Chapter 138: A Rare Moment of Peace
Kira was about to say something, but Bachira had already taken off like a shot.
"Whoa, Bachira, kill the jets!" Kira muttered, shaking his head. He had no choice but to signal Chigiri and Isagi to follow him into the crowd.
"Hey, guys!" Bachira shouted, waving his hands frantically as he skidded to a halt in front of Karasu's group.
Karasu, who was mid-sentence in some loud-mouthed lecture, nearly jumped out of his skin. He stared at the newcomers with the same stunned disbelief he had shown on the pitch when Kira scored on him. "Bachira? Isagi? Chigiri? And..."
"Kira?!"
"What are you guys even doing here?" Karasu asked, struggling to regain his composure.
"What, you own the sidewalk now?" Kira asked with a sharp, effortless grin as he stepped up to greet them.
As they got closer, Kira realized Karasu's little squad was actually a full house. Yukimiya, Aryu, Tokimitsu, and Otoya were all there. Even Reo was hanging out with them.
"We're just killing time. What about you guys?" Isagi asked, glancing at the group. He'd noticed from a distance that they looked like they were in the middle of a high-stakes board meeting.
"Oh, you know. Just a casual seminar on market volatility and stock options," Reo said, his tone sounding far more like a corporate CEO than a teenager on break.
"And we were finalizing the blueprint for my upcoming high-end streetwear label," Yukimiya added, adjusting his glasses with a look of pure professional ambition.
"It's a summit on the absolute peak of aesthetic trends," Aryu noted, looking characteristically elegant.
Karasu actually pulled a fountain pen from his breast pocket and tapped it against his palm. "We were discussing future career trajectories and brand expansion. Surely no one here is just wandering around aimlessly like a tourist?"
Kira's group shared a look of pure second-hand embarrassment.
'Man, these kids are really laying it on thick,' Kira thought.
"I'm not! I'm not!" Tokimitsu squeaked, raising his hand like a nervous student. "I'm just here because they told me to listen! I don't know anything about stocks!"
Otoya, looking as detached as ever, leaned back against a railing. "Don't lump me in with these overachievers. I'm in Shibuya for one reason and one reason only." He scanned the crowd of passing girls. "Scouting the local scenery. Total recon mission."
Chigiri gave him a look of pure disgust. "Right. Real productive use of your time, Otoya. Truly deep."
"Look, since we're all here, let's just hang out!" Bachira declared, completely ignoring the tension. "Group outing!"
The 'business elite' facade crumbled instantly as everyone started nodding in agreement.
"Wait, Kira, where's Nagi?" Reo asked, looking around for his usual partner-in-crime.
Kira shook his head while Isagi pulled up his phone to show the group the chat log.
Isagi: Where are you?
Nagi: Saw a game center. Gonna go for a high score. Catch you later.
The group shared a collective sigh. The guy was a lost cause. They unanimously agreed it was time for a forced intervention.
***
At a massive Shibuya arcade, Nagi was slumped in a gaming chair, his eyes half-closed as he mindlessly crushed a boss battle. Suddenly, someone grabbed him by the back of his shirt and hauled him upward.
"Hahaha! Keep this up and you'll be a hermit by twenty!" Karasu teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Busted," Reo said, looking satisfied. "Operation: Rescue Nagi is a success."
"Ugh... why are you all here?" Nagi asked, looking genuinely bewildered. He blinked at the massive Blue Lock crowd surrounding his machine. It felt like a stadium invasion in miniature.
The arcade didn't stand a chance. The group swarmed the place, turning every game into a high-stakes competition.
They started at the claw machines. Kira used his clinical, striker-level reflexes to systematically empty the machine of rare plushies, drawing a crowd of cheering onlookers as he handed out the prizes.
Then, they hit the pool tables. Aryu's shots were so unnecessarily dramatic and 'glamorous' that the group spent more time laughing than actually playing.
Finally, they moved to the dart boards. Yukimiya finally found his stride, his darts hitting the bullseye with a speed and precision that made it look like he was using a laser sight.
"Alright, I'm gamed out. Let's hit up some KTV," Reo suggested, noticing everyone was starting to peak.
"I'm in," Kira said. It had been forever since he'd just let loose in a karaoke booth.
Reo, Bachira, and Kira took point to go reserve a mega-suite. As they were walking down the long, neon-lit corridor of the KTV lounge, a door nearby flew open with a bang.
"You're pathetic! Who the hell is she?"
"How do you have the nerve to call this a date when you're texting half of Tokyo?"
Two women stormed out into the hallway, screaming at someone inside the room. Kira's group froze, caught in the middle of a grade-A meltdown.
