It was the sed day after the fateful seleatch. Howard called everybody to the clubroom to announce who was going to py on the first string and who’ll be a benchwarmer for the entire uping year.

  In the end, Lars decided to sit this o. He mulled over it for some time yesterday, but ultimately decided he didn't want to attend this meeting. It was a bit bratty of him, but Yuel uood the feeling all too well. Holy, Yuel didn't want to go either.

  The verdict was already set in stone for both of them. They lost the bet against Howard and Ellen, so they won't get the Support and Carry roles. ing all the way to the clubroom just to get struck with that fact was like some sort of masochism.

  Was there any ce they’ll be assigned for some other roles? With Lars's meical skill, he could easily bee a scary Mid Laner. However, his ck of experience was a gring issue.

  As for Yuel, there was no way he'd be valued over Roi as a Top Laner. So, no matter how Yuel looked at it, there won’t be any surprises about him or Lars today.

  In fact, will there be any surprises at all? Roi for Top, Dan for Jungler and Gilbert for Mid, that’s the annou everybody expected. It was odd for Howard to call a meeting over something so predictable. Then again, the guy seemed to like face-to-face meetings for some reason. To each his own, I guess.

  Regardless of how predictable this meeting was going to be, Yuel had to attend as the vice-captain. He might not remain the vice-captain for long if he and Lars gh with the transfer pn but, for now, Yuel still had to act the part. It felt like he was ing to this meeting just to see Howard and Ellen boast about their victory but he had no choice.

  Maybe I should call in sick? But, I already came all the here... Yuel dragged himself up the stairs. All he wanted right now was drop on the floor and y there until the meeting ends.

  Ugh, I so don’t want to be there... The stairs went on forever, it was like climbing the Everest. As, no matter how hard Yuel's legs tried to dey the iable, he eventually reached the right floor. The clubroom was just a short walk away. Sigh.

  At least, Yuel didn't run into anybody along the way. He willingly picked the longer route to avoid running into others. Thanks to that, he was going to reach the clubroom without stumbling into any awkward iions... or so he thought.

  Somebody was there. A fellow attendee who wao sneak into the meeting without running into anybody. A girl was hunched over as she peeked at the clubroom from behind a wall. It was Julia.

  “What are you doing?”

  “E-EEEEK!” Julia jumped like an exposed criminal and bumped her head into the wall behind her. “Aya!” She crouched forward. “W-What's wrong with you!? Don't sneak on people like that! Ouchie...”

  “Sorry,” Yuel said. Though, you're the one who was sneaking around. But, he kept that to himself. This was the first time they got to talk with each other after the seleatch, so he didn't want to start on the wrong foot. Julia robably still bming herself for her performan the seleatch, even though she pyed so well ihird game.

  “You okay?” Yuel asked.

  “Could have beeer if not for a certain idiot,” Julia hissed. Great, this versation has already started with so much positivity. It'll surely go smooth...

  “You're still feeling down because of the match?”

  “Hmph. Not your business, dumbass.”

  I need a better approach here. Yuel frowned. How should he make this versation flow? He already got on Julia’s bad side before even starting, so he o i some positivity here. Knowing Julia, one idea came to mind.

  “Lars was worried about you.”

  “Eh?” Julia g him without turning to face him. “What did he say?”

  “He said you pyed really well, so you shouldn't bme yourself that we lost.”

  “Really...” Julia mumbled. A faint smile of relief formed on her lips.

  Okay, this tactic is w. Yuel o himself. Maybe he’ll be able to hold a proper versation with her for a ge.

  “And you?” Julia asked out of the blue. “What do you think about my performan the match?”

  “I agree with Lars. You pyed the third game well.”

  “You only goniohird game, huh.” Julia shifted her eyes away. “What about the rest?”

  “Do you really want to hear my ho opinion?”

  “Probably not.”

  “So, let's leave it at that,” Yuel said. “As far as the third game is ed, nothing about that oute was your fault.”

  “Then, who? Whose fault is it that we lost?” Julia’s gre demanded an answer. It seemed she won't be satisfied until she learns who she could bme for that devastati. If it wasn't her fault, there surely had to be somebody else to bme, right?

