puffed his cheeks disappointed. The highschoolers glanced at each other silent. 

"I regret not supporting senior Romeo and Haitam on today's match more. They supported us throughout the entire game yesterday." Poseidon felt bad.

"Hm…" Helios and Seraph agreed.

"Don't be." Senri patted Poseidon back, "They are quiet generous. I'll give you both their numbers. Just send them a good luck message and they'll be glad in no time."

"Yeah, they know about our situation well. Besides, even Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators are heading for Peshawar today." Isa informed.

"Hm, let me see… the only ones who won't come to Peshawar will be Islamabad United only, since they'll head straight to Lahore where we'll play against them." Nagi studied the match schedule.

"You mean they have no matches in Peshawar?" Heber inquired.

"That seems to be the case. Only Multan Sultans will come to Peshawar. They sure do have a pretty packed schedule, travelling here and there even overnights." Nagi informed.

"Well I don't think sending them a text message is a bad idea. At least, they'll know we are supporting them." Xavier beamed.

"Hm." Seraph nodded.

"Guys… but who to support is the biggest problem here." Cassiel jogged their memory.

Azazel gasped. "That's right, who do we support…?" he asked puzzled.

A sudden moment of pondering and silence dallying over the middleschoolers they grasped their chins and pouted their cheeks, stumped.