Tangent | Soukoku; AU [✔]

28 ➳ backdoor // n.c

today was the elimination rounds, and i would be lying if i said that i wasn't nervous. we have been doing this for two years already, yet this was the only year that i felt anxious the moment my eyes fluttered open as early as 5am. the coach had asked us to meet early to practice at least two more games, one for which i was the adc, and the other with the role swap.

tournament doesn't start until 2, but we needed to be there a few hours before the official time in order to get used to the place, as well as to register our names, and to have our teams categorized on who will we be facing against. of course, we will be going through a different route from the crown in order to avoid causing havoc.

but it's not like this team has a massive fanbase anyway, so even if we go through the main entrance, no one would probably give a damn.

aside from ourselves and our skills to be used later, all of us have packed a few personal items to bring along, neatly arranged in our bags. we wouldn't be using them on stage though, but rather left in the backstage.

even if we were 'early', we were still the last team to arrive — the other seven teams were already discussing strategies in their respective lounges, according to the guard at the back door.

as we were all able to enter the back hallways — or so i thought, akutagawa tapped the coach's shoulder, bringing all of us to a halt.

"hayakawa's not here." was all he said. looking around the area and behind, it was confirmed that she was not following us anymore.

coach mori must have thought of something, judging from the faceplant that he just gestured. he commanded us to follow him back to the back door, and so we did.

much to our surprise, xyren was arguing with the backstage guard.

"i told you, i AM part of Port Mafia!" she deadpanned, her voice pitched but her facial expressions unchanged.

the guard shook his head. "i am not buying that excuse, missy! go enter through the main gate!"

i don't think that xyren would go any further than this; she didn't seem like the person to go aggressive. coach mori decided to get into the scene, the guard turning around to the new person in the area.

"excuse me, sir," coach flashed his sweet yet creepy smile. "i'd like to get my team's support now, if you don't mind?"

the man in uniform must have been unaware, either that or xyren was just the first female to enter the pgs. his eyes widen like plates upon the statement of the boss.

"she is Port Mafia's support? i thought it was the tall man with brown hair?"

ah, yeah. none has known about dazai quitting yet, and since these guards are given data on certain people to let in the back, the new data must have not been passed yet, i assume.

"oh? you're not updated then?"

the coach's words sent chills down anyone's spine — even mine — forcing him to let xyren enter the premises as he passes the newly obtained information through his walkie-talkie.

xyren sighed as we walked through the halls. "why does no one know?"

"of what?" i cocked a brow.

"of your past support leaving."

beep. my brain shut down. good question, but i have no idea what to say.

why did the coach not leave a public statement about it?

hmm.