The restaurant buzzed with laughter.
Plates clinked against tables.
Someone in the corner was celebrating a birthday.
The television above the counter replayed highlights from Southside's unbelievable comeback, drawing cheers from a few customers every time Riku's winning goal appeared.
"...Look at that strike," Yuma laughed, pointing at the screen.
"I've watched it five times already," Takumi said.
"You've watched it ten."
"...Maybe."
The table laughed again.
Even Riku cracked a small smile.
Coach Daniel leaned back in his chair, taking a sip of his drink.
"...You all earned tonight."
Then—
CRASH!
The restaurant doors slammed open so hard they bounced off the wall.
Every conversation stopped.
Every head turned.
Standing in the entrance...
was Pambara.
His uniform was wrinkled.
His hair was a mess.
A half-empty bottle hung loosely from one hand.
His face was flushed.
His eyes were bloodshot.
He stumbled forward with an unsteady laugh.
"...There you are..."
Nobody at Southside's table moved.
Pambara pointed the bottle toward them.
"...Having a party..."
"...without me?"
Coach Daniel immediately stood.
"Pambara."
"Don't."
His voice stayed calm.
"Go home."
Pambara ignored him completely.
His eyes locked onto Riku.
"...You."
The smile disappeared from his face.
"...You think you're some kind of hero now?"
The entire restaurant had gone silent.
Several customers quietly reached for their phones.
Others simply watched.
Pambara staggered closer.
"You disappear..."
He took another swig from the bottle.
"...Come back..."
Another step.
"...Punch me in front of everyone..."
Another.
"...Then steal everything."
Riku slowly stood.
"...You're drunk."
"No..."
Pambara laughed.
"...I'm angry."
Without warning, he swung the bottle.
Riku leaned backward.
The glass missed him by inches.
It smashed against the edge of the table instead, shattering across the floor.
Several customers jumped from their seats.
Someone shouted.
A bartender immediately picked up the phone to call security.
Pambara threw another punch.
Riku caught the wrist.
"...Enough."
Pambara tried pulling free.
He couldn't.
Riku twisted him around.
One quick sweep of the leg.
Pambara hit the floor hard.
The restaurant gasped.
He scrambled back to his feet immediately.
Roaring, he charged again.
Riku stepped forward.
One punch to the stomach.
The air left Pambara's lungs.
A second punch landed across the jaw.
Pambara stumbled backward into an empty chair before collapsing onto the floor again.
The fight had lasted less than ten seconds.
Silence.
Only Pambara's heavy breathing remained.
Several customers were openly recording now.
Even two bartenders had their phones out.
"...Is he done?" Yuma asked.
Riku looked down.
"...Not yet."
Coach Daniel sighed.
"...Just don't make this worse."
Riku walked over to the restaurant's storage counter and grabbed a roll of packing tape sitting beside a stack of delivery boxes.
Takumi blinked.
"...Wait..."
"...Why is there tape?"
"No idea."
A few moments later...
Pambara's wrists were taped together.
Then his ankles.
Then another strip loosely secured around his upper arms to keep him from flailing.
He mumbled something unintelligible.
Still drunk.
Still furious.
Riku hoisted him over one shoulder.
Several customers stared in complete disbelief.
"...What is happening?" one whispered.
Riku ignored them.
He walked to the staff hallway where a small storage closet sat open.
After getting a nod from one of the confused employees, he gently set Pambara inside.
"...Sleep it off."
He stepped back.
Closed the door.
Locked it.
A muffled yell came from inside.
"...LET ME OUT!"
Nobody answered.
Riku dusted off his hands.
"...Problem solved."
The bartender who had watched the whole thing burst out laughing.
"...I've worked here twelve years..."
"...I've never seen that before."
The tension finally broke.
People started talking again.
Some laughed.
Others replayed the videos they'd just recorded.
Riku quietly returned to the table.
He pulled out his chair.
Sat down.
For a long moment...
he said nothing.
Then he looked around at everyone.
Yusuke.
Hiroto.
Yuma.
Takumi.
Ren.
Daichi.
Sora.
Tsubasa.
Coach Daniel.
"...This is probably where we part ways."
The smiles faded.
"I said I'd leave the team..."
"...so..."
Nobody interrupted.
Coach Daniel rested his elbows on the table.
"Nonsense."
Riku looked up.
The coach smiled.
"You know..."
"...I haven't seen you smile like that in a long time."
Riku frowned slightly.
"I wasn't smiling."
"Oh?"
Coach Daniel chuckled.
"You looked like you were having the time of your life playing with us again."
The table stayed quiet.
"So..."
The coach leaned forward.
"...what do you say?"
"...Join us."
Nobody spoke.
Every pair of eyes turned toward Riku.
His answer...
would change everything.
To Be Continued.