The Rise of the Iron Wall!

Chapter 127: Intermission - What is Going On with Higo?

Even though they were on the lead with two goals in the bag, Kumiko didn’t really show any relaxed appearance here. No, the girl was worried sick, and the source was the boy in front of her, the childhood friend whom she had known from when they were still wearing diapers together.

Right now, the so-called boy was frowning so deeply on the corner of the locker room, his gaze was blank as if he was trying to recall everything. The low mumble amidst the cheers and laughter from the other players also didn’t help soothe her worry. If anything, it only made her feel anxious.

"Makino-kun, do you know what is going on with him?" She whispered a question to the captain.

The boy himself had a flash of jealousy pop in his eyes before he managed to contain it immediately, knowing that this was also a problem that was bugging his mind right now.

"No, I don’t really know it. He has been like this since his first encounter with Echigo’s captain, and I think he hasn’t recovered yet from whatever happened in that encounter. He also said a lot of strange things earlier."

"Um? Strange things? What kind?" Kumiko felt her heart jump, never seeing her best friend in this state before.

Even though Higo was not the smartest student in the school and had been stumped by a lot of problems in the past, he had never dwelt on it for too long, always maintaining a positive vibe when he was around her. That was why Kumiko didn’t really know how to handle this situation.

"Eh, he first asks me to let Echigo’s captain escape, giving him a chance to fight against that boy in a one-on-one duel." Makino shrugged. "You saw the third chance that boy got against Higo, right? I could’ve just chased him, but since Chibi requested it, I simply let the boy go. It seems Chibi was trying to confirm something at that time."

’Confirming something?’ A cute wrinkle formed on her forehead as she thought about it. ’Is there anything wrong with that boy? Other than being strong and slippery, I don’t think he has anything worth remembering by Ryukkun, right?’

Not that Kumiko underestimated Riku, of course, but Higo himself had already faced Yuwell Carlson from Sappotani, and under that beast’s monstrous pressure, even though in the end, Higo was still defeated, the boy had never shown any sign of being so lost like this.

Still, if Echigo’s captain could inflict such a reaction on Higo, who wasn’t that bothered against Yuwell Carlson, that meant the boy really had something hidden, and honestly, Kumiko was curious about what it was.

As for the fact that her captain let the opponent have a one-on-one situation against Higo, Kumiko decided to discard that fact casually. While it was outrageous and could cost the team a goal—and possibly the entire game—she knew Makino’s temper, and if the captain didn’t find it feasible, he would never do that even if she was the one who asked.

The captain might be a simp, but he was a simp with a strong principle.

"So... What do you think we should do right now?" The captain asked cautiously.

Kumiko bit her lips unconsciously, her brain spinning to find the best solution to this problem. She had half of her mind replacing Higo, as the girl had been training Sano, the scary-looking junior, as a backup goalkeeper. However, she buried that idea quickly, knowing that her kouhai was not ready for that pressure.

Then, her eyes glanced at the surroundings, finding that her players were quite nonchalant right now. At first, she just let them be, as the team was in a winning position. She only needed to remind them to keep calm and not get cocky, and that kind of word would be more effective when it came from Makino, the strict mother hen of the team.

That was when an idea popped into her head.

"Makino-kun

, gather the others to the pitch first and keep their body warm. It seems they are quite relaxed right now. Make sure they remember that the game is still not over." Said the girl.

Makino was surprised for a second before understanding flashed in his eyes. With no hesitation, the boy rose from the long bench in the locker room, his voice booming in the enclosed room they were in.

"Okay, you brats! How dare you act so leisurely when we still have the second half to play! Who do you think you are, the fucking Barcelona?!" He scolded them all without mercy, startling everyone in the locker room. "Come on, I think you guys need to warm up your bodies more! Let’s get moving first!"

"No! The sun outside is so hot, Captain!"

"Don’t drag me out! I need to cool my feet first!"

"No, no, no! I will comply, I will comply!"

While the order was met with complaint, all the players still followed the order without hesitation. Higo was also about to join, before Kumiko suddenly tapped his shoulder lightly. It startled him for a second, and when he turned around, the girl was smiling at him.

’Wait a second, I have something to ask.’ She whispered quietly.

The boy pondered for a second and, in the end, just gave a slight nod to the girl. After everyone left the room and went out to the pitch, those two stood in front of the locker room in an awkward silence, as Higo didn’t really know what was going on here.

"Urgh... Do you have something to tell me, Kumiko-chan?" He finally asked, genuinely curious. The boy didn’t really notice that Kumiko was worried sick about him.

In return, Kumiko just stared at him thoughtfully, before, in the end, she asked the same question. "Shall I be the one who asks that? I mean, is there something bothering you about Echigo’s captain?"

She could see her best friend’s shoulder stiffen for a moment before they exchanged eye contact, and in the end, the boy could only let out a deep, helpless sigh.

The girl just waited in silence, before, in the end, her childhood friend suddenly asked something she thought was a joke at first.

"Kumiko-chan... Do you believe in supernatural ability?"