Tangent | Soukoku; AU [✔]

49 ➳ bigger picture // n.c

as time passes by more and more with xyren, the more eventful all our lives become - sometimes on a positive note, and sometimes in negative connotations. i don't mind either of it, but i guess the entirety of port mafia didn't expect everything to blow up as it is now.

during the time that dazai was still the team's support, no one batted an eye on our team. we were just a lowly team who never won anything anyway, so everyone just knew us as some team that exists within the roster of the japanese league, nothing more. at least in some of the teams in other regions, they're still regarded somewhat highly.

however, for minor regions in the league like japan, where the fanbase is usually confined within your own countrymen, the attention is usually with the stronger teams because they get to represent the country later on to bigger-scale tournaments.

i guess it didn't occur to the coach that the situation will blow out of proportion when he decided that keeping dazai's departure a secret was a good idea, and that taking in a complete outsider as a replacement was even a better idea.

we were supposed to discuss and watch some games of our opposing team tomorrow, but xyren's encounter with the media was a bigger problem for us i guess. coach mori, in a serious tone, proceeds to discuss our next course of action in order to avoid further conflicts with the league and the media as a whole.

coach mori had finally decided that he'll be setting up the social medias later to announce that dazai no longer plays for port mafia, and will be officially declared to the league association as well. about darn time.

and speaking of the devil, at the corner of my eye while listening to the coach, i saw someone go online in my league friend list. it was the brown-haired fucker, queueing for a ranked game? i thought he said that he was never going to touch the game after quitting ever again?! dazai even had the balls to mess with me after i chatted him!

"nakahara chuuya," coach mori's boomed through the four corners of the room, his tone still as serious. "is your soul still here listening?"

"s-sorry, coach," i hung my head low as everyone's eyes were now looking at me, then i followed with a mumble to myself. "stupid dazai."

coach mori went back to discussing before he got interrupted, so did the rest of the team. except for one - dead, glaring red eyes pierced through the entirety of my soul.

xyren was giving me this look that screams 'what the fuck' all over - or i could be reading it wrong. as usual, her expressions were always the same, so it's difficult to tell what she's trying to come across to unless she speaks or you ask. i thought she was just taking some time to look in my general direction before diverting her attention back, but the woman really was staring at me.

and yet, the coach was not minding her in this state. is xyren still slightly passed out?

talking or making gestures might get me in trouble again, so i just sneakily sent her a message in league. luckily, it helped avert her attention at that moment. 

i can't say the same for the entirety of the meeting though; while xyren was no longer staring at me like earlier, i would sometimes catch her looking or stealing glances. the more frequent she does it, i more i don't understand what i feel anymore.

once the meeting ended, all of us have gone our separate ways without another word said. i waited for the others to leave before i attempted to talk to the tall woman with me. she still looks lost and passed out.

but even before i was able to open my mouth, xyren once again faced to look at me, with words that left me even more confused than i already was a while ago.

"i'm sorry, nakahara."