  It's not that simple. Yuel frowned. In a team vs. team game, it wasn't so easy to pin the bme on one specific pyer.

  Everybody had their ups and downs. Julia pyed well itack Mode, but she was beaten in the end. Lars put on a strong performance as Seraph and pushed many objectives, but he was baited to his death by Ellen at the end. Roi and Dan overall pyed fihough their performance felt ckluster pared to their usual selves.

  All in all, everybody had their ups and downs. If Julia had to bme somebody no matter what, then...

  “You bme me,” Yuel gnced away. “I made many bad calls and they cost us the game. I was the shot-caller, so I was supposed to guide you better during the decisive moments. But, I was greedy with some of my decisions and, as a result, you and Lars died. So yeah, you pihing on me.”

  “I k!” Julia jumped on her feet. “We lost because of your shitty shot-calls! Because of you, Lars won’t py on the first stri year!”

  And I won't py either. Yuel pursed his lips. If only he was less greedy back then. If only he was more assertive. If only he stopped Lars from chasing. If only he ordered Julia to retreat. If only. If only. If only.

  “Hmph, this is stupid,” Julia crossed her arms. “I knew Lars shouldn't pair up with you. You’re just dragging him down.”

  “That's not really...”

  “You always act like a know-it-all but then fuck up when it matters most. I should've known from the beginning we gonna lose that stupid match with you in charge. I’m not even surprised. Howard is a way better captain than a dumbass like you. If Lars pyed with Howard instead, I'm sure they would have bee the stro duo in the try. No, in the whole world even!”

  “Hey now,” Yuel ched his fists. That was going too far. Did she seriously cim that Lars would have beeer off pying with Howard? That’s some bullshit right there. Yuel and Lars had great teamwork in that game. Out of all the things Julia could pin about, this was the dumbest.

  “For your information,” Yuel said. “Lars and I held the upper hand in Bot during the first two games. I one, we had to sacrifie ne trol because Lars ying Seraph, but we still did perfectly fine.”

  “Oh, you did? Then how the fuck did we lose these games, genius? If you really had Bot under trol in the sed game, you should’ve been able to push for the win.”

  “It just wasn’t enough. In the sed game, we did great in Bot but the rest of the team couldn't gain an advantage in other nes.”

  “Oh, so now it’s not your fault but everybody else’s, huh? Wasn't it your job tahe team, ‘cap’?”

  “I 't solve everything myself,” Yuel jerked. This was getting dumber and dumber. “For example, what do you expect me to do when a certain somebody is doing a terrible job gaining an advantage in Mid? That was one of the biggest issues we had in the sed game.”

  “Wha-!?” Julia's face twisted like that of a demon. “You fucker! You gonna bme everything oer all!?”

  “I didn't say EVERYTHING was your fault,” Yuel's tone raised. “I'd just appreciate it if you stop talking shit about me and Lars. Yes, we weren't perfeobody was. But, pared to your expeurtling in the first two games, our teamwork was a huimes more useful to the team. It actually helped the team push forward instead ing it down!”

  “What did you-!?” Julia shook like a bomb that was about to go off. “Okay, screw it! I'm done!” Julia stomped toward Yuel and passes by him.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Not your damn business!”

  “Wait, what about the meeting-”

  “Don't touch me!” Julia spped Yuel's hand away. Her eyes were filled with murderous i, but they seemed a little teary. Did Yuel go too far?

  “My, my, my,” Ellen waltzed into the se out of nowhere. “What's going on here? A lovers’ quarrel~?”

  “Yeah, right,” Julia grimaced as if she wao puke from the mere suggestion of that.

  “........” Yuel just averted his eyes and remained quiet.

  “My,” Ellen tilted her head from side to side as she checked both of them. After a few seds, she o herself as if she reached some clusion. “I see, I see. Yuyu is bullying you, isn't he?” Ellen ed herself around Julia and patted Julia's head.

  “I didn't really...” Yuel's words trailed off. He felt like anything he says will be used against him.

  “Yuyu is just terrible, isn't he?” Elle on with her baseless accusations while patting Julia.

