Ace of the Bench

The bus rolled through the city lights, quiet except for the soft hum of the engine. Most of the boys were still staring out the windows, minds haunted by the sight of Ryu Kazen's 200-0 annihilation.

Coach Hikari stood suddenly.

"Alright, you long-face gremlins," she said, hands on hips. "New rule: Nobody on this bus is allowed to be depressed after a win."

Marcus blinked. "Coach… we won by one."

"And THAT," she said, pointing dramatically, "is STILL a win!"

Yuuto tried to argue. "But Hakuro"

"NOPE!" She clapped her hands loudly. "We are not talking about cyborg monsters and their 200-0 score tonight." She smirked. "Because I know exactly what you boys need."

Daichi leaned forward. "Ice baths?"

"No." Coach grinned wider. "Something better."

Yuuto gasped. "Training?"

"No."

Marcus tilted his head. "Film review"

"NO!" Coach pointed to the window. "We're here."

The bus slowed in front of a lit-up restaurant wrapped in warm wooden tones and neon cursive letters:

FIYA GRILL Authentic Jamaican BBQ

The windows fogged with smoke and spice. The smell hit them instantly pepper, pimento, sweet glaze, charcoal, caramelizing fat.

The whole bus went silent.

Then the reactions burst:

"OH MY GOD."

"I smell chicken—"

"Is that PIGSTAIL?"

"Coach, you a angel?"

"No sah."

"Mi haffi take a picture."

Coach Hikari smirked.

"Boys… tonight, we CELEBRATE."

Inside Fiya Grill

The restaurant was ALIVE.

Loud chatter. Reggae rumbling through speakers. Grill smoke drifting under dim golden lights. Tables packed with people laughing, drinking, eating mountains of food. Flames flared behind the cooks as chicken sizzled and pork caramelized.

A waiter waved them over.

"Big table ready fi di champions!"

The boys took their seats long wooden table, plates stacked, cups already filled with ice.

Marcus sat between Yuuto and Shunjin.

Daniel sat across from them, already judging the menu like it offended him personally.

Arisa slid in next to Coach with a knowing grin.

The waiter returned with the first wave of food.

And it wasn't plates.

It was PLATTERS.

Massive silver trays piled high:

Jerk chicken dripping glaze

BBQ pork ribs sticky with sauce

Pigstail shimmering with honeyed spice

Escovitch fish golden and steaming

Festival, warm and flaky

Roasted corn shining with butter

Lime slaw, crunchy and fresh

Rice & peas, fluffy and aromatic

The boys stared like cavemen seeing fire for the first time.

Yuuto whispered, "Coach… I might cry."

"Eat," she said proudly. "Eat until you can't see your regrets anymore."

The table exploded into chaos.

Marcus grabbed a piece of jerk chicken, bit into it

BAM. Flavors punched him straight in the soul.

"Bro… BRO…" Marcus shook his head violently. "I swear this chicken just saved my life."

Yuuto chewed a rib like he was fighting it for dominance.

"Why is this so good?" he said through sauce. "Why did we not come here earlier? Why did nobody TELL ME?"

On the far end, Shunjin was silently tearing through pigstail like a machine.

Daniel watched him, horrified.

"That… that's horrifying to witness."

Shunjin looked up, sauce dripping from his chin.

"Good protein."

Marcus nearly choked laughing.

Arisa vs. Yuuto "The Festival War"

Yuuto reached for a festival.

Arisa reached at the same time.

They froze.

Yuuto: "Let go."

Arisa: "Make me."

Yuuto: "I will die for this festival."

Arisa: "You will lose."

Marcus stared. "Bro… it's just flour—"

"NO IT'S NOT!" they both snapped.

Coach sighed. "Just order more—"

But it was too late.

Yuuto lunged.

Arisa countered.

The festival went flying—

—Marcus caught it mid-air without looking.

Everyone paused.

Marcus slowly placed the festival back on the tray.

"I'm not getting banned from this restaurant because of you two."

Daniel's Moment of Crisis

Daniel took a bite of BBQ pork.

He stopped.

He stared at the wall.

"Daniel?" Marcus asked.

Daniel whispered, voice trembling, "I… I think I just tasted God."

Shunjin patted his shoulder.

"Good protein."

Halfway through the feast, Coach raised a cold sorrel drink into the air.

"Alright lads… lesson time."

Everyone groaned.

"Coach"

"We eating"

"Can we not"

She ignored them.

"You boys are my team," she said, eyes soft but proud. "And you fought with HEART today."

She pointed her cup at Marcus.

"You kept the team together."

She pointed at Yuuto.

"You showed guts."

She pointed at everyone else.

"And you all held that court like warriors."

The whole table quieted.

Then her smile faded.

"But don't get it twisted."

Her voice dropped to a low, serious tone.

"There are monsters in this tournament. Kings. Titans."

She tapped the table twice.

"And you're going to face them."

Marcus swallowed. "Coach… Hakuro?"

Coach downed her drink in one gulp.

"YES, Hakuro. And Kingsborough. And Kurogane. And Otani. And whoever else thinks they run this place."

She leaned forward, eyes blazing.

"So eat well. Laugh hard. Enjoy tonight.

Because after this… training starts."

Yuuto whispered, "That felt like a threat."

Marcus nodded. "It definitely was."

When the waiter brought out rum cake and ice cream, the boys snapped back into comedy mode.

Shunjin ate ice cream too fast and froze.

Daniel panicked.

"He's dying!"

Yuuto yelled, "Brain freeze tilt your head forward!"

Arisa corrected him, "No, backward!"

Shunjin just slapped the table repeatedly.

Marcus said, "Bro… just breathe."

Shunjin: "I CAN'T FEEL MY SOUL."

The whole restaurant stared.

Coach covered her face.

"…Why did I bring you demons out in public?"

They spilled out of Fiya Grill full, sleepy, buzzing with warmth and laughter.

Marcus stretched. "Man… I needed this."

Yuuto exhaled deeply. "Same."

Arisa smirked. "Feel better?"

"Yeah," Marcus said honestly. "A lot better."

Coach clapped once.

"Good. Because tomorrow"

The boys groaned in unison.

"we train at 6 AM."

Yuuto's soul left his body.

Shunjin stopped walking.

Daniel whispered, "We never should've come."

Marcus laughed, shaking his head.

"Let's go home, guys."

As they boarded the bus again, stomachs full and spirits lifted, the moon hung high above the city quiet, distant, watching.

The real battles were ahead.

But for tonight…

They were just boys, teammates, and friends.

Eating. Laughing. Living.

And ready for whatever came next.