Novels2Search

Week 20 - #18

> Decision

>

> >1 - Run at the attacker. The best move. Even if… EVEN IF… (1d100+50)

> >2 - Stick to the goal. Giving Watase more space to plant her shot (1d100)

>

> It’ll be a contested roll.

> One for us using the roll chosen above and one 1d100 for Watase.

>

> Winner

> >1 - Run at the attacker. The best move. Even if… EVEN IF… (1d100+50)

Watase is closing in, ball seemingly glued to her feet.

Her eyes scan the left and right corners of the goal.

As she does, you are immediately reminded how large the goal is.

There is no way you could dive towards either corner in time, even if you guessed correctly.

Your only option is to run towards Watase, isn’t it?

The closer you are, the smaller the goal behind you.

It’s a matter of angles.

You’re not about to betray all the effort Enatsu has put in.

Even if participating in the game caught you unprepared.

Grit your teeth, Miho!

A brief moment of embarrassment is only a small price to pay!

“Ooooo!” you shout, taking off.

Your legs pump away at the soft grass beneath you.

But your legs aren’t the only thing moving.

Unlike all the other girls, you didn’t come to this game wearing a sports bra.

Why would you? You were supposed to be on the sidelines!

@BlueOcean123: I CAN’T WATCH

@Idolmaster33: CLIP IT

@Idolmaster33: DO IT NOW

@Rowboats1293: clipping it

@Notesandboats32: right away sir

@speakaaaa: yep yep, into the homework folder

@strawb3rrri3sx3: uwa… the second-hand shame

@YaBoiGhoulman3: lolol her face is like a tomato

@Napgang333: boing~ boing~

@ensumipaypiggg: I love livestreaming o7

Your chest rises and falls with each set of steps.

The straps of the old bra you’re wearing are no match for the sudden abuse – you feel them digging into your shoulders as you run.

Doubling up on tight shirts is doing little to keep your breasts in place.

Enatsu wanted you to run around the field with her as a forward, well.

Some girls might get away with sprinting with a mundane bra, but not you.

You’ve already committed, there’s no going back now.

At least Watase’s focus seems somewhat scattered…

This better be worth it.

> Need one 1d100+50 roll for Nagata’s attempt at a save

> 85 for Nagata

>

> Need one 1d100 roll for Watase’s shot at the goal

> 72 for Watase

Rushing towards the ball, you close the distance between you and Watase.

You’re painfully aware of the movement on your chest, but it shouldn’t be any worse than hurrying down a flight of stairs.

For a moment or two, Watase’s eyes widen in surprise.

It isn’t long, but it was enough.

You got a few extra steps in before she recovers.

Getting really close.

Watase clicks her tongue, then shoots the ball.

A last-second effort.

It would’ve been nice if you could’ve bragged at a later time how an outstretched hand of yours stopped the ball in its tracks, but that didn’t happen.

Instead, you instinctively protect your head, duck to side, and yelp in alarm, “Kyaa!” you cry.

That’s some goalkeeper you are.

The ball flies a foot shy of your shoulder.

It seems she tried to pass it to somebody else, but your charge caught her off-guard.

Having the ball shot at you from this close is far scarier than you imagined it would be.

Real goalkeepers probably undergo dozens of hours of training before they’re able to reflexively move in front of the ball, rather than dodge it.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

[https://assets.legendkeeper.com/84feb714-0028-457c-80ee-f12d9fd533c4.png]

Luckily, the ball flies wide – out-of-bounds.

Momentum carrying her forward, Watase twists her body to side to avoid you.

She stumbles briefly before crashing into the dirt, though she immediately gets up.

Her soccer tunic and face are lined with dirt as she stomps towards you.

Watase scowls, “What the hell was that?!” she shouts.

“… I… I… don’t k-know what you mean,” you say, turning your body away.

It’s not your fault her eyes were looking elsewhere…

“I could’ve crashed into you!” cries Watase, “You could’ve gotten hurt!”

“Why the FUCK would you ran at me!” she adds.

You freeze up in face of the sudden anger.

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The cameraman is highly experienced.

A dozen years in the industry makes a man pick up a thing or two.

To prepare for every eventuality.

Even though Watase is far away, and sound might not carry, he presses a button on a remote, replacing a second of broadcasted audio with the quack of a duck.