  “Yeah, he's a total dumbass,” Julia nodded. Her toill had angst in it, but seemed like she calmed down a little.

  “,” Ellen said. “Let's fet about this bully and go to the meeting, shall we?”

  “No, I...” Julia hung her head.

  “You're too embarrassed to face Larsy?”

  “N-No! I just...” Julia sighed i.

  Ellen's guess must have been spot on. Even though Julia shed at Yuel a moment ago and tried to pin all the bme on him, deep down she must have still felt responsible for the defeat. So, she didn't know how to face Lars right now. In that case...

  “Lars isn't ing,” Yuel said.

  “Eh?”

  “He had some important business with his family today,” Yuel lied. “So, he'll be skipping the meeting.”

  “Is that so...” Julia stared at the floor with a mixed expression.

  “Alrighty then,” Ellely pushed Julia’s back. “, let’s go to the clubroom.”

  “Do I have to?” Julia sighed.

  “Yes, you DE-FI-NI-TE-LY have to. , you two are running te.”

  “Okay...” Julia answered half-heartedly and dragged herself toward the clubroom.

  “,” Ellen turo Yuel. “Chop-chop.”

  “Right,” Yuel followed them from afar. After this awkward exge with Julia, he now had two reasons he wao skip this meeting. Just great. I just go home? Pretty please? Sigh.

  “I know you’re salty about losing,” Ellen said as she walked beside Yuel. “But, don’t take it out on July.”

  “That wasn’t my iion,” Yuel grumped. Besides, she’s the one who started it.

  “It was the first time she showed her aggressive side in front of Lars. It took her a lot of ce, you know? Just imagine how scary it was for her to use it for the first time and suddenly bee the game-maker he end. It’s so much pressure and responsibility.”

  “I uand that. But, that doesn’t give her an excuse to spout bullshit and bme others.”

  “My, how aggressive,” Ellen covered her mouth. “If Yuyu got so mad, I guess July went out of lioo. But, you’re the boy here so py h her, will you?”

  How is that eveed? Yuel rolled his eyes.

  It’s true that Julia had to gh a lot in that match. During the most critical moments of the game, she romoted into a Queen piece. She became the lyn, the game-maker, and the savior. That game was the first time she mustered the ce to show her Attack Mode in public, but tons of responsibilities were dumped on her right away as a result. The pressure must have been maddening.

  Worst of all, she couldn’t carry the team to victory. She was cast into the leading role of the show but couldn’t get a happy ending. It’s like everybody’s expectations were riding on her and she failed them. It was an unfair role to dump on her, especially when she was still struggling with her inner demons due to the public debut of her Attack Mode.

  heless, none of that excused Julia’s trash talk about Yuel and Lars’s performance as a Bot duo. It was ohing to pin about Yuel’s subpar shot-calling, but it was ahiirely to bme his teamwork with Lars and say that Yuel was dragging Lars down. That was unfivable.

  “My, such a scary face~” Ellen pinched Yuel’s cheek. “I don’t know what she said but you’re the most mature in yang, right?”

  “I don’t remember signing up to be anybody’s babysitter.”

  “I know, I know. But, somebody has to py the adult here, right? I say you’re the best man for the job~”

  “Huh,” Yuel made a face. Well, Ellen wasly wrong. Lars and Julia often turo Yuel whehey had questions or problems. In a sense, he was like the “sultant” of the trio, so perhaps it was reasoo expeaturity from him.

  “Okay, I get it,” Yuel sighed. “I’ll do what I .”

  “Yuyu is such a trustworthy boy~” Ellen patted Yuel’s head like he was a kid.

  “Cut it off,” Yuel pulled aside to get away from that busybody. Ellen could get annoying with how she always stuck her nose everywhere but, this time, Yuel had to admit her intervention was for the best. Things would have gotten out of hand if the quarrel between Yuel and Julia escated.

  Yuel took a deep breath aered the clubroom. It wasn’t like he fave Julia for her words, but he had to take into at she was a mess after the defeat in the seleatch. In fact, all three of them were a mess. Lars didn’t even want to show his face here today because of how frustrating it was going to be. Each of them bmed themselves a irritated, so Yuel had to give Julia a pass for her harsh words. That is, a kinder pass than usual.

