Chapter 479: Trouble in the team
Chapter 479: Trouble in the team
It was easier said than done.
But Akira knew that this matter required immediate attention. Hence, out of concern for the team, he readily agreed to help him investigate the trouble.
"Don't worry coach, you can leave it to me," Akira said confidently.
However, it was merely a facade. Though he appeared confident he wasn't. If he replied haphazardly it would only add to Nanami's worries.
Hence, he couldn't bring himself to speak the truth.
Nanami slightly curled his lips and revealed a subtle smile as he heard Akira's response. Seeing the confident look on his face, he subconsciously began to have faith in Akira. His gut feeling told him that he could rely on Akira.
"Then I'll leave it to you"
Saying so in a gentle manner, Nanami proceeded to leave.
After he left, Akira's expression quickly changed. The smile on his face faded away while at the same time, his brows knotted into a frown.
Frowning, he glanced at the leading figures of the players before sighing helplessly, "Hah! Just how am I supposed to find the trouble now?"
'Should I conduct a survey? Or should I install a hidden camera in the locker room?'
Different ideas popped into his mind as he began to rack his mind. However, neither of them seemed feasible to pull out.
If he directly questioned the players, it might alert the bullies. It might also indicate that they lacked trust in the players.
As for hidden cameras, it might take some time to figure out the problem.
And they were lacking time. There was less than a week left for the friendly match against Georgia. If he couldn't figure out the problem by then it might affect their performance greatly.
So, he had to figure out an efficient method that required less time.
But how was he supposed to find the problem?
While he was contemplating the problem, Kenji approached him.
"Is something bugging you, coach?" Kenji asked curiously.
After seeing his weird gestures on the field, Kenji couldn't help but notice his distressful state. So, out of sheer concern, he couldn't help but ask if something was bugging him.
It wasn't Kenji's intention to startle him. However, since Akira was so lost in his own thoughts he wasn't aware of Kenji's arrival. Thus when he heard him from out of nowhere, it startled him.
"Ah..!" he let out a startling scream.
But it didn't take him long to compose his composure. Regaining his composure, he asked, "Oh Kenji, did you say something?"
There wasn't much age gap between the two. And the two were rather familiar with each other as well. So they didn't use any honorifics when conversing.
"I said that you look troubled," Kenji answered while maintaining a poker face.
"Ah..," he paused just as he was about to speak.
At first, when Akira heard Kenji, he was going to deny it immediately. But realization struck him just as he was about to answer. He realized that it was an opportunity to solve his crisis.
Other players might not be available for the survey. But if he were to ask Kenji, a player part of the team whom he was familiar with, everything would become much easier.
For sure, he'd know the details of the ongoing crisis in the locker room.
Seeing him pause in the middle of a conversation, Kenji couldn't help but wonder if everything was fine with him. Just why was he acting so weird?
Is he alright?
He stared at him concernedly but didn't ask. Instead, he stood at his place, fixedly staring at him, waiting for him to clarify.
Since he was behaving weirdly, he must be plagued with some troubles.
The sight of Kenji conversing with the coaching staff didn't go unnoticed. The bullies upon seeing him talking with Akira their hearts started to palpitate.
Did he notice our scheme?
Is he complaining about our behavior to the coach?
Their face darkened as sweat trickled down their forehead upon seeing the sight of Kenji conversing with Akira. Fear gripped their heart preventing them from leaving the field. The more they conversed the more their heart sank.
What will happen to them once they figure out their scheme?
"So, you're saying that there's a dispute going on in the team?" after hearing Kenji's explanation, Akira asked rubbing his chin.
Nodding his head, Kenji countered, "Yeah, so what will you do now?"
Akira began to think deeply. The matter wasn't as simple as it appeared. After all, it included a lot of important players on the team.
If it was a few insignificant players, he could have provided his judgment on the spot. But it included a lot of important figures. Also, he didn't have the authority to decide such a matter of importance on his own.
It required much consideration and discussion. And it had to be dealt with swiftly without causing much harm to the team.
Expecting a response from Akira, he stood still at his place, fixedly staring at Akira. He didn't require anybody to tell him that this matter was much more grave than it appeared. Though it seemed pretty simple, it wasn't.
So, he patiently awaited his response.
Finally, after much consideration, Akira opened his mouth, "Neither can we afford to ignore it nor can we take immediate action. I think I'll need to consult with the manager before deciding. Until then would you help me keep those bunches in check?"
Well, he didn't need to ask him. Even if he didn't ask him, he was going to do that nonetheless. After all, he had grown fond of Hiro.
So, he wanted to help him in any way he could.
Nodding his head, Kenji replied with conviction, "You can leave that up to me. But you need to come up with some measures to solve the dispute as soon as possible. Otherwise, those bunches of tyranny wouldn't stop."
Hearing such a response from Kenji, Akira felt assured. He could tell that he could count on him. Hence he felt a little light after finding the trouble plaguing the team.