“This is a 'G' rated stream,” he says smugly.

Nobody hears, but he needs little moments like this to make it through the day.

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“…Eh… I saw that’s how they do on TV…” you reply carefully, “The goalkeeper moves… towards…for angles… and stuff…”

“Hah?! Why would you do that?!” shouts Watase, “This is a friendly event match! I’m not gonna go all out! I’m almost double everyone’s size and weight!”

“…Well…” you say, but you can’t come up with a proper excuse.

You just wanted to do right by Enatsu. Did you take the match too seriously?

It seems like Watase has been approaching this match quite differently, more like a job.

You and Enatsu more or less treated this game as a proper match.

One you should try to win. In order for her to show off her abilities as an idol.

“You could’ve ended up in the hospital if we slammed into each other!” shouts Watase as she points an accusing finger, “NEVER do that again.”

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Meanwhile on the broadcast…

@Rowboats1293: bro… five?

@YaBoiGhoulman3: FIVE ADS IN A ROW? SERIOUSLY?

@Napgang333: I got adblock, but it’s just a black screen with the words ADS for me…

@yuukioniisan: LET ME IIINNNNNNN!!!

“Sight tight, boys, this isn’t for you to see,” says the cameraman, exhaling through his nose in satisfaction.

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“… I just didn’t want you to score a goal…” you say, your eyes cast downward.

“Didn’t you work in HR before this?” says Watase, gesturing wildly in disbelief, “Health comes first! Haven’t you noticed how nobody is sliding or tackling?”

You know for a fact that some of the girls even have other jobs lined up right after this one.

Nobody can afford to get hurt.

A few feet away Daigo Noami grimaces as she sucks in a breath through clenched teeth, then quickly takes distance from the conversation.

Luckily most girls are too far away to overhear most of the conversation, though some are slowly closing in to see what the fuss is about.

“I’m sorry…” you say.

Watase sighs heavily, calming down a bit, “Just… be more careful,” she says, then walks away, clutching her shoulder.

Ah, you got scolded by somebody younger than you again…

The coach acting as referee has been keeping his distance from the discussion, but finally cuts in.

He seems to have his own ideas of when he should get involved.

“Goalkeeper kick,” says the referee, handing you the ball.

You nod.

This is a show-match.

The purpose of the match isn’t to win, but to make everyone involved look as good as possible.

A collab event for some cross-exposure between the idols' respective fan-bases.

It’s Enatsu’s idol debut, but all the other girls and their managers aren’t stupid.

They’re here to make full use of the event in their own way.

That much should’ve been obvious.

Maybe your inexperience is showing…

You drop the ball and pass it to Miyata Maru.

The game continues.

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Most of the match passes pleasantly, you’re moving into the final minutes of the match.

In the past forty minutes your side has managed to score three more times, courtesy of Enatsu and the twins.

Watase’s team likewise scored three times, though Watase herself hadn’t shot at the goal even once.

Instead opting to pass to a teammate as they close in on the goal, who then casually passed it into the net.

Outplaying you rather than brute forcing a goal. Safe.

The current score stands four to three in your favour.

All-in-all, there’s some decent competition going, and all idols get to showcase their (lack of) skills and put their advertised idol personality on display.

[https://assets.legendkeeper.com/105f2778-16d5-4197-8a33-422ae7e59a61.jpg]

“Hang in there, Hanko-chan!” says a voice.

Eh?

You glance towards the sidelines.

Standing just beyond the waist-high barriers of the field is a newly arrived man.

He’s leaning on the barriers and watching the game with a smile on his face.

The man seems to be in his mid-twenties and, you won’t lie, he’s a bit intimidating.

In his hands he’s carrying some kind of device.

A camera, maybe?

As you look towards the coach for an explanation, he simply shrugs and shakes his head.

Not anyone from the club, it seems.

A fan, then?

How’d he even find this place?

Still, he doesn’t seem to have any bad intentions.

You glance towards Handa Ako, stage-name Hanko-chan.

She greets the fan with a little wave and a shaky smile, clearly uncomfortable.

It’s one thing to meet fans at a scheduled meet, it’s another thing entirely to have them show up unannounced at a private event.

All the other managers have entrusted their idols to you for this event.

They’re your responsibility. Some girls don’t seem to mind the sudden appearance of the fan.

Others are scanning the horizon, fearing more might follow.