  Okay, fet about it. Let’s just get this meeting over with. Yuel informed everybody that Lars won’t be ing today due to “family business”, so there was o wait anymore.

  “Alright,” Howard nodded. “The’s get started. Thanks for ing, everybody.”

  They all gathered in front of Howard. Yuel and Julia stood on opposite ends as if they were maghat pushed each other away.

  “First,” Howard said. “Support and Carry will be me and Ellen.” He threw a g Yuel.

  Of course. Yuel averted his eyes. There was nothing he could say back. He and Lars lost fair and square in that seleatch. Howard and Ellen won their spots so there was nothing to pin bout.

  “Yay!” Ellen made a V sign and winked as if she didn't see this annou ing. She was trying to rub salt on Yuel's wounds, wasn't she?

  “,”. Howard tinued. “Top: Roi. Jungle: Dan.”

  “Okay, we made it!” Roi pumped a fist.

  “Heh, of course.” Dan shrugged with a smile.

  Roi and Dan bumped fists to celebrate the occasion. It was the predictable lineup but it still must have felt good to be officially selected. Not that Yuel had any idea how that.

  “Tch,” Gregory shook his head. Apparently, he was expeg to be picked even though his ces were realistically zero.

  Even if Howard didn't pick Roi for Top for whatever reason, the didate in line would have been Yuel. He didn't py Top nearly as often as Support, but he was fident he was at least better than Gregory. In fact, Top Laner was the only role Yuel could've realistically gotten today, but noportunity vanished. As expected, he didn't make it.

  The only spot left was Mid Laner. It was Lars's sed-best role, so there was a slim ce he’ll make it. But, before that, there was Gilbert and Julia. The logical assumption would be that Gilbert will retain his spot. However, Julia put on a strong performance during the third game of the seleatch, so she had a ce. It wasn’t high, but it was there.

  “As for Mid,” Howard smiled meaningfully. “Frankly, I couldn't decide. Gil and Julia are both great pyers and they have very distinct py styles. In some matchups, Gil's versatility would be more valuable, while in other matches I see Julia's hyper-aggressiveness serving the team well.”

  W-What!? Julia jumped. Wait, was Howard seriously sidering her for the first string!? Everybody's eyes turned on her. Gulp. Her heart beat faster and faster like it wao leap out of her chest. Was this really happening? Did she have a ce!?

  This gotta be a dream, but ping her cheek didn't wake her up. It was real life and she was just oep away from the first string. Will she make it!? , Howard! Stop beating around the bush and tell us what you decided already!

  “So,” Howard cluded. “After taking all that into at, I decided both Gil and Julia will be on the first string.”

  “N-No way...” Julia shook. S-She did it. It’s not like she ht surpassed Gilbert, but she did it! She made it into the first string! Oh my god! I 't believe it!

  “July~!” Ellen leaped on Julia and squeezed the girl. “gratutions~!”

  “T-Thanks,” Julia would normally kick Ellen away, but right now she was too shocked to react. Most of the other members also gave her approving looks; it seemed the majority agreed that Julia deserved to be on the first string.

  What was Yuel's rea? Julia was curious but. at the same time. it felt awkward to face him. After all, that seleatch was supposed to be for Yuel and Lars. Yet, they didn't make it into the first string while Julia somehow passed.

  In the end, curiosity won and Julia g Yuel. Well, that was disappointing. Yuel didn't show much of an expression. Or, at least, Julia couldn't read much from it. Yuel was wearing his usual difficult expression, which he probably thought made him look serious and smart. It was impossible to tell what he thought of this pick.

  Their eyes met for a moment but Yuel instantly averted his gaze. Then, after a sed, he turo look at Julia again and gave her a small nod with a thumb up. Fortunately, he didn't seem angry over this annou.

  Hmph, not only like I care how he feels about it. Julia lifted her . But, I rather not add fuel to the fire. We're still clubmates and all. Yeah, that's why.

  So, she made it... Yuel sighed and stared at the ceiling. This made the situatioimes more plicated. With Julia now on the first string, how was he supposed t up the topic of transferring schools? Oh, boy...