Chapter 431: Higo’s Roommate
Unlike Higo, though, Makino came out of the medical checkup with a somber expression. He recalled everything that the people there said, including the last warning they threw at him.
"I know that you have a record of MCL strain, but it seems that you didn’t follow the treatment according to what the doctor said." The man spoke in a solemn manner. "This... You see this 93 percent? This is called the Limb Symmetry Index, telling you how balanced your limb is. The number shows that your injured foot is 7 percent weaker than the uninjured one. Normal players have a threshold of 3 percent and drop to 10 percent. The probability of you getting injured from the same thing again would be a sure thing."
Makino was so stunned when he heard that. The boy knew that during that time, he was recovering from his injury, he felt like he would waste too much time if he didn’t do anything else, so he decided to train one side of his body, wanting to develop it stronger than the other.
Who would’ve thought that it was a stupid decision, one that would threaten his career in the future?
’I am lucky...’ He smiled wryly. ’At least, I found it out before everything gets worse. At least, they say that we can have targeted training to fix this problem. That is a good sign.’
Of course, he would never say it out loud to anyone else. The moment the boy saw Higo waiting for him, he put on his best scowling face, trying his best to hide the turmoil inside his head.
"What the hell are you doing there, Chibi?"
Higo just raised one of his eyebrows slightly. "Waiting for you, of course. What? The result is bad?" He asked teasingly.
In return, Makino just snorted lightly, punching him on his shoulder. "No, and stop being nosy. Just... Mind your own business."
Higo was quiet for a moment. If it were anyone else, they would think that this was a normal response. However, he had known Makino for more than two years, and Higo dared to say that he knew the boy in front of him well.
Makino might be able to play it lightly, but Higo could see the hidden distress behind his casual approach. Still, the boy didn’t question it, knowing that Makino would appreciate it more if he didn’t just butt in here.
Later on, Higo also found out his roommate for the camp. It was none other than Naoya Takahashi, the defensive midfielder from Toin Gakuen, who was also a part of Yokohama F. Marinos youth team.
The moment Higo stepped into his room again, he even mistook it as someone’s room, what with the boy having already sat in front of the mirror while fixing his hair with a comb. Higo could only feel the corner of his mouth twitching speechlessly, finding the information he had forgotten suddenly emerged on the tip of his head.
’Yeah, how could I forget that he is just like Kenji? A womanizer through and through?’
The moment Naoya noticed his presence, the boy’s eyes beamed immediately. "Higo-san, it is nice to meet you again! When I heard that we would be roommates, I couldn’t help but get excited! I mean, with us combining our power together, who will be able to break our defense?!" His words were laced with unwavering confidence and excitement.
Higo felt the corner of his lips twitching again at the boy’s simple-minded words. "While yes, it is true, but being roommates with you or not doesn’t really affect that, right?"
"Bah! Semantic!" Naoya waved the concern off nonchalantly, hugging Higo’s shoulder from behind with a conspiratory smile. "Tell me, Higo-san, your coach will also be there, right? Have you made your own move already? If not, mind letting me have a go?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Higo growled instantly, wanting nothing but to banish the boy in front of him from the whole world. There was no way he would let Kumiko get closer to a pretty boy like Naoya, no way in hell!
Fortunately, Naoya also took a hint of rejection here, as he laughed with both hands raised in a surrender sign. "Woah, calm down, Buddy! No one will steal your girlfriend here!" However, the playful smile was still there as he added, "Well, at least not me, but the other senpai, especially those university students, will see her as a flesh of meat. So, be careful, okay?"
This gave Higo a bad mood instantly. He knew that Kumiko’s beauty would attract more people to her, and coupled with her gentle personality and the brilliance that was her brain, there was no way anyone wouldn’t make a move on her.
’No, I cannot let that happen.’ He shook his head quickly. ’I cannot let myself look like a controlling friend, but I also need to show my stance. Let’s talk to Kumiko-chan first.’
Unfortunately, until the end of the day, he didn’t see the girl at all. It was only after he got his phone back that Higo could ask her directly.
You: How are things going on your side?
Yeah, at least this was a good opener for a conversation. It didn’t take long for him to get the answer.
Kumiko-chan: Good! I shadowed Akiba-san for a full day, and it is quite fulfilling!
Kumiko-chan: He is the assistant coach who is responsible for analytical tasks, doing scouting, gathering data, and seeing any hidden information that could be useful for the team.
Kumiko-chan: Sakura-chan also shadowed Ogai-san, the one who is responsible for the training session and player development. You will be communicating with her a lot.
Kumiko-chan: Tomorrow, the real camp will begin. Don’t stay up late and don’t be too nervous, okay?
A soft laughter escaped from Higo’s mouth as he himself had already forgotten about the conflict in his head earlier. ’Yeah, trust Kumiko-chan to barrage me with so many questions and make me forget about my problem while still also showing concern for me. Damn, that girl is awesome.’
After shaking his head, his fingers started to dance once again, texting quickly before sending one short message.
You: Got it. See you tomorrow.
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