The dorm was quiet. The chaos from earlier had settled, and most of the players were either asleep or mindlessly scrolling through their phones.
Shun, lying on his bed with a bandage on his forehead, had his arm covering his eyes. His body was still sore from the earlier match, but he wasn't thinking about that.
Instead, his mind kept replaying the match.
That feeling—the complete domination, the raw energy, the freedom to move without hesitation.
It was intoxicating.
And yet, he collapsed. His body betrayed him.
"Tch… Weak." He clenched his fist. He wasn't strong enough.
Just then—
His phone buzzed.
Shun lazily grabbed it from the nightstand, expecting it to be Renji sending some dumb meme.
Unknown Number.
He frowned, sat up, and answered.
🔹 Shun: "Hello?"
There was a brief silence.
Then, a familiar voice.
🔹 Rika: "You're not playing tomorrow, right?"
Shun blinked. Rika? She had never called him before.
🔹 Shun: "Coach said no. Not like I'm going to listen."
🔹 Rika: "Idiot. You collapsed. You should at least rest."
Shun smirked.
🔹 Shun: "Are you worried?"
🔹 Rika: "Hah? I just don't want to see your team get crushed without you."
🔹 Shun: "Ouch. So you're saying they're weak?"
🔹 Rika: "I'm saying you make a difference."
There was silence.
Shun's smirk faded slightly. Something about the way she said that felt… different.
Rika must have realized it too, because she quickly tried to change the subject.
🔹 Rika: "A-Anyway, just don't overdo it. You'll just slow yourself down later if you keep playing like a maniac."
🔹 Shun: "You're acting like my coach now."
🔹 Rika: "Tch. Like I care what happens to you."
Shun grinned.
🔹 Shun: "Then why'd you call?"
Rika froze.
She hadn't thought about that.
🔹 Rika: "…Tch. Whatever. Just don't die or something."
She hung up.
Shun looked at his phone screen, smirking.
"Hah. What was that?"
He fell back on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
For some reason…
He didn't feel as frustrated anymore.