"Wait, don't go..." A hand reached out from the room, grabbing one of the women by the wrist. A smooth, overly confident voice drifted out. "Why pick sides? We could all just hang out. The more the merrier, right?"
Slap.
The sound of the hit echoed through the hallway. "Don't touch me, you two-timing trash!" the woman screamed. She shook him off and stormed away toward the exit. The second woman followed right behind her, shouting, "Unbelievable. What a total dog!"
"Whoa," Bachira whispered, his eyes wide with curiosity.
Kira was stunned. The level of sheer, unashamed ego it took to suggest a three-way date while getting caught cheating was almost impressive in a twisted way.
"Keep moving, keep moving," Reo said, trying to usher them past the drama. "Not our business."
But Kira caught a glimpse of the guy in the room and did a double-take. The voice was too familiar. He poked his head through the doorway.
"Holy crap... Aiku?!"
"Huh?"
Bachira and Reo crowded into the doorway. Sure enough, sitting on the sofa and rubbing a very red mark on his cheek, was Oliver Aiku.
"Oh. Hey, guys," Aiku said, looking surprisingly unfazed by the situation.
"Aiku, you're a legend on the pitch, but you're a total disaster out here, aren't you?" Reo asked, a smirk playing on his lips.
"And wait, aren't those girls like, way older than you?" Kira pointed out, noticing the obvious age gap.
"Did they break through your defense?" Bachira asked, unable to resist the pun.
Aiku, despite the stinging cheek, just gave a sheepish shrug and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, well... can't win them all. I guess my containment failed this time. Total tactical collapse."
"You guys on break too? The whole U-20 squad is actually in the next room," Aiku added, gesturing toward the wall.
"Seriously?" Kira asked.
Aiku led them to the massive adjoining suite and threw the door open. The entire U-20 National Team was inside, mid-roar as they belted out some rock anthem.
Kira looked at Aiku. 'So you were in the room next door hitting on women while your team was in here doing team bonding? You really are a piece of work, Captain.'
"Look who I found!" Aiku bellowed.
The music cut out instantly. Every head turned. The atmosphere shifted from party mode to a standoff in less than a second.
"Wait, Kira?"
"The Blue Lock losers?"
"What the hell are you doing in our lounge? You looking for a rematch?"
The U-20 players surged to their feet, closing in on the three strikers. Niou looked like he was ready to start a brawl right then and there.
"Relax, we were just passing through..." Kira said, subtly stepping behind Reo. If things got physical, he was letting the rich kid handle the liability.
"Yo, Kira, you need backup?"
Yukimiya and the rest of the Blue Lock contingent had arrived, filling the hallway. The two teams stood face-to-face, a wall of ego clashing in the narrow corridor.
Aiku let out a booming laugh, breaking the tension. "Since we're all here and clearly looking for a fight, let's settle it properly."
"Let's put dinner on the line. Bowling tournament. Winners eat free, losers pay the tab. You in?"
The Blue Lock crew didn't need to be asked twice. They weren't about to back down from a challenge, especially when there was a chance to humiliate the National Team again.
The massive group marched toward the bowling alley.
Kira sighed to himself. 'So much for karaoke. I didn't even get to pick a song.'
They reached the lanes and scanned the area.
"Wait, look over there," Isagi whispered.
He and Bachira had spotted someone familiar at the far end of the alley. A tall, imposing figure was mid-approach, throwing a ball with a level of intensity that felt entirely too high for a casual game.
The ball slammed into the pins.
STRIKE.
The guy stood there for a moment, soaking in his own perfection.
"Look at that form. Total focus."
"He's actually really good."
"Wait... that hair..."
"Is that Barou?!" Bachira yelled.
Barou's head snapped around, his face twisting into a mask of pure fury. He had clearly recognized their voices.
"Why... why are you peasants invading my sanctuary?!" Barou roared, looking like he couldn't believe his eyes.
"Whoa, Barou, is that your own personal ball? That's hardcore," Nagi said, reaching out to poke the polished black ball.
"Hands off! Don't touch the King's equipment with your filthy hands!" Barou's head was practically steaming.
"Hey, can I try it for one frame?" Bachira asked, looking hopeful.
"No! If you touch it, I'll end you!"
Barou looked like he was about to have an aneurysm. He'd finally gotten a day off to enjoy his 'holy' hobby in peace, and now he was surrounded by the exact group of people who irritated him the most.
Kira and Chigiri were nearly doubled over, laughing so hard they could barely breathe.
It was a rare moment of peace. And in Shibuya, with this group, it was as loud and chaotic as a championship match.
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+1 bonus chapter is coming in 1 hour...