Chapter 3
(Chan's POV)
Two weeks later…
"Where are they? WHERE ARE THEY!?" Coach shouted furiously as soon as he entered the locker room, slammed the ball that he was holding to the floor, and kicked one of the calf guards that was lying at his feet. "Maledetti stupidi testoni!"
Chan had expected this to happen. Coach would no longer be able to control his anger, not after their practice match ended in a draw today, against a mediocre team that they should have completely crushed. Moreover, this was the last day of their pre-season training, before the new season started in three days. So, he can imagine how furious he was at the moment.
Vegas and Pete, who were standing only half-step in front of him, who were the focus of Coach's anger, trembled on their feet. Chan tried to give them some encouragement by putting each of his hands on those boys' shoulders. But Chan had to admit that Coach's anger towards the two of them was justified. From the beginning of the pre-season training until the last day, they still didn't want to lower their egos, and instead of working together to bring down the opponent, they were fighting over each other's balls.
"What have I told you two since day one, huh!?" asked the Coach. "Answer me!"
"Yes, Coach!" Pete responded first.
"What are you waiting for? TELL ME!" screamed Coach, his face absolutely red all over, he was livid.
"Coach…," Chan tried to lower the tension, but before he had time to express his opinion, Don immediately cut him off.
"You stay out of this!"
Yikes!
"Who wants to open their mouth first? Hm ?" whispered Coach this time, but strangely, it was even scarier than his yells.
"We need to learn to work together," answered Pete.
"And you, Vegas? Have any of my words over the past two weeks entered your head?"
"Yes, Coach!" replied Vegas quickly. "We have to communicate well with each other."
"And why's that?" asked Coach again, still in an eerily low voice. "Go on…"
"Because midfield is our responsibility."
"Well done! Bravo! Molto bene !" jeered Coach as he clapped his hands. "At least you remembered! I should have taken this as a win! HAHAHA!"
That was the most fake laugh Chan had ever heard come out of Don's mouth, and he had been Chan's mentor for 13 years.
"Coach, I'm so sorry, I… I mean, we … should have-"
"Yes, you should. Both of you," Coach cut off Pete's words. "Now you two listens, because I'm just going to say this one last time, and hopefully this time it's not only memorized but acted on. Understood? "
"Yes, Coach!" Vegas and Pete answered at the same time.
Ah~ look at that! In harmony for the first time and hell not freezing.
"As I have said many times, I will not decide which one of you will be the attacking midfielder and who will be the defending midfielder. WHY IS THAT? Because we can use this as a deadly weapon. If only you can communicate well and be flexible... YOU TWO can switch your role during the whole match. And THAT will be very confusing for the opponent."
Chan felt like he heard giggling from behind him, where two BSFC's wing backs – Arm and Pol, were standing. But they were really looking for trouble if they dared to laugh or playing around when Coach was in such a bad mood.
"When one is attacking then the other one is defending and vice versa. Talk to each other so you can move as one . The point is, if one of you takes the top position, then the other one takes the bottom position."
Again, a barrage of soft giggling was heard from behind him and now Chan was 100% sure he was not imagining it, because he also heard Pol ( Must be him! ) whisper to Arm ( Who else? Those two are two peas in a pod ).
"I'm so~ writing this fan fiction. They're like my new OTP."
"Good idea, Pol. ETL trope is one of my favs," Arm whispered back before he was giggling some more.
Fanfiction? OTP? ETL? What the hell is that?
Chan glanced to his right side, where Big, the other center back, was standing. He kept on signaling Arm and Pol to shut their mouths.
"What's that all about, Big?" asked Chan to Big in a super low voice.
"Cap, trust me, you don't want to know."
Coach still hasn't finished with Vegas and Pete, "If in the opening match, you two still don't listen to my instructions, I will not hesitate to change the formation of this team and only play with THREE midfielders! One of you can warm the bench for the whole FUCKING season for all I care. Just try me!"
"YES, COACH!"
Hey, another one~ there's still hope for these two.
"For the rest of you, rest well, eat well, I'll see you in our stadium in three days," finally Coach addressed the whole team.
"YES, COACH!" hollered all the players in the dressing room
"CHAN! Don't you dare try another ridiculous thing!"
Ugh~ Did he really need to do that~?
"No, Coach!" answered Chan, his face slightly pink.
"Now, gather up, let's win this season for your Captain, boys!"
The whole BSFC players suddenly moved in unison and put their right hands together and placed them on top of Coach's right hand.
"In three… One… Two… Three… BSFC!"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Chan was one of the few players who left the locker room last. Because today was the last day of training, for sure the number of fans waiting for them outside the stadium was more than usual, and Chan still didn't want to be surrounded by too many fans, the events that happened two weeks ago were still very much etched in his mind. Besides, earlier after shower, he had had a brief exchange with Pete about his issue with Vegas. At first, Chan suggested the three of them sit down together to discuss this, maybe with him as the buffer, the tension between them wouldn't be too high, but his co-captain assured him that they could handle the matter themselves. And Chan was willing to give those two boys his trust.
When he finally reached the exit door at the back of the stadium facing the parking lot that was reserved for BSFC players, there were only a handful of fans left waiting for him. Chan breathed a sigh of relief and immediately finished his 'duty' to sign on posters, jerseys, or whatever they wanted. After all, this would be his last season, and he will be closing this phase of his life very soon. There was no harm in making his fans happy, right? As long as it was not in an excessive portion like the last incident. Ah~ that little scandal still bothered him very much.
Chan saw a pair of long legs wrapped in black straight-cut pants first – he's always been a leggy man, before he realized who it was exactly leaning against the side of his beloved Range Rover, while holding two cups of coffee in his hands.
"You!?"
"Hi~ Yes, it's me," answered that guy candidly, his pink ( Yes, PINK! ) sunglasses perched on his straight nose perfectly. "It's good to know you still remember me."
TBC
AN:
Again, CC, thanks for the translation!
"Maledetti stupidi testoni!"
"Stubborn little shits!"
