"FUCKING MIDGET!!" Hiruma bellowed. "GET TO WORK!!"
Sena couldn't help scowling. He was the captain of the team now, but Hiruma constantly came to practice to critisize his leadership. Not that he had any, but still…
"Oi! Sena!" called Monta. "Have you seen the towels anywhere?"
"They should be by the water bottles!" Sena called back.
"No they're not!"
"…We need another manager…" Sena sighed, taking off his helmet. Ever since Mamori had retired, several girls had come to fill the position. One problem; none of them knew anything about American Football. None of them had Mamori's brains either, so they were pretty much useless. Sena had seriously considered making Suzuna manager, but she had flatly refused.
On the lighter side, Mamori still kept watch over Hiruma. She reported that Hiruma was trying to find information to blackmail the School Board in to letting Deimon third years to also participate in school sports. Sena had been at first, terrified to hear such a thing, but now was rooting for his sempai's victory. Already, the Board had been waning. Mamori, as a disciplinary committee member, wasn't even trying to stop Hiruma. Recently, she had been acting a little strange every time she was around the ex-quarterback, but everyone did. So he didn't think much of it…
"SENA!! HEADS UP!!"
Sena looked up…
And then fell down, the football hitting his unprotected face.
"Ouch…"
Monta needed to aim better.
"You know Sena, you've been acting strange lately," Suzuna said, as she and Sena walked home together.
"How so?" Sena asked, keeping his head down to the ground. Ever since the Christmas Bowl, he didn't trust himself to look straight at her anymore.
…Well, he did kiss her out of joy after all…And she didn't seem to mind…No, no, no. What was he thinking?
"Well, you won't look at me anymore, you're more spacy than usual, and you look bad."
Sena stopped. "Bad how?"
Suzuna considered it. "You look depressed, like you don't like football anymore."
"WHAT?!" Sena stared at her in disbelief. "I love American Football! Just…"
"Just it's not as fun without Kuritan, Musashyan, You-nii, and Mamo-nee?" Suzuna said.
Sena winced. Bullseye.
Suzuna shook her head dispairingly. "And you play American Football still? Why don't you quit if you don't like it?"
"I...I want to play!" said Sena. "But I want to play with everyone!"
"You-nii said he's getting really close to blackmailing the board. There's suppose to be a special rule..."
"Huh?"
"Mamo-nee told me You-nii is making a deal. If any third years want to play sports, they have to take a test. If you pass above eighty, you can play."
"Really?!" Sena looked happy again. "Thanks for telling me Suzuna!"
Suzuna suddenly backed away from him.
"What?"
"Ahh...Nothing..." Suzuna said in a small voice. "I got to go home now..."
Sena's shoulders drooped as he watched Suzuna skate away. She was still mad about the kiss...
Out of Sena's sight, Suzuna suddenly winced in pain. It was getting worse...
Oh Kami-sama, don't let him find out.