As days passed, everything gradually returned to normal. The group enjoyed their days at school, balancing studies with laughter and playful banter. One afternoon, after a particularly long day, they decided to unwind at their usual spot near the playground. This time, they had Eric along with them. They found a cozy spot under the shade of a big tree and settled down, enjoying the relaxed, cool air.
Kiddy broke the silence, "You guys realize we're getting pretty close to the end of the year, right? It feels like it just started." Everyone nodded, the bittersweet reality sinking in a bit.
"Yeah," Sam sighed. "Hard to believe."
Seeing everyone get a bit pensive, Eric decided to lighten the mood. "Hey, why are you all acting like we're about to graduate? It's not the end of the world!" He grinned and quickly switched the topic. "Anyway, enough of that! Who's ready for the volleyball season?"
Kiddy's eyes lit up. "Absolutely! I've been practicing my serve, and I think I've finally got it down."
Harry leaned in, nodding. "Right, Kiddy's serve is killer this year. But Eric, what about you? Still aiming to win the inter-school tournament?"
"You bet," Eric replied confidently. "We've got a solid team this time. And with Sam backing us up on defense, we've got a real shot!"
The boys kept chatting about volleyball techniques and strategies, getting more and more animated, each trying to one-up the other with stories of their game highlights. Meanwhile, Ammy, Lily, and Felia exchanged knowing glances. They found the sports talk a bit boring, and Mando, who was more into football, looked equally lost.
Ammy leaned over to Mando. "Hey, since the guys are so wrapped up in their volleyball talk, let's have our own conversation. How about you tell us more about your crush?" She wiggled her eyebrows teasingly.
Mando's cheeks flushed as he stammered, "W-What? My... my crush?"
Felia chimed in, "Yeah, Tell us about Rose!"
With a resigned smile, Mando finally gave in. "Alright, alright," he started, nervously scratching his head. "Her name is Rose, and, um, we went to middle school together. She's in our high-school, but in a different class."
Lily smiled, encouraging him. "Go on. What's she like?"
"Well," Mando continued, a small smile forming as he thought about her, "she's… really friendly. Super approachable, you know? Not the smartest or anything, just average grades, but she's got this way of making everyone feel comfortable around her." He paused, glancing away shyly. "I, uh, first noticed her when she… saved me from some bullies back in middle school."
The girls looked surprised. "No way! She saved you?" Ammy exclaimed, clearly impressed.
"Yeah," Mando chuckled sheepishly. "She practices judo. She's been going to a judo club for years. Back then, some older kids tried to mess with me, and she just stepped right in and told them off. I guess… that's when I started liking her."
"Aww, that's adorable!" Lily and Felia teased, nudging him playfully. Ammy nodded, her smile warm as she listened to Mando's story.
With two lively conversations going on, the playground was filled with laughter and chatter. Kiddy and the other boys continued debating their volleyball plays, while Ammy, Lily, Felia, and Mando shared stories and friendly teasing.
As both groups chatted away, Kiddy's attention was pulled by a burst of laughter from the girls' side. He glanced over and noticed them teasing Mando, who was visibly blushing. Curious, he leaned over and asked, "Hey, what's so funny over there? What are you all talking about?"
Ammy raised an eyebrow, her tone cool as she replied, "None of your business." She flashed a sly grin, clearly enjoying keeping him out of the loop.
Kiddy narrowed his eyes, slightly annoyed by her attitude. "Oh really?" He then turned to Felia with an innocent smile, "So, what's the big secret?"
Felia, missing the teasing subtext, casually explained, "Oh, we were talking about Mando's crush, Rose. He was telling us about how she saved him from bullies in middle school."
Lily and Ammy's jaws dropped as they both whirled on Felia. "Why would you tell him that?" Lily asked, half-laughing, half-astonished.
"Yeah!" Ammy chimed in, giving Felia an exaggerated glare. "They didn't tell us what they were talking about, so why give them our secrets?"
Realizing her mistake, Felia blushed. "Oh! I didn't think—sorry, guys!"
Ammy sighed and shot a look at Kiddy, who was grinning triumphantly, as if to say, "I'm better."
Ammy rolled her eyes, not one to back down. "Oh, don't look so smug, You nosy brat."
"Nosy? I was just curious," Kiddy countered, his grin never fading. "Besides, you're the one who can't keep a secret. Not my fault if your defense was as weak as your sports skills."
Ammy gasped, her hands on her hips. "Excuse me? At least I don't spend hours obsessing over the volleyball season. You probably dream about it!"
Kiddy shrugged, unbothered. "Better than dreaming about maths class." He smirked, knowing this would get a rise out of her.
