The Coach & The Challengers EP : 1 Friends

Riku Nakai (Riku Naka-i)

15 years old

172 cm. tall

A funny and kind boy who is talkative and always smiles. He loves playing games and isn't one who gives up easily.

Naoko Nohara (Na-ō-ko Nohara)

15 years old

160 cm. tall

A quiet and shy girl who has had a bad and hard time in her life at her old school. She doesn't like to stay alone but she doesn't know how to make a friend.

(This story is fictional, all characters, organizations, and some places aren't related to reality)

(This is a Shōnen novel the main characters slowly improve their skills, not MC OP)

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In a junior high school in Ibaraki, Motoyama city.

Konnichiwa! I’m Nakai Riku, a 3rd year junior high schooler. Today’s the first day of the new term, and we've just kicked off with math class since the first peroid. So here I am as you see, I'm totally zoning out, staring blankly at the board. Plus, my best friend's transferred to another school already. I'm so damn super lonely. This year, I randomly ended up sitting next to this girl. I think she is... Nohara? I’ve never really talked to her before... Maybe? Why I feel like her face is similar to someone I was seeing... Hm, forget about it. Since we’re sitting together, should I say hi or something to her?

The school bell rang, signaling the end of math class. After the first teacher left, they were waiting for the next one to come in. Riku look at the girl next to him on his right, who is busy drawing picture with her pink mechanical pencil on a small notebook. She seemed pretty quiet, doesn't chat to anyone or scrolling through her phone. Definitely looks like someone who's hard to approach.

- Riku: Uh, hi. You're Nohara right?

She replied Riku with a monotone voice without looking at him while she's still drawinging away.

- Naoko: Yeah... Nohara Naoko.

- Riku: Nice to meet you Nohara. Since we’re sitting next to each other this year, let’s get along!

- Naoko: Mhm

- Riku: So...you don’t wanna go talk to your friends or something else?

- Naoko: I don’t know what topic to talk about, you know? The stuff that my friends like to chat about is something that I don’t really get it. And the things I know, they don’t understand.

- Riku: I see... So what do you usually do when you're alone?

- Naoko: I just draw what I see or play games to pass the time.

Naoko fell silent and keep focusing on her drawing again. Riku leaned in to see what she was sketching with his curious. It turned out to be a robot from a popular PC game called Bladecore Lockdown.

- Riku: Whoa, Nohara! You’re really good at drawing!

- Naoko: Nah, it’s just... doodling.

- Riku: Can I take a look at your sketchbook?

- Naoko: Huh?! But...

- Riku: I promise I won’t do anything. Just wanna look at it.

- Naoko: M-mhm... it’s not that good...

- Riku: Thanks!

Riku flipped through Naoko's sketchbook, admiring her robot drawings from the first page.

- Riku: So, Nohara, you play this game too?

- Naoko: Ah... Yeah... a little. Why?

- Riku: The robot you drew looks just like one from the game I'm playing. Is this Firestorm?

- Naoko: Uh, yeah... D-don’t look too closely! It’s not that nice... The legs's length doesn’t even match...

- Riku: No way, it looks awesome to me! Honestly, I struggle just drawing an apple.

- Naoko: It’s really not that hard. Just start with a stick figure, then add square blocks for arms and legs, and fill in the details. But I can’t make it look pretty...

- Riku: Nah, you're great. Wait, is this Ion Wave? It looks super similar from the game!

- Naoko: Really? When I drew it, I really didn’t like it. I thought it didn’t look like the one in the game, so I kept erasing it for a hundred times...

- Riku: You’re way too hard on yourself! Your skills are amazing!

- Riku: Ballistina! I love playing her! The combos are so fun, and the damage and impact sounds are super satisfying!

- Naoko: She’s strong but too slow and too squishy. Dashing into fights burns so much stamina.

- Riku: But she has that passive that she will speeds up by 50% after dashing for 3 seconds. I think she’s pretty fast!

- Naoko: How fast is her base speed though? Even with the buff, she’s not that quick and her full sprint is just only 10 seconds. It’s hard to catch up to the backline.

- Riku: This is Reaver! I didn’t see it much in ranked anymore.

- Naoko: It got nerfed pretty hard. Back in the day, it was so OP by doing easy things just dash and punch, and it was tanky too. Now it got nerfed in speed right?

- Riku: Yeah, they removed the dash and turned it into a short stun skill.(dizzy effect)

- Riku: By the way, what’s that little black line on the right?

- Naoko: That’s a person...

- Riku: Oh I see! Whenever the robot’s about to blow up, I never manage to launch out in time. I totally forget that this game has pilots too!

- Riku: Dimension Blaster? I’ve never tried that one.

Naoko: Tanky and slow, but it’s a sniper. I don’t know what the game developers were thinking when they made this guy. It's too OP and so unfair.

Riku: But it takes ages to charge each shot right?

- Naoko: But when it hits, the target is really hard to survive.

- Riku: For real? I guess I’ll have to try it out!

Naoko lightly poked Riku’s arm and pointed toward to the front of the classroom to let him know that the next teacher had arrived. Riku quickly closed the sketchbook and give it back to Naoko.

After school at 4 PM, most students were packing up to head home. Riku and Naoko gathered their books and chairs.

- Riku: Ugh... I can’t believe it’s just the first day of school, and I’ve already dumbed.

- Naoko: Yeah...

- Riku: But still, I’m really glad that I made a new friend! Talking to you was a so fun like the time runs so fast!

- Naoko: Wait, you know what did you just say?

- Riku: What? I just meant that chatting about games with you is so fun! Plus, I really like your drawings! No matter what you say, I think they’re awesome!

- Naoko: (slightly embarrassed) Uh... thanks...

- Riku: So, see you tomorrow!

- Naoko: Ah, hey, Nakai.

- Riku: What’s up?

- Naoko: Can I get your Chatcord ID? Maybe we could talk to at here.

- Riku: Sure! Mine is RikU#3897.

- Naoko: And um... today, there’s no any homework today, I was wondering if...you wanted to play game together? I’ll message you. I’m Diamond IV, so we should be able to team up.

- Riku: Totally! I’m free!

After their talking. Naoko stepped out of the school and turned left, but then stopped when she heard Riku calling her name. She turrned back to see him.

- Riku: Nohara! See you later!

- Naoko: Man...you just said that like ten minutes ago!

She turned back and hurried home, bringing her right hand up to pinch her own cheek.

- Naoko: (thinking) No way! I have a friend now!? I can’t believe this is real... Why did we click so well, though?

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