Ammy's face turned a little pink, but she wasn't going down easily. "Well, at least I don't jump in every time someone has a conversation. Ever thought of minding your own business?"
Their back-and-forth was picking up steam, with Sam attempting to cut in, "Guys, come on, it's not that serious. Just let it go!"
But Kiddy and Ammy were too absorbed in their squabble to notice him. Just as they were getting louder, Eric suddenly popped up with a loud sigh, "Alright, you two! Stop fighting like kids! How about you act like adults for once?"
Both Kiddy and Ammy turned and shot him a deadly glare, their intense expressions sending a chill down Eric's spine. Realizing he'd only added fuel to the fire, he quickly scrambled to diffuse the situation.
"Alright, alright!" he stammered, hands up defensively. "How about this—since we can't seem to agree who's better here, let's have a game to decide. That way, we'll know who's got the edge."
Kiddy and Ammy exchanged competitive glances, each silently accepting the challenge. A game to see who was better? Neither could resist that.
Eric took charge, explaining the rules with a grin as he pulled out sticky notes from his bag. He handed Kiddy a stack of blue notes and Ammy a stack of red ones. "Alright, here's how it goes," he started, getting everyone's attention. "Each team will have a chief, attacker, and two defenders. The attackers are supposed to stick these notes on the opposing team's chief's bag. The team with the fewest sticky notes on their chief's bag at the end of the day wins."
Everyone murmured in excitement, but Eric raised a hand to keep them quiet. "Before you get too excited, there's more! Each team chooses their own chief, attacker, and defenders. So, if you want to play it easy, you can make Kiddy and Ammy the chiefs. Or... if you want to make things interesting, you can pick someone else to keep the other team guessing."
The group burst into cheers as they realized the possibilities, but Eric held up his hand once more. "One last rule—if an attacker gets caught by a defender, they're out for an hour and can't place any sticky notes. And, the chief can't remove any notes from their bag, or their team is disqualified."
With the rules laid out, everyone's eyes lit up, impressed by how complex and exciting the game sounded. They quickly divided into teams based on who they had been chatting with: Kiddy's team consisted of Eric, Sam, and Harry, while Ammy's team had Felia, Lily, and Mando.
Both groups quickly realized it was getting late, so they set their strategies aside for the day and headed home. As Kiddy and Ammy walked together, Kiddy teased her, saying, "Don't cry when you lose tomorrow."
Ammy shot back, "Lose? Who could lose to a baby?"
They continued playfully teasing each other before finally parting ways.
The next morning, Kiddy, arriving first as usual, devised a plan to discover Ammy's team's roles. He left his bag at his desk and went to hide nearby, watching the entrance carefully. Before long, more students arrived, including Ammy and Felia, who exchanged a few glances with each other and then at his bag. Soon after, Mando arrived, and Kiddy saw Ammy casually place a red sticky note on his bag.
Grinning to himself, Kiddy walked back to his seat, pretending he had just come from the washroom. As he entered, he saw Ammy, Felia, and Mando talking in a corner. Ammy noticed him and smirked. "Good luck, Kiddy."
Keeping a poker face, Kiddy replied, "You too," before taking his seat, pretending to ignore the note.
Moments later, Sam and Lily walked in together, with Lily heading over to her group while Sam joined Kiddy. Sam, spotting the red sticky note, said a little too loudly, "Hey, there's a sticky note on your bag!"
Ammy heard and chimed in, feigning pity, "Oh, poor Kiddy! Are you damaged already?"
Kiddy laughed and shrugged it off. He quietly explained to Sam that Ammy was the attacker and recounted how he had caught her placing the sticky note. Sam's eyes widened. "So now we just have to figure out who the chief is."
Meanwhile, in Ammy's group, Lily was laughing, thinking Kiddy's silence over the sticky note meant he was the chief. But Ammy shook her head. "Don't be too sure—Kiddy might just be trying to fool us. We have to stay sharp and keep our moves careful."
Everyone agreed, ready to take on the challenge with their plans and suspicions set in motion. The game had only just begun.
The first lecture had just started, and everyone was deep in study mode. Sam and Harry, sitting side by side, couldn't resist discussing their strategy. Sam leaned over and whispered, "Why didn't Kiddy make Eric the chief?"
Harry smirked. "I asked Kiddy the same thing last night. He said if Eric were the chief, it'd leave us with no real protection since he's in a different class. Plus, if Ammy's team figured it out, we'd be done for. Not making Eric the chief is also meant to throw them off."
Sam looked impressed. "Kiddy's really thought this through."
Unfortunately, their whispers weren't as quiet as they thought. The teacher's voice suddenly boomed, "Sam! Harry! Is there something you'd like to share with the class?"
Both boys froze as the class chuckled, but Ammy, sitting just a bench away, couldn't resist taking a shot. "Making plans? Don't worry; you'll lose anyway," she mocked.
Embarrassed, Sam and Harry just hid their faces, trying to recover from the scolding.
Kiddy watched the situation unfold silently, observing every detail to devise his next move. He knew that Ammy was the attacker, so his next step was to identify the defenders and the chief on her team. He thought of a plan to confirm his suspicions. Raising his hand, he asked the teacher for permission to use the restroom. Once granted, he stood up from his seat in the corner of the classroom and began walking through the row where Felia and Lily were sitting.
As he exited the classroom, he glanced back, positioning himself near the door's window to observe without being noticed. From his hidden spot, he saw Felia subtly glancing at Lily's bag while Lily looked ahead, focused on the lesson. Kiddy grinned, feeling confident he had just discovered two crucial pieces of information: Felia was one of the defenders, and Lily was likely the chief. Satisfied with his deduction, he continued to the restroom.
Meanwhile, Ammy had been watching Kiddy closely. She had a hunch that he was piecing together her team's lineup. She knew that if he confirmed Lily was the chief, it would put her team at a major disadvantage, potentially jeopardizing their chances of winning. Realizing this, Ammy began quickly brainstorming a way to throw Kiddy off course.
On his way back from the restroom, Kiddy noticed Sam and Harry standing in the corridor with the teacher beside them, both looking a bit flustered. Curious, he gave Sam a slight nod, silently asking what had happened. Sam pointed subtly down the hallway toward Ammy, who was watching the scene unfold with a mischievous grin.
Kiddy returned to his seat, glancing at Mando, who was laughing to himself. "Mando," Kiddy called out, his tone serious. Mando looked over, immediately choking on his laughter as he met Kiddy's intense gaze.
"Why so serious, man?" Mando chuckled, still recovering. He explained that Ammy had asked a girl sitting in front of her to play a little prank on Sam. Although the girl hesitated at first, she eventually agreed since she was friends with Ammy and thought it was harmless fun. She had lightly poked Sam's side, which made him giggle out loud. This caught the teacher's attention, and when the teacher asked Sam what was so amusing, Sam could only mutter, "Nothing," while his face turned red with embarrassment.
Later, when Sam sat back down, he turned to Harry, clearly annoyed. "Why did you poke me?" he asked. Harry, looking baffled, replied, "I didn't!" This little misunderstanding escalated into a playful argument, loud enough that the teacher overheard and promptly sent both of them out of the class. Kiddy heard it all, shaking his head in disbelief that his friends had walked straight into Ammy's trap.
He shot a look across the room at Ammy, who was grinning triumphantly, glancing out the door at Sam and Harry. Kiddy understood exactly what she had done. A few minutes later, as the class continued, Kiddy noticed something new: each of their bags had sticky notes on them. His own bag had two notes, and Sam and Harry's bags had one each.
Realizing this was all part of Ammy's plan, Kiddy chuckled to himself. Little did Ammy know, he already had a counter-plan in his mind.
As classes passed and lecture after lecture came and went, Ammy grew more puzzled. Why was no one from Kiddy's team removing the sticky notes her team had placed on their bags? And why hadn't Kiddy's team made any attempts to strike back? This lingering mystery gnawed at her until the lunch bell rang, pulling her momentarily from her thoughts.
Everyone headed to the cafeteria, sitting together and chatting about anything but the game. Ammy kept up the conversation, but her mind was still whirling, trying to figure out when Kiddy's team would finally attack. That's when a realization hit her like a lightning bolt—Eric wasn't sitting with them, and he wasn't in their class, so he was likely the designated attacker!
Acting fast, she leaned over to Felia and whispered her theory, telling her to check around their classroom in case Eric was lurking nearby to strike. Felia, always quick on her feet, nodded, making up an excuse about needing to grab a snack from her bag. She stood and headed off, but before she could get far, Kiddy intercepted her.
"Hey, I forgot something too—wait I'm coming along?" Kiddy asked, casually yet clearly aware of her intentions. Felia hesitated, realizing he might be onto their plan, but she didn't want to refuse, so she nodded reluctantly, walking with him. As they walked, they made small talk, with Kiddy keeping her occupied and at a distance from any possible sticky-note attack of his team.
Back at the table, Ammy noticed what was going on. Frustrated that Kiddy was slowing down her scout, she whispered for Mando to go check on Eric instead. Mando, determined to help, got up immediately and began power-walking toward the hallway. However, on his way, he accidentally bumped into a girl.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" he apologized, looking up and freezing when he saw her face.
"Long time no see, Mando!" she said with a bright smile. It was Rose, Mando's crush, whom he hadn't seen in a while. His mind went blank, and his mission was forgotten as they started catching up.
Watching from afar, Ammy groaned, pressing a hand to her forehead. "What is my luck today?" she muttered, exasperated as her team's efforts seemed to unravel before her eyes.
As Kiddy and Felia walked slowly together, they eventually spotted Eric exiting their classroom. Realizing she might be too late, Felia quickened her pace, darting into the classroom to check Lily's bag. To her relief, she found it free of sticky notes. But her relief was short-lived as she remembered Kiddy had accompanied her. She glanced back, only to see no sign of him following her inside.
Curious, she stepped out of the classroom and spotted Kiddy and Eric talking casually near the stairs. She relaxed, reassured that they hadn't gone into the classroom or seen anything suspicious.
Returning to Kiddy, she suggested, "Let's head back."
As they began walking back toward the cafeteria, Felia recalled Kiddy's earlier excuse for coming with her. "Didn't you come to grab something?" she asked, curious.
Kiddy shrugged it off with a small smile. "Nah, it was nothing important."
They rejoined their group at the cafeteria, where Felia filled Ammy in on what had happened. Ammy listened carefully but kept her reaction calm, merely nodding and staying quiet. She was deep in thought, trying to decipher Kiddy's moves.
As lunch ended and classes resumed, Ammy couldn't stop wondering why Kiddy's team hadn't attacked hers or removed any of the sticky notes her team had placed. She kept her guard up, waiting for Kiddy's next move, but the school day eventually ended without any attack from his side.
After school, they all gathered at their usual spot, eager to find out the results of the friendly competition. Eric, with a grin, started counting the sticky notes on Sam's bag and revealed there were four. Ammy's team was shocked to realize that Sam was Kiddy's team's chief all along.
Noticing their surprise, Kiddy raised an eyebrow. "What's so shocking about that?"
Ammy smirked and replied, "If you had made Eric the chief, I would've lost for sure, because you can only place one sticky note at a time."
Kiddy's team exchanged knowing looks, with a few sympathetic glances aimed at Ammy. She suddenly understood, slapping her forehead. "I thought I could only place one sticky note at a time!"
Kiddy chuckled, giving her a light pat on the head. "It happens. Don't worry."
Annoyed, Ammy pushed his hand away. "Stop treating me like a kid!"
Wondering, she went over to Lily's bag, assuming they'd lost but still curious to see how many sticky notes were placed on their own chief's bag. To her surprise, she didn't find any.
Confused, Ammy looked up at Kiddy. "You knew Lily was our chief, so why didn't you put any sticky notes on her bag?"
Kiddy chuckled. "I didn't put any because I'm not the attacker. Eric is."
Ammy nodded slowly. "Yeah, I figured that's why he was hanging around our class at lunch."
Eric grinned mischievously. "Who said I didn't put any sticky notes?"
Ammy opened the bag, turning it inside out, and found 20 sticky notes hidden inside. She gawked in disbelief and turned to Lily. "Didn't you notice these?"
Lily gave an embarrassed shrug. "I found a note in my bag saying, 'Sam has a surprise for you, so don't tell anyone if you want it.'"
Ammy sighed, feeling sorry for Lily. "They just tricked you so you wouldn't say anything."
Lily's eyes widened, and she turned to Sam. "Is that true?"
Sam quickly shook his head. "No way! I would never lie to you." Then, as if to seal the moment, he reached into his bag and pulled out a small gift, handing it to Lily. Everyone around blushed, amused and surprised by Sam's public display of affection.
Kiddy nudged Sam, grinning. "What's the occasion?"
Sam scratched his head, a bit shy but resolute. "Lily and I haven't had the chance to catch up anywhere, not even online. I thought today would be the perfect time to surprise her."
With the gift exchanged and the surprise settled, the group relaxed, chatting and enjoying the end of their little rivalry. As they talked, Kiddy glanced over Sam and Lily, who were still wrapped up in their own world.
Ammy noticed and elbowed him. "Give them some privacy, you moron!"
Kiddy, keeping a straight face, replied, "No. I'm just jealous."
Ammy looked at him, rolling her eyes, when suddenly, they all heard a faint sound. Kiddy, still emotionless, muttered, "Oh."
Ammy squinted at him. "What happened?"
"They kissed," he deadpanned, chewing on his hand.
Everyone gasped, turning back to see Sam and Lily blushing, caught in the act. The group burst into laughter and cheers, teasing them mercilessly. Harry and Mando patted Sam's shoulder, praising him "you have balls man." while Felia and Ammy tried to bring Lily back from her state of shock.
Kiddy just sat back, watching his friends with a smile, feeling content of the bonds they'd all shared and strengthened. The day ended with the laughter and joy of a friendship made stronger